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The business magazine for landscape, irrigation and maintenance contractors.
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Dec. 9 2019 06:00 AM
By Stacie Zinn Roberts
Find out how to tell your employees what they need to hear.
When Scott Needham noticed inconsistencies in the way his landscape crews were pruning shrubs in the common areas of the dozens of homeowners associations his company, ProQual Landscaping, maintains in Tempe, Arizona, he knew he had to find a way to show his crews how to do it correctly. But demonstrating one-on-one how he wanted the pruning performed for each of his 150 crew members across 30 different maintenance crews was not practical.
Instead, he hired a production company to shoot a video of one of his crews pruning correctly. The video was shown to crew members at early morning meetings. And now, shrubs at every job site are pruned in exactly the same way.
How do you communicate with your employees? Whether you’ve got one small crew or an army of hundreds, the challenge remains the same. How can landscape managers and irrigation installers effectively communicate tasks, express company culture and get employees to buy into company objectives in a way that will not only be well received, but implemented? Needham devised a creative way to get the message out to his staff, and you can too.
Judith Guido is a business consultant and founder of Guido and Associates, Moorpark, California. She specializes in helping green industry companies grow their businesses. Internal communications is a frequent focus of her work with new clients.
“When I ask what some of the biggest problems are in their company, 99% of the time, the word ‘communication’ is one of the top three responses,” Guido says. “I ask the question, ‘Could you share with me what your communications strategy is?’ And quite frequently you get a pregnant pause followed by, ‘What do you mean, communications strategy?’”
According to Guido, an internal communications strategy is organizing the flow of information that’s necessary to run your company in a predictable, efficient and time-sensitive manner. And that information has got to go out to the right people.
Effective internal communication dictates how information is shared within an organization. Guido recommends that organizations break down the functions of an organization and map out workflows. Once the way the company works is understood, the messaging necessary to assist in keeping those workflows moving is what should be communicated to staff.
“I think communication is one of the most important aspects of our business because we’re in the service business. Our reputation is upheld with follow-through on commitments,” says Chris Angelo, president and CEO of Stay Green Inc., Santa Clarita, California, a commercial landscaping and irrigation services company. “So if we make a commitment, we’ve got to honor that commitment. And that’s why communication is number one — so that we retain clients and retain team members.”
Founded in 1970 by Angelo’s parents, Richard and Charlene, the company has grown to 10 locations and 400 employees. With so many employees spread from San Diego to Santa Barbara, Angelo says getting everyone on the same page is critical. To do so, he and his company leadership devised a strategy that they implement on a daily basis.
Chris Angelo uses printed cards to make certain employees always remember the company’s core values while out on the job.
“We have, as an organization, identified the core values that are important to us. And honestly, those core values really are aligned with me and my father’s personal and traditional values,” Angelo says. “A way to really illustrate the idea or the values is to align it with a behavior or a type of action or outcome you would like to have.”
Stay Green’s four core values
Under each of the four core values, Stay Green lists between four and six behaviors that illustrate ways crew members can align with company philosophy.
For example, under teamwork, behavior #3 is:
Practice blameless problem-solving
Just fix it. Apply your creativity and enthusiasm to developing solutions, rather than pointing fingers or dwelling on problems. Identify lessons learned and use those lessons to improve ourselves and our processes so we don’t make the same mistake twice. Learn from every experience.
The core values are written down. They’re printed on cards that each employee carries. Every week, one of these is designated as the Value Behavior of the Week and it is incorporated into morning meetings that Angelo calls huddles.
“In our morning huddles we will share the Value Behavior of the Week, and we’ll give an example of why it’s important. Then I’ll send it out via text in English and Spanish to all of the company’s phones and emails on a daily basis,” Angelo says. “And so that really helps set culturally the tone for the company and the importance of how we communicate with one another.”
Since Stay Green introduced this program of value behavior daily reinforcement six years ago, Angelo reports measurable results.
“We have had a reduction in employee turnover at the skilled level. We have had almost a perfect score at the leadership team level. We have improved our client retention, and our client survey scores over the last six years incrementally have improved. We have drastically improved our safety, and our experience modification has dropped below 100 and held for the first time in decades,” Angelo says.
Experience modification is a workers’ compensation safety measurement that impacts insurance rates. “Safety is critical because insurance is expensive, particularly in California. If you have more frequency of accidents, or severity of accidents, that cost could make your organization uncompetitive in the marketplace,” Angelo says. “We have performed very well, and we’ve had a few locations where we are going on three to four years of being accident-free, which is amazing. And I believe that these trends are occurring because we are intentional about our culture of accountability, of integrity, teamwork and achievement.”
The story is similar at ProQual Landscape, where Needham spent $30,000 in 2019 to produce videos that he uses for in-house training, as well as on his company’s social media for marketing purposes.
How did the staff take to the idea of participating in videos? “You know, initially I think they thought it was weird,” Needham says. “But now they kind of look forward to it. Now they’re like, ‘Hey, when are you going to come video one of our projects?’ because they’re proud of it. So I found that since we’re trying to help them get better and help our company, they want to be a part of it. It’s increased the morale of the company.”
Another tool the ProQual teams use is the pin-drop function on their iPhones to share location information between crews to accurately indicate problem areas within a landscape they manage down to the exact location. Need to get a sprinkler head fixed or report fallen tree branches? A team member will mark the location and share it with the rest of the crew, often texting a photo of the problem area for further clarification.
Guido suggests her clients pick and choose from a wide array of tools to get internal communication messaging into the hands and minds of employees.
Smartphones: What Guido calls the “brilliant phones” offer the power of a handheld computer with calling, texting, email and other apps in the palm of your hand. You may have overlooked how useful this tool can be to send out internal messaging.
Newsletters:Printed or digital, the good, old-fashioned company newsletter is a way to offer updates and articles that may not be time-sensitive or are too long for texts or emails.
Video: You can hire a production company for slick, professional videos, but Guido says employee-generated videos taken with a smartphone can be just as effective.
Project management and chat software: Project management software such as Asana, Basecamp and Monday track projects and who is assigned to specific tasks. They can also track progress in real time. Digital chat rooms like Slack allow for quick communications and file sharing for collaboration between teams.
Social media groups: LinkedIn, Facebook and other platforms offer the ability to create private group chats or invitation-only pages that allow you to share information and photos, post training videos, and make company announcements.
YouTube: Private YouTube channels can be created to share training videos and corporate announcements.
Video conferencing: Platforms such as Zoom and Join.Me allow participants to share computer screens and documents and to interact with team members by video chat at different locations.
With all of these different tools available, it’s easy to become overwhelmed, but don’t be discouraged. You don’t have to use them all. Instead, try to identify the best method or tool for the job at hand. Ask yourself these four key questions:
1. What do I need to communicate?
2. Who’s going to send the communication?
3. How will the person or people I’m sending the message to best receive it?
4. What’s the best tool for the job?
Guido says sending information in several formats makes sense because some staff may work in front of a computer all day while others may never touch a keyboard.
“Different people relate differently to different tools to learn and grow and develop,” Guido says.
For example, if you’re trying to communicate with foremen in the field, sending a text to their smartphones would probably generate a quicker response than sending an email. However, texting a change to the company’s insurance policy would be ineffective. Instead, sending an email or creating a printed packet or newsletter would allow for the depth of information necessary.
Ultimately, all communications are about delivering the right message to the right person, in a way that it will be best received.
Stacie Zinn Roberts is the founder of What’s Your Avocado? Marketing and Public Relations. Connect with her on Twitter @whatsyouravocad.
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© 2020 Irrigation & Green Industry. Phone: 703.536.7080 / Fax: 703.536.7019
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About ISIPT
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Train-the- Trainer Model for Implementing IPT
A practical, scalable, effective means of training therapists to implement evidence-based therapies is needed. One option for which there is a strong theoretical case for changing therapist behavior is the train-the-trainer approach, which centers around the development of a trainer who then trains therapists in the setting and serves as an internal coach.
In a recent study, the authors compared the implementation outcomes of 2 methods of training therapists to treat depression and eating disorders on university campuses using IPT. Counseling centers were randomized to the expert condition, which involved a workshop and 12 months of follow-up consultation, or the train-the-trainer condition, in which a staff member from the counseling center was coached to train other staff members. The main outcomes were therapist fidelity (adherence and competence) to IPT and the therapist knowledge of IPT.
Results demonstrate that the trainer model produced training outcomes comparable with the expert model with respect to adherence and actually demonstrated superiority with respect to competence. Because a trainer is embedded in the site, therapists can continuously be trained over a prolonged period, providing sustainability of benefits, including potential cost-effectiveness. This model may also be a particularly good fit for college counseling centers, which typically have new trainees entering each year. Given its potential capability to train more therapists over time, the train-the-trainer model has the potential to facilitate widespread dissemination of IPT. Read More
IPT NEWS!
Dave Davis Research Award
Dr. Paula Ravitz (Associate Professor, Psychiatry), Dr. Clare Pain (Associate Professor, Psychiatry), and Dr. Dawit Wondimagegn (Associate Professor, Psychiatry) were awarded the 2019 Dave Davis Research Award from the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine for the Biaber Project, to scale up screening and treatment of common mental disorders using culturally adapted IPT in Ethiopian primary care.
Dr. Dave Davis has had a long and distinguished career in Continuing Professional Development at the University of Toronto. He was the Associate Dean of Continuing Education in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto from 1994-2005, and laid the groundwork for the concept of evidence-based Continuing Professional Development . He authored several seminal publications outlining what education delivery methods are effective agents of change for changing behaviours of health professionals leading to improved patient outcomes. In 2001, he established the University of Toronto Knowledge Translation research program. The Dave Davis Research Award recognizes an outstanding completed research/scholarly project in Continuing Professional Development in the Faculty of Medicine.
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance honored Holly Swartz, MD, with Gerald L. Klerman Senior Investigator Award
The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), the nation’s largest patient-run
organization focusing on depression and bipolar disorder, presented its 2018 Gerald L. Klerman Awards on May 20, 2019, in San Francisco. Holly Swartz, M.D. was honored with the 2018 Gerald L. Klerman Senior Investigator Award for her career-long contributions to mental health research. DBSA’s Klerman Award is the highest honor DBSA extends to members of the scientific community. It recognizes researchers whose work contributes to understanding the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of depression and bipolar disorder.
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Superimposed Psychological Suffering March 23, 2019
THOUGHTS FROM THOUGHT-LEADERS January 1, 2017
The International Society for Interpersonal Psychotherapy (ISIPT) is a non-profit, global organization dedicated to promoting and disseminating training and research in Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT). On this website you can learn about applications of IPT, IPT trainings and worldwide ISIPT activities including the International Conference
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Arco Minero: limites
Stories on “Arco Minero: limites“
Behind the fire there is deforestation, with 88% more in Amazonas state, Brazil
According to Imazon, 582 square kilometers of trees were felled in a year. Pollution of the smoke endangered the health of the population, but the Amazonas state government has invested in agribusiness with the Safra Plan.
Brazil climate change report warns of failed hydropower and crops
By 2040, many of Brazil’s existing and planned hydropower projects, including those in the Tapajós basin, could become unviable as drought worsens and river flows decrease.
Research shows that oil pollution impacts in Peruvian reserve
Study seeks to understand impacts of oil spills during the period of oil operations in the reserve, with information of 565 water and soil samples for the period 1994-2015.
Oil exploration threatens forests in the Ecuadorian Amazon
Document prepared by the Amazon Regional Articulación (ARA), points out that, in the region, unlike the rest of the country, poverty rates are not only higher, as they have also increased.
1.4 million Brazilians co-sign zero deforestation bill submitted to Brazil’s Congress
Forest advocates want Brazil’s federal government to take swifter action to end deforestation of the Amazon altogether.
Increase in illegal mining in the buffer zone of the Bahuaja Sonene Park
Sernanp detected increase in illegal mining in an air patrol to assess possible impacts of illegal activities.
Three Amazon nations, three approaches to reducing deforestation
Brazil, Peru and Colombia all have major holdings in Amazonia, and all have diverging policies that have had varying success in curbing deforestation.
Ibama team is attacked and shot by illegal loggers in Maranhão, Brazil
An IBAMA inspection team was attacked by shot on October 16 by criminals who stole wood on Arariboia Indigenous Land in the municipality of Arame, in Maranhão. An agent was wounded.
E-Book shows behavior of extractive industries in Peru
10/26/2015 clip Convoca
Book ‘Excesses unpunished’ brings reports with evidence and cases in the mining and oil sector in the country.
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Food Adventurers
New cooking school will teach kids healthy habits
By Tessa Marguerite Outland
Getting kids to eat their veggies is a struggle in many homes. It has become such a persistent issue that some of this generation’s adolescents, often due to lack of resources or inaccessibility, do not recognize produce like pears or broccoli—even right here in Sacramento.
But what would happen if kids could experience hands-on learning in school about a variety of fruits and vegetables, and taste fresh, unpackaged, unprocessed meals? Beginning next fall, the students at Leataata Floyd Elementary School will find out.
The Food Literacy Center, a Sacramento nonprofit, is partnering with several local organizations to begin a first-of-its-kind project to teach Sacramento students and families how to cook healthy meals. The official groundbreaking for a new cooking school at Floyd Farms, a 2.5-acre lot adjacent to Leataata Floyd Elementary, took place in September.
Amber Stott founded the Food Literacy Center in 2011 in an effort to change the way kids look at healthy food. The small nonprofit delivers cooking and nutrition classes to students and schools for free, but until now it lacked an adequate facility.
“This (new facility) opens the possibility to reach so many more children,” Stott says. The cooking school will offer free classes to students at Leataata Floyd Elementary, integrated with math, science and more.
The innovative project is in partnership with the Sacramento City Unified School District, city of Sacramento, The Mill at Broadway and HMC Architects. “We’re so excited to partner with the Food Literacy Center, helping Amber Stott and her team build a cooking school with student-run gardens,” says Katherine Bardis, co-founder and president of Bardis Homes, builder of The Mill at Broadway.
The Food Literacy Center cooking school will serve the 330 elementary school students enrolled at Leataata Floyd Elementary and their families. Other students throughout the Sacramento City Unified School District and community members will be invited to tour the cooking school on field trips and discover how to make fresh, colorful meals at home.
Stott says each meal will focus on a fruit or vegetable with the goal of encouraging kindergarten through 6th-grade students to be “food adventurers” and try new things. Their first recipe will be a peanut-butter sandwich—something all kids are familiar with—but it will swap out jelly for fresh fruit slices. The next meal might be pho using ramen noodles, but substituting the salty packet for fresh spices and herbs. All meals will be budget-friendly and fresh.
Jorge Aguilar, superintendent of Sacramento City Unified School District, says this health-focused project has been in development since 2012. At the groundbreaking, Aguilar beamed with pride. “Today, we’re thrilled to break ground on the zero net energy building, designed with the latest energy-efficiency technologies and enough solar energy to offset the building’s annual energy use.” The 10,000-square-foot building will be a green operation with energy produced from solar panels.
The new facility will include a prep kitchen and training space, and support community programs. Floyd Farms also will be home to a city-run community garden. “This innovative model will increase children’s access to food literacy programs, which will build healthy eating habits that will benefit our students for years to come,” says state Assemblymember Kevin McCarty.
The Food Literacy Center receives multi-year support from Clover Sonoma, The Mill at Broadway, Setzer Foundation, Sun & Soil Juice Company and Selland Family Restaurants. “Food literacy is perhaps the most important piece of education in our time,” says Marcus Benedetti, CEO of Clover Sonoma. “In a world increasingly filled with processed food options, we are excited to help bring to life a campus that can help children understand how their food is grown, why it’s important to consume fresh foods and what nutrients they need to live a healthy life.”
The cooking school and student gardens will be managed by the Food Literacy Center’s small staff. While the project receives additional support from local donors and grants, it is dependent on a continued partnership with the Sacramento community.
Stott’s visible passion for the overall health and nutrition of the next generation will undoubtedly fuel the students’ excitement to become food adventurers. “This really is a dream project,” Stott says with a grin.
Tessa Marguerite Outland can be reached at tessa.m.outland@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
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Rhino – Living and Dying by Numbers
Stephen Wiggins 26th July 2017 Article 11 Comments
As soon as a wildlife species becomes a commodity to be utilised, it’s all about the numbers – farmed and wild populations, market value, death rates and projections – the nonsensical demand curve, the eagerness to supply, the species’ likelihood of survival in the wild…….these ‘numbers’ become more stark when the species in question is in perilous decline.
On Monday, 24 July 2017, Minister Molewa, The Republic of South Africa, Department: Environmental Affairs (DEA) presented a statement (video link here) regarding South Africa’s on-going rhino strategy and the state of the wild populations within South Africa. Attendees included South Africa’s Minister of State Security, David Mahlobo (implicated last year in alleged links to rhino traffickers). The DEA’s ‘position’ being ‘informed’ by a month-long Rhino Laboratory held last year.
In terms of rhino poaching in 2017 – “There has been a slight decrease in the number of rhino poached nationally. A total of 529 rhino have been poached since January 2017, compared to 542 in the same period for 2016, representing a decrease of 13 rhinos” – DEA, 24 July 2017
But if one excludes the poaching statistcs reported from the Kruger National Park (KNP), rhino poaching has so far risen by 52% nationally in 2017 compared with 2016 – giving cause for considerable concern:
Between Jan-Jun 2017: 529 poached, 243 from KNP (so 286 nationally);
The projections suggest that again, over 1,000 rhino will be poached in South Africa by year end, with the targeting spreading away from the Kruger National Park.
“Internationally renowned rhino expert Dr Richard Emslie said that the latest poaching statistics were disappointing and indicative of continued strong demand for black-market rhino horns…….Emslie, a member of the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), noted that the latest statistics were likely to reflect minimum poaching rates “ since not all carcasses were likely to be found immediately in vast landscapes such as Kruger“” – Source: Daily Maverick, 24 July 2017
The DEA also reported an alarming increase in elephant poaching within the KNP, which suggests the criminal networks are expanding and diversifying their activities, not diminishing:
“It is with concern that we also report that in 2017, 30 elephants were poached in the Kruger National Park. The interventions being implemented to counter rhino poaching are also used to respond to this emerging threat.”
Domestic Rhino Horn Trade
The DEA’s draft regulations for ‘domestic’ trade in rhinoceros horn are progressing – noting that all public “inputs are being considered as part of the current approval process” – DEA, 24 July 2017
But the risks of the loopholes and the negative consequences of such ‘domestic’ regulations are presumably being ignored as the DEA robustly defends the provision for export (with all permits necessary) for ‘personal use’ and states emphatically that:
“the commercial international trade in rhino horn remains strictly prohibited” [apart from the obvious loopholes that can be exploited for export for ‘personal use’ of course] “in terms of CITES. That is correct, Ladies and Gentlemen, prohibited. South Africa is a signatory to CITES. The aforementioned draft regulations published for public comment relate to a proposed domestic trade.”
There was no mention in Minister Molewa’s presentation of the proposed rhino horn auction to be held in August by rhino breeder, John Hume. It has been reported that Minster Molewa was unaware of any such auction:
“One rhino farmer, John Hume, is already broadcasting an on-line horn auction with websites in English, Chinese and Vietnamese, although Molewea said she had not heard of this” – eTurbo News, 25 July 2017.
However, Minister Molewea’s own department, the DEA issued a statement raising concerns about these auctions on 17 July 2017 – “Department Environmental Affairs concerned about false impression created about domestic trade in rhino horn,” 17 July 2017.
So, does the DEA’s rhino strategy and latest statistics give cause for hope? Well, without increased levels of swift and harsh prosecutions for illicit behaviour at all levels, then ‘hope’ is muted:
Of the South Africans from the gaming industry arrested for rhino-related offences only “two were sentenced to jail time, while more than 93% were granted bail. Shockingly, seventeen of them were repeat offenders, and more than 20% worked in the veterinary field.” This analysis included the notorious Groenewald Gang, still to face justice for their rhino-related crimes from 2010 – IWB, 19 July 2017
If one intends to profit from the commercial exploitation of rhino for their horn, by pseudo-legal and/or illicit means, then yes, hope is given. In the meantime, the survival of the species in the wild looks less certain.
When one reads that the State has a reported stockpile of some 45 tonnes of rhino horn (conservatively estimated as worth some $1.3bn), then the incentive to export rhino horn stockpiles out of South Africa at some point becomes crystal clear – of course, the DEA is keen to point out that “….the commercial international trade in rhino horn remains strictly prohibited in terms of CITES” but of course, the DEA have clearly promoted (within its ‘domestic’ regulations) loop-holes to exploit:
“export of rhino horn for non-commercial purposes, such as personal use, hunting trophies, research or education and training as provided for by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)” – DEA, 24 July 2017
The DEA’s draft regulations for ‘domestic’ trade in rhinoceros horn were indeed “published for public comment in February this year. All inputs are being considered as part of the current approval process” – but negative inputs are being duly ignored by the DEA it would seem.
At the end of the day, it’s all about the numbers – but the rhino’s numbers are being driven by the $$$s to be made by the rhino’s ‘utilisation’ by all parties concerned.
rhino horn auctionRhino Horn TradeRhino PoachingSouth Afrcia
Gustav Venter
The ban is clearly a huge failure. The rhinos are dying in unsustainable numbers. If there had been a ban on beef, cattle would have been extinct by now.
Stephen Wiggins
27th July 2017 at 12:06 am
Thanks for sharing your ‘theory’ – of course, cattle are also utilised for milk, leather etc., so you might want to reconsider the hypothetical impact of “a ban on beef” alone leading to your “cattle would have been extinct by now” to support your theory.
The enforcement of the “ban” (CITES 1977 ban on international trade in rhino horn) has failed, due to lack of prosecution for wrong-doing, complicity, corruption, greed, ignorance…..all for rhino horn to be used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) – a fraudulent products with no proven efficacy – or rhino horn is prized as a symbol of status and wealth in ornaments and jewellery. None of the rhino horn’s ‘value’ and use is of any proven practicable use to anybody.
Legal wildlife trade markets always present opportunity for illicit behaviour to flourish. Because of the lack of enforcement of the “ban,” the rhino horn market is dominated by criminal networks that do not follow conventional thinking/market dynamics, predictability – there is a high likelihood that ‘legal’ routes will legitimise demand, stimulate demand and hence fuel the incumbent criminal networks (to the detriment of wild rhino). There is only a minimal percentile upside risk that ‘legal’ rhino horn trading will improve the situation – but most likely, it will make a bad situation much, much worse. Are the risks worth taking to ‘try’ legal mechanisms? On the balance of the likely negative outcomes, I think not.
Here are links to some of the academic reports and studies that suggest ‘legal’ trade mechanisms are unlikely to have a positive impact for the survival of the rhino species in the wild (where the survival of the species in the wild is the true, altruistic intent of everyone concerned, isn’t it?):
“The Horn of Contention,” Economists at Large & International Fund for Animal Welfare, November 2013 – http://www.ecolarge.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Ecolarge-2013-Horn-of-Contention-IFAW.pdf
“A Game of Horns,” Annette Michaela Hübschle, International Marx Plank Research School on the Social and Political Constitution of the Economy (IMPRS SPCE), Köln, Germany, 2016 – http://pubman.mpdl.mpg.de/pubman/faces/viewItemFullPage.jsp?itemId=escidoc:2218357
“Debunking the myth that a legal trade will solve the rhino horn crisis: A system dynamics model for market demand,” D. J. Crooks and J. N. Bilgnault, Journal for Nature Conservation, Elsevier, Pretoria, 2015 – http://www.saeon.ac.za/enewsletter/archives/2015/october2015/images/0300.pdf
“Leonardo’s Sailors: A Review of the Economic Analysis of Wildlife Trade,” A. Nadal and F. Aguayo, The Leverhulme Centre for the Study of Value, Manchester, 2014 – http://thestudyofvalue.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/WP5-Nadal-and-Aguayo-Leonardos-Sailors-2014.pdf
“A quantitative assessment of supply and demand in rhino horn and a case against trade,” NABU International, Berlin, 2016 – https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308677581_Pointless_A_quantitative_assessment_of_supply_and_demand_in_rhino_horn_and_a_case_against_trade
“Legalizing Rhino Horn Trade Won’t Save Species, Ecologist Argues,” K. Nowak, National Geographic, 8 January 2015 – http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/01/150106-rhino-poaching-south-africa-animals-conservation/
So, if the use of beef and milk and leather and hooves were banned, then cattle would have been extinct by now? There, I fixed it for you. It is also to be inferred, then, that you support the principle of sustainable use…. until, that is, it gets to a select few animal species. The ban is a patent and ridiculous failure. Lifting it will very soon show all the desired results: more rhinos will be bred and the overall population will increase, in spite of the spectres of corruption and laundering you continually raise. Poaching incidents will decrease because there will be so much more money to bolster the protection efforts you in which you put so much trust. As for all these “studies” you show, (there, you see, I can also use quotation marks) they amount to nothing. They come from people deeply invested in maintaining the ban, not for the sake of the rhino, but for their own benefit. Can the Ban, while the rhino can still be saved!
9th August 2017 at 2:08 pm
“So, if the use of beef and milk and leather and hooves were banned, then cattle would have been extinct by now? There, I fixed it for you.” No, too many other variable to know if cattle would be extinct, or not based on your outline theory. I have no idea what correlation (if any) you think you are making between your ‘cattle theory’ and rhino horn trading – perhaps you are suggesting that without the ‘blessing’ of mankind’s utilisation of a given species, then that species is doomed to extinction (which is clearly not true)? The variables, merits, detriments are unique to each species and mankind’s utilisation (or otherwise); the widespread moral/ethical acceptance, or otherwise is based on a wide range of variables and one’s own opinions etc. If you want to defend rhino horn trading, then defend it on your knowledge of its perceived merits (backed by independent science if/where available), not by trying to offset with a meaningless comparison with another species and a theory you have conjured up that has no direct correlation.
“It is also to be inferred, then, that you support the principle of sustainable use…. until, that is, it gets to a select few animal species.“ Your inference is based upon unfounded assumptions – ‘legal’ sustainability by some encourages others seeking to also gain access to the cash flow from utilisation of wildlife resources. The nonsensical value of rhino horn (that has no actual worth, medical efficacy etc.) makes the rhino a highly vulnerable, priority species. Seeking to legitimise the demand and sustain the value of rhino horn is unlikely to help the species, but will help those that wish to profit – eg. “we find that a legal trade [in rhino horn] will increase profitability, but not the conservation of rhino populations” – Department of Economics, University of Pretoria.
“The ban is a patent and ridiculous failure.” The enforcement of the ban is a failure and has needed addressing for decades. Unfortunately, human nature is driven by profiteering and greed, hence why ways to circumvent and corrupt the ban have flourished and enforcement has lacked teeth/funding and commitment by all relevant parties.
“Lifting it [the ban] will very soon show all the desired results: more rhinos will be bred and the overall population will increase, in spite of the spectres of corruption and laundering you continually raise.” Your stated outcomes are based upon assumptions that you have no way of guaranteeing. There are numerous scenarios that might play out; academic studies suggest the likelihood/predominance of those potential scenarios are negative in terms of detriment to the species. You are biased to only potentially positive outcomes, perhaps because of your association with the key pro-trade proponents perhaps?
“Poaching incidents will decrease because there will be so much more money to bolster the protection efforts you in which you put so much trust.” Unless of course, the demand is stimulated exponentially, poaching increases exponentially and funding invested in protecting wild rhino proves insufficient for the increased onslaught (and is already insufficient for current poaching levels, let alone increased poaching levels). That then leaves just privately owned rhino; so a cynical person might say, either way, the private rhino breeders get to benefit from the wild rhino’s demise as these private rhino breeders become the key source of supply to meet the nonsensical demand for rhino horn.
“As for all these “studies” you show, (there, you see, I can also use quotation marks) they amount to nothing. They come from people deeply invested in maintaining the ban, not for the sake of the rhino, but for their own benefit.” I await your independently verified proof where the referenced studies’ authors are proven beyond doubt as “deeply invested in maintaining the ban.”
Gustav Venter (@GustavSVenter)
You cited the studies. The burden is on you to prove their [they’re] bona fides.
The cited studies are from recognised (bona fides) university sources and institutes. You made the allegation “They come from people deeply invested in maintaining the ban, not for the sake of the rhino, but for their own benefit.” The onus is on you (not me) to provide proof to back your unfounded (potentially libellous) claim.
I saw John Hume last year, at a debate in London – he was not convincing in his arguments and lacked supporting evidence to back-up the ‘only positive’ claims he made for legalising trade.
https://iwbond.org/2016/08/05/rhino-horn-harvesting-a-shortcut-to-extinction/
I do believe John Hume is (perhaps) convinced by his ‘faith’ in there being only potentially positive outcomes for ‘legal’ rhino horn trading, but he lacked supporting evidence and seemed wilfully blinded to the potential negative outcomes (which raises the question of the true motivations, purely altruistic, or blinded by commercial returns regardless?).
As an advocate for rhino horn trading, perhaps you can cite a past example of a species sustainably traded/utilised (that has direct comparison to rhino horn harvesting/trading) that has independently been scientifically proven as directly, positively contributing to the enhancement of the species in the wild, where:
• The harvested product has no proven medical efficacy, so its supply is basically perpetuating a fraud based upon historical deceit and deception ( rhino horn is keratin, the same as one’s own nails, so why not bite them instead?);
• The harvested product has no other practicable purpose whatsoever – ie. it’s used for displays of status/wealth (sic) in ornaments and jewellery etc. ;
• The welfare of the captive, harvested members of the given species has not deteriorated as other ‘breeders’ emerge and seek to cash in (at lowest cost possible) on the ‘legal’ commercial profits to be made (with no interest in the wild species’ conservation, or welfare of their own private stock);
• The poaching of the wild/captive species has declined in response to the ‘legal’ mechanism’s introduction, where there is an established, incumbent criminal network already operating;
• The ‘legal’ mechanism has not been infiltrated and used to launder illicit trade.
“Conservation” methods by “Hunters” are specifically manipulated to have enough numbers to ensure that they have their “toys” in their deranged psychopathic games. There is no exaggeration that these people are psychopathic killers with zero empathy or respect for any and all life.
Dominique Osh
The question being that legalizing the Rhino Horn trade will save the species, but at what costs, turning a genocide into a farming opportunity, either way for the benefit of the corrupt deranged humans. The legalized trade of exploitation, will not stop the poaching illegal trade, only sustain the species into a life of torture and abuse. I don’t understand why instead of creating this barbaric industry, why can we not organize to protect the remaining Rhinos in an armed sanctuary’s until these humans learn to survive without killing everything that moves, and their country’s structure provides their people with a civilized bloodless industry so they don’t have to work for the wealthy Asian psychos.
13th August 2017 at 12:52 pm
Dominique, Like your comments – the whole ethos of ‘sustainable utilisation’ is driven by the $$$ and not by other principles. It’s also highly questionable that legalising the rhino horn trade will have any positive benefits that will save the species in the wild. Any ‘legal’ trade mechanism must compete with incumbent, criminal networks – there is no way to predict how the criminal networks will react. The market dynamics for illicit rhino horn are non-conventional (normal economic/market principles do not apply), so no one can guarantee only positive results from trying to compete. The answer has to be better understanding of the illicit market flows and enforcement of the law at all levels of the incumbent criminal networks. This recent paper should help that understanding – http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17440572.2017.1345680?scroll=top&needAccess=true
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CONDOLENCES: Dwayne Johnson Pays Tribute To His Father Rocky ‘Soulman’ Johnson
Dwayne Johnson took to social media with a heartfelt tribute to his late father, Rocky “Soulman” Johnson, who passed away on Wednesday.
NeNe Leakes Says She Did Not Spit On Kenya Moore But She Wishes She Had (Video)
NeNe Leakes says she didn’t not spit on Kenya Moore, but she wishes she had. Get the scoop and see video.
2 Chainz Releases ‘Dead Man Walking’ Video Feat. Future
2 Chainz releases the official music video for “Dead Man Walking” featuring Future. Watch now.
Eminem Drops Surprise Album ‘Music To Be Murdered By’ + Releases ‘Darkness’ Video
Eminem is back with the release of his new album, “Music To Be Murdered By” and the official music video for “Darkness.”
Movies Television
Apple To Release ‘The Banker’ In Theaters & Apple TV+ After Delay Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Apple will release The Banker in theaters and Apple TV+ this March after the film was delayed due to sexual misconduct allegations.
HBO Not Pursuing ‘Watchmen’ Season 2
HBO is not pursuing a second season of their hit series, “Watchmen.” Get the scoop and find out why.
Martin Lawrence Wants You To Know He & Tisha Campbell Are ‘Good & Always Will Be’ (Video)
Martin Lawrence took to social media to set the record straight when it comes to Tisha Campbell. Get the full scoop.
Da Brat Jokes About Fertile Future: ‘I Think I’m Pregnant’
Da Brat takes to social media with a lil jokey joke about our fave fertile rapper Future.
Diddy & Lil Kim Celebrate Biggie Being Inducted Into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame (Video)
Watch as Diddy and Lil Kim celebrate the news of The Notorious B.I.G. being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!
Tommy Davidson Recalls His Difficult Working Relationship With Jamie Foxx In New Book
Tommy Davidson’s new book, “In Living Color,” arrives later this month and inside he opens up about his difficult working relationship with Jamie Foxx.
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Mumbai-based RTI activist targeted for writing an FB post
by Jan-Satyagrah Desk
RTI Exclusive! 'Unconstitutional' remarked 'RAJ Anti-Conversion bill' is yet to...
Prime Story, System Reforms
Pune’s public transport PMPML’s buses are snatching people’s right to life
by Nitten Gokhaley 2 years ago 2 years ago
PMPML buses are killing people in Pune while police, politicians, and activists watch as mute spectators.
Formed after the merger of PMT (Pune Municipal Transport) and PCMT (Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Transport) in October 2007, the PMPML (Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited) often makes it in the headlines due to wrong reasons.
Pune is referred as Maharashtra’s cultural capital and “IT City” as it is home to offices of world’s top IT companies. Still, most of the public transport buses in this city do not follow their timetable, and some of the drivers as well as conductors are incredibly arrogant.
From note scam to misusing JNNURM funds, there are several allegations of corruption that the public transport body is facing. Perhaps, this is the reason; the state government has recently appointed IAS Officer Tukaram Munde as PMPML’s CMD. He has dismissed, suspended non-performing workers and has managed to improve the financial performance of the body. But that’s not the primary issue.
The primary cause of concern is the number of deaths and accidents that the PMPML buses cause each year. In most cases, the police suggest “mechanical failure” as the reason behind the accident and drivers are allowed to walk free. Surprisingly, in some cases, Pune police officials have even asked the accident victims to not to file FIR against PMPML bus drivers involved in reckless driving. To put it in simple words, these drivers have a free pass, license to kill!
A PMPML bus hit seven vehicles on November 6, 2017, in Pune’s upper Indira Nagar. One person died on the spot, and several people were injured. Later, as in every case involving PMPML, the driver of the bus, as well as police, declared non-functional brakes as the reason behind the accident. However, after checking the bus, PMPML CMD- Tukaram Munde said the crash happened due to driver’s negligence as the bus’s brakes were in perfect condition. The public transport body has also suspended the driver for the same.
City police did something similar in the accident case reported on October 28, 2017. The bus driver was driving fast and had to apply brakes quickly to avoid collision with a car. Instead of registering a case against the PMPML driver for reckless driving, cops advised the victims to settle the matter outside. Due to this, the injured bus passengers were unable to claim their medical insurance as there was no FIR filed after the incident. Several such cases show how police help PMPML drivers to settle the matter quickly. Once in a blue moon, the Pune City traffic police issues notice to PMPML and urge them to train their drivers for avoiding mishaps.
Facts and figures:
PMPML bus crushed a bike at Shivaji Nagar
Data about the number of accidents and deaths caused by PMPML buses is horrific. As per information obtained using RTI by this journalist, last year, PMPML buses killed 15 people and were involved in overall 78 accidents. As per Pune Mirror’s report, this year, the number of deaths caused due to PMPML buses has already crossed 17.
Instead of taking serious cognizance and initiating action against guilty drivers, the Pune traffic police department issues just advisory letters. Then, perhaps, as a formality, PMPML issues press statements about training sessions held for drivers. This is going on for several years now, and city’s so-called NGOs, as well as activists, have done nothing else besides submitting complaint letters along with a bouquet of flowers to the city’s police chief.
It obvious, if politicians, PMPML, and police have failed to tackle the issue, one needs to present this matter in front of the court as a PIL. This is an expensive affair, and only someone with strong financial backing can do the same.
Now the question is that why are city’s activists and NGOs silent on this substantive issue? They gather people in the name of public awareness programs or PMPML Pravasi Manch meetings and show their strength, support to politicians. But, not even one activist has approached the court against PMPML and ignorant police in spite of so many deaths every year.
Newspapers like Hindustan Times (Pune Edition) and Pune Mirror are playing their part by promptly reporting these cases and questioning the police, PMPML. But, are these lives not crucial as that of Rohith Vemula, Mohammad Akhlaq, Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar and Junaid Khan’s life for human rights activists? Why have all the MLAs, MPs, and local corporators maintained stone silence on the issue?
Isn’t there a complaints department?
PMPML allows its passengers to either email their complaints, SMS them, send them via PMPML app or call the complaints number to register the same. However, the shocking part noticed recently is that instead of solving complains, the data (along with passenger’s name and phone numbers) was directly passed on to the drivers. They called up passengers, abused them, and threatened them not to file any complaints against PMPML!
The point worth noticing here is that police did not take suo moto action even when the information about drivers threatening passengers was in public domain. And, even PMPML quietly temporarily suspended some drivers and issued show cause notice to officials who forwarded complainants numbers to drivers directly. Surprisingly, even Pune’s so-called activists did not decide to approach the court or force the police to file criminal charges against drivers who had issued threats.
Mumbai-based Advocate Anand Pande and anti-corruption crusader Sunil Toke shared their expertise on this issue.
While sharing his opinion about officials disclosing phone numbers of complainants with guilty drivers, the Mumbai based lawyer pointed out that, PMPML officials are acting against the Right to Privacy which is an intrinsic part of Life and Liberty as enshrined in Article 21 of Indian Constitution. This right was validated recently by Nine Judge Constitutional bench, headed by Justice Kehar of Supreme Court as well.
“It’s obvious that if PMPML’s own officials manage complaints, they won’t act against their errant colleague drivers. Such complaints handling mechanism won’t be balanced and effective. Thus, the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited should consider setting up an independent body comprising a retired IAS officer, retired judge or a senior lawyer with experience of more than ten years of practice who would independently deal with such public complaints. This tribunal needs to be vested with powers of the civil court to examine witnesses on oath, record evidence, summon the driver and pass an order. The tribunal’s contact details should be visible on each bus. To appoint such tribunal, if required, they would have to make an amendment in section 40 of the BPMC Act 1949. Under this section, the Transport Manager is appointed to manage the affairs of Transport Corporation. It’s unfortunate that NGOs in the city have become mute spectators. They receive funds from various sources and can afford to file litigation on needless issues to appease their donors. Perhaps, some of them consider filing petitions on this issue as a futile exercise,” said Advocate Anand Pande.
“After the accident, police should complete the FIR procedure in the most balanced and factful way possible. Investigating officers should understand the pain that the family of the deceased person faces after losing their family member. Thus, they should add all the relevant Motor Vehicle Act, IPC sections against culprit drivers, collect necessary evidence, record statements of the witnesses and help the public prosecutor to present a foolproof case in the court. Cops should make sure that the guilty driver does not get bail quickly. This will help in improving self-confidence and boosting the morale of the police. People will start respecting cops if they investigate all cases correctly, and most importantly, stop misusing IPC section 353,” said Mumbai-based cop, often referred as the anti-corruption crusader, Sunil Toke.
“Some cases show how certain police officials form a nexus with medical officers of local government hospitals. Post-mortem or other related medical reports are adjusted to help criminals. Men in uniform should never try to dilute any case by applying lighter sections to help the culprit get bail. Law is equal for everyone and investigator should never differentiate between people on the basis of their financial condition or status in society. It’s sad that Pune cops are diluting cases and helping PMPML drivers,” said Toke.
Advocate Anand Pande, IAS Tukaram Munde, Maharashtra Police, PMPML, Pune
National IntegrityMaharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, Narendra Dabholkar, Urban Naxals
In 2011, were Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti workers really arrested for Naxal links?
by Nitten Gokhaley 1 year ago 8 months ago
System ReformsCriminal Procedure Code, Human Rights, Indian Police, Supreme Court
The Menace of Arbitrary Detention in India
by Rohit Kumar 1 year ago 1 year ago
Prime StoryMaharashtra State Co-operative Department, National Cooperative Development Corporation
Scam: Cashew Processing Co-operatives siphoned off crores of rupees with blessings from Govt Authorities in Maharashtra
Jan-Satyagrah is a non for profit, independent and indigenous Digital Media Platform for Issue Based Journalism.
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A Good Bar Band: The English Beat Hit Johnny D’s — A Review
English Beat at Johnny D’s in Somerville on a snowy night.
For the English Beat at Johnny D’s in Somerville, it was all work, but nothing will stop these musicians from making their appointed rounds. From the back of the bar, where we sat finishing supper, Matt Morrish’s (Sax/Vocals) sax sounded like dinner jazz as the set began. The band offered up songs mostly from the albums Special Beat Service and I Just Can’t Stop It, with tunes by General Public thrown in for good measure, like “Never You Done That.” Surprisingly, the house was packed, despite the snow on a Sunday night.
Although the energy wasn’t as rockus as at past gigs, the Red Bull kicked in and the band found their mojo. Banter between Dave Wakeling (Lead vocals/Guitar) and Antonee First Class (Vocals) was fun as usual, but the smiles felt forced. Perhaps, the road and the snow took it’s toll. I suppose it’s a testament to their professionalism and on-with-the-show giddy-up-go, but all in all this felt like an oldies show at the county fair. Using phrases like “this old chestnut” and asking “does anybody remember the ’80s?” only served to emphasize the oldies aspect. They sound like a good bar band, as my friend said, and I’d add a good bar band that found their mojo in a can of Red Bull. Nonetheless, just like the postman, they delivered the necessary goods in a timely manner and put on a decent show.
By Jessicain Music December 16, 2013 258 WordsLeave a comment
Kill Your Darlings – A Review
Kill Your Darlings – From left: Daniel Radcliffe as Allan Ginsberg, Dane DeHann as Lucien Carr and Jack Huston as Jack Kerouac.
John Krokidas as author and director alongside his pal Austin Bunn as scriptwriter use a mishmash of quotes from the Beats, flinging ’em fast and furious, like jazz provocateurs exploring a riff. Some of these gems, I’d wager, came after the 1944 incident of Lucien Carr’s (Dane DeHaan) murder of David Kammerer (Michael C. Hall), but it doesn’t matter, it’s poetic license, and it works.
Using Allen Ginsberg’s (Daniel Radcliffe) point-of-view, the film takes on Beat culture while anchoring itself to the incident of Kammerer’s murder to heighten the dramatic tension. We see a little of where Ginsburg comes from. His mother, played superbly by Jennifer Jason Leigh, is insane and his father (David Cross) ineffectual. Ginsberg meets Lucien Carr at Columbia. They become fast friends but, eventually, Ginsberg wants more which leads him to follow through on “first thought best thought,” by planting a wet one on Carr. Carr, not interested in Ginsberg’s advances, relegates “Ginsy” to the role of his new intellectual benefactor, and additionally, rids himself of his old benefactor, David Kammerer, by killing him in Riverside Park. Carr would go on to serve two years for first degree manslaughter in Upstate New York, but the film doesn’t take us that far.
Scenes of furiously cutting up classics a la William Burroughs’ (Ben Foster) technique, and benzedrine, alcohol and ether induced states of discovery capture the energy of youthful experimentation during the era. Krokidas chose to use modern music for some scenes and jazz of the time for others keeping the exuberant momentum going. We experience the Beats’ sweaty, gritty exploration of ethics, sexuality, race, ethnic and socioeconomic class relations through a hazy lens of blue and yellow cigarette smoke in dorm rooms, jazz clubs and parties. Ben Foster as William Burroughs has the voice and affectation down, and Michael C. Hall brings sensitivity, longing, and creepiness to his portrayal of David Kammerer.
There are a lot of thematic devices used, like death as a new beginning. One scene has Ginsberg and Carr hanging themselves in Carr’s dorm room. Unexpectedly, the chair kicks out from under them, they’re choking – we see a shot of the pipe as it breaks and they fall, surviving a simulated death experience. Oops, it’s a PVC pipe, not yet invented, but heck, it’s a minor detail.
“Lu was the glue,” as Ginsberg has said about their gang, and Dane DeHann perfectly personifies the captivating character Lucien Carr must have been with his graceful androgynous sensuality. Daniel Radcliffe is outstanding as the nebbish that would become the poet avenger. He may have glasses, but he’s lost his magical Harry Potterness and his lovely British accent. His portrayal of Ginsberg is heartfelt and fierce. We can see how this young intelligent radical is poised to Howl.
The use of the the romantic poets is well placed as Ginsberg and Carr discuss Yeats and begin crafting “A New Vision” based on Yeats’ “A Vision.” In another scene, Jack Kerouac’s (Jack Huston) reaction listening to his friend quoting Shelly’s Elegy for Keats as he suffers from a wound he’ll never recover from, in a war he doesn’t know if they’ll win, adds depth, complexity and context to the film.
In scenes that exemplify the generation gap, John Cullum is perfect as the old guard English professor, Lionel Trilling as Ginsberg questions him about techniques in poetry. Each disregards the other’s opinion, and towards the end of the film, Ginsberg leaves Columbia defiantly unwilling to withdraw his “smutty” final paper about the Kammerer murder. The old professor saves face in the eyes of the institution, but secretly champions Ginsberg. In a final scene, Ginsberg sits with his father at home, smoking and listening to the radio. An announcement that WWII is over comes on just as Ginsberg opens his mail to find his “smutty” paper returned with words of encouragement. Both wars are over, the external, and the internal, for Ginsberg.
Krokidas said in an interview that he and Bunn did extensive research but couldn’t get a hold of early works that are now available. If you’re interested in reading more about the early Beats or the murder, Krokidas cites The Book of Martyrdom and Artifice – a collection of early writings from Ginsberg’s journals about his relationships and adventures with the other Beat luminaries, so candid Ginsberg insisted it not be released until after his death, and The Hippos Were Boiled In Their Tanks, a noir style novel by Burroughs and Kerouac not released until after Carr’s death. The Kammerer murder has been credited as the violent event that gave birth to the Beat Generation. It did give everybody something to write about, that’s for sure, even generations later.
By Jessicain Film November 20, 2013 812 WordsLeave a comment
Missing Lou Reed
Lou Reed and Nico from the Velvet Underground.
I found The Velvet Underground & Nico at the thrift store. I couldn’t afford new records, except from the cut-out bin at the Woolworth, but the thrift store yielded some early treasures. While my friends were learning “Stairway to Heaven” and “Free Bird,” I was trying to play the lead for “Sister Ray,” off of White Light/White Heat. Few girls played electric guitar amongst us, and I think that was why I was considered one of the guys. I had a white hollow body, no name, no markings, truss rod wasn’t quite right, so it went out of tune easily, but that made it easier to bend strings. I loved that thing, and I have no idea how I got it.
At the time, I had a friend that drove a cab. He and I had the same last name and wore the same sized jeans, so we were going to get married. He claimed American Indian heritage, and everything we did was spiritual. Especially listening to records at his apartment and getting wasted. I was a latchkey kid extraordinaire. My friend would come and pick me up in his cab after his shift. When I scored a record we’d listen to it over and over, taking turns on the guitar. The action was pretty awful on that guitar and he’d complain that I had to get it fixed. He disappeared after awhile, as did the white hollow body electric guitar. Lou Reed remained.
Years later I dated a nice guy who looked like Lou, and like Lou was adjusting to methadone clinic. His brother was a famous painter in NYC and we were going to hang with him in the Village. It never happened. But I heard stories about his brother and the loft parties and how Lou Reed would show up, and I’d listened attentively. We played with a sixties reel to reel I found in the trash in Somerville, and I’d study the photos from Lou’s Transformer days from an old French magazine that my friend had given me. He had Lou’s black leather and wraparounds down cold and rode a motorcycle. I dyed my pixie cut yellow and wore glam makeup claiming one of Lou’s looks for my own. Lou Reed had moved on from both of us. He was somewhere between “Metal Machine Music” and Honda commercials, and still a dark blue flame on the horizon.
All the same, Lou Reed gave me permission to experiment in a world absent of meaning except obliteration of feeling. He gave voice to hostility and rage that I felt. His alienation was my own and he made it cool. His heartbreaking anger was really love and I knew it. He didn’t want followers, but I, like so many others, followed. I continue to try to learn the lessons from a master who remains on the horizon – a “Satellite of Love”.
To quote Lester Bangs, “Lou Reed is my own hero principally because he stands for all the most fucked up things that I could ever possibly conceive of. Which probably only shows the limits of my imagination.”
By Jessicain Music October 29, 2013 535 WordsLeave a comment
Ezra Furman & The Boy-friends At The Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge, MA — Live Review
Ezra Furman and the Boy-Friends
The Boston trio Krill is fronted by Ezra Furman’s brother. He wore a red baseball cap with a hoodie over it, effectively hiding before getting into their set. Vocally, he had a higher range than expected, with a bit of a Hank William whine going on. The lyrics were clever if not a bit infantile, as subjects ranged from turds in the bowl to a dumb-ass in a pair of shorts. This song in retrospect must have been for his brother, Ezra, who was sporting a blue and white culotte romper under his leather.
Ezra and his brother both talked about working at the Fresh Pond Theatre, and both thanked Spirit Kid who opened. Ezra said of Krill that they were the best band in Boston in his opinion, but he is biologically biased. Krill have a record of their own coming out in February. Complex guitar runs in quirky pop-punk make for catchy tunes, but the subjects head towards the intentionally obscure or obscene.
Ezra has talent, I’ll give you that, as do his boyfriends. But he also sports a bit of pretentious smart-ass wit and a dollop of smarmy sycophantic fawning. A penchant for the plaintive, vocally, Ezra still comes off as smirking even when the subject is self-loathing. He has been compared to the likes of Gordon Gano of the Violent Femmes, but I found myself thinking of the New York Dolls and early Lou Reed. Maybe it was the dress. They also tend towards a bit of quirky casbah craziness like They Might Be Giants, and if you throw in a little Green Day for looks, ie, Billie Joe Armstrong and Ezra have a similar look, you’re getting close. They’re good, no doubt – drums, sax, bass, guitar and keys work together to keep the sound swinging from jumpin’ jive to punk rockabilly, and they’re hard working, barely taking a breath between songs for most of the set. Ezra got into his Dylan-esque persona as the set progressed breaking out the acoustics guitars and the harp. An androgynous hispster hero in the making if he can only live down his own internal legend.
“Day of the Dog,” Ezra Furman and his band the Boy-Friends. Available now on Bar/None Records.
The Lovers At The Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge, MA – Live Review
We came in at the tail end of Shepherdess performing a wacky little ditty called “Fries.” They finished out their set with a couple more tunes before leaving us, upstairs at the Middle East. My date and I headed to the back of the room to the “make out couch” and contented ourselves with watching the crowd while we waited for The Lovers to set up. The crowd was definitely more female than male and younger white students for the most part. Not being that familiar with the lez rock scene or it’s music, or Lovers, a queer outfit from Portland, OR, I was afraid I’d be uncomfortable, but I was glad to find that the audience was reasonably diverse given the conditions. There were some oldsters hither and yon, including a couple that looked like parents and a number of middle aged men, but mostly small clusters of mixed gender or women. The androgynous trio all sport short mop tops, and wear plaid – grunge or simply cause their from Oregon, don’t know, but their cute, and good-natured.
The Lovers started right in with “Purple Sage,” off their new record, A Friend In The World. Interesting, there were no guitars in their performance, though there are on the record. Instead, they used a synth and two drum kits, one regular handled expertly by Emily Kingan and one small electronic kit that Kerby Ferris (Keys) played. Carolyn Berk (Vocals) used hand gestures like a DJ emphasizing her message and the emotional journey of each song. She waved goodbye on “Modern Art Museum Of The Modern Kiss,”and thus began the dancing to the heavy bass riff that grounded the groove and shaped the space like a womb. They didn’t announce that the first songs of the set were off the new record until “Oh, Yeah.” Berk’s yips and growls were fun and the chorus was resplendent with harmonies. As the set progressed, they pulled out all the stops on “Boxer.” The song lending itself to Berk’s hand gestures and the double drums from Ferris and Kingan. With Kingan at the kit pounding out the beats, an overdub of synth riff and Ferris on her own small kit, it killed – and the place smashed forward.
When they broke out the old familiars everyone was grooving to the heavy sound. Heading into the stratosphere with electronica that sounds like a space probe the audience head bobbed along. On “Don’t You Want It,” Berk offered a nice growl to accompany the soaring harmonies with all three voices singing different lines at some points. A small break and the ladies were offered shots on stage. Berk and Ferris warned not to try this at home saying they were “Olympians in their thirties.” The young guy next to me with his female date, asked if this was the last act for the evening. I found it amusing that he’d whoop like he meant it, but had no clue he was watching the headliner. I think he may have had other things on his mind, as a watched him curl his fingers through his dainty date’s hand.
Throughout, I kept hearing shades of Nina Hagan, Romeo Void and Au Pairs, wrapped in heartfelt stories of love and loss in a danceable synth sound. Their sound consisted of layers galore that could take even more overdubbing. They took us out with two more danceable numbers from their new record, “Sweet Lavender” and a less breathy, heavier version of their own “Wild Horses,” song, not the Rolling Stones cover.
Check out The Lovers on tour and grab a copy of their newest work. From their website (http://www.loversarelovers.com/) : “With their seventh album, A Friend in the World, Lovers fuse intimacy and empowerment into a modern atmosphere of honesty, new feminist humor, and rhythmic complexity.”
The Lovers New Release: A Friend In The World on Badman Records.
Porfirio DiDonna A Painter’s Journey At The Danforth
A retrospective of the work of Profirio DiDonna (1942-1986) is currently on exhibit at the Danforth Museum of Art, Framingham. The accomplished and mature work belies the artist’s death at a very young age. In many of the large, late career paintings sinuous vertical marks reach upward forming a path vibrating with color to create a kind of mystical, enrapturing experience — meditative, magical, very powerful. John Baker, author of the recently published Porfirio DiDonna: The Shape of Knowing, in commenting on the “undulating corridors” has said, “… the pathways suggest a metaphorical as well as a literal allusion to the existential and historical evolution of [DiDonna’s] work.” Baker suggests the “road” may be seen as “the symbol for [the artist’s] entire studio journey.” Baker further opines that “perhaps movement and change [as seen in these paintings] may be seen as the radiant core of any human search for meaning in life.” This interpretation gives these paintings and the evolutionary drawings in the exhibition a universality that reaches far beyond their beauty. Author John Baker and poet, essayist, and publisher William Corbett will be present at the Danforth on Sunday October 20, 3-5 pm for a reading and book signing of Baker’s book on the artist Porfirio DiDonna.
Curated by John Baker and Nina Nielsen former owners and directors of Nielsen Gallery, Boston
Danforth Museum of Art, Framingham, MA, September 8 – November 3, 2013
DiDonna Opening Reception at the Danforth Museum, Framingham, MA
By Jessicain Art October 19, 2013 248 WordsLeave a comment
Coming Of Rage – Wes Craven & Steve Niles’ Horror Comic
Steve Niles (left) and Wes Craven team up for Coming Of Rage.
Wes Craven (“Nightmare on Elm Street”) and Steve Niles (“30 Days of Night”) have teamed up to make a horror comic. Craven talked a little about the new book, five in the series, at the Boston Book Festival during the “Writing Terror: An Exploration of Fear” panel talk. He said that the basic premise is a college aged boy is called home because his father is ailing. Dad wants him to take over the family business and leave school. He doesn’t want to. The family business as far as he knows is an expensive wine import-export business. The kid runs off to drown his sorrows on the wrong side of town and gets in a bar fight when some guys hassle a girl. Pushed to the breaking point, the kid flies into a rage and fangs pop out of his mouth. Dad’s business isn’t exactly shipping wine. It’s shipping blood, and dad is a one of the most powerful vampires in the syndicate. The beginning of the series is due out at the end of the month, according to Craven, and being released by Liquid Comics. We can only hope that this story boarding will end up on film. Sounds like wicked good fun.
On a more solemn note, Steve Niles’ house was flooded. Check his site for more info and how you can help. http://www.steveniles.net/
By Jessicain Comics October 18, 2013 247 WordsLeave a comment
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Korean J Pediatr. 2015 Feb;58(2):60-63. English. Original Article. https://doi.org/10.3345/kjp.2015.58.2.60
The relationship between primary headache and constipation in children and adolescents.
Park MN , Choi MG , You SJ .
Department of Pediatrics, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. su6236@naver.com
PURPOSE: Many patients presenting with headache also complain of constipation; the relationship between these two symptoms has not been explored in detail. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between primary headache and constipation. METHODS: This retrospective study included all children who attended the Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital complaining of headache, and who had been followed up for at least 100 days. Patients were divided into 2 groups: group A, in whom the headache improved after treatment for constipation, and group B, in whom headache was not associated with constipation. RESULTS: Of the 96 patients with primary headache, 24 (25.0%) also had constipation (group A). All 24 received treatment for constipation. Follow-up revealed an improvement in both headache and constipation in all patients. Group B contained the remaining 72 children. Comparison of groups A and B indicated a significant difference in sex ratio (P=0.009, chi-square test). Patients with probable tension-type headache were more likely to be in Group A (P=0.006, chi-square test). CONCLUSION: Resolution of constipation improves headache in many patients diagnosed with primary headache, especially those with probable tension-type headache. We suggest that either constipation plays a key role in triggering headache, or that both constipation and headache share a common pathophysiology.
Author Keywords expand_less expand_more Constipation Headache Migraine disorder Tension-type headache Pediatrics
MeSH Terms expand_less expand_more Adolescent Child Constipation Follow-Up Studies Headache Humans Migraine Disorders Pediatrics Retrospective Studies Sex Ratio Tension-Type Headache
Copyright © 2019. Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors.
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Gov’s Chief of Staff Talks Campaign’s Final Days [VIDEO]
Robert J Wright
Mark Cooper, Chief of Staff for Governor John Bel Edwards, talks with 101.7 / 710 KEEL's Robert J Wright and Erin McCarty about the final says of the gubernatorial campaign and polls that have the race between the incumbent and challenger Eddie Rispone as "too close to call."
"We actually had a poll that came out last night," says Cooper commenting on a poll that has the race tied at 49% to 49%. "It's an outside poll that we've been looking at. It has the governor doing very well." The poll Cooper cites was done by nationally known pollster Larry Sabado. "Yesterday it was a tossup, but today has it leaning toward the governor."
Filed Under: john bel edwards, mark cooper
Categories: State News
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BIBONG
Exclusive formula from East Asia
Rebalance Chi
What is Bĭbong®
with Dr. Jenelle Kim
Bĭbong formulas are specific herbal formulations that have been handed down for centuries through a family line of doctors, and which were once only available to the royal families of East Asia. What makes the formulas special and truly powerful is not the individual herbs, but the wisdom of how to combine those herbs and the special extraction methods to create a truly balanced formula that works optimally with the body.
These formulas cannot be found elsewhere. Bĭbong formulas have been renowned throughout the centuries because they are some of the most powerful and safest ways to rebalance your body’s chi, which in eastern medicine is the vital energy that is necessary to live. The ability to rebalance chi at its root level allows for increased and proper flow. Bĭbong formulas are said to rebalance your chi, allowing your body to function properly.
Bĭbong® Formulas
In eastern medicine, Chi is the main source of energy of all life. Chi flows along pathways in the body called meridians and is stored in major organs. When chi is disrupted, blockages are created and the body manifests pain or disease. This disruption can be due to many things, such as stress, injury, surgery diet, toxins, overuse and aging.
When chi is strengthened and flows in a balanced way it creates an immediate positive cycle. Balanced chi leads to increased strength and proper chi flow throughout the channels of the mind and body. This positive cycle enables the mind and body to work at their optimal state, thereby promoting ultimate health, youthfulness and longevity.
The Bĭbong® Tradition
Bĭbong formulas are rooted in the teachings of the Royal Dr. Heo Jun of Korea. Dr. Jenelle Kim, Kannaway’s Formulator, is the gatekeeper of her lineage’s Bĭbong formulas; her lineage of herbologists and doctors were avid teachers of and adherents to the great Doctor Heo Jun. Dr. Heo Jun (1537/1539–1615) was the Court Physician of the Korean Joseon Dynasty.
Dr. Heo Jun compiled the Dongui Bogam, a 25-volume medical encyclopedia that was completed in 1613, with its basic theories based on the Yellow Emperors Inner Classic (Huangdi Neijing). This highly respected medical text is currently being studied at some of the most renowned medical universities, including Harvard Medical School.
The Bĭbong® Philosophy
Those who try these formulas will see and feel the difference for themselves. The power lies not in the spoken or written explanation of the formulas, but in the results people experience. This is why these formulas have been passed down from generation to generation for centuries.
Recycle Friendly
No Herbicides
Dr. Jenelle Kim
"The power lies not in spoken or written explanation of the formulas; it is in the results people experience."
Kannaway’s Bibong ingredients
Schizonepeta Tenuifolia (Japanese catnip)
Schizonepeta Tenuifolia is better known as Japanese catnip.
Schizonepeta Tenuifolia
(Japanese catnip)
Schizonepeta Tenuifolia is better known as Japanese catnip.Schizonepeta Tenuifolia is a medicinal herb and is a traditional asian remedy (Chinese, Korean, and Japanese) known to possibly assist symptoms for the common cold and allergic skin eruptions.
Schizonepeta Tenuifolia herb has been in traditional Chinese medicine for many centuries now and it is classified as a potent herb due to its anti itch properties.
This herb has a rather pleasing smell emitting from its beautiful lavender flowers.
The entire plant is used for its therapeutic properties and is harvested during the autumn and winter seasons.
The Chinese name of Schizonepeta Tenuifolia herb is ‘hyonggae’ in Korean.
In the practice of ancient Chinese medicine
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is believed that the human body becomes unbalanced due to many factors: heat and cold are just some of them. These affect the balance of the body’s systems and thus taking herbal remedies and herbal formulas such as Schizonepeta Tenuifolia and other herbs can return the body back to a more balanced state of being.
Schizonepeta Tenuifolia may help with:
The common cold
To treat high fevers
Heavy menstrual periods
The Schizonepeta Tenuifolia herb was also known to possibly aid in skin disorders including eczema, allergic rashes to treat skin illnesses, cure wounds and reduce inflammation.
Schisandra Fruit (Wu Wei Zi)
Schisandra fruit has been used for healing in traditional Chinese Medicine for more than 2,000 years.
Schisandra Fruit
(Wu Wei Zi)
Schisandra is a vine that grows in northeast China, Russia and Korea. The vine contains tiny, red berries, which are sun-dried and used medicinally. Its Chinese name comes from the fact that its berries possess all five basic flavors: salty, sweet, sour, pungent (spicy), and bitter (wu wei zi, meaning “five taste fruit”).
Schisandra fruit is one of the many traditional Chinese herbs recommended for coughs and physical exhaustion among other things. It also has a long history as a tonic herb to improve mental and physical health and well-being.
Schisandra Fruit is a powerful adaptogen. This means that they may help you adapt to your environment allowing you to better handle stress, whether mental or physical. An adaptogen is used as an overall wellness tonic. It is said to be beneficial to the whole body. Like any adaptogen, Schizandra fruit may have a normalizing effect on the entire body. It may help to take you from any extreme back to a balanced state. In China, it is said to be the most protective of all herbs and plants.
Many people take this herb to increase energy Wu Wei Zi may possibly increase your energy by stimulating the central nervous system without making you nervous like caffeine would. But since it’s an adaptogen, it may also calm the nervous system when facing stress. It is especially popular with athletes as it is said to boost nitric oxide levels in the body. It may help with fighting fatigue as well, making it even more beneficial.
Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza Glabra)
Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is a sweet and soothing herb that has been used in food and as medicine for thousands of years.
(Glycyrrhiza Glabra)
Licorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra, is a purple and white flowering perennial, native of the Mediterranean region and central and southwest Asia.
It is cultivated widely for the sweet taproot that grows to a depth of four ft (1.2 m).
Licorice supplements are made from the roots (which are brown on the outside and yellow on the inside) and underground stems of the plant.
Hippocrates named the herb glukos riza, or sweet root and it is known to be 50 times sweeter than sugar.
The medicinal benefits of licorice root have been studied extensively, and its use in traditional medicine is well documented.
Licorice root has been used in both Eastern and Western medicine because it may help to to treat a variety of illnesses, ranging from the common cold to liver disease.
Licorice Root may help as:
An expectorant, helpful in the treatment of upper respiratory tract catarrh. A demulcent, commonly used as a component of many medicinal syrups and drops providing relief to a sore throat and for coughs. A soothing, coating agent, An expectorant, meaning it may help get rid of phlegm. Licorice Root is also known to contain powerful anti-bacterial properties that may help to purify, decongest, and detoxify the skin.
Cinnamomum Camphora Essential Oil
Cinnamomum Camphora Essential Oil is extracted from camphor trees that are more than 50 years in age but can often grow as old as a thousand years.
This tree is found mainly in tropical regions of Asia and in different parts of South America.
The camphor oil is extracted using the steam distillation method of extraction from the woods and roots of the camphor tree.
Today, using advanced distillation techniques, three different types of camphor essential oil are produced- white, yellow, and brown.
The yellow and the brown camphor oil contain a toxic substance called safrole and hence only white camphor is used for medicinal and aromatic purpose.
Cinnamomum Camphora Essential Oil History:
In China and Japan, Cinnamomum camphora Essential Oil was used as a deodorant and in embalming.
Camphor wood was used to build ships and temples because of the woods durable and aromatic properties.
Cinnamomum Camphora Essential Oil was used medicinally, such as a remedy against the plague in ancient Persia.
In the past was a culinary ingredient, and was cited in the Q’ran 76:5 as a flavoring for drinks, though now an amount of 2 grams is considered toxic.
Cinnamomum Camphora Essential Oil is a natural product with many applications in traditional and modern medicines
Traditionally, camphor has been used as a cold remedy for the relief of chest congestion and the treatment of inflammation related diseases such as rheumatism, sprains, bronchitis, asthma and muscle pain. Camphor is usually prepared as a balm, oil or cream to relieve the pain and inflammation in joints and muscles.
Camphor oil, when applied on the skin produces the feeling of coolness which is related to the stimulation of nerve endings sensitive to cold. Camphor activates some of TRP (transient receptor potential) channels like TRPV1, TRPV3, TRPM8 and inhibits TRPA1, causing warm sensation, excitation and desensitization of sensory nerves, relieving the pain, itch and irritation in applied area.
Burdock Root (Arctium Lappa) has been used for centuries to treat a variety of ailments.
(Arctium Lappa)
Burdock is a short biennial plant which believed to be native to Europe and Northern Asia.
In the nature, however, burdock is as a wild, easy-growing, hardy plant that can exist almost anywhere in the planet.
In Japan, popular as gobo, it has been cultivated at larger scale as a major root herb since earlier times. It is also eaten to this day as a vegetable in salads.
As a root vegetable, it possesses considerably stronger antioxidant activity than common vegetables and fruits.
In Europe, burdock root was used as a bittering agent in beer before the widespread adoption of hops for this purpose.
Burdock consists primarily of carbohydrates, volatile oils, plant sterols, tannins, and fatty oils.
Researchers are not sure which active ingredients in burdock root are responsible for its healing properties. But the herb may have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial effects.
Burdock root contains inulin, a natural dietary fiber, and is also said to possibly aid in improving digestion.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), burdock is often used with other herbs because it may help with sore throat and colds.
Burdock Root may help with:
“Blood purifier” to clear the bloodstream of toxins Diuretic to help eliminate excess water by increasing urine output Topical remedy for skin problems such as eczema, acne, and psoriasis Extracts of burdock root are found in a variety of herbal preparations, as well as homeopathic remedies.
Zingiberis Officinale Root (Ginger Root)
Zingiberis Officinale Root, also known as Dried ginger root
Zingiberis Officinale Root
(Ginger Root)
Zingiberis Officinale Root, also known as Dried ginger root has long been hailed as an important tonic for sexual potency, as evidenced by the China’s old saying “man just can’t live for 100 days straight without ginger.”
Just as its name implies, it comes from fresh ginger root by drying. Zingiberis Officinale Root was used by the ancients in China, India and other Asian countries.
In traditional Chinese Medicine Ginger root was believed to aid in: - inducing heat to expel pathogenic cold
- increasing appetite
- alleviating symptoms of a cold
- reducing nausea
- slowing gastrointestinal motility and contraction
- helping digestion
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) believes that this herb is acrid in flavor and hot in properties. Zingiberis Officinale Root covers meridians of spleen, stomach, heart, and lung.
Vital functions are warming spleen and stomach for dispelling cold, restoring yang and promoting coronary circulation, and warming the lung to resolve retained fluid.
Main Zingiberis Officinale Root uses and indications include: - abdominal cold pain
- vomiting, diarrhea
- cold limbs due to yang depletion
- cold retained fluid induced dyspnea with cough
- Bi syndrome induced by wind
- cold and dampness
Cornus Fruit (Cornus officinalis)
Cornus Fruit (Cornus officinalis) is a species of dogwood known also as Japanese cornel, Japanese cornelian cherry or Shan Zhu Yu in Chinese.
Cornus Fruit
(Cornus officinalis)
Cornus (Cornus officinalis) is native to China, Korea and Japan.
It has been used for more than 2,000 years Chinese medicine and is a herb associated with longevity.
The small Cornus fruit can also be eaten as food, either raw or cooked. They contain about 8.6% sugar and have a slightly astringent taste.
Parts of the Cornus fruit used: The ripe fruit is gathered from October to November and harvested when ripe. The fruit is then baked or boiled, after which the fruit pit is removed. Finally, the fruit is dried in the sun or baked again.
Properties & Taste It is made into a slightly warm yin tonic and classified as having a sour taste.
Meridians Cornus is strongly associated with the liver and kidney.
In the term of Traditional Chinese Medicine Cornus Fruit may help with:
- May stabilize the kidneys.
- May help to retain Jing. (In the Chinese system of health, yin aspects must be kept in balance with yang aspects.)
- May stops excessive sweating.
- May tonify and augment both the liver and kidneys.
Aucklandia Root (Mu Xiang)
Aucklandia root has been used for centuries in Chinese and Indian herbal healing.
Aucklandia Root
(Mu Xiang)
Aucklandia Root is also known as costus or Mu Xiang, which, literally translated, means “wood aroma.”
Aucklandia is the root of the plant Saussurea costus and an endemic found only high altitude area in China.
Thanks to its extraordinary medicinal uses on activating Chi energy flow, it is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs in China and most recently it has been used in Western aromatherapy.
Aucklandia Root may help to activate the flow of Chi and relieve pain
Stuck or blocked Chi is the root of many ailments.
Aucklandia Root is mainly used for the treatment of diseases caused by blocked Chi (for example: stomachache).
It can be used alone, but most of the time combined with other herbs to achieve better results.
Aucklandia root From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine
Property: In the term of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Mu Xiang is acrid, bitter, warm. The channels Mu Xiang influences are Gallbladder, LI, Spleen, Stomach.
Aucklandia root may help with: In the term of TCM, Mu Xiang:
1: May promote movement of Chi thus may alleviate pain.
2: May adjust and regulate stagnant Chi in intestines.
3. May strengthen spleen and prevent stagnation.
Astragalus Root (Huang Qi)
Astragalus Root is also called huang qi or milk vetch.
Astragalus Root
(Huang Qi)
It comes from a type of bean or legume that grows in the northern and eastern parts of China, as well as in Mongolia and Korea.
While there are multiple species of Astragalus, most Astragalus supplements contain Astragalus membranaceus.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine: This herb may help with multiple health benefits for multiple conditions, including acting as a cardio-tonic that lowers blood pressure and blood sugar.
Astragalus is called an adaptogen, meaning it may help protect the body from physical, mental, or emotional stress and seems to work by stimulating the immune system.
Astragalus Root has antioxidant effects that may inhibit free radical production. Free radical reactions damage cells and are expected to produce progressive adverse changes that accumulate with age throughout the body.
Astragalus Root may also help with: Removing surface impurities while detoxifying and purifying the skin
Raising chi to lift and tighten skin Improving nutrient absorption and increasing energy.
Green Tea (Camellia sinesis)
Green tea (Camellia sinesis) originated in China for medicinal purposes, and its first recorded use was 4,000 years ago.
(Camellia sinesis)
By the third century, it became a daily drink and cultivation and processing began.
Today, China has hundreds of different types of green teas. Other producers of green tea include India, Indonesia, Korea, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
Green tea is made from unfermented leaves from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.
Antioxidants in Green Tea
By one estimate, green tea has 10 times the amount of antioxidants found in fruits and veggies. Antioxidants are substances that fight free radicals and protect the skin from oxidative stress and environmental damage.
Many scientists believe that free radicals contribute to the aging process, as well as the development of a number of health problems.
Green Tea may help with:
In traditional Chinese and Indian medicine, practitioners used green tea because it may help as a stimulant, a diuretic (to help rid the body of excess fluid), an astringent (to control bleeding and help heal wounds), and to improve heart health.
Antioxidants, such as polyphenols in green tea, impart vitamins and nutrients that may slow down the aging process and calm the skin.
Other traditional uses of green tea include the possibility of enhancing the ability of the body to burn fat and improving mental alertness and thinking.
Korean Ginseng Root (Panax ginseng)
Korean Ginseng root (Panax ginseng) is one of the most widely used and acclaimed herbs in the world.
Korean Ginseng Root
(Panax ginseng)
Korean ginseng has had a long and illustrious history as an herb for health, and has been used for thousands of years throughout the Orient as a medicine and tonic.
Early Chinese medicine texts written in the first century a.d. mention ginseng, and ginseng has long been classified by Chinese medicine as a “superior” herb. This means it is said to promote longevity and vitality.
In traditional Chinese medicine philosophy, Korean ginseng root is said to encourage Yang energy, increase blood supply, improve circulation, revitalize, relieve stress and help recovery from illness.
Korean ginseng grows on moist, shaded mountainsides in China, Korea, and Russia. It is a perennial herb that reaches heights of two or more feet, and is distinguished by its dark green leaves and red clusters of berries.
The root of the plant is the part valued for its medicinal properties.
Korean ginseng has historically been one of the most expensive of herbs, as it has been highly in demand in China and the Far East for centuries.
Because of the number of herbs sold under the name of ginseng, there can be some confusion for the consumer. Korean ginseng is a member of the Araliaceae family of plants, which also includes closely related American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius ) and Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus ).
Both American and Siberian ginseng are considered by Chinese herbalists to be different herbs than Korean ginseng, and are said to have different effects and healing properties in the body.
General use of Korean Ginseng
The word panax is formed from Greek roots meaning “cure-all,” and Panax ginseng has long been considered to be one of the great healing and strengthening herbs in natural medicine.
Ginseng is classified as an adaptogen, which is a substance that may help the body adapt to stress and balance itself without causing major side effects.
For skin and body care, Korean Ginseng Root is said to:
Contain powerful anti-bacterial properties that may increase chi and circulation to the dermal layers May provide essential nourishment to skin cells to help purify the skin
For Detox purposes, Korean Ginseng Root may help with the following:
May have positive and balancing effects on the Gastrointestinal Tract.
May strengthen and harmonize the digestive organs in order to regulate appetite and alleviate systems of an upset stomach and abdominal distention.
May increase circulation.
May affect various types of prolapse, including the stomach and rectum.
May generate and distribute fluids.
May have anti-stress properties that provide a calming effect on the mind.
May have an effect on balancing both the central and peripheral nervous systems.
May have an immunological effect.
May have a balancing effect on the cardiovascular system.
May have a metabolic effect and an effect on lipid metabolism.
Mulberry Leaf (Morus alba)
The Mulberry leaf is a product of the Morus alba tree which is found throughout China and cultivated across most parts of the world.
Mulberry Leaf
(Morus alba)
The leaves of a mulberry tree are green and spade shaped. They are harvested in autumn and dried before being used in herbal remedies.
Medicinally it mainly refers to the dried leaves of Morus alba L., which is a plant in the family of Moraceae.
Other names of it include White Mulberry Leaf, Folium Mori, mulberry tree leaves, and many more.
it is a great source of antioxidants and is even cultivated to feed the silkworms employed in the commercial production of silk.
Mulberry leaf has sweet, bitter and cold properties in traditional Chinese medicine.
It has been associated with the Liver and Lung meridians, and functions to clear lung heat (which can manifest as a fever, headache, sore throat or cough).
Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine have used the mulberry leaf to possibly act as a remedy for swelling and redness.
Mulberry Leaf may help with:
The mulberry leaf is said to be packed with tons of nutrition and health benefits, in particular, it is said to possibly:
Reduce inflammation Provide support to the immune system Lower abnormally high blood sugar (glucose) levels, blood pressure, and blood lipids There are those who say its secret of purifying the blood lies in the rich content of chlorophyll, which can transport abundant oxygen supply to the body while taking away the waste in blood and thus accelerate the body purification.
Ledebouriella Root (Fang Fen)
Ledebouriella Root also known as Fang Feng, Siler Root, Radix Ledebouriellae Divaricatae, radix saposhnikoviae divaricata, Saposhnikovia Divaricata root, and Radix Saposhnikoviae.
Ledebouriella Root
(Fang Fen)
This is a perennial herb and plant in the family of Umbelliferae.
Ledebouriella Root is mainly produced in various regions of northern China.
The Ladebouriella Root is cut into small pieces, dried, and then used in herbal preparations.
Fang Feng, translates to “guard against wind” and is classified as a herb that may help in the treatment of illnesses caused by the wind or wind-dampness that can cause pain and spasm.
Ledebouriella Root (Saposhnikoviae Root) may also help to:
Harmonize the intestines Alleviate gas and bloating Reduce tenesmus (that feeling that you’re not done going to the bathroom)
Biota Seed (Oriental Arborvitae)
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it is believed that the Arborvitae tree is the favor from nature and the Biota seed is used medicinally.
Biota Seed
(Oriental Arborvitae)
Biota seeds are native to China and contain large amount of fatty oils, small amount of essential oil, and saponins.
The biota seed is used in Chinese healing and is also known as Bai Zi Ren. It refers to the kernel of Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco or more commonly called in English, the seed of Oriental arborvitae
Also, it is one common type of artificial dwarf arborvitae used as landscape trees in China, which frequently grows along walkways.
When cultivated, biota produces vast quantities of seeds. Both the seeds and branches are used in healing.
In terms of traditional Chinese medicine, biota seed is not to be confused with biota leaf (ce bai ye).
Biota seed In Chinese herbalism
Traditional Chinese medicine holds the view that Biota seeds are sweet and neutral in nature and cover meridians of Heart, Kidney, and Large Intestine.
The Biota seeds are usually used as a sedative, and are often a component of various shen, or spirit, tonics to nourish the heart and calm the spirit.
Biota seed may help with:
Angelica (Dong Quai)
Angelica is a genus of plants in the parsley family used in both Western healing and traditional Korean, Chinese and Japanese medicine. Usually the dried root is used medicinally.
(Dong Quai)
Angelica is a genus of plants in the parsley family used in both Western healing and traditional Korean, Chinese and Japanese medicine. Usually the dried root is used medicinally. There are at least 10 species of angelica used in traditional Chinese medicine.
The most frequently used species is A. sinensis, which in Chinese is called dong quai (alternate spellings are dang gui, tang kwei, and tang gui ).
Other Chinese species include A. pubescens, called in Chinese du huo, and A. dahurica, called in Chinese bai zhi.
Angelica root has earned a reputation as the “ultimate herb” for women.
Angelica is widely used among Chinese women as a fortifying daily tonic, much as Chinese men rely on ginseng.
Chinese angelica, or dong quai, is considered in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to regulate the female reproductive organs and treat irregularities of the menstrual cycle, especially deficient bleeding.
Chinese herbalists also use this herb because it may help to treat irregular periods, menstrual cramps, and infertility .
The root is one component of Four Things Soup, a widely used woman’s tonic in China.
Angelica (Dong quai) contains several active compounds called coumarins. These compounds are well documented as agents that may help to dilate (open up) the blood vessels, may stimulate the central nervous system, and may help control spasms.
It is possible that these compounds do act on the uterus, supporting the use of dong quai for some women’s problems.
Dong Quai is one of the best known herbs in China, and is one of the traditional Chinese herbs that is increasingly familiar in the West.
Angelica (Dong Quai) may also help with:
Angelica Root may help with skin and body care by providing deep hydration and reducing the signs of aging Acting also as a natural astringent, Angelica root may help with clearing pores of excess oil and dirt
Jujube Seed (Suan Zao Ren)
The Jujube seed is primarily known as a herb that may aid in stress-relief by nourishing the heart and calming the spirit.
Jujube Seed
(Suan Zao Ren)
Jujube seed (Suan Zao Ren) is native to China and the jujube tree has been cultivated in Asia since 4,000 years ago.
The amazing medicinal uses of Suan Zao Ren, also known as sour jujube seed in English-speaking countries, were recorded very early on the “Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic”.
This Chinese herb was placed in the top-grade category thanks to the believed healing properties of settling five Zang viscera, losing weight, and prolonging life.
Jujube Seed may help with:
Properties: In the term of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Jujube seed or Suan Zao Ren is sweat, neutral. The meridians Suan Zao Ren influences are Heart, Spleen, Liver, Gallbladder.
In the term of TCM, Suan Zao Ren may help to:
1: Nourish the Heart Yin, Tonify Liver Blood, Quiet the Spirit.
2: Prevents Abnormal Sweating.
Goji Berry (Wolfberry)
The Goji berry, also called the wolfberry, is a bright orange-red berry that comes from a shrub that’s native to the Himalayan Mountains of Tibet and Mongolia.
(Wolfberry)
The goji berry has been used for thousands of years in Asia, both as a culinary ingredient and medicinally.
Goji berries are also used to increase longevity and as a general health strengthening tonic by the people of Tibet.
Goji Berry may help with:
enhancing immune function improving circulation and eyesight protecting the liver and increasing sperm production Goji Berries have also been known to possibly assist in:
a feeling of well being and calmness better athletic performance quality of sleep weight loss While some claim that the goji berry is a fountain of youth, we do know that they are full of nutrients.
This bright red berry not only contains extremely high levels of antioxidants but also contains vitamins that can keep the body healthy.
Longan Fruit (Euphoria Longan)
The Longan fruit, closely allied to the lychee, has been used for medical purpose as early as the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE).
Longan Fruit
(Euphoria Longan)
Both longan fruit and lychee make a name of themselves for their unique flavor. While it is generally acknowledged that lychee is much tastier, when it comes to medicinal properties, the longan fruit is believed to be the better of the two.
What is Longan fruit?
Medicinally it mainly refers to the aril of Dimocarpus longan Lour. or Euphoria Longan (Lour.) Steud., which is a plant in the family Sapindaceae.
Hence, other names of it include Long Yan, Longan Aril, Arillus Longan, Longan Flesh, dragon eyes, and Gui Yuan.
In China it is primarily produced in Guangdong, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangxi and other places.
It is normally picked in the summer when the fruits become mature.
Then it needs to get through a few more steps before the use – shell and pit removed, dried in the sun, and stored in dry place.
Longan Fruit In Traditional Chinese Medicine
It is believed among the Chinese people that Longan is a potent tonic herb that just luckily happens to be delicious.
Most famously, Longan is thought to be a wonderful nutrient tonic for the skin.
Women love to eat Longan, fresh, dried or as tea, to support their beauty from within.
According to modern research, fresh longan is not only sweet and refreshing in taste but also with very high nutritional value – containing abundant high carbohydrate, proteins, amino acids, vitamins B, C, calcium, phosphorus, iron, tartaric acid, adenine, etc.
Longan fruit (Euphoria Longan) may help with:
alleviating cognitive losses improving memory invigorate the heart and spleen have a calming effect on the nervous system It cannot be denied that longan fruit advantages are enormous.
Artemisia (Chinese Mugwort)
Artemisia is used medicinally, especially in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean traditional medicine. It is also used as an herb to flavor food.
(Chinese Mugwort)
In Korea, mugworts were also used for plain, non-medicinal consumption; in South Korea, mugworts, called ssuk, are still used as a staple ingredient in many dishes including rice cakes and soup.
The plant known as artemisia is also called wormwood in the traditional herbal literature.
This herb is a bushy perennial shrub that combines a variety of species (up to 400) and belongs in the Asteraceae family (daisies).
Artemisia is found in the wild in the forest of East Asia. It is native to the island of Taiwan, the Japanese islands and the northern parts of the People’s Republic of China.
Artemisia is valued for the volatile oils and specific odor that is used in different processes.
The broken tips of this mildly aromatic herb is used by herbalists.
In ancient China and Japan, Mugwort was hung in open doorways to exorcise the spirits of disease. The ancient Europeans did the same to ward off evil spirits.
For beer connoisseurs, Mugwort was once the staple ingredient in beer before Hops became the norm.
Artemisia may help with:
The broken pieces cut from the top of the plant are used to prepare a wide range of herbal medications used in traditional medicine as:
a sedative an anti-inflammatory agent a cardiac stimulator Artemisia may also help with:
gastrointestinal disorders fever irregular menstruation loss of appetite improve memory for the restoration of declining mental function
Poria Cocos (Fu Ling)
Poria Cocos, also called Fu Ling, is a famous Chinese herb.
(Fu Ling)
Poria cocos has been used medicinally for about 2,000 years for it’s wide range of uses.
Tradition Chinese medicine (TCM) believes that this herb is sweet and tasteless in flavor and neutral in properties.
It covers meridians of heart, lung, spleen, and kidney.
As a result, this herb is commonly used in not only many clinical formulas but also the production of numerous Chinese patent medicines.
What’s more, thanks to its amazing health benefits, it was once used to make a variety of delicacies and snacks for the enjoyment of all members of the royal family.
What is Poria?
The Poria Cocos herb refers to the sclerotium poriae cocos, a fungus in the family Polyporaceae.
This herb has a few other common names, such as Indian buead, China root, Fu Ling Pi, tuckahoe, Fu Shen, hoelen, and so on.
As a matter of fact, this is a white fungus on wood, in particular on the roots of Japanese red pine and masson pine in the Pinaceae family.
Today it is wild or cultivated, mainly produced in Yunnan, Anhui, Hubei, Henan, Sichuan and other places in China.
The Poria cocos fungus
Poria cocos fungus has long been used medicinally in China, especially in the southern regions.
Since ancient times people there are accustomed to grind it into powder as medicine or for health care by consuming it on daily basis.
However, then very few family could afford it due to the expensive production cost.
Fortunately it is a different story now. Today this herb is so economical and practical that everyone is entitled its many benefits.
Poria Cocos may help with:
Percolating dampness and disinhibiting water
Strengthening the spleen and stomach
Tranquilizing heart and soothe the nerves
Cassia Seed (Jue Ming Zi)
The Cassia seed (also known as Jue Ming Zi) comes from the cassia, an annual plant that grows in tropical zones.
Cassia Seed
(Jue Ming Zi)
The Cassia seed (also known as Jue Ming Zi) comes from the cassia, an annual plant that grows in tropical zones. Cassia seeds come in a variety of colors that vary from greenish brown to dark brown and yellowish red, with a smooth glossy surface.
In the term of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the Cassia seed is sweat, bitter, salty, and slightly cold.
The channels Jue Ming Zi is said to influence are Liver and Large Intestines.
The Chinese have taken cassia seed since ancient times as a daily tea to help promote clear vision.
Cassia Seed when used in traditional Chinese medicine may help to:
Benefit vision Reduce hypertension Relieve constipation by unblocking the vowels The Cassia seed is also said to be used to possibly relieve itchy, red eyes in a patient that is suffering from cold and flu symptoms.
They may also help to treat red, painful eyes that are sensitive to light, excessively tearing up, and causing a headache.
Codonopsis Root (Dang Shen)
Codonopsis, also known as Dang Shen, refers to the roots of Codonopsis pilosula, utilized primarily as a substitute for ginseng (Panax ginseng).
Codonopsis Root
(Dang Shen)
Codonopsis, also known as Dang Shen, refers to the roots of Codonopsis pilosula, utilized primarily as a substitute for ginseng (Panax ginseng). Codonopsis root is no stranger to most Chinese since this herb is a common ingredient in the everyday recipes of soups and steamed dishes.
In China, Codonopsis root is a major tonic for nourishing the vitality and one of the adaptogenic herbs; which as a group is believed to strengthen your ability to defend against high levels of stress, anxiety, trauma and fatigue.
Stress is becoming more common these days and ongoing stress can cause a number of health problems.
What is Dang Shen?
Codonopsis is a genus in the family Campanulaceae and a perennial herb.
There are about 40 Codonopsis species worldwide, among which 39 species can be found in China.
In addition, 21 of them and 4 varieties can be used medicinally.
Codonopsis Root In Traditional Chinese Medicine:
Codonopsis root is sweet and neutral in properties.
It is the root of this adaptogenic herb that is used for making herbal tinctures and teas.
This plant is said to have excellent qualities that may help with a number of health problems.
Based on the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, this herb goes to lung and spleen meridians, as well as a digestive aid targeted towards the stomach.
It was used along with ginseng to create a tonic that helped replenish one’s qi.
Codonopsis Root may help with:
Invigorate lung-qi and spleen-qi nourish blood promote the generation of body fluid
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Home › News › Trade shows
Première Vision Blossom attracts 1,311 visitors for pre-collections showcase
Matthieu Guinebault
Isabelle Crossley
today Jul 8, 2019
For its second season at the heart of the Carreau du Temple and seventh since its creation, Première Vision’s Blossom trade show dedicated to materials for luxury brands’ pre-collections attracted 1,311 professional visitors from around 30 nationalities, a 3.5 percent increase from its last edition, at its event from July 3 to 4.
Blossom Première Vision
Eighty-one percent of the trade show’s attendees were representatives of major French fashion houses and brands and 19 percent were representatives from international brands. Amongst the latter, Italy was unsurprisingly the most represented country followed by the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Japan, which doubled its presence at the event, and finally Russia.
Visitors included representatives from brands including A.P.C., Agnès b., Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Balmain, Chanel, Dior, Eden Park, Givenchy, Gucci, Hermès, Kenzo, Lacoste, and Louis Vuitton. Oscar de la Renta, Printemps, Repetto, Saint Laurent, Sezane, and Tom Ford also sent representatives to the show among other brands.
For the organiser, Première Vision SA, the event’s turnout confirmed both the relevance of its choice of date, as part of the calendar for developing collections, and its choice of venue, with the Carreau du Temple offering a central location to representatives of the big Paris fashion houses. These professional visitors have contributed to the 119 exhibiting suppliers’ (including weavers, tanners, and accessory manufacturers) rejuvenation over the past few seasons.
The next edition of Blossom will take place in December. Before then, Première Vision will hold its New York edition from July 16 to 17. Following that, the organiser’s main event, Première Vision Paris, will take place at Villepinte from September 17 to 19.
Balenciaga store in Paris targeted by graffiti artist Kidult
Agnès b. fêtes Parisian chic, Beautiful People stuns with chameleonic clothes
Interparfums appoints new director of legal affairs
Fall-Winter 2019 Paris
Explosive line-up for next Paris Men’s Fashion Week
Agnès b. to show men's and women's collections together in Paris next March
France’s Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode re-elects Ralph Toledano president for four-year term
Spring-Summer 2019 Paris
Agnès b. sketches a series of colourful character studies
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Hall Lane Junctionpeter2019-12-12T19:59:48+00:00
| The Site & the Problem |
| Our Aim & our Method |
| Highways thoughts… |
| Have your say |
Hall Lane / Knapton Road Junction
Knapton Road is the main traffic artery between North Walsham and Mundesley and as such is a relatively busy road. As the road climbs up to Knapton there is a 40mph speed restriction on the edge of the village which is all to often ignored by drivers. A few hundred yards further on Knapton Road bends right to bypass the village and it is on the beginning of this bend that Hall Lane meets it.
The location and design of the junction means that vehicles approaching the junction from Mundesley and entering Hall Lane do so without the need to make any discernible turn. This may explain why a dangerously high proportion do so without slowing down, even though the speed limit reduces from 40mph to 30mph. It may also explain why so many drivers fail to indicate as they assume that they are going straight on so don’t need to.
With the additional housing being built in Mundesley, this problem is only going to get worse and puts other road users and pedestrians at risk because there are no pavements at this end of Hall Lane which walkers could use to evade vehicles.
Approaching Hall Lane from Mundesley
Click to see the 30mph sign
This has long been a cause for concern for villagers and with the new Victory housing estate being built just yards away, this potentially dangerous junction will only get busier.
Approaching Knapton Road from Hall Lane
No pavement for pedestrians to escape oncoming traffic that ignore the reduced speed limit
The speed limit changes as vehicles enter Hall Lane from Knapton Road from 40mph down to 30mph and for the first 200m there is no pavement either side of the road.
We want to make a change to the design of the junction to;
force vehicles approaching the junction from Mundesley to slow right down or stop at the junction before crossing / turning left into Hall Lane
to respect the 30mph speed limit and reduce the risk of hitting pedestrians forced to walk on the road
force vehicles approaching the junction from Hall Lane to stop at the junction
to reduce the risk of collision with on-coming traffic from the left, which cannot be seen until vehicles actually reach the junction
Since an alarmingly high number of drivers approaching the junction from Mundesley are already ignoring the speed limit reduction (see details of our resident’s Speed Watch action) and some drivers from both directions are risking the safety of other road users and pedestrians alike by clearly not respecting the junction, the only way forward would seem to be to change the layout of the junction in such a way as to force them to slow down or stop. We also want to see additional signage both on the road and on roadside signs.
We have spoken with Highways who are sympathetic to our view and have even provided their thoughts on possible changes to the junction.
Highways thoughts…
During our meeting with the Police and Highways, PC Gwynn drove us to the junction and approached it from all aspects. He said that anything that could improve safety for road users would be a good thing. Steve White of Highways suggested that change could be possible and that he would talk to a colleague who was more specialised in junction design. He also pointed out that although this would be subject to Highways approval, there is no budget available for this type of work and that the Parish Council would have to fund it, though he did suggest that the builders of the new estate on the Millenium Field, Victory Housing could – and possibly should – contribute, as the additional housing would obviously add more traffic on the junction.
He emailed the committee a day or so later to advise that he had spoken with his colleague and that not only was it feasible but that his colleague had offered one design suggestion (click on the image) and would be happy to consider others.
This has left the committee feeling very optimistic that we can make a difference to what has become a dangerous junction and we are currently discussing designs that will have maximum effect with a view to obtaining Highways approval.
As yet we have no idea of time scale but subject to funding, this could be measured in weeks or months as opposed to years.
Got anything to add?
Want to have your say?
Good, then go ahead and click the button below and select
Road Safety – add to blog
…and don’t forget to give us permission to publish it…
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Just add water®
Nutrition and healthy recipes for sporty families on the go from a Registered Nutritionist
RECIPES FOR SNACKS
FILLINGS & LUNCHBOX IDEAS
BRILLIANT BREADS
FRUITY FIXES
RECIPES FOR MEALS
HEARTY ONE-POT MEALS
FUEL FOR SPORT
BEFORE SPORTS–BREAKFASTS
BEFORE SPORT–MAIN MEALS
DURING SPORT
DURING SPORT–SUPER SNACKS
DURING SPORT–HALF-TIME BOOSTERS
AFTER SPORT–SNACKS
AFTER SPORT–SMOOTHIES
AFTER SPORT–MAIN MEALS
Resources & quicklinks
NUTRITION & COOKING
Nutrition in the news
Sports nutrition and children
Day 7 Cancer Research UK Pretty Muddy 5km
I woke up early feeling very excited, albeit slightly knackered, on the final day of my running tour. Just one more race to go and I would have done the week! But I also knew that Pretty Muddy wouldn’t be anything like the previous 6 legs of the tour. If anything, the name hardly suggested what I had signed up for. It could have been called Extremely Muddy or even Awfully Muddy because there wasn’t anything pretty about it. The reality was it was a 5km muddy, squelching course full of far too many filthy obstacles that you had to climb over, crawl under and charge between. The final obstacle of the course was the main attraction of Pretty Muddy and was strategically placed right before the finish to draw the crowds. It was a gigantic mud-coated, slippery slide that you had to climb up, hand over foot in order to get to the top. Once there, you faced plummeting it down into a deep, dark mud pool. Of course, the question that comes to most people is simply, why?! And also, who? Who would willingly choose to spend several days after doing a 5km run, still trying to get the mud out of their trainers, kit (and themselves)? Well the answer is that many hundreds of people are willing to make a mucky effort for a worthy cause and the funds raised by Pretty Muddy go towards fighting cancer.
With this in mind, if I had felt slightly pressured at times whilst running in the Tour of MK, then this final 5km leg for a good cause was sure to be at the opposite end of the scale. It wouldn’t even be as competitive as a Parkrun as there would be no chip timing and so no fights to the finish. Understandably, there are more important things to think about than running a 5km PB when you’re being sprayed by muddy water while trying to scramble, climb and run through sludgy obstacles. Which was great as a relaxing, muddy jaunt would help my legs to recover from the week of heavy mileage. The more I thought about it, the more I talked myself into believing that the mud may even have some restorative properties, like a mud pack for legs…Obviously, my tiredness also allowed myself to conveniently gloss over my memories of the last two Pretty Muddy 5kms runs with my daughter. Perhaps I had also deluded myself as a survival technique, as I could not escape the fact that I had signed up as the accompanying adult to my daughter and a friend of hers from her rugby team. In other words, there was no option of pulling out and letting the rugby girls down.
Once again, the high number of entrants for Pretty Muddy meant that it had to be started in several waves of runners. We had signed up to run it in the third wave reasoning that by then, the course would be sufficiently muddy and soft but not yet a complete swamp. However, when we arrived at the race registration, it was clear that it had been raining throughout the night and things were already swampy. For the moment, though, we were warm and dry and we walked up to the warm-up area and into a sea of pink.
There were masses of girls and women of all ages around us, wearing every shade of pink imaginable. As Wave 3 was called up to the cordoned off start area, it felt like we were entering a noisy carnival. We spent the next few minutes entertaining ourselves by trying to spot who was wearing the most elaborate fancy dress amongst the crowd. Above us on a stage, an announcer appeared from nowhere and loudly started to address everyone. As soon as everyone turned to look at him, his shocking pink hair set off a chain reaction of selfies, completely distracting anyone from paying attention to the health and safety fine print he reeled off. With an ear-splitting blast of 90s Europop, two very energetic fitness instructors then came on stage to lead the warm-up. It was unlike any warm-up I’ve ever experienced for a fun run and consisted entirely of kick boxing moves, left jabs and right hooks. As I tried to avoid both kicking and being belted by other runners, I couldn’t help thinking that it was an odd series of moves to practice before the run. Then again, the course was sure to be different this year and I really didn’t know what obstacles we would be facing. With the warm-up done, the announcer came on a final time to psyche up the crowd again and the marshals started spraying everybody with mud. My rugby girls quickly dobbed some mud on their faces to draw ‘war paint’, which in retrospect, I should have taken as a sign.
Once done, they quickly dragged me over to the start of the race, positioning ourselves first on the line. I reminded them that it didn’t matter where we started as we weren’t actually racing. However, as the countdown began they looked primed and ready to go. Sure enough, once the blowhorn sounded, the rugby girls sprinted off with me chasing behind, shouting, ‘It’s not a race!’ They didn’t slow down but sped up and all I could do was to try and run faster. I finally caught them as they paused to weigh up the first obstacle, a series of enormous slippery rollers on a field of mud which we had to get over. They managed to vault over the rollers skilfully like mucky ninjas while my technique of hugging and rolling myself over the top of the rollers only slowed me down. After we cleared the rollers, we were then greeted with several sprays of icy, dirty water fired at us by the race marshals. Since we were the first of our wave to reach the obstacle, we were a clear and easy target.
We quickly sprinted off again in the direction of the next obstacle and as we ran, we started to pass people who had started in an earlier wave. The course then veered towards another muddy area and we approached 3 large metal pipes laid on their side, as makeshift tunnels. Stationed to the left of the tunnels was a happily armed marshal which meant that the rugby girls immediately scurried into the tunnels to the right. Getting the short straw meant I was easy prey for the marshal and before I managed to even enter the tunnel, I was soaked to the skin. Unfortunately, the only way to get through the pipes was by crawling through wet, cold mud. I emerged very wet, muddy and cold and was not surprised to see the rugby girls smiling at my appearance at the other end. We ran off before we could be sprayed any further by the marshal in search of the next obstacle.
As we ran, we passed several more groups of muddy runners and walkers and I reminded them again, that it wasn’t a race. The rugby girls looked at me incredulously and said, ‘But we’ve already caught up to the front of the second wave!’ However, I also noticed that we were not the only ones. Not far behind us was another girl that I recognised from the Wave 3 warm-up and trailing some way behind, was her slightly harassed looking mother. I could see that the girl was trying desperately hard to hurry her up. However, as soon as the rugby girls also clocked the competition, they took off running again saying, ‘She’s trying to beat us!’ I ran after them and realised that the fun run had turned into a muddy race. I couldn’t believe it! It was my final day of my running tour and it just had to get competitive! I could only hope that the obstacles might at least slow them down.
We headed towards the next obstacle but this time, I was more prepared to watch out for the armed marshals. As we got closer, it looked like we would have to crawl under some heavy netting that was lying, invitingly, on some wet, thick mud. Unfortunately, there were two armed marshals, stationed on both sides of the netting, ready to fire from every angle, at their leisure. Since there was no way to avoid them, my only defence was speed, so I dove under the netting and crawled at what I imagined was a lightning pace. The rugby girls used the same tactic and mud flew everywhere as we power crawled under the netting. Only disaster struck, when my hairband got caught in the netting and I was temporarily trapped like a dirty rat. And just like shooting fish in a barrel, the marshals easily fired their puddle water at me until I managed to wriggle free and crawl to safety.
Completely drenched and with my trainers soaked through, I ran to the rugby girls and we continued around the lake. As we ran on, we passed even more people and realised that we were starting to catch up with the first wave of runners. Every now and then, the rugby girls checked behind us, like watchful meercats, to gauge if we were sufficiently ahead of the competition. Which meant that every time they imagined that the competition was advancing, we had to ramp up our speed another notch. I wondered how many other parents were, literally, chasing their children around Pretty Muddy?
Nevertheless, we soon made it to the next obstacle which looked like a cluster of several outsized punchbags, hanging and swinging together, above the mud. The challenge of this obstacle was to get through the cluster of punchbags without falling or being knocked over into the mud. This time I didn’t hesitate, and I quickly weaved around and between the heavy punchbags whilst trying to avoid getting sprayed by the marshal. My rugby playing daughter, however, approached the punchbags as opponents in a match. In other words, she rammed into the first punchbag, tackling it so hard, that she knocked it completely off its support. As the liberated punchbag carried on bouncing away into the distance, the shocked marshal ran after it, shouting to my daughter, ‘Are you ok?!’ I shouted back, ‘Sorry! She plays rugby’. We could not stop laughing as we ran on in search for the next obstacles.
By then we knew that we were more than half-way through Pretty Muddy and there would only be a couple of obstacles left before the infamous mud slide. We passed through the next two obstacles unscathed as they were manned by unarmed marshals. Whether they out of muddy ammunition or not, we took full advantage of the situation to power through as it was far easier climbing over high barriers and ducking under bungee cords in a mud bath, when you are not being intermittently sprayed by cold, dirty water. Even when we had to immerse ourselves into cold muck, at the back of our minds we knew it could have been far worse if we had been under fire. However, the marshals’ truce didn’t last. We spent the penultimate obstacle being fired on as we bounced around a circuit on dirty, slippery space hoppers. By then, my legs were too tired to bounce with any speed and as I wrestled with staying on the space hopper, I was an easy target.
We ran on but after checking the location of the competition behind us, we were compelled to sprint to the final obstacle. However, when got there, we found that there was a complete bottleneck of people waiting to climb the slide. As we joined the long queue of muddy runners, we could only think about how deep the mud pit we would be sliding into. However, I could see that the rugby girls were still nervously glancing around them, wondering if we would be overtaken by the competition. However, I knew that this was now impossible simply because we were in the UK. We could rest assured that no one in their right mind jumps a queue! We eventually got to the front but by then, the mud on our bodies was dried and cracked. Since I had been fired on so many times with dirty water, I appeared slightly ‘cleaner’ than the rugby girls and in my daughter’s words, I was not muddy enough. I told her that it wouldn’t last much longer as we stepped up to the start, waiting for the signal to go.
Up we went, climbing thick, mucky ropes, towards the top of the enormous, steep slide. After losing my footing many times, I joined the rugby girls at the top. We quickly swung our legs around and pushed off, launching ourselves down the slide, like slippery eels. We splash landed straight into the cold, dark mud bath and before I could react to the coldness, my daughter grabbed a big handful of mud and landed it on me. I quickly retaliated and we all stumbled out of the bath and ran over the finish line, still laughing and dripping with mud.
I was so happy to finally finish the race, and what a way to finish my running tour. After a very long week, full of some crazy challenges, I was more than ready for a break! We headed back to collect our bags and on our way, we happened to spot some more muddy members of the girls’ rugby team. As they began to swap stories, I shared a knowing look with another mother and knew that they, too, had been racing in Pretty Muddy. I can only conclude that children, and especially rugby-playing teenagers, are even more willing and ready than adults, to find competition in just about anything. In fact, they even enjoy it! If there is one thing that I have learned from my running tour it is that I don’t really enjoy competition. Therefore, the challenge for me is to resist competition whilst still participating in events. How to actually do this is the big question and like a running Holy Grail, I guess I will have to continue to search for the answer. In the meantime, the safest bet is to enter events that sound more interesting than competitive…or at least come with a nice t-shirt. I wonder what colour the Tour of MK t-shirt will come in next year??
In the meantime, I made this Warm autumn salad with cauliflower and tahini which went down very well at home and the leftovers did not last very long…
This entry was posted in Family cooking, Sports nutrition, Uncategorized on 03/11/2017 by suzanneanderegg.
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Suzanne Anderegg RNutr is a Registered Nutritionist (Public Health) based in Milton Keynes
The Association for Nutrition holds the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists, the only register of qualified nutritionists recognised by Public Health England, NHS Choices and NHS Careers
© Suzanne Anderegg, 2015 – 2020 All rights reserved. Reproduction or transmission of the whole or any part of the contents of this site is only allowed with the written permission of the author unless expressly permitted by law.
This information is provided as a general guide only and should not be relied on as a substitute for specific and individual nutritional advice.
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F-35/Adv Programs Software Department Mgr Jobs
F-35/Adv Programs Sof...
F-35/Adv Programs Software Department Mgr
Northrop Grumman Palmdale , CA 93551
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mprYM6eTwoc
At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems in air and space that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our work preserves freedom and democracy, and advances human discovery and our understanding of the universe. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have a lot of fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.
Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems located in Palmdale, CA or Redondo Beach, CA has an immediate opening for a Manager Software Engineering 3. This position requires up to 25% travel. This position is for full-time Software Engineering Department Manager role reporting to the Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence (PAICoE) Software Functional Lead.
Serves as the first line focal point for Software Director on initiatives for PAICoE (e.g. staffing, common processes, best practices, lessons learned, compensation and performance, career development of department employees)
Manages a team of Section Managers to accomplish the CoE goals. Provide independent program involvement to lead the timely resolution of any technical or other issues by leveraging the appropriate mix of resources; guide teams in selecting and applying the most appropriate tools, techniques, and approaches to solving issues. Responsible for cost, schedule, and technical performance of Section Managers. Make hiring decisions, including the end-to-end hiring process. Manage employee performance in conjunction with Section Managers; collaborate with IPT lead on feedback to employees to provide a single POC for the IPT.
Coordinate with programs to ensure appropriate staffing/de-staffing and understand future skill mix needs.
Act as point of contact for technical issues that arise on program(s) involving section members; make decisions regarding escalation and resources required for resolution.
Understand compensation strategy and make salary decisions accordingly (includes promotion, equity and other variable pay decisions). Manage all aspects of employee relations including conflict resolution.
Ensure common processes are used by section members across programs where appropriate; influence department use of common tools and processes.
Assist CoE and department in the development and testing of new tools and processes.
Interactions focus on performing on technical statements of work, while maintaining people management responsibility for Section Managers who each have 5-12 direct reports.
Responsible for communication flow down to section managers/members on E&GPD initiatives, SOOs, and other directoratespecific information. Conduit for information/issues flow from section members to upper management.
To learn more about our hiring process for manager positions, please view our "Selecting the Best Qualified Managers" video:
http://www.northropgrumman.com/SQMVideo
Bachelor's Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math)
5 yrs experience in Aerospace software development applications is required.
The candidate must be familiar with all phases of the software development life cycle.
5 years of leadership experience.
Candidate must have an active DoD Top Secret and a background investigation within the scope of five years. Candidate must also be able to obtain and maintain all required security clearances and program specific accesses including the ability to be upgraded to a SAP Advanced Program clearance.
SP-1 program access.
Candidates must have excellent communication (written, oral, and presentation) and engagement skills.
Advanced degree in Engineering or Computer Science.
Previous technical leadership or management experience.
Previous experience as a first level functional manager.
Management experience as a manager of managers
Experience as a SW Project Manager of a team of more than 40 people
Experience as a certified Agile Software Development Coach
Familiarity with Northrop Grumman Software Development processes, SEI CMMI Level 3 or higher, AS9100, or DO-178.
Green or Black Belt Lean / Six Sigma training and experiences.
The candidate should have relevant experience from the Defense and / or Aerospace industry.
Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO/AA and Pay Transparency statement, please visit www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for most positions.
Systems Engineer Maintainability & Supportability Sr Staff / Adavance Programs
VIEW JOBS 1/14/2020 12:00:00 AM 2020-04-13T00:00 Description:Maintainability, and Supportability (M&S) Technical Lead engineer for Advanced Development Programs. The candidate will be familiar with M&S analysis methods, including Maintainability predictions and allocations, mission Maintainability analysis, Maintainability predictions (mean time to repair, crew size), Maintenance task analysis, prognostics, diagnostics, health management, scheduled maintenance, timeline analysis, human factors, logistics footprint, support equipment requirements, manpower requirements, and sortie generation rate. The applicant will perform trade studies to establish system, segment, and equipment M&S requirements, assess their performance, and influence the design. The candidate will also participate in establishing M&S requirements for conceptual designs based on customer needs, state-of-the-art technology capabilities, and program level performance requirements. These requirements will be established in system, segment, and equipment specifications and contractor and supplier statements of work. Develops and maintains program M&S processes. Establishes M&S technical performance measures (TPMs). Coordinates internal M&S technical reviews. Establishes and maintains M&S IPT risks, opportunities, and issues. Serves as the focal point for release of M&S technical data outside the M&S IPT. Develops and maintains system M&S models. Up 20% travel is required. * Must be a US Citizen. This position is located at a facility that requires special access and a Secret clearance with Background Investigation date less than 5 years to start.* Basic Qualifications: Experience with Prognostic Health Management (PHM) , and Support System Analysis. Experience in monitoring the development of Life Cycle Sustainment Plan. Experience with developing Maintainability & Supportability (M&S ) predictions Experience with developing air vehicle sub-systems and Ground System / Ground Support Equipment deployment requirements Experience in developing Maintenance & Support tools * Must be a US Citizen. This position is located at a facility that requires special access and a Final Secret clearance. Desired Skills: Experienced at presenting M&S Analysis data to internal and external customers Ability to Interface with M&S counterparts inside Lockheed Martin and other companies as required Experienced utilizing math skills in the development of maintainability & supportability metrics Lockheed Martin Corporation Palmdale CA
Mgr Supply Chain Programs 2 (Clearance Required)
VIEW JOBS 12/10/2019 12:00:00 AM 2020-03-09T00:00 At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on groundbreaking systems in air and space that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our work preserves freedom and democracy, and advances human discovery and our understanding of the universe. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join efforts to invent the future, and have a lot of fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable commitment to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history. As a leader, you always act with integrity, and the highest ethical standards characterize everything you do. You enable your team to achieve predictable and balanced results, while satisfying the needs of internal and external partners. You treat all people with respect, and model personal growth and continuous development. You know how to build an inclusive environment that attracts, retains, and inspires a diverse and engaged team. You create trusted and valued customer relationships and communicate effectively, so that people throughout the organization feel engaged and connected to their work. You deliver excellence, strive for continuous improvement and respond vigorously to change. You ensure that your team has the information and tools needed to perform at their best. You demonstrate our committed pursuit of applying innovation to meet the requirements of our customer. You create and execute strategies that result in sustainable value creation that delivers measurable results. If this is YOU…keep reading! Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems has an opening for Manager, Supply Chain Programs 2 to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals. This position will be located in Palmdale, CA. The selected candidate will have responsibility to lead a Supply Chain Project Management team in support of the Strike Program with a specific focus on Palmdale activities. The role will require management of end-to-end execution, working across disciplines to align priorities and optimize support to the Program. The role will align deliverables to meet overall cost and schedule objectives; this includes, but is not limited to, performance metrics, briefing packages and presenting key message communications with internal and external stakeholders. Essential Functions: * Responsible for GSC Material Integration, facilitating end-to-end process * Responds quickly as new material requirements are identified * Develops, integrates and provides visibility of GSC material status * Conducts weekly wall walks to monitor both front-end and back-end performance * Ensures that supply supports production needs and works upfront with Engineering to coordinate timely release Basic Qualifications: * Bachelor's Degree * 5 years of experience in any of the following: Manufacturing/Industrial Engineering, Advanced Planning/MRP, Procurement, Delivery Management, Material Integration, OPM, or Shop Floor Integration; 3 years with a Master's degree; 9 years in lieu of a degree * An active in-scope DoD Secret Clearance with background investigation within the past 6 years * Must be able to obtain and maintain a Special Access Programs Preferred Qualifications: * Master's Degree * Experience with development programs * Experience leading multi-disciplined teams * Experience in Project Management * Special Program Access Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO/AA and Pay Transparency statement, please visit www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for most positions. Northrop Grumman Palmdale CA
Mgr Process Improvement 1
VIEW JOBS 1/21/2020 12:00:00 AM 2020-04-20T00:00 At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on groundbreaking systems in air and space that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our work preserves freedom and democracy, and advances human discovery and our understanding of the universe. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join efforts to invent the future, and have a lot of fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable commitment to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history. As a leader, you always act with integrity, and the highest ethical standards characterize everything you do. You enable your team to achieve predictable and balanced results, while satisfying the needs of internal and external partners. You treat all people with respect, and model personal growth and continuous development. You know how to build an inclusive environment that attracts, retains, and inspires a diverse and engaged team. You create trusted and valued customer relationships and communicate effectively, so that people throughout the organization feel engaged and connected to their work. You deliver excellence, strive for continuous improvement and respond vigorously to change. You ensure that your team has the information and tools needed to perform at their best. You demonstrate our committed pursuit of applying innovation to meet the requirements of our customer. You create and execute strategies that result in sustainable value creation that delivers measurable results. Northrop Grumman Aeronautics System Sector is seeking a Manager of Process Improvement to join our team of qualified, diverse, individuals in the Strategy Organization supporting Global Supply Chain. This position will be located in Palmdale, CA. Responsibilities: Position reports to Director, Strategy Operations. Position operates within Global Supply Chain under the Strategy organization to develop and manage execution plans that will require cross functional collaboration. Heavy coordination and involvement with senior directors and Vice Presidents.This manager will also oversee daily taskings from GSC VP to ensure closure. Tracking and management of Aeronautics Sector Operating Objectives (SOO's), Creating and maintenance of the Integrated Master Schedule for SOO goals. Manager will brief the senior leaders of GSC and Operations on active projects status along with SOO progress. Projects will be assigned to this manager that range in medium/hard complexity to manage and ensure ontime execution. Basic Qualifications: * AA Degree plus 2 years of Project management experience supporting executive level personnel OR equivalency of 4 years experience in lieu of a degree * Ability to create/prepare advanced PowerPoint presentations and assemble reports with minimal input Preferred Qualifications: * Bachelor's degree * PMP Certification * Strategic thinking/planning abilities * Exhibited leadership skills that have lead cross functional teams * Active DoD Secret Clearance Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO/AA and Pay Transparency statement, please visit www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. Northrop Grumman Palmdale CA
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Poesy
Portrait of John Dryden (1631-1700) by Gérard Edelinck after Godfrey Kneller (1646-1723) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Thank you Dryden for your poetry. Gave me reason to write today.
(For Dryden)
True Poets dodge the fakeness of fame.
They allow praise to fall from their thoughts.
Old Poets understand the beauty of the sun rising from the east.
Allowing opportunity for new dreams and new places to come alive.
They enjoy watching the sun falling into the western sea.
Allowing the night to overcome the excitement of the day.
A wise Poet behold the beauty of the woman.
Tried to describe the softness of her skin and the feel
of her warm sweet kisses.
The Poet must feel the burden of war.
A writer must taste and know death, poverty and suffering.
A empty journey leave nothing for the pen and the paper.
Writers are neither revolutionist nor a martyr.
Just observers.
Great Poets left us with real description of war.
Many died in combat in the old wars.
Their poetry was longing for home and the beautiful valleys of youth.
Best honor for a writer.
Have more Poesy written because of their words.
This poem is for my favorite Poet Dryden.
His words will never be forgotten.
“War, our consumption, was their gainful trade.”
“What peace can be, where both to one pretend.”
(Dryden words.)
I tell the young writers.
Honor the old words.
Never be a naysayer to a up and coming writer.
We need more word-man and word-woman.
A real Poet love the word.
Written with skill or not.
Words written from the heart.
We need to read with a kind heart.
Category : life, peace, poet, poetry, war
Tags : Arts, Dryden, John Dryden, Literature, Online Writing, Poet, poetry, Writer
← No poetry Wednesday.
Dangerous places and beautiful faces. →
238 thoughts on “Poesy”
With Love on August 1, 2019 at 7:52 am said:
Buona giornata John 🙂
johncoyote on August 1, 2019 at 12:01 pm said:
ilonapulianauskaite on May 7, 2019 at 9:06 pm said:
I love the way you write its wonderful. we definitely need less war and more kind words in this world.
I pray we can learn. Peace over war/profit. Thank you for reading and the kind words.
Sue Young on December 13, 2018 at 4:30 pm said:
This is wonderful. Thanks.
Thank you Sue. A old one. One of my favorite.
moorezart on June 17, 2018 at 5:29 pm said:
Great post/poem! You’re welcome
when you cant help but write and because the pain of not writing the word suffocates, taking away the breath of the author until the poet has no choice but to give the word life so the writer can live another day. Sometimes poetry hurts so bad as the words are sharp like knives but mostly the word is love embraced and expressed, shared.
I agree. I have been writing for 50 years. Keep me sane. I agree and I liked your thoughts.
Ms. Munoz on March 2, 2018 at 12:41 pm said:
Great write and true to itself. Keep writing, brother: we need more poems and less wars.
I agree. More kind words and less hateful. Thank you for reading and the comment. I do appreciate.
Megha's World on February 27, 2018 at 2:46 am said:
Such a beautiful thought.. any poet, when writes, writes from the heart.It should be appreciated and encouraged. I guess all writers are an empath to a certain extent when they feel the moment so deeply and let their ink flow in it.
I had written something on the similar lines about what does writing mean to a writer. Take a look, if you are interested.
https://meghasworldsite.wordpress.com/2017/11/11/are-you-writing-from-heart/
I will read now dear Megha.
Thanks.No rush.
bluejeansongster on December 8, 2017 at 6:21 pm said:
This is beautiful, you touch my heart. ❤
Thank you for reading and the comment. John Dryden ancient story and words ensure. The Poesy could never be forgotten.
Poetry Curator on November 28, 2017 at 10:44 pm said:
ladyfi on November 10, 2017 at 5:59 am said:
Wonderfully written
Thank you Ladyfi for reading and the comment. I do appreciate.
tobeafashionmom on November 9, 2017 at 12:14 am said:
Love the poem! You are very talented)))😻
http://www.fashionmomblog.org
johncoyote on November 9, 2017 at 12:24 am said:
You are very kind. I appreciate the comment.
ManicDdaily on August 5, 2017 at 11:39 am said:
I like Dryden! And I love the kindness you emphasize. Thanks. k.
Dryden and Ben Jonson. Both my examples of true wordsmiths. Thank you for reading and the comment.
N on May 23, 2017 at 3:56 am said:
Your Poems, your way fo writing is so beautiful. Simple, soothing yet so impactful.
I have really enjoyed visiting your blog today.
Thank you N. I appreciate the comment,
Suzy Hazelwood on May 15, 2017 at 12:44 pm said:
I’m not familiar with John Dryden’s poetry, but your wonderful poem has made me very intrigued to check out his work. I like the way you said “True Poets dodge the fakeness of fame.
They allow praise to fall from their thoughts.” That is so true… and who really needs fame anyway? It’s all quite empty, a huge illusion for the very foolish ego. 🙂
John Dryden, Ben Jonson(Called father of the great Poets of 1500)and Donne. These are my favorites. If you read them. You will find the modern words we write today. Without Dryden bad attitude. Writing would of been stopped.
nildamacedopaulino on May 6, 2017 at 8:56 pm said:
Nice PIC ❤ ❤ ❤
A old photo. I was in Santa Cruz, California in 1994. I need a year on the California coastline today.
mujtaba on March 9, 2017 at 6:04 am said:
thanks for dropping by my blog and sharing the love, i appreciate it. hope you liked it as I do your side of things. have a good one .
Cheers mate!
I enjoyed your work and good to have found your site. Cheers back to you.
Irfan on March 5, 2017 at 2:52 pm said:
Beautiful as always!
One of my favorites. Need more Poesy and less violence. Thank you for reading and the comment.
Chrissy on February 21, 2017 at 4:45 pm said:
Thank you Chissy.
Reblogged this on Christina Strigas and commented:
He knows what a true poet is…
Thank you Chissy for the reblogged.
Chrissy on February 21, 2017 at 11:42 pm said:
You’re so welcome, I love how you write and express a story and this one about poets was bang on. Kudos.
Simona on January 6, 2017 at 9:33 pm said:
Happy Weekend 🙂
Thank you Simona. I wish you a fun and safe weekend.
maureenrose7 on August 5, 2016 at 12:29 pm said:
John that was just beautiful! perfect first read of the day! 🙂
I’m glad and I appreciate the kind words.
sure anytime! hope your day is good! 🙂
Yuriy Ku on July 15, 2016 at 12:18 pm said:
So many commented, I suspect it’s the spirit of Dryden living within you if you found it, John. Some lines in there prove it. I’ll try to read him later.
Thank you. John Dryden is one of my favorites. Donne, Ben Jonson and Dryden. My teachers. Kosinski, Heming and London too.
Monica on July 8, 2016 at 5:00 pm said:
Just beautiful. “to read with a kind heart” – perfect
johncoyote on July 9, 2016 at 3:50 am said:
Thank you Monica. I appreciate the comment.
amrita1992 on May 6, 2016 at 5:21 am said:
There’s a lesson, there’s a message. Heart penned down. Beautiful 🙂
Thank you. We need more poesy.
Lynda Bullerwell poetry on February 8, 2016 at 2:04 am said:
Love this!!! ❤
Thank you Lynda. John Dryden gave me some positive motivation for this one. He create the word Poesy over 500 years ago.
Great poem. “A empty journey leave nothing for the pen and the paper.” Appreciated this line. It started wonderfully and you kept it up throughout.
Thank you for reading and the comment. John Dryden gave me the will to write this one. I liked how he defined writing.
den169 on September 30, 2015 at 2:33 pm said:
Wonderfully conceived and written. Kudos!
Thank you. Mr. Dryden gave me the will to write this one.
Bernardo Montes de Oca on September 25, 2015 at 5:07 am said:
This is a good one, I loved it. Keep writing. Cheers!
Mr. John Dryden gave me reasons to write this one. Thank you for reading and the comment.
Bernardo Montes de Oca on September 25, 2015 at 12:37 pm said:
Being from Costa Rica and relatively new to poetry, I hadn’t studied him much. Thanks for the tip.
John Dryden, Ben Jonson and Donne. Ancient poets and writers. Their words will expand your thoughts on writing.
MissTaraBeara on July 11, 2015 at 10:54 pm said:
The last 4 lines are perfect. Ground breaking.
Thank you Tara. John Dryden book gave me reasons write this poem.
anxiouspen on June 23, 2015 at 2:00 pm said:
“We need to read with a kind heart.” I wrote poetry as a young child, but quit for 25 years. Your words are encouraging as I stumble through beginning again. Thank you.
I’m glad. I have needed writing. Kept me sane in hard times. I hope to read your work.
Katherine on June 11, 2015 at 3:08 pm said:
Look at this and read carefully
Thank you Katherine for the reblogged and the kind words. I do appreciate.
Hugh A Tague on May 25, 2015 at 6:17 pm said:
Well done my friend!
Thank you Hugh. I appreciate the comment.
Vagrant Rhodia on May 16, 2015 at 10:28 pm said:
Gorgeous, multi-layered words. Gives me plenty to reflect on
Thank you. Poetry and writing. Words can be multi-layered.
The poets of older days are blessings to those of us struggling now. I like the idea of not focusing on fame, but on the words. Important to remember this in today’s social media days where fame is its own goal.
Arifah on December 25, 2014 at 9:20 pm said:
Very true John, writing is a space to learn emotionally what we can miss by walking through life, with our heads down. It has helped me cope with overpowering emotions that I wouldn’t have been able to make sense of without the pen. I’ll have to read Dryden.
Dryden and Jack London “When Gods laugh”. I recommend. Made me write a 100 poem and many stories.Thank you for reading and the comment.
Caro on December 1, 2014 at 10:17 am said:
Wow this is quite extraordinary! You are very talented.. Caro
johncoyote on December 1, 2014 at 10:24 am said:
Dryden gave me some motivation. The ancient writers believed in the power of words. Thank you Caro for reading and the positive comment.
delightedsouls on November 24, 2014 at 1:23 pm said:
You know, I always believe that to be able to write, one needs a bundle of imagination with a few meaningful words. I am glad to see this principle clearly in your writing. Let me begin with thanking you for your presence on my blog, so that I could find yours. Thank you for knowing and expressing a writer so well. It’s a great boost, indeed for amateurs like us, or shall i Say for the ones like me who just loves to write anything, just because it needs to be penned down and shared 🙂
I shall take some time till I go in details on your blog. Shall stay connected and hope the same from you. And yes, I often find some good (at least I think they are ) liking and following my blog. This makes me wonder what could such a creative mind find interesting enough to follow mine. Not compulsory, but would like to hear from you (genuine feedback about my writing).
Purnima Manhas
Thank you. I appreciate the positive comment. I will stop by
your site. I believe we must understand our world. Must read and observe.
delightedsouls on November 25, 2014 at 6:29 am said:
Yes, we must understand. But sometimes the brain starts baffling if loaded with so much of information. It happens with me. And then I just stop looking outward and stick to inward, to remain balanced. The greatest challenge for me has always been not to lose sight of deeper self, while living and enjoying the outward journey.
Sun Thathong on November 3, 2014 at 4:11 pm said:
I will take your wise poetic advice on board.
Thank you for crafting and sharing those elegant lines with an amateur like me.
John Dryden taught me the word Poesy. We must expand the good word and story to other. Thank you for reading and the comment.
Dana Ganić on October 6, 2014 at 7:35 pm said:
Very good. Poetry, like any art, makes life more beaitiful, and bearable.
You are right Dana. We need music, art and good book to make life bearable.Thank you for reading.
sandrabranum on September 22, 2014 at 6:07 pm said:
Reblogged this on SandraBranum's Blog and commented:
Yes we DO need more poets in this world, so write!
This is so beautiful and heartfelt. You are right John, we need more poets in this world.
John Dryden said this many moons ago. People who read and write. They understand the world around them. Thank you for reading and the re-blog.
sandrabranum on September 26, 2014 at 1:02 am said:
I don’t know if we writers really understand the world around us, but it does help squelch The Dark Thoughts.
I believe the more we read and listen. The better we can understand our world.
intrepidjane on September 5, 2014 at 3:06 pm said:
Yes – we definitely need more word-men and word-women!
Would be a better world if we had people who wrote and thought before action. There are good and bad to every action. Need to know both. Thank you for reading and the comment.
Thought-filled words are always worth reading, John!
beautiful and wise Coyote, thanks for sharing with the world. Wanda
Thank you for reading and the comment. The great writer Dryden gave me the positive motivation to write.
MichaelsLyric.com on August 14, 2014 at 9:37 pm said:
Excellent piece )
Thank you. Dryden, the great writer gave me the motivation to write.
Michael Fink on August 6, 2014 at 3:13 pm said:
Wonderful writing, and I couldn’t agree more. The world is in desperate need of feeling, something writing has in spades. I couldn’t imagine life without poetry, to me, they are one and the same.
I agree. We need good books, poetry and music.
thengyouthandteensroadmap on July 25, 2014 at 11:12 am said:
your writing style is subtle and enchanting. would love to read more
I have 700 poem on WordPress. A lot to be read. Thank you for reading and the comment.I do appreciate.
eeinsteinauthor on July 12, 2014 at 7:12 pm said:
This poem is beautiful! And thanks for the follow
Thank you for stopping by and reading. I do appreciate.
psychopathsgetbored28 on July 10, 2014 at 8:42 am said:
Hey! Thank you for following my blog.
Your blog is very inspirational, and needless to say, the poems are all beautiful. Looking forward to more! 🙂
Thank you for reading and stopping by. I do appreciate. I enjoyed your blog also.
Drew on April 30, 2014 at 12:00 pm said:
Glad to find another person who loves Dryden’s poetry !
http://connecthook.wordpress.com/2012/03/08/washed-up-and-hung-on-the-line-to-dryden/
Come visit sometime.
I got lucky. At a book sale I found a copy of “The best of Dryden” for a dollar. A 1933 edition. I have read the book twice this year. He gave me motivation to write 50 new poems. Glag to meet you. Another book I found was a 1911 edition of Jack London “When gods laugh”. Another fantastic book.
Kaleidoscopic Kites on April 20, 2014 at 12:52 am said:
Amazingly written! I really enjoyed reading this! 😀
johncoyote on April 20, 2014 at 12:58 am said:
Thank you. Mr. Dryden was a wise writer. He told the writers 500 years ago. Observe and write. History cannot be forgotten.
iku2e on April 18, 2014 at 3:39 pm said:
one of the finest poem here. i read all the thoughts i have myself.
I borrow a few lines from my favorite writer “Dryden”. He knew what a writer should be. 500 years ago. Thank you for reading and the comment.
mytiturk on April 2, 2014 at 3:05 pm said:
Thank you, Coyote, for following my wandering blog. You have awakened an interest in Dryden for me and we want the same things, especially for the young and the generations to come. I will meander through your ideas. Awareness for now – and progress soon, I hope.
John Dryden was a great writer. He knew the real reasons for why we should write.
headgamesptsd on March 29, 2014 at 3:41 pm said:
Thank you for visiting my blog and thank for this, I really needed to read it today. I look forward to reading more of your words.
Thank you for reading and the comment. John Dryden knew 500 years ago. We need writers and poets.
parkhurst6 on March 27, 2014 at 4:27 pm said:
I loved this one. Very powerful. I wanted to stop by and show my support and encouragement. To also thank you in person on your page for reading my blog and stopping by. Great work…and very inspiring!
Thank you for stopping by. I need to write. Keeps my old mind alert and alive.
Writing is a great way to keep alert…let it flow let it flow!
prince2000ful Poems Videos and Photoes. on March 5, 2014 at 11:14 pm said:
I don´t believe my eyes . I am in awe of your writings.. and say thanks god for a poet. and for your love of words and how they are used. Thanks for all old poets we have, especially the English poets as you here mention Dryden but so many more. I thought I was alone to write in a classical manner and so many (poets of today) writing in free verse and consider our writings as out of fashion. thanks for being here and for visiting my blog which gave me a kind visit here.. Love Kerstin Centervall
johncoyote on March 6, 2014 at 12:06 am said:
You are welcome and thank you for reading and the comment. I have been reading the ancient writers. Today my verse from reading “Virgil”
“Who can limit love.”
The writers of the past held passion and desire for understanding above all. We need to copy them.
prince2000ful Poems Videos and Photoes. on March 6, 2014 at 9:12 am said:
I am happy your read this old literature.. we have so much to learn. Greek Mythology and forwarding writers are on my menu.always and on my mind . I am a very romantic dreamer in my writings.. Have a nice day.
But not copy only to learn and try to use their manner and their picture of life and all what that mean.Also their proper use of language and words. thanks for being here.
haelanra on February 24, 2014 at 6:50 am said:
What a lovely poem! As a poet myself (although perhaps not a very good one) I’m so happy that Dryden was able to express that peculiar joy which springs from a love of language so much more beautifully than I ever could have. Thank you for sharing this poem!
Dryden is one of the greats. I recommend Jack London “When gods laugh.” This book is why we write. To leave knowledge and wisdom for the future generation. Thank you for reading and the comment.
“We need to read with a kind heart.” I ask God to give me that sort of heart often. Thank you for your visits and follow.
Dryden knew 500 years ago. Words can have great power. Thank you for reading and the comment.
Monika Ribeiro (writer/poet) on February 7, 2014 at 11:10 pm said:
Hmmm… Food for thought 🙂
I have been reading some Dryden. His books are true books for thoughts. His words are 500 years old and have the same meaning today. Thank you for reading and the comment.
Y. on February 7, 2014 at 5:24 pm said:
I can’t stop reading this! love this!!
The Midnight Thief on January 25, 2014 at 9:50 am said:
Love it! You’re a true poet describing the reality of other poets.
I learn from the ancient Poets like Dryden and Neruda. Words are needed. Without writers. There would be no past or history. Thank you for reading and the comment.
skymunki on January 17, 2014 at 12:24 pm said:
love these lines.
Those were some words I borrowed and re-wrote from Dryden. He wrote these words over 500 years ago. Thank you for reading and the comment.
12kilroy on January 8, 2014 at 3:29 pm said:
Read words from the heart with a kind heart – I love this.
Thank you. Mr. Dryden gave me great motivation. The great writers of the past foretold the future with their words.
Thank You for sharing the beautiful poem. It is truly inspiring and hope for a new beginners.
I read the ancient writers. The Jack London, Milton and Dryden can lead us to good places and thoughts. Dryden was my motivation for this poem. Thank you for reading and the kind words.
Will read the poems of The Jack London and Dryden. I have so much to learn and thanks once again for sharing.
racheltoalson on January 7, 2014 at 10:48 pm said:
The ancient writers are beautiful. My favorite old poet is W.H. Auden. Have you ever read any of his stuff?
I need to. I read some his work in poetry book of the best writers. Never his collection. I will research him. Thank you.
2goldenbirds on December 22, 2013 at 9:07 pm said:
I love open heart poetry. I respect the more literary genre, but not sure I’ll ever match that style myself…plus it puts me to sleep after a few seconds (i just don’t feel what they’re saying)
I had read the new and ancient writers. We take from both and hope we can save or improve a life somehow. Thank you for reading and the comment.
The Ink Jester on December 17, 2013 at 10:30 am said:
What a magnificent vision of the poet. Your words have a timeless wisdom about them. Certainly, and perhaps most importantly, you have inspired me. Thank you for this.
Jack London book “When God laugh” gave me some positive motivation. Thank you for reading and the comment.
Audrey Dawn - Oldest Daughter Redheaded Sister on December 16, 2013 at 2:29 am said:
I wish I would have found your words sooner, John. Your heart is beautiful. A positive force! Blessings, Audrey
Thank you Audrey. You are very kind. Like most people. I had to learn the hard way. Kindness and love is the cornerstone of life.
Yes, we’ve all walked the harder path at some point. Coming through to the other side is a relief. I still have a lot to learn.
Great lines!
All of us need positive words. You never know who may be the next great writer or words that could save us from ourselves. .
True very true. Words written by others have saved me multiple times. Thanks!
Sharmishtha on November 23, 2013 at 10:49 am said:
this is an amazing poem about poets John, I so feel like that about them (us? – I don’t really dare to call myself poet even though I try writing poems).
You are a Poet. When we write and express words. Allow us to tell and show the world a better place. Thank you for reading and the comment.
thanks for calling me a poet.
petitemagique on November 22, 2013 at 1:49 pm said:
Please, check out: http://petitemagique.wordpress.com/2013/11/22/award-time-2/
Of course you don’t have to accept, just know you’re appreciated!
Thank you the nomination. I will check it out.
unbridledbaloney on November 20, 2013 at 6:44 pm said:
Love the last few lines. They are perfect
Thank you for reading and the comment. Poesy is a good word. Can lead us to many places and thoughts.
thekinkyworldofvile on November 22, 2013 at 2:28 pm said:
Your Blog is awesome it reaches many. I have nominated you for this awesome award. Thank you.
http://versatilebloggeraward.wordpress.com/vba-rules/
Thank you for the nomination. I will check out award later. My daughter is my expert on organizing my site.
prayingforoneday on November 19, 2013 at 10:41 am said:
BLOG OF THE YEAR AWARD – 2013
http://prayingforoneday.wordpress.com/2013/11/19/blog-of-the-year-award-2013-x-2/
Please accept this Award – Blog of the year 2013
If you have one already, You can find all the badges
and banners and information you need via this Google search:
‘Blog of The Year 2013′ Award Badges.
Thank you. I appreciate the award. Tomorrow I research and post. My job is killing me. Working in retail and the holidays. Too much work.
prayingforoneday on November 19, 2013 at 4:47 pm said:
Least you are working John…
In this climate they are at a loss…
And people like me cant….
Did I make you feel guilty 😀
Take your time pal..
I want to hire five people. Can’t find anyone who desire to work. USA people rather live on welfare than work for a living. There are jobs in Michigan.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) on November 11, 2013 at 9:53 pm said:
Indeed John, we write because we love the words.. we write because we need….
Mr. Dryden was a wise man. Good to write the poesy for the future. Maybe someone will pay attention.
saracrawfordwritingblog on November 19, 2013 at 1:16 am said:
This is unrelated, but I noticed you were following my blog over at crawfordwritingblog.com – I wanted to let you know that I’ve switched it from a wordpress.com site to a wordpress.org site, which means if you want to keep following my blog, could you kindly go over there and click the new follow button?
Jacqui Murray on November 3, 2013 at 10:01 pm said:
Nicely said.
Thank you Jacqui for reading and the comment.
Joan Miranda on October 28, 2013 at 11:40 pm said:
hey thanks for visiting my blog, yours is lovely by the way. I’m currently raising funds for my travelogue which I hope you might have time to visit and maybe drop in a even a cent or two.. 🙂
here’s the link http://www.gofundme.com/4yfowk
it’s also posted on a post of mine…:) or you can help me share it if you want
Argus on October 27, 2013 at 7:01 pm said:
“War, our consumption, was their gainful trade.” Got it in one.
No-one notices (but all accept) that the war-mongers never go off to war themselves? Are we doing something wrong here, do you think?
You are right. President Johnson made profit off the war in Vietnam. That is why he is the forgotten President. I did meet people with a degree and great ability in the military. War is the base of the USA. We spend for contractors. Close to 500 billion dollars for equipment. Add payroll, VA hospitals, pensions and disability. Over a trillion dollar for the cost of war. This is sad.
callingonangels on October 12, 2013 at 4:07 pm said:
Thank you for humbling my blog with your presence =] It brought me to this. What a beautiful read
Thank you. I enjoyed your site also. It is good we can wander around and learn from each other. Good to meet you.
Brenda on October 9, 2013 at 5:26 pm said:
I like Dryden saying: “If you be pungent, be brief; for it is with words as with sunbeams – the more they are condensed the deeper they burn.” We need to condense them, examine them, celebrate them, but use caution. 🙂 Thanks for your lovely Poesy, Brenda
johncoyote on October 10, 2013 at 5:54 am said:
Dryden like many saw the future and the past. I wish the kids of today learn. The great word and thoughts are repeated. It is good to learn from the ancient writers. They can teach us many positive lessons. Thank you for reading and the amazing comment.
The human race hasn’t really changed much, even though technology has changed significantly, and language has changed, too. But still, people do the same things.
You are right. I read two of his books last month. Different countries. Same problems. World did not change much.
edgarone2 on October 5, 2013 at 11:59 pm said:
hastywords on October 4, 2013 at 2:39 pm said:
Why haven’t we written something together? You always have such amazing comments. Write with me if you ever get time… you look like a busy guy 🙂 hastywords@gmail.com
Later this month. I will regain some energy. I just finished my inventory at work. I would enjoy writing with you.
grimbeau on October 4, 2013 at 9:58 am said:
Nice one! And, should the sun rise in the west I’ll let you know.
I hope not. We would be in trouble. Thank you for reading and the comment.
Open Up Life on October 2, 2013 at 7:28 pm said:
Love this poem and the words are so true. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for reading and the comment. I was reading the old writers Dryden. Gave me the motivation to write the poem.
The Drugstore Notebook on October 2, 2013 at 1:43 am said:
Thank you for reading and following my work. Beautiful writing here!
Than you Ana for reading and the comment.
mockingbird181984 on October 1, 2013 at 6:32 pm said:
I agree. Let’s not write for fame. Let’s write because there is something to write about. Your poem is just beautiful!
Dryden knew 500 years ago. Writer need to write. We need writers to ensure history is not forgotten and we hope someone learn from past mistakes. Thank you for reader and the comment.
Tammy on September 29, 2013 at 2:12 pm said:
I do think that death and poverty and suffering have something to do with it.
To be a great writer. You must live. Reading books and being a observer leave you empty. The great writers saw war and knew poverty. Few great writers came from the mouth of wealth. Hemingway, Kosinski, Twain, Helen Jackson and Nevil Schute live through hard times and left us with a realistic story of time and life. One of my favorite writers years ago wrote.Dryden said set the example. Write the truth and don’t be afraid of the consequences.
ncbek on September 24, 2013 at 10:16 pm said:
I really like this.
You have a great voice within the formation of the page.
– Also –
Thank you for stopping by my blog!
Forever lost without reason our minds are our own
http://ncbek.wordpress.com – check me out!
Thank you reading and I will stop by.
Francina on September 19, 2013 at 12:38 pm said:
Thank you for the like on my blog, John, and by doing so giving me the chance to read your blog. Wonderful encouraging poem for poets from all kind of ages!
groetjes, Francina .
Thank you Francina for reading and the comment. Writers must assist each other. Purpose of a writer. To tell the world the truth and lead the world away from war. It is too bad no-one listen to the war time writers like Hemingway and Shute. There is no real honor or beauty in war.
vozey on September 16, 2013 at 8:18 pm said:
A writer writes to express. A writer writes to show. But a writer should never write to show off.
Old wisdom is still true today. Thank you for reading and the comment.
Carl Paul Henneman on September 13, 2013 at 11:50 am said:
Thank you J, this actually helped me, been wrestling with this whole writing thing lately
Dryden told writers almost 500 years ago. Write to tell the truth, to create laughter and tears and try to lead people to a better places. I believe this should be the goal of a writer. Thank you for reading and the comment.
russtowne on September 11, 2013 at 5:26 pm said:
Well said, Coyote.
Old writers need to motivate young writers to hope and dream. Thank you for reading and the comment.
dagdapublishing on September 4, 2013 at 1:53 pm said:
Helo Mr Coyote, just popping by to say hello, and to let you know that we have a new site – http://www.dagdapublishing.co.uk
If you want to receive future updates and poetry by new writers from us, please head to the new site, and click “Follow this blog” (You can do so by just liking a post in our blog (which is where the poetry is residing now), which then gives you the option to follow). We look forward to seeing you over there, and thank you for your support over the last year and a half. Here’s to the next chapter 🙂
– Dagda Publishing
ruuthhannah on September 3, 2013 at 11:00 pm said:
Hello, I have really enjoyed reading your blog! I followed.
If you don’t mind, could you take a second to check out my work, let me know what you think and maybe follow if you like? Not a problem if not! Thank you 🙂
mcwatty9 on August 30, 2013 at 10:22 pm said:
Beautifully written.
Thank you for reading and the comment. Need more writers and thinkers, maybe the world would be a better place. We would listen more and discuss with a open mind and heart.
mcwatty9 on August 31, 2013 at 5:32 am said:
Absolutely. Starting my new concept of ‘Thirty days of Listening’ for precisely this same reason. Feel free to do the same if you would like. What you’ve said is true, thanks for saying it.
I tried to write and read daily. Keep me sane. I believe reading, writing and learning something new daily give us strength in mind and heart.
Yes because people write what they mean, but often say what they presume others want them to hear. It is always good to learn and grow.
Erik Andrulis on August 30, 2013 at 6:41 pm said:
Thanks for leading me back, oh john coyote. Dreams of peace are with me as well; my personal goal is World Peace in my lifetime. So it is, so it shall be done. Peace on Earth, Ik
Oh, and John, a while back I wrote a poem from your eyes, that is, the eyes of a coyote. Here: http://erikandrulis.wordpress.com/2013/08/02/coyote-locomotion/
Me too. For the sake of my children and all children. We cannot allow the madmen to kill the hope and beauty of life. Thank you for reading and the comment.
inspiredart03 on August 29, 2013 at 2:29 pm said:
Wow! You write amazing poetry. I have only just started writing and loving putting thought & experiences down.
Thank you for introducing me and many others to your talent.
Thank. Writers are always learning. If we are lucky. We improve with time and age. Thank you for reading and the comment.
Ajaytao2010 on August 25, 2013 at 11:15 am said:
I Nominate you for a Super Bunch of Awards – 30 Nominations
http://ajaytao2010.wordpress.com/2013/08/24/super-bunch-of-awards-30-nomination/
Thank you. I will choose three tonight.
Ajaytao2010 on August 25, 2013 at 4:20 pm said:
Thank you very much dear John 🙂
anelephantcant on August 25, 2013 at 10:41 am said:
Keep tilting at those windmills, John, this is good stuff.
Thank you for the kind words. I have been reading the ancient writers. Making my poetry become better. I hope.
wepoetsshowit on August 23, 2013 at 10:18 pm said:
Thank you so much for dropping by wePoets. It’s much appreciated. We would be happy to showcase your work 🙂
I would be honored. Your site is amazing. Need more places for writers and poets to share their work.
We’d be honoured to have you a part of this. Thank you so much!
nightshiftsister on August 23, 2013 at 4:05 pm said:
thanks for liking so many of my poems back to back!
You are a very good writer. I enjoy reading your work and I tried to write when I can. I enjoy WordPress. So many good writers.
Thanks again! I will keep trying to get things feelings out. It has been good for me this summer to find time and space to write again.
roughwighting on August 22, 2013 at 1:51 pm said:
I read this with a kind heard, I left your poem with a kinder heart. Thank you.
Elestra on August 19, 2013 at 9:38 am said:
Thank you for brilliant poetry!!!!
Thank you reading and the comment.
Tayyeba on August 18, 2013 at 4:36 pm said:
Such wonderful words. *o*
claudia on August 17, 2013 at 6:05 am said:
words written from the heart….yes…and we feel if they are… the fakeness of fame is a good point as well… i think no one will ever write really good if fame is the first thing they have in mind.. you make me curious for dryden’s work…
I read his collection in one day. He is amazing. If you can find. The best of Dryden. I read up on him. They said he was the writer who made the English language come alive. He even complimented the French writings.
JPF Goodman on August 9, 2013 at 10:46 pm said:
Greetings from Southampton, and thanks for liking my little film. Your like led me to look at your site, and this poem was the one that drew me first. Looking forward to reading more.
Eva PoeteX on August 3, 2013 at 4:37 am said:
“We need more word-man and word-woman.” I couldn’t agree more with you. This piece is very touching, like everything you write. Thank you!
Thank you Eva. People who love the word. Understand life and the real purpose of life. Peace.
LadyBlueRose's Thoughts Into Words on August 1, 2013 at 11:43 pm said:
beautiful times two
through and through
speaking of past winters we once knew
waiting for the skies of Spring to again turn blue…
your words and his are wonderful to feel
)0(
maryrose
Thank you MaryRose. Dryden gave me some positive reasons to write reasons today. Thank you for reading and the comment.
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Your Must-Do Work in the Snowstorm
On January 23, 2016 January 23, 2016 By johneltonpletcherLeave a comment
Wintry weather pounded our classic two-story, antique-Iowan home during January 1998. Nancy and I did not yet have kids, but we had a houseful of “kids” that weekend. Our church regularly hosted worship team interns, all late-teen and early-twenty-something students. This crew of courageous collegians regularly traveled two hours from Ankeny to serve on weekends. Typical accommodations involved guys bunking at our place, and the girls staying at another leader’s house nearby.
In typical fashion, the car full of friends made their trek on Saturday morning. By Saturday afternoon, a surprise snowstorm was brewing. By evening, Old Man Winter was blasting our vintage house with all-out-blizzard gusto. Sunday church was cancelled as wind and whiteouts piled on a foot of fresh powder. The “kids”—including a gaggle of other local young adults from our church—ALL piled into our place for the long weekend.
Our house was abuzz for three days. We watched movies (Harrison Ford’s high-energy, action flick Air Force One had just come out. “GET OFF MY PLANE!”). We gobbled homemade pizza, toppings-piled-high nachos, and thick pans of lasagna. We laughed. We teased (two of our interns were in their early stages of flirtation and dating). Feeling some compulsion to add a dash of productivity, we held a worship arts planning meeting (well, sort of). We philosophized. We fought and made up. (After all, who doesn’t squabble after being cooped up that long with that many friends?) We sang outrageously goofy songs, made breakfast together both Sunday and Monday mornings, and otherwise created some of the most marvelous memories.
Eighteen years later, there is a snowpocalypse forecast for a large swath of the US east coast. Pictures of empty bread aisles and abandoned milk coolers are posted across social media. While I cannot recreate that one-of-a-kind, blizzard ’98 experience, I can envision a handful of must-dos we can each carry into the forthcoming labor of these snowy days.
First, there will be surprises. So, let’s roll with joy. Looking back, it would have been easy to tell those young adults a polite “no, you can’t stay,” or even “GET OFF MY PLANE.” I do recall that Nanc’ and I had already experienced a jam-packed week. No doubt it would have felt good to have our own space and breathing room. But we have never regretted those three hilarious days, and we are so glad we rolled with the opportunity.
Second, work will emerge, accompanied by opportunities to lovingly serve others. While we thoroughly enjoyed the cabin full of friends, it was some serious labor to host and navigate that flight. During this year’s blustering storm, will you find neighbors to assist with shoveling or nearby friends to serendipitously invite for a meal? While making bread, stacking wood, or washing dishes—tasks that certainly seem mundane—we must choose Christ’s joy and servant-hearts.
Finally, make the most of the space, the sweet grace of extra time. With that crew of young adults, we made delicious food, played hysterical practical jokes, planned for upcoming Sunday services, and unearthed a treasure trove of marvelous memories. Whatever you do during this storm, you must make something. If you have a woodworking shop, use the time to build that table or refinish an antique chair that’s been gathering dust. If you’re married, home alone, just the two of you, make the most of your time together. Wink-wink. (Need I really encourage this? All studies show there will be a significant spike in hospitals’ maternity traffic approximately nine months from this weekend.) So, why not make something? You get the idea.
Perhaps such gracious time carved out by snowstorms might, after all, be more like what God intends for our normal Sabbath rhythms (Genesis 2:1-3). I too often forget that intentional holy disruptions are commanded and encouraged, integral to practicing our workplace theology. We are too typically too busy. Snowstorms and accompanying Sabbath are indeed for our good. When Jesus and his disciples walked through the fields and plucked grain on the Sabbath, the Pharisees’ critique and Christ’s summative teaching proved unique and mildly puzzling (Mark 2:23-28). At least one of Christ’s intentions was to help us embrace the empowering tension of Sabbath. Yes, it’s commanded. Yes, we’re to be spontaneous. Yes, it’s God-like. And yes, it’s VERY good for us.
Every one of those characters who camped at our house for snowzilla ’98 is now all grown up, working hard, and serving strong in God’s kingdom. Nanc’ and I would never dream of taking credit for such marvelous adults—they had exceptional upbringings with brilliant parents. But we can relish the reality that we were privileged to play a brief role, including those seventy-two hours. And oh, what a fun plane ride it was!
Stephen Cottrell, describing more sensitive Sabbath principles, urges us: “So never speak of wasting time or spending time. Rather, say you are enjoying it or giving it away freely. Never say you have an hour to kill. Rather, say you have an hour to revive, to bring to life, to ravish.”[1]
Let’s ravish our way through the upcoming snowy hours, fully embracing both the joyous work and wonderful people God brings onto our planes.
[1]Stephen Cottrell. Do Nothing to Change Your Life: Discovering What Happens When You Stop. (New York: Seabury Books), 2008, p. 69.
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Winnipeg Jets Prospects Evaluation 2011 to 2017
by Chris Billows in Jets Flight Control 0 comments tags: Jets Draft, Jets Improvement, Minor League Stats
Following the recently held 2017 NHL Entry Draft, I am updating my evaluation on the cumulative draft and develop progress of the Winnipeg Jets. Drafting is the single best way for a sports franchise to build success so its not surprising that Winnipeg Jets Management has made draft and develop its central strategy. This post (and the one that preceded it) will break down how the Jets have done with their 2011 to 2016 draft picks up to the end of 2016-17 season (which is why this evaluation goes from 2011 to 2016 even thought the 2017 draft class is listed). I have created a table that tracks each draft prospect taken by the Jets according to a very simple, transparent statistic called ProGames (ProGms). ProGames counts the number of NHL and AHL games that a drafted player accumulates for their new team. NHL games played count as 1.0 ProGms while AHL games played count as 0.5 ProGms, and these are accumulated across both Regular Season and Playoff Games. So a drafted player who plays 20 NHL and 10 AHL games for his new team will accumulate 25 ProGms for his team. While the goal of the draft is to […]
Measurement as Power
by Chris Billows in Playstates Theory 0 comments tags: Games Analysis, Playstates
I’ve read a few articles and posts criticizing Video Games being too much about Power Fantasy. The dynamics found in leveling a character, getting better gear, defeating an enemy, accumulating resources, exploiting an environment, etc. is all about dominating something else and the 4X genre would be its marquee. The aesthetics contained in Power Fantasy is a turn off to a minority of players, who fall into the trap of criticizing the entire industry unfairly. The reason why I say it is unfair is because I believe there is a very valid reason why Video Games naturally gravitate towards Power Fantasy. Video Games tend towards Power Fantasy because Games are about the Play of Measurement and measurement is essentially another term for power. This was beautifully captured in Carroll Quigley’s The Evolution Of Civilizations which talked about how the first hierarchies of civilization arose by their ability to track the measurements of the stars: Page 211-213 ... The chief tasks of the priesthoods, at the later date, beyond their obvious religious functions, were the study of the stars and the keeping of the records of celestial observations. From this evidence we might infer that, at some remote date, some unsung […]
The Playstates of Fandom
by Chris Billows in Playstates Theory 0 comments tags: Playstates
Playstates can be found as distinct activities within the Fandom industry. I call it Followship and would define it as the act of collecting, collating, and consuming a Media Franchise. It is an elaboration on the concept of Fandom using the five Playstates. We can find Playstates in Fandom with the following examples: Toys/Playgrounds – toys and fan clubs/conventions. Role-Plays – fanboys/fangirls and cosplays. Puzzles – fan-fiction and plot/canon holes. Games – collecting the Media Franchise. Sports – fans who root for favorite media franchise to be popular. While Fandom is the industry, Followship is the distinct behaviors of play found within it.
The Immersion Accords
by Chris Billows in Playstates Theory 0 comments tags: Change of Mind, Comprehensive Analysis, Playstates
After posting about Playstates, a commentator on Twitter said that he wanted to see more discussion about how Playstates relates to core concepts like Interactivity, Narrative, etc. I had intentionally left out those concepts because I wanted to stay away from a dead-end debate. Many game designers and developers have argued that Games and Video Games in particular have a unique monopoly with those concepts. I admit that I thought so as well but now I see it in a new way after writing this article. The problem I think is that we have assigned those concepts to Games and Video Games because that is where they are most overtly demonstrated. When we think Game, we automatically think about how to play its rules, how we interact with it, how the rules affects our agency, and the underlying mechanics that makes the Game run. The push by some Video Game designers to see Narratives as being critical to a Game is a relatively recent occurrence. But similarly to how definitions can be broad but not deep enough, I think the same limitation has occurred here. We have captured the obvious, low-hanging fruit. While an arcade game has easy to see […]
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Why Games Are About Play of Measurement
by Chris Billows in Playstates Theory 0 comments tags: Game Philosophy, Games Analysis, Playstates
The Play of Definitions One of the biggest areas of contention in the Video Game industry is conflict over definitions of what a game is and what it isn’t. Because Video Games is a billion dollar industry, there will be marketing terms and short-hand that helps guide players to find what to engage with. We see terms like: 4X Strategy. First Person Shooter. Real Time Strategy. Walking Simulator. Tower Defense. Side Scroller. Platformer. Match Three. Each of these terms is well known to hobbyists but looks like bizarre word scrambles to people who are not gamers. The world of Video Games has its own language. Even the term ‘Video Game’ is a marketing and cultural term. Essentially any electronic game played on a video screen belongs and since marketing and culture is dynamic, I believe we will see new terms being invented indefinitely. But is every Video Game a Game? I am going to argue that it isn’t based on my theory of Playstates. Walking Simulators have attracted lots of heat and attention. They look and operate like First Person Shooters, but contain no enemies and weaponry which totally changes the dynamic of the play experience. Because the player is […]
New Theory of Play: Playstates
by Chris Billows in Playstates Theory, Republic of Bloggers 0 comments tags: Change of Mind, Game Philosophy, Games Analysis, Playstates
An open letter to Chris Bateman responding to his blog-post The Liberation of Games will not be streamed on Twitch at ihobo.com. Feel welcome to provide your own input via the Comments! Hi Chris, Here is a brief summary about my new theory that is influenced by your writings. I wanted to run it past you to see if you see any validity, utility, and novelty. My overall goal is to encompass Play in its various forms and break it down in broad categories that I hope will un-jam some of the dogmatic claims we see in Video Games. It is conciliatory in intention but I expect and accept that there will be disagreements with what is being proposed. My theory is based on research, play experience, observation, pan-sector validation, and what I hope is a keen discernment to see patterns that have been glossed over. First of all, I would like to pay respect to your own writing in Imaginary Games, your blogs, plus our Twitter/Email exchanges. When I started thinking about Video Games and their aesthetics, I had some very concrete ideas that were influenced by Chris Crawford and what I read on Tadgh Kelly’s blog. Those perspectives […]
Cyberg Applications
by Chris Billows in Mental Mischief, Republic of Bloggers 0 comments tags: Blogging, Human Condition, Republic of Bloggers, Virtuous Discourse
An open letter to Chris Bateman responding to his blog-letter Top Ten Cybergs at Only A Game as part of the Republic of Bloggers. Feel welcome to provide your own input via the Comments! Dear Chris, What an great concept. It makes so much sense to link human networks with its inherent technology. The term Cyberg emphasizes the linked aspect of humanity, technology, and networks. It got me thinking about some additional Cyberg applications that were not included in your list, but I’m not sure where would these fit in your hierarchy of top Cybergs. I think that a few of them may warrant some attention. 1) Literacy Literacy is a tool and technology to symbol understanding. I think it might be the very first connection system, being one of the fundamental pillars that supports civilization. While this technology is not cyber based it is definitely a network that communicates ideas and thoughts. 2) Toys Toys, like Literacy appears to be older than any of the other cybergs as it is so fundamental to human and animal development. While it is not a network, I think the the fact that it is shared cross-species, it is as if […]
Refining the Defining of Games
by Chris Billows in Playstates Theory, Republic of Bloggers 0 comments tags: Game Philosophy, Games Analysis
I came across Oscar Barda’s Gamasutra article where he make a bold attempt to define games. The definition of games is a game in itself, havings its own traps and dangers. There are going to people who are going to vehemently disagree, and people that will simply ignore you. I fall into a third category of people that appreciates his effort, but would like to see it refined. Oscar’s definition of “Games as a formalized fiction of doing” is pretty accurate. There is nothing to fundamentally disagree with, but I think that it doesn’t provide enough depth. While Oscar’s definition can be accurate, I think it is perhaps too broad, captures too many things that makes the definition not helpful when you dig deeper. After all, in saying that human beings are living creatures is an accurate statement, it is so broad that humans are not distinguishable from other animals or even insects. A definition is most helpful when its both broad and deep enough. The problem with “Games being a formalized fiction of doing” is that there are too many other human activities that fall into that definition or neglects game activities that don’t fit his definition, such as: […]
Winnipeg Jets Player Transactions 2015-16
by Chris Billows in Jets Flight Control 0 comments tags: GM Tasks, Jets Free Agents, Jets Re-Signed, Jets Trades, Jets Waivers
The 2015-16 season was the fifth season of the Winnipeg Jets since the Atlanta Thrashers were purchased and moved to Winnipeg. On July 1, 2015 Cheveldayoff started his fifth year of building the franchise when the Free Agent season opened. Cheveldayoff had a successful career as a hockey executive. As an Assistant GM He won a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2009-10. As a GM he also won two Calder Cups in the AHL in 2001-02 and 2007-08 and two Turner Cups in the IHL in 1997-98 and 1999-2000. So far the team he has built for Winnipeg remains consistently mediocre. There are four kinds of transactions that any General Manager can perform. They can 1) trade players, 2) re-sign existing players, 3) hire new players as free agents, and 4) claim unwanted players off waivers. The transaction season follows a July 1 to June 30 calendar. What follows is the transactions that Cheveldayoff performed in 2015-16. You will see that the ordinal value of each category is a continuation of what occurred from the previous season in 2014-15.
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Top 10 Worst Stadiums in the U.S.
The ailing, collapse-prone Metrodome in Minneapolis is long overdue for a replacement, and recent action by the Minnesota legislature could soon make that a reality. But before it's gone, TIME takes a look at the worst sports arenas in the country.
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3. Tropicana Field, Tampa Bay
By Jason Seher May 09, 2012
Jamie Squire / Getty Images
Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida
Correction Appended: May 10, 2012
It’s amazing that a warm-weather destination would choose to lock its baseball team in a giant warehouse. Tropicana Field, not-so-affectionately called “The Trop,” should be hosting millions of Fed-Ex packages, not some of the best baseball in all the land. Behold a brief inventory of the Tampa Bay Rays’ stadium’s odd quirks that make it one of the most inhospitable stadiums in all of sports: Catwalks? Check. Poor sight lines? Check. Rude service staff? Check. Mile walk from where your car is parked to the stadium? Check. The feeling you’re trapped in a giant pinball machine populated by whizzing baseballs ready to plop into your $8 Bud Light? Check. There are other reasons beneath the surface, too. Even Major League Baseball’s commissioner, Bud Selig, recently said the team needs a new park. The legal and political snafus holding up plans for a new stadium are especially insulting to the few Rays fans who have logged long hours watching (mostly losing) baseball since the franchise’s inception.
Correction: A previous version of this piece stated the Rays play their spring training games at Al Lang Stadium. In fact, Tampa last played a preseason contest there in 2008 and have since moved their spring training contests to Charlotte County Sports Park.
Next 2. Nassau Coliseum, Long Island
Sucky Stadiums
10. Dodgers Stadium, Los Angeles
9. U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago
8. Fenway Park, Boston
7. Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis
6. Candlestick Park, San Francisco
5. O.Co Coliseum, Oakland
4. Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego
2. Nassau Coliseum, Long Island
1. Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis
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Random Thoughts: The 2017 Oscars
February 27, 2017 by Keith
It’s hard to believe another year and another Oscars ceremony has come and gone. As expected a lot of things went the obvious route and there were very few surprises. The were some great speeches, some weird moments, and relentless political babbling from Jimmy Kimmel . But the 2017 Academy Awards will forever be remembered for its ridiculous goofup to end the night. As a whole it was a fun celebration of the past movie season. As I do every year, here are a few random thoughts.
Jimmy Kimmel had some decent moments. There were some good gags particularly his constant bit with Matt Damon and some of his political stuff hit the mark. Eventually politics got old yet Kimmel milked it dry. He ended up helping the show run about 40 minutes over. Overall not bad hosting but nothing special.
Let’s get right to it. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway’s Best Picture announcement is now etched in Oscar history. The win went to “La La Land”, they had time to walk up to the stage, they hugged and celebrated, gave acceptance speeches, and then someone magically got word that “Moonlight” was the actual winner? I’m not a conspiracy theorist but something seems a little fishy.
Beatty has gotten a lot of heat, but it’s pretty clear he and Dunaway aren’t to blame. The production team and PricewaterhouseCoopers are more responsible for the flub. Who knows the full truth, but it sure is a lot to swallow. Pretty embarrassing. It was a kind move by Kimmel to try and deflect the blame towards himself.
As for “Moonlight”, it remains my least favorite of the Best Picture nominees. I just don’t share the adoration. It’s a very okay movie that loses a ton of steam once Mahershala Ali leaves the screen. Aside from Ali and some striking camerawork, “Moonlight” takes a long time to say much of anything, but it does check several important boxes that will help Academy voters to feel better after last year’s drumming.
Hats off to Jordan Horowitz, producer for “La La Land”. In what had to be a major disappointment he was incredibly gracious is handing the trophies over to “Moonlight”. Wonderful appreciation shown back by Barry Jenkins. Both men showed a lot of class.
“La La Land” didn’t go home empty-handed. The film won six Oscars despite missing a well-deserved Best Picture win. There were hints it could lose the biggest award. For some reason many naturally rebel against movies that earn a lot of awards attention. Plus with so many people currently hellbent on division why would the Best Picture Oscar go to a nostalgic movie aimed at making us feel good and offering a cinematic and musical escape? Unfortunately the writing was on the wall.
Remember when “Hacksaw Ridge” won for Best Editing? Historically there’s a strong link between winners of Best Editing and Best Picture. I thought for a second that we might be blindsided at the end of the show. Actually we were but for much different reasons.
Predictably Casey Affleck won the Best Actor Oscar for “Manchester by the Sea”. Great performance but Denzel Washington was my hands-down favorite. I knew he was a long shot to win, but he gave a performance not to be forgotten. And what an amazing presence at the Oscars!
Speaking of Affleck, notice how he got a standing ovation yet many still treat Mel Gibson as a pariah? Another case of selective forgiveness?
And speaking of Mel, it looked like he was having a good time and took Kimmel’s ribbing like a champ. It was also nice to see his genuine joy for the others who won for “Hacksaw Ridge”.
My goodness, Viola Davis. Not only did she give one of the best performances in “Fences”, but she gave the best speech of the night. She was gracious and genuinely moved. Supporting Actress was a strong category but Davis was definitely the best. It was so good to hear her name called.
While we are on great speeches, the humility shown by Mahershala Ali was incredible. His Supporting Actor win clearly touched him which is always great to see. He gave three really good performances in 2016 and it’s good to see his work rewarded.
The parachuting candy thing – did they really need to do it THREE times?
On the other hand the tour bus bit was pretty funny. Imagine that surprise! And thanks to it #garyfromchicago became a thing!
One of the real treats of the night was seeing winners spread out among most of the Best Picture nominees. “La La Land”, “Moonlight”, “Hacksaw Ridge”, “Manchester by the Sea”, “Fences” and “Arrival” each took home statues.
Sunny Pawar was absolutely delightful. Kimmel looked a little goofy during their moment but how adorable was Pawar?
The In Memoriam was particularly brutal this year. Many scoff at the Academy’s “death montage”. I actually appreciate the honoring of their memory. Fisher, Hurt, Kennedy, Riva, Reynolds, Wilder, Paxton, Yelchin, Kiarostami and so many more. Tough losses.
And Sara Bareilles’ singing of “Both Sides Now” during the In Memoriam – emotional and beautiful.
The Best Picture goof up wasn’t the Academy’s only mistake. During the In Memoriam costume designer and four-time Oscar nominee Janet Patterson was shown. She passed away last October. Here’s the problem, along with her name was a picture of Jan Chapman, a producer who is quite alive. Come on Academy, really?
Here’s a fun Oscar fact that may have went unnoticed. Kevin O’Connell won the Sound Mixing Oscar for “Hacksaw Ridge”. It was his 21st nomination without a single win…until last night!
Despite taking up a Best Actress spot from several more deserving women, they still found a way to give Meryl Streep a standing ovation. Yes, we get it, she’s great, move on.
I’m usually not that into the musical performances on Oscar night but a couple really stood out. I mentioned Bareilles, but how about young Auli’i Cravalho ? She hit the audience with a soaring rendition of “How Far I’ll Go” from “Moana”. It was fabulous despite her being hit with a flag. And then she ended it with a sweet genuine exhale. Her expression was priceless.
“Suicide Squad” is now an Oscar winner! Can DC now claim victory over Marvel in the superhero movie genre? Not even close.
Back to the Kimmel vs Damon bit, when Damon came out with Ben Affleck to present he was announced as “guest”. Any time Damon would try and speak Kimmel had the orchestra play him off. Everything about it worked. Hilarious.
Asghar Farhadi wins his second Foreign Language Oscar for “The Salesman”, a film that still hasn’t opened around me. He remains one of my favorite working directors and I love seeing him honored.
Those are just a few random thoughts on what was a really weird night. As usual the Academy had several hits and misses, but still the art took center stage. How about we do it again next year?
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33 thoughts on “Random Thoughts: The 2017 Oscars”
movierob says: February 27, 2017 at 1:30 pm
great thoughts as always Keith!
I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who thinks Moonlight is good, but not great. It really lost steam after the first segment IMHO.
I just dont get the fanfare for it all. 😦
Maybe one day someone will explain it to me…..
Keith says: February 27, 2017 at 1:44 pm
Same here. Great to hear I’m not alone! I’m with you, the first segment was really good but afterwards it lost its momentum for me. It definitely has its fans though.
Debating whether to rewatch it to see if I can figure it out or give it some time
I’m in the same boat. I’ve really tossed it around and read many different defenses of it. None of them satisfy my issues with it. I think it was a film that got a critical push and that clicked a lot of the right buttons.
Agree. But so many people think it was amazing bc of the theme of a gay & black character. That doesnt change the fact that it was uninspiring imho
ninvoid99 says: February 27, 2017 at 1:50 pm
I didn’t watch the entirety of it w/ the exception of a few segments yet that moment for Best Picture. Look, who ever gave Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty the envelope is the one to blame. Warren looked confused when he opened it and Faye just said it and it’s not their fault. It’s the moron who gave them the envelopes. I feel bad for the people for La La Land as their moment was only fleeting. Honesty, just give the Best Picture to both La La Land and Moonlight. That way, everyone is happy except for the 7 other losers.
I was a pure debacle and Beatty and Dunaway were hung out to dry. I mean what do they do? It’s the biggest moment of the night on live television and their card reads “Emma Stone, La La Land”. Unbelievable.
Whoever gave them the wrong card should get his ass kicked… on second thought. Give Beatty and Dunaway tommy guns and shoot that son of a bitch.
Don’t tempt them. After last night they probably would use them!
It would be fun to watch though.
sati says: February 27, 2017 at 2:28 pm
My favorite bit with Damon other than this absolutely hysterical We Bought a Zoo clip was him saying to Affleck “I know what a guest is”. This whole thing with Casey…yeah I think it’s not fair to go after Gibson for something he did in the past and still award Casey. Of course we don’t know what happened there for sure but other actors don’t have dark rumors looming above them like that. But what was really notable here was Denzel not only looking pissed off but looking pissed off even as he KNEW the camera was on him when Affleck was thanking him. Denzel just doesn’t give a damn what anyone thinks.
I did like that bus tour bit but I felt a bit for the actors they were kinda treated like animals in the zoo there.
And the big thing – the single greatest thing I’ve seen since Adele Dazeem happened. But I don’t think the producer of LLL showed class – he handled it quite well but the way he yanked that card out of Beatty’s hand was so disrespectful. Beatty is the least to blame here – they got the wrong envelope, he was confused, looked to his co-presenter who mistakenly thought he was goofing around and she barely glanced at the card and announced. And then it was Baetty explaining and trying to put a humorous spin on this with Kimmel’s help.
The “We Bought a Zoo” thing was hysterical. Denzel is so great. He really doesn’t give a flip at this point. I loved seeing him though. Every glance we got of him was worthwhile. I noticed Horowitz yanking the card out of Beatty’s hand but I give him a pass on that. So much was happening in that single moment. So much confusion. So much emotion both high and low. I may not have even consciously yanked it. One things for sure, someone won’t be working on the Oscars again!
dbmoviesblog says: February 27, 2017 at 6:01 pm
The production team and PwC are responsible? Maybe, but definitely – the Academy – top people there – the responsible is always the boss – vicarious liability. The Academy itself should bear responsibility as an overseer. They admitted their just trusted PwC for decades and never questioned their standards. Idiots.
It is pretty dopey. I say PwC because the botched the envelopes. I say the production team because they ran the show. But you’re right, the Academy looks really dumb. They should be overseers. I know I would have an Academy committee whose sole purpose is to guarantee the announcements are correct.
Natasha says: February 27, 2017 at 11:08 pm
I’m also not a conspiracy theorist, but come on, it sure did get a whole lot of extra people talking about the Oscars…
Keith says: February 27, 2017 at 11:35 pm
It really did, right??? It just amazes me how long it took them to actually get someone out there and correct the mistake. But in reality I truly doubt it was intentional. I say that because the Academy looks really stupid because of this. Surely they wouldn’t intentionally do something to make themselves look so dopey.
Vits (@Vits_Chile) says: February 28, 2017 at 5:41 am
I liked MOONLIGHT more than LA LA LAND… but I couldn’t enjoy the moment due to the screw up. I kept telling my friends “No, this is a joke, right?” Putting that aside, I didn’t really like the show:
-I barely laughed. In fact, the “Jimmy Kimmel hates Matt Damon” joke got old after a while. The Mean Tweets edition was supposed to be Oscar-themed… but some of the celebrities that read them weren’t even nominated that night!
-A lot of the technical winners were surprises, but Directing, Screenplay and Acting were the most predicted ones.
-The bit with the tourists was a little too long, and it’s one of the factors that made the show last 4 hours (it ended here at around 6:30 AM!).
-I don’t like that John Legend sang the LA LA LAND songs instead of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, nor that he didn’t sing them in their entirety while the other nominated songs were (nice touch of adding a rap by Lin-Manuel Miranda).
-I liked those moments were a presenter would comment on a classic and then come out with one of the stars of the classic.
“For some reason many naturally rebel against movies that earn a lot of awards attention.”
Those movies tend to get the attention before they’re released in theatres so, by the time people see it, their expectations are too high.
Mel didn’t win, so we don’t know if he would’ve gotten a standing ovation too.
-It was a horrible screw up that certainly stole the moment from Moonlight. Even though I’m not a big fan of the film I hated seeing those people miss out on the fullness of the moment.
– I’m with you on the Mean Tweets segment. Could have done without it.
– Also agree that the tourist thing was too long. I thought it was funny but it ran out of steam. I think they didn’t factor in the human element and the whole thing got away from them (time-wise).
– Also agree on the stars and their inspirations segment. Very good.
Often Off Topic says: February 28, 2017 at 8:15 am
I was enjoying this post so much and then you reminded me that Suicide Squad is now an Oscar-winning movie, UGH!
I couldn’t stay up till 5am to watch this year but I had a great Monday catching up on the highlights, and what a show I missed!
I can’t stop watching the clip of Matt Damon being played off stage by the orchestra…it’s funny every time!
Ha! It’s absolute fact though! Suicide Squad is an Academy Award winner. Sounds crazy, right? Oh and that Damon/orchestra bit…sooooo funny!!!
Brittani says: February 28, 2017 at 9:56 am
I hated the tour bus bit. I had so much 2nd hand embarrassment. lol
We Bought a Zoo was a hilarious choice for the clip, I loved that.
“How Far I’ll Go” should’ve won Best Song.
I thought the bus bit was funny. They completely let the time get away from them though. It went way to long. But We Bought a Zoo? HILARIOUS!
ckckred says: February 28, 2017 at 10:01 am
I didn’t see the show, although I was to see Chazelle take an Oscar for Best Director. While La La Land certainly does have glaring flaws, Chazelle’s direction was the film’s greatest strength. Also, Asghar Farhadi’s victory has got me more excited in seeing The Salesman.
Think about it, 32 years old and he already has two Best Picture Oscar nominations and one Best Director win. And you and I both love Farhadi. I can’t wait for the film to finally land nearby.
Ace Black says: February 28, 2017 at 2:28 pm
Good post, thanks…however, I thought the Viola Davis acceptance speech was over the top and probably too rehearsed as a performance. Kimmel seemed to agree, quickly nominating her for an acting Emmy.
Interesting. I loved it. You’re probably right, I’m sure it was rehearsed. But I really liked what she said. And I didn’t think about it, but Kimmel’s joke could have meant just that.
vinnieh says: February 28, 2017 at 2:51 pm
Yes I agree that you can’t blame either Beatty or Dunaway, they were just reading what was given to them. Everyone’s still talking about it.
Oh yes. I’ve never seen anything like it. Has to be the biggest flub-up in Oscar history.
vinnieh says: March 2, 2017 at 9:30 am
Pretty much my thoughts exactly Keith.
Dell on Movies (@w_ott3) says: February 28, 2017 at 9:47 pm
Overall, I enjoyed the show. Felt bad for both La La Land and Moonlight as what happened wasn’t fair to either of them. They both handled it greatly, though. The Kimmel/Damon feud were my favorite bits, along with the bus tour. I wouldn’t be opposed to JK doing it again next year.
Keith says: March 1, 2017 at 2:54 am
You’re right. It was bad for both La La Land and Moonlight. I wasnt crazy about him but I would be okay with JK doing it again IF he would trim down his stuff. He ran that thing almost 4 hours!
JJAzar says: March 3, 2017 at 7:26 pm
I didn’t watch this year’s Oscars, so thanks for giving me the rundown! I enjoyed reading this.
I appreciate it. It was a….weird show for sure.
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Home Events NYC Midsummer Night Swing: Dance to Formell y Los Van Van
NYC Midsummer Night Swing: Dance to Formell y Los Van Van
Wednesday, June 26, 2019 at 6:00 pm – Formell y Los Van Van
The wait is over. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and New York-Presbyterian are excited to announce that Formell y Los Van Van will be making a special New York City appearance at Damrosch Park as part of the Midsummer Night Swing events. Tickets won’t last. Buy yours today.
Dance floor opens at 6:00 pm / Dance lesson at 6:30 pm / Live music at 7:30 pm
Style: Cuban Salsa / Dance Instructor: Carlos Mateu teaches Timba / DJ: Ron McGugins
The word “legendary” doesn’t begin to capture the influence of the Cuban superstar band Los Van Van, founded in Havana 50 years ago by composer, arranger, and bass player Juan Formell. Since his passing in 2014, Juan’s son Samuel has stepped up to lead the renamed Formell y Los Van Van, continuing the group’s five-decade tradition of innovative charanga, salsa, son, and songo. While their Grammy-nominated 2018 album Legado is a tribute to their founder, it’s also “full of a stimulating and current sound” and has made the band “an international reference point for popular Cuban music” (El Desconcierto). You won’t want to miss being on the dance floor at this special New York City appearance by living interpreters of Cuban music history. As Juan Formell’s famous song says: “Here, he who dances wins!”
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Alfie Alvarado Sep 16, 2019 At 6:15 pm
Thank you Poncho Sanchez!!
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The Civil War tariff revolt
The Nullification Crisis of 1832-33 involved state secession and use of force to repel attempts to collect federal customs tariffs. Nullification acquired a different shade of meaning even before the Supreme Court’s Dred Scott decision soon extended the reach of the Fugitive Slave Law north to the Canadian border. By 1860 Southern conservatives were complacently decrying “Nullification”–by which they meant the creation of sanctuary cities where slaves could hide. Local authorities in the North worked only to enforce local and state laws–not to help persecute runaway slaves under odious federal jurisprudence.
So why do government school history professors stand by and let charlatans convince the innocent that the Civil War was caused by racial collectivism? Andrew Jackson again addressed the Congress, in January 1833, regarding South Carolina’s virtual secession via a bill outlawing US customs from collecting Tariffs of Abominations.
That State Legislature first passed “An act to carry into effect, in part, an ordinance to nullify certain acts of the Congress of the United States purporting to be laws laying duties on the importation of foreign commodities,” passed in convention of this State, at Columbia, on the 24th November, 1832. The next was called “An act to provide for the security and protection of the people of the State of South Carolina.” It then passed “An act concerning the oath required by the ordinance passed in convention at Columbia on the 24th of November, 1832.” This last was an oath rejecting federal power in favor of state laws and courts. Jackson explained:
But by making it ” unlawful for any of the constituted authorities, whether of the United States or of the State, to enforce the laws for the payment of duties, and declaring that all judicial proceedings which shall be hereafter had in affirmance of the contracts made with purpose to secure the duties imposed by the said acts are and shall be held utterly null and void,” she has in effect abrogated the judicial tribunals within her limits in this respect, has virtually denied the United States access to the courts established by their own laws, and declared it unlawful for the judges to discharge those duties which they are sworn to perform.
One federal customs house was moved from Charleston to Castle Pinckney as a “precaution,” and trusted customs agents who quit in fear could not be replaced, such was the nearness of armed confrontation. Jackson spoke of the potential for military violence:
…the power of summoning the posse comitatus will compel, under the penalty of fine and imprisonment, every man over the age of 15, and able to travel, to turn out at the call of the sheriff, and with such weapons as may be necessary; and it may justify beating, and even killing, such as may resist. The use of the Posse comitatus is therefore a direct application of force, and can not be otherwise regarded than as the employment of the whole militia force of the county, and in an equally efficient form under a different name.
Jackson made it clear that federal troops would put down the insurrection unless Congress, the courts and the Carolina legislature acted to head off the danger. This they did by lowering the “Tariff of Abominations” that had sparked the reaction. Still, all hope of stopping “protective” tariff extortion within the system was doomed thanks to Jackson’s defusing of the situation. Colonial “Acts of Navigation” had necessitated the 1st Revolution in 1776. This revolt led Lord Dunmore to issue an Emancipation Proclamation calling slaves to arms in exchange for freedom long before Lincoln’s similar proclamation.
The Opium Wars in which Great Britain attacked Chinese cities to force repeal of the Chinese government’s ban on opium grown in British India came to resumed naval artillery attacks in 1859. At the outset of these wars, in 1837, Britain had withdrawn capital invested in the United States to gird its navy for war. The resulting contraction of capital caused America’s First Great Depression, but to this day it is inexpedient and impolite to even mention this Chinese connection.
China was again defeated and a tariff on opium imports was enacted there in January 1860 to pay reparations to her attackers. Despite professed neutrality, the US also landed military forces in China. Cause had again produced effect. Thus, in a failing economy, the Morrill protective tariff was soon being assembled in Congress. It was reported in March 1860, passed on May 10, then went dormant.
The South reacted and by September the Secretary of War had quietly facilitated southern seizure of federal weapons and facilities. After the mild and Whiggish Lincoln was elected, with three months to go before taking office, Texans raided armories and commandeered revenue ships, sparking tariff revolt elsewhere. Capital flight and foreign adventures had wrecked the economy, and the Secretary of the Treasury resigned December 10.
South Carolina seized a federal fort, customs-house and vessels that same December. In January, with Lincoln’s inauguration still two months away, Georgia seized two federal forts and an arsenal, then commandeered a steamer. Louisiana took over three forts and the arsenal at Baton Rouge as Georgia seized the arsenal at Augusta and a steamer. Then Florida commandeered navy yards and another arsenal.
The Morrill tariff was revived, the embattled Treasury began selling notes, and John Sherman made a speech about federal tariffs, fort and armories. A secession convention was convened and northerners began backing away from support for sanctuary cities by repealing the Personal Liberty bill and similar enactments. William Tecumseh Sherman calculated the effect of reverting to a revenue-only tariff, dubbed “free trade” by Morrill and other protectionists:
“Now, if the south have free trade, how can you collect revenues in the eastern cities? Freight from New Orleans to St. Louis, Chicago, Louisville, Cincinnati, and even Pittsburg, would be about the same as by rail from New York, and importers at New Orleans, having no duties to pay, would undersell the east if they had to pay duties.”
This was what the Civil War was about–customs revenue and crony tariff protection.
Meekly disarmed colonial Brazilians had no such possibility, and imperial slavery continued there until after Cleveland’s first term–yet rabble of the looter persuasion do not order their statues torn down or accuse modern Brazilians of racial collectivism. Americana, the Confederate town founded by disaffected Johnny Rebs, holds charming square dances in gray regalia with nary a protest from unreconstructed brown audience members and participants. ALL of them are fed up with carpetbagger looter politicians and their damned taxes! These politicians and their judges keep the Libertarian Party from forming, so locals–forced at gunpoint to vote–cast enough blank ballots to potentially elect libertarian mayors in many major cities.
If you want Brazilian or American audiences to understand your theory on the roots of war or what causes economic depressions, you might consider hiring a degreed and accredited translator and interpreter.
Posted in banking panic, financial crisis, individual rights, parasitism, political economy and ethical values, sumptuary laws
Tagged emancipation, forfeiture, nullification, protectionism, revenue, sanctuary, secession, tariff, war
Ayn Rand influence 1939
See original at Google News
Books like Atlas Shrugged and 1984 aren’t exactly fiction. Their realism stems from the they way they are rooted in true life events. Worried about maniacal Lutherans and Catholics that took over Germany in an extermination pogrom against Jews, Ayn Rand penned her 1941 Letter to Innocent Fifth Columnists warning against passive acceptance of National Socialism. This was soon after her warning in “We the Living” of the altruistic collectivism that had already turned Russia into a slave-powered extermination camp. In the “Fifth Column” story above, communists and socialists overplay their hand wreaking vengeance on fascist 5th columnists shortly before the shoe moved to the other foot, sending Marxist Workers Unification Party volunteer George Orwell fleeing for his life.
The PETITION AGAINST BEER story bares to view the economy-killing fanaticism voters rejected in favor of FDR in 1932, 1936, 1940 and 1945. In The Fountainhead, heroine Dominique Francon steers a mystical prohibitionist (Mrs Lonsdale) away from hiring architect Howard Roark, to protect his his career from ruin. In the clipping above, mystical fanatics call themselves “The Fishers of Men.” Yevgeny Zamyatin–a Russian novelist and inspiration to George Orwell and the Jefferson Starship–had died in 1937. Twenty years later Ayn Rand herself did a Hitchcock cameo in Atlas Shrugged as “the fishwife”–an individualist writer fishing for the minds of men.
If you have additional examples of how the prohibition era–in which fanatical altruist religions turned Russia into slave pen, made light beer a felony narcotic in These States, and rearmed Nazi Germany with Republican economic assistance, drop us a line.
Posted in banking panic, financial crisis, individual rights, sumptuary laws
Tagged altruism, Ayn Rand, collectivism, mysticism, prohibition, socialism, superstition, war
Denier is the new Juden
From the socialist Wikipedia
Ecological National Socialist candidate Albert Goracle, lost to G. Waffen Bush by three electoral votes in the Y2k election. Had voters in his home state of Tennessee backed his platform–ban electricity, continue asset forfeiture looting, jail hippies and blacks for plants–Gore’s party would have won by 16 electoral votes. The Dems could have had their hands in the till and hacks on the government payroll. Neither the Green nor Libertarian party commanded enough Tennessee spoiler votes to reverse the outcome. Still, Gore blamed Florida for his defeat.
Something similar happened to Germany and Austria back before ballots replaced bullets, Germany and its allies (Austria-Hungary, The Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria) lost WWI and blamed Jewish politicians. Thanks to the Jo Nova blog, the pattern of collectivist self deception can be seen in this example, in which I replace a single word with its conceptual equivalent. The context is journalist Ross Clark asked The Goracle a technical question about sea level rising versus land mass sinking.
When I put all this to Al Gore and ask him whether his film would be stronger if it acknowledged the complexities of sea level rise — why it is rising in some places and not in others — I am expecting him to bat it away, saying that it doesn’t counter his central point and that there is a limit to what you can put into a film pitched at a mass audience, but his reaction surprises me. As soon as I mention Professor Wdowinski’s name, he counters: ‘Never heard of him — is he a Jew?’ Then, as I continue to make the point, he starts to answer before directing it at me: ‘Are you a Jew?’ When I say I am sure that climate change is a problem, but how big a one I don’t know, he jumps in: ‘You are a Jew.’
That is a strange interpretation of the word ‘deny’, I try to say. But his PR team moves in and declares ‘Time’s up’, and I am left feeling like the guy in Monty Python who paid for a five-minute argument and was allowed only 30 seconds. On the way out, a frosty PR woman says to me: ‘Can I have a word with you?’ I wasn’t supposed to ask difficult questions, she says, because ‘this is a film junket, to promote the film’.
If Clark had tried that at an Oswald Mosley rally, he would have been beaten by goons. But the point is that the Econazi mindset is concerned not with facts, but bogeymen and strawmen. This last election had similar planks and a similar outcome. If the Dems had not copied the Green party anti-electricity agenda, and had instead copied the Libertarian party re-legalization plank, they might have beaten God’s Own Prohibitionists.
Get in touch for translations of political party platforms, nuclear reactor specifications, energy-related bills before various government assemblies or financial and economic impact of prohibition laws on national economies. From Spanish or into Portuguese & English is my bailiwick.
Posted in financial crisis, individual rights, parasitism, sumptuary laws
Tagged altruism, asset forfeiture, coercion, collectivism, fascism, parasites, platforms, prohibition, pseudoscience, repeal, voting
Adjustment of data into Truth
At Orwell’s fictional Ministry of Truth, Winston Smith labored to erase from the newspaper morgue facts inconvenient to The Party and replace them with “rectified” versions.
As in “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” the better folk–fully deserving of their government jobs and hand in the till–can plainly discern Truth. Their inability to differentiate a constant or read a thermometer to within a single degree is just the sort of spurious irrelevancy one would expect Deniers (in the pay of dollar-worshipping egotists) to criticize by way of misdirection. Today that penchant for rectification via alternative facts is applied by recipients of transfer payments from taxpayers to modern “researchers.” Here, courtesy of Tony Heller, is how political pseudoscience persistently altered the past record of ordinary temperatures to meet present exigencies in the wake of the defeat of the Democratic candidate in 2000:
realclimatescience.com
Yet sudden changes in the policies and laws advocated and passed by “the elect”–those better voters ensconced in the Congress–are not news. Those better people are paid $174,000 apiece in annual remuneration for the discerning way in which they direct the initiation of force to the benefit of fellow Party members by whom they are elected. In November 1892, practically 9% of all voters cast ballots for candidates enamored of the “graduated income tax”, plank 2 of the Communist Manifesto.
In just over a year the income tax neither entrenched kleptocracy party wanted became law. It wouldn’t do for the Great Unwashed to realize that a vote for its own party was what changed the law. Therefore no History book in any government school calls attention to that timely succession of events, much less to the economic collapse that caused the Supreme Court to strike down that tax law the following year.
Government subsidies today call for ex-post-facto rectification of sea level measurement data. The largest changes are reported by Communist China, Ecological National Socialist Brazil and three primitive islands in Oceania, home to fewer than a million inhabitants frightened into a state of fear by pseudoscientific documendacities.
Who controls the present controls the past…
But we’ve also seen how 1.4% of the total vote, when cast by religious fanatics in 11 successive campaigns, added a Mohammedan Sharia law ban on alcohol to the Constitution. Religious racial collectivists formed Germanic-style parties to compete with republicans even after Prohibition enforcement caused the Crash and Depression and made that party the hateful thing it is today. Constant draining of spoiler votes by socialist, socialist-labor and communist parties had a similar affect in seducing the Democratic party away from the salutary influence exerted on it by the Liberal Party during the campaign of 1932, when the economy collapsed entirely.
Small wonder then that a government once dedicated to the protection of individual rights was changed–by persistent casting of looter spoiler votes by tiny but violent minorities–and mutated into a truthless looter kleptocracy. We’ve seen where such spoiler votes took Russia, Germany, China and half of Korea. Since 1972, however, libertarian parties have offered voters a peaceful, rights-respecting path back to freedom, and now function in at least 21 countries. Will 9% of US voters avail themselves of the opportunity to change history? Possibly.
Orwell wrote: “The trouble is that if you lie to people, their reaction is all the more violent when the truth leaks out, as it is apt to do in the end.” –Through a Glass, Rosily, (Collected… V.4 p 35). If 9%–about a third of Americans able to frame concepts and make comparisons–deign to cast their vote for rights and reality, looter altruism may give way to individual rights just as the communism of pelf gave way to union goon violence and communist taxation in 1894, and ecological nationalsocialism in 2008.
This interpretation of current events in the light of historical precedent was brought to you by http://www.portugueseinterpreter.com
Posted in crise econômica, individual rights, parasitism, political economy and ethical values, sumptuary laws, Uncategorized
Tagged collectivism, crash, depression, fascism, leverage, platforms, pseudoscience, spoiler votes, work-energy
1920s Drug Fiends
Excerpted from Prohibition and the Crash, by J Henry Phillips
Drug Fiends
A five-to-four decision by the Supreme Court in Seattle’s “whispering wires” bootlegging case settled the 4th Amendment issue of wiretapping on June 4. Our highest Court on that day pronounced government skulking over phone lines legal, ethical and good.[1] The Court’s stated position in finishing the work begun with the Sullivan and Marron decisions was that the Bill of Rights was so important that only Congress—certainly not the Judicial branch—had the authority to attribute “an enlarged and unusual meaning to the Fourth Amendment.”[2]
Thirteen Coast Guards were suspended June 2, ostensibly for accepting bribes to overlook smuggling of “liquor” from ocean liners, but that story had been suppressed for over 2 months and had developed an odor.[3] In Buffalo, June 4 was opening day for a conference between U.S. and Canadian customs officials. The meeting was organized by Assistant Treasury Secretary Seymour Lowman. This is the same Lowman, who replaced Lincoln Andrews after Andrews was forced by Elmer Irey – the heavy-artillery agent – to resign. Placed in charge of customs, Lowman’s specialties included narcotics smuggling and dismissing “dirty” agents.[4] When newsmen finally found out about this meeting nearly 3 weeks later, Secretary Andrew Mellon assured them that no railroad men had been threatened and that it “had nothing to do with prohibition or enforcement of the Volstead act.” This naturally raised suspicions about drugs, suspicions reinforced when 6 persons were shot on the floor of the Yugoslav House of Representatives. Yugoslavia was a major exporter of medical-grade opium and was reeling from widespread riots. This news hit reporters even as they tried to pry a scoop on the secret meeting from Secretary Mellon.[5]
In April 1921, the Literary Digest had run an unsigned article “Is Prohibition Making Drug Fiends?” The article raised troubling questions. The State Department understood perfectly well by 1922 that war-fed output and prohibition-enhanced smuggling facilities were thwarting all efforts at narcotics control.[6]
Repeal advocate Franklin Fabian speculated in a 1922 book that prohibition might have something to do with U.S. narcotics consumption being 6 or 7 times as high as in most European nations.[7] The very suggestion was hotly denied by prohibitionist Herman Feldman, who also denied that figures describing the true situation could be had from any source. Feldman relied on the usual apocrypha and anecdotes to shore up his beliefs, and shrugged off any hard data on arrests and convictions as proving only that enforcement was improving. Feldman’s source, a Dr. Kolb, argued that alcohol was actually a sort of gateway drug which led to narcotics use.[8] Nowhere does Feldman explain why no narcotics planks figured in U.S. political party platforms before 1924. Yet that year the Democrats—eager, of course, to exclude Asian immigration—suddenly began railing in their platform against “the spreading of heroin addiction among the youth,” while the Prohibition Party merely blinked and stood mute on the issue.[9] The sight of prisons steadily filling up with “narcotics” convicts led the Democratic Platform Committee and Herman Feldman to diametrically opposite conclusions as to why.
At prohibition hearings held during April of 1926 Congressman William S. Vare of Pennsylvania had declared the “increased use” of narcotics throughout the nation “appalling.”[10] Then on May 14, 1928, Chairman Graham of the Judiciary Committee reported that 28% of federal inmates were “addicts” and pushed for the Porter bill to segregate the junkies on a Kentucky “narcotics farm.”[11]
Yet the wisdom of the Harrison Act stood unchallenged even after 537 pounds of heroin and morphine were discovered in Brooklyn by New York Deputy Chief Inspector Louis J. Valentine’s staff in 1927—the year of the recent “Tong War” on U.S. soil and civil turmoil on Chinese soil.[12] Not only had alcohol prohibition increased U.S. demand for heroin and morphine, but the well-developed channels for alcohol smuggling served even better as conduits for smuggling drugs. It was probably easier to bribe a customs agent to look the other way if the agent believed that rum, not heroin, was being smuggled in.
[1] (NY World Almanac 1929 91)
[2] (Olmstead et al. v. U.S. 06/04/28 [465])
[3] (NYT 8/15/28 23:4)
[4] (Merz 1931 248-249)
[5] (NYT 6/22/28 31; 6/23/28 34, 52)
[6] (Taylor 1969 150)
[7] (Fabian 1922 77-80)
[8] (Feldman 1927/30 109, 113-115, 111)
[9] (Johnson and Porter 1975 246; 249)
[10] (Feldman 1927/30 101-102)
[11] (NYT 5/15/28 10)
[12] (NYT 7/1/28 14; 1/13/27 4)
Does your company ever need to come to terms with pharmaceutical suppliers south of the border? Why not hire an interpreter familiar with the history and background of many foreign products?
Posted in banking panic, financial crisis, individual rights, political economy and ethical values, sumptuary laws
Tagged addiction, causality, coercion, competition, confiscation, economics, freedom, platforms, prohibition, replacement, superstition, voting
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What Would a Positive Future Look Like?
By raysongtree November 30, 2015 Featured Articles (Educational Comments only), True Sustainability
Since centralization seems to concentrate corruption, the solution is de-centralization. Since globalization
is meant to create one world government and mono-culture, the opposite, re-localization, might return us to
local sovereignty and diversity. Notice the name of this organization is not “Our Future” but Local Futures, plural.
-Ray Songtree
Sign up here for Dec 9th WEBINAR by Local Futures
http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/857593/d73396de66/1620022255/75e75e9cdc/
Website Events Store About Us
Globalization, Free Trade, and our new Going Local Webinar
The International Alliance for Localization (IAL)
In our last update we issued an open invitation to join the International Alliance for Localization (IAL) – a new cross-cultural network of groups and individuals focused on resistance, renewal, and radically new visions of development and progress.
The response has exceeded our most optimistic expectations. In less than two months, individuals from 28 different countries have joined. These include farmers, teachers, builders, community organizers, environmental stewards, peace activists, homesteaders, students, health workers, business consultants, writers, engineers, artists, radio producers, researchers, and more.
Many organizations have also signed up: groups focused on social justice, ecological restoration, spiritual values, sustainable food and farming, holistic education, and policy research and advocacy. Among these are Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (India); Digo Bikas Institute (Nepal); Localize West Midlands (UK); The Sustainability Institute and Greyton Transition Town (South Africa); Noakhali Rural Development Society (Bangladesh); Centre for Global Justice (Mexico/USA); Gaia Education (UK); Holy Cross International Justice Office (USA); Small Farm Training Center (USA), and many more.
This broad-based interest in the IAL shows that people worldwide are beginning to recognize that localization is a viable strategy for positive change on a global level.
Learn more about the IAL or go ahead and Join today!
IAL Listserv
The IAL listserv is now active. The listserv is a communication platform for IAL members, providing a space to share and exchange experiences, resources, initiatives and campaigns, as well as strategies to promote a global-to-local shift and build a strong collective voice for localization. Anyone who joins the IAL can participate in the listserv.
From the Local Futures Blog:
Globalization and Terror
by Helena Norberg-HodgeBecause of the mainstream media’s narrow and often misplaced focus, it’s not surprising that most Westerners believe that religious extremism is primarily a problem of Islam. But to really understand the rise of religious fundamentalism and ethnic conflict, we need to look at the deep impacts of the global consumer culture on living cultures throughout the planet. Doing so allows us not only to better understand ISIS and similar groups, but also to see a way forward that lessens violence on all sides. Read more.
Current Trade Treaties: “a revolution against law”
by Steven Gorelick
A respected human-rights expert at the United Nations, Alfred-Maurice de Zayas, has joined the global movement opposing trade treaties like TPP and TTIP. And he has novel and powerful legal arguments. In international law, de Zayas says, there is a hierarchy of agreements, and at the top is the UN Charter: “In case of conflict between the provisions of the UN Charter and any other treaty, the Charter prevails.” In other words, trade treaties that lead to a violation of human rights — or breach any other obligation set out in the UN Charter — are legally invalid. Read more.
Take action: Stop the TPP!
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), if passed, would give corporations vast powers over 40% of the world’s economy, help huge agribusinesses like Monsanto extend their control over the global food supply, and massively expand internet censorship. But if we act fast, the US Congress can stop it. If Congress says no, this terrible agreement dies. Add your name to almost 900,000 others on this important petition to be delivered directly to Congress!
Local Lives, Global Matters
Another gathering in our ongoing series of Economics of Happiness conferences was held last month in Castlemaine, Australia. Entitled “Local Lives, Global Matters”, it featured wide-ranging presentations, panels and workshops – from media liberation and the gift economy to local renewable energy and the moral underpinnings of economics – along with storytelling, art, music and visits to nearby localization initiatives. Plenary speakers included David Holmgren (co-founder of permaculture), Samuel Alexander (degrowth proponent and author of The Sufficiency Economy), Rob Hopkins (founder of the Transition Towns movement), Raphaël Souchier (a localization advocate from France), Susan Murphy (a Zen Roshi and deep ecologist), and Helena Norberg-Hodge. Manish Jain (India), and Camila Moreno (Brazil), who have presented at numerous Local Futures conferences, once again enthralled the audience with their thought-provoking analyses.
The conference was organized by three remarkable women, Ellen Madigan, Carolyn Nielson and Nikki Marshall. Their hard work and dedication, along with that of the more than 90 volunteers involved, made this a truly inspiring community event.
Policy Watch: Money for the People
Switzerland to hold referendum on money creation
The Swiss population will be the first in the world to vote on their banking and money system! As of this month, the Sovereign Money Initiative, which would limit the power of commercial banks to create money at will, has gathered enough signatures to trigger a nationwide referendum within the next 3 to 5 years. Advocates of financial reform are overjoyed at the news, with one Swiss campaigner calling the initiative “a major milestone for the growing international movement for monetary reform.” Read more.
New Campaign Launched: ‘QE for People’
Right now, 60 billion euros are being created by the European Central Bank every month through its program of Quantitative Easing (QE). At the moment this money goes to financial institutions like banks, doing little to help ordinary people and businesses. ‘QE for People’ calls for it to be spent on efforts such as green investment and affordable housing instead. Read more about this new campaign and help get the word out!
Planet Local
Food and Culture: From Honduras and the United States to India and Australia
In communities across the globe, people are finding that cultural pride and food sovereignty go hand in hand. Food and farming play a key role in the localization process, and resisting the influence of the global monoculture can happen, quite literally, from the ground up. Read more.
From the Oakland Institute: Agroecology in Africa
More than 30 examples from across Africa show how agricultural practices based on traditional knowledge can fight both climate change and hunger. “We are told over and over that Africa needs a new Green Revolution, more synthetic fertilizers, and genetically modified crops,” said Frederic Mousseau, Policy Director of the Oakland Institute, who coordinated the research for this project. “These case studies debunk these myths.” Explore the case studies.
Planet Local is our web series showcasing inspiring localization initiatives from around the world. The series highlights diverse examples of localization in action in such areas as community renewable energy, local food and farming, local investment, eco-villages, alternative education, radical democracy, the local commons, and more.
Global to Local Webinar Series
Webinar 1: Going Local
December 9th 2015, 4:00-5:00 pm EST
Check the time for your locationAs part of the IAL initiative, we are launching a new webinar series that will address key issues in the global-to-local debate. Registration is now open for our first webinar, Going Local, with Michael Shuman and Helena Norberg-Hodge. The webinar will explore such issues as the potential of localization as a systemic solution-multiplier, the need for a global movement for localization, the myth that localization means going back to the past, whether localizing is a viable strategy for big cities, and more.
Read more and register today.
Call for Volunteers and Interns
We are looking for help with design, research, promotion (social media, etc.), technical help, and translations (especially Norwegian and Bahasa Indonesian versions of our film The Economics of Happiness). If you are interested, please contact Victoria Clarke at info@localfutures.org.
Global Climate March
On the eve of the biggest U.N summit of the decade, the climate movement took to the streets for a Global Climate March. On November 28 and 29, in cities around the world, people marched to demand strong action from world leaders, and to support grassroots efforts to stop new fossil fuel projects, phase out existing ones, and limit the political and financial power of the fossil fuel industry. Ultimately, the goal of the Climate March campaign is a transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050.
Stay updated on future mobilizations to come after the Paris climate talks in December!
Organizing a New Economy at the City Level
from The Next System ProjectHelena Norberg-Hodge on the Economic Rockstar Podcast
Right Livelihood Award Foundation Interviews Helena Norberg-Hodge
Economics of Happiness Talk at Lingnan University, Hong Kong
Abolish High School
by Rebecca Solnit
from Harper’s MagazineEverything You’ve Been Told About Debt is Wrong
by Charles Eisenstein
from Truthout via YES! MagazineFrench Government Will Not Sign TTIP Agreement in 2015
from Euractiv
Seven Ways to Bring Neighborhoods Wealth, not Gentrification
from YES! Magazine
Award-Winning Documentary: The Economics of Happiness
View online through Vimeo on Demand:
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Rondebosch (Cape Town Southern Suburbs) – walk to Bishops and other top schools from this spacious 5-bed house for R14.95m
Newlands (Cape Town Southern Suburbs) – a 4-bed family house with a separate flatlet/work from home and staff accommodation for R7.9m
Claremont Upper (Cape Town Southern Suburbs) – a large 5-bed family house for R8m
Woodhill (Pretoria East) – a luxury 4-bed family house for R6.99m
Hurlingham (Sandton/Johannesburg) – 4-bed family home for R5.9m
School suburbs emerge as sound investments in challenging market
The demand for homes close to good schools has meant that a number of top suburbs have performed well over the last year despite the economic challenges according to the Seeff Property Group.
Proximity to schools has become a top driver of demand in neighbourhoods while rising traffic is adding further demand for homes close to schools. As a result, properties in such prime locations have continued to achieve premiums of around 20%-40% according to Samuel Seeff, chairman of the Seeff Property Group.
We have seen a trend of buyers with children migrating to areas with good schools and child-care facilities. While there is year-round demand for homes close to good schools, the demand usually picks up ahead of the new school and varsity year as parents look to get closer to their schools of choice, he says.
Some of the best performing school suburbs include:
Newlands and Rondebosch
Newlands and Rondebosch offer access to 18 top schools including Bishops, Rondebosch Boys, Westerford, SACS, Rustenburg Girls, Sans Souci and Herschel Girls. It is also home to the University of Cape Town (UCT) which attracts high demand for student rentals.
Family houses range from R8m to R12m close to Bishopscourt, otherwise you can find houses for R4m to R8m.
Wynberg and Claremont Upper
Wynberg and Claremont Upper are an excellent choice for family buyers and offer more affordable price points compared to Constantia Upper and Bishopscourt, yet residents enjoy excellent access to the wine farms and Main Road CBD.
Family houses range from R4m to R8m, but can to R10m-plus depending on the location and property
Fresnaye and Camps Bay
Both of these suburbs rank in the top ten in the country and offer access to a choice of schools for family buyers including Herzlia (located in the CBD), Reddam House in Green Point, Camps Bay and Sea Point and a French School (CBD and Sea Point).
Family houses range from R12m to R22m in Fresnaye and Camps Bay.
Higgovale and Oranjezicht
Easy access to Herzlia and the CBD have contributed to the rise in demand for family houses in Higgovale and Oranjezicht which has boosted price growth over the last five years with Higgovale now ranking in the top ten suburbs in the country.
Family houses in the City Bowl range from R5m to R15m on average.
Sunningdale and Parklands
The areas area ideal for families as there are about 20 top schools in the area including private schools such as Parklands College, CBD St John's, Elkanah House, Curro Private School (Parklands North) and the new Rallim.
Family houses close to a top school range from R1.8m to R2.8m.
Paarl and Stellenbosch
Paarl, Stellenbosch and Worcester boast excellent schools such as Paarl Boys', Paarl Girls', Paarl Gymnasium, La Rochelle and Boland Landbouskool. Paarl is renowned as an incubator for rugby and has produced many Springboks.
Stellenbosch includes the popular Paul Roos (another rugby school) along with a Waldorf School and Rhenish Girls' High as well as Stellenbosch University which boosts demand for student housing.
Family houses in Stellenbosch range from R2.8m to R5.8m to around R14m close to an exclusive school. Paarl ranges from R1.8m to R2.8m on average to around R6m close to a top school.
Waterkloof, Lynnwood and Menlo Park
Pretoria University and Onderstepoort (top veterinary school), the well-known Afrikaans Seuns and Meisies High Schools and many other top schools make popular with family buyers.
Expect to pay R2.8m to R3.2m for a family house in Lynnwood and Menlo Park. Waterkloof and Waterkloof Ridge family houses range from R3.4m to R3.7m.
Woodhill Estate/Mooikloof Equestrian Estate/Silver Lakes Estate
These estates are popular for their close proximity to excellent schools such as Woodhill College, Curro College, Redford House, Laerskool Tygerpoort, Tyger Valley College and Abbotts College.
Expect to pay R4.9m for a family house in Woodhill, around R3.3m in Silver lakes and R6.5m in Mooikloof.
Johannesburg/Sandton
Bryanston, Atholl and Hurlingham
Close proximity to the Sandton CBD and access to top schools such as Crawford, Redhill, St Davids, Roedean, Brescia House, KES (King Edward), St Johns, St. Stithians and the Waldorf School (in Bryanston) make these top family suburbs. They also offer easy access to Wits and UJ as well as Gibbs and Henley Business Schools.
Although family houses range from R2m to R12m, expect to pay upwards of R6m to R20m close to schools depending on the area and property.
Upper Highway
The best private schools in KZN are all in the Upper Highway area. These include Kearsney College, St. Marys, Highbury Private, Curro, Thomas More College and Waterfall. There are also multiple new schools in the Waterfall area with Curro Primary and High Schools welcome additions.
Family houses in Hillcrest and Kloof range from R1.5m to R2.45m and in Waterfall from R1.4m to R1.9m.
Wembley and Clarendon (Pietermaritzburg)
These elite northern suburbs offer family homes on large established gardens and monitored neighbourhood security. They are ideally situated to prominent schools such as Hilton College. There are also several pre-schools, creches and schools along the Roberts Road route. The University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (UKZN) and the private Varsity College are the two tertiary institutions serving Pietermaritzburg and the surrounds.
Expect to pay around R1.2m-R2.5m for a family house
Pictures attached
Rondebosch (Cape Town Southern Suburbs) - walk to Bishops and other top schools from this spacious 5-bed house for R14.95m
https://www.seeff.com/results/residential/for-sale/cape-town/rondebosch/house/55822/
Newlands (Cape Town Southern Suburbs) - a 4-bed family house with a separate flatlet/work from home and staff accommodation for R7.9m
https://www.seeff.com/results/residential/for-sale/cape-town/newlands/house/50226/
Claremont Upper (Cape Town Southern Suburbs) - a large 5-bed family house for R8m
https://www.seeff.com/results/residential/for-sale/cape-town/claremont-upper/house/49867/
Woodhill (Pretoria East) - a luxury 4-bed family house for R6.99m
https://www.seeff.com/results/residential/for-sale/pretoria/woodhill/house/53456/
Hurlingham (Sandton/Johannesburg) - 4-bed family home for R5.9m
https://sandton.seeff.com/results/residential/for-sale/sandton/hurlingham/house/1361/
Author Gina Meintjes
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Quick Search Entire Document Text Only Bibliography
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"Help from Those Who've Been There"
Veterans and Families
Understanding Substance Abuse
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Military Sexual Trauma (MST) refers to both sexual assault and sexual harassment which occurs in a military setting. MST is defined as psychological trauma resulting from a physical assault of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment, which occurred while serving on active duty or active duty for training. Sexual harassment constitutes repeated, unsolicited verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature which is experienced as threatening and unwelcome. Both men and women can experience military sexual trauma. The perpetrator can be of the same or of the opposite gender. It is possible to have PTSD resulting from military sexual trauma as well as from combat.
It is common for someone who has experienced MST to struggle with fear, anxiety, embarrassment, or profound anger as a result of these experiences and many symptoms are similar to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A survivor may experience sleep abnormalities, weight gain or loss, prolonged sadness, anxiety (both social and in general), memory loss, depression, insomnia, lashing out/fits of anger, changes in sex drive, emotional sensitivity, emotional numbness and a desire to numb pain, emotions, memories, etc., with medication, drugs and/or alcohol.
There is help in the form of a variety of treatment options. The Veterans Administration (VA) offers treatment for the effects of military sexual trauma, as well as compensation if eligible. In addition, community mental health agencies and private practice clinicians can provide treatment in a non-military setting. Among the many treatment options are workbooks, individual and group counseling, specialized yoga and breathing classes, and anger management assistance to name a few.
Remember, you are a survivor and it was not your fault. Reach out for the support and healing you deserve. If you feel you are in crisis, please do not wait…call and speak to a crisis counselor by contacting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline @ 1-800-273-TALK (8255), press 1 to speak to a Veteran. If you feel you are in immediate danger, go to your local Emergency Room or call 911.
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Highlights: Wharton Lifelong Learning NYC
The Lifelong Learning Regional Alumni Programs kicked off in New York City with new research revelations about impact investing. See the highlights here.
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The Lifelong Learning Regional Alumni Programs kicked off on Nov. 9, 2015, in New York City’s Eventi hotel. Working with data recently collected and published by the Wharton Social Impact Initiative (WSII), David Musto, Wharton’s Ronald O. Perelman Professor in Finance, discussed some of the questions raised by impact investing’s dual goals of financial return and social impact. Chief among the topics he covered were: how investors can reconcile impact investing with the duties they owe to their beneficiaries, how the returns realized to date from such investments compare to competing asset classes, what holds the firms to their social-impact goals after the early investors have moved their capital and control onto their next projects, and how a public firm can adhere to a goal other than shareholder value.
View some of the highlights of the Lifelong Learning Regional Alumni Programs event in the photo set below.
The Lifelong Learning Regional Alumni Programs will bring experts in the Wharton network to Wharton alumni around the world, to discuss current issues they face in the world of commerce, investing and innovation. The programs offer the opportunity to learn about cutting-edge topics in today’s dynamic business economy and to engage in the Wharton network. Wharton and Penn alumni are provided the opportunity to connect not only with each other, but also with world renowned faculty and experts.
For the full list of upcoming events and to register, please visit the Lifelong Learning Regional Alumni Programs website.
and Business David Musto Finance impact investing Lifelong Learning Lifelong Learning Regional Alumni Programs Money Wharton Alumni
Way to Explain Social Enterprise Upswing
Professor David Musto shares the latest research on why investing in social enterprise is sustainable during a recent Wharton Lifelong Learning event.
The Next Generation Inherits the Earth
The Wharton School and the World Bank partner on a revolutionary approach to engaging young adults in the future of the planet.
Business Skills for the Desert Island
Lauder alumna Jennifer Leonard recounts when she found herself and her Wharton business skills in a new industry in “the middle of nowhere.” She survived.
Impact Investing By Measurement
There’s a lot of talk about “mainstreaming” impact investing, but what will it take to get there? The Wharton Social Impact Initiative is working on answers.
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Hill Street Blues, new Universal catalog BDs, TCM Festival 2014, Enterprise: S4 & a Clone Wars fix!
All right, we’ve got a bunch of good news for you here at The Bits today.
First though, our own Russell Hammond has updated the Release Dates & Artwork section will all the latest Blu-ray, DVD and Video Game cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, a portion of anything you order from Amazon in the same session after clicking to them through our links goes to help support our work here at The Bits and we really appreciate it!
Now then... any Hill Street Blues fans out there? Shout! Factory has just announced the release of Hill Street Blues: The Complete Series on DVD on 4/29 (SRP $199.99)! The 34-disc box set will include all 144 episodes of the series, along with new interviews with the creators and cast, including Steven Bochco, Dennis Franz, James B. Sikking, Bruce Weitz, Alan Rachins, Gregory Hoblit, Dennis Dugan, Jeffrey Lewis and more. You’ll also get a commemorative 24-page book with photos, liner notes and an essay by TV critic Tom Shales. You’ll find cover art below and the title is now available for pre-order on Amazon. [Read on here...]
Release Dates & Artwork
Hill Street Blues: The Complete Series
Atlantis: Season One
Revolution: The Complete Second Season
Vanilla Sky
Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor
Far and Away
A Simple Wish
Harry and the Hendersons
Writer's Room Reunion
Touch of Evil
TCM Classic Film Festival 2014
Homeland: The Complete Third Season
Contact Bill Hunt
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About Bill Hunt
Bill Hunt is the Editor in Chief of The Digital Bits, and the co-author (with Todd Doogan) of the Amazon Top 50 selling book The Digital Bits: Insiders Guide to DVD. Hunt founded The Bits in 1997, in the early days of the DVD format,…
Recent My Two Cents
Tex Avery Screwball Classics, Volume 1 official, plus Jojo Rabbit, Frozen II, and Charlie’s Angels (2019)
30 Rock BD coming from Mill Creek, plus Warner Archive teases Tex Avery on Blu-ray, Disney drops the “Fox” name
Criterion’s April slate has Wes Anderson, Jean-Pierre Melville & more (plus word on their planned 2020 box sets)
BREAKING: Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures announce the merger of their home entertainment disc operations
My Bloody Valentine update, Parasite, Quiet Place 4K Steelbook, new BD reviews, and more on CES & physical media
Joker reviewed in 4K, plus the Academy Award nominations are in, and a word on 8K at CES 2020
My Two Cents Archives
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blog tour, excerpt, New Release, Promo
Excerpt & Giveaway!
February 27, 2018 February 27, 2018 oliviaventura
Title: Whiskey River
Author: Theresa Oliver
Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing
Cover Designer: RMGraphX
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2yASsK9
All other links: books2read.com/whiskey-river
Within a tough city girl beats the untamed heart of a wild spirit…
Ella Raines may not have the best reputation in New York, but she’s determined to have respect. Knowing she will achieve this in high society, Ella answers an advertisement for a mail-order bride in an up-and-coming Western town, Whiskey River, Wyoming.
Colton Hill is a wandering gunslinger seeking new horizons and is tired of being challenged because he’s the fastest gun around. When he meets Ella, he’s amused by her unusual ambition and agrees to tag along to Whiskey River.
Together, they travel Westward in search of happiness, purpose, and destiny. What they find instead is the spark of something they cannot control.
//e.issuu.com/embed.html#25412041/57712244
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon
An educator, writer, mother, and free spirit, Theresa Oliver’s love affair with the written word has spanned decades. An Indiana native, Theresa began the foundation of her writing career as a child. Her love of reading, writing, and creative expression guided her to seek a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, News Editorial sequence, from the University of Tennessee at Martin; and then continued on to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching degree, Early Childhood Education sequence, from Armstrong Atlantic State University.
Her foundational experiences in childhood led her to want to create meaningful, positive experiences with reading and writing for future generations, and inspire the same love of creative expression that has been such a rewarding force behind her career and life.
Theresa has dedicated her life to the world of writing and the creation of novels that span all levels and genres. First and foremost a mother, her greatest loves are her three beautiful boys, to whom she dedicates the success and longevity of her prolific career. Theresa currently resides in Kissimmee, Florida with her beloved husband and children.
Sign up for Theresa’s newsletter HERE.
Tagged excerpt, giveaway, Hot Tree PublishingLeave a comment
Author: Sheri Velarde
Title: A Whole New Life
Cover Designer: Soxsational Cover Art
On sale for 99c!
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2DK8nbo
All other links: books2read.com/whole
A handsome deputy who’s not looking to settle down.
A mysterious woman who’s on the run.
When Deputy Henri Gunther realizes there’s so much more to waitress Jenna Trippleton, his simple small-town life explodes right open. With her safety and freedom at stake, Jenna must decide whether she can put her trust in the one man who’s promised to protect her.
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2zZFDsB
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iTunes: https://apple.co/2CUVufu
Nook: http://bit.ly/2lZVhjE
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Sheri Velarde lives in New Mexico with her husband and their two dogs.
Being an avid reader since an early age, Sheri wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember. She has been writing all her life, but only recently started to pursue her dream of writing for a living. Sheri specializes in all things paranormal and that go bump in the night. Her heart truly lies in exploring unknown worlds or adding the supernatural to our world. If it goes bump in the night or has magical connotations, Sheri writes about it. She writes everything from sweet romances to horror stories sure to scare you.
In her spare time Sheri is an artist, jewelry designer, independent comic writer/artist and freelance non-fiction writer. Hiking in the mountains, going to live concerts, art openings, museums, watching movies, playing games, and hosting intimate dinner parties.
Sheri is constantly putting out new material with various publishers, so it is best to keep up with her on her website www.authorsherivelarde.weebly.com.
Tagged contemporary romance, giveaway, Hot Tree PublishingLeave a comment
Author: Megan Lowe
Title: Breaking Down
Series: Rocking Racers, Book 4
Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance
Cover Designer: Claire Smith
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2hZPngg
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2ihCwtn
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2zOVzmo
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2jt0XAw
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2AiGUgb
iTunes: http://apple.co/2AFqpxL
When a hot BMX champion butts head with a woman who could kick his arse, it’s only a matter of time before the gloves are off and the heat is on.
What happens when the unexpected flips your world upside down?
That’s the question Jax Ryan must answer when everything he knows and loves is tipped on its head. Adjusting to his new reality is not easy. Throw in the woman of his dreams, who won’t even give him the time of day, and Jax is out of his element.
Bentley La Roche is tough. She’s a fighter, literally. In her spare time, she can be found with the best MMA fighters on the Gold Coast. But she’s guarded and has no interest in getting involved with anyone, especially Jax Ryan.
But when things go from bad to worse for Jax, Bentley’s walls are no match for her desire to help him. Breaking down is easy. It’s the rebuild that’s hard, but so much fun.
“This is Bentley and Harley, two of our fighters.”
We stand and watch as they spar, neither giving an inch. Just as I think neither of them is going to crack, the guy drops his guard. It’s only for a fraction of a second, so quick if you blinked you would’ve missed it. But that’s all it takes as the chick seizes the opportunity, hitting him with a nasty right hook and sending him to the floor.
“Holy shit,” I say as I adjust my rapidly hardening MIP in my shorts. That’s Most Important Part, in case you were wondering.
Bert chuckles. “Yeah, Bentley’s a firecracker.”
“Firecracker? She knocked that guy out,” I say, as trainers help him up.
“’Snot the first time. Come on,” he says, walking over to the stairs that lead to the cage, “I’ll introduce you.” I race after him, so eager to meet this firecracker of a woman it’s not funny. “Bentley,” he calls, “I’ve got someone here I want you to meet.”
She turns and almost knocks me on my arse. Stunning is not enough of a word to describe her. She’s tall, taller than me, which oddly I don’t mind. If I had to guess, I’d put her at five eleven. Her eyes are a gold colour, she has a hole in her chin where I’m guessing a labret piercing would usually go, and her arms and legs are a riot of colourful tattoos. Her lips are pink and full and I’d like nothing more than to spend all day kissing them. She takes off her headgear as she walks over to us, and a heap of platinum-blonde hair falls around her and down her back. Her body is a typical athlete’s body, toned and trim, but what it’s doing to me is anything but typical.
“Bentley, this is Jax Ryan,” Bert says.
Quickly I wipe my sweaty palm before offering it to her. “I don’t want to scare you off,” I say, “but I think you’re my perfect woman.”
She looks at me with disgust, and I let my hand drop to my side again. Unperturbed, Bert carries on. “Jax is a freestyle BMX rider,” he explains, “he’s got—”
“Eight Extreme Games gold medals,” she finishes.
“Ah, yeah,” Bert says, disappointed she stole his thunder.
A smirk crosses my face. “So you’ve heard of me?” I ask.
“I’ve heard of you,” she says as she takes the bindings off her hands. “I also saw your epic defence of your medals at the last games.”
I shrug and try to play it off. “Freestyle BMX can be dangerous. Every rider knows it. I know it. I’m not afraid of it.”
“No,” she says, crossing her arms over her small but adequate chest, “you just ate it in front of millions of people.”
Rocking Racers Series!
All buy links HERE
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Megan Lowe is a lost journalism graduate who after many painful years searching for a job in that field, decided if she couldn’t write news stories, she would start listening to the characters whispering stories to her and decided to write them down. She writes primarily New Adult/Contemporary Romance stories with Sport and Music themes. She is based on the Gold Coast but her heart belongs to New York City. When she’s not writing she’s either curled up with a good book, travelling or screaming at the TV willing her sporting teams to pull out the win.
Tagged giveaway, Hot Tree Publishing, Rocking RacersLeave a comment
Author: Genevive Chamblee
Title: Out of the Penalty Box
Series: Game On Collection
Designer: Soxsational Cover Art
Hockey player Aidan Lefèvre’s professional and personal life is on ice. Recovering from an injury and traded to a new team, Aidan is attempting to prove his viability to his coaches, fans, and teammates. Just when he believes he’s succeeded, another accident during the playoffs threatens to unravel all of his progress.
Having relocated away from family and friends, Aidan turns to his extroverted team captain, Christophe Fontenot, whose jovial nature lifts everyone’s spirits. But when Aidan discovers his attraction for Christophe changes the meaning of “body checking,” Aidan questions more than his hockey skills.
Should he deny what he feels or come out of the “box”?
Aidan opened his eyes, urgently needing to relieve himself in more ways than one. Rolling from his side to his back, he landed with a thud, both his head and right calf striking a solid object. Pain splintered throughout his body. Squinting, he attempted to bring his dark surroundings into focus and decipher what was happening in his spinning world. A narrow stream of light shone through a window. Okay, he was inside somewhere with shag carpet. Reaching, he felt a soft, solid object to his left. Pillows. Leather. Ah, a couch. To his right, he felt wood, metal, and cool glass. A table. Piecing it together, he determined he was wedged on a floor between a couch and table. But where? He didn’t have a table in front of his couch. He fumbled to remember. The last thing he remembered was talking with that loudmouth reporter, Toby Harrelson, from XJJ.
Oh shit! What had he said? Later. Now, he needed to figure out where the hell he was. He maneuvered his twisted limbs to sit erect. A bright light clicked on, and Aidan squeezed his eyes shut.
“You okay there, pretty boy?”
Christophe. Okay. Aidan could rule out being abducted by aliens. Well, maybe not. This was Christophe, after all.
“Why am I on the floor?”
“How the hell should I know?” Christophe chuckled. “I deposited your drunken carcass on my sofa. It must not have suited your Sleep Number needs.”
“I feel like roadkill.”
“I imagine so, the way you kicked them back.”
Slowly, Aidan opened his eyes to view Christophe standing at the edge of the table, all rippling abdomen muscles, golden skin, and powerful thighs, wearing nothing but cotton boxers with a noticeable bulge in the front. It drew Aidan’s attention to his own physical state, and he grunted. He’d no time for this type of foolishness at this time of night… morning.
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2hXOJn8
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2hNaEcW
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iTunes: http://apple.co/2zXFie7
Nook: http://bit.ly/2AqIxvq
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2zrLBXR
Website I Facebook I Twitter I Goodreads I Amazon
Genevive Chamblee lives in the bayou country in the deep south where sweet tea, football, good music, and colorful family is gospel. When she is not writing, she can be found attending SEC football games, playing with her dog, sightseeing, or spending time with family.
Genevive writes contemporary romance, erotic romance, fantasy romance, the occult, Creole culture, and southern drama.
Tagged giveaway, hockey romance, Hot Tree Publishing, m/mLeave a comment
Title: All of You
Author: Lindsay Detwiler
Amazon: US | UK | CA | AU
Kobo | iTunes | Nook
There’s no such thing as impossible when it comes to saving the one who holds your heart.
A sexy doctor who’s restricted by expectations.
A quirky poet who’s defined by her dark past.
All it takes is Alex Evans saving Marley Jade one fateful night for their futures to be realigned. And when a passion sparks between them, they must decide if they can piece each other back together and make love work.
I swerved to the side of the road, certain she was gone, the blackness of her hair fluttering behind her and blending into the darkness of the night. Just like so many things in life, one second she was there, hunched into herself under the bright streetlights on the Cedar Bend Bridge, clutching something like it was her lifeblood. And then, in the next second, she was gone, slithered away as if she’d slipped through the cracks of life itself, obliterated from existence.
If I hadn’t been driving by, if I hadn’t seen her disappear with my own eyes, no one would have noticed her descent into darkness, into the lapping waters of the gentle river, or of her almost goodbye.
But I was there. I did see her.
The truth was, looking back, I should’ve seen her even before the fateful night that tossed our lives together.
I should’ve seen her in every goodbye I’d said before her. I should’ve seen her in every wistful dream I’d walked by and didn’t chase. I should’ve seen her in every empty seat beside me for the twenty-six years I didn’t know I was missing her.
She was the lifeblood I waited to uncover. She was the answer to the midnight wish I didn’t know I’d asked for. I wouldn’t know it until long after I first saw her. I couldn’t have known until I met her that I needed her.
Because when I swerved my car to the side of the bridge, chest heaving with adrenaline and fear, I had no idea Marley Jade would eviscerate everything I ever thought I knew about life. I didn’t know I would end up saving her that night and on many nights to come.
Most of all, I didn’t know she would save me from something I didn’t even know I needed saving from.
Facebook I Twitter I Website
A high school English teacher, an author, and a fan of anything pink and/or glittery, Lindsay’s the English teacher cliché; she love cats, reading, Shakespeare, and Poe.
She currently lives in her hometown with her husband, Chad (her junior high sweetheart); their cats, Arya, Amelia, Alice, and Bob; and their Mastiff, Henry.
Lindsay’s goal with her writing is to show the power of love and the beauty of life while also instilling a true sense of realism in her work. Some reviewers have noted that her books are not the “typical romance.” With her novels coming from a place of honesty, Lindsay examines the difficult questions, looks at the tough emotions, and paints the pictures that are sometimes difficult to look at. She wants her fiction to resonate with readers as realistic, poetic, and powerful. Lindsay wants women readers to be able to say, “I see myself in that novel.” She wants to speak to the modern woman’s experience while also bringing a twist of something new and exciting. Her aim is for readers to say, “That could happen,” or “I feel like the characters are real.” That’s how she knows she’s done her job.
Lindsay’s hope is that by becoming a published author, she can inspire some of her students and other aspiring writers to pursue their own passions. She wants them to see that any dream can be attained and publishing a novel isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
December 14, 2017 December 14, 2017 oliviaventura
Author: Laura N. Andrews
Title: Hard Fight (Game On Collection)
Genre: Gay Sports Romance
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2jQckpF
All other links: books2read.com/hardfight
Out and proud Riley Anderson is dancing the night away at a private gay club when he first notices him. Dark, broad, and with muscles to drool over, it turns out he is UFC MMA fighter Craig “The Lion” Johnson. Passion quickly flares and neither can fight the chemistry between them.
After a couple of false starts, Riley and Craig set out to try this thing called dating for real, but clashes are imminent. Too many lifestyle differences make their relationship difficult, but for Riley, it’s hard to be kept hidden.
Can he endure being a secret lover? Or will Craig put aside his fears of losing his career and decide what is really worth fighting for?
Riley Anderson’s whole body froze when he first saw him. He was at Midnight Howl, an exclusive gay club located in the heart of Seattle. It was a members-only type of club, and in order to be accepted, a member was required to sign all kinds of privacy and nondisclosure agreements. It was forbidden to disclose any patron’s identity to any nonmember or to divulge the details of any sexual encounters witnessed or taken part in. Sure, Riley had been to a few other clubs around the area, but none came close to the amazing customer service provided at Midnight Howl. Plus the membership wasn’t actually all that expensive and, in Riley’s opinion, the fellow clientele were from a whole other league of good-looking men.
In that moment, Riley’s heart beat faster than ever. From the edge of the dance floor, he ran his green eyes up and down the stranger’s form. Dancing in the most hypnotizing way, the man who’d caught Riley’s eye had his head back and eyes closed while he moved, as if he were in another world completely. Riley couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of the stranger. The man was just… so beautiful. Perfect really.
Under the club’s white strobe lights, the man’s dark skin caused him to stand out. African American, and at the height of at least six four, he had the shoulders of a linebacker. This godlike creature mesmerized Riley. Fantasies surfaced at the sight of his muscular arms and broad chest. One persistent image involved Riley gripping them for leverage as the man pounded into him. The exact position was quite immaterial. Against the wall with Riley’s legs wrapped around his waist. On a bed with the stranger on top of him. The list went on. The man’s arms also made Riley want to run his hands—and tongue—along all his dark, flawless skin. Wearing only jeans and shoes, the man was temptation at its best.
A slim five nine himself, Riley couldn’t help but try his luck with the man. He swayed his hips and noticed how the lights did different things to the much fairer skin on his arms. If anything, they emphasized his paleness. Gathering all his courage, Riley made his way over to the man with a few twirls and hip bops, and lightly tapped on the man’s bare shoulder. He hoped and prayed for a positive reaction.
Lowering his head and opening his eyes, the man stared down at Riley. With his face in full view now, Riley took a moment to take in the stranger’s features. He slid his glasses up his nose, amazed at such masculine beauty. His lips parted. The man’s eyes, so dark they could almost be called black, were surrounded by beautifully long eyelashes. A slightly bent nose led down to his full, pinkish lips. Oh, they definitely look yummy enough to nibble on! Although he was sure he’d recall the man if he’d seen him at the club before, there was something familiar about him. Riley was certain he’d seen him somewhere. The man’s thick, yet seemingly manicured, eyebrows furrowed while his dark-as-night eyes scrutinized Riley. Overall he was… “Perfect,” Riley heard himself murmur.
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iTunes: http://apple.co/2xSPow7
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Hot Tree Publishing Exclusive M/M Romance Collection
Get your “Game On!” These steamy 30,000 – 50,000-word novellas are filled with sexy athletes to drool over. Not only do the Game On stories offer heat, but the swoon-worthy men and HEAs will leave M/M romance lovers 100% satisfied.
AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER
TWO MINUTES IN THE BOX OR A LIFETIME OUT?
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Canadian born Laura N. Andrews moved to Australia when she was three years old. When she finished high school, she successfully completed her studies in law enforcement. Since then, she’s been working for over five years as a pharmacy assistant. When she’s not working or spending time with family and friends, you can find her either curled up with a book or writing one of her own.
Tagged excerpt, game on, giveaway, Hot Tree PublishingLeave a comment
December 8, 2017 December 8, 2017 oliviaventura
Author: Sidney Valentine
Title: Tamed by Christmas
Genre: Aussie Cowboy Romance
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2y1L75l
All other links: books2read.com/tamed
An Aussie cowboy, his feisty ex, and an unprecedented storm. Jett Wayne’s Christmas becomes complicated.
When Paris loses her job days before Christmas, her world crumbles. She returns to her parents’ home in outback Australia where she plans on eating enough food to fall into a coma and sleep straight until New Year’s. But when she unwittingly bumps into her ex on her way home, old feelings awaken.
Picking up Paris from the airport isn’t on Jett Wayne’s to-do list. Neither is dealing with their history or her cranky mood. Shit happens, like his one mistake that drove them apart. When he sees her again, he remembers the vulnerable girl from his hometown who rode horses bareback, who never backed down from an argument, and who stole his love.
When they find themselves stranded during an unprecedented storm, they’re faced with explosive emotions, secrets, and uncontrollable desires. Will Jett gamble on a second chance before Paris leaves him for good this time?
She spun, with bag in hand, and hoofed it down the room, dodging people left and right. She had to get away from him and fast.
“Paris!” Jett called out. “Wait up.”
Oh geez, because clearly the curse hadn’t finished with her, now it threw Jett in her face? What next? He’d invite her to his wedding and announce his wife-to-be was pregnant with twins. God, she shouldn’t care, but that might kill her. She had no boyfriend to gloat about, no job, and was returning to her parents’ place to hide from the world. Yep, her armoury was empty to battle against Jett. But it was more than just gloating or acting as if she was better than him. He was her first boyfriend, her first lover, her first true love. And she accepted long ago that he would always have a piece of her heart, but she sure as hell didn’t want him flaunting his awesome life in front of her. Bad enough everyone in Yalgoo would ask her a million questions, but Jett was a problem on a whole different plane of existence. She planned to stay in her parents’ house the whole visit to avoid bumping into him in town.
Footfalls closed in, and she glanced behind her to find him marching after her with determination, his brows pinched. With a huff, she stopped and whirled to face him. “What do you want?”
“Where are you off to in such a rush? Last time I saw you run this fast was when Ned’s bull escaped the yard and chased you down the street.” Those crystal eyes, crowned with thick brows, could have melted her on the spot, but she wouldn’t let him affect her. He’d done enough of that to last a lifetime.
“If I remember right, it was you who released the animal.”
He laughed, the sound a feather across her skin. How dare he make her feel good in his company? After what he did, he didn’t deserve a second of her time. “Well, it was great to reminisce with you,” she said. “I’ve got to go.”
“And where are you going exactly?”
Paris stormed off and responded without turning around. “Looking for my lift.”
“You’ve just found him.”
Wait! What? She stopped dead in her tracks and turned around, meeting his devilish grin. Oh, great. Thank you, universe, for topping my wonderful Christmas homecoming.
Continue reading “Excerpt & Giveaway!” →
Title: Blind Magic
Author: Natalina Reis
Genre: Rom-com with a twist of magic
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2xiIr7m
All others: books2read.com/blindmagic
Marcy has never been in love. But when Oliver Dawson walks into her store, she falls head over heels. Unable to shake the feeling that she and Oliver were made for each other, for the first time in her life, the quirky witch considers casting a love spell for herself.
Oliver’s life is turned upside down when he’s shot and almost killed. Even though events haven’t been kind to the sexy police detective, he’s determined to make the best of his situation. But still, nothing could have prepared him for feisty Marcy breaking down his defenses, nor the healing tea that leaves him gagging.
Unconventional and hell-bent on getting her man, the little witch soon weaves her magic and captures his heart. He’s more than willing to give it to her, but when faced with his painful and turbulent past, neither are sure they’ll get their happily ever after.
I stood up and walked around the desk, avoiding the corners and the inevitable bruises I always got when around tables, to come and hold on to his arm. My hand went under his elbow and I felt him quiver at my touch. Was that good or bad? His aura was clean, so I guessed good. “I actually met Dory on my way here. She knows I’m your escort today.” Somehow the word escort tickled my funny bone, and I giggled. “Not that kind though.”
Oliver looked at me quizzically at first and then chuckled along with me. We left his office arm in arm and were met with dozens of curious eyes and smiles. Either Oliver was a very popular character in the precinct or these people really liked my quirky looks. Feeling strangely self-conscious, I steered him through the main room out the front door and let out a sigh of relief when the cold air hit me straight in the face.
“Something wrong?” The detective seemed acutely aware of my changing mood.
“We got a lot of strange looks on the way out.” There was no reason to hide it from him. “I’m used to being stared at, but that was unsettling.”
To my surprise, he laughed. “Cops are a protective bunch. Ever since my injury they have been like mother hens watching over me, making sure I have all I need, that I am not depressed… a little overwhelming at times, but they mean well.” He let out a loud chuckle. “It’s a true miracle that I’m not round like a ball with the sheer quantity of donuts and other baked goods they make me eat every day.”
I stared at him, guiltily scanning his fantastic body from head to toe. “You don’t look any worse for the wear.” I bit my tongue but it was too late; it was out.
“Ms. Spellman! Are you checking me out?” For a blind man, he sure could see a bit too well. My lusty tone must have given me away. I blushed and shoved my polka-dot-rimmed glasses up my nose.
Opting for the truth rather than trying to blunder my way out of an embarrassing situation, I squeezed his elbow tighter. “Well, it’s not my fault that you are a fine specimen of the male species. Shame on you! Making us all swoon over you.”
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Author of We Will Always Have the Closet, Desert Jewel, and Loved You Always, Natalina wrote her first romance in collaboration with her best friend at the age of 13. Since then she has ventured into other genres, but romance is first and foremost in almost everything she writes.After earning a degree in tourism and foreign languages, she worked as a tourist guide in her native Portugal for a short time before moving to the United States. She lived in three continents and a few islands, and her knack for languages and linguistics led her to a master’s degree in education. She lives in Virginia where she has taught English as a Second Language to elementary school children for more years than she cares to admit.
Natalina doesn’t believe you can have too many books or too much coffee. Art and dance make her happy and she is pretty sure she could survive on lobster and bananas alone. When she is not writing or stressing over lesson plans, she shares her life with her husband and two adult sons.
Rafflecopter Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ea80a6ed280/
How to Celebrate the Holidays When You Hate Them – with Dahlia Donovan.
November 28, 2017 November 28, 2017 oliviaventura
Author: Dahlia Donovan
Title: The Unexpected Santa
Series: The Sin Bin, Book 5
Cover Designer:Claire Smith
Available now for only 99c
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2xOjYEz
All other links: books2read.com/santa
When a rugby bad boy butts heads with a retired Marine, which alpha male becomes top dog?
Scottie Monk came out of the womb angry at the world. He’s selfish and bitter. “Bah humbug!” rolls off his tongue far easier than “Happy Christmas.”
Gray Baird has dedicated his life to public service as a Marine Corps officer and later as a police chief. The decorated hero finds it impossible to ignore autistic twins in desperate need of holiday spirit. He’ll be the grumpiest Santa in the world if it puts a smile their faces. And he’ll drag a reluctant Scottie along for the ride.
This December, Gray and Scottie collide while unexpectedly playing Santa.
The short story The Unexpected Santa is book five in Dahlia Donovan’s international bestselling gay romance series, The Sin Bin. Each one features hot rugby players and the men who steal their hearts.
How to celebrate the holidays… when you hate them.
by Dahlia Donovan
Or, in other words, how Scottie celebrates Christmas.
Scottie Monk loathes the holidays. It’s the worst
time of the year in his opinion. Here are a few suggestions he has for how to
make it through December holiday parties and celebrations:
Seriously. Just fucking don’t.
Have a drink.
Start over at 1.
As to why, here’s a list of what he hates about
them:
Do you love celebrating the holidays? Or, like
Scottie, do you prefer to hide until all the fun is over?
Other Books in The Sin Bin Series
books2read.com/wanderer
books2read.com/caretakerThe Botanist
books2read.com/botanist
The Royal Marine
books2read.com/themarine
Dahlia Donovan wrote her first romance series after a crazy dream about shifters and damsels in distress. She prefers irreverent humour and unconventional characters. An autistic and occasional hermit, her life wouldn’t be complete without her husband and her massive collection of books and video games.
Tagged dahlia donovan, giveaway, Hot Tree Publishing, the sin binLeave a comment
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2krccgP
All other links: books2read.com/devoted1
Author: Gen Ryan
Title: When We Were Young
Series: Hopelessly Devoted #1
When she fell in love with her high school sweetheart, Rainey Matthews thought it’d be forever. But life has a habit of sneaking up and throwing a sucker punch when you least expect it.
Parker’s military career has become his top priority, leaving Rainey behind while he pursues his dreams. A combination of Parker’s PTSD and his actions threaten to tear Rainey’s heart right open, and she can no longer keep it together.
Then an unexpected lifeline appears and shows Rainey what it’s like to be cared for and loved. She finds herself happy for the first time in a while, but those sneaky sucker punches aren’t done, and keeping happiness will be an uphill battle.
Disclosure: Cliff-hanger ending. Part 2 Releases January 13th 2018
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2fOVLFH
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2xWXykh
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2xVpIib
iBooks: http://apple.co/2xWZZTZ
Nook: http://bit.ly/2xiX9YA
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2hPaPY
It was a feeling I’d never wish on my worst enemy: heartache. It felt like being dangled over the edge of a cliff and knowing if the person let go, you’d fall to your death. The anticipation, though, the hanging and waiting for them to release you, that was the worst part. The unknown, the fear. That’s what heartache was like. There was never a thought that someone else could come along and make me forget about my love for Parker. I never so much as thought of another guy. I put my all into our marriage, with the hope that maybe the person I loved would realize what he had in front of him.
Reality was, I was alone.
Despite my anger with Parker for signing up for another deployment, we worked as a team tonight, packing up his duffle bags and footlocker, filling it with his life. Sad thing was, his life fit in those bags and footlockers. It was filled with clothes, army gear, and whatever other items meant something to him. As I folded another green T-shirt, I let the tears fall. Despite everything, I was sad to see him go, but for the first time, I realized I wasn’t his life. Maybe I never had been.
“Babe.” Parker wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on my head. “It’s going to be all right.” I looked up at him as I often did, my eyes pleading with him to understand me. Every time I looked at Parker, I was transported back to the first day I saw him at the diner. I held on to that memory. It kept me going; it gave me hope. Looking up at him now, all I saw was loneliness, a lifetime of me hoping he would choose me, settle down and start a family. I would never ask him to give up what he loved for me, though. I couldn’t help but think if he loved me, he would have already chosen me and I wouldn’t even have to ask.
>>COMING SOON<<
Releases January 13, 2018
Preorder for 99c
Website I Facebook I Twitter I Goodreads
You can find Gen curled up reading paranormal romance and romantic thrillers or frantically typing her stories on her laptop.
Forensic psychology is her trade by day, teaching and molding the minds of college students. Her interest in psychology can be seen in her books, each including many psychological undertones. Although she loves teaching, her passion, her true love, lies in the stories that roam around in her head. Yes, they all come from her mind–the good, the bad, and the totally insane.Gen Ryan is an international best-selling author in multiple sub genres within romance. She lives in Massachusetts–no, not Boston–with her husband, daughter, and American Eskimo dog named Chewbacca. With each story she shares, she hopes her love for writing and storytelling seeps through, encompassing the reader and leaving them wanting more.
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What We Can Learn From Fashion Icon, Grace Kelly:
Mar 15, 2019 · 7 min read
Exuding Feminine Grace
Femininity… A nearly extinct trait in 2019.
Although we as women have the right to our own tastes, styles, and preferences when it comes to fashion, I can’t help but notice that it has become less and less popular to see women sporting classicly feminine attire.
We all have our own unique ideas on which types of clothes empower us, whether that be a “Glinda the Good Witch” style of ballgown or a more androgynous tux.
But for this blog post, let us specifically give praise to the ultra-feminine glittery glory of classic American femininity. The princess tulle, the diamonds, the pearls, the unashamed variety of pinks… All of it.
We should all have the right to dress in clothes that we feel most comfortable in, most like ourselves in, most fabulous in.
For me, the clothes I identify most with are ultra feminine. Ruffled dresses, tutu skirts, playful color pallets, and vintage circle skirts galore.
(That’s me looking like a creepy doll from a horror movie in one of my favorite vintage dresses)
My 50s style of dressing can certainly come across as off-putting to some sheeple who feel as though my fashion sense might imply that I am somehow less capable of doing everyday big-girl activities. As though my femininity somehow implies that I am of a lower class- Second class, to be exact.
This is far from true, of course.
I don’t see how wearing girly attire would stop me in any way from being able to live my life as a functional human being. So let us get one thing straight, people: Wearing pink frills does not imply that I am ditsy/less than/incapable.
It just means I like pink frills.
Let’s move on. Shall we?
I first laid eyes on Grace Kelly in the Alfred Hitchcock classic Rear Window. It was in my high school film class, and when the fashion icon entered the screen, nearly everyone in the room had let out a collective gasp.
We were all secretly intrigued, amazed, and in awe of her black and white tulle Paris dress. (Even the football jocks in my film class looked as though they could appreciate her sense of style!)
Fashion Magic
I, personally, was mesmerized by her style. Never had I wanted so badly to throw away all my overly expensive Lulu lemon pants for a set of those princess tulle gowns. I wanted to have the balls that it takes to be able to wear those types of dresses, to rock them fearlessly without any sense of shame for being “over the top” or “too girly”.
Where did this ultra-feminine look go? And has anyone had the balls to replicate her look since the 1950s?
Sure, they have.
But have their looks managed to measure up to Kelly’s?
Let us take a look and find out for ourselves!
These are the modern day style icons who manage to replicate the class of Princess Grace Kelly in their own unique way:
Yes, she is a fictional character from Mad Men, and yes, the show does take place in the 60s so Grace Kelly was still entirely relevant at this moment of time, but it is impossible not to include this woman as first on the list. January Jones’ character is nearly the spitting image of the Hollywood starlet, even being compared to Kelly several times on the show.
The stay-at-home mom has inspired female Mad Men viewers across the nation to embrace their feminine beauty and bring back the Grace Kelly era of style, from the poofy circle skirts to the classic pearls to the princess tulle. Bettie Draper’s style is perhaps the most replicative of Grace Kelly on this list, and this is perhaps done intentionally. Betty truly identifies with the “sad beauty” brand brought on by the fashion icon.
Just your typical dress you throw on while on your way to the local pharmacy.
2. Kerry Washington
almost a replica of Kelly’s Rear Window look.
Washington knows how to dress with pure elegance and understands the impact of femininity. Although her fashion style is diverse (like all of ours) she sure knows how to get all Grace Kelly’d up when she feels like it- And let me tell you, she knows how to slay the look.
It’s always so refreshing to see a celebrity wear such classic attire that embraces the more girly side of fashion. In a way, it allows a sense of empowerment to be embodied through textbook feminine energy.
That is one lucky water bottle!
Very similar to Kelly’s dress in “High Society”
Grande’s style has certainly evolved from “Glitter-Cupcake-Sprinkles Chic” to something that is a bit more resemblant of a dominatrix.
Quite the evolution of style there, missy.
Yet somewhere in the middle of these two styles, Grande seemed to feel most comfortable in classically feminine Kelly-esque attire.
Girl used to always rock this ultra feminine look back on her Nickelodeon days. A bit of a modern take on GK’s style.
The 5-foot small beauty wasn’t afraid to wear floor-length circle skirts and flirty 50s style dresses in a world where pop stars felt (and continue to feel) obliged to show a lot of skin to sell records.
Props to Ari for embracing her feminine elegance- Will the record-breaking pop star ever find herself going back to this look? Only time will tell. Personally, I would love for her to embrace this adorable look because this is the kind of class that could really inspire young women to feel confident and lovely while maintaining ultimate poise.
4. Carrie Bradshaw
When we think of the fictional yet revolutionary Bradshaw, her unique sense of fashion almost always comes to mind. We can’t forget the sex columnist’s tutu skirts oddly mismatched with sporty tops. The strange yet fascinating combo of masculine and feminine attire mixed together in one are impossible to forget, and the best part is, they scream Carrie Bradshaw. The looks are so authentic to her individual character, while at the same time she manages to pay homage to the romantic look that Kelly inspired us all with.
5. Barbie
Yep, Barbie literally replicated Princess Kelly in 2011, offering a lovely set of dolls to sport her most memorable dresses. From her 1955 Cannes Film Festival look to her To Catch a Thief sophisticated gown, these collections do not fail to disappoint, proving that decades later Kelly’s beautiful and retro femininity is just as appreciated now as it was at the height of her fame.
In conclusion, Kelly can teach us today in 2019 not to be afraid of embracing our feminine side. Doing so is not only classy, but also classic. Why not exude elegance and poise in an era of crop tops and booty shorts? Of course, there’s nothing wrong with these styles and they can be quite adorable too, but Grace Kelly’s looks can remind us all that an option exists out there of which exudes sophistication and posh. It is the classic, ultra-feminine look.
Simone Torn
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ENCYCLOPEDIA BLAZERTANNICA
BaldMart
Rog's Thoughts On the USMNT's Day of Reckoning
USA vs. Argentina Copa America Semifinal
Men In Blazers
I did not sleep much last night. And I am sure you did not either. The Day of Reckoning is upon us. The United States of America face Number One in the world Argentina in the semi-final of the Copa America Centenario. Make no mistake about it. This is the biggest U.S. Men’s game played on home turf since the 1994 World Cup Round of 16 Brazil 1 USA 0.
Let me rephrase that: Not strictly the USA, but a severely depleted USA…
Suspension will rob a suddenly stable starting eleven of Gritty Work’s Ale Bedoya, St. Bobby Wood, and Tenacity’s Jermaine Jones. The big tactical question this raises is obvious: who now is going to do the “punching in the face”?
Wait. It gets worse: Argentina really want to win this game. They have not lifted silverware at a major tournament since 1993. For all of the trophies, tchotchkes and baubles he has amassed at club level, Lionel Messi has never won one in an Argentina jersey… this will be a truly motivated Los Albicelestes eleven.
As such, tonight’s game conjures so many conflicting emotions. Nervous excitement. Fear of humiliation with the entire nation looking. A long held desire, that is all the more powerful for being primal, emotional, and inarticulate, that the U.S. MIGHT JUST DO IT AND SHOCK THE WORLD…
Even though I have spent an inordinate amount of time praying to R'hllor and the drowned god, my overriding emotion is this: This is a great day for the sport of soccer in this country. A slice of the future played out in the present. The United States going up against an elite team in a semi-final played on American soil is a taste of World Cup 2026 lived in the now.
Lionel Messi, Kun Aguero, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuaín are going to run at the United States. Just typing that sentence I feel like Arya stark running through her Hit List in whispered tones. But take solace: The “Best Player in the World” is poised to come up against the “Best Player in the World named Kyle.” Let us pray Beckerman’s Tax Fraud Trash Talk game is on INSERT THREE FIRE EMOJIS.
How exactly are the US going to do it?
We could employ “The Waif Strategy” which involves luring the entire Argentine eleven into a small, windowless room and then blowing out the candle.
The good news is THERE IS NO PRESSURE ON THE UNITED STATES. They play this game with House Money. Jurgen Klinsmann set reaching the semi-finals as this team’s goal. Though many chortled, the U.S. made it. As Jermaine Jones told me yesterday in a Copa America Pod Special [LISTEN HERE], “There's really no pressure on us. The pressure was on us when people said, 'They have to come out of the group.' And then they said, 'Oh, they have no chance. They will not come out of the group.' That was pressure. At the end of the day, we've won already with what we did.” Look at the results Wales, Iceland, and even Northern Ireland have conjured when the pressure was on their opponents over the course of the past week. Whatever happens tonight, the United States will play, what for many of the starters will be the game of their career, with freedom, and the ability to savor the experience.
The United States will drop bodies back and attempt to smother Lionel Messi and the formidable attacking four. We will try and soak up the pressure. Brad Guzan is in the form of his life. He will have to unfurl a game which makes Tim Howard’s Belgium antics look like practice. The United States best chances of scoring will be off set pieces, free kicks or Clint Dempsey just providing the kind of miracle play he made routine in the scrub fields of Nacogdoches, Texas.
The joy of international football, in which chemistry and collective cohesion (see Ronaldo’s Portugal) counts for so much is that miracles can and do happen. In the run up to tonight’s game I have watched and re-watched the United States’ 2002 World Cup 3-2 glory against Portugal -- the Portugal of Figo, Rui Costa, and Pauletta. All of whom were powerless as the United States of Brian McBride and John O’Brien charged to a 3-0 lead within the first 36 minutes. I asked Jermaine Jones to sum up the mentality of this United States team and the way he described it: "You go hard, we go harder. We come back at you…” conjured memories of that defiantly collective 2002 squad.
Irrespective, I think the most important thing about tonight is this: Just enjoy it. Wherever you are watching. Whomever you are watching with. Even if you are one of the players, savor every second and make fantastic memories. Because whatever happens tonight, the success of this tournament and the United States' journey lies in the belief and muscle memory it will equip future USMNT teams with when they reach the wide-open waters of a World Cup knockout round. They will draw on the experience of the Ecuador victory and tell themselves, we CAN win games in the elimination stage, when football is played without a safety net.
So for one night: Let’s forgo drinking Malbec, prepare to overuse American flag emojis, scream with all of our energy, and get ready to witness a sporting gift, and dream of a night so magical, that in nine months time, there will be a glut of American babies named Kyle, Darlington, and Jurgen.
USMNTArgentinaCopa America
Judgment day is upon on rog muses on the usmnts…
By Men In Blazers
USMNT Songs
Usmnts biggest game ever read rogs piece on…
After the usmnts loss to belgium rog and davo…
© 2020 Men in Blazers
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Blade Nzimande lashed for ‘cash cow’ claims
A strongly worded statement from the South African Students’ Congress (Sasco) in the Western Cape has lashed out at Nzimande over his assertion that FET students had turned the National Student Financial Aid Scheme into a “cash cow”.
“We cannot allow money meant to assist students with their studies and transport to be used as a cash cow. Any unused funds will be allocated in the following year … It cannot be abused. FETs are not social welfares and we do not give money for (cellphone) airtime. Those who ask for change must know, there is no change,” Nzimande was quoted in the Daily News as having told a press briefing in Durban last week.
But Sasco dismissed Nzimande’s comments as “unscientific”.
“We are not only shocked but are taken aback to learn about his eloquence that seemed for a moment to purport a particular exceptional knowledge about the challenges that face us on a daily basis,” said Sasco in its statement.
Monwabisi Luthuli, Sasco’s secretary in the Western Cape, told the Mail & Guardian that they deemed Nzimande’s statement to be “narrow” and meant to “undermine working class people’s struggles”.
“It is a reckless and narrow statement of a person who does not understand what causes [students’] poor performance in the colleges,” Luthuli said. He denied students were abusing funds.
Too little
The country’s 50 FET colleges cater mainly for students from poor families. This year R1.7-billion has been allocated as bursaries for students in the colleges. The government wants to increase the number of students studying at these colleges to four million by 2030.
Currently over 437 000 students are registered at the colleges, which primarily provide vocational and practical skills training.
At the centre of the row is state financial aid for FET students’ transportation. Eligible students can claim up to R6 000 per year for transport but dissatisfaction with receiving less money when claiming drove a recent wave of protests in the colleges.
The higher education department appears to be under the impression that students at FETs claim for more than they used. Gwebinkundla Qonde, the department’s director general, said they gathered that students in the colleges were “demanding to be given the unused amount in instances where transport costs for the year were less than the full allocated amount of R6 000”.
But Sasco said students struggled to travel to class, as allocations were not enough and were never allocated on time. Some even resorted to sex work to raise money for transport, Sasco claimed.
“Where is Nzimande each weekend when we witness … our young college sisters of the working class between the age of 18 and 21 at Strand Streets in Cape Town and elsewhere selling their bodies in an attempt to generate money for travel allowance and other basic necessities,” said the organisation.
Sasco said it has “lost hope” in Nzimande “as a critical player of progressive realisation of free education at tertiary institutions and even at FET colleges as per the resolution of the ANC Polokwane conference”.
Blade Nzimande
Bongani Nkosi
South African Students Congress
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Apple MacBook Air Unboxing
By Boyd Chan in Apple, CPU, Flash, Google, i7, Intel, Interfaces, Macintosh, MacOS, Operating Systems, Processors, Storage, Technology, USB, YouTube
My wife had been hanging out for a MacBook Air and I had encouraged her to wait until the refreshed model became available with Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion). Well, that happened last week and the order was placed shortly thereafter.
As always, I had to do an unboxing video. I cover some of the important specs such as the CPU and SSD and go around the laptop identifying the various ports and sockets. Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to do a preview video soon but rest assured as soon as I do I will share it with you all.
In the meantime, enjoy the unboxing video!
FYI – the video will be available in up to 720p (YouTube can take a little while to process the higher resolutions) if you right click on the video and choose “Watch on YouTube” and change the resolution setting.
Apple, CPU, dual-core, Google, i7, Intel, Lion, Mac OS X, Macbook Air, SSD, unboxing, USB, YouTube
Boyd Chan
My name is Boyd and I’m a Service Management Specialist with a knack for operational data gathering, transformation, analysis and reporting.
I obtained my Masters of Science in Information Technology through the University of New South Wales @ The Australia Defence Force Academy (UNSW@ADFA).
I was also part of an online community known as the Panasonic Insider Crew in the capacity of “Insider Guru” for Panasonic Australia where I interacted with other tech enthusiasts and find out more about Panasonic's latest gadgets.
I love technology, gadgets and the Internet and maintain a keen interest in these areas locally, nationally and globally. I hope by sharing my views on these topics that people will receive an honest point of view from someone external to the media and genuinely interested in the issues.
These days, I write and edit article for Neowin on a fairly regular basis - you can check out my articles over @ https://www.neowin.net/news/poster/boyd_chan
I hope you enjoy reading my blog!
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Live Review, Music Review, Sheffield
Live Review: Kasabian at Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield. 10th December 2011.
December 11, 2011 July 21, 2019 by Charlotte Pearson
Kasabian, Miles Kane.
Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield.
10th December 2011, 7:30pm.
Already quite a well-established artist, Miles Kane attracted a relatively big crowd for his supporting slot tonight. Some already fans and some just curious to see what all the hype was about. He put on an amazing set full of songs off of his debut album ‘Colour of the Trap’. Songs such as ‘Telepathy’ and ‘Quicksand’ created sing a long moments getting the crowd fully warmed up for what was to come. His 60’s inspired sound goes down well with the older members of the audience as well as the younger contingent. Finishing up on his two most successful singles to date ‘Come Closer’ and ‘Inhaler’ really sparks some more life into the crowd. A brilliant set which surely leaves him having converted some more people to his cause.
Kasabian take to the stage in a sea of lights and a roar of cheers from the over excited crowd, kicking straight into ‘Days Are Forgotten’ the perfect opener for this Saturday night show. The fact that so many hits are aired so early into the set like ‘Shoot The Runner’, ‘Underdog’ and ‘Where Did All The Love Go?’ shows that this is a band with plenty of brilliant songs in their back catalogue. Their set is a mix of brand new songs off of current album ‘Velociraptor!’ and older classics from their first three albums. ‘Thick As Thieves’ took the tempo down a peg or two to become a beautiful moment for the swaying crowd. ‘Club Foot’, ‘Re-wired’ and ‘Empire’ bring the pace back up and really shows just how much energy this packed out arena crowd have in them tonight. Onstage the Leicester quartet are a true rock and roll band, in full control of the crowd’s attention with the perfect swagger in their step and attitude in the way they talk to their audience to remind you of the great rock bands of the past. This is a rock and roll show in all its glory but there is still a nod to the fact it’s nearly Christmas with an impromptu rendition of ‘Jingle Bells’ from band and fans halfway through the set. Ending on ‘L.S.F’ shows that the band’s earlier songs were just as good as their current work and gets one of the best reactions of the night. However, it’s the encore that is really special, ‘Switchblade Smiles’ and ‘Vlad The Impaler’ have all the energy to insight a lot of bouncing in the crowd. The perfect finisher for tonight though was definitely ‘Fire’ with its festival anthem status easily creating the biggest and loudest sing a long of the night. It’s fair to say that Kasabian are the biggest rock band in the UK right now and with live shows like this and the amount of brilliant songs they have in their back catalogue it could be a while before the UK produces another band to challenge them of this title.
Kasabian Miles Kane Motorpoint Arena
Live Review: Friendly Fires at Engine Shed, Lincoln. 22nd November 2011.
the best bits of 2011.
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The big holiday 2017 e-commerce wrap-up: Adobe, NRF, Salesforce, Amazon point to another record season
Adobe reports 2017 holiday e-commerce revenue climbed to $108.2 billion, beating forecasts by nearly $1 billion.
Amy Gesenhues on January 17, 2018 at 3:44 pm
The 2017 holiday season was another record-breaker in online sales.
Adobe reported $108.2 billion in online sales generated between November and December of last year, an increase of 14.7 percent year over year. Adobe’s final numbers were nearly a billion dollars more than what the company had predicted back in November, when it forecast online holiday sales would reach $107.4 billion.
Adobe’s online sales results are more than $30 billion less than the holiday online “and other non-store” sales of $138.4 billion that the National Retail Federation (NRF) reported. The NRF numbers represent an increase of 11.5 percent year over year.
Why the gap? While Adobe’s numbers are based on 80 percent of online transactions for the largest 100 online US retailers, NRF’s Craig Shearman, vice president for government affairs public relations, says his organization uses official government data from the Census Bureau.
“Census only reports online sales as such on a quarterly basis. On a monthly basis they report non-store sales,” says Shearman, “The bulk of non-store sales are online sales. The rest are channels such as mail-order catalogs, telephone sales, kiosks at the mall and vending machines.”
The NRF’s final sales numbers also came ahead of its earlier projection of $137.7 — by nearly $700 million.
NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay says that 2017’s booming holiday e-commerce results prove retail is the most nimble industry in the economy.
“Retail today doesn’t look like retail 10 years ago, and it certainly won’t look the same in another 10 years,” says Shay, noting how the retail industry continues to transform and reinvent itself to meet consumer demands.
Search marketing agency NetElixir also released 2017 holiday e-commerce findings, focusing on growth rates versus final sales numbers. Analyzing 400 million e-commerce visits from holiday traffic across its client base, NetElixir says e-commerce sales were up 13 percent year over year, falling in the middle of Adobe’s and NRF’s reported growth rates.
Mobile holiday activity continues to rise
In addition to overall growth, NetElixir reports mobile visits jumped across most retail categories, with apparel seeing the largest growth at 32 percent.
“All other categories saw single-digit increases for mobile visits, indicating that shoppers were using mobile devices more for browsing and product research this holiday season than before,” says NetElixir.
Adobe’s digital insights managing analyst, Siddharth Kukami, says consumers spent more time and money on their mobile device this holiday season than ever before. According to Adobe’s findings, mobile accounted for 33.1 percent of the total $108.2 billion generated, bringing in $35.9 billion.
Salesforce also saw a surge in holiday mobile purchases. The company isn’t releasing its full 2017 holiday e-commerce report until later this month but did share a few bullet points around its holiday e-commerce results with Marketing Land.
According to Salesforce, 46 percent of all online orders on Thanksgiving Day 2017 happened on a mobile device. Christmas Day experienced the biggest jump in mobile shopping, with 50 percent of all online orders happening on mobile devices.
2017’s biggest revenue drivers during the holidays: paid search & email campaigns
Adobe says organic and paid search brought in the most revenue during the 2017 holiday season, with search driving 44.8 percent of all online holiday visits — paid search at 23.5 percent and organic at 21.3 percent.
Email was also a big driver of holiday revenue, accounting for 20 percent of online holiday site visits.
NetElixir says search marketers saw a 19.4 percent increase in average order values (AOV) during the 2017 holiday season, with conversions up 15.6 percent and impressions up 12.8 percent. The average cost per click also increased by 14.2 percent.
Udayan Bose, NetElixir’s CEO, says retailers should be paying special attention to the nearly 20 percent increase in AOVs it tracked.
“This dramatic increase implies that consumers are growing more comfortable making expensive purchases online,” says Bose, “The overall positive trend of other search marketing metrics indicate[s] that digital marketing is growing in effectiveness, leading consumers to the brands and products they are interested to purchase.”
Looking at 2017 online holiday AOVs for large retailers versus small retailers, Adobe says larger retailers’ AOV was two times higher than small retailers’ overall. For desktop holiday purchases, large retailers’ AOV was $176 compared to small retailers’ AOV of $86. On tablets, large retailers saw AOVs of $169 versus small retailers’ AOV of $79.
On mobile phones, small retailers’ AOVs were still less than large retailers’, but the margin was narrower at $149 versus $75.
Adobe found small retailers had the advantage when it came to converting online holiday visits to purchases, outperforming large retailers across the board on desktops, tablets and mobile phones.
Adobe: Average Conversion Over 5-day Holiday Weekend by Retailer Size
What about Amazon?
Amazon says it experienced its biggest holiday season in 2017, with more than a billion items ordered from small businesses around the world. The e-commerce giant also reported a nearly 70 percent increase in the number of global shoppers using the Amazon app this holiday season.
“Prime membership continued to grow this holiday,” said Amazon announcing its 2017 holiday results. “In one week alone, more than four million people started Prime free trials or began paid memberships.”
Slice Intelligence, a digital commerce analytics agency, says Amazon’s holiday sales were 25 percent compared to overall channel growth of 24 percent.
“November is actually Amazon’s weakest point of the year in terms of market share,” wrote Slice Intelligence principle analyst, Ken Cassar. “Amazon’s share January through October of 2017 was 37 percent, compared with 32 percent during November.”
Cassar says aggressive promotions and advertising initiatives from brick-and-mortar stores like Target, Walmart and other Amazon competitors helped these retailers take back market share during the holiday season.
If you’re curious about how search marketing strategies impacted this year’s holiday retail season, be sure to register for the SMX-sponsored webinar, “Holiday Retail Search Strategies 2017: What worked, what didn’t” on January 18. Marketing Land associate editor Ginny Marvin will join Brad Geddes, co-founder of Adalysis, Elite SEM’s Aaron Levy and CommerceHub’s Elizabeth Marsten to discuss how search marketing strategies performed during the 2017 holiday season and share results from SMX’s year-end Holiday Retail Search Marketing Survey.
You can register for the webinar at Holiday Retail Search Strategies 2017: What worked, what didn’t.
AmazonChannel: RetailE-CommerceHoliday RetailerStatistics: Online Shopping
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REVIEWS: 10 RECENT HORRORS IN TIME FOR HALLOWEEN!
September 30, 2019 by MonsterZero NJ in Horror You Might Have Missed, Reviews and tagged Artik, Bliss, Candy Corn, Depraved, Haunt, Hell House LLC III: Lake of FIre, It: Chapter Two, Itsy Bitsy, Ready or Not, Satanic Panic | Leave a comment
Harper (Katie Stevens) and friends find the wrong Halloween attraction to visit in Haunt!
10 RECENT HORRORS IN TIME FOR HALLOWEEN!
The Halloween 🎃 season is here and once again horror flicks are filling theaters and online streaming platforms. There have been a number of spooky movies recently released and reviewed here and it’s time to recap some of these frights flicks. Click on the links to read the reviews to help decide which chillers and thrillers you’ll want to add to your Halloween watch list!…
Ready or Not finds pretty Grace (Samara Weaving) about to marry into the wealthy but eccentric Le Domas family, who have grown rich on games and pro sports. After taking her vows with their son Alex (Mark O’Brien), it’s revealed she must follow tradition and play a game with the family at midnight. The game, chosen from a mysterious box, is hide and seek. What Grace also soon finds out is that she must hide as the family hunts her and that she must be captured and sacrificed before dawn to appease the mysterious Mr. Le Bail, who is responsible for the family’s success. If they don’t, they will all die. Now Grace is in a fight for her very life as she is alone and pursued through the labyrinth-like mansion…. CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW!
Flick has divorced home-care nurse Kara Spencer (Elizabeth Roberts) taking a job as a caretaker for an elderly man named Walter Clark (Bruce Davison). She movies into his guest house with her two kids Jesse (Arman Darbo) and Cambria (Chloe Perrin). Clark is a collector of ancient artifacts and has recently come into possession of an illegally obtained tribal vessel that when broken open unleashes a vicious entity that takes the form of an enormous and deadly spider. Now, unknown to them, it’s loose inside the house and out for blood…theirs…. CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW!
IT: CHAPTER 2
It: Chapter Two is an adaptation of the second half of Stephen King’s classic novel, focusing on the characters as adults, though we still visit them as kids in flashbacks. It’s been 27 years since we last saw the characters and something sinister is stirring in Derry once more. Only Mike Hanlon (Isaiah Mustafa) has remained and summons the other “Losers” Bill (James McAvoy), Bev (Jessica Chastain), Ben (Jay Ryan), Richie (Bill Hader), Eddie (James Ransone) and Stanley (Andy Bean) to return home to face Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård), hopefully for the last time. Stanley commits suicide, but the remaining members reluctantly return and must face some of their own personal demons before they can confront the demonic clown…who has been patiently waiting for them…. CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW!
Simple plot finds pizza delivery girl Sam (Hayley Griffith) delivering to a rich neighborhood and stumbling into a Satanic ceremony. She’s chosen as a sacrifice due to her virgin status, but the resourceful young lady escapes. She meets up with the Satanic Coven Leader Danica’s (Rebecca Romijn) outcast daughter Judi (Ruby Modine), who is in peril of her own and the two try to evade capture. Can the two women escape almost certain death with the forces of evil in hot pursuit?…. CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW!
Story finds pretty Harper (Katie Stevens) trying to part with abusive boyfriend Sam (Samuel Hunt) and heading out to party on Halloween night with friends Bailey (Lauryn Alisa McClain), Angela (Shazi Raja) and Mallory (Schuyler Helford). At a club, they run into a couple of guys, Nathan (Will Brittain) and Evan (Andrew Caldwell) and decide to leave with them to find a Halloween haunt, dragging a reluctant Harper along. They stumble upon one such haunt, in the middle of nowhere and soon find they may have picked the wrong haunt to haunt…. CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW!
Halloween set horror has a group of small town thugs following their cruel Halloween tradition of pranking local boy Jacob (Nate Chaney), who now works for a carnival. Their bullying takes an unexpected turn when Jacob finally fights back and they accidentally kill him in retaliation. The carnival’s ring master Dr. Death (Pancho Moler from Rob Zombie’s 31) uses his voodoo powers to resurrect Jacob as a mask wearing monster that avenges himself brutally on his attackers, leaving candy corn stuffed in their dead mouths…. CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW!
HELL HOUSE LLC III: LAKE OF FIRE (2019)
Shudder Exclusive takes place nine years after the events of the first film with a new chapter of the story told with new footage. We find that the Abaddon Hotel was finally set to be demolished after all the death and disappearances that have occurred there. It was suddenly purchased in 2018 by entrepreneur Russell Wynn (Gabriel Chytry) to be used to stage his performance show Insomnia. He asked the new host of Morning Mysteries, Vanessa Shepherd (Elizabeth Vermilyea) to cover the set-up of the show with his cast and crew, leading up to opening night. It’s mostly her footage we are witnessing, as once again spooky things are documented occurring at the infamous location, leading up to an opening performance where all Hell breaks loose…literally…. CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW!
Artik (Jerry G. Angelo) is a man who lives on a sunflower farm and likes to draw comics. He’s also a man who likes to imprison children to work on the farm and kill people. He’s trying to teach his son (Gavin White) the serial killer trade, until his son befriends a stranger (Chase Williamson) who starts to open the boy’s eyes about his dad’s “hobby”…and by that we don’t mean the comics…. CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW!
Modern day Frankenstein tale has former army medic Henry (David Call) suffering from a traumatic tour in the Middle East and wanting to use his talents for a good purpose. He teams up with pharmaceutical exec Polidori (Joshua Leonard) to combine a new drug and Henry’s medical skills in the creation of a human being from spare body parts. Adam (Alex Breaux) is the result and at first seems like a naive child, but as in all such tales, the combination of the harshness of the world around him and the truth of his existence turns Adam’s curiosity and innocence into anger and rage…. CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW!
Dezzy (Dora Madison) is a down on her luck artist and drug abuser who is having trouble finishing a piece that could turn her life around. She vents her frustration in a night of debauchery, involving alcohol, a new drug from her dealer and a threesome with friend Courtney (Tru Collins) and Courtney’s boyfriend Ronnie (Rhys Wakefield). Not only does this get her working on her painting again, but gives her an insatiable appetite for blood…. CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW!
Ten recent flicks, which isn’t bad considering only a few years ago there wasn’t much new to celebrate All Hallow’s Eve with. Not all of these are classics, but read the reviews and decide for your spooky selves which films will make you shiver for the Halloween season!
You’ll have to excuse Judi (Ruby Modine), she’s having a bit of a Satanic Panic.
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE ESTIMATES SEPT 27-29
September 29, 2019 by MonsterZero NJ in News and tagged Weekend Box Office | Leave a comment
1. “Abominable” $20.8 Million
2. “Downton Abbey” $14.5 Million
3. “Hustlers” $11.5 Million
4. “It: Chapter Two” $10.4 Million
5. “Ad Astra” $10.1 Million
6. “Rambo: Last Blood” $8.6 Million
7. “Judy” $3 Million
8. “Good Boys” $2 Million
9. “The Lion King” $1.6 Million
10. “Angel Has Fallen” $1.5 Million
HORROR YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED: BLISS (2019)
September 28, 2019 by MonsterZero NJ in Horror You Might Have Missed and tagged Bliss, Dora Madison, Jeremy Gardner, Joe Begos, Rhys Wakefield, Tru Collins, vampire movie | 2 Comments
BLISS (2019)
Dezzy (Dora Madison) is a down on her luck artist and drug abuser who is having trouble finishing a piece that could turn her life around. She vents her frustration in a night of debauchery, involving alcohol, a new drug from her dealer and a threesome with friend Courtney (Tru Collins) and Courtney’s boyfriend Ronnie (Rhys Wakefield). Not only does this get her working on her painting again, but gives her an insatiable appetite for blood.
Joe Begos writes and directs this sometimes hallucinogenic tale of artistic block, depravity and vampirism. Begos’ first two features Almost Human and The Mind’s Eye were homage heavy flicks, though very entertaining. Here he shows he can do something outside of his influences and do it well, even on a very small budget, which seems to suit Begos. While not a traditional vampire tale, as Dezzy has no fangs and doesn’t turn into any creatures of the night, it has some gory demises once Dezzy’s thirst drives her to kill. Whatever she is, can be killed by a wooden stake, as Courtney demonstrates by finishing off one of Dezzy’s victims, and apparently sunlight can be lethal, too. Vampires or not, this is a tale of excess and Begos sometimes put’s his audience inside Dezzy’s head trips and it gives us a sense of the state of mind the troubled artist is in. It’s a trip and a disturbing one for all the right reasons. The gore is very plentiful and well orchestrated and the film itself has a raw feel to it that works very well, as it revels in the seedier side of Los Angeles nightlife. A contemporary vampire tale substituting ancient curses and cloves of garlic for sex, drugs and rock n’ roll.
While there are quite a few supporting players, it’s very much a one woman show and lead Dora Madison (Exists) rises to the occasion. She dives into the role with a passionate yet very real performance. One doesn’t feel like they are watching a movie character, but a real person whose artistic nature has her living a life of excesses and extreme stimulation, and this is before she is transformed into a creature of the night. Her role requires a lot of nudity, drug use and hedonistic behavior, not to mention outbursts of rage, anger and violence when she realizes something is very wrong with her and her bloodlust takes hold. The actress performs it all very well. The supporting cast, such as Collins as Courtney and Jeremy Gardner as Dezzy’s “friend” Clive all create interesting people who seem to dwell more within the underground lifestyle of L.A. A good cast of interesting characters.
Overall, Begos is once again proving he is a filmmaker to watch. His homages to The Thing (Almost Human) and Scanners (The Mind’s Eye) were solid flicks that paid respectful tribute to their inspirations. Here Begos shows he can operate outside his influences and presents a tale of a young woman’s downward spiral into madness, depravity and murder all in the name of artistic expression. It’s trippy, gory and dirty and sleazy in all the right places. Looking forward to Begos’ upcoming VFW about a group of war veterans under siege at a VFW hall.
Rated 3 and 1/2 (out of 4) fangs, even if Dezzy doesn’t have any.
HORROR YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED: DEPRAVED (2019)
September 27, 2019 by MonsterZero NJ in Horror You Might Have Missed and tagged Addison Timlin, Alex Breaux, Ana Kayne, Chloe Levine, David Call, Depraved, Frankenstein, IFC Midnight, Joshua Leonard, Larry Fessenden, Mary Shelley | 1 Comment
DEPRAVED (2019)
Modern day Frankenstein tale has former army medic Henry (David Call) suffering from a traumatic tour in the Middle East and wanting to use his talents for a good purpose. He teams up with pharmaceutical exec Polidori (Joshua Leonard) to combine a new drug and Henry’s medical skills in the creation of a human being from spare body parts. Adam (Alex Breaux) is the result and at first seems like a naive child, but as in all such tales, the combination of the harshness of the world around him and the truth of his existence turns Adam’s curiosity and innocence into anger and rage.
Larry Fessenden is one of the hardest working people in indie horror and here he returns to write, direct, produce and edit this New York set modern day Frankenstein. He does so very well and presents an intriguing and effecting updating of the oft told classic tale. Fessenden has updated the players. His Dr. Frankenstein is now an emotionally disturbed combat veteran, who thinks he can bring his healing talents to the world through Adam. The manipulative Polidori represents big pharma and wants to promote his new healing drug and will go to any lengths, even murder, to do so through Henry’s work. Their “creature” Adam is a bandage for Henry’s emotional wounds, while to Polidori, he is a marketing tool to be exploited. Adam himself, is a conflicted being trying to deal with his “new” and complex emotions, the vague memories of a past life and find his place in this sometimes “depraved” world. His anger and rage over wanting to be loved and treated like a human being sets-up a tragic and violent last act much like in Shelley’s classic. Fessenden tells this new slant on the story well and might be one of the few filmmakers who could successfully transport Mary Shelley’s gothic tale from Victorian England to the warehouse loft apartments and sometimes mean streets of modern day New York City. Fessenden’s script presents Adam as sympathetic and we do feel for him, as he is manipulated and taught about being human by possibly the two worst choices in Henry and his partner. Only Henry’s girlfriend Liz (Ana Kayne) shows any true compassion for Adam as a person and not a thing. It’s an interesting and involving telling and possibly the freshest take on the classic story in quite some time.
The cast are really good here. David Call as Henry, much like his namesake, is also a bit sympathetic as his original intent is good. A skilled combat medic who has discovered ways to revive the very recently dead and Adam represents all the soldiers he couldn’t save. He is sometimes overprotective of Adam till he, like Shelley’s doctor, realizes he may have made a mistake, when Adam starts to grow frustrated and uncooperative. Blair Witch Project’s Joshua Leonard is solid as the scheming and somewhat flamboyant Polidori. He sees Adam as a showpiece to demonstrate a new drug and even somewhat of a toy. His idea of introducing the world to the “creation” is to take him to strip clubs and introduce him to illegal drugs, sleazy women and alcohol. Alex Breaux is very impressive and sympathetic as Adam. Adam must learn to handle his emotions all over again. It’s no surprise he is conflicted with such bad examples to teach him and being haunted by memories and people from another life. Finding out who he really is and how he came to be, pushes him over the edge. We sympathize with him and never see him as a “monster” even when he causes harm. Ana Kayne is good as the sweet and caring Liz, as is Addison Timlin as Shelley, a playful yet ill-fated girl Adam encounters in a bar. A good cast.
Overall, Fessenden has given a very intriguing and sometimes intense update of a time worn classic. He puts a contemporary modern day New York spin on Mary Shelley’s legendary tale. The heart and soul of the original story are here, but woven in with more modern day themes. Adam, the “monster”, is sympathetic and we understand his growing frustration and eventual anger. An intriguing new take on a classic story by filmmaker Larry Fessenden.
Rated 3 and 1/2 (out of 4) Adams.
BARE BONES: MIDSOMMAR (2019)
September 26, 2019 by MonsterZero NJ in Bare Bones and tagged Ari Aster, Florence Pugh, Hereditary, Jack Reynor, Midsommar | Leave a comment
Dani (Florence Fighting WIth My Family Pugh) has suffered a major trauma with her sister murdering her parents before taking her own life. Despite wanting out of the relationship, her boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor) invites her to join he and some of his friends in Sweden for a remote village’s midsummer festival. Faster than you can say The Wicker Man things get very weird…and possibly deadly for the group.
Ari Aster is an interesting filmmaker, though here in his sophomore effort, he fails to connect with his story of pagan rituals, bloody violence and emotionally damaged characters. The backstory of emotional trauma, the distressed relationships and the sparse horror elements don’t mix nearly as well, or as interestingly, as they did in Hereditary. In fact Midsommar is quite tedious and extremely overlong at 147 minutes and the disturbing moments are few and far between. Sometimes the film seems like it’s being weird just for weird’s sake and there is really not much of a story to actually be told. Also, by the time the ending comes, we’ve been so bludgeoned with strange acts and behavior, it has no impact and is kinda what we expected to happen, anyway. There are moments of brutal and gory violence here, like in Hereditary, but it doesn’t seem nearly as effective. The cast of mostly fresh faces are a mixed bag, with Pugh trying hard, but when the story seems like it’s being made up as it goes along, even the strongest performance looses it’s potency. An interesting and colorful curiosity, but ultimately, a whole lot of boring strangeness that really doesn’t add up to much in the end.
BARE BONES: ARTIK (2019)
September 25, 2019 by MonsterZero NJ in Bare Bones, Horror You Might Have Missed and tagged Artik, Chase Williamson, Epic Pictures, Gavin White, Jerry G. Angelo, Lauren Ashley Carter, Tom Botchii Skowronski | 1 Comment
ARTIK (2019)
Artik (Jerry G. Angelo) is a man who lives on a sunflower farm and likes to draw comics. He’s also a man who likes to imprison children to work on the farm and kill people. He’s trying to teach his son (Gavin White) the serial killer trade, until his son befriends a stranger (Chase Williamson) who starts to open the boy’s eyes about his dad’s “hobby”…and by that we don’t mean the comics.
Film is actually well directed by Tom Botchii Skowronski from his own script. It has some disturbing moments and some gruesome violence, as we watch a man teaching a boy to become a killer. We add in that boy coming of age and having conflict over what he is seeing, especially when he makes a friend who crosses the brutal Artik’s path. It adds an intriguing element to a familiar tale. Sure, we’ve seen countless serial killer flicks before and the serial killer mentoring a youth has been done already in Bereavement, but Skowronski presents it well and gets really good performances out of his cast. He gives the scenes of violence some impact and intensity and the film doesn’t wear out it’s welcome at just under 80 minutes. Worth a look. Also stars indie horror familiar face Lauren Ashley Carter as Artik’s demented partner (wife?) Flin.
FAREWELL AND R.I.P. TO THE LEGENDARY SID HAIG!
September 23, 2019 by MonsterZero NJ in News and tagged Sid Haig, SId Haig death. | Leave a comment
Sidney Eddy Mosesian “SId Haig” 1939-2019
It is with a great sadness that news has broken that legendary character actor and frequent horror flick performer Sid Haig has died. The Fresno, California born actor starred in many classics and cult classics in a career spanning almost 60 years. Galaxy of Terror, Diamonds are Forever, Spider-Baby, to name a few, and most recently earning a new generation of fans as Rob Zombie’s Captain Spaulding in House of 1,000 Corpses, The Devil’s Rejects and the new Three From Hell. The actor was 80 and leaves a canon of memorable film and TV appearances starting in 1960 and continuing until his passing. Farewell and RIP, Sid!
COOL STUFF: GET INTO THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT AT AMBIANCE!
September 22, 2019 by MonsterZero NJ in Cool Stuff and tagged Ambiance, Halloween, Halloween decorations, Jersey Shore, Point Pleasant Beach NJ | Leave a comment
GET INTO THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT AT AMBIANCE!
This past weekend there was a seafood festival at Point Pleasant Beach, NJ and while there, I stopped into one of my favorite haunts in the area, Ambiance! It’s a great little boutique that has a little bit of Halloween 🎃 all year round, but during the spooky season, owner Donna Provenzano turns it into a haunted Halloween wonderland! The store has been going strong for over two decades and has some of the most unique and delightfully ghostly Halloween…and Día de Muertos…items and decorations to get your crypt ready for October!
Check out the gallery below to see some of the spook-tacular stuff to make your Halloween decorating a monster smash! 🎃👻💀
10/13/19 UPDATE!: All Halloween 🎃 items are now 15% off! Perfect time to get your Halloween swag for the 31st!
Ambiance is located at 707 Arnold Ave, Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey and you can check out their Facebook page here, or call the store at 732-295-9202!
…and, of course, I didn’t leave without a little something for me!…
HORROR YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED: HELL HOUSE LLC III-LAKE OF FIRE (2019)
September 20, 2019 by MonsterZero NJ in Horror You Might Have Missed and tagged Elizabeth Vermilyea, found footage horror, Gabriel Chytry, Hell House LLC, Hell House LLC III: Lake of FIre, Jeb Kreager, Shudder, Shudder Exclusive, Stephen Cognetti | 1 Comment
Shudder Exclusive takes place nine years after the events of the first film with a new chapter of the story told with new footage. We find that the Abaddon Hotel was finally set to be demolished after all the death and disappearances that have occurred there. It was suddenly purchased in 2018 by entrepreneur Russell Wynn (Gabriel Chytry) to be used to stage his performance show Insomnia. He asked the new host of Morning Mysteries, Vanessa Shepherd (Elizabeth Vermilyea) to cover the set-up of the show with his cast and crew, leading up to opening night. It’s mostly her footage we are witnessing, as once again spooky things are documented occurring at the infamous location, leading up to an opening performance where all Hell breaks loose…literally.
Supposed final film in what is now the Hell House LLC trilogy is once again written and directed by Stephen Cognetti. It’s an improvement over the somewhat disappointing Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel, though not as consistently creepy as the spooky surprise that was the first flick. To a degree it’s more of the same, with a documentary showing footage that was filmed while folks tried to do something spooky within the house and paid dearly for it. The last act does open things up and takes things in a more “Biblical” direction and it’s a matter of horror film preference as to whether one finds it effective, or too over-the-top. Cognetti does build some tension, atmosphere and provide some chills here, despite this being the third go around, and even if the novelty has warn off, he gets credit for taking some risks to conclude his trilogy. The hotel location is as creepy as ever and the cast of unknowns all perform well enough to assist in the suspension of disbelief that this is real footage. There are also some amusing cameos from the other installments that won’t be spoiled here.
Overall, it’s an entertaining finale and while some of it’s wrap-up worked and some of it wasn’t so successful, Cognetti proves he is a filmmaker to keep an eye on. He still can chill with his now familiar format and there is a surprise or two that play with expectations. Hopefully his next film abandons the tired found footage genre and gives us some straight up horror to see what he really has up his sleeve. Most certainly worth a watch, especially if you are a fan.
Rated 3 (out of 4) scary clown mannequins…who are still in that darn cellar.
BARE BONES: TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID (2017)
September 19, 2019 by MonsterZero NJ in Bare Bones, Horror You Might Have Missed and tagged Hanssel Casillas, Ianis Guerrero, Issa López, Juan Ramón López, Nery Arredondo, Paola Lara, Rodrigo Cortes, Tenoch Huerta, Tigers Are Not Afraid | Leave a comment
TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID (2017)
Mexican film is both heartbreaking drama and supernatural thriller that takes place in 2006 during the drug wars as thousands are being abducted and killed, thus leaving orphans to live on the cruel streets. Estrella (Paola Lara) is one such girl whose mother disappears while she is at school. She is forced to join a group of four orphaned boys (Juan Ramón López as Shine, Rodrigo Cortes as Pop, Nery Arredondo as little Morro and Hanssel Casillas as Tucsi) who are surviving by theft and sticking together. Not only are they pursued by a ruthless drug lord and his thugs, for a phone they stole, but Estrella is being followed by a supernatural entity whose intent is yet unknown.
Film is very well directed by Issa López from her own script. The movie combines supernatural thriller, harsh street drama and a touch of fantasy, as we are dealing with children after all. The supernatural elements can be spooky, but it is the unflinching look at children surviving under the worst conditions that really tugs the heart. López’s camera doesn’t flinch in it’s portrayal of children in a violent world and how these kids become “tigers” to survive it. The fantasy elements blend in well, as children at this age are still capable of believing in magic and fairy tales to help them cope with adversity…and loss. To say López gets good performances out of her young cast is an understatement. The kids are great. The film can be a bit slow moving at times, even at only 83 minutes, and is very dark, violent and grim, but also comes to a satisfying conclusion where all the elements come together nicely. Not perfect, but it’s an original, spooky and very touching and thought provoking movie from Issa López. Also stars Tenoch Huerta as drug lord El Chino and Ianis Guerrero as one of his thugs whose path the kids unfortunately cross.
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1906: The Electrical Development Company.
In November, 1906, The Electrical Development Company Ltd. (later called the Toronto Power Company) became the first Canadian-owned enterprise to generate electricity at Niagara Falls. Their Toronto Power Station was the largest of its type in the world when it opened. It was purchased by the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario in 1922, and retired in 1973.
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Deja Vu? Rev. Jesse Jackson Talks #OscarsSoWhite & Boycott He Led Against The Academy 20 Years Ago
Rev. Jesse Jackson Talks #OscarsSoWhite & the boycott he led against the Academy 20 years ago.
Kenon White | 01.22.16
The #OscarsSoWhite campaign has acquired another major supporter: Will Smith.
In an exclusive interview with ABC News, the blockbuster actor told Robin Roberts he would not be attending this year’s Academy Awards ceremony. Smith, who starred in the critically acclaimed film Concussion, told Roberts:
“The nominations reflect the Academy. The Academy reflects the industry [Hollywood] and then the industry reflects America. There is a regressive slide towards separatism, towards racial and religious disharmony and that’s not the Hollywood that I want to leave behind.”
On Friday’s edition of NewsOne Now, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. spoke with Roland Martin about the #OscarsSoWhite protest movement that seems to be gaining steam and applying pressure on the Academy.
Twenty years ago, Jackson led a high-profile boycott against the Oscars for virtually the same exact reasons #OscarsSoWhite has risen to prominence in our current social discourse.
When Martin asked Rev. Jackson why the protest action he led two decades ago did not yield the intended results, Jackson said, “At that time, the Blacks rebelled against our boycott and said that we were doing the wrong thing.”
Those who opposed Jackson’s boycott of the Oscars twenty years ago included media mogul Oprah Winfrey and famed music producer Quincy Jones. Winfrey, Jones, and a host of others believed there should not have been a boycott of the Academy Awards because at the time, Blacks held high-profile roles on the show.
Rev. Jackson said, “It’s like having a pilot that’s Black; the infrastructure was White, you can have a Black out front doing the hosting and doing the music, but the Academy is secret as opposed to transparent.”
“Who gets green-lighted is secret, the access to capital or certain roles is secret, so the infrastructure of Hollywood is very White and every now and then, there will be somebody Black out front who is very talented, but does not have the power to affect movies and roles and money green-lighting,” said Jackson.
He added, “I hope that Blacks this time around will choose to stand in dignity, rather than sit in shame.”
During the second part of the NewsOne Now discussion of #OscarsSoWhite, Martin explained, “I’m not wasting time focusing on a statue … this is an economic issue. This is about being frozen out of the industry, not being able to build and create wealth, and I believe that Black folks in Hollywood made a huge mistake 20 years ago by saying, ‘Oh, don’t do that because a Black woman is hosting and a Black guy is the producer, and Oprah is asking questions.’”
Martin added, “You trippin’ about one day and we’re talking about jobs and millions and billions of dollars for the rest of the year.”
Watch Roland Martin and Rev. Jesse Jackson discuss the #OscarsSoWhite protest action in the video clip above, and then watch the extended NewsOne Now conversation in the video clip below.
TV One’s NewsOne Now has moved to 7 A.M. ET, be sure to watch “NewsOne Now” with Roland Martin, in its new time slot on TV One.
Subscribe to the “NewsOne Now” Audio Podcast on iTunes.
#OscarsSoWhite By The Numbers: Breaking Down The Bunche Center’s Study Of Academy Award Diversity
Deja Vu? Rev. Jesse Jackson Talks #OscarsSoWhite & Boycott He Led Against The Academy 20 Years Ago was originally published on newsone.com
#OscarsSoWhite , exclusive video , newsone now , Oprah Winfrey , Quincey Jones , Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. , Robin Roberts , Roland Martin , video , Will Smith
Kenon White
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“The Right’s Ugly Food-Stamp Obsession Is Back!”: Why Lying Dog-Whistle Politics Returned
“Welcome to Obama’s America,” Fox’s Eric Bolling told his audience Tuesday – a dystopia where people now use food stamps to patronize “strip clubs, liquor stores, pot dispensaries.” Following up on its rubbishy August 2013 faux-exposé “The Great Food Stamp Binge,” Fox again profiled “surfing freeloader” Jason Greenslate, who is allegedly “livin’ large” in San Diego, thanks to the SNAP program, commonly known as food stamps. After Bill O’Reilly’s errand boy Jesse Watters caught up with Greenslate again Monday night, “The Five” used the lazy surfer as “the representative of literally millions of Americans,” in Bolling’s words. It was epic.
“He’s playing the system, he’s stretching the rules to their limits,” Bolling told Fox’s angry, fearful, mostly elderly viewers. “But what would you expect with a $105 billion program that’s almost tripled under Obamanomics? That’s what you would expect, right there, take a look at it. But what’s next? Strip clubs, liquor stores, pot dispensaries? Oh, that’s already going on, folks. Welcome to Obama’s America.”
Bolling’s rant came a day after Dick Cheney visited Fox and attacked Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s military cuts, telling Sean Hannity, bizarrely, that Obama “would much rather spend the money on food stamps than he would on a strong military or support for our troops.”
The right just can’t leave that old dog-whistle alone. It’s 2012 all over again – Newt Gingrich will be reviving his claim that Obama’s “the food stamp president” any minute now. In “Obama’s America,” the right is determined to make the president the tribune of a moocher-rewarding, ever-expanding welfare state, even if they have to lie to do so.
Of course in Obama’s America (and everyone else’s) SNAP regulations prohibit buying alcohol or tobacco with food stamps, let alone drugs, and they can’t be used at restaurants or bars, let alone strip clubs. But Bolling wants Fox viewers in a perpetual state of moral panic, and the notion that slackers like Greenslate are “livin’ large” – Fox’s term — on the public dime just works, the facts be damned.
Cheney’s rant was in some ways more offensive. Charging that the cuts proposed by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel are “really devastating,” Cheney went on: “It does enormous long-term damage to our military. They act as though it is like highway spending and you can turn it on and off. The fact of the matter is he is having a huge impact on the ability of future presidents to deal with future crises that are bound to arise.”
Of course, as Think Progress noted back when Cheney began lobbying against defense cuts in 2012, the former vice president himself presided over a 25 percent cut to the defense budget back when he was defense secretary under George H.W. Bush. The fighting force was reduced by 500,000 active-duty soldiers, a move that was blessed by Joint Chiefs of Staff chair Colin Powell.
That was then. These cuts are the work of Obama’s team. So not only must they be attacked as dangerous, they’ve got to be framed as something the corrupt Chicago “gangster” is doing to reward his coalition of slackers, moochers and lazy white surfers.
Now, maybe it’s progress that Fox is making a white surfer the poster boy for food stamp abuse – but it’s the link to “Obama’s America” that updates Reagan’s old imagery about Cadillac-driving welfare queens and “young bucks” using food stamps to buy “T-bone steaks.”
In fact only 1 percent of SNAP funds are wasted in fraud. Three-quarters of SNAP households include an elderly or disabled person or a child, and fully 42 percent of adult recipients are also working, but making too little to feed themselves and their families. Among the nation’s food stamp recipients are almost a million military veterans, who were slurred by Cheney, and thousands of active duty military too. Military families spent $100 million in food stamp funds at military grocery stores in 2013.
Fox and Cheney don’t want you to think about the veteran or the soldier or the single mother or the disabled senior on food stamps. They don’t want Fox viewers to ask why 42 percent of recipients make such low wages that they qualify for food assistance, or why so many veterans and even active-duty soldiers need help. To distract from an economy that’s increasingly hoarding rewards at the top, they point to a cartoonish moocher and blame Obama.
By: Joan Walsh, Editor at Large, Salon, February 26, 2014
March 2, 2014 - Posted by raemd95 | Fox News, SNAP | Dick Cheney, Eric Bolling, Food Stamps, Jason Greenslate, Military Families, Seniors, Veterans, Welfare Fraud
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The Gaze
Project 4-4: Gendering the Gaze
Read the chapter by Laura Mulvey called Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema on pps 381 – 389 of the course reader making notes.
Notes on the Gaze
Sturken and Cartwright (2009) define the in relation to visual arts as:
“the relationship of looking in which the subject is caught up in the dynamics of desire through trajectories of looking and being looked at among other people.” (Sturken and Cartwright, 2009: 442)
The gaze can be both motivated by the subjects desire for control over the object it sees, and the object can likewise capture and hold the look.
Pooke and Newall (2008) assert that in the field of art, gaze refers to the viewers engagement with the art object and is frequently suggestive of a power dynamic between the object and the spectator. The term Gaze is used prominently in film and gender studies.
Modern origins of the gaze are based on psychoanalytic theory and relates to visual and sexual attentions and the implications of gendered human perception that these contain. Gazing is considered central to sexual attraction and has both a positive and negative identification, for example, narcissistic (loving/productive) and nihilistic (hating/destructive.) (Harris, 2006)
D’Alleva (2012) states:
“Looking is powerful. To look is to assert power, to control, to challenge authority.” (D’Alleva, 2012: 104)
A distinction is made between Gaze and gaze (lower case g): Gaze – the process of looking which constitutes a network of relationships, gaze – a specific instance of looking. Freud saw desire as crucial to the process of looking. Lacan saw the Gaze as one of the main manifestations of the four fundamental concepts of psychoanalysis: the unconscious, repetition, transference and drive. For Lacan, the Gaze gives structure and stability to our fantasies of Self and Other. Looking at art is not a neutral process but one where the viewer is a desiring subject open to the captivation asserted by the work being viewed. The function of art is to trap the Gaze because the viewer is (falsely) put in the position of the eye.
Film theorists of the 1970s (such as Laura Mulvey and Christian Metz) used the theories of Freud and Lacan to posit that in cinema the Gaze of the spectator on the image was implicitly male and objectified women on screen. Lacan’s analysis of the Gaze (for example, the mirror-phase) form an important part of feminist discussions of how women are constructed as the object of a ‘male gaze’ in film and visual arts with a particular feminist interest being the relations between looking, imagery and power in society.
Notes on ‘Visual pleasure and narrative cinema’ by Laura Mulvey
In ‘Visual pleasure and narrative cinema’, Laura Mulvey drew on psychoanalytic theories of Freud and Lacan to challenge patriarchal models of viewing. Hollywood cinema of the 1930s-50s was used to illustrate how pleasure in looking is split between the active/male protagonist/hero who possesses the Gaze and moves the action forward, and, the passive/female who is the object of the desire and the object of the Gaze.
Arguing that Hollywood cinema is geared toward male viewing pleasure, and related directly to the construction of the male psyche. This both reinforced patriarchal society and Mulvey used the psychoanalytical paradigms of scopophillia, voyeurism and narcissism:
Scopophillia – the pleasure in looking and being looked at (exhibitionism.) Pleasure in using another person as an object of sexual stimulation through sight. Active scopophillia implies a separation of erotic identity of the subject from the object on the screen. Is a function of sexual instincts.
Voyeurism – the pleasure taken in looking while not being seen to be looking. This carries negative connotations of a powerful, even sadistic, position within the Gaze.
Narcissism – identification with the image seen – linked to construction of the ego. Demands identification of the ego with the object in screen through the spectators fascination and recognition of his like. Is a function of the ego libido.
Mulvey linked pleasure gained from the male gaze in three ways:
Woman’s objectification in the gaze of the male characters and audience stimulates the pleasures of erotic fantasy.
Identification with the male protagonist by male viewers links to the development of the ego – identified by Lacan as the mirror-phase: the stage which creates misrecognition in the child’s mind between the actual self and how he sees himself – the ego ideal.
The male viewer, through the sadistic power of the male protagonist, is able to subdue the threat symbolised by the female’s lack of a penis – symbolic of castration. To avoid this anxiety the female figure is turned into a fetish/fetish object.
Each of these strategies places the female in a position in which she has no control or agency: women are there to be looked at and the watching men project their fantasies onto the females portrayed on screen. The on screen male is a man of action and command which mirrors the underlying assumptions of a phallocentric and patriarchal society. Patriarchal culture positions woman as image and man as bearer of the image.
Mulvey argued that the reason Hollywood cinema followed these conventions of gender roles (women as visual fetishes; spoken for, bearers of meaning, and, men as vigorous agents; speakers, makers of meaning) is because this is hard wired into the social psyche and thus unavoidable. When woman is referred to as the bearer of meaning this is a reference to the way a woman’s body is organised by Lacan’s concept of the signifier of difference – that is the penis she does not have marked by castration and the threat that she is. Her body, which is complete with beauty but damaged by phallic absence, is the fetish that makes the site of the lack – the difference that forms the possibility of meaning and on which language is built.
A common criticism of Mulvey’s paper is that the Gaze she discusses is strictly male (also white and heterosexual) and this view does more to fix identity than free it. However, this misses the point that the essay is a polemic in which the male Gaze is a strategic necessity in order for Mulvey to make the case that although Hollywood narrative cinema appeared to be innocent entertainment it is really an instrument of patriarchal ideology. Despite what they term the “intellectual problems” of some aspects of Mulvey’s work, Lapsley and Westlake (2006) believe that her theories made a difference beyond academia as she rendered visible what had been invisible: the violence within representation and the reproduction of patriarchy within mainstream cinema. She revealed and confronted the self interested and misogynist nature of representations of women by white, middle class heterosexual males and contributed to the transformation of gender based relations of domination.
Watch ‘Vertigo’ and make notes on how it stands up to Mulvey’s analysis.
Scottie, The main protagonist of Vertigo is obsessed: he falls in love with a woman who apparently dies and seeing another woman who resembles her cannot help himself but remake the second in the image of the first – with eventual tragic results. (Hitchcock, in typically sardonic fashion, described the film as a twist on the Hollywood staple ‘boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy meets girl again, boy loses girl again’ Sammader, 2012) Under scrutiny it is a preposterous story and a commercial flop on release, now however it is regarded as a classic, possibly Hitchcock’s best film and was voted greatest film ever made by the BFI in 2012. Whether intentional or not Scottie’s moulding of Judy into the vision of Madeline has parallels with Hitchcock’s sadistic treatment of actors and his own obsession with a certain type of leading lady, a fetishised cool blonde. It could also be read as an analogy of the Hollywood star system in which the stars (especially the women) are no more than property to the studios.
Themes of the film include desire and artificiality, subjectivity, female objectification and the male Gaze. Hitchcock was influenced by Freud and surrealism and draws on Freud’s theories of scopophillia. Stylistically the film is almost entirely shot from Scottie’s perspective with the audience becoming complicit in his voyeurism. Dreamy tracking shots are used in the sequences where he follows both Madeline and Judy, the camera moves with Scottie and reflect his snatched glimpses, wonderment and desire. The pastel colours of the films design give a overemphasised artificiality which add to the dreamlike quality. Occasionally our gaze is returned by Novak as Madeline/Judy – at these points we feel her accusing our voyeurism. Reflecting on Vertigo’s narrative, the entire film seems completely implausible, particularly why Madeline/Judy would allow herself to be first manipulated into Elster’s murderous scheme and then allow Scottie to change her appearance. The only logical explanation is that, as Mulvey argues, woman is presented as image and man as bearer of the look. This emphasises the inherent sexual imbalance in which the (active) determining male gaze projects its fantasy onto the female figure (passive) which is styled accordingly.
Mulvey has the following to say about Vertigo: the look is central to the plot – oscillating between voyeurism and fetishist fascination. This is typical of Hitchcock with the male hero (James Stewart/Scottie) seeing exactly what the audience sees, his role being to portray the contradictions and tensions experienced by the spectator. The subjective camera of Vertigo predominates with the narrative being almost entirely based around what Scottie sees or fails to see – his erotic obsession and subsequent despair is shown entirely from his point of view. Scottie’s voyeurism is as blatant as is his sadistic side – he follows, watches and falls in love with a perfect image of female beauty and mystery. In the second half of the film his obsessive involvement with image is demonstrated as he tries to reconstruct Judy as Madeline and force her to conform to every detail of his fetish: “Her exhibitionism, her masochism make her an ideal counterpart to Scottie’s active, sadistic voyeurism.” (Jones, 2010: 64) His erotic interest can only be sustained with her playing and replaying her part, through repetition he breaks her down and exposes her guilt – his curiosity wins through and she is punished.
“In Vertigo, erotic involvement with the look boomerangs: the spectator’s own fascination is revealed as illicit voyeurism as the narrative content enacts the processes and pleasures that he himself is exercising and enjoying.” (ibid)
While Scottie is caught within the symbolic order with all of the attributes of the patriarchal super ego, the spectator is lulled into false security and exposed as complicit, caught in the moral ambiguity of looking: “Vertigo focuses on the implications of the active/looking, passive/looked at split in terms of sexual difference and the power of the male symbolic encapsulated in the hero.”
How does the portrayal of some contemporary black music in video match up to Mulvey’s insights?
Snoop Dogg feat Pharrell Drop It Like It’s Hot HD
Contemporary black music – particularly rap music – has a reputation for being a macho domain where image is paramount and for treating women as little more the objects. I do not profess to be an expert on this style of music and spent sometime looking through various music videos on YouTube before coming across this video: ‘Drop it like it’s hot’ by Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell from 2009. Snoop Dogg is an artist who has been around for years and fulfils many of the stereotypes of what makes a rapper – glamourous surroundings, expensive consumer goods and a sexualised view of women. The women in this video are literally featured to be no more the glamourous window dressing, fawning and fussing over the stars in the video Snoop Dogg and Pharrell. They are shown dancing with the two male musicians, twerking next to a Rolls Royce, stripping, pouring drinks for Snoop Dogg and dancing together in a scene that could represent a club setting. They represent a juvenile wish fulfilment and are entirely there for the scopophillic pleasure of the (supposed) male viewer. The video is so outlandish and offensive that I would be inclined to think it is a parody, however, there is no sense of irony contained in it. As a final aside – I note that most versions of this video have the lyrics edited to remove potentially offensive words. An interesting choice to keep the visual content intact while censoring the lyrics of the song which shows the perceived power of words over images.
Annotate Manet’s ‘Olympia’ in terms of the gaze and the various characters, within and without the image.
Manet’s ‘Olympia’ (1863) was considered scandalous and vulgar when first displayed, interestingly this has nothing to do with the model being nude but rather the unconventional subject depicted and her seemingly oppositional returned gaze. Rather than depicting an idealised subject based on history or myth as was the convention of nineteenth century painting, the model is a prostitute, and, most significantly, rather than complying with codes of humility and compliance her returned gaze is ambiguous and unsettling. Manet based the composition of the painting on Titian’s Venus of Urbino (1538) and comparing the two paintings emphasise the differences and why ‘Olympia’ caused such controversy. Firstly the subject matter – Titian is depicting Venus, an ideal representation of the female form and sexuality while Manet has painted a courtesan, someone not normally presented in paintings. We can deduce ‘Olympia’ is a prostitute as this name was one often used for courtesans – the black cat shown at the bottom of the bed is a symbol of prostitution. (As opposed to the dog shown in Titian’s painting which represents fidelity.) Both of the women in the picture are similarly undressed, reclining and holding one hand over their waist. Titian’s Venus is coy with her head cocked to one side. She has a look that could appear to be adoration or love, there is no sexual connotation to her pose and although she appears relaxed in her nakedness, the hand she holds over her genital area is appears to rest naturally rather than being held for any reasons of modesty. In ‘Olympia’ the model’s hand seems to be placed deliberately, again modesty is not the motivation here rather she is demonstrating control over her body. The position suggests that while her nakedness can be looked at for free, anything further will require payment.
The most striking aspect of Manet’s painting, as previously mentioned, is the way the model in ‘Olympia’ returns our gaze. Unlike Titian’s model her head is held high and points directly out of the painting – there can be no doubt that the subject of her gaze is the viewer. This is further emphasised by the way the black servant in the painting is ignored despite appearing to bring a gift of flowers – her stare seems to challenge the viewer. Given the typical audience at the time would have been white, middle/upper class, western male this surely would have made them feel uncomfortable when confronted by the reality of a depiction of a ‘type’ they would not have been used to seeing represented in panting. The viewer is forced to confront their scopophillia along with the attendant feelings of shame that are linked to this.
Cousins, M. (2011) The story of film. London: Pavilion Books
D’Alleva, A (2012) Methods and Theories of Art History (2nd Ed.) London: Laurence King Publishing
Harris, J. (2006) Art History: The Key Concepts. New York: Taylor & Francis
Howells, R. Negreiros, J. (2011) Visual Culture 2nd Ed Cambridge: Polity Press
Lapsley, R. and Westlake, M. (2006) Film theory: An introduction. (2nd ed.) Manchester: Palgrave.
Mulvey, L (1975) Visual pleasure and narrative cinema
pps. 381-390 Evans, J. and Hall, S. (eds.) (1999) Visual Culture: The Reader. London: Sage
pps. 58-65 Jones, A. (ed) (2010) The Feminism and Visual Culture Reader (2nd edition). London: Routledge
Samadder, R. (2012) ‘My favourite Hitchcock: Vertigo’ The Guardian, 10th August 2012. Available At: https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2012/aug/10/my-favourite-hitchcock-vertigo [Accessed 10th October 2016]
Vertigo (1958) Alfred Hitchcock. Dir. USA: Paramount Pictures
Williams, L. (ed.). (1994) Viewing positions: Ways of seeing film. London: Continuum International Publishing Group
Posted on October 2, 2016 January 8, 2017 by Michael Millmore Posted in General, Project 4-4, Projects Tagged Alfred Hitchcock, Freud, Gendering the Gaze, Jacques Lacan, Lacan, Laura Mulvey, Manet, Olympia, Project 4-4, Projects, Rap, Snoop Dogg, The Gaze, The mirror-phase, Vertigo, Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema 1 Comment
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Impact of prematurity and nutrition on the developing gut microbiome and preterm infant growth
Alex Grier1,
Xing Qiu2,
Sanjukta Bandyopadhyay2,
Jeanne Holden-Wiltse2,
Haeja A. Kessler3,
Ann L. Gill3,
Brooke Hamilton9,
Heidie Huyck4,
Sara Misra4,
Thomas J. Mariani4,6,
Rita M. Ryan7,
Lori Scholer4,
Kristin M. Scheible4,
Yi-Horng Lee8,
Mary T. Caserta5,
Gloria S. Pryhuber4 &
Steven R. Gill1,3
Identification of factors that influence the neonatal gut microbiome is urgently needed to guide clinical practices that support growth of healthy preterm infants. Here, we examined the influence of nutrition and common practices on the gut microbiota and growth in a cohort of preterm infants.
With weekly gut microbiota samples spanning postmenstrual age (PMA) 24 to 46 weeks, we developed two models to test associations between the microbiota, nutrition and growth: a categorical model with three successive microbiota phases (P1, P2, and P3) and a model with two periods (early and late PMA) defined by microbiota composition and PMA, respectively. The more significant associations with phase led us to use a phase-based framework for the majority of our analyses. Phase transitions were characterized by rapid shifts in the microbiota, with transition out of P1 occurring nearly simultaneously with the change from meconium to normal stool. The rate of phase progression was positively associated with gestational age at birth, and delayed transition to a P3 microbiota was associated with growth failure. We found distinct bacterial metabolic functions in P1–3 and significant associations between nutrition, microbiota phase, and infant growth.
The phase-dependent impact of nutrition on infant growth along with phase-specific metabolic functions suggests a pioneering potential for improving growth outcomes by tailoring nutrient intake to microbiota phase.
Nutrition in early life is a critical factor in neonatal growth and long-term health. Managing nutritional intake in preterm infants is a significant clinical challenge, with optimal nutrition and feeding regimens not resolved despite extensive study [1]. Even with continuing improvements in preterm infant care, > 50% will be discharged with ongoing severe postnatal growth failure [2]. Due to the profound impact of postnatal growth failure on health over an entire lifespan, it is imperative that we understand the clinical and nutritional variables that contribute to a poor outcome.
Recent studies on metabolism and metabolic diseases suggest that the infant gut microbiome directly impacts growth and development of preterm infants [3,4,5,6]. Maturation of the gut microbiota in early life is linked to physiological development, with long-term influences on factors that affect infant health [7,8,9]. While colonization of the infant gut microbiota is thought to begin within days of birth, observations of microbiota in the placenta and amniotic fluid suggest that initial seeding of infants by pioneering colonizers occurs in utero [10,11,12,13]. Evidence in premature infants suggests that microbiota development is driven by host biology and associated with gestational age [5], but is also shaped by the restricted environment in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), infant nutrition, and common clinical practices in neonatal care [14,15,16,17,18,19,20]. We hypothesize that assembly and function of the preterm infants’ gut microbiota is associated with postnatal growth patterns and represents a yet unexplored personalized therapeutic potential for optimizing infant development.
Development of the premature infant gut microbiota has recently been shown to evolve in a patterned progression associated with postmenstrual age (PMA; gestational age at birth plus week of life), dominated by Bacilli at early PMA, followed by Gammaproteobacteria and then Clostridia [5]. In our study, we introduce two models to identify associations between the microbiota, nutritional intake, medication, and preterm infant growth: a categorical model based on three quantitatively defined “phases” (P1, P2, and P3) that corresponds to three states of the microbiota and a PMA-based model with the three composition-based phases replaced by two constant time periods identified as early (< 34 weeks PMA; n = 362 data points) and late (≥ 34 weeks PMA; n = 343 data points). Our analyses identified more significant associations with phase, which led us to use the phase-based framework to explore potential functional relationships between the preterm microbiota, nutrition, and growth.
We first defined the phases and phase transition points in longitudinal gut microbiota samples from two cohorts of preterm and full-term infants from the multicenter Prematurity and Respiratory Outcomes Program (PROP) and Respiratory Pathogens Research Center (RPRC) at the University of Rochester School of Medicine. The distinguishing composition and putative functional capacity of each phase was assessed, along with the properties of transitions between phases. Our data suggest phase-specific microbiota functions and demonstrate the effect of nutritional intake and clinical factors on phase and period-specific microbiota development. Furthermore, our results indicate significant associations between nutritional intake, the phase of the microbiota, and preterm infant growth. Finally, we demonstrate that transition out of phase 1 (P1) occurs simultaneously with transition from meconium to normal postnatal stool, a milestone that can be unambiguously identified at the bedside.
Overall, our results illustrate an ecological framework for the preterm infant gut microbiome and represent a significant first step in tailoring nutrient intake according to microbiota phase. Thus, our study will inform and contribute to establishing much needed clinical criteria for managing microbiota-based nutrient intake and care that supports optimal infant growth and development.
Overview of preterm infant cohort
Our study examined associations between preterm infant PMA, growth, nutrition, clinical factors, and gut microbiota development in a cohort of 95 preterm and 2 full-term infants from PROP and 23 full-term infants from RPRC at the University of Rochester School of Medicine. A total of 719 rectal swab samples were collected weekly from the PROP preterm infants while in the NICU, spanning PMA from 24 to 46 weeks with a good representation across gestational ages. A total of 2 rectal swabs were collected from the 2 PROP full-term infants, and 46 rectal swabs from the 23 RPRC full-term infants: one near birth (≤ 20 day of life [DOL]) and—for the RPRC subjects only—a second at 1 month of age (20 < DOL ≤ 50) (Table 1). The longitudinal analyses included 719 samples from preterm and 48 samples from full-term infants. Relevant available age metrics were gestational age at birth, day of life (DOL), and PMA. To select the age metric for our analyses, we used functional data analysis to fit nutrition and growth variables, as well as the abundance of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in the microbiota, first using PMA and then DOL as the age variable [21]. The overall fitting variance using PMA was lower for OTU abundance and, for most metrics of growth and nutrition, consistent with previous findings that the temporal dynamics of the preterm infant gut microbiota correspond better to PMA than to DOL [5]. Consequently, we used gestational age at birth and PMA for our analyses.
Table 1 Demographic and clinical variables
To select nutritional and clinical variables for our study, we first used an initial linear mixed effect regression that associates gestational age at birth, PMA, one main covariate (see Additional file 1: Table S1 for the full list of covariates), and its interaction with PMA, with microbiota taxa abundance. We found that mode of delivery was not significantly associated with microbiota composition after controlling for age, which is similar to recent studies where mode of delivery was not associated with the influence of breast milk in preterm infants or with stool composition in full-term infants [22, 23]. Overall, PMA has the strongest impact on microbiota composition, followed by the ratio of enteral calories, total calories normalized by body weight, proportion of dietary lipids, antimicrobial usage, proportion of dietary protein, and diuretics usage (Additional file 1: Table S1). Corticosteroids, H2 receptor antagonists, and motility agent usage also have limited associations with some taxa. Based on these results, we applied a full linear mixed-effect regression model to identify the associations between microbiota phase, gestational age at birth, nutrient intake, and medication.
Evaluation of fecal microbiota sampling methods
To develop a sampling protocol that yields highly reproducible and representative fecal microbiota profiles, we first compared fecal microbiota obtained from matched stools or meconium and rectal swabs from five infants. Both sampling methods identify similar composition of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and alpha diversity or evenness of observed OTUs within each subject (p values > 0.1 between stool-meconium and rectal swabs) and greater diversity between subjects (Additional file 2: Figures S1 and S2). Results from differential abundance testing on a per taxon basis between the three groups (stool, meconium, and rectal swab) are not significant. Differential abundance testing between two groups (stool-meconium and rectal swab) identified one adjusted p value < 0.1 (0.088) for the Clostridiales. In comparison, evaluation of fecal microbiota collected as matched stool and swab samples in other studies demonstrated by composition and diversity metrics that microbiota from both samples is nearly identical [24, 25]. Based on similarity of alpha diversity and the ability of clinical NICU staff to collect and store samples directly from infants at specific times without cross contamination from infant diapers and skin, we selected rectal swabs as the preferred method for sampling gut microbiota.
Three phases of the preterm infant gut microbiota
Characterization of microbiota from all subjects and time points spanning PMA from 24 to 46 weeks identified Bacilli, Gammaproteobacteria, and Clostridia as by far the most abundant taxa, with relative abundances of 41.75, 23.0, and 22.5% respectively, accounting for 87.0% of the total observed abundance (Fig. 1a). The next most abundant classes are Actinobacteria and Bacteroidia, which account for just 6.5 and 5.1% of total observed abundance, respectively. To characterize the apparent developmental phases of the premature infant gut microbiome, we used threshold values for the log ratio of the three predominant bacterial classes—Bacilli, Gammaproteobacteria, and Clostridia—to construct a decision tree that permits objective assignment of individual microbiota samples to one of the three phases based on their composition (Fig. 1a and Methods). We used criteria that distinguished the phases based on their association with prematurity and lower PMA and on the relative dominance of Bacilli, Gammaproteobacteria, and Clostridia in P1, P2, and P3 respectively. The composition of individual samples assigned to each phase at the class level using these criteria is shown in Fig. 1b. The categorical structure of the model, which assumes relative stability within a phase and abrupt shifts in composition between phases, was validated by examining the week-to-week changes of the microbiota within each subject. Quantitative changes in the weekly microbiota samples were determined using weighted UniFrac distance to measure the dissimilarity between consecutive samples. Averaged over all subjects, consecutive samples of the same phase show substantially less dissimilarity week-to-week than consecutive samples of the differing phases (i.e., samples before and after a phase transition; Fig. 1c). Testing the median dissimilarity revealed that it is significantly higher when the phase changed between consecutive samples than when it remained the same (p < 0.0001), suggesting discrete periods of community restructuring corresponding to phase transition.
Overview of the preterm infant gut microbiota phases and properties. a The decision tree for classifying a microbiota sample into one of the three phases. b A composition bar chart with each sample grouped by phases 1–3 (P1–P3) from left to right. Green, gray, orange, and blue represent Bacilli, Gammaproteobacteria, Clostridia, and Bacteroidia, respectively. c Bar charts representing the average weighted UniFrac distance between consecutive samples of each individual infant. The bars are grouped into three major categories from left to right according to the initial phase of the consecutive samples being assessed. Each bar within a category corresponds to the phase of the second consecutive sample. The height of the bar indicates the average dissimilarity between consecutive samples of the corresponding phases, with exact values included in the table below the graph. d Bar charts indicating the transition probability between consecutive samples within an individual. The groupings and bars within each group indicate the phases of the first and second sample of a pair of consecutive samples, respectively, and are ordered as described in c. Transition probabilities are included in the table below the graph. e The distribution of samples over corrected gestational age in weeks. The dashed line separates the samples into early (< 34 weeks PMA) and late period (≥ 34 weeks PMA), based on functional variance of microbiota composition across all 81 individuals. f Bar charts showing the average composition of the samples in each phase at the genus level, with prominent genera labeled. For two Enterobacteriacaea and one Clostridiacaeae, the genus could not be determined and the family is indicated instead (See Additional file 2: Comment on Figure 3F). Lines connecting segments between phases indicate that the segment represents the same genus in each bar. A complete list of the genera represented here and their relative abundances can be found in Additional file 4: Table S3
We quantified the pattern of progression of the gut microbiota with respect to the order of phase transition events using the sequence of phases observed in the consecutive samples from each individual infant to compute the transition probabilities between the phases. For each phase, the probability that the subsequent sample from the same individual will be in the same phase is higher than the probability of transitioning to a different phase (Fig. 1d). Transition from one phase to the next consecutive phase is more likely than the transition from a higher phase to a lower phase (e.g., P2 to P1) or from P1 to P3 directly. Accordingly, we found a strong relationship between PMA and microbiota phases (Fig. 1e). For this preterm cohort, 70% of all P1 samples were observed at PMA of 29 weeks or less; 84% of all P2 samples were observed from 28 weeks to 36 weeks PMA; and 78% of all P3 samples at 33 weeks or later. Eighty six percent of all samples from 37 weeks PMA and later were in P3, suggesting that preterm infant gut physiology and developmental stage influences the microbiota following birth.
For a point of comparison with our phase-based clustering, we performed Dirichlet multinomial mixture (DMM) modeling, using the composition of each sample at the class level as input. The optimal model fit was achieved with four Dirichlet components (Additional file 2: Figures S3 and S4A–B and Additional file 3: Table S2). DMM component three corresponds to our P1 cluster, component two corresponds to P2, and components one and four correspond to P3. A majority of all samples (89.9%) were classified as representing the Dirichlet component matching the phase of the sample. DMM components one and four within the P3 cluster correspond to more and less mature sub-types. DMM component four was the more mature sub-type, with the average sample occurring 2 weeks after the average component one sample, and exhibited the canonical characteristics of P3 (high Clostridia, high diversity) with little or no recognizable characteristics of P2. DMM component one was the less mature sub-type, with samples exhibiting the distinguishing characteristics of P3 while retaining to some extent features of P2 (relatively high Gammaproteobacteria). The high concordance observed between DMM components and phases provides statistically grounded support for our heuristic model (See Additional file 3: Table S2 for details).
Variance and abundance of taxa across three microbiota phases
Taxonomic analysis of all samples identified 16 phyla, 38 classes, 73 orders, 158 families, and 383 genera. Compositional differences across the phases at all taxonomic levels were characterized and pairwise comparisons were made between phases. The average composition of the samples in each phase at the genus level is shown in Fig. 1f, which represents the abundance of genera relative to bar size. The most significantly differentially abundant taxa between P2 and P3 were a variety of Clostridiales elevated in P3, including the genera Veillonella, Finegoldia, Clostridium, and Anaerococcus. The most significant differences between P1 and P3 were observed among Staphylococcaceae which were elevated in P1, and among Clostridiales genera Finegoldia and Veillonella which were elevated in the P3. A complete list of differentially abundant taxa can be found in Additional files 4 and 5: Tables S3 and S4A–C.
Functional capacity of microbiota phases
The inferred functional capacity of the microbiota was compared between the three phases, revealing differences potentially relevant to nutrient processing and microbiota-derived metabolites that contribute to establishment and maintenance of gut mucosal homeostasis (Fig. 2). P1 exhibited enrichment for bisphenol A (BPA) degradation and carotenoid synthesis pathways with BPA being an environmental contaminant frequently found in preterm infants due to repeated exposure to plastics in medical devices [26,27,28] and carotenoids conferring protection of gut microbiota against oxidative stress [29, 30]. Additional pathways were found to be significantly differentially abundant when comparisons were made between phases, including an increased capacity for synthesis of isoquinoline alkaloids, glycan and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in P2 and P3. Protein translation, fatty acid biosynthesis and glycolysis and gluconeogenesis were increased in P1. A complete list of differentially abundant putative functions can be found in Additional file 6: Table S5.
a–i Functional capacity of microbiota phases. The functional capacity of the microbiota present in each sample was inferred using PICRUSt (Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States) [63]. Each gray panel corresponds to one function and each point within a gray panel represents one sample. The samples are stratified by phase along the x axis, with red circles corresponding to P1, orange triangles corresponding to P2, and green squares corresponding to P3 samples. The sample position on the y axis indicates the relative abundance of the specified KEGG pathway, calculated as the fraction of times functional components of that pathway occurs across all organisms in the sample, with the contribution of each organism weighted by its relative abundance. Within each phase, samples are plotted on top of a box plot, which is centered on the median, with notches indicating an approximately 95% confidence interval, boxes indicating the boundaries of the first and third quartiles, and whiskers extending to the largest and smallest values no further than 1.5*(inter-quartile range) from the boxes. Points beyond the whiskers are outliers. If the notches of two boxes within the same gray panel do not overlap on the y axis, there is strong evidence that the true medians differ [69]. Functional pathways that are differentially enriched among the three phases include those that contribute to the degradation of phthalates on NICU medical devices (bisphenol degradation), protection against oxidative stress (carotenoid biosynthesis), microbiota driven increases in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentrations (lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis), short-chain fatty acids (fatty acid biosynthesis), isoquinoloine alkaloid biosynthesis, glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, membrane transport and translation
Effect of microbiota phase on infant growth, nutrient intake, and medication
These observations prompted us to explore the potential relationship between microbiota phase, parenteral and enteral nutrient intake, medication and infant growth. Using linear mixed-effect regression models that account for subject-specific variation, with microbiota phase, gestational age at birth, nutrient intake, and medication as explanatory variables, we assessed the association of weight Z-score (standard deviation score (Z-score) of infant’s weight based on weight percentiles of a reference population matched for prematurity and sex; used as the dependent variable) and these covariates. Significant associations with weight Z-score include gestational age at birth, the phase of the microbiota, the ratio of major macronutrients, the proportion of calories administered enterally, the receipt of motility agents, antibiotics, diuretics, corticosteroids, and several interaction terms between medication/nutrition and the phase of the microbiota (Table 2). The significance with respect to weight Z-score of interaction terms between relative lipid and protein intake and the phase of the microbiota indicate that the observed association between these macronutrients and growth depends on the composition of the gut microbiota and differs between microbiota phases.
Table 2 Associations of weight Z-score with microbiome phase, nutrition, and clinical covariates
The longitudinal patterns of rectal microbiota phase transitions for 95 preterm and 25 full-term subjects are shown in Fig. 3a relative to gestational age at birth. Growth of the subjects is shown as change in weight Z-score from birth to NICU discharge for preterms and birth to 1 month for full terms. Comparison of preterm infants in P1 (N = 42; mean birth GA (gestational age) = 27.43 weeks) with those in P2 or P3 (N = 55; mean birth GA = 30.29 weeks) at the time of their first microbiota sample showed significant difference (p < 0.0001) in mean birth GA between these two groups. Furthermore, the most premature subjects (< 29 weeks birth GA) were significantly more likely to be in P1 than the full-term subjects at their first sample (61.8 vs 32.0%, p = 0.025). The change in weight Z-score is associated with length of time in each phase, with the lowest change (at the red end of the spectrum in Fig. 3a) in subjects (i.e., JE573, J5028, J1B12) who remain in phase 1 or 2 for prolonged periods. The largest negative change in weight Z-scores was associated with delays in transition to a P3 gut microbiota (p = 0.0023). Delayed achievement of P3 was also associated with prematurity, with full-term subjects reaching P3 by 1 month of age much more frequently than preterm subjects (100 vs 53.4%, p = 0.0001). Similarly, greater PMA-adjusted growth by discharge (preterms) or 1 month (full terms) was observed in the full-term subjects than in the preterm subjects (mean change in weight Z-score − 0.033 vs − 1.269, p ≈ 0.0). Eleven infants were treated for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and two of these died of the disease. In those who survived, NEC was frequently followed by more than 2 weeks in P2 (J6B6F, J900B, J00F9, J2B52, and J8648). One infant who required a jejunal ostomy remained in P1 for an extended period of time (J0BE5). Thus, prolonged periods in P1 and P2 may represent the effects of lengthy antibiotic treatment and/or lack of enteral nutrition. Although the number of cases is insufficient for statistical assessment, our data suggest an association between delayed transition to P3 and a long-standing feeding intolerance in the NICU that results in administration of elemental amino acid-based formula (maroon ‘E’ in the right-hand margin of Fig. 3a).
Temporal distribution of gut microbiota phases, change in infant weight and meconium clearance. a All rectal samples from 95 preterm and 25 full-term infants are plotted against post menstrual age, stratified by subject and sorted by gestational age at birth. Samples for preterm infants include those collected weekly from birth through discharge. Samples for full-term infants include the first sample after birth (collected at ≤ 20 DOL) and a second sample, collected ≤ 50 DOL. Microbiota phases (P1, red circle; P2, orange circle; P3, green circle), birth (gray diamond), stool transition (blue arrowhead), and NEC diagnosis (black square) at discharge are also indicated. Change in weight Z-score from birth to discharge, and elemental feeding requirements (maroon E) at discharge for preterm infants are indicated in the right margin. The lowest to greatest change in weight Z-score from birth to discharge spans the spectrum from red to green. In all infants, except for J94F4, the total weight change in weight Z-score from birth to discharge was negative. Weight Z-score changes in full-term infants were both positive and negative, and negative changes tended to be smaller than those observed in preterms. b Day of life of stool transition and phase transition for 38 preterm subjects in phase one (P1) at the time of their first microbiota sample. The relationship between day of life (DOL) for the initial transition out of P1 and from meconium to normal infant stool was modeled by linear regression. These results demonstrate a highly significant association between the transition out of P1 and from meconium to normal infant stool that is independent of PMA or prematurity, suggesting that the P1 and meconium microbiota are closely associated
Effect of nutrition and medication on microbiota taxa in each phase
We next examined the effects of nutrient intake and medications on the microbiota within each phase. Changes in taxa abundance would suggest adaptation of the microbiota in response to factors that the preterm infant encounters while in the NICU and may affect development of a mature, functional gut microbiota. Using a multivariate mixed-effects regression model that accounts for subject-specific variations, we assessed changes in taxa abundance at each phase, with PMA, gestational age at birth, total calories per kilogram in the past week, proportion of enteral calories in the past week, ratio of lipids, carbohydrates and protein in the past week, antibiotics and corticosteroid received during the past week, and additional medications as covariates. We found phase-specific changes in the microbiota significantly associated with the ratio of lipids, proteins, or carbohydrates in nutrition (total enteral and parenteral), with the dominant effect of all three nutrients in P3. At the phylum level, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria are significantly associated with lipid intake, Firmicutes with protein and Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes with carbohydrates. Abundance of Bifidobacterium, an Actinobacterium most commonly linked with development and maintenance of the healthy infant gut microbiota [31, 32], is significantly associated with lipid and protein intake in P3, with increased Bifidobacterium abundance associated with increased lipid in the diet and decreased abundance with greater amounts of protein. Among the commonly used NICU medications, increased abundance of Bifidobacterium was significantly associated with use of corticosteroids and H2 receptor antagonists in the past week in P3. A complete list of nutrition and medication variables significantly associated with changes in microbiota taxa in all the three phases can be found in in Additional file 7: Table S6.
Early and late periods of the preterm infant microbiome
To demonstrate the utility of modeling the microbiome as three compositionally defined phases, we compared gut microbiota development using two constant time periods based solely on PMA. Specifically, all preterm longitudinal samples (n = 705) were divided into two groups or periods of equal functional variance based on fitted microbiota taxa abundance, an early period (< 34 weeks PMA; n = 362) and a late period (≥ 34 weeks PMA; n = 343) (Fig. 1e and Additional file 2: Figure S5). This separation into early and late periods was used as an unbiased point of comparison to assess the utility of the phase-based approach relative to a purely temporal approach in the context of a nutrition-medication-microbiota-growth model. Using linear mixed-effects regression models as described for the phase-based nutrition analysis (Methods-Model A) with the weight Z-score as an outcome variable, we identified more significant associations in the phase based model than the period based model. The complete results of the period-based models can be found in Additional file 8: Table S7. Overall, our results demonstrate that the phase-based model of gut microbiota development in the preterm infant provides a more robust explanation of the data than the period-based model.
Potential associations of nutrition and medications with phase
After identifying the microbiota phase as a significant factor in infant growth, we sought to identify potential associations of nutrition and medications with phase by including them as explanatory variables and microbiota phases P1 and P2 as the outcome (with P3 as the baseline phase) in a multivariate mixed-effects logistic regression model. We completed separate analyses to identify associations during the early and late periods with nutrition and medications. Postmenstrual age, nutrient ratios, and the proportion of calories from enteral feeding are significantly associated with the phase of the microbiota in both periods. A higher proportion of nutritional lipids is consistently positively associated with the infant gut microbiota being in P2 and negatively associated with P1, while a higher proportion of proteins is positively associated with a P1 microbiota at an earlier PMA, negatively associated with being in P1 at later PMA, and negatively associated with being in P2 irrespective of PMA. Antibiotics are positively associated with a P2 gut microbiota, significant in the later PMA period (p = 0.0015), and nearly significant in the earlier period (p = 0.0778). The variables used in these analyses, as well as their p values and beta estimates, are provided in Table 3A–B and Additional file 9: Table S8A–B.
Table 3 Significant results of mixed effects logistic regression for nutrition and medication
Association between the meconium microbiota and transition out of phase 1
In addition to nutrition and other external factors that may influence the phase of the gut microbiome, we sought to identify dynamic aspects of host biology that correspond to phase transition. Emerging evidence suggests that the initial newborn infant gut microbiota is partially acquired by maternal transmission from the amniotic fluid and placenta before birth [10,11,12,13]. In utero, the fetus swallows large quantities of amniotic fluid that is colonized with bacteria in those mothers who deliver prematurely [11, 33]. Genera in common between amniotic fluid and the meconium, the earliest fecal material passed by infants, suggests that pioneer colonizers of the infant gut are from this maternal source. In addition to amniotic fluid that has been consumed, meconium is formed from sloughed off gastrointestinal epithelial cells which are generated as debris during periods of rapid digestive tract development and convolution of the intestinal epithelial surface. It has been established that in preterm infants, passage of meconium as stool is both delayed and prolonged and is observed well beyond the first stool, with final clearance occurring up to several weeks after birth [34].
To identify potential associations between the presence of meconium and P1 of the microbiota, we examined the relationship between clearance of the meconium from the stool and the initial transition of the microbiota out of P1 (Fig. 3b). Two infants remained in P1 (J7F5C and J8560), but did not survive beyond the first weeks in the NICU. Two infants cleared their meconium by discharge but their last microbiota sample was still in P1 (J0BE5 and J5633). The remaining 38 infants that were observed to be in P1 at their first rectal sample were included in a linear regression model using gestational age at birth and the DOL of their last P1 sample before their initial transition to another phase as explanatory variables, with the DOL of meconium clearance as the dependent variable. This model explained approximately half of the variation in the day of life of stool transition from meconium to normal infant stool (R-square = 0.51). Phase transition was found to be highly significant in this model (p < 0.0001), while gestational age at birth and the intercept did not exhibit significant associations (p values = 0.35 and 0.23, respectively), indicating that the time of stool transition was not associated with prematurity or PMA once microbiota phase transition was controlled for. On average, the last P1 sample before the initial phase transition occurred 4.7 days before stool transition was observed (Fig. 3b). To assess the similarity between the meconium and P1 microbiota samples, we first categorized all 721 samples as meconium or not, depending on whether the sample was collected from an infant that had not transitioned to normal stool, and as P1 or not, according to the decision tree. A majority of meconium samples were in P1 (59.8%) and P1 samples in meconium (64.4%) (Additional file 2: Figure S6A). We next used linear regression analysis to identify the taxa significantly associated with meconium and then again to identify those associated with P1 (Additional file 2: Figure S6B and Additional file 10: Table S9). The taxa that differ significantly between meconium and non-meconium samples are nearly identical to the taxa that differ significantly between P1 and P2-P3. These results demonstrate a highly significant association between the transition out of P1 and transition between meconium and normal infant stool, and that P1 and meconium share similar microbiota.
Development of the early life gut microbiome is a critical factor in neonatal survival and long-term health [5, 6, 35,36,37,38]. In this study, we examined the effects of nutrition and clinical practices in the NICU on development of the preterm gut microbiome and neonatal growth. The developing microbiota of preterm infants is dominated by three classes of bacteria, whose relative proportions are temporally defined [5]. In most infants, Bacilli initially dominate, followed by Gammaproteobacteria, and ultimate convergence to a state dominated by Clostridia by approximately 37 weeks PMA. We demonstrate that this process can be understood as a series of three ordered phases, with relative stability being maintained for a period within each phase and transitions between phases characterized by rapid, dramatic shifts in the composition of the microbial community. The phases and transition points between them can be defined quantitatively, allowing individual microbiota samples to be unambiguously categorized. Analyses of the putative functional capacity of the phases revealed marked differences and suggest significant roles in host metabolism and gastrointestinal development. While progression through the phases depends largely on PMA, we identified significant associations with nutritional factors, diuretics, and antibiotics. Notably, the initial transition out of P1 is significantly associated with the observed transition from meconium to normal stool. These results suggest that the gut microbiota of premature infants and its temporal dynamics may be best understood through a phase-based paradigm. We have demonstrated the utility of this paradigm by applying it to our examination of the relationships between the gut microbiota, nutrition, and growth.
The gut microbiota of preterm infants at birth is less diverse than in full-term infants and at a greater risk for dysbiosis due to physiological and immune immaturity and postnatal influences that disrupt developmental succession of the microbiota as they mature [23, 37, 39, 40]. Factors that influence microbiota development include prolonged hospitalization, postnatal medications, and formula feeding [16, 23, 37, 39, 41]. In this study, preterm infants were fed specialized premature base formulas or breast milk, which were then fortified with composition and volume guided by daily infant growth rates and clinical evaluation. All premature infants were supplemented with some liquid or powder formula fortification in order to target their higher macronutrient, phosphorous, and calcium targets set by current pediatric guidelines. It would be interesting to compare formula supplemented to exclusive maternal breastmilk intake, though this theoretical control group’s intake would place infants at unacceptable risk for growth failure. The composition and volume of formulas and volume of breast milk was monitored for each infant. Nutritional intake for each infant was calculated as the ratio of lipid, protein, and carbohydrate, total caloric intake, and proportion of enteral calories, normalized by body weight, and received the week prior to fecal sampling for microbiota analysis. We then evaluated the impact of these nutrients on successive phases of the microbiota in relationship to PMA and infant growth. Adjustment of enteral and parenteral intake of these nutrients, along with total calorie intake and medications, were associated with infant growth.
The succession of gut microbiota in our preterm cohorts revealed a low level of initial diversity in P1, which is dominated by facultative anaerobes, followed by increasing diversity and abundance of obligate anaerobes and a shift to fermentation based metabolism in P3. Consistent with other studies, we determined that this programmed, non-random developmental succession of microbiota is largely determined by PMA [5, 6]. What drives this patterned succession toward a homeostatic relationship between the infant and colonizing microbiota is not known, but likely involves complex interactions between the mucosal immune system as well as metabolic interactions within the gut microbial community and the surrounding tissue and microenvironment, which remain dynamic during periods of gastrointestinal development in early life. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) produced by Paneth cells (PCs) in the epithelium of the small intestine establish a feedback loop between the host and commensal bacteria that is essential for intestinal homeostasis and microbiota colonization [39]. Although the number of immune-competent PCs are significantly higher after 37 weeks of gestation when compared to preterm infants, the number of immune-competent PCs are higher in infants with GA above 29 weeks compared to infants with GA under 29 weeks [42]. This period around PMA 29 weeks corresponds to the PMA ~ 30 weeks where we observed the transition from P2 to P3 in our preterm cohorts, suggesting that PC AMPs are one factor that modulates the shift toward a community dominated by obligate anaerobes. Streptococcus and Veillonella in P3, which frequently co-occur and interact metabolically in microbial communities, through the production of lactic acid by Streptococcus which is used as a carbon source by Veillonella [43]. Similar metabolic interactions that contribute to succession and homeostasis will likely be identified through metabolic profiling of communities within each phase [6].
Phase-specific changes in the microbiota and infant growth were significantly associated with the ratio of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates, and total caloric intake. Increased abundance of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria was significantly associated with lipid intake, Firmicutes with protein, and Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes with carbohydrates (Additional file 7: Table S6). A greater abundance of Staphylococcus, Clostridium, and Enterococcus as a result of an increased ratio of carbohydrates and total caloric intake in P3 reflects a potential change in the energy balance and increased growth due to a greater abundance of genes involved in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and production of butyrate in these Firmicutes [44, 45]. While the increased ability of the microbiota to extract nutrients from the food consumed by the host may have a direct benefit for the preterm infant in early life, emerging data suggests the potential for a strong impact on disease programming and obesity in later life [46,47,48]. Importantly, the effect of nutrition on growth was dependent on the microbiota phase during which individual nutrients were administered. These findings are consistent with the inferred functional differences between the phases and suggest that diet and treatment can be optimized based on microbiota phase. A higher proportion of protein is significantly positively associated in early life with a P1 microbiota. Increased protein and lipids during P1 are strongly associated with a higher growth rate. In contrast, a higher proportion of protein is significantly negatively associated with a P2 microbiota, with increased proportions of total nutrition lipids and protein in P2 strongly associated with higher weight Z-score. Relative to P1 and P3, P2 is associated with lower weight and growth at a given time.
Significant associations with phase succession were identified with exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics, gut motility agents, corticosteroids for treatment of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), histamine-2 receptor (H2)-blockers and proton pump inhibitors (PPI) that reduce gastric acidity and gastroesophageal reflux [41, 49, 50]. Previous studies evaluating use of antibiotics, H2-blockers and PPI in preterm infants identified a relationship between their use and development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) [5, 51]. Treatment with H2-blockers has been shown to favor the proliferation of Proteobacteria over Firmicutes in fecal microbiota, which is also associated with development of NEC [41]. Eleven preterm infants with NEC were included in our study, but were not analyzed as an independent group, and therefore, we cannot directly associate phase with changes in microbiota and NEC. However, our analysis of phase succession demonstrated that treatment of our preterm infants with H2-blockers or PPI was associated with an increase in Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes in P2 (Additional file 7: Table S6). Exposure to antibiotics in P2-3 and P3 resulted in a decrease in Firmicutes and increase in Proteobacteria, respectively. Furthermore, the occurrence of NEC relative to phase transition suggests an association of NEC with microbiota reverse transitions from P2 to P1 (subject J0BE5) and P3 to P2 (JF17A and J6B6F) and delayed transition to P3 (J00F9, J900B, and J2B52) (Fig. 3a).
While microbiota phase transition presents an opportunity to optimize postnatal growth, weekly assessment of an individual infant’s gut microbiome to target nutritional therapy is not yet feasible. However, the association of meconium clearance with transition out of P1 suggests use of clearance as a cost-free bedside tool to assess the consequences and therapeutic potential of transition from P1 to P2 in preterm infants. Implementing a diet with increased proportions of lipids and proteins in P1 may enhance infant growth and promote transition to P2. A subsequent increase in the proportion of proteins after transition to P2, as indicated by clearance of meconium, could maximize growth and promote progression to P3, and could be followed by adjustment of overall enteral calories for optimal growth. Further investigation into clinical surrogates of the microbial transition to P3 would provide additional benefit to bedside care and assessment of nutrition on long-term infant development. Broadly, healthy growth and rapid gut microbiota development (transition through the three phases) occur in parallel and are hindered by prematurity. Further investigation of associations between phase progression and dietary macronutrients and common medications may suggest potential avenues for microbiotic-focused care aimed at optimizing growth and mitigating certain pathologies associated with prematurity.
The clearance of meconium and transition out of P1 is not always stable, with the microbiota of some infants reverting back to a meconium state or P1 after the initial transition to P2 (Fig. 3a). Furthermore, clearance of meconium occurs in P2 of some (e.g., J5028 in Fig. 3a) or whose first sample was in P2 (i.e., J94E8). Expansion of meconium clearance over P2 is also shown in Additional file 2: Figure S6, where a significant number of P1 samples were not identified as meconium. This may be due to our reliance on a clinical observation of meconium clearance to more solid fecal material. Another likely source is the dynamic environment of the preterm gut and changes in microbiota-gut epithelium interactions during rapid development [52]. In addition to the expected observation of delayed and prolonged meconium clearance due to hypomotility consistent with the immature preterm gastrointestinal tract, it may be that the continued accumulation of sloughed off epithelial cells during the period of rapid intestinal growth and convolution known to occur during the developmental period corresponding to the third trimester results in a mixture of normal stool and meconium.
Given that functional properties of the microbiome, metabolism, and host physiology are likely of paramount significance to our observations, additional experimental approaches to identify underlying microbiome mechanisms at each phase would be of substantial value. Additionally, as this was not a case-control study, our ability to rigorously assess the relationship between nutrition, the microbiota, and growth was limited. Significant associations identified between different nutrients, the phase of the microbiota, and growth depended upon the variation in nutritional intake that occurred as a matter of course, independent of our study. Controlling these factors in a systematic way would likely be highly informative, but would be difficult to achieve given the risks to the study population. We also acknowledge a study limitation with the proportion of breast milk received by each infant, in that we were unable to collect precise measurements of breastmilk volumes due to variability from feed to feed in breastmilk availability. We recommend that future studies control or measure this quantity more precisely. Finally, additional metrics of host gut physiology and immune and metabolic development can be incorporated into future studies as they may provide insights into the factors driving phase progression as well as the potential impact of phase transition on the newborn’s growth and development.
To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate an association between gut microbiota phase, nutritional intake, and growth of preterm infants. We first developed a discrete three phase-based model based upon quantitative categorical classification of the preterm gut microbiota, characterized the composition and putative functional capacity of the three microbiota phases, and described the properties of phase transition. We determined that transition from meconium to normal infant stool is associated with transition of the microbiota out of P1. Second, we identified significant associations between phase-specific gut microbiota functions, growth, nutritional intake, and medication. Third, in both the phase- and period-based models, the abundance of several dominant infant gut microbiota taxa (e.g., Bifidobacterium) [37, 53] were significantly affected by gestational age at birth, PMA at sampling, total calories and proportions of macronutrients consumed at the week of sampling, and multiple clinical variables. Collectively, this work lays the foundation for additional studies to determine causality leading to personalized microbiome medicine of preterm infants and new clinical guidelines with nutritional and medication recommendations based on infant growth and gut microbiota development.
Clinical methods
All study procedures were approved by the University of Rochester School of Medicine Internal Review Board (IRB) (Protocol # 37933). Infants included in the study were from the multicenter Prematurity and Respiratory Outcomes Program (PROP) and the Respiratory Pathogens Research Center (RPRC) at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and were cared for in a single-center Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Clinical care in terms of type and duration of antibiotic treatment, corticosteroids, diuretics, motility agents, and H2 receptor agonists as well as the timing and volume of feeds was at the discretion of treating physicians. Rectal swabs were used to collect fecal material from consented infants from 24 PMA until discharge and again at 6 months and 1 year for preterms and birth and 1 month for full terms. Each sample was collected by inserting a sterile Copan flocked nylon swab (Copan Diagnostics, Murrieta, CA) moistened with normal saline beyond the sphincters into the rectum and then twirled. Each sample was immediately placed into sterile buffered saline and stored at 4 °C for no more than 4 h. Samples were processed daily, which involved extraction of the fecal material from the swab in a sterile environment and immediately frozen at − 80 °C until DNA extraction. All sampling swabs, plasticware, buffers, and reagents used for sample collection and extraction of nucleic acids were sterile and UV-irradiated to insure no contamination from sources outside of the infant and sample.
Derived medication and nutrition variables
For all medications considered, binary variables were derived for each sample that indicate whether or not a given medication was administered in the week (7 days) prior to sample collection. Weight Z-score was computed as a proxy for growth. First, weight percentile was computed as the percentage of weight measures of a population of the same sex and age that fall below the observed weight value. We applied Cole’s LMS method as used by CDC and WHO [54]. The standard growth chart is based on sex-matched premature infant population weight data collected by Fenton and Kim [55, 56]. Weight Z-scores were computed based on the corresponding weight percentiles. Four variables associated with each sample were derived for nutritional intake: total calories per kilogram in the week prior to sample collection, ratio of lipids or proteins in the week prior to sample collection, and the ratio of total calories in the week prior to sample collection that were consumed enterally (as opposed to parenterally). These values were computed based on detailed daily feeding records and the available nutrition facts for all formulas, supplements, and total parenteral nutrient preparations used in the NICU. Total calories per kilogram in the past week is the sum of total calories per kilogram per day for the 7 days prior to sampling. The proportion of enteral calories computed as the ratio of (grams of lipids/protein per kilogram) divided by (total calories per kilogram) for each day, summed over the 7 days prior to sampling. “Enteral calorie ratio past week” was computed as the total calories per kilogram consumed enterally in the week prior to sampling divided by the total calories per kilogram consumed (enterally and parenterally) in the same period.
Genomic DNA extraction
Total genomic DNA was extracted with a modified method using the QIAGEN Fecal DNA kit and FastPrep mechanical lysis (MPBio, Solon, OH). 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) was amplified with Phusion High-Fidelity polymerase (Thermo Scientific, Waltham, MA) and dual indexed primers specific to the V3-V4 hypervariable regions (319F: 5′ ACTCCTACGGGAGGCAGCAG 3′; 806R: 3′ ACTCCTACGGGAGGCAGCAG 5′) [57]. Amplicons were pooled and paired-end sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq (Illumina, San Diego, CA) in the University of Rochester Genomics Research Center. Each sequencing run included (1) positive controls consisting of a 1:5 mixture of Staphylococcus aureus, Lactococcus lactis, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Streptococcus mutans, and Escherichia coli and (2) negative controls consisting of sterile saline.
16S rRNA sequence processing
Raw data from the Illumina MiSeq was first converted into FASTQ format 2 × 300 paired-end sequence files using the bcl2fastq program, version 1.8.4, provided by Illumina. Format conversion was performed without de-multiplexing and the EAMMS algorithm was disabled. All other settings were default. Sequence processing and microbial composition analysis were performed with the Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology (QIIME) software package [58], version 1.9. Reads were multiplexed using a configuration described previously [57]. Briefly, for both reads in a pair, the first 12 bases were a barcode, which was followed by a primer, then a heterogeneity spacer, and then the target 16S rRNA sequence. Using a custom Python script, the barcodes from each read pair were removed, concatenated together, and stored in a separate file. Read pairs were assembled using fastq-join from the ea.-utils package, requiring at least 40 bases of overlap and allowing a maximum of 10% mismatched bases. Read pairs that could not be assembled were discarded. The concatenated barcode sequences were prepended to the corresponding assembled reads, and the resulting sequences were converted from FASTQ to FASTA and QUAL files for QIIME analysis. Barcodes, forward primer, spacer, and reverse primer sequences were removed during de-multiplexing. Reads containing more than four mismatches to the known primer sequences or more than three mismatches to all barcode sequences were excluded from subsequent processing and analysis. Assembled reads were truncated at the beginning of the first 30 base window with a mean Phred quality score of less than 20 or at the first ambiguous base, whichever came first. Resulting sequences shorter than 300 bases or containing a homopolymer longer than six bases were discarded. Operational taxonomic units (OTU) were picked using the reference-based USEARCH (version 5.2) [59] pipeline in QIIME, using the May 2013 release of the GreenGenes 99% OTU database as a closed reference [60, 61]. An indexed word length of 128 and otherwise default parameters were used with USEARCH. Chimera detection was performed de novo with UCHIME, using default parameters [59]. OTU clusters with less than four sequences were removed, and representative sequences used to make taxonomic assignments for each cluster were selected on the basis of abundance. The RDP Naïve Bayesian Classifier was used for taxonomic classification with the GreenGenes reference database, using a minimum confidence threshold of .85 and otherwise default parameters [62]. Phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt) [63] was used with the provided pre-processed KEGG Orthologs database to infer the putative functional capacities of these communities.
16S rRNA microbiota data pre-processing
To ensure the quality of statistical analysis, microbiome samples with < 12,000 total reads were excluded from the subsequent data analyses. Microbiota abundance data were summarized at six different levels (level 2: PHYLUM–level 7: SPECIES). For characterization of the microbiota phases and within phase abundance analyses, raw relative abundance values were used. For beta diversity calculations, normalization by rarefaction at a depth of 12,000 reads was performed. For longitudinal abundance analyses, at each taxonomic level we excluded OTU units (taxa) with equal or more than 98% of exactly zero reads among the 705 samples. In total, 140 genera and 198 species are used for these statistical analyses. The abundance data were log2 transformed (log2(x + 1)) following normalization by cumulative sum scaling [64].
Description of decision tree logic to define microbiota phases
Drawing on the microbial dysbiosis index described by Gevers et al. [65], the first step in the decision tree is to compute and evaluate the log of (total abundance of the classes increased in prematurity (Bacilli + Gammaproteobacteria)) over (total abundance of the class decreased in prematurity (Clostridia)). If this value is less than or equal to two, the gut microbiota is defined as being in phase 3. If the result of the first step in the tree is greater than two, a second step is taken where we compute and evaluate the log of (total abundance of the class increased in extreme prematurity (Bacilli)) over (total abundance of the class decreased in extreme prematurity (Gammaproteobacteria)). If the resulting value is less than or equal to two, the gut microbiota is defined as being in phase two; otherwise, it is defined as being in phase one (P1). In the event that the ratio is non-computable because Clostridia is entirely absent and the P1|P2 branch is taken, or the P1|P2 branch is taken and Gammaproteobacteria is absent, the microbiota is defined as being in P1 or the P1|P2 branch is taken and Bacilli is absent, the microbiota is defined as being in P2. If two of the three classes are absent, the microbiota is defined as being in the phase characterized by the class that is present. No samples were entirely devoid of all three classes, but such a case could not be resolved within this framework. Dirichlet multinomial mixture (DMM) modeling for comparative purposes was performed using the Dirichlet multinomial R package, which is based on Holmes et al. [66]. Class-level composition was used, and per sample normalization was performed by converting relative abundances to counts summing to 12,000 (the minimum read threshold for inclusion in analysis). The dmn function was used with default parameters and an arbitrary seed value of 11; count data was fit to one through ten Dirichlet components, and model fit was estimated using the Laplace metric.
The functional capacity of the microbiota present in each sample was inferred using PICRUSt (Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States) [63], which reconstructs the functional composition of a microbial community sample using 16S rRNA phylogeny and a database of annotated reference genomes. For each functional pathway from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) that was putatively identified, comparisons were made between the phases using LEfSe, which identifies features that are statistically differentially abundant among biological classes (in this case phases) and then performs comparative tests between pairs of biological classes to identify where these features are significantly enriched or diminished.
Comparing taxonomic composition, functional capacity, and week-to-week dissimilarity between phases
Analysis of variance of taxa abundance at all taxonomic levels across the three phases of the microbiota was conducted using a Kruskal-Wallis test, and the results are summarized in Additional file 4: Table S3. Differential abundance of taxa between each pair of two phases was assessed at each taxonomic level using the metagenomicsSeq zero-inflated Gaussian test [64], and the results are summarized in Additional file 5: Tables S4A–C. Testing for differential functional capacity between the phases was performed using LEfSe [67] with per-sample normalization to 1 M total counts, minimum effect size of 2.0, alpha of 0.1, an all-against-all strategy, and otherwise default parameters. The results are summarized in Additional file 6: Table S5. An exploratory test of the equality of the median of the week-to-week differences of samples within individual subjects between the cases where the phase remains the same and the cases where the phase changes was performed using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. The p value reported for this test is approximate due to the paired nature of beta-diversity and the presence of repeated measures from the same subjects.
Transition from meconium to solid stool
The point of stool transition from meconium to normal as described in the text was determined from nurses’ records subjectively characterizing diaper contents when they were changed. These records were available as free text and each entry was time stamped, with one entry for every time a diaper was changed. Stool transition was defined as the first such record without the word meconium that was followed by no more than two records containing the word meconium. To assess the associations between day of life (DOL) of stool transition and day of life of initial transition out of phase one, a simple linear regression model was used with DOL of transition out of phase 1, gestational age at birth as covariates, and DOL of stool transition as the outcome. A similar regression model was used to assess the association between growth and time to reach phase 3. The DOL of the first phase 3 sample observed for each subject and their gestational age at birth were used as covariates, and the total change in weight Z-score from birth to discharge was used as the outcome variable. This model included only the 81 subjects who reached phase three prior to discharge.
Determination of early and late time periods
We applied functional principal component analysis to the microbiota abundance data [21]. The estimated temporal abundance function of taxon v and subject I, \( {\widehat{x}}_{i,v}(t) \), was represented by a linear combination of eigen-functions as follows:
$$ {\widehat{x}}_{i,v}(t)={\widehat{\mu}}_v(t)+\sum \limits_{k=1}^{K_v}{c}_{ik,v}{\xi}_{k,v}(t). $$
Here, \( {\widehat{\mu}}_v(t) \) is the estimated mean curve for the vth taxon, ξ k, v (t) is the kth eigen-function for this taxon, K v is the number of top eigen-functions needed to explain ≥ 99% of total functional variation, and c ik, v are the linear coefficients. On average, it takes 2.93 functional principal components to explain ≥ 99% of total variation at the species level. We calculated the total functional variance based on the fitted microbiota abundance at the species level. More specifically, we computed the pointwise variance function for each species from the smoothed temporal curves of abundance at the species level, then took the summation over all species used in this study
$$ {V}_v(t)=\frac{1}{N-1}\sum \limits_{i=1}^N{\left({\widehat{x}}_{i,v}(t)-{\overline{x}}_{\cdot, v}(t)\right)}^2,\kern0.5em \overline{V}(t):= \frac{1}{M}\sum \limits_{v=1}^M{V}_v(t). $$
Here, \( {\overline{x}}_{\cdot, v}(t) \) represents the sample mean abundance function calculated from all subjects. \( \overline{V}(t) \) represents the overall temporal variance at the species level. The maximum of \( \overline{V}(t) \) occurred at PMA = 34 weeks (rounded to integers), which is illustrated in Additional file 2: Figure S5. Based on this cutoff, we define the EARLY period of PMA to be (0,34) and the LATE period to be [34,∞). The EARLY interval has 362 data points; the LATE interval has 343 data points.
Association between clinical variables and microbiota abundance in each phase
Within each phase independently, association testing between all taxa and clinical and nutritional factors of interest was performed by regressing the relative abundance of each taxon on these covariates: gestational age at birth, post menstrual age, total calories per kilogram in the past week, ratio of lipids in the past week, ratio of proteins in the past week, ratio of carbohydrates in the past week, proportion of total calories received enterally in the past week, whether antibiotics were received in the past week, whether diuretics were received in the past week, whether corticosteroids were received in the past week, whether motility agents were received in the past week, whether proton pump inhibitors were received in the past week, and whether H2 receptor antagonists were received in the past week. This was done using the MaAsLin algorithm [68] with subject as a random variable, without model selection, and with otherwise default parameters. The results are summarized in Additional file 7: Table S6.
Association between nutrition/medication and growth
We performed linear mixed-effect regression analysis similar to the above model on both early and late periods (Model A) and three phases (Model B) to test the association between the nutrition/medication factors (as covariates) and weight Z-score as a proxy for growth (as the response variables). We included gaBirth (gestational age at birth) and PMA in the model to control for their possible confounding effects. More specifically, the following two linear mixed-effects regressions were performed.
Model A:
$$ {\mathrm{Weight}}_i\left({t}_j\right)={\mathrm{Period}}_i\left({t}_j\right){\beta}_{\mathrm{period}}+\sum \limits_{k=1}^K{\mathrm{NutriMed}}_{i,k}\left({t}_j\right){\beta}_k+\mathrm{Interactions}+{\alpha}_i+{\epsilon}_{ij}. $$
Model B:
$$ {\mathrm{Weight}}_i\left({t}_j\right)={\mathrm{Phase}}_i\left({t}_j\right){\beta}_{\mathrm{phase}}+\sum \limits_{k=1}^K{\mathrm{NutriMed}}_{i,k}\left({t}_j\right){\beta}_k+\mathrm{Interactions}+{\alpha}_i+{\epsilon}_{ij}. $$
Here, NutriMed(i,k) (t j ) is the kth clinical covariate for the ith subject measured at the jth time point. β k is the corresponding linear coefficient (fixed effect); α i is a random-effect term that quantifies the within-subject dependence; and ϵ ij is the i.i.d. measurement error. In summary, model A associates weight Z-score to the time periods (EARLY versus LATE), nutrition and medication variables, and their interactions. Model B is much like model A except that it uses microbiota phases to quantify the developmental stages of microbial community instead. For model A, LATE is considered as the baseline phase (coded as 0) and EARLY is coded as 1. For model B, phase 3 is considered as the baseline phase (coded as 0); phases 1 and 2 are coded as 1 in two separate binary variables. The interactions included in both models are defined as the products of the nutrition/medication variables and period/phase-related covariates. The significance of associations is determined by regression t test with Satterthwaite’s approximation. Due to the use of large number of covariates in these models, stepwise model selection based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC) was used to reduce model complexity. The results of model B for weight Z-score are summarized in Table 2 of the main text. As an example, the linear associations of P2 and percent lipids * P2 with the weight z-score are both significant (beta = − 0.7766 for P2 and 5.658 for lipids * P2); meaning that while P2 is correlated with a smaller weight z-score as compared with the baseline (P3), a higher percent of lipid intake for P2 subjects increases the weight Z-scores for subjects in P2. Analyses were performed in R 3.2.0 (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria).
Predicting microbiome phases
We performed a mixed-effects logistic regression analyses to study the associations between a host of nutrition- and medication-related covariates and the three microbiota phases on the early and late intervals. We considered P3 as the baseline phase and represented P1 and P2 by two separate binary outcome variables. Gestational age at birth and PMA were included to control for their potential confounding effects. A likelihood ratio test was used to determine the statistical significance of associations. The results are summarized in Tables 3A and B.
BPA:
DOL:
Day of life
LPS:
NEC:
Necrotizing entercolitis
NICU:
OTUs:
Operational taxonomic units
PMA:
Premenstrual age
PROP:
Prematurity and Respiratory Outcomes Program
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We thank Deanna Maffett, Tanya Scalise, and Elizabeth Werner for the collection and recording of samples and clinical data. We also thank Laura Nally, M.D., and Bianca Redhead, M.D., for their technical and experimental support. Microbiome sequencing in this study was completed by the University of Rochester Genomics Research Center (GRC).
This project has been funded in whole or in part by the Federal funds from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract Nos. HHSN272201200005C and K08 AI108870-01, and the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute for the Prematurity and Respiratory Outcomes Program (U01 HL101813-01).
All phenotypic data, 16S rRNA sequence reads and generated datasets is publically available through dbGaP accessions phs001297.v1.p1 (PROP rectal samples n = 721, n = 97 subjects) and phs001347.v2.p1 (RPRC/PROP fullterm samples n = 46 samples, n = 23 subjects, meconium and stool samples, n = 10 samples, n = 5 subjects) through url http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/projects/gap/cgi-bin/study.cgi?study_id=phs00001297.v1.p1 and url http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/projects/gap/cgi-bin/study.cgi?study_id=phs00001347.v2.p1.
Genomics Research Center, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
Alex Grier
& Steven R. Gill
Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
Xing Qiu
, Sanjukta Bandyopadhyay
& Jeanne Holden-Wiltse
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
Haeja A. Kessler
, Ann L. Gill
Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
Heidie Huyck
, Sara Misra
, Thomas J. Mariani
, Lori Scholer
, Kristin M. Scheible
& Gloria S. Pryhuber
Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
Mary T. Caserta
Pediatric Molecular and Personalized Medicine Program, Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
Thomas J. Mariani
Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
Rita M. Ryan
Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
Yi-Horng Lee
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
Brooke Hamilton
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SRG, GSP, RMR, and Y-HL designed the study. ALG, HAK, BH, HH, and SM collected and processed the specimens. ALG, HAK, and BH sequenced and generated data. AG, XQ, SB, and JH-W analyzed the data. AG, XQ, HAK, TJM, LS, KMS, MTC, GSP, and SRG drafted the manuscript. All authors reviewed the final manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Correspondence to Steven R. Gill.
Written informed consent was obtained from a parent or guardian of all participating infants. The institutional review board at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Strong Memorial Hospital approved the study.
Number of significant associations identified in the initial linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Specifically, for each covariate listed in this table, we performed linear mixed-effects regression analyses in which the response variables are microbial taxa abundance and the regressors are as follows: (1) gestational age at birth, (2) post-menstral age, (3) this covariate (main), and (4) the interation between the main covariate and PMA. Regression t tests were used to assess the statistical significance of associations. Benjamini-Hochberg multiple testing procedure was used to control false discovery rate at 0.05 level. Listed in this table are the numbers of taxa that are significantly associated with each regressors in these initial regression analyses. (DOCX 17 kb)
Figure S1. Composition bar charts by subject and sampling method. Figure S2. Alpha diversity by subject and sampling method observed OTUs. Figure S3. Number of Dirichlet components vs. model fit. Figure S4. Weighted UniFrac Principal Coordinate Analyses of phase and Dirichlet component. (A) Weighted UniFrac Principal Coordinate Analysis plot colored by phase. (B) Weighted UniFrac Principal Coordinate Analysis plot colored by Dirichlet Component. Figure S5. Total functional variance based on the fitted microbiome abundance at the species level relative to postmenstrual age (PMA). Figure S6. Linear regression analysis of meconium samples and Phase 1 rectal samples. Comment on Figure 3F. (DOCX 1141 kb)
Confusion table of phases vs. Dirichlet multinomial mixture components. Each sample was classified as representing a specific phase based on the ratios of Bacilli, Gammaproteobacteria, and Clostridia, as described. Independently, each sample was classified as representing a Dirichlet multinomial mixture (DMM) component based on the abundances of all classes of bacteria present. Each row of the table above indicates the number of samples classified as a given phase, and each column indicates the number of samples classified as a given DMM component. Row/column intersections indicate the number of samples classified as the corresponding phase (row) and DMM component (column). DMM components are numbered automatically from the most common to the least common, while phases are numbered according to their order in a model of temporal progression. Phase 1 is equivalent to DMM component 3; phase 2 corresponds to DMM component 2; and phase 3 corresponds to both DMM components 1 and 4. Colors on the row and column labels indicate these correspondence relationships, and colors internal to the table identify sets of samples where the phase-based and DMM component classifications are in agreement. (DOCX 18 kb)
Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance of all bacterial taxa across the three Phases of the microbiome. (XLSX 109 kb)
A. Results of differential abundance tests (metagenomeSeq zero-inflated Gaussian) of all bacterial taxa between microbiome phases 1 and 2. B. Results of differential abundance tests (metagenomeSeq zero-inflated Gaussian) of all bacterial taxa between microbiome phases 2 and 3. C. Results of differential abundance tests (metagenomeSeq zero-inflated Gaussian) of all bacterial taxa between microbiome phases 1 and 3. (ZIP 536 kb)
Significant results of linear discriminant analysis of putative functional features of microbial communities across the three Phases of the microbiome. (XLSX 24 kb)
Significant associations between bacterial taxa and nutrition, medications, and other clinical factors, within each of the three phases of the microbiome. (XLSX 34 kb)
Multiple regression associations from period-based model with weight Z-score as the outcome variable. The interaction terms are denoted by an asterisk. The p values indicate the significance of each association, while the beta values indicate the direction and magnitude of the relationship between weight Z-score and the covariates. (DOCX 12 kb)
Additional file 9: Tables S8.
A–B. Full results of mixed-effects logistic regression for nutrition and medication. (DOCX 14 kb)
Linear regression analysis of significant taxa for two variables (genera in P1 and genera in meconium), those that are significant for both variables and those that are unique to each (P1 or meconium). (XLSX 9 kb)
Grier, A., Qiu, X., Bandyopadhyay, S. et al. Impact of prematurity and nutrition on the developing gut microbiome and preterm infant growth. Microbiome 5, 158 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-017-0377-0
Received: 18 April 2017
Preterm infants
Gut microbiota
Phase transition
Meconium
Infant growth
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Military Sea Hawkers NFC Championship Newsletter
The Washington National Guard covers a Chinook with a 12 flag to show their support for the Seahawks.
NFL Films Preview: Seahawks vs Packers
Seahawks Announce Fan Activities for NFC Championship Game
Sea Hawkers Booster Club to host 12 rallies ahead of Seahawks NFC Championship vs Packers
7th Annual Chili Cook-Off and Seahawks 12th Man Rally
Vettix: Free tix to Craig Gass, Seahawks themed comedy show on 1/17. Two times: 7:00 and 9:30
Events/Blog Post
Military Sea Hawkers Links
@Mil_SeaHawkers Twitter
Military Sea Hawkers YouTube Video
Seahawks.com Military Salute
The Sea Hawkers Podcast on Stitcher
Donate to the Military Sea Hawkers
Sea Hawkers,
If you’re in the Seattle area and your calendar is free over the next three days there are plenty of great events going on. One thing you’ve probably heard already: the Seahawks are playing the NFC Championship game at home for the second straight season. It’s kind of a big deal.
Starting Friday, there are a series of 12 rallies starting at 6pm. On Saturday at noon you have the 7th Annual All Club Chili Cook-Off and 12th Man Rally. That evening, Craig Gass is performing two Seahawks themed comedy shows at the Neptune Theatre.
I reserved my tickets for the 9:30 show Saturday evening. If you haven’t heard of him, he’s a comic who is a huge Seahawks fan and he has donated 40+ tickets to each of his shows Saturday night through Vettix.
If you’re not a member of Vettix yet, please sign up via our referral link. It’s a nice way to get free (or nearly free) tickets to concerts, comedy shows and other events all over the country.
If you missed the game last week, the Seahawks once again pulled away in the fourth quarter to win 31-17. Up 24-10, Kam Chancellor put the game away with a 90-yard interception that put Seattle on top 31-10. Carolina rallied for some points at the end, but the Seahawks always looked in control of that game.
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers come back to Seattle after kicking off the season here. Rodgers looked extremely limited against the Cowboys and was not accurate until the fourth quarter when he took the game over. He was able to lead Green Bay to 26 points at home, but the Packers aren’t at home and this isn’t the Cowboys defense.
If you’re going to be at the game on Sunday, remember kickoff is an hour earlier at 12pm. We’ll look to be at the same tailgate spot as last week: 1531 Utah Ave. S. Check our Facebook page the morning of gameday to verify. I’ll bring along some Military Sea Hawkers hats ($25), coins ($15), patches ($10) and Sea Hawkers Podcast stickers (free) if anyone is interested.
GO HAWKS!!!
nfc championship game live on AFN & DTS
The Seahawks take on the Packers on Sunday and you can find it live on AFN and DTS Sports. The NFC Championship game will also air via tape delay.
Tune in at 1200 PT, 2000 GMT and 0030 in Afghanistan to catch it live and it re-airs at 0400 PT, 1200 GMT and 1630 in Afghanistan.
Sea Hawkers podcast: Panthers recap, Packers preview, Todd Mossburg-producer for NFL AM
For the third consecutive year, the Seahawks have at least one playoff win. With a second-straight NFC Championship game at home, Seattle is in a great position to make the Super Bowl in back-to-back seasons following a 31-17 win over the Carolina Panthers.
Warning to listeners this week: the show goes a little bit off track toward the start with more focus on the Dez Bryant catch, and we do our best to tie it in with the Earl Thomas near-interception. Both were called a catch on the field only to have the play overturned when it went to the replay booth. Is there a way to change the rules so each play could be considered a catch? Would a new rule differentiate between the two? Is one play more deserving of being ruled a catch over the other?
The guys break down the matchup with the Packers and where some critical matchups tend to favor the Seahawks. Adam and Brandan talk about the mobility of Aaron Rodgers being a huge concern in this game and how Mr. Miyagi traveling with the team could be a concern.
Todd Mossburg, a 20-year veteran producer, and current producer of NFL AM on NFL Network joins the show this week. Todd drops some amazing knowledge at the end of his interview that you won’t want to miss. Of course we’re all curious to know if the Fail Mary play will get played on an endless loop in previewing this next matchup, but Todd says the network will go in a different direction on NFL AM.
The UK Sea Hawkers check in via email as well as an email that reminds us that a Seahawks punter holds the record for the worst punts in NFL history. Do Better honors go out to an L.A. columnist who wrote a regrettable story about Pete Carroll five years ago as well as the marketing around the Packers game against the Cowboys. “Better at Life” honors go out to the 12s support of Marshawn Lynch and the Seahawks community outreach team.
If you enjoy the show, please subscribe via iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn or your favorite podcasting app.
Brandan Schulze
VP of Communications and Membership
Military Sea Hawkers official website: www.militaryseahawkers.org
Follow the Military Sea Hawkers on Twitter: @Mil_SeaHawkers
Be a fan on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/MilitarySeaHawkers
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Archive for the tag “FDC Presidential Flag-Bearer”
The People’s President held peaceful campaign rallies today in Nakapiripirit and Amudat; While the Calvary defaced and pinned over posters; They even sieged the Amudat Hospital
If you we’re in Amudat today, you would see that RDC Saban Kachimete of Amudat was first busy getting police to pin-over FDC presidential candidate poster in the day before his arrival and his campaign rally. They we’re also tearing them to pieces like they have done with Go-Forward posters before their campaigns. The Police is so impartial in the campaign work for the NRM! They are really the NRM Police Force, why not just switch names, maybe that is the next for IGP Kale Kayihura and CP Fred Enaga to do, to prove loyalty to Mzee.
Well, the local police we’re not doing the work for Mzee.They was stationed at the Amudat hospital to make sure that the Campaign convoy of FDC held themselves far away. If you needed the police today in Amudat, then forget the police posts in the area; most of the crew seemed to be stationed there, because all the crime and prevention of crime seemed to be there.
Now read what the People President says after all of this.
Dr Kizza Besigye message after the rallies the 9th January 2016:
“Nakapiripirit and Amudat was a great experience! Thank you to everyone that made everything possible for us to have our campaign done and completed in the two districts. In Amudat, the police manning health centre 3s continued, our posters were all defaced and covered. But this we know that our support comes from people’s hearts. The RDC, police and NRM members are so desperate to deny us visibility in people’s eyes, but it is evident we are in their hearts. Thanks for the support for the party and my candidature. God bless you all. One Uganda One People».
That’s enough today, Peace.
Posted in Africa, Civil Service, Daily Life, Development, Election, Ethics, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, Politics and tagged #Wesige Besigye, 2016 General Election, 2016 General Election Uganda, Amudat, Amudat District, Amudat Hospital, Badru Kigundu, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, CP Fred Enanga, Dr Badru Kiggundu, Dr Badru M. Kiggundu, Dr. Kiiza Besigye, EC Uganda, Election Road Map for 2016 Uganda, Eng. Dr. Badru M. Kiggundu, FDC, FDC Presidential Candidate, FDC Presidential Flag-Bearer, Forum for Democratic Change, Fred Enanga, Go-Forward, Go-Forward TDA, Hon. Nahan Nandala Mafabi, Hon. Nandala Mafabi, Hon. Nathan Nandala-Mafabi, IGP Gen Kale Kayihura, IGP Kale Kayihura, Kale Kayihura, Nakapiripirit, Nakapiripirit district, National Resistance Movement, NRM, NRM Police Force, NRM-Members, Partisan Politics, Police, Police Interfers in Politics, Police involvement in Partisan Politics, Policing, RDC, RDC Amudat, RDC Saban Kachimete, Saban Kachimete, The Electoral Commission, The Electoral Commission of Uganda, Uganda EC, Uganda Electoral Commission, Uganda General Election 2016, Uganda Police Force, UPF, WesigeBesigye | Leave a comment
The Calvary went violent around a IDP Camp; when the People’s President we’re about to address them
Yet another day of campaign rallies for the People’s President, who we’re campaigning in Bukewo district. He had already today had campaigning in villages before setting up for a rally near the Teriet Internally Displaced Camp in Kapkaros sub-county.
This was not something that the Police of the area accepted. Gerald Twishime the RPC Sipi and the police went totally gung-ho on the FDC campaign convoy. First they threw their natural instinct in and with that tear-gas into the crowd to disperse the people. Also shooting live bullets into the crowd; two people we’re seriously hurt and shot in their legs. The FDC men we’re manhandled. People who we’re hurt by the police we’re Nandala Mafabi, Sadik Amin and Ingrid Turinawe got one her leg broken by the police.
Reason for this: “The Police said Dr. Besigye has no right to address a gathering near an IDP”. Which law and why all of sudden is that not allowed?
Hours earlier FDC had a successful campaign in Bukowo Town. So it’s sad that the whole day couldn’t be filled with that kind of actions and peaceful interaction between the public and one of their Presidential Candidate. But the Police in the area wouldn’t be remembered that way, sincerely yours IGP Gen. Kale Kayihura be proud of your men, your right?
Why couldn’t the rally around the IDP camp look like this, which we’re earlier this morning? Because the Police can’t help themselves, instead we got something as ordinary as election violence from the Uganda Police Force.
FDC continue with your defiance this election violence is nonsense from the forces of the government. Not righteous or justice, just foolish and damaging. Peace.
Posted in Africa, Business, Civil Service, Crime, Development, Election, Ethics, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, Politics and tagged #Wesige Besigye, 2016 General Election, 2016 General Election Uganda, Bukowo, Bukowo Town, Campaign Rallies, Campaign Rally, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Damaging, Defiance, DPC Nshimwe, Dr. Kizza Besigye, Dr. Warren Smith Kizza Besigye Kifefe, East Africa, Election Violence, FDC, FDC Campaign Convoy, FDC Presidential Candidate, FDC Presidential Flag-Bearer, Foolish, Forum for Democratic Change, Gen. Kale Kayihura, Gerald Twishime, GoU, Government of Uganda, Hon. Nahan Nandala Mafabi, Hon. Nandala Mafabi, IDP, IDP Camp, IGP Gen Kale Kayihura, IGP Kale Kayihura, Ingrid Turinawe, Internal Displaced People, Kapkaros Sub-County, Nandala Mafabi, People's President, Police, Police Interfers in Politics, Police Violence, Policing, Regional Police Commander, RPC Sipi, RPC Twishime, Sadlik Amin, Teriet IDP, Uganda, Uganda General Election 2016, Uganda Police Force, UPF, Violence, WesigeBesigye | Leave a comment
The EC Bans Presidential Candidates from Public buildings
The Electoral Commission in Uganda have now officially banned all candidates from visiting hospitals, schools and places of worship during the campaign trail. They are not allowed to attend or have campaign rallies near public buildings.
That means that Amama Mbabazi or Dr. Kizza Besigye can’t visit the buildings that Museveni has built during his 29 years of steady progress. The Steady Progress is now that the chairman of Electoral Commission is showing his loyalty for getting more millions shillings each month.
This all happens after the painful pictures from Abim Hospital that shows how the kingdom of Museveni is looking and how weak his institutions are. That is why he can’t drive around in Personnel Armed Vehicle like he did in Abletong.
I just wait personally to when Amama Mbabazi or Dr. Kizza Besigye not allowed traveling on the roads to see the districts and villages. Because that will show how bad the structures are after 29 years of NRM. Though Bebe Cool will say they are magnificent!
We know that Yoweri Kagtua Museveni doesn’t have Statesmanship because that isn’t his ways. Just like the way he order police to follow and block opposition candidates or detain those loyal to his foes. He can’t help himself!
The IGP Kale Kayihura follows the order like a blind dog and can’t think for himself even his life depends on it. He is the definition of the mouthpiece of Museveni except for Captain Mike Mukula who is drinking the yellow drink and having yellow fever in this campaign season. Because he was quoting seriously saying: “Only Musveni have managed Uganda well”.
Well Captain Mukula the other ones running and managing Uganda is long dead and no other have tried. So your premise is kind of weak, but you have the yellow fever and are excused.
We can see that the Electoral Commission is more and more partisan because of the weakness of the Steady Progress. The is understandable about the issues of weak and sick at the hospital and their sorry state shouldn’t be pressured with campaigning. That is acceptable if that we’re state of excuse from the Electoral Commission. The reality is that they fear showing the initial state of the premises and excessive neglect from the government which it hasn’t provided the public for 29 years. That pains Museveni now, since he is supposed to be Teflon by now! But he is not…
The Schools and house of Prayers is just because the government and NRM knows the popularity of Dr. Kizza Besigye and don’t want to get the congregations and churches to validate his candidacy. Amama Mbabazi have not been in churches during the campaign or invited too much. The Electoral Commission and the NRM fears more the power and public perception it gives the People’s President.
The Independent Prof. Venansious Baryamureeba we’re showing pictures of schools early in his northern Uganda campaign and claiming foul play by government for not providing sustainable educational components to the kids and the public. This must have been a sore and sad for the Steady Progress campaign. As we have seen today when the Police barricaded the Karuma Primary School for Dr. Kizza Besigye so he couldn’t see the school and discuss the state of it.
We can see that the Electoral Commission is living now in the fear level of NRM, an is not acting as a political partisan but as a mouthpiece of NRM and Museveni. That is something we have known for a while. But this is pure proof of the matter. They will now serve the matters of IGP Kale Kayihura and Museveni, not think themselves. That is illegal and dangerous. FDC and Go-Forward will continue to have issues with the Police and the Electoral Commission. They will be barred from visiting public buildings and have more trouble in January and February into the final days of the campaign trail as Yoweri Kaguta Museveni fear them more and more. Peace.
Posted in Africa, Civil Service, Daily Life, Development, Election, Ethics, Governance, Government, Infrastructure, Law, Leadership, Politics and tagged #SteadyProgress, #Wesige Besigye, 2016 General Election, 2016 General Election Uganda, Abim Hospital, Badru Kigundu, Bebe Cool, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Dr Badru Kiggundu, Dr Badru M. Kiggundu, Dr. Kizza Besigye, Dr. Warren Smith Kizza Besigye Kifefe, East Africa, EC Uganda, Education Facility, Eng. Dr. Badru M. Kiggundu, FDC, FDC Presidential Candidate, FDC Presidential Flag-Bearer, Fear, Forum for Democratic Change, Go-Forward, Go-Forward Group, Go-Forward TDA, H. E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Hospial, Karuma Primary School, Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni., Mzee, National Resistance Movement, NRM, Partisan, Partisan Politics, People's President, Police Interfers in Politics, President Museveni, Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba, Record Statement, Referal Hospital, School, Stateman, TDA, TDA Joint Presidential Candidate, TDA Uganda, Teflon, The Democratic Alliance, The Democratic Alliance Uganda, The Electoral Commission, The Electoral Commission of Uganda, Uganda, Uganda EC, Uganda Electoral Commission, Uganda General Election 2016, Venansius Baryamureeba, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni | Leave a comment
FDC – A Message from Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye to all Ugandans as we enter the New Year 2016
Posted in Africa, Civil Service, Election, Ethics, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, Politics and tagged 2016 General Election, 2016 General Election Uganda, Bribery, Campaign trail, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Defience, Democracy, Dr. Kizza Besigye, Dr. Warren Smith Kizza Besigye Kifefe, East Africa, Election, FDC, FDC Presidential Candidate, FDC Presidential Flag-Bearer, FDC Team, Forum for Democratic Change, Liberation, Thanks, Uganda, Uganda General Election 2016, Ugandans | Leave a comment
FDC in Yumbe talks on Veterans benefits and Dr. Besigye thanks for their support!
Message from Dr. Kizza Besigye after the rallies today:
It was a nice to be in Yumbe today, it is true that Yumbe is like all the districts we have been to, they are also saying this time change will come to Uganda. Let me take this opportunity to thank people of Yumbe for welcoming us and attending our rallies. May God bless you all. #Wesige Besigye
From one of the rallies and speeches from Gen. Mugisha Muntu:
” I found many veterans here who are complaining that government has not paid them. I hear they have told you to open bank accounts. Let me tell you, you are wasting your time. I am also a veteran and I served as army commander but I too have not been paid! When I left the army, I was paid only for 4 months. Since then, I have not received a coin. If they can steal my benefits, what about you? Dr. Besigye is here, I can ask him too, have you been paid?” Dr. Kizza Besigye answers: “No”. Only FDC can clear veterans’ arrears. Gen. Muntu in his address to the people of Odravu,Yumbe District.
That must seem as positive and giving compared to the other reports coming today. Therefore I let you all hear it and drop it today! Peace.
Posted in Africa, Civil Service, Development, Election, Ethics, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, Politics and tagged #Wesige Besigye, 2016 General Election, Army, Army Pay, Army Veteran, Benefits, Campaign Rally, Campaign trail, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Dr. Kizza Besigye, Dr. Warren Smith Kizza Besigye Kifefe, East Africa, FDC Presidential Flag-Bearer, FDC-Supporter, Forum for Democratic Change, Gen. Mugisha Muntu, GoU, Government of Uganda, Kizza Besigye, Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu, Major General Mugisha Muntu, Odravu, Parliamentary Elections 2016, Uganda, Uganda General Election 2016, Uganda People Defence Force, UPDF, Veterans, Yumbe, Yumbe District | Leave a comment
FDC Press Statements – Thanks and Preview for Rallies tomorrow
Kamwengye:
Thanks a lot for showing the peoples president, Col. Dr Kizza Besigye Warren Kifefe a big support (yesterday 15/12/2015) amidst heavy deployment by NRM and #Frank Tumwebaze to intimidate you from attending the peoples liberation rally. Remind others to join the struggle and don’t forget going with a friend on the 18/02/2016 to vote for Col.KB and other FDC candidates on ballot papers. Please, please think of p10 for real change. Raaaaaaa…. Col.KB will never walk alone.
Preview for tomorrow:
Fort Portal is warming up for the visit of Dr Besigye tomorrow. There is however a team of crime “preventers” moving in Toyota Corona vehicle Reg number . UAL 655V who are moving pinning M7 posters(which is okay). Team Blue has also tonight begun pinning Dr Besigye’s posters and our P10 vigilantes have been put on alert incase incase these crime preventers attempt to deface or frustrate our activities in Fort Portal tomorrow. We can promise our supporters that we have organized to defend our candidate and our supporters. Meanwhile, Dr Besigye has safely returned from a successful tour of Bundinugyo and Ntoroko and he is in his best moods for our rally tomorrow. We are winning, Written by Moses Byamugisha.
Posted in Africa, Civil Service, Election, Ethics, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, Politics and tagged 2016 General Election, 2016 General Election Uganda, Bundibugyo district, Bundinugyo, Campaign Rallies, Campaign Team, Campaign trail, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Crime Preventers, Defience, Dr. Kizza Besigye, Dr. Warren Smith Kizza Besigye Kifefe, East Africa, Election Posters, FDC, FDC Presidential Candidate, FDC Presidential Flag-Bearer, Fort Portal, Forum for Democratic Change, Frank Tumwebaze, H. E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, Kizza Besigye, Lawengye, Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni., M7, Moses Byamugyisha., Museveni, Ntokoro, Safely, Toyota Corona, Uganda, Uganda General Election 2016, Vigilanties, Yoweri K. Museveni, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni | Leave a comment
DPC Tubonane warned about traffic to get rid of the rally in the town today for Dr. Besigye in Hapuyo in Kyegegwa district (and didn’t succeed!)
I haven’t written much about the FDC rallies and People’s President Journey through the election even if he has gone from crowd to crowds in any district. He has come in by-passing because of the main events. Even if I am genuine admire of his politics and his swagger in public eye. That’s because it been peaceful. Though the crowds and speeches deserves coverage, though my last piece was about his visit to Abim Hospital that also made the government look naked. A real power move by the Presidential Candidate; if not for that piece he has not been in main focus because Musveni and Mbabazi campaign trail has made more fuzz or more noise. Though it might not be as fruitful I still have felt the importance of it, even if it isn’t justified with the momentum that Dr. Kizza Besigye have for the moment.
Today I will talk about one report and what happen in Hapuyo Trading Center in Kyegegwa district where the District Police Commander Joel Tubonane claimed to the public and organizers that the venue and rally was disturbing the Trading Center and wanted the rally out of the road. He commanded them to stop the rally. The people answered him with chasing him away. So that Dr. Kizza Besigye holds his rally in Hapuyo. The ironic part of the statement of the DPC was that there were no visible cars in the road or traffic to interfere with the rally in the town.
The great issue about this is that FDC has given the Electoral Commission and Uganda Police Force its Campaign rallies plan and harmonized it after the laws that they have at their disposal, this has given way for the FDC to have rallies in the areas as they have accepted by the EC and UPF. Which should in effect give way for the FDC to do as they have already complied to the law to have these events, this is also into the famous Elections Roads Map that is the guideline that IGP Kale Kayihura spends time dreaming about when he crashes a event claiming it is not entitle in it It seems that the DPC Tubonane has the same ability, though not the same power or man-power in his district to do something about it. If he did he would violate the words of his boss and make him a hypocrite; that wouldn’t be surprising looking at the outcome of Amama Mbabazi rally in Ntungamo yesterday. That is in the same Election Road Map. I wrote about it yesterday, will not spend more on it, until the numbers and actual violence get more painted on the canvas I can’t describe it no more. Though I will say yesterday was unjustified actions from the NRM, period.
What happen today was a reaction to the reactionary DPC who thought by his mere presence would dissolve and abolish the planned rally of the FDC. Like on man and his words would do so. He would by that violate the higher powers that have for some reasons allowed them to do it. That’s the like Dr. Badru M. Kiggundu and IGP Kale Kayihura, the last one his boss. Instead of trying to force them away from the trading district he should have facilitated the planned rally. Not that he would do so, they doesn’t feed him like the loyal crony who hired him for the DPC position IGP Kayihura. Therefore his loyalty is to the NRM, even if the Police is supposed to be as the ARMY a units who are not participating in political activities, even if the latter has Parliamentary Members. That is just me commenting on the foolish reasoning of non-partisan army, which the UPDF is not, so why should the UPF not be loyal to their leader IGP Kayihura who gladly takes parts of great NRM events like recent ones on Kololo in November, and then we know that he will not judge against his own. That is why IGP Kayihura uses the Public Order Management Act to justify actions against opposition parties and activities in every turn that the Police throw tear-gas and tear up venues where the FDC and Go-Forward shows up.
This did not happen today, it is just to prove their viciousness. The actions of the normal police activity; it’s a reason why I am so blunt about it. That the DPC Tubonane in Hapuyo Trading Center was acting as the mouthpiece of his peers. And for those who have followed the UPF and their actions it’s like a déjà vu. We have heard it all before and it was expected.
What was unexpected was the reaction to the Police Commanders wishes of skirmishing the venue and street on his own; because the people reacted to his ways and got him away. That gave way for the FDC to have a rally in the town as planned. Though I wished he walked away freely instead of being chased away. They still proved some humility by not doing anything more. And the DPC Tubonane could have gotten his fellow comrades and retaliated and instead didn’t put up his equipment. That is something we also could have for-seen but that didn’t occur today and we can be happy about that since there been enough innocent people who has been hurt in rallies and consultant meeting in 2015 alone by the powers of UPF.
We could have seen more violence today if the DPC Tubonane had acted against the people who sent him away after threating to close the rally in the trading center. He could have gone and made hazard. Instead nothing happen and silent ordinary rally happen in town where Dr. Kizza Besigye held his speech and travelled on to the next district of the day. We can be happy about that, though sad that the DPC had to go to these ways to prove his power, though he lost it when the people of the town weren’t buying it. We can be grateful for their resilience and really living by the force of defiance against the governmental forces that are holding them in invisible chains, by the long-serving NRM-Regime. Surely not the reports Mzee want to hear in his ear in Saudi Arabia, well, he can’t always be pleased. Peace.
Posted in Africa, Civil Service, Development, Election, Ethics, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, Politics and tagged Amama Mbabazi, Badru Kigundu, Campaign trail, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Disposal, District Police Commander, DPC Joel Tubonane, DPC Tubonane, Dr Badru M. Kiggundu, Dr. Kizza Besigye, Dr. Warren Smith Kizza Besigye Kifefe, EC, Election, Election Road Map, Election Road Map for 2016 Uganda, Election Violence, Electoral Commission, Eng. Dr. Badru M. Kiggundu, FDC, FDC Presidential Candidate, FDC Presidential Flag-Bearer, Forum for Democratic Change, Gen. Kale Kayihura, Go Forward Ticket, Go-Forward, Go-Forward Group, H. E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Hapuyo, Hapuyo Trading Center, Hon. Amama Mbabazi, Hypocrite, IGP Gen Kale Kayihura, IGP Kale Kayihura, Interfere, Joel Tubonane, Kyegegwa, Kyegegwa District, Law, Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni., Main Road, Man-Power, Mzee, National Resistance Movement, NRM Regime, Ntungamo, Organizers, Police, Policing, POMA, Power, Presidential Candidate, Public Order Management Act, Rallies, Rule of Law, The Electoral Commission, The Electoral Commission of Uganda, Trading Center, Traffic, Uganda, Uganda EC, Uganda Electoral Commission, Uganda Peoples Defence Force, Uganda Police Force, Unjustified, UPDF, UPF, Venue, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni | Leave a comment
The Dream of a Public TV-Debate between top three Presidential Candidates in Uganda
There is a dream of TV-Debate between the three main candidates in Uganda: the NRM with Museveni, the Go-Forward Amama Mbabazi and the FDC Dr. Kizza Besigye! So what will that be, it should be sent on NBS, NTV and WBS at the same time. So that nobody can watch dubbed South American TV-shows for those who don’t care about the politics or elections.
I can’t expect the now gone away Maureen Faith Kyala or Joseph Mabirizi being a part of this. The same with Gen. Benon Biraaro or Abed Bwanika and Professor Bayramureeba; I am sure some people wont to see this candidates to! But, we know that they don’t have the suction yet to be viable combined with the trio who are really fighting to become the President. Even if the Electoral Commission (Now the Independent Electoral Commission), surely will work towards another term for the Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his NRM! Still, would be fun to have him on the spot together with his arch-nemesis Besigye and new enemy Amama Mbabazi!
Why I discuss it:
“President Yoweri Museveni, also NRM flag bearer, says “he is ready to take on any of his fellow 2016 presidential candidates in a public debate” (…)”While addressing a press conference early Monday in Gulu at the State Lodge, Museveni said: “If Besigye or any other candidate wants to debate with me, I am ready. I don’t move without my mouth or brain…” (…)”The president’s comments today come days after Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye challenged him to a debate ‘to discuss issues affecting Ugandans’” (…)”Besigye became the second candidate to dare the president to a live televised debate after Venansius Baryamureeba” (NBS TV, 23.11.2015).
Though the Professor Barya we’re first touched it and Dr. Besigye we’re second. And then the President answered them. It’s a reason why he didn’t answer the Professor, he doesn’t see he as threat. That he do by Dr. Besigye. So that he sent shots and questioned in the public with other candidates. That is something new, because the NRM-Regime can’t control it or really stare the conversation, they can’t rule it. They can’t script it all. Neither can the other candidates. If it will happen there will be banter and change, even if they set certain terms for the discussion and the general debate between them.
Then the candidates can recharge their words they will stay in memory. Certain facts will be tested. The numbers they drop to each other will be discussed like they also are on the manifestos and speeches. The difference with speeches in campaigns is that the candidate can write it himself and conduct it himself. He will say his own words on the debate, but the forum and space will be different. It’s a place where you need your tongue check and in order. If you don’t do it well you will be political daft or naked by your own words. You can be praised if you have said and conducted yourself accordingly. That is an reaction that you can’t script in anyway, but they have to mobilize and anticipate accordingly to the debate. That will show if the politicians actually has any substance or is just some hot air.
The things that can be good about a debate is if the candidate really get tested. Touched and emotional and loses his cool. Even if many debates can end up in stale boring sadness, because none of candidates actually say something meaningful about the subjects at hand. Since there haven’t been in ages or ever been a presidential candidates debate there would be a breath of fresh air to the citizens. Might even see Mzee out of his comfort-zone! That is something that would be good. I think even Amama Mbabazi could be fired up. Dr. Kizza Besigye has been attacked so much that him I am sure would keep his composure in the debate.
A made up debate between:
Who is in the debate:
The Canidates are President Museveni, former PM Mbabazi and (rtd) Col. Dr. Besigye.
And an un-named TV-Host.
On security:
Museveni: “I and the NRM has ensured, secured and made this country safe, nobody except NRM and my government can keep UPDF under control. Then me and the NRM”.
Mbabazi: “You say you have kept the country safe, but not paid the veterans or made people safe, is that why you have hired crime preventers?”
Besigye: “There isn’t just one man who can control the UPDF; the people, the Government, the Parliament can hold the army under control!”
This is a segment we will show more time later in the debate! (the crowd clapping).
On media freedom:
Museveni: “I am revolutionary differs from Obote and Amin, we have given the freedom of the media, look at the Vision, the Monitors, the radios, they can speak their mind, unless it creates problems, they should not speak to much then they create problems for the country”
Mbabazi: “I will address that the media get more funding from the my new government, get digital and fresh new visions, not the secured media of the NRM that have secured in the past”
Besigye: “The media should be total free and not kept under surveillance from the NRM-Junta. There is too much Musveni-Media where his own propaganda get spread instead of the truth!”
TV Host:
“What are your thoughts on the balloting and election reforms? Are they ensuring the people of free and fair elections in Uganda?”
On Elections:
Museveni: “We have re-introduced free and fair elections, an independent Electoral Commission, that have delivered more than before 1986 when the government had fraudulent elections. If you see somebody who rigs the elections take it to the police and their will take care of it”.
Mbabazi: “After you have voted and not sure if the polls will matter and get the correct result. Ensure to stay at the polling station until they finish. So that the Election Officers can’t fix it! Don’t leave!”
Besigye: “We need a new Electoral Commission, now it is a Museveni-Commission. The culture is to rig for the NRM-Junta. There isn’t a way that this entity will give the will of the people. Until we reform it and change it, we will see that the will of the Ugandans will happen”.
On the Police:
Museveni: “The police are ensuring and securing the people, my people all of Ugandans which the revolutionary force that I have made since the 1980s. Obote or Amin never had the safety and security as the police is doing now. The police only acts, acts upon those forces in Uganda who works against the government, like ADF and LRA”
Mbabazi: “the Police under me and Go-Forward will be police for the Ugandans. The Police will not stop public gatherings and meetings. They will be going against criminals and fight corruption, will make a new commission to fight corrupt much better”
Besigye: “The Police needs reforms. They are not for the Ugandans, if not the Ugandans means the NRM and Museveni. They are a unit and ensure the regime to crackdown on anybody, anybody who speaks against them or acts towards them. We need a police reform that ensure that the IGP, DPP and Courts are independent and not loyal to Museveni, but according to laws to ensure safety for Ugandans”.
Now it’s time for a commercial break please don’t switch the channel, it’s more juicy quotes to come!”.
On Foreign Affairs:
Museveni: “We fought against sectarianism; we the NRM are a Pan-African Movement. We Move-Forward. We fight to liberate and have liberated Uganda and Ugandans. In the same way we will fight these guerillas, guerillas [who] will destroy the NRM and Uganda. We will continue to fight the LRA, the Al-Shabab and other force together with other African armies to secure Uganda and the movement”
Mbabazi: “We will continue to fight together with African Union in AMISOM and continue to have forces in C.A.R. to fight LRA. We in Go-Forward will re-evaluate the police to civic protection, not to fight Ugandans as they do now. The Armed forces will get better housing and better salaries”
Besigye: “We have to change the UPDF from a mercenary force which it has been in South Sudan, been hired to fight in C.A.R. but I will still continue to have forces in Somalia as part of the struggle of our fellow comrades in Somalia. But the NRM-Junta and have kept the UPDF to have seats in Parliament, that is something I will change!”
On the Economy:
Museveni: “We the NRM will continue to build a secure economy as we have done since 1980s. The NRM has built stability and we will over the next term, create a industrial economy, there will be more towns turned into city status, more villages turned into industrial towns, we will stop land grabbing and secure the development. We will focus on agriculture and cash-crops like coffee and tea. I myself as a farmer, a farmer knows the importance of cows and I got rich of agriculture myself! That is wealth creation which Ugandans can do himself. Parts of wealth creation that ensure our YOUTHS! Our Ugandan people we also will strengthen the NAADS and SACCO’s to assure that districts and counties get funding for their and our agricultural projects, agricultural projects who will ensure the Ugandan people and grow our economy”.
Mbabazi: “We will establish more of our economy to support our famers. Farmers are the main workforce. We will move forward to support our farmers. We will support growth with the cooperatives and ensure that districts get silos, follow up budget by the Mputo Declaration. That they get silos in every district and cheap fertilizers! Get more education on cash-crops and learn about more effective methods to earn more on their farm. We Go-Forward! ”
(Some guy in crowd scream: “WE GO FORWARD!”)
Besigye: ““This will be in recognition of the pivotal role of the Agricultural Sector in economic growth and development given the fact that the sector employs 70 percent of Uganda’s labour force. We boast that the backbone of our economy is agriculture yet the budget allocation is small, something that has curtailed the growth of the sector and poverty fight among the farmers. Once voted into power I will increase the budget allocation to agriculture to 15% Time to revive ourself from the NRM-theives”.
The host ends with asking:
“Does anybody in the crowd here have any questions for the candidates? Please grab the microphone so the candidate can try to answer you question, and please adress the one or who your asking the question!”
Like this I could have continued. Don’t you think it would be interesting! What do you think? It would be special with a TV-Debate between three Presidential Candidates. Who can address the public on TV and can’t make switches and changes to their statements and can’t retract quotes. Their banter will stay and they can’t stop the filming and their mouths from blabbering! That can be beautiful. Peace.
Posted in Africa, Agriculture, Aid, Business, Civil Service, Corruption, Crime, Daily Life, Development, Economic Measures, Economy, Education, Election, Ethics, Governance, Government, Industry, Infrastructure, Law, Leadership, Politics and tagged Abed Bwainika, ADF, Agriculture, Al-Shabab, Allied Democratic Force, Amama Mbabazi, AMISOM, Armed Forces, AU Mission in Somalia, Benon Biaaro, Budget Allocation, C.A.R., Campaigns, Cash Crops, Central African Republic, City, City Status, Civic Protection, Codes of Conduct, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Comfort Zone, cooperatives, Corrupt, Courts, CP Fred Enanga, Criminals, DPP, Dr Badru Kiggundu, Dr Badru M. Kiggundu, Dr. Kizza Besigye, EAC, East Africa, East African Community, Economy, Electoral Commission, Electoral Reform, Elton Joseph Mabirizi, Eng. Dr. Badru M. Kiggundu, Farmers Party of Uganda, FDC, FDC Presidential Flag-Bearer, Fight Corruption, Foreign Affairs, Forum for Democratic Change, Free and Fair Elections, Free Speech, Gen. Kale Kayihura, Go-Forward, Go-Forward Group, GoU, Government of Uganda, H. E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, H.E. Yoweri Museveni, Hired, Hoe Project, Hon. Amama Mbabazi, IGP Gen Kale Kayihura, IGP Kale Kayihura, Independent Electoral Commission, Industrial Economy, Industrial Towns, Issues Affecting Uganda, Joseph Mabirizi, Land Grabbing, Laws, LDC, Lord Resistance Army, LRA, Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni., Maureen Faith Kyala, Maureen Faith Kyalya Waluumbe, Media, Mercenary, Mercenary Force, Move-Forward, Mputo Declaration, Museveni Commission, Naked Words, National Budget, National Resistance Movement, NBS TV, NBS Uganda, NRM, NRM Junta, NRM Regime, NTV Uganda, Pan-African, Pan-Africanism, Parliament of Uganda, PDP, People's Development Party, Professor Barya, Professor Baryamureeba, Professor Venasius Baryamureeba, Public Debate, Re-Evaluate, Reforms, Resistance, Revolutionary, Salaries, Script, Sectarianism, South Sudan, Speeches, TDA, TDA Joint Presidential Candidate, TDA Uganda, The Democratic Alliance, The Democratic Alliance Uganda, The Independent Coalition, The Movement, TIC, Uganda Electoral Commission, Uganda People Defence Force, Uganda Police Force, UPDF, UPF, WBS TV, Wealth Creation, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni
2nd Nomination day in Uganda – the People’s President Makes Kampala go BLUE!
Today Kampala turned BLUE. The FDC colors flying high and blue shirts everywhere. After the Yellow fever yesterday and the buses from around the country and people left behind. There was people stranded in Kampala after the Kololo Independence Nomination Rally of the NRM and there was none buses going back to Lira, Gulu and other places where the buses came from. Though I will not discuss that further! Wait, maybe a hot minute, but it is not important considering the action that really happen in Kampala. What I will discuss it what has happen today and how it has gone.
Though this day of the FDC couldn’t be itself without the honor of the Police showing the People’s President some extra service, both in worth and in namesake, being courted to the Commission by Police Office Besigye and also getting a warning by Uganda Police Force! Because the Forum for Democratic Change has to get that – and is never excused for what they do!
A tiny report on some of these people travelling to Kololo yesterday:
“People in my mother home Kabale you have to inform me on this! Crime preventers who were transported to Kololo on Monday to entertain President M7’s nomination have been stranded in Nyamukana-Ntungamo this evening, that they have spent 2days without eating. That they driver of Kigezi college Butobere who was driving them stopped and parked the vehicle on road-side claiming that the tyre got a puncture. He told them to wait 4 the bus of Kigezi high school which was still behind but they waited in vain and decided to walk on foot.They were crying like babies coz mbu they weren’t given any single coin”.
Adam Bwainka of the People’s Development Party arrived at Namboole for the nominations today on a boda-boda. He has said this today: “If we are going to turn around our Economy. We must be firm on our Education” (…)”I have researched that 100 MPs in the 9th Parliament has never gone to school” (…)”When Idi Amin left Power we had 12 planes, now we have none”. After the nomination the Electoral Commission has given Mr. Adam Bwaina a security detail and a car so he doesn’t have to leave the venue on a Boda-Boda; where he was headed to Nsambya Sharing Hall for starting his campaign!
Further deflections has happen Lord Mayor of Kampala Erias Lukwago has gone to the FDC and taken part of the Nomination rally. Other DP high standing members are Moses Kasibante and Allan Sewanyana. Also Denis Onekalit the MP aspirant for Kitgum and also Naru Nakalema was also a part of nomination of Dr. Kizza Besigye.
“The Blue siege of the city, the energy of our young people! We have a sacred duty to engage our youths to build a stronger prosperous Uganda” – Asuman Kiyingi (Independent Candidate).
At Namboole today the Presidential Candidates got their nominations about the same time as the President had a Press Conference at the Statehouse in Entebbe after having his own nomination yesterday. Where he said: “How can you create jobs without an foundation? That is why the NRM says les priorities peace” (…)”Birigimana exposed the theft in the Office of the Prime Minister” (…)”Bambi, we have been moving forward since 1986, sorry” . While he was saying this Dr. Kizza Besigye was crossing town, I am sure there was more people walking amongst the FDC leader then the brothers watching and listening to the President on the different media’s at the same time. That I say with the Photo evidence of how the capitol looked blue today!
Dr. Kizza Besigye said this after being nominated by the Electoral Commission today:
“I have been nominated by an Electoral Commission that I protest, a Commission that is not independent. We are going to engage in a three phase struggle;
-the first phase is a liberation struggle, to take power from those who wield it using the weapons of coercion and put it back in the hands of the people.
-The second phase is the Reconfiguration of the Institutions of the People (The Electoral Commission, The Police, The Military, The Judiciary etc.) and make them bonafide institutions of the people.
-The third phase is the Transformation of our country to enable the citizens to live in a country that they are proud of, that they share all the resources of the Country equally”.
Dr. Kizza Besigye, the FDC Flag Bearer duly nominated at exactly 12:00 noon by EC Chair Engineer Badru Kigundi. And he is now addressing the press:
“I have nothing against the fine ladies and gentlemen that constitute the electoral commission. I have problems with the institution. We need a truly independent electoral commission”.
The one who got turned away yesterday Presidential Aspirant Charles Lwanga Bbaale came back to be nominated today.
Another candidate who wanted to be nominated was Joseph Mabirizi of The Independent Coalition. At the nominations was his team who was Omar Kalinge, Vicks Kingo and Kyuma Kyayesu.
The only female Presidential Aspirant Maureen Faith Kyala was turned away by not having her credentials or papers ready; not having the papers correct for the A-Levels and National ID papers. Therefore if she wants her nominations she has to had this sorted out before 4PM today. After being turned away she arrived at the same time as Joseph Mabirizi. Then on the second coming today she got her verification and also possible Presidential aspirant.
In the midst of this blue power sessions and other candidates; where was Malcom “Dan” Matsiko? Wasn’t you supposed to be a candidate for the NFT or New Form for Thinking. Wasn’t you a Presidential Aspirant as well?
Ben Biiaro has not been seen at Namboole today… the reports was coming quickly when he only had 45 minutes left of his deadline to show up if he still wanted to be Presidential Aspirant. They we’re also waiting for the nomination candidate for Charles Bbale Lwanga. Charles Bbale Lwanga has been turned away for the second time because he had a cheque of the 20 million instead of a bank draft.
Maj. Gen. Ben Biiaro of the Farmers Party came 5 minutes before the deadline to get his nomination verified. The Electoral Commission started and scrutinized the nomination papers of his. After a while Dr. Kiggundu stamped and appends the papers. This means that he became the 8th candidate in the Presidential race for February 2016.
While on the road to Namboole and to Nakivubo Stadium there has been one man in the shadow of the Dr. Kizza Besigye has been Gen. Mugisha Muntu. Who has been sitting comfortable and swallowed being in the political shadow of the People’s President!
“A guy (possibly a carpenter to or from a workshop) with a backpack on is back was among a multitude of Besigye supporters lining up the road. He pulled out a hammer from his bag, ran and handed it over to Kizza-Besigye Wrn and he disappeared. I hope that picture will get published. Another man, in front of EC offices pulled out $300 and handed it over to Besigye. He also disappeared into the crowd. To both men, Besigye held his right hand to his chest and bowed to them. That is humility. Those are small gestures that live in my memory. Besigye has made people believe” Source: Ronald Muhinda a Kampala based radio journalist.
At 3PM the traffic was already in a standstill on Jinja Road when the Dr. Kizza Besigye was having his convoy towards the Nomination Rally at the Nakivubo Stadium.
There was a calm and energetic movement through town! IT took five whole hours to cross that; we’re massive crowds meeting the FDC Flag-Bearer. The stadium was filled hours before he came; reasons why it took him such long time to cross town.
The Town went totally Blue and FDC. There was nothing like yesterday. Yesterday was like meek celebration. Where the buses was sent from Up-Country to come to Kampala and while there where people hiking on the trucks to get to Nakivubo Stadium.
At the Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium first speaker today was Gen. David Sejusa aka Tinyefuza. He said this: “We do not make our own shoes, we are wearing dead people’s clothes, that is how you measure what Museveni has done” (…)”Government offers $ 1 per child a day in UPE. Ours (learnt) earn UGX 20, 000 – UGX 50, 000 a day, A $ 1 child can not compete with ours”. FDC Ibrahim Semujju Nganda called out John-Ken Lukyamuzi of the Conservative Party to greet the Supporters. Where Lukyamuzi said: “Those who were here yesterday on Amama Mbabazi rally cannot speak for CP better then myself”. After that Mayor Erias Lukwago congratulated Dr. Kizza Besigye with the nomination and said: “But we have Generals on our side, Gen Sejusa, Col Besigye, Gen Muntu and Lt Gen Lukwago” and ends: “ONE UGANDA” the crowds answers “ONE PEOPLE!”. Gen. Mugisha Muntu came on and said this: “We know our main challenge is to remove the regime in February” (…)”You cannot have a roof without a strong foundation”.
After him came Dr. Kizza Besigye:
“In Uganda, are tired and tired completely” (…)”Our journey begins today, allow me to thank God first” (…)”I want to thank Muntu because the party he leads is a democratic party” (…)”I thank you Kampala dwellers for showing the world today that we have a reason for this struggle” (…)”the reason for all of this is because our county is in captivity. Only a few people decide for all of us” (…)”whatever has brought this current situation is because our country is not our own hands” (…)”You voted Lukwago overwhelmingly in Kampala but he is the office of the Lord Mayor?” (…)”I promise you that I will liberate the country” (…)”I’ve been nominated to stand with you and work with the people”.
Also today in Court:
“Meanwhile, the High Court in Kampala has dismissed with costs the case in which a concerned citizen had sued four top official of the Independent Electoral Commission in their personal capacity for having illegally blocked rallies that were being held by Presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi in the Eastern part of the Country. The four top officials who had been sued are; the chairperson Eng Badru Kiggundu, Mr Jotham Taremwa (spokesperson), Sam Rwakoojo (secretary) and Paul Bukenya (deputy spokesperson)”.
Official from the Electoral Commission:
“BREAKING: Uganda Electoral Commission sets February, 18, 2016 as polling day for president and MPs”.
A Sidenote:
Professor Barya who is one of the candidates also has issued fresh warnings to Amama Mbabazi on using the orange color. Barya maybe you should challange the Orange or the Dutch for it also?
NRM sidenote:
MP Sejobba ask the FDC Musumba if solar exists to power laptops for such children in Busoga.
Another Sidenote:
Tamale Mirundi has confessed that Dr. Kizza Besigye made his day today, and coming from A Pro-Museveni guy as him, and a so-called loyalist it means much. Even though he can be crying hyena and buffoon, but now he proved some clarity, maybe?
This here was a peaceful and magnificent day that proves the power of the People’s President and how he overpowered everything else. The Presidents press conference was a weak portfolio to try to distract the other candidates because he supposed to be the main one. Though it proven with the five hour travel and full house. Kampala totally BLUE! Bwanika why did you have yellow tie, by the way? #Wesige Besigye!
While this was passing by the KCCA was busy taking down illegal elections posters that even Uganda Police Force as said they wanted to eliminate.
“THANKS FOR THE NOMINATION DEMONSTRATION TODAY!”
“The people of Kampala have always given me tremendous support at all the three presidential elections I’ve participated in. At all the Kampala elections, there has been enormous rigging. During every Kampala election, several people are arrested with pre-ticked ballot papers; in polling stations covering military barracks, there’s always a rigging bonanza; many people are always disenfranchised by striking their names off the final register etc. However, in spite of all this rigging, Mr Museveni has never defeated me in Kampala! That’s why on top of calling me the “people’s president”, the people of Kampala call me the “president of Kampala!” (…)“Therefore, I expected a good turn out for my nomination today, in spite of the negative propaganda that has been orchestrated for sometime now. Even then, I was completely overwhelmed by the show of support that we received today. I think that it wasn’t simply a matter of supporting my candidature; it was also our people’s way of demonstration their disgust with the NRM/ Museveni regime” (…)”Apart from the unprecedented crowds, there was show of immense energy and excitement. I was given money contributions all along the way- a total of UShs. 2,779,000= (Two million, seven hundred and seventy nine thousand only), US $ 320= and Nine hundred Oman biasa. I am sure that if we had time at the Nakivubo rally, we would have got much more. I also received a sofa seat, flowerpots, potted plants, spray pump, pair of slippers, many sets of handkerchiefs, bread and many various other small items. Thus, the campaign of defiance has begun. There’s no turning back. Continue to watch the space”.
Written Dr. Kizza Besigye
Posted in Africa, Business, Civil Service, Development, Election, Ethics, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, Politics and tagged #Wesige Besigye, 2016 General Election, Adam Bwainka, Allan Sewanyana, Amama Mbabazi, Asuman Kiyingi, Ben Biiaro, Birigimane, Blue, Boda-Boda, Bunyoro, Butobere, Campaign, Campaign Officials, Charles Lwanga Bbale, Citizens, Clock Tower, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Conservative Party, CP, CP Fred Enanga, Crime Preventers, Denis Onekalit, DP, Dr Badru M. Kiggundu, Dr. Kizza Besigye, Dr. Warren Smith Kizza Besigye Kifefe, East Africa, EC Chair, Economy, Education, Electiion Commission Road Map for 2016, Election Rally, Election Rigging, Election Road Map for 2016 Uganda, Election Violence, Electoral Commission, Eng. Dr. Badru M. Kiggundu, Entebbe, Erias Lukwago, FDC, FDC Headquarters Najjanankumbi, FDC Party Offices, FDC Presidential Flag-Bearer, Flag-bearer, Forum for Democratic Change, Fred Enanga, Gen. David Sejusa, Gen. David Sejusa aka Tinyefuza, Gen. Mugisha Muntu, General David Tinyefuza, Gulu, H. E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Hon. Amama Mbabazi, Hon. Ibrahim Nganda Ssemujju, Ibrahim Nganda Ssemujju, Idi Amin, Independent Candidate, Independent Presidential Candidate, Institutions, Jennifer Musisi, John-Ken Lukyamuzi, Joseph Mabirizi, Journalist, JPAM, Judiciary, Kabale, Kampala, Kampala Capital City Authority, Kampala City, KCCA, Ken Lukyamuzi, Kigezi, Kigezi College, Kizza Besigye, Kyuma Kyayesu, Leaders of Opposistion, Liberation Struggle, Lira, Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, Lord Mayor of Kampala, Maj. Gen. Ben Biiaro, Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu, Malcom Dan Matsiko, Malcom Matisko, Mandela National Stadium, Maureen Faith Kyala, Military, Moses Kasibante, Mr Jotham Taremwa, Mukwano, Musumba, Najjanankumbi, Nakivubo Stadium, Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium, Namboole, Naru Nakalema, National Resistance Movement, Nomination, Nomination Rally, NRM, Ntungamo, Nyamukana, Omar Kalinge, Paul Bukenya, PDP, People, People's Development Party, Plane, Policing, Pre-Ticket, Pre-Ticket Ballots, Pre-Ticketing, Presidential Aspirant 2016-2021, Presidential Manifesto, Processions, Professor Venasius Baryamureeba, Rigging, Ronald Muhinda, Sam Rwakoojo, Security, Security-Detail, Sejobba, Stuffed Ballot-Boxes, Tamale Mirundi, The Independent Coalition, TIC, Transformation, Uganda, Uganda Airlines, Uganda EC, Uganda Electoral Commission, Uganda General Election 2016, Uganda Police Force, Up-Country, UPF, Vicks Kingo, Vote Rigging, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Yusuf Lule | Leave a comment
Uganda – Police warns Aspirants on negative publicity against competitors (Youtube-Clip)
Posted in Africa, Civil Service, Development, Election, Ethics, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, Politics and tagged Amama Mbabazi, Campaign Strategy, Conservative Party, CP, CP Fred Enanga, Democratic Party, DP, East Africa, Election Poster for General Election 2016 Uganda, FDC, FDC Presidential Flag-Bearer, Forum for Democratic Change, Fred Enanga, General Election 2016, Go-Forward Group, Hon. Amama Mbabazi, Kampala Metropolitan Police, Ken Lukyamuzi, National Resistance Movement, NRM, NRM Flag-Bearer, NRM Go-Forward, People's Progressive Party, Police Officers, Politics, PPP, Presidential Aspirant 2016-2021, Presidential Nominations, Traffic Guidelines, UFA, Uganda, Uganda 2016, Uganda Federal Alliance, Uganda General Election 2016, Uganda Peoples Congress, Uganda Police Force, UPC, UPF, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni | Leave a comment
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Transformation by design Featured
Skylar Tibbits makes materials that water, heat or mechanical forces alter into new shapes.
The Maldives, a chain of islands, or atolls, in the Indian Ocean, are at risk of erosion and, at worst, submersion from rising sea levels. Skylar Tibbits, MIT Associate Professor of Design Research in the Department of Architecture, is conducting field experiments with a group called Invena in the Maldives to harness the power of waves and their interaction with specifically placed underwater bladders to promote sand accumulation where it is most needed to protect shorefronts from flooding. Image, Self-Assembly Lab at MIT and Invena.
Consider the range of possibilities from 4D printed materials that transform underwater or fibers that snap into a particular shape when they are cut out of a flat panel to coaxing shifting sands in the ocean into building artificial islands, and you will have some idea of the breadth of research that Skylar Tibbits, MIT Associate Professor of Design Research in the Department of Architecture, pursues.
Tibbits’ Self-Assembly Lab at MIT demonstrated through studies in a water tank simulating ocean conditions that specific geometries could generate self-organizing sand bars and beaches. To test this approach in the real world, the lab is currently conducting field experiments based on their lab work with a group called Invena in the Maldives, a chain of islands, or atolls, in the Indian Ocean, many of which are at risk of erosion and, at worst, submersion from rising sea levels.
Wind and waves naturally build up sand bars in the ocean environment and just as naturally sweep them away. The idea of the Maldives project is to harness the power of waves and their interaction with specifically placed underwater bladders to promote sand accumulation where it is most needed to protect shorefronts from flooding rather than building land-based barriers that are inevitably worn away or overwhelmed.
Sand alone may not insure permanency to these “directed” islands so the Self-Assembly Lab hopes to incorporate vegetation into future efforts, drawing on classic motifs of landscape engineering such as mangrove forests that anchor an ecosystem. “In the bladders underwater, you could seed them with vegetation to make them stay,” Tibbits said in a presentation to the MIT Industrial Liaison Program’s Research and Development Conference on Nov. 13, 2019.
Tibbits also discussed his collaborations on “4D printing,” objects that are formed by multi-material 3D printing but designed to transform over time, whether that transformation is activated by mechanical stress, water absorption, light exposure or some other mechanism. One method to create adaptable materials is by pairing two different materials that expand, or contract, at different rates. In a collaboration with Stratasys and Autodesk, he designed a single strand of material that as soon as it is immersed in water, folds itself into the letters, M - I - T.
Working with BMW, the Self-Assembly Lab designed silicone cushion clusters that are 3D printed in liquid and can be inflated cell by cell, thus changing their overall shape, stiffness or movement. This material could be the basis for more comfortable seating that adjusts to individual passengers.
The Self-Assembly Lab is conducting Active Textile research in collaboration with Ministry of Supply, fiber extrusion specialty firm Hills Inc., University of Maine and Iowa State University. So far, the group has produced sweater yarns that can be heated to conform to an individual wearer’s body shape, with a long-term goal of producing climate-adaptive textiles. This work is partly funded by AFFOA and that portion of the research is administered through the Materials Research Laboratory.
MIT Associate Professor of Design Research in the Department of Architecture Skylar Tibbits explains how he combines materials and geometry to create active materials that transform when activated by mechanical stress, water absorption, light exposure or another mechanism. Tibbits spoke at the MIT Industrial Liaison Program’s Research and Development Conference on Nov. 13, 2019. Image, Denis Paiste, Materials Research Laboratory.
The Self-Assembly Lab also developed a method to 3D print liquid metal into powder that creates fully formed parts that can be lifted out of the powder. The parts are made of a material that can be re-melted to form new parts.
Using carbon-based materials in a project for Airbus, the Self-Assembly Lab developed thin blades that can fold and curl by themselves to control the airflow to the engine. The “programmable” carbon work was carried out with Carbitex LLC, Autodesk and MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms.
For a chair project with Biesse and Wood-Skin, the Self-Assembly Lab designed a small table that marries 3D printed wood fiber panels and pre-stressed textiles. The table can be shipped flat, then jump into several different arrangements because of the flexibility of the textile.
By 3D printing a stiffer material in a circular pattern onto a flat mesh, for example, the researchers showed that cutting out the circle from the flat plane causes it to snap into a hyperbolic parabola shape. The researchers include MIT Professor in Computer Science Erik Demaine, Christophe Guberan, a visiting Product Designer from Switzerland and David Costanza MA, ’13, SM ’15.
Tibbits worked with Steelcase to develop a process for 3D printing plastic into liquid for furniture parts, called Rapid Liquid Printing. This process prints within a gel bath to provide support for the printed parts and minimize the effect of gravity. With this printing technique they can print centimeter- to meter-scale parts in minutes to hours with a range of high-quality industrial materials like silicone rubber, polyurethane and acrylics.
The common theme across all these different projects is Tibbits’ belief that the future of industrial production lies in the transformative power of harnessing smart, programmable materials. “We want to think about what’s coming next and see if we can really lead that,” Tibbits said.
– Denis Paiste, Materials Research Laboratory
VIDEO: Programmable Textiles
VIDEO: Steelcase MIT Rapid Liquid Printing in Furniture
Further reading: Self-Assembly Lab: Experiments in Programming Matter, Routledge, 2017.
An engine for game-changing innovation
Making buildings from industrial waste
Using online, game-based simulations to train photonic technicians and engineers
Widening metal tolerance for hydrogels
MIT researchers realize “ideal” kagome metal electronic structure
More in this category: « Using light to generate order in an exotic material Alloy Design Workshop 2019 »
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Receiving the Evcharist: Vukari and Boatswain Chocolate Stout
October 11, 2019 October 11, 2019 Vincent
Receiving the Evcharist is our weekly feature where we pair choice albums with our favorite libations. Drink from the cup of heresy. This week’s offering: Vukari’s Aevum and Rhinelander Brewing Company’s Boatswain Chocolate Stout.
The Metal: Vukari’s Aevum
I’ve made it a point this year to spotlight great bands from my home city wherever and whenever I can, and Chicago has offered the metal world much to be proud of. I’m very pleased to continue championing some hometown heroes this week with Vukari’s latest offering of dense, atmospheric black metal. Where 2016’s Divination leaned heavier on the ‘post’ in ‘post-black metal’ to these ears, Aevum is an album that hits much harder and more immediate, with songs like “Agnosia” and “Entire Worlds Encased in Ice” dominated by ripping blast beats and aggressive tremolo picking. Even the back half of Aevum, which is more dominated by the slower, syncopated songs, has moments of overwhelming aggression as in the end of “The True King is Death.” This shift in feel of the album towards something more straight-ahead black metal was unexpected for me, but it’s Vukari’s stellar use of melody that ties the pieces together and keeps Aevum feeling like something familiar to the band’s canon. Aevum is more focused and intense, yet retains the emotional center that drew me to Vukari’s music in the first place; it’s an album that offers a lot to unpack, but there is joy in unraveling it all through multiple listens.
The Booze: Rhinelander Brewing Company’s Boatswain Chocolate Stout
We might be caught in a between-season limbo here in Southern California, but I’m going full ahead into dark beer mode and no one can stop me. Tonight we give you a taste of what is graciously left in my fridge by friends post-get together (donate your beer directly to my fridge for your chance to be featured on this column). Wisconsin’s Rhinelander Brewing Company offers a few varieties I’ve seen available, but tonight we’re going for the Boatswain Chocolate Stout. Lighter in body and more fizzy than your average stout, and with a lighter flavor, this has more of a porter feel to me than a stout, especially because the overwhelming flavor profile is more malt than cocoa powder. This isn’t exactly a knock though, especially when it’s cool but not necessarily cold enough to start drinking the truly heavy stuff yet. It may not be exactly what it advertises itself as, but it’s a good beer all the same.
Daily Heresy, Receiving the Evcharistaevum, beer, black metal, boatswain, chocolate stout, Receiving the Evcharist, rhinelander brewing company, vukari
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Big Bold Goals
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE EDUCATION
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ADVOCATING FOR DIVERSE EDUCATOR WORKFORCE
MULTILINGUALISM FOR ALL STUDENTS
ACCELERATING EQUITY FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR
Program Consultant
Email: jpeterson@mneep.org
Leiataua Dr. Jon Peterson is a consultant at Minnesota Education Equity Partnership and the Co-owner, founder, and President/CEO of TE2: Education and Engineering Consulting, LLC. Jon holds a B.S. in Secondary Education from the University of Wisconsin – River Falls, an M.A. in Public Policy, and an Ed. D. in Leadership, both from the University of St. Thomas. Jon brings 20 years of experience in E-12 public and private education to his work as a principal consultant. Additionally, Jon is a licensed teacher, K-12 Principal, and Superintendent and has experience leading programs, schools, and services in large, urban educational settings. Lastly, Jon is a published author and recording artist having concurrently released, in 2018, his book, “Uncovering Indigenous Models of Leadership,” and extended play album, “Heart of the Matter.”
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Minnesota Education Equity Partnership uses a race equity lens to transform educational institutions, organizations, and leaders to ensure that students of color and American Indian students achieve full academic and leadership success.
Copyright © 2020 MNEEP
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Motor cortex excitability in Alzheimer's disease: A transcranial magnetic stimulation study
Florinda Ferreri, Flavia Pauri, Patrizio Pasqualetti, Rita Fini, Gloria Dal Forno, Paolo Maria Rossini
Istituto San Raffaele Pisana
Motor deficits affect patients with Alzheimer's disease only at later stages. Recent studies demonstrate that the primary motor cortex is affected by neuronal degeneration accompanied by the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. It is conceivable that neuronal loss is compensated by reorganization of the neural circuitries occurring along the natural course of the disease, thereby maintaining motor performances in daily living. Cortical motor output to upper limbs was tested via motor-evoked potentials from forearm and hand muscles elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation of motor cortex in 16 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease without motor deficits. Motor cortex excitability was increased, and the center of gravity of motor cortical output, as represented by excitable scalp sites, showed a frontal and medial shift, without correlated changes in the site of maximal excitability (hot-spot). This may indicate functional reorganization, possibly after the neuronal loss in motor areas. Hyperexcitability might be caused by a dysregulation of the intracortical GABAergic inhibitory circuitries and selective alteration of glutamatergic neurotransmission. Such findings suggest that motor cortex hyperexcitability and reorganization allows prolonged preservation of motor function during the clinical course of Alzheimer's disease.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.10416
Hypergravity
Motor Evoked Potentials
Neurofibrillary Tangles
Ferreri, F., Pauri, F., Pasqualetti, P., Fini, R., Dal Forno, G., & Rossini, P. M. (2003). Motor cortex excitability in Alzheimer's disease: A transcranial magnetic stimulation study. Annals of Neurology, 53(1), 102-108. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.10416
Motor cortex excitability in Alzheimer's disease : A transcranial magnetic stimulation study. / Ferreri, Florinda; Pauri, Flavia; Pasqualetti, Patrizio; Fini, Rita; Dal Forno, Gloria; Rossini, Paolo Maria.
In: Annals of Neurology, Vol. 53, No. 1, 01.01.2003, p. 102-108.
Ferreri, F, Pauri, F, Pasqualetti, P, Fini, R, Dal Forno, G & Rossini, PM 2003, 'Motor cortex excitability in Alzheimer's disease: A transcranial magnetic stimulation study', Annals of Neurology, vol. 53, no. 1, pp. 102-108. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.10416
Ferreri F, Pauri F, Pasqualetti P, Fini R, Dal Forno G, Rossini PM. Motor cortex excitability in Alzheimer's disease: A transcranial magnetic stimulation study. Annals of Neurology. 2003 Jan 1;53(1):102-108. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.10416
Ferreri, Florinda ; Pauri, Flavia ; Pasqualetti, Patrizio ; Fini, Rita ; Dal Forno, Gloria ; Rossini, Paolo Maria. / Motor cortex excitability in Alzheimer's disease : A transcranial magnetic stimulation study. In: Annals of Neurology. 2003 ; Vol. 53, No. 1. pp. 102-108.
@article{3d748d9554454fcfb737682013d95bb8,
title = "Motor cortex excitability in Alzheimer's disease: A transcranial magnetic stimulation study",
abstract = "Motor deficits affect patients with Alzheimer's disease only at later stages. Recent studies demonstrate that the primary motor cortex is affected by neuronal degeneration accompanied by the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. It is conceivable that neuronal loss is compensated by reorganization of the neural circuitries occurring along the natural course of the disease, thereby maintaining motor performances in daily living. Cortical motor output to upper limbs was tested via motor-evoked potentials from forearm and hand muscles elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation of motor cortex in 16 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease without motor deficits. Motor cortex excitability was increased, and the center of gravity of motor cortical output, as represented by excitable scalp sites, showed a frontal and medial shift, without correlated changes in the site of maximal excitability (hot-spot). This may indicate functional reorganization, possibly after the neuronal loss in motor areas. Hyperexcitability might be caused by a dysregulation of the intracortical GABAergic inhibitory circuitries and selective alteration of glutamatergic neurotransmission. Such findings suggest that motor cortex hyperexcitability and reorganization allows prolonged preservation of motor function during the clinical course of Alzheimer's disease.",
author = "Florinda Ferreri and Flavia Pauri and Patrizio Pasqualetti and Rita Fini and {Dal Forno}, Gloria and Rossini, {Paolo Maria}",
doi = "10.1002/ana.10416",
journal = "Annals of Neurology",
T1 - Motor cortex excitability in Alzheimer's disease
T2 - A transcranial magnetic stimulation study
AU - Ferreri, Florinda
AU - Pauri, Flavia
AU - Pasqualetti, Patrizio
AU - Fini, Rita
AU - Dal Forno, Gloria
AU - Rossini, Paolo Maria
N2 - Motor deficits affect patients with Alzheimer's disease only at later stages. Recent studies demonstrate that the primary motor cortex is affected by neuronal degeneration accompanied by the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. It is conceivable that neuronal loss is compensated by reorganization of the neural circuitries occurring along the natural course of the disease, thereby maintaining motor performances in daily living. Cortical motor output to upper limbs was tested via motor-evoked potentials from forearm and hand muscles elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation of motor cortex in 16 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease without motor deficits. Motor cortex excitability was increased, and the center of gravity of motor cortical output, as represented by excitable scalp sites, showed a frontal and medial shift, without correlated changes in the site of maximal excitability (hot-spot). This may indicate functional reorganization, possibly after the neuronal loss in motor areas. Hyperexcitability might be caused by a dysregulation of the intracortical GABAergic inhibitory circuitries and selective alteration of glutamatergic neurotransmission. Such findings suggest that motor cortex hyperexcitability and reorganization allows prolonged preservation of motor function during the clinical course of Alzheimer's disease.
AB - Motor deficits affect patients with Alzheimer's disease only at later stages. Recent studies demonstrate that the primary motor cortex is affected by neuronal degeneration accompanied by the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. It is conceivable that neuronal loss is compensated by reorganization of the neural circuitries occurring along the natural course of the disease, thereby maintaining motor performances in daily living. Cortical motor output to upper limbs was tested via motor-evoked potentials from forearm and hand muscles elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation of motor cortex in 16 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease without motor deficits. Motor cortex excitability was increased, and the center of gravity of motor cortical output, as represented by excitable scalp sites, showed a frontal and medial shift, without correlated changes in the site of maximal excitability (hot-spot). This may indicate functional reorganization, possibly after the neuronal loss in motor areas. Hyperexcitability might be caused by a dysregulation of the intracortical GABAergic inhibitory circuitries and selective alteration of glutamatergic neurotransmission. Such findings suggest that motor cortex hyperexcitability and reorganization allows prolonged preservation of motor function during the clinical course of Alzheimer's disease.
U2 - 10.1002/ana.10416
DO - 10.1002/ana.10416
JO - Annals of Neurology
JF - Annals of Neurology
10.1002/ana.10416
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Pulmonary rehabilitation improves exercise capacity in subjects with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment
Salvatore Fuschillo, Alberto De Felice, Michele Martucci, Carlo Gaudiosi, Viviana Pisano, Dino Vitale, Giovanni Balzano
Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri Spa – Società Benefit
Background: Patients with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment frequently experience reduction in exercise tolerance, limitation in daily life activities, and deterioration in health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) as an add-on treatment to long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) was shown to improve symptoms and HRQOL in these patients. Pulmonary rehabilitation can increase exercise capacity and HRQOL in patients with COPD, but its role in patients with restrictive thoracic disease, such as kyphoscoliosis, is uncertain. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of combining pulmonary rehabilitation with LTOT and NIV treatments on arterial blood gases and the 6-min walk test (6MWT) in a homogeneous group of subjects with kyphoscoliosis. Methods: Twenty-three subjects with kyphoscoliosis and respiratory failure who were being treated with both LTOT and NIV and who had been referred to a pulmonary rehabilitation program were retrospectively analyzed. Eighteen subjects were included, and there was no control group. Pulmonary rehabilitation involved educational and physical training sessions and was carried out daily for 4–6 weeks. Exercise intensity was personalized based on individual tolerance, physiologic parameters, or physiotherapist judgment. Results: Upon completion of pulmonary rehabilitation, a significant improvement in 6-min walk distance was observed (P = .04). The dyspnea score at the end of the 6MWT improved as well, although the improvement did not reach statistical significance (P = .06). These changes were not confirmed at a 12-month follow-up visit. No significant effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on arterial blood gases were observed. Conclusions: A combined intervention including a tailored pulmonary rehabilitation program together with LTOT and NIV seems to be of short-term benefit in subjects with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment.
https://doi.org/10.4187/respcare.03095
Noninvasive Ventilation
Thoracic Diseases
Exercise Tolerance
6-min walk test
Exercise capacity
Kyphoscoliosis
Fuschillo, S., De Felice, A., Martucci, M., Gaudiosi, C., Pisano, V., Vitale, D., & Balzano, G. (2015). Pulmonary rehabilitation improves exercise capacity in subjects with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment. Respiratory Care, 60(1), 96-101. https://doi.org/10.4187/respcare.03095
Pulmonary rehabilitation improves exercise capacity in subjects with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment. / Fuschillo, Salvatore; De Felice, Alberto; Martucci, Michele; Gaudiosi, Carlo; Pisano, Viviana; Vitale, Dino; Balzano, Giovanni.
In: Respiratory Care, Vol. 60, No. 1, 2015, p. 96-101.
Fuschillo, S, De Felice, A, Martucci, M, Gaudiosi, C, Pisano, V, Vitale, D & Balzano, G 2015, 'Pulmonary rehabilitation improves exercise capacity in subjects with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment', Respiratory Care, vol. 60, no. 1, pp. 96-101. https://doi.org/10.4187/respcare.03095
Fuschillo S, De Felice A, Martucci M, Gaudiosi C, Pisano V, Vitale D et al. Pulmonary rehabilitation improves exercise capacity in subjects with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment. Respiratory Care. 2015;60(1):96-101. https://doi.org/10.4187/respcare.03095
Fuschillo, Salvatore ; De Felice, Alberto ; Martucci, Michele ; Gaudiosi, Carlo ; Pisano, Viviana ; Vitale, Dino ; Balzano, Giovanni. / Pulmonary rehabilitation improves exercise capacity in subjects with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment. In: Respiratory Care. 2015 ; Vol. 60, No. 1. pp. 96-101.
@article{34e6cd4c671d4b2fb7e1cdc20774406c,
title = "Pulmonary rehabilitation improves exercise capacity in subjects with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment",
abstract = "Background: Patients with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment frequently experience reduction in exercise tolerance, limitation in daily life activities, and deterioration in health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) as an add-on treatment to long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) was shown to improve symptoms and HRQOL in these patients. Pulmonary rehabilitation can increase exercise capacity and HRQOL in patients with COPD, but its role in patients with restrictive thoracic disease, such as kyphoscoliosis, is uncertain. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of combining pulmonary rehabilitation with LTOT and NIV treatments on arterial blood gases and the 6-min walk test (6MWT) in a homogeneous group of subjects with kyphoscoliosis. Methods: Twenty-three subjects with kyphoscoliosis and respiratory failure who were being treated with both LTOT and NIV and who had been referred to a pulmonary rehabilitation program were retrospectively analyzed. Eighteen subjects were included, and there was no control group. Pulmonary rehabilitation involved educational and physical training sessions and was carried out daily for 4–6 weeks. Exercise intensity was personalized based on individual tolerance, physiologic parameters, or physiotherapist judgment. Results: Upon completion of pulmonary rehabilitation, a significant improvement in 6-min walk distance was observed (P = .04). The dyspnea score at the end of the 6MWT improved as well, although the improvement did not reach statistical significance (P = .06). These changes were not confirmed at a 12-month follow-up visit. No significant effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on arterial blood gases were observed. Conclusions: A combined intervention including a tailored pulmonary rehabilitation program together with LTOT and NIV seems to be of short-term benefit in subjects with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment.",
keywords = "6-min walk test, Exercise capacity, Kyphoscoliosis, Pulmonary rehabilitation",
author = "Salvatore Fuschillo and {De Felice}, Alberto and Michele Martucci and Carlo Gaudiosi and Viviana Pisano and Dino Vitale and Giovanni Balzano",
doi = "10.4187/respcare.03095",
journal = "Respiratory Care",
publisher = "by Daedalus Enterprises",
T1 - Pulmonary rehabilitation improves exercise capacity in subjects with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment
AU - Fuschillo, Salvatore
AU - De Felice, Alberto
AU - Martucci, Michele
AU - Gaudiosi, Carlo
AU - Pisano, Viviana
AU - Vitale, Dino
AU - Balzano, Giovanni
N2 - Background: Patients with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment frequently experience reduction in exercise tolerance, limitation in daily life activities, and deterioration in health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) as an add-on treatment to long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) was shown to improve symptoms and HRQOL in these patients. Pulmonary rehabilitation can increase exercise capacity and HRQOL in patients with COPD, but its role in patients with restrictive thoracic disease, such as kyphoscoliosis, is uncertain. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of combining pulmonary rehabilitation with LTOT and NIV treatments on arterial blood gases and the 6-min walk test (6MWT) in a homogeneous group of subjects with kyphoscoliosis. Methods: Twenty-three subjects with kyphoscoliosis and respiratory failure who were being treated with both LTOT and NIV and who had been referred to a pulmonary rehabilitation program were retrospectively analyzed. Eighteen subjects were included, and there was no control group. Pulmonary rehabilitation involved educational and physical training sessions and was carried out daily for 4–6 weeks. Exercise intensity was personalized based on individual tolerance, physiologic parameters, or physiotherapist judgment. Results: Upon completion of pulmonary rehabilitation, a significant improvement in 6-min walk distance was observed (P = .04). The dyspnea score at the end of the 6MWT improved as well, although the improvement did not reach statistical significance (P = .06). These changes were not confirmed at a 12-month follow-up visit. No significant effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on arterial blood gases were observed. Conclusions: A combined intervention including a tailored pulmonary rehabilitation program together with LTOT and NIV seems to be of short-term benefit in subjects with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment.
AB - Background: Patients with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment frequently experience reduction in exercise tolerance, limitation in daily life activities, and deterioration in health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) as an add-on treatment to long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) was shown to improve symptoms and HRQOL in these patients. Pulmonary rehabilitation can increase exercise capacity and HRQOL in patients with COPD, but its role in patients with restrictive thoracic disease, such as kyphoscoliosis, is uncertain. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of combining pulmonary rehabilitation with LTOT and NIV treatments on arterial blood gases and the 6-min walk test (6MWT) in a homogeneous group of subjects with kyphoscoliosis. Methods: Twenty-three subjects with kyphoscoliosis and respiratory failure who were being treated with both LTOT and NIV and who had been referred to a pulmonary rehabilitation program were retrospectively analyzed. Eighteen subjects were included, and there was no control group. Pulmonary rehabilitation involved educational and physical training sessions and was carried out daily for 4–6 weeks. Exercise intensity was personalized based on individual tolerance, physiologic parameters, or physiotherapist judgment. Results: Upon completion of pulmonary rehabilitation, a significant improvement in 6-min walk distance was observed (P = .04). The dyspnea score at the end of the 6MWT improved as well, although the improvement did not reach statistical significance (P = .06). These changes were not confirmed at a 12-month follow-up visit. No significant effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on arterial blood gases were observed. Conclusions: A combined intervention including a tailored pulmonary rehabilitation program together with LTOT and NIV seems to be of short-term benefit in subjects with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment.
KW - 6-min walk test
KW - Exercise capacity
KW - Kyphoscoliosis
KW - Pulmonary rehabilitation
U2 - 10.4187/respcare.03095
DO - 10.4187/respcare.03095
JO - Respiratory Care
JF - Respiratory Care
10.4187/respcare.03095
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Author: eburling
This week’s cop out for ranking teams comes to you via the Bracket Matrix, which currently has TWELVE (12) Big Ten teams in it. That seems kind of unrealistic to maintain, but you never know. If everyone keeps beating Nebraska and Northwestern and wins their home games, all 12 will end up with a lot of quality wins.
1. Michigan State (BM: 3 seed)
In rather predictable fashion, the Spartans jumped all over Wisconsin on Friday night after four days off following last weekend’s blowout loss.
Maybe the most noteworthy aspect of the game is that Gabe Brown, Aaron Henry, and Rocket Watts all had efficient games and all three scored in double digits. It was made necessary due to the second straight poor outing from Cassius Winston offensively.
To me, that trio is the difference in determining just how far the Spartans are going to go this year. Winston will be fine. Xavier Tillman pretty much always gives them production. Besides Watts, the rest of the bench (and Marcus Bingham) aren’t ready to give them much in terms of scoring besides the occasional outburst.
If Brown, Henry, and Watts keep scoring like they did on Friday, they can contend for a national championship.
The Spartans currently hold the sole lead of the conference, but things are about to get a lot tougher for them. Eight of their remaining 13 games are on the road.
This week: at Indiana and Minnesota
2. Maryland (BM: 4 seed)
A pretty solid week for the Terps, but it could’ve been a great week if not for a very unfortunate set of back-to-back BLOB plays.
Even though the Terps couldn’t finish the job up in Madison, there were some positives. For starters, Anthony Cowan played his best road game in quite some time. Also, Aaron Wiggins went 3-6 from deep and carried the hot shooting over to the Purdue game at home.
Jalen Smith is also still very good at basketball.
Saturday was a good win for Maryland, but it did reaffirm a concerning trend with the offense. Before that first pair of Big Ten games in December, they were 7th in offensive efficiency. A month later before Big Ten play started up again, they were 22nd. As I write this a little over two weeks later, they’re 44th.
They started out on fire Saturday from three, scoring 28 points the first 12 minutes. But Purdue was able to make it a three-point game late because the Terps only managed 29 points over the remaining 28 minutes.
In Madison, they got 47 points from three guys. The rest of the team scored only seven on 14 shots.
An elite defense will allow Maryland to still win a lot of games, but if the offensive trend doesn’t flip, their ceiling is limited.
This week: at Northwestern and Indiana
5. Iowa (BM: 5 seed)
The Hawks were the big winner of the week with a relatively easy road win at Northwestern and the exciting victory at home Friday night over Michigan.
What an absolutely dominant year for Luka Garza. He scored 60 points this week on 20-32 shooting, 4-6 from three. He put up 77 points in two meetings with the Wolverines this year. He’s currently #1 in KenPom’s NPOY rankings.
I’ve always been a fan of Garza’s. He was good when he set foot on campus, but his toughness and intensity stood out that first year on a team that lacked both of those things. He has to be leading the country the last few years in number of bloody noses/lips/ears.
Garza isn’t necessarily doing anything different this year or been more efficient, other than I guess be a bit more aggressive – and most importantly – stayed on the floor. He’s playing more than 30 minutes per game. He’s also improved as a defender while at the same time stayed out of major foul trouble for the most part.
Speaking of defense, the Hawkeye team has quietly improved a decent amount lately. They’re not as consistent as they need to be, but they’ve moved up 54 spots in defensive efficiency rankings since they gave up 103 to Michigan in Ann Arbor. While you’d like them to be more consistent on that end of the floor, it’s a lot better than consistently sucking all the time like recent years.
This week: home for Rutgers
4. Ohio State (BM: 6 seed)
If there were any thoughts that the Nebraska game was a “get right” game, all those feelings were probably gone by halftime on Saturday. The Bucks were blown out by a Penn State squad that they had previously beaten by 32 a month-and-a-half ago.
I’m not sure what to say about the Buckeyes right now. Offense had been their issue, now they finally start scoring again – although they did most of their damage in Happy Valley after they were already down big – and then they give up 90 to the Nittany Lions.
The good news is they’ve got two very winnable games this week and they absolutely need them before this rough patch starts to define their season.
This week: home for Minnesota, at Northwestern
5. Michigan (BM: 6 seed)
The Wolverines lost their only game of the week at Iowa, but the offense continues to shine even with Isaiah Livers out. Livers is expected to return soon.
The 83 they scored in Iowa City was thanks in large part to the 25-piece Eli Brooks put up. Brooks has been the biggest revelation of the season for the Wolverines. He played in a lot of the games the last couple of years, but always just seemed to kinda be running around without ever doing much. This year Brooks has scored at least 24 on four different occasions. Consistency is the next step. He’s also only scored two points in three outings.
Besides, ya know, losing, the negative side is that the defense hasn’t been traveling very well for Juwan Howard’s team. Shooting comes and goes on the road, but the consistent lack of defense by Michigan on the road indicates that maybe they’re just not a good defensive team.
This week: home for Penn State and Illinois
6. Wisconsin (BM: 7 seed)
Brad Davison saved the week with two outstanding plays late to put Maryland away. Davison is not a favorite of opposing fans, but even Minnesota fans had to tip the cap on the way he finished out that game.
It’s probably best not to put too much stock in the Friday night game in East Lansing. It’s hard enough to play Michigan State at the Breslin Center. Throw in four days of prep for Tom Izzo after they got their brains beat in the last game and it’s nearly impossible to win that game.
The big question right now: Can Greg Gard figure out a way to play Nate Reuvers and Micah Potter at the same time? The question exists because those two are undoubtedly among the five best players on the team and ideally you’d like to play your five best players at the same time.
It doesn’t seem very possible right now. Potter has been a big help offensively, but he just got benched at the end of the Maryland game because he was such a liability defensively. The offense would probably improve a little bit with both him and Reuvers on the floor, but a lot of teams in the league are going to exploit the hell out of a defense with the two of them together. Fours are way too versatile now.
This week: home for Nebraska, at Purdue
7. Rutgers (BM: 7 seed)
YOUR NATIONALLY RANKED RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS
I have never been bashful about my love for the Steve Pikiell era at Rutgers and I feel nothing now but complete vindication. I love this team.
Geo Baker was back this week, but clearly not fully 100% and they still got two wins at the RAC.
A road trip to Iowa this week is a good test. It’s an elite offense on the road and we’ll see how elite the Scarlet Knight defense is away from the RAC.
This week: at Iowa, home for Nebraska
8. Penn State (BM: 8 seed)
It was an important week for Penn State and they responded in a big way. They didn’t end up pulling out the win at Minnesota, but it was a strong showing. They followed it up by running Ohio State out of the BJC.
Lamar Stevens gets all of the headlines for the Nittany Lions. He’s a good player, but flawed, and has essentially been the same guy for four years.
Myreon Jones is the best example of why Penn State is on pace to make the tournament for the first time in a while. Jones got spotty minutes as a freshman and didn’t exactly make the most of them. He shot less than 30%.
As a sophomore, Jones is the best offensive player on the team and the biggest reason why the Nittany Lions have made the jump from NIT bubble team to damn near tournament lock.
This week: at Michigan
9. Illinois (BM: 9 seed)
I always want to believe that this Illinois team is good, a dangerous threat to the best teams in the country and then they give up 1.16 points per possession at home to a Northwestern team that doesn’t even have one of their best offensive players. We’ll see how good they are this week.
This week: at Purdue and Michigan
10. Indiana (BM: 9 seed)
Any road win is a good win in this league and IU got one at Nebraska after the offense looked kind of dreadful at Rutgers. The win at Nebraska was huge because KenPom has them favored in only one of the next eight games they play. This week might set the tone for the rest of the season.
This week: Michigan State and Maryland at home
11. Purdue (BM: 11 seed)
I don’t know if Purdue is the most volatile home/road team or if it’s just because I watch every second of every Purdue game, but I feel like they are. No player epitomizes this better than Sasha Stefanovic. Here’s his home/non-home splits:
3PM 3PA 3P% PPG
Home 30 57 0.526316 13.8
Road/Neutral 10 42 0.238095 5.9
That’s a pretty staggering difference. This is not meant as a blaming of Stefanovic for Purdue’s struggles on the road. At least he’s good somewhere. Most of the team is inconsistent regardless of location or bad everywhere. Their only real hope as an offense is that SS figures it out away from Mackey Arena. I don’t think they can count on Nojel Eastern scoring 14 points everywhere, like he did at Maryland.
This week: home for Illinois and Wisconsin
12. Minnesota (BM: 11 seed)
I really want to believe in the Gophers, but it’s now mid-to-late January and their only win away from Williams Arenas is a neutral/pseudo road game with Oklahoma State, who has lost 8 of their last 10.
They honestly played a pretty good game at Rutgers for the most part with one big exception: you can’t give up 20 offensive rebounds.
Great opportunity this week to prove something.
This week: at Ohio State and home for Michigan State
13. Nebraska (BM: N/A)
Their only job is to not screw things up for the rest of the conference by stealing victories.
This week: at Wisconsin at Rutgers
14. Northwestern (BM: N/A)
This week: home for Maryland and Ohio State
Posted in Big Ten, Rankings on January 21, 2020 by eburling. Leave a comment
Welcome to the first installment of the 2020 Overvalued, Undervalued, or Properly Valued series.
These rankings are based on the Final Four Index (FFI). The premise is ranking teams based on their similarities to the most successful tournament teams (those that reach the Final Four). The tournament is a different animal and the FFI measures teams in a tournament context and less so on a game-to-game basis like most analytical measures do.
This is an interesting year and may provide some opportunity where a darkhorse or longshot actually has a chance to win it all. The analytics match the narrative that there really aren’t any great teams this year. If you look at KenPom, this year’s best team (Kansas) would’ve ranked sixth last year. In the FFI, there are only two teams with a rating over 100 this year (although that will go up as teams’ SOS go up). There were nine last year.
Also, something worth noting this year: the national average for offensive efficiency is 101.2, the lowest in the history of KenPom’s website (est. 2002). It’s been at least 104 for the last six years.
I’m not the smartest guy in the world, but it seems that a lot of the reduction in offense can be attributed to the deeper three-point line. Teams are still taking a ton of them, but they made percentage is down over a full percent from last year and nearly two percent from 2018.
I say this because I adjusted the rankings last year to account for the three-point renaissance of 2014-2019 that resulted in quite a few teams bucking historical trends and riding threes to the Final Four.
Is that over now? Are three-heavy teams back to being stay-aways? I have no idea. Here’s the rankings.
Full disclosure: all of the data was gathered on Wednesday night and some teams have played twice since then. Things change. I only run data on teams that are seeded 1-11 on Bracket Matrix. Those teams were also picked Wednesday.
The odds were grabbed off of DraftKings on Thursday. What I didn’t know at the time is that DK doesn’t offer any odds on teams from New Jersey, so I grabbed those from Sportsbook.ag for Seton Hall and Rutgers.
The ranking on the left is based on where the odds suggest teams are ranked. The ranking in the parentheses are obviously the FFI.
Properly Valued
T2. Duke +1000 (FFI: 2)
The Blue Devils are the only current team that is Top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Kansas is the only other team that is Top 20 in both.
Vernon Carey might be the National POTY, but riding a freshman big isn’t the easiest way to win a national title. They’ve got other talent, but they need their backcourt to be healthier than they have been lately.
T2. Kansas +1000 (FFI: 1)
As mentioned, the Jayhawks are the only other team to be Top 20 in both offensive and defensive efficiency so far this season. They were able to survive the road trip to Oklahoma without Devon Dotson, but we’ve seen recently that they struggle when Dotson does. He’s struggled offensively a few times lately and it’s led to a 1-2 record and 55, 55, and 60 points scored as a team.
The good news is that this might be the best defensive team that Bill Self has ever had in Lawrence.
T5. Baylor +1500 (FFI: 6)
Resume-wise, the Bears might be the best team in the country. The lack of fanfare probably has a lot to do with several of their best players being low-profile transfers.
But it’s hard not to notice a team that rolled through Allen Fieldhouse about as easily as they rolled through a road game at Coastal Carolina.
In typical Scott Drew fashion, the Bears are almost over-reliant on second-chance opportunities on offense. But on the flip-side, this is the best defensive group he’s had.
T5. Michigan State +1500 (FFI: 3)
The flaws for the Spartans were clear to see a week ago at Purdue: this team really needs transition points to succeed and it’s also one of Tom Izzo’s worst shooting teams in a while.
But it’s still an Izzo team, which means they’ll be a tough out no matter what when it matters. They also have one of the best guards in the country in Cassius Winston.
T9. Butler +2000 (FFI: 12)
The Bulldogs have one of the most underrated backcourts in the country. Kamar Baldwin is one of the best guards in his own right, Aaron Thompson gives them another ball handler/driver/passer, and Sean McDermott is an elite shooter.
Defensively they’re very good, but a lack of a legitimate rim protector is noticeable and probably not a fixable problem. Derrik Smits will help some, though.
13. Auburn +2500 (FFI: 11)
A rather weak schedule the first two months revealed itself a bit with the back-to-back blowout road losses, but the Tigers are still a Final Four contender again. Last year’s offensive DNA – shooting threes whenever possible – hasn’t quite left this team, but if this team stopped settling so much, they’d be better off.
T15. Arizona +3000 (FFI: 15)
Not surprisingly, the young, talented Wildcats are a nightmare to deal with in Tuscon and pretty beatable anywhere else. It’s hard to take them too seriously until that trend starts to change.
T18. San Diego State +3300 (FFI: 20)
The Aztecs are the only unbeaten left and although the SOS isn’t very high, you can’t write them off as a mid-major pretender, especially this year. They already have three wins over teams who are likely (as of now) to earn at-large bids to the tournament and all three of those wins were away from their home floor.
T21. Florida State +4000 (FFI: 17)
It’s a pretty typical Florida State team. They’ve kinda quietly only lost two games and played the majority of their toughest opponents away from Tallahassee.
23. Penn State +4500 (FFI: 27)
The Nittany Lions are like a lite version of a Final Four team. They’re decent on each end of the floor, but aren’t great at either. They haven’t shown much away from home since November. They’ll have plenty of opportunities though in the Big Ten.
T26. Colorado +6000 (FFI: 22)
I’d like to officially declare the Colorado Buffaloes as my Mountain Time Zone Team. That is all at this time. #GoBuffs
— Money Line Parlays (@MLParlays) January 12, 2020
I love the Buffs and they’ve started to improve on two of their biggest offensive flaws: turnovers and scoring inside.
T26. LSU +6000 (FFI: 28)
Our first half-team of the blog. An elite offense, but one of the worst defenses you’ll see in this list. Not the most impressive resume at the time right now.
T26. Marquette +6000 (FFI: 32)
We go from a half-team to a largely one-man offense in Markus Howard. He’s enough to scare a 1 seed in a second round matchup, but it’s been proven over his career that the best teams usually find a way to overcome Howard’s prowess on a neutral floor.
T26. Purdue +6000 (FFI: 31)
One of the best defenses in the nation, but a frequently miserable offense away from Mackey Arena. Realistically, the first weekend is probably their ceiling, if they make the tournament at all.
T39. Indiana +8000 (FFI: 44)
Same conference, same state, and the same issues scoring away from their home floor.
T39. VCU +8000 (FFI: 40)
I don’t go through every team sheet, but I’m having a hard time figuring out why VCU would even be in the tournament right now. That’s a lot of weight on narrowly beating a pretty mediocre LSU team at home two months ago.
T46. Oklahoma +10000 (FFI: 46)
Just lost by 14 at home against Kansas without Devon Dotson, so I’m having a hard time picturing it.
T61. Georgetown +12500 (FFI: 43)
Just making the tournament would be an accomplishment for the Hoyas.
T61. Virginia Tech +12500 (FFI: 45)
Would probably be a pleasant surprise just to make the dance in Mike Young’s first year after they lost just about everything off last year’s rotation.
Slightly Overvalued
1. Gonzaga +900 (FFI: 5)
No surprise the Zags are one of the best teams in the country again, but putting them as the slight “favorite” over the rest of the country is probably a bit too far. Most years, they wouldn’t be good enough defensively yet, but who knows this year? They’ve got a really diverse offense, length, and a really solid eight-man rotation. But the annual question remains: can Killian Tillie stay healthy?
T5. Ohio State +1500 (FFI: 10)
The offense is slowly melting off the map and it’s resulted in losing five of six. That blowout road win at UNC put them on the national map in early December, but obviously that’s lost a lot of luster in 45 days.
T24. Florida +5000 (FFI: 39)
Florida does seem to be trending up. The offense has been good for six straight games and it’s not just one guy. They’re getting contributions everywhere and it seems to be a different guy starring every night. Worth keeping an eye on.
T24. Texas Tech +5000 (FFI: 37)
Last year this time they were in the “Highly Overvalued” category because their offense was pretty awful. It got a lot better and they nearly won a national title. They need a similar transformation.
T26. Creighton +6000 (FFI: 36)
Creighton can score, but can’t defend. The story of the Greg McDermott era. It’s a fun era, for the record.
T26. Houston +6000 (FFI: 35)
This is a bit of a rebuilding year for Kelvin Sampson. Last year’s team was a legitimate contender to make the Final Four. This year’s team probably isn’t because they have too many defensive lapses, but they’re an exceptional rebounding team when you consider they don’t start a single guy over 6’7″. I’d buy stock in the 2021 Cougars.
T26. Wichita State +6000 (FFI: 38)
I write this as I watch them complete a 25-point first half at home against Houston. A half that kind of summarizes what their issues are going forward. Right now the Shockers need defense to create offense for them and it’s tough sledding if they don’t get out in transition.
T26. Xavier +6000 (FFI: 41)
They’re not very good right now.
Slightly Undervalued
T26. Iowa +6000 (FFI: 18)
Defense does not live in Iowa, but the Hawkeyes can score any way you want it. They don’t seem to miss Jordan Bohannon much, which isn’t all that surprising, given that he was a sieve defensively and they’ve got enough skill to score a ton. It also helps that Luka Garza has turned into one of the favorites to win Big Ten POTY.
T39. Saint Mary’s +8000 (FFI: 25)
Hard disagree with the rankings, but whatever. They’ve recently lost to Pacific and Santa Clara.
T39. Wisconsin +8000 (FFI: 26)
Adding Micah Potter a month ago may be a difference maker for the Badgers. Scoring was a big issue and adding a guy that can make threes, free throws, and buckets down low is a shot in the arm. Another team worth tracking.
T46. Stanford +10000 (FFI: 33)
The Cardinal are quite an interesting case study in analytics. They’re 15-3, but they’ve played a horrible schedule. Their offensive EFG% is 4th in the country, but somehow only have the 97th best adjusted offense. Usually there’s a pretty strong correlation between the two. The disparity is partly due to the schedule, partly due to the lack of second chances they give themselves, and partly due to their frequency of never giving themselves a first chance (they turn it over a lot).
On the flip side – in spite of the bad schedule – Stanford still ranks 15th in adjusted defensive efficiency.
60-ish. Rutgers +12500 (FFI: 29)
Laugh if you want, but Rutgers is probably going to comfortably make the tournament this year and they’re bringing their elite defense with them. The Scarlet Knights are clearly much better at home, but they’ve got enough guard talent to make things scary for a high seed in a potential second round matchup.
T61. BYU +12500 (FFI: 21)
They really need Yoeli Childs back to really be a factor, but we champion any team that launches threes and makes 40% of them.
T69. Illinois +15000 (FFI: 34)
As soon as I start to think Illinois might actually be pretty good, they struggle to put away Northwestern and Rutgers in back-to-back home games.
Highly Overvalued
T2. Louisville +1000 (FFI: 13)
As I begin to write this, they’re up six at Duke with four minutes to go, but whatever. Things are always fluid. They have just recently struggled with Notre Dame and Pitt in addition to getting semi-blown out by Florida State and Texas Tech.
Some people love them, but aside from a home win over Michigan, their best win is probably that road trip to Notre Dame.
Update: The just won at Duke, which makes the timing of this blog very unfortunate. In defense of the rankings, David Johnson was averaging 3.7 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.2 BPG, and 0.1 SPG heading into the game and he put up 19, 4, 7, 2, and 3. That helps.
8. Oregon +1600 (FFI: 16)
And the numbers were compiled before they lost by double digits to Wazzu and snuck out a minor miracle against shorthanded Washington after trailing by 16.
I don’t have a lot of trust in the Ducks. They’ve been down big – or at least double digits -and come back to make it a tight game or led big and had to hold on for dear life in almost every notable game they’ve played. Plus, they’ve lost to Wazzu and UNC.
They have talent, but it doesn’t feel like a national championship team to me.
T9. Maryland +2000 (FFI: 19)
The Terps have talent, but they haven’t done anything on the road yet and the only semi-impressive neutral site win was Marquette. Anthony Cowan is a great guard and he’s had a fantastic career, but it’s been a while since he’s played six really good games in a row.
T11. Kentucky +2200 (FFI: 23)
The Cats are good, but they have one very obvious limitation that’s pretty important in modern basketball: shooting. Cal’s teams are usually growers and not showers, so I’ll hold much judgement for at least another month.
T11. Villanova +2200 (FFI: 24)
The personnel has changed, but the analytical breakdown is nearly a carbon copy of last year. Nobody likes being overrated, but I think Villanova fans can sleep fine at night knowing it’s because they won two titles in three years recently.
14. Virginia +2800 (FFI: 42)
This is the epitome of the natty boost because the Cavalier offense is A-T-R-O-C-I-O-U-S. ATROCIOUS.
T15. Memphis +3000 (FFI: 30)
The Memphis odds were really inflated before the season when they still had James Wiseman and they’re still not at an adequate level. They still haven’t beat anyone noteworthy this year.
Highly Undervalued
T15. Michigan +3000 (FFI: 4)
This isn’t a hill I particularly want to die on, but all six of their losses will likely end up in the Quad 1 variety and they beat the odds-on favorite by 18, so they’re not as bad as it may seem lately. A big reason for that is they’ve played the last six games without Isaiah Livers who’s their second-leading scorer and a 50% three-point shooter. Kind of a big piece.
15-ish. Seton Hall +3500 (FFI: 7)
The Pirates still don’t have Sandro Mamukelashvili and they’re still 6-0 in the Big East with the toughest Big East schedule so far, according to KenPom. Also, they have one of the best – the best? – players in the country in Myles Powell, one of those all-important guards people are always talking about in March. Romaro Gill was already one of the best defensive presences in the game and now he’s scored in double figures for five straight games. A team to watch, for sure.
T18. Dayton +3300 (FFI: 8)
Dayton is way too good to be anybody’s mid-major darling, but it’s still been 17 years since they’ve been above a 7 seed, which means you should still root for them. Obi Toppin gets all the headlines, but this is far from a one man team. The best of their resume is behind them, but you can still score some great wins on the road in the A-10.
T18. West Virginia +3300 (FFI: 9)
Good news, bad news on the Mountaineers. Bad news: you could’ve gotten a way better price before the season. Good news: The price is still too low and it may get better after they played like garbage at Kansas State on Saturday.
Fundamentally, the offense isn’t very good right now, but it’ll improve strides if they can just start taking care of the ball. Among major offensive problems, it’s probably the easiest fix. It really doesn’t take talent to change.
T36. Arkansas +7000 (FFI: 14)
I’m not all-in on the Hogs, but I also don’t want any part of betting against Mason Jones and Isaiah Joe. Two dudes that can go off at anytime. Joe attempts 11 threes a game, which is just the most preposterous stat I’ve come across this year.
T21. North Carolina +4000 (FFI: NR)
T26. Texas +6000 (FFI: NR)
Why is Texas overrated in every sport?
T36. Tennessee +7000 (FFI: NR)
Not even remotely a threat without Lamonte Turner.
T36. Washington +7000 (FFI: NR)
They were a bubble team before Quade Green was out.
T39. St. John’s +8000 (FFI: NR)
Worth noting: three of the four best St. John’s teams in this century were coached by Steve Lavin. They fired him after five years.
Also worth noting: the Red Storm have made the tournament three times since Mike Jarvis was fired. They’ve fired coaches after two of those appearances.
St. John’s is not made fun of enough for their incompetence.
T39. Utah State +8000 (FFI: NR)
Compared to some other bubble teams, I feel like the Aggies should be getting more attention.
T39. Liberty +8000 (FFI: NR)
I think Liberty is good again, but they’ve played a horrific schedule. They’re putting all their eggs in the A-Sun Tournament, I guess.
T46. Cincinnati +10000 (FFI: NR)
Gonna have to do a lot of damage this next month-and-a-half to get any at-large consideration.
T46. UConn +10000 (FFI: NR)
If “Coaches Yelling/Complaining/Completely Melting Down” was a requirement, the Huskies would be a lock for the tourney.
T46. Davidson +10000 (FFI: NR)
Low-key one of the biggest disappointments in CBB.
T46. Mississippi State +10000 (FFI: NR)
Not much to show on the resume so far, but Nick Weatherspoon might turn things around.
T46. Missouri +10000 (FFI: NR)
Between the Porters and Jeremiah Tilmon, it’s just been a series of very unfortunate injury situations for Cuonzo Martin since he started.
T46. NC State +10000 (FFI: NR)
There hasn’t been a good defensive team in Raleigh since Herb Sendek left.
T46. Notre Dame +10000 (FFI: NR)
Haven’t beat a team in KenPom’s Top 50 and they’ve lost to two outside of it.
T46. Oklahoma State +10000 (FFI: NR)
Good think Mike Boynton signed Cade Cunningham or this might be his last year.
T46. Utah +10000 (FFI: NR)
It’s a debate on whether they’re the third or fourth best team in the basketball hotbead of the state of Utah.
T46. Drake +10000 (FFI: NR)
They have to beat UNI for the MVC, which seems unlikely.
T46. Northern Iowa +10000 (FFI: NR)
The Panthers are legitimately good. The schedule hasn’t been very good, but they’re 16-2 and they were up 15 in both of their losses, including a neutral-site affair with WVU. Watch out for UNI.
T59. Texas A&M +12000 (FFI: NR)
This would’ve been a lot funnier a couple of weeks ago, but the Aggies are halfway decent now.
T59. USC +12000 (FFI: NR)
The new Big O is the only thing that keeps them respectable.
T61. Arizona State +12500 (FFI: NR)
Another Hurley that loses his mind without tangible improvement.
T61. Harvard +12500 (FFI: NR)
This should be Yale.
T61. Syracuse +12500 (FFI: NR)
A Syracuse team that can’t defend? Hard pass.
T61. UCLA +12500 (FFI: NR)
They’re 8-9.
T61. DePaul +12500 (FFI: NR)
Actually a team with some teeth on here. They’ve beaten four at-large teams already.
T69. Alabama +15000 (FFI: NR)
Getting better pretty quietly underneath Nate Oats.
T69. Georgia +15000 (FFI: NR)
Anthony Edwards is your only hope, but he’s shown he’s not nearly enough.
T69. Minnesota +15000 (FFI: NR)
Not horrendous.
T69. Ole Miss +15000 (FFI: NR)
Tyree is good.
T69. Penn +15000 (FFI: NR)
T69. Rhode Island +15000 (FFI: NR)
They can’t throw it in the ocean.
Posted in College, Gambling, Rankings on January 19, 2020 by eburling. Leave a comment
I’m throwing in the towel. I have no idea how to possibly rank these teams this year and it’s for a good reason. Nearly all of them are good!
If I were to put together rankings – based on results, eye test, or a combination of both – anyone could easily poke holes in the order because at this point so much is uncertain and we have so much more to learn. A simple game using the transitive property leaves any set of rankings open to get bludgeoned.
In recent years, there’s been fairly clear tiers to the conference. There’s usually four of five tiers and the top tier has three or four teams, and a lot of times, the winner of the conference is just the one team in that top tier who plays the easiest schedule.
This year? Best of luck finding the tiers. 12 of the 14 teams are legitimately good and would either be in the NCAA Tournament today or would be one of the first few cut.
So I’m waving the white flag. I don’t really have a rankings. I’ll just let KenPom do it for me and I’ll provide the commentary.
Nothing better to show off the craziness of the league than pointing out KP ranks OSU second in the league (eighth in the country) and the Buckeyes are currently 1-4 in Big Ten play, tied for dead last. Also, all five teams who were ranked going into the weekend lost.
I know I used to have a segment in here about the five best games to watch this week. At times it was pretty difficult to find five games worthy of your time. Now? Just watch all of the games.
1. Michigan State (KP: 5)
It looked like the Spartans may have been separating themselves from the pack a bit, as they were on a three-game winning streak, winning each game by at least 16.
But it may have been a bit of fool’s gold. Home court advantage has never been more apparent in the league and MSU had played four of their first five at home, with the lone road game being a fairly tight game at last place Northwestern.
MSU is probably still the best team in the league, but Sunday showed that they’re not just going to waltz their way to another conference title. They’ve got eight more road games to go.
Tom Izzo teams have always been elite at getting out in transition, even after made buckets by an opponent. This team has done that more than ever, playing at the fastest pace by far of any Izzo team.
It’s worked well. They entered the game at Purdue as the most efficient offense in the country. But Sunday’s game showed what can happen if they aren’t able to get in transition and are forced to play in the half court. Purdue turned it over just six times and only a few were of the live-ball variety. It resulted in just four fast break points for the Spartans and a total of 42, 20 points below their previous season low.
This week: home for Wisconsin
2. Ohio State (KP: 8)
The Buckeyes might be the toughest team to pin down this year. The analytics love them and so did everybody else up until about two weeks ago.
The defense has been pretty great wherever they go, but offensively they’ve hit a slump. They’ve shown enough this year to make you think they can get out of it, but four straight games of poor outings does make you start to wonder.
For 12 games, they shot 41% from three and they were shooting a lot of them. The last four? Just 29% from distance. Turnovers have always been a bit of an issue, but that’s only amplified recently. Maybe the most telling statistic is that OSU is shooting just 37.6% from two-point range in these four straight losses. Obviously it’s just four games, but for context, the worst season-long two-point percentage in the country is 39.1%. Shout out to Alcorn State.
Working in OSU’s favor is that they’re about to hit probably the softest part of their conference schedule. Nothing is easy this year in the Big Ten, but the Buckeyes need to get right in these next five games.
This week: home for Nebraska, at Penn State
3. Maryland (KP: 12)
The Terps have clearly solidified themselves as a great team in College Park, but the book is still out on them away from the Xfinity Center. They’re 0-3 in true road games, looking listless at Iowa, after trailing at Penn State nearly the whole way and losing at Seton Hall without the Pirates’ best two players earlier in the year.
A big part of that is Anthony Cowan really struggling to be efficient on the road the past couple of years. If that doesn’t change, it’s unlikely for the Terps to get a Top 2 or 3 seed in the tournament. But we’ve seen him do it before when he was an underclassmen.
Probably the bigger question is whether Eric Ayala and Aaron Wiggins can emerge from their shooting slumps and get closer to last year’s numbers when they were freshmen. The two of them shot a combined 41% from three-point range last year – at a high clip – and are now shooting just 27%. Those guys are essentially shooting 1.4 more threes per game and making 14 percent less. Not ideal for efficiency.
This week: at Wisconsin and home for Purdue
4. Purdue (KP: 17)
What a difference a week makes. Last Sunday, Purdue lost 63-37 to Illinois. The 37 points were the lowest total in 71 years for a Purdue team. Cut to a week later and Purdue wins 71-42 over Michigan State.
It goes without saying that the Boilers are neither as bad as they looked at Illinois or as good as they looked at home against MSU. The discrepancy between the two does loudly illustrate how different they can be depending on where they’re playing.
But it’s worth noting that Purdue did play a pretty good game start-to-finish at Michigan and probably should’ve won if they make just one more play in multiple key situations. But the asterisk on that one is that the Boilers got 36 points and 20 rebounds from Trevion Williams, which is not exactly something you can count on every night. The jury is still out on Road Purdue.
This will never be a great offensive team, but if the Boilers just start to get something from their role players on the road like they did against MSU, they can be a good one.
This week: at Maryland
5. Iowa (KP: 19)
Quite an interesting week for the Hawkeyes. It started with a dreadful outside shooting performance at Nebraska, which resulted in a loss against the Jervay Green-less Huskers. Iowa had incredible success inside, but still opted to shoot 33 three-pointers and only managed to make four (12%). It was the most efficient game from two-point range all season, yet they also set a new high for three-point attempts at the same time. Not ideal.
But the bounceback game in the form of a 67-49 win at home against Maryland was an impressive response. And they did it with defense. The Hawkeyes only shot 38% from the floor and had 18 turnovers, but they were responsible for the Terps worst offensive performance of the year. Add in the 44-32 advantage Iowa enjoyed on the glass and it was a rather gritty win, the type of win that there hasn’t been enough of in recent years in Iowa City.
This week: at Northwestern, home for Michigan
6. Michigan (KP: 21)
It’s hard to evaluate Michigan based on their recent results because they’re missing what might be the most important part of their offense in Isaiah Livers, who has taken nearly five three-pointers a game and hit half of them. Zavier Simpson makes the whole offense go, but Livers brings a different element.
It’s too early still to make judgments on Juwan Howard, but the Wolverines are clearly different than years past. Luke Yaklich’s presence helped make UM an elite defensive team after years of lackluster defense. The D has reverted back to its old ways without Yaklich and John Beilein, but there is a brisker pace in Ann Arbor under Howard and the offense has a ton of upside if they get back to full strength.
Their November isn’t what we thought it was when it was happening, but this is still a really good team that needs to get healthy. They’ve got upperclassmen leadership and underclassmen with a lot of skill.
This week: at Iowa
7. Wisconsin (KP: 22)
Around Thanksgiving time, the Badgers were horrible. They lost neutral-site games against Richmond and New Mexico, two teams unlikely to compete in their mid-major conferences. They also got blown out by NC State, who will likely miss the tournament.
That seems like a really long time ago now because Wisconsin has been great the past couple of weeks. They let a late lead slip away against Illinois, but they’re responsible for two of the five road wins in league play this year. They also added in a blowout at Tennessee. They’ve moved up 30 spots in KP’s rankings the last five games.
The shift has largely came defensively. This is never going to be a great offensive team and they already had a good defense, but they’ve been playing at an elite level the past couple of weeks.
Another factor is obviously the presence of Micah Potter, who was forced to sit out the first semester. Potter played his most minutes of the season (28) on Saturday at Penn State and here’s guessing he sees even more minutes soon. Potter thanked Greg Gard fot the additional PT by scoring 24 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.
This week: home for Maryland, at Michigan State
8. Illinois (KP: 29)
Somewhat under the radar, but the Illini picked up one of the biggest wins of the week when they snuck out a victory up in Madison. Illinois is not a good shooting team consistently, but they had an efficient night at Wisconsin and took care of the ball again, which is a big area of improvement recently.
It’s hard to overstate the impact Kofi Cockburn has had on this team as just a freshman. He’s helped them become an elite offensive rebounding team and kicked up both the interior offense and defense. His presence as a rim protector has helped them at all levels. Every guard on the team is fouling less this year and now opponents are shooting way less free throws per game than they were the past couple years. The guards aren’t gambling as much now for steals because they don’t have to. Credit to Brad Underwood for adapting his philosophy.
Shooting is holding them back from going up another level, but that can change. Both Ayo Dosunmu and Trent Frazier have been reliable threats in the past couple of years. If those two get going from outside, this is a really dangerous team.
This week: home vs. Northwestern
9. Rutgers (KP: 32)
I don’t know the entire history of Rutgers basketball, but this is by far the best team I’ve ever seen from the program. They’re legitimately good and I’m not even sure they’ve hit their peak yet. It physically pains me to think about how good they could’ve been if Eugene Omoruyi stuck around.
Rutgers has really struggled to shoot the ball (are you picking up this is a common thread in Big Ten basketball?), but best of luck trying to score on them in the half court, especially at the RAC. Myles Johnson has turned into a pretty damn good anchor to the back of the defense and is doing a much better job this year of staying out of foul trouble. It doesn’t hurt that he’s shooting 71% at the other end.
Keep in mind that since Big Ten play started up again, Geo Baker’s been out and they’re still playing this well. Ron Harper Jr. was really starting to figure things out at the end of last season and that’s carried over into this season.
And with Baker out, Texas transfer Jacob Young has really started to turn it on. Caleb McConnell has shown more than a handful of times that he can make a big impact on a game and Akwasi Yeboah has been a steady contributor as a grad transfer.
Rutgers has had one or two stars over the past few years, but not big enough of stars to make them truly competitive in the league. Steve Pikiell now has one of the deeper rotations in the league and it’s really starting to show up in the win column.
This week: home for Indiana and Minnesota
10. Indiana (KP: 33)
The Hoosiers narrowly avoided a bad loss against a shorthanded Northwestern team during the week, but responded nicely by putting away Ohio State late in the second half on Saturday and picked up a quality win in the process.
I feel like we still have a lot to learn about IU because they’ve spent so much time at home so far this season. The good news is we get to find out because the schedule the rest of the way is pretty unrelenting.
I do know that they’re one of the best rebounding teams in the league and their best form of offense so far is shooting a shitload of free throws. I also know that Trayce Jackson-Davis is one of the youngest guys on the team and is the most consistent, steadiest guy on the team and might have the most mature game.
On the negative side, we also know that the Hoosiers don’t shoot it very well and given that most of the data is from home games, it’s not likely to improve with more than half of their remaining games due to come away from Assembly Hall.
This week: at Rutgers and Nebraska
11. Penn State (KP: 36)
Tough week for the Nittany Lions. They got off to a good start at Rutgers, but couldn’t manage enough offense and missed out on a golden opportunity to pick up a road win when the Scarlet Knights were without Geo Baker.
The shooting woes continued against Wisconsin and they trailed at home for the entire game.
This feels like an important time for Penn State. The fans who actually care about the basketball team have been dying to get back to the tournament for the first time in nearly a decade. They put themselves in a great position with a 12-2 start and multiple quality wins and they avoided bad losses, although the Ole Miss loss is trending that way.
They just lost a couple of games that were winnable/they should’ve won. Now they have to go to the Barn and play an OSU team at home that’s desperate to get back on a winning streak. They can’t let things spiral.
This week: at Minnesota, home for Nebraska
12. Minnesota (KP: 38)
The Gophers might be just as good as about anybody in this league, but they’ve probably got the toughest road in order to reaching the NCAA Tournament. The reason: they didn’t start this good and did themselves no favors in the non-conference.
The good news of course is that they will have ample opportunities to rack up some quality wins that they didn’t get in November and December. Also good news: they just got another big win on Sunday.
The early season struggles were fairly predictable after losing Amir Coffey, Jordan Murphy, Dupree McBrayer, and Isaiah Washington from last year’s team and losing Eric Curry to injury.
But things have flipped for this team and it’s for two big reasons: Marcus Carr and Daniel Oturu are awesome. Oturu’s the more consistent of the two, but he’s got the ability to dominate the inside of any game and Carr can take over from the perimeter.
If they can get Gabe Kalscheur and Payton Willis heated back up again, they’ll be able to beat just about anyone.
This week: home for Penn State, at Rutgers
13. Northwestern (KP: 104)
Well, Northwestern got a win, but it was against the only team below them and it was at home, which doesn’t get you very far. They need to get Boo Buie back and they need him to be as good offensively as he was right before he got injured.
This week: home for Iowa, at Illinois
14. Nebraska (KP: 131)
Nebraska continues on the path of “occasionally great, otherwise shit” that they’ve been on for a while now. The inconsistency makes sense when you consider they only have one guy back from last year and he was a role player.
They have enough talent to be better than they are, but they fail to do some simple aspects of the game like “rebound” and “make free throws.”
Jokes aside, the Huskers have shown themselves to be a viable threat when any team makes a trip to Lincoln and that still makes them very relevant in the discourse of the league.
This week: at Ohio State, home for Indiana
Posted in Big Ten, College, Rankings on January 13, 2020 by eburling. Leave a comment
SMU (-3) over FAU – 3u
This is a home game for the Owls, but I’m not sure that’s the most positive thing for this situation. Yes, FAU rolled in this game a couple of years ago, but SMU is worlds better than the crappy Akron team that showed up in Boca Raton two years ago and were 23-point dogs.
That was an exciting time for FAU then. It was the end of Lane Kiffin’s first year when they effortlessly ran through the C-USA. They won again this year, but now Joey Freshwater is out the door and Glenn Spencer takes over as interim. The players wanted Spencer to get the head job full-time, but the admin went with Willie Taggart. The rest of the staff are likely more worried about their next job.
Part of the fun of bowl season is going on a trip and the Owls don’t get that luxury. What they do get is a 10-2 SMU team from a much stronger conference coming in excited about a week of Boca living. The Mustangs have more talent across the board and put up more efficient numbers than FAU this year, despite playing a SOS that was 40 spots higher, according to Sagarin.
EMU (+11) over Pitt – 2u
EMU +365 – 0.5u
This has to be a disappointing outcome for Pitt. Last year they won the Coastal, got to go to the Sun Bowl, and were once again playing for a Coastal title just a few weeks ago. They lost it and also missed out on the (rumored) opportunity to play in the Pinstripe Bowl in NYC against Michigan State.
Instead they get a trip to beautiful Detroit. They still get a matchup with the green-and-white from Michigan, but it’s the MAC version. I’d imagined they could be more enthused.
Meanwhile, the EMU fanbase should come out in full force for this one. It’s a 36-minute drive across I-94 from their campus in Ypsilanti to Ford Field. The Eagles haven’t won a bowl game since 1987 and now they’ve got their chance against a Power 5 school.
And it wouldn’t be their first P5 win of the season, as they won at Illinois 34-31 back in September. I make fun of Chris Creighton’s teams obsession with playing one-score games, but it’s pretty nice to bet on when they’re catching double-digits against a team that didn’t play a hard schedule and their biggest win was still only 10 points.
Wake (+4.5) over Michigan State – 1u
Wake +155 – 0.5u
Everything about the state of MSU’s program is concerning right now and I’ll continue to bet against it. There’s injuries to both sides, but most of the key guys for Wake are expected to go, except for Sage Surratt, who we already knew was going to be missing.
It’s a smaller play because Wake hasn’t been the most consistent team, but I’ll take that over a MSU’s consistently poor play the second half of the season. The Spartans had to beat helpless Maryland at home in the season finale just to become bowl eligible and it almost looked as if they didn’t want to, eking out a 19-16 victory over the 3-9 Terps.
I think if there’s one thing you can depend on it’s Wake’s ability to throw the ball in this game. The weather looks like it’s going to be pretty clear in 40-ish degree weather.
Oklahoma State (+7) over Texas A&M – 2u
OSU +220 – 0.5u
Our first game with big “sitting out for the NFL Draft” implications and it’s double-positive for the Pokes. Chuba Hubbard says he’s gonna play and if that’s not good enough, the Aggies best defender — DT Justin Madubuike — is going to sit out. Madubuike is essential in both phases of the game. He’s led the team with 22 TFL the past couple of years and also led the team in sacks this year.
A&M played a pretty tough schedule, but I think it’s made them a bit overrated. Your typical power rankings will say they played five Top 10 teams this year, and I don’t really disagree with that. They went 0-5 and lost by an average of 18 points. Other than that, there’s not much to the resume. Outside of Kyle Field, their two performances were a 7-point win at 4-8 Ole Miss and a 4-point win on a neutral field against 2-10 Arkansas.
USC (+2) over Iowa – 2u
USC +110 – 0.5u
Fair warning, I’m like -12u on Iowa games this year. Nate Stanley is my mortal enemy and I’d like to see him go out in flames for all of the headaches he’s caused me this year.
But for some analysis outside of personal vendettas: I think the Iowa secondary is going to have problems with all of the USC receivers that have elected to play in the bowl game.
The pass defense looks pretty good on the surface for the Hawkeyes, but they haven’t really played that many good passing teams. They’ve only played three teams in the Top 40 of the country in passing yards per game: Iowa State, Purdue, and Minnesota. ISU threw for 323 at 9.3 YPA, Purdue threw for 327 for 6.5 YPA (with a backup QB), and Minnesota threw for 368 at 9.4 YPA.
Full disclosure: Iowa went 3-0 in those games, but they were all by less than a touchdown and I think it’s fair to say that they were especially fortunate in the ISU and Minny games. I’m not sure they can survive again in a near road game against the Trojans in San Diego.
Wazzu (+3) over Air Force – 2u
Wazzu +130 – 0.5u
We return to the wonderful world of the Cheez-It Bowl, which gave us the greatest game in the history of football last year. Four quarters and an overtime, nine interceptions and 17 combined points. It was fantastic theater.
I don’t totally get why Air Force is favored in this one. They went 10-2 compared to Wazzu’s 6-6, but their best win was…Colorado, who doesn’t power rate in the top half of the FBS. They beat the Buffs in OT a week after they had a dramatic win over an overrated Nebraska team. Meanwhile, Wazzu rolled Colorado by 31 a few weeks later.
AFA has the ability to keep things close by controlling the TOP and running out the clock, but Wazzu is in the same ballpark as the only two teams the Falcons have lost to this year, both by double digits.
I’m not here to disparage the troops, but Air Force is 1-8 against Power 5/ND schools since 2007. That’s how little they face this type of competition. Less than once a year and the only win is this year over a team that finished on a 2-6 slide.
Memphis (+7) over Penn State – 1u
Memphis +230 – 0.5u
I might’ve been the world’s biggest Penn State supporter this year that wasn’t a Nittany Lion fan at heart — and it paid handsomely — but I recognize their offensive flaws. They’ve been cycling through RBs in a mediocre running game and Sean Clifford’s been unhealthy after an up-and-down season.
I’m not fully bought in to the “motivation is the biggest factor of bowl season” mantra, but there might be something to be said for this New Year’s Six game that the Group of 5 gets to play in. They’re 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS, with the only loss coming by a half point. They were also 3-1 SU in the three years before that in BCS games.
The play on this was downgraded because Mike Norvell is no longer involved, but Memphis had a great staff overall.
The only game PSU covered in the last four games of the season was a back door-ish cover against OSU when they were getting buried, but got back in to the game on a series of flukish fumbles.
Oklahoma (+14) over LSU – 1u
I’m not sure that Oklahoma really has a chance to win this game, but there’s a similar thought process here as there was when I picked OU to cover against Bama last year. Once again, people are just dismissing the Sooners like they’re a walkover for the #1 seed.
And once again they have the explosiveness to make even a blowout look close when times get tough. OU is the perfect team to rack up points when it doesn’t seem like it matters. The Alabama game was a good example last year and the K-State game this year was perfect. They damn near won the KSU game just piling on garbage points.
LSU’s defense has looked better in recent weeks, but I’m not convinced they’re the real deal. They’ve faced one explosive offense this year – Alabama – and gave up 41. They also faced a decent offense in Texas and gave up 38. Other than that, it’s been a parade of mediocre. They still managed to give up 37 to Ole Miss and 38 to Vandy, two teams who combined to go 3-13 in the SEC.
Oklahoma’s offense isn’t as potent as years past, but they still average 40+ and Jalen Hurts’s dual-threat ability provides a facet LSU hasn’t seen very much this season.
The Sooner D still isn’t great, but better than in their past couple of appearances in the playoffs and CeeDee Lamb still gives them the best offensive playmaker in the game.
Clemson (-2) over Ohio State – 4u
Sometimes you have to put your money where your mouth is and this is one of those times. There’s no stone-cold facts that make this a great bet, but I just watch the two teams and believe in Clemson more.
I don’t have any numbers at the ready that support this, but whenever I watch OSU, I feel more-and-more convinced that if a team can get to Justin Fields and get him out of rhythm, they can beat OSU.
As always, Clemson has a sick pass rush. They get a month of Brent Venables prep and that pass rush should provide some pressure against Fields. As good as Fields can be, if the Tigers can keep him bottled up in the pocket, he’ll miss some throws.
I also love the month of prep for Dabo Swinney, Jeff Scott, and Tony Elliott against the vaunted OSU pass rush and Chase Young. This is a group that has gone 8-2 SU and 9-1 ATS in their last 10 postseason games. I trust them to be the better prepared team against a rookie HC.
Update on late Friday night:
Florida (-14) over Virginia – 2u
I don’t know what to say other than Florida is better in about every phase of the game. Bryce Perkins is a great player, but he can’t do it all. Since Kyle Trask has taken over as starting QB, the Gators have beaten every non-Top 5 team by at least 11.
UVA has played two Top 40 teams all year. They were both Top 15 – like Florida – and lost by a combined 60 points.
Wyoming (-7) over Georgia State – 2u
Wyoming/GSU under 49 – 1u
There are two things overvaluing GSU this season: their win over Tennessee in Week 1 and the fact that many don’t realize that stud QB is still playing for GSU, but he’s playing on a torn ACL and is way less effective without his ability to run.
Ellington ran for 67 YPG pre-torn ACL and four TDs. Since then he has ran for -5 yards and 0 TDs. It’s a big difference in the offense.
Wyoming has its problems offensively, but I expect them to give the ball more to third-string QB Levi Williams more. Sean Chambers got hurt and backup Tyler Vander Waal has gotten the majority of the snaps since then. The problem is that Vander Waal stinks and he’s now making it easier on HC Craig Bohl by entering the transfer portal and giving Bohl the out of playing Williams more. Williams is a dual-threat like Chambers and should be more in-tune with the offense after 15 bowl practices.
It would be a bit of a surprise to me if this game even gets over 40 on the total.
Alabama (-7) over Michigan – 1u
This is the squarest bet you can find, but it’s just impossible to envision Michigan hanging with the Tide unless five more key players choose to sit out for Alabama. Tyrell Lewis and Trevon Diggs are sitting out for the Tide defense, but I don’t think that’s enough to make a difference. The insane WR corps for Alabama’s offense is still intending to take the field and that’s probably enough.
Minnesota (+7.5) over Auburn – 1u
Minnesota +240 – 0.5u
Auburn’s played the tougher schedule and is probably the better team, but if there’s one weakness to find in these two teams, it’s probably the Auburn passing game. I’m not one to doubt PJ Fleck with a month to motivate his team.
Cincinnati (-7) over BC – 2u
Anthony Brown has been out at QB for months and his replacement has not shown the ability to remotely match his production. Now, AJ Dillon is also sitting out. David Bailey is a good replacement, but he’s gonna have to hold it down, otherwise there’s a big dropoff in his second-string for the bowl game.
BC is also dealing with a substitute teacher as interim HC. Steve Addazio got fired and now the WR coach – with no HC experience – is taking the reigns for the month.
Indiana (+1.5) over Tennessee – 1u
Indiana +115 – 0.5u
The two teams have had fairly similar seasons: they’ve beaten who they’re supposed to beat and lost to who they should. UT hasn’t faced many teams with the ability to throw like IU can and it may be the difference.
Ohio (-7.5) over Nevada – 4u
I thought Nevada was butt cheeks before they lost several starters on defense due to suspension. The Wolfpack are the worst 7-5 team I can remember in recent history.
The Bobcats have a 2.0+ YPP margin despite playing a schedule that was nearly 20 spots higher than Nevada. They ended the season on a 118-27 run over the last couple of weeks. They lost to a really good Louisiana team by 20, otherwise their five losses were by an average of 4 PPG.
There’s not a single discernible edge for Nevada in this game.
Ohio is 6-1 ATS their last 7 bowl games.
Posted in College, Gambling on December 21, 2019 by eburling. Leave a comment
39.Ohio vs. Nevada
Jan. 3, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
There’s not much to like about this game. Ohio is a 6-6 MAC team and Nevada is maybe the worst 7-5 team in recent memory. It’s on the Friday after the new year when things really start to settle in that if you live anywhere it gets cold, you’ve got a couple months of winter hell to look forward to and the only thing ahead is fairly meaningless basketball games and the NFL playoffs. It’s on a Friday afternoon, but it’s on the blue turf where it could also be snowing and it’s not an exciting game at all.
38. Georgia State vs. Wyoming
Dec. 31, 4:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network
Georgia State was a lot more fun before Dan Ellington started playing on a torn ACL. Wyoming has never been fun really, but any fun was lost when Sean Chambers went out and Tyler Vander Waal took over at QB. At least it’s on NYE, but you’ll prefer watching the Navy/Kansas State game that starts 45 minutes prior.
37. Georgia Southern vs. Liberty
It’s a contrast of styles and I like both teams, but it doesn’t really appeal to the masses. But it is the first full day of bowls and I’m sure the bets will be flying.
36. Pitt vs. Eastern Michigan
Dec. 26, 8 p.m., ESPN
This should probably be the worst game, but at least there’s the potential of a MAC team beating an ACC team. Given Pat Narduzzi’s penchant for mangling key situations and EMU’s uncanny knack for playing close games, it could be a recipe for chaos.
35. Buffalo vs. Charlotte
Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl
It’s the first bowl game of the season and it’s in the Bahamas. Charlotte is playing in their first ever bowl game. Could be worse.
34. Kent State vs. Utah State
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl
Dec. 20, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
The second bowl game of the season and there’s some potential for points on a Friday night heading into Christmas week. The Twitter NFL Draft experts will be providing some “expertise” on Jordan Love’s performance.
33. San Diego State vs. Central Michigan
CMU at least provides the potential for points, but SDSU is dedicated to playing games with a total under 35. It’s the opener for the first full Saturday of bowl games.
32. Louisiana vs. Miami (OH)
This is the last bowl before the national championship. It occurs on a Monday night and it’s in Mobile. There are pros and cons to this game, but I’m intrigued to watch the Louisiana running game matched up with the best defense from the MAC. When you think about it, it’s really the ultimate for a #MACtion and #FunBelt matchup on a random Monday night.
31. FIU vs. Arkansas State
Dec. 21, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
I don’t know, this might be too high, but I feel like there’s a pretty good chance this goes over the total of 62.5.
30. Western Kentucky vs. Western Michigan
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Dec. 30, 12:30 p.m., ESPN
This is an ultimate “avoid the scaries” type of game. It falls on a Monday afternoon between the post-Christmas weekend and right before the new year celebration. Think of it as a mimosa at Sunday brunch after you just went on a two-day bender and you aren’t ready to fully embrace that real life is about to resume.
29. Tulane vs. Southern Miss
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Jan. 4, 11:30 a.m., ESPN
It’s a late bowl. A contrast of styles on a Saturday morning after New Year’s Day. It’s a pregame for a couple of NFL playoff games of which I’m sure will feature the Texans and/or the Bills and it might be more entertaining.
28. App State vs. UAB
It’ll probably be a blowout because the UAB offense has gone to hell, but it’s fun to watch App State and this will be a solid TV2 option as the Rams and 49ers play.
27. Illinois vs. Cal
Dec. 30, 4 p.m., FOX
This is a competitive bowl pretty much every year and I wouldn’t expect this to be any different. The amount of scoring is always a variable and unfortunately this might be close to last year’s 7-6 affair between Oregon and Michigan State. But it’s still kinda fun. Illinois is thrilled to be in a bowl and Cal was part of the classic Cheez-It Bowl last year (10-7, a million interceptions).
26. Boston College vs. Cincinnati
TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl
Jan. 2, 3 p.m., ESPN
Your post-New Year’s Day hangover game. You’re probably working and looking for a game to stream while you just try to idle until the weekend. Cinci vs. a Power 5 team and that P5 team has AJ Dillon on it.
25. UNC vs. Temple
Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman
Dec. 27, Noon, ESPN
Sam Howell is the main draw here. He’s a true freshman stud QB and may be the most exciting thing in the ACC outside of Clemson going forward. Add in Mack Brown and Rod Carey trying to overcome his abysmal 0-6 bowl record and it’s fairly interesting.
24. UCF vs. Marshall
Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl
The masses have rejoiced in UCF losing three games this year, but they were all on the road by a combined 7 points. Marshall isn’t terrible and it’s an intriguing game for storylines. It’s a decent afternoon game when many people will be taking the day off before Christmas.
23. Mississippi State vs. Louisville
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
This was better when Tennessee was supposed to be playing Louisville, but this is what we’ve got. I swear if Joe Moorhead plays Tommy Stevens over Garrett Shrader again, he should be fired.
22. Miami (FL) vs. Louisiana Tech
Walk-On’s Independence Bowl
There is big-time upset potential here. La Tech is undervalued because they played two of their biggest game of the season without their starting QB and best WR. I don’t know how much Miami cares and the game is in Louisiana.
21. Wake Forest vs. Michigan State
There were rumors of Pitt playing MSU in this one, which would’ve only been intriguing because of the Narduzzi vs. Mentor matchup. Luckily Wake provides some scoring punch and now we’ve got good offense vs. good defense as the hook for this game.
20. Kentucky vs. Virginia Tech
The Twitter account is usually better than the game, but there are worse ways to kick off your NYE. It’s probably our last chance to watch Lynn Bowden play QB.
19. Navy vs. Kansas State
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Malcolm Perry has turned in to one of the most exciting players in the country. If you’re working NYE, still young enough to be willing to participate in the most overpriced, overrated holiday of the calendar year, the second half will be the start of your pregame. Everything feels more fun during a pregame. Including a football game in Memphis that’s gonna have a lot of running plays.
18. SMU vs. FAU
Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl
Dec. 21, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Probably too low for a game that’s gonna feature one of the highest totals on the board, but unfortunately many won’t care about the game because it’s two Group of 5 teams. Buffalo and New England will also be playing at a similar time. Also, I’m assuming Joey Freshwater won’t be attending.
17. Florida State vs. Arizona State
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Dec. 31, 2 p.m., CBS
Actually should be a pretty entertaining game, but it gets downgraded because I’m assuming Gary Danielson will be on the call and he’ll probably spend half the time fellating the SEC and/or laughing at student photographers who get knocked out cold on the sidelines.
16. Tennessee vs. Indiana
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
This may be a personal bias, but I’m excited for this game. It’s IU’s best team in decades and their offense was pretty fun with Kalen DeBoer calling the shots. They’ll get a Tennessee team that finished the year strong and a potential Vols win will be a great spark for the “Tennessee is back” hype train.
15. Oklahoma State vs. Texas A&M
Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl
Will be much more interesting if Spencer Sanders plays and we get a Sanders-Kellen Mond showdown, but Dru Brown is a decent replacement if Sanders can’t go. Of course, this would be 10x better if we would’ve gotten Texas-Texas A&M in this game. Mike Gundy’s mullet still keeps the world turning and Chuba Hubbard is always fun.
14. Florida vs. Virginia
Capital One Orange Bowl
Miami Gardens, Florida
I know there’s some stupid rule that allows Virginia to be in this game, but it’s unjust. They don’t deserve it. I don’t hate the Hoos, but this would be much more intriguing if it was Boise or App State against the SEC. Florida and Dan Mullen have a special place in my heart, but their average game has 48 points in it and that doesn’t put asses in the seats.
13. USC vs. Iowa
San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl
Dec. 27, 8 p.m., Fox Sports 1
It’s worth watching just to see the USC receivers go up against a pretty good Iowa defense. It feels like a game I’d typically bet on, but I refuse to wager on another Iowa game this year. I haven’t added it up, but I’m pretty sure the difference between me being in the red and the black on games this year is the amount I’ve lost on Iowa games.
I know he’s a college kid, but I legitimately hate Nate Stanley. He’s my mortal enemy. Every time I bet on Nate Stanley, he sucks and vice versa when I bet against him. Every time I’m watching another ticket go up in flames and they show him on the sideline taking his helmet off, with that horrendous haircut, over those 80s era-sized pads he wears, I get enraged.
So yeah, probably not betting it.
12. Air Force vs. Washington State
Triple option vs. the Air Raid. Mike Leach. An academy. Cheez-It Bowl. Friday night. Late. This game has so much potential.
11. Hawaii vs. BYU
SoFi Hawai’i Bowl
I love the playoffs, I love Pasadena, but it’s hard to replicate the happiness tornado that Christmas Eve, family, and kickoff in Honolulu (and maybe a slight buzz) creates for a man. We had to endure a Dec. 22 game day last year because the NFL insists on ruining everything, but we’re back to peak-Hawaii Bowl this year. Not to mention, it’s gonna be a damn good football game. Let the inexplicable amount of debris fly across the field, get out your leis and puka shells, and enjoy the hell out of this Christmas Eve treat.
10. Washington vs. Boise State
Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl
Chris Petersen in his last game as UW’s coach vs. his old team. It’s an easy sell.
9. Notre Dame vs. Iowa State
Dec. 28, Noon, ABC
Pound-for-pound, this begins our best day of the bowl slate. Say what you want, Notre Dame’s presence just makes everything more interesting. Iowa State might be one of the best 7-5 teams in a while. Their five losses were by a combined 21 points.
8. Auburn vs. Minnesota
The SEC vs. the Big Ten is always entertaining. I’m not sure if Auburn’s offense has turned a corner after the big game against Alabama, but they still have a great defense. It’ll be an intriguing matchup between them and Minnesota’s stud WRs and a pretty decent running game to go with it.
7. Georgia vs. Baylor
Allstate Sugar Bowl
Personally…….I kind of don’t care about this game and it probably won’t be that fun to watch, but it feels like it matters and it’s the nightcap to New Year’s Day.
6. Utah vs. Texas
Valero Alamo Bowl
I say it every year, but I love the Alamo Bowl. There have been some great games in recent years and there’s something about that dome. It should be electric with Texas involved in San Antonio and Utah is still a really good football team.
Also, here’s what I wrote heading into Texas’ appearance in the Sugar Bowl last year:
This game could end up being a blowout, but if it doesn’t, we’ve got some real strong “TEXAS IS BACK, FOLKS” potential.
5. Memphis vs. Penn State
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Kicking off at the same time as ND-ISU and those games will lead into the playoffs. I can’t tell if Mike Norvell is actually coaching Memphis or not in the bowl game, but it’s probably all semantics anyway, as I’m sure most of his focus in the lead-up will be on FSU.
Memphis has a real chance to win the game. We’ll see what PSU’s motivation is after missing out on playing in the Big Ten championship, walking through the Rutgers game, and then getting upset that they weren’t picked for the Rose Bowl.
4. Alabama vs. Michigan
Vrbo Citrus Bowl
Jan. 1, 1 p.m., ABC
This will be so much better if like 20 guys don’t sit out, but it’s a possibility. At the end of the day, it’s still Alabama and Michigan and still Saban vs. Harbaugh.
3. Oregon vs. Wisconsin
Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual
There is not a more stimulating visual setting in sports than the Rose Bowl and the color clash of these two only helps that cause. Not to mention, you’re gonna get some great takes on Justin Herbert as a draft prospect (he’s probably gonna suck in the NFL) and apparently Jonathan Taylor is planning on playing for the Badgers.
2. LSU vs. Oklahoma
College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
There’s a lot of potential here for yet another semifinal blowout, but at least there will most likely be a lot of points.
1. Ohio State vs. Clemson
College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
This is about as good as college football can get. It’s going to be a delight.
Posted in College, Rankings on December 10, 2019 by eburling. Leave a comment
First off, here’s all the plays before the season. If you’re new, all of the 3*-5* confidence picks are actual bets.
It was another great year for the win totals. 14-5-1 for +26*. Of the five losses, four of them were plus money bets. After starting this a couple of years ago, the bets have gone 38-17-6 (69%) for +58.3*.
While slightly less profitable than the 2017 season, this was the most successful year, top-to-bottom. The 2* picks were 19-10-1 for +16.4*. Anything above the 1* picks were a total of 33-15-2 (also 69%) for 42.4*.
Across the board for all 130 teams in the country, the result was 73-50-7 for +45*.
There are also four teams still alive in the conference championship games this weekend: Oregon (+300), Baylor (+1800), Boise (+110), and Louisiana (+1350). Five of the other six picks all would’ve been playing in the title if not for losing head-to-head games with teams that won their divisions.
Here’s the results for the actual bets:
Team O/U Total Price W L Result $
Arkansas under 5.5 -140 2 10 W +3
Baylor over 7.5 -115 11 1 W +3
FIU over 7.5 +105 6 6 L -4
Florida over 8.5 -135 10 2 W +4
GA Southern over 6.5 -120 7 5 W +3
Hawaii over 5.5 -130 9 4 W +3
Indiana under 6.5 -125 8 4 L -5
Notre Dame over 9 -120 10 2 W +3
Nebraska under 8.5 -110 5 7 W +3
New Mexico under 4.5 -130 2 10 W +4
Northwestern over 6.5 +110 3 9 L -3
Penn State over 8.5 -110 10 2 W +3
Rutgers under 3 -105 2 10 W +3
Temple over 6.5 -140 8 4 W +3
Tennessee under 6.5 +125 7 5 L -3
Tulane over 5.5 -150 6 6 W +3
Uconn under 2.5 -115 2 10 W +3
Virginia over 7.5 -140 9 3 W +3
VT over 8 -125 8 4 P 0
WVU over 5.5 +150 5 7 L -3
Total 14-5-1 +26
Most of it was good, but Arkansas, Baylor, Hawaii, and Nebraska all cleared by 3.5 games and New Mexico by 2.5 games. The Nebraska play should’ve been 4* or 5* bet, but all of the hype around them got in my head a little and I couldn’t fully commit.
Rutgers and UConn both had extremely low totals, but also both won the games you thought they would win and never came all that close to winning anything else.
Penn State, Florida, and Notre Dame were also fairly easy for as high of totals as they were.
A win in the Commonwealth Cup would’ve been awesome for VT, but some pushes are better than others. The Hokies looked like a 6-6 team at the absolute best through four weeks before Hendon Hooker took over at QB.
Two of the five losses were both by a half of a game and both were plus-money, but losses are losses.
WVU was much closer to cashing than the market price suggested, but ultimately came up short. There were a couple of close losses, but more close wins. More disappointing was the 21-point loss they had at home against Texas Tech late in the year when they outgained the Red Raiders, but had four turnovers. Jarret Doege took over at QB in that game and things seemed to get better from there in the last few weeks.
Tennessee probably should’ve been a winner, but the Kentucky game was a killer. The Cats outgained them despite having a WR at QB, but had five trips into Vol territory result in 0 points. After losing at home to Georgia State and BYU, the Vols went 5-3 in conference play despite giving up more points against the SEC than they scored. They were outscored 112-30 by the three actually good SEC teams that they played.
Northwestern was pretty bad. Only needed four more wins. I admittedly got swept up a bit in the Hunter Johnson hype, but more than anything it was a Pat Fitzgerald-respect pick with plus-money. Turns out Hunter Johnson and every Northwestern QB stinks and there was good reason I didn’t have to pay the juice on that one.
The under on Indiana lost by a couple. I figured they’d be 3-0 in the non-con and 0-4 against the typical Top 4 of the East. What I didn’t anticipate was their three crossover opponents – Nebraska, Purdue, and Northwestern – all finishing 3.5 games under their season total expectations. They still haven’t beaten a Big Ten team with a winning conference record since 2008. But there’s definitely something to be said for winning the games you’re supposed to win and they did that eight out of eight times.
I pretty much knew the FIU pick was over when they lost to WKU at home in Week 2. The Hilltoppers were better than expected this year, but that was one FIU really needed. They were 2-2 in close games, so it’s not like it was bad luck or anything. The Panthers were just really horrific on the road, going 0-5 and were only close once. They had to upset Miami late in the year just to get bowl eligible.
Here’s the 2* plays that went 19-10-1 for +16.4*:
Not gonna post the 1* because who really cares, but they went 40-35-5 for +2.6*. Can’t wait for next year.
Posted in 2019 Season Win Totals, College, Gambling on December 5, 2019 by eburling. Leave a comment
Well, it’s been a brutal 36 hours since I posted the plays on Twitter.
Week 12 picks. Will have a write-up this week pic.twitter.com/Ff9UkdGGmV
— Money Line Parlays (@MLParlays) November 14, 2019
UNC forced overtime last night and then predictably lost by 7 in OT. Around the same time, it was announced that La Tech had three major suspensions for their game against Marshall tonight.
Bowl season can’t get here soon enough.
*313 UNC +4.5 – 3u
*313 UNC +165 – 0.5u
It’s probably always a good bet to grab points whenever the gaggle of mediocre ACC teams are playing each other. UNC has played seven ACC teams this year and six of them have been one-score games. Pitt has played five ACC teams and three of them have been one-score games. They both beat GT comfortably and Pitt lost by 16 to Virginia.
That also extends into the history of these two teams. They’ve played eight games this century and they’ve all been one-score games. UNC has won this matchup six straight years and covered five of those games.
UNC has played the tougher schedule this year, I actually think they’ve been playing better than Pitt, and I think they’ve got more motivation in this game. The Heels sit at 4-5 with three games left. Pitt already has their bowl bid wrapped up. While they still have an outside shot to win the Coastal, it’s unlikely and after winning it last year, I’m not sure they have a strong desire to be Clemson’s sacrificial lamb again.
Sam Howell is a big reason I like the Heels. He’s by far the best QB Pitt has faced since the Panthers saw Dillon Gabriel (not a huge fan). Gabriel threw for 338 and two scores. Howell’s really only played one bad game all year. Despite being a true freshman, he’s had some of his best games on the road and led a 16 play, 75-yard TD drive to nearly take down the defending national champs. Kid has stones and I trust him way more than Kenny Pickett on the other side
Pitt has the better D probably, but UNC is no slouch. They’ve only given up more than 25 on three occasions: App State, VT (in 6 OTs), and UVA. Common thread with those offenses: dual-threat QBs. Kenny Pickett is not that.
Not for nothing, it could be a weak crowd tonight with the Steelers playing on TNF.
*315 LT +4.5 – 2u
*315 LT +180 – 0.5u
Would not bet this at all now with this information dropping last night and the line moving as high as 7:
Key LA Tech football players to miss Marshall game due to suspension
QB J'Mar Smith, #1 WR Adrian Hardy OLB James Jackson https://t.co/cVrjb6x8t1 via @thenewsstar
— Phil Steele (@philsteele042) November 15, 2019
J’Mar Smith is obviously the starting QB and is very important. Redshirt freshman Aaron Allen is his backup and has thrown nine career passes. He was a pretty big recruit for them, but obviously probably won’t be able to fill Smith’s shoes.
Adrian Hardy is their leading receiver. Not as big of a deal because they have a ton of receivers.
James Jackson is their fourth-leading tackler and has forced three fumbles this year.
But I’ll still tell you why I liked La Tech before the news.
I’ve heard people reference Marshall playing a tougher schedule – which is true – but the Herd have had a tough time even pulling away from the weaker teams on their schedule.
A big part of that is Marshall’s inability to finish drives. Their yardage and efficiency numbers are okay, but they rank 83rd in third down conversions and 106th in red zone scoring. La Tech’s D has holes, but they’ve been pretty good at the bend-don’t-break style. They’re 7th in the country only allowing 64% scoring in the red zone.
On the other side, La Tech’s offense has been explosive both running and passing the ball and they’re averaging 52 PPG over their last four games. Marshall’s D has been solid against lesser offense, but has given up 52 to Cinci, 31 to FAU, and 31 to Ohio.
Team Rankings has LT 8.5 points better than Marshall over each of their last five games and would favor them by 5. Marshall’s 0-5 ATS at home this year,
320 K-State -14 – 1u
I thought maybe WVU would have a bowl push in them with some winnable games at the end of the year, but last week was clearly the most winnable with Texas Tech at home and the Mountaineers got their doors blown off. They haven’t scored 20 points in any of their last four games. Now they face a pretty solid defense in K-State that was even able to hold Oklahoma down until desperation time.
You can pick on the Wildcats’ run defense, but WVU is one of the worst rushing teams in the country.
335 Minnesota +3 – 2u
335 Minnesota +140 – 0.5u
I think if you’re looking for a letdown spot for Minnesota, the real opportunity is next week against Northwestern. Not that they’ll lose, but they may come out sluggish. I just don’t see it happening this week. It’s an evening game in Kinnick, it’s a huge game for division/conference/playoff races, and not many can rival PJ Fleck in motivational speeches.
I’m not going to lie, I leaned with Minny last week, but there was a part of me that did wonder if the Gophers could do it against a high-level opponent. Obviously they showed that they can do more than pick off bottom-feeders.
And they showed that they can do it offensively through the air against a Top 10 defense, which is key heading into this week, I think. The Gophers run more than almost anybody else in the country, outside of option teams and a couple of select others. Now Iowa has to account more for the passing game after Tanner Morgan dropped a series of bombs on Penn State’s head to Rashod Bateman and Tyler Johnson.
I think that big play ability may be the deciding factor in this game. Iowa has lost three close, low-scoring games this year because they couldn’t make those types of plays against Michigan, Penn State, and Wisconsin. They finally made one on their last play against Wisconsin last week when it was too late. Before that 75-yarder to Tracy, Nate Stanley was averaging 4.9 YPA. The Minny defense ranks 11th in the country, only allowing 6.0 YPA on the year. Brandon Smith might be Iowa’s best WR and he’s likely still out.
*353 Wyoming +6 – 3u
*353 Wyoming +200 – 0.5u
Sean Chambers is still out at QB for Wyoming, but I think that might be a little overvalued in the marketplace. Tyler Vander Waal doesn’t have the running element that Chambers has, but is a comparable passer and started ten games last year. I’m not saying QB isn’t an important position for them, but they run it nearly 70% of the time. They’ve got four RBs that average at least 5.0 YPC.
The Utah State run defense is okay, but they do give up nearly 200 YPG on the ground and the pass defense is enough of a nightmare that even Vander Waal should be able to have a decent game.
Jordan Love is going to have to carry the Utah State offense. The Cowboy run defense is just too good, allowing less than 100 YPG on the ground and only 2.9 YPC. Love has had a good couple of weeks, but the passing game hasn’t been nearly as reliable as it was a year ago.
Wyoming has been battle-tested on the road. They won at Texas State in Week 2 and while 0-3 in trips to Boise, San Diego State, and Tulsa, they lost by a combined 10 points.
372 Auburn +3 – 2u
372 Auburn +130 – 0.5u
Maybe I’m the sucker here, but this line just smacked me in the face when I saw it. I don’t think there’s much separation between these two teams, if any.
The numbers slightly favor Georgia on each side of the ball, but Auburn’s by far played the more difficult schedule. Georgia has played two Top 30 teams all year: Florida on a neutral site and Notre Dame at home. Auburn has played four in the Top 30 and three of them were on the road, with the fourth being the neutral site game against Oregon.
Also the numbers are a little skewed for Georgia defensively. They shutout both Kentucky and Missouri (both at home), but Kentucky was starting a WR at QB in a monsoon and Missouri didn’t have Kelly Bryant at QB, instead giving Taylor Powell his first start of his career.
Georgia just hasn’t played a really good offense all year, while Auburn’s defense has had to prove much more and did so by holding the LSU juggernaut offense to 23 points.
Auburn also gets leading tackler Jeremiah Dinson back and stud defensive end Marlon Davidson, as well.
It’s hard to pound the table too much for either offense being better than the other. It’s probably a slight edge to Georgia, but again it’s come against an easier schedule. They’ve played two road games all year and it was against Vandy and Tennessee before the Vols kind of got the ship righted.
Last thing: pointing out that Bo Nix is a freshman isn’t really all that relevant anymore when it’s mid-November and he’s already played road games at LSU, Florida, Texas A&M, and played Oregon. He’s got plenty of experience now.
P.S. Auburn was also a FG underdog two years ago when they won 40-17. Not saying, just saying.
P.S.S. Auburn is 11-1-1 ATS and 8-5 SU their last 13 as a single-digit home dog.
*376 OK State -17 – 1u
I don’t totally trust the Pokes defense to play well enough, but I’ll still make the small play here.
I think if there’s one guarantee in this game it’s that Chuba Hubbard is going to have a field day. He’s the best RB in the country and he’s going up against one of the worst run defenses in the country.
Kansas is hard to predict, but it feels like a good situation for OSU. They had a string of difficult games, are coming off a bye week, and don’t have anything major to look forward to next week.
382 Baylor +10 – 1u
382 Baylor +310 – 0.5u
This is a principle play more than anything. The fact that it’s only one unit is a show of respect for the Sooners, but this is about seven points more than it should be if you’ve been watching OU lately.
The defense was hoping to get better under Alex Grinch. It looked like they might be early in the season, but it’s hard to see with their last two performances. They’ve given up 89 points combined to Kansas State and Iowa State, a couple of decent offenses, but certainly neither performance is acceptable if you want to be an elite team.
*388 Michigan -13.5 – 2u
I understand the recent history of this game, but MSU is trending really poorly as a program right now. They’ve got guys leaving the program mid-season left and right, the injury report is a mile long, they’re blowing 25 point home leads to Illinois, and the aging head coach is as defiant about the program’s flaws as ever.
I’d expect MSU to still play hard despite everything going on, but I just don’t know that they have the horses to make this a game. I referenced all the injuries and player transfers they have, but they also have lost leading tackler, second-leading sacker, and team captain Joe Bachie from the defense due to a PED suspension.
MSU has played a bit tougher of a Big Ten schedule so far, but consider that they’re 2-4 in the league with a -56 point differential. The Wolverines are 4-2 with a +79 differential. That’s a per game difference of 22.5 PPG between the two teams.
Even admitting MSU has played a tougher Big Ten schedule, look at the difference in performances in common opponents: UM 17 points better against Wisconsin, UM 20 points better against PSU (adjusting for home field), and UM 26 points better against Illinois (adjusting for home field).
Again I’ll reference Team Rankings power ratings for each team’s last five games, where they would have Michigan favored by 27.5 in this game, a full two touchdowns more than the current spread.
ATS: 57-49-1 (+1.4u)
ML: 17-27 (-1.9u)
Posted in College, Gambling on November 15, 2019 by eburling. Leave a comment
114 GEORGIA STATE (-1) over Troy – 2u
Saturday, 7:00 PM, ESPN+
The Panthers have quietly been one of the biggest surprises in college football this year. They had a win total set at 3.5 and they’re already 5-2 with wins over Tennessee, Army, and Arkansas State. The offense has made big strides, averaging 34.4 PPG. Dan Ellington has been a big part of that as the QB has averaged nearly 300 yards of offense.
I think a lot will be on Ellington’s shoulders Saturday. The Troy run defense has been great again. If the Trojans can limit RB Tra Barnett (no easy task), Ellington may be the best running option, in addition to taking advantage of Troy’s pass defense that’s second-worst in the country in YPG.
Troy’s been a disappointment so far this season after the departure of HC Neal Brown. They’re 3-3 with wins over FCS Campbell and two of the ten worst teams in the FBS. They’ve given up at least 42 in all three of their losses.
I like the home team in what could be a shootout.
119 Eastern Michigan (+4) over TOLEDO – 2u
119 EMU +160 – 0.5u
Win or lose, watching an EMU game I bet on is always the worst 3.5 hours of my Saturday. It’s brutal, but I’ll sign up for it again.
Toledo is always tough in the Glass Bowl, but they’ve had an awful last couple of weeks and EMU is always a good bet as an underdog. They’re on a run of 18-5 ATS as an underdog with 10 SU wins in that stretch.
After beating WMU at home three weeks ago, the Rockets have gone 0-2 SU and ATS and have missed the spread number by 40 and 35 points the last two weeks.
Both QB situations are up in the air for these teams, but I think any way you slice it, it favors the Eagles. Mitchell Guadagni missed last week for Toledo and Carter Bradley was not good in his absence and now Bradley is questionable himself. It’s unclear if Guadagni will go, but the way Jason Candle was talking to the media this week, it sounded as if Guadagni would still be out.
Mike Glass was out last week for EMU and he’s questionable for this week, as well. Here’s the thing: even if he can go, EMU might be better off with backup Preston Hutchinson, whose stat line looked like this in his first career start against preseason division favorite WMU:
134 EAST CAROLINA (+2) over South Florida – 2u
134 ECU +115 – 0.5u
Saturday, 3:45 PM, ESPNU
I continue to like the trajectory of Mike Houston’s squad and it’s always good to bet against Charlie Strong.
The ECU progression on offense has been a bit slow, but appeared to take a decent jump after the bye week. They just put up 483 yards against UCF on the road. QB Holton Ahlers didn’t crack 200 passing yards in the first three weeks, but has done so in the past four games, and just went over 300 yards for the first time against the Knights. Demetrius Mauney is back at running back and the true freshman with high-major talent will continue to get better.
This is the second straight road game for USF. They just got beat up defending the option up in Annapolis and now they travel again to face a hungry team whose confidence continues to grow.
138 RUTGERS (+7.5) over Liberty – 1u
Saturday, Noon, BTN
I know Rutgers is garbage, but this seems a bit ridiculous. The Scarlet Knights have been so bad on offense, but Liberty is averaging six more points than them against FBS competition. When you look at raw numbers, the line makes a little bit of sense, but just consider that Liberty has played one borderline Top 50 team this year and Rutgers has played five of them. The essential differences in the schedule: Liberty has played Hampton, Maine, New Mexico, and Buffalo while Rutgers has played Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana.
I think the Knights have enough to keep it tight in what should be a low-scoring game.
149 Western Kentucky (+5.5) over MARSHALL – 2u
149 WKU +185 – 0.5u
Saturday, 2:30 PM, Facebook
I talk about WKU every week, so I’m not sure what else to say. It’ll probably be another low-scoring game. WKU’s points allowed against Group of 5 teams this year: 14, 13, 3, 8, 14. They’re a very disciplined team. They rank 6th in the nation in penalties per game and tied for 37th in giveaways per game. They get a Marshall team that’s coming off an emotional win at FAU and hasn’t shown the offensive explosiveness to challenge the Hilltopper D.
172 MIDDLE TENNESSEE (+2.5) over FIU – 2u
172 MTSU +115 – 0.5u
Saturday, 3:30 PM, NFL Network
4-3 against 2-5, but it’s another one where you have to consider the schedule. Both teams have played an FCS team, otherwise only two of the teams FIU has played are above the worst FBS team MTSU has played all year. FIU has feasted at home against horrible teams. MTSU has already played four road games. They lost to Duke at home, but otherwise it’s been smooth sailing. Based on the eye test, I really liked what I saw from MTSU last week on offense and they should continue to get better with Stockstill at the helm.
173 Florida Atlantic (-13.5) over OLD DOMINION – 2u
This should probably be a TD more. FAU started with Ohio State and UCF, ever since they’ve averaged 37.4 PPG. Old Dominion hasn’t cracked 24 points in a game all year and they’ve averaged 16.1.
207 Notre Dame (-105) over MICHIGAN – 2u
Saturday, 7:30 PM, ABC
Go Irish. I’ve thought they were better from the jump and nothing has swayed my opinion. I’ll trust Ian Book over Shea Patterson.
ATS: 44-41-1 (-4.05u)
ML: 14-21 (+0.93u)
Posted in College, Gambling on October 24, 2019 by eburling. Leave a comment
7-12 ATS last week. 3-7 ML. It was a bad week, no two ways around it. We’re sticking with the system, but we’ve refined things. The system is still up, but it could be better and that’s the way it’ll be moving forward. All ATS picks are 1.5u this week and ML picks are still 0.5u.
317 Duke (+3) over VIRGINIA
317 Duke +140 ML
I think what you’ve started to see with the Virginia offense is that it’s pretty much all up to Bryce Perkins. Perkins is a good player, but it’s shown diminishing returns as the season has gone along. They haven’t eclipsed 350 total yards in a game since that comeback win over Florida State, where more than half of their yards came on the last three drives of the game.
UVA caught Notre Dame in a letdown spot and capitalized in the first half. Since then, their last six quarters of offense: five turnovers, five punts, two turnover on downs, one end of game, four field goals, and one missed field goal.
The Cavs haven’t been able to run all year. They’ve averaged 2.6 YPC on the season. Not helping that number is the 27 sacks they’ve given up (5.5 per game). I wouldn’t expect that to get much better against a Duke run defense that’s given up just 3.5 YPC.
Things won’t be that easy for the Duke offense either, however. The UVA defense has been nearly as good as the run offense has been bad. But they did just lose stud CB Bryce Hall. Hall was a defensive leader and a projected Top 10 pick in the draft.
Duke’s offense isn’t eye-popping, but after the opener with Alabama they’ve scored 45, 41, 45, 30, 41 the last five weeks.
333 Coastal Carolina (+6.5) over GEORGIA SOUTHERN
333 Coastal +200 ML
Full disclosure, I don’t think I’ve ever hit a bet on Coastal, including last week. But it’s been a few days and I’m ready to get hurt again.
But this really has more to do with GSU and the disappointing run they’ve been on. They haven’t had one single impressive performance in five games. A square might point to that narrow defeat at Minnesota, but they gained 198 yards. They kept in the game with a blocked FG TD, a fumble return TD, and two short scoring drives due to Minnesota turnovers. They’re coming off a bye, but their most recent performance was having to score a last second TD just to force OT against lowly South Alabama.
385 Old Dominion (+16.5) over UAB
This is a big weekend for UAB doing special things for children in hospitals, so admittedly it’s kind of a scummy pick. It’s big of me to not take the money line and merely cheer for a 14-point UAB win. The raw numbers don’t look great for ODU, but half their games have been road games against Virginia, VT, and Marshall. They’ve also played a home game against WKU, who just might win the C-USA.
A big reason to like ODU to cover here is their run defense. UAB is a run-first offense and ODU has given up just 3.3 YPC this year. Spencer Brown is still out at RB for the Blazers. Lucious has been a solid replacement, but he’s really only ran against the drecks of college football. Tyler Johnston has put up solid numbers at QB for UAB, but it’s come at somewhat of a cost. He’s thrown nine INTs already.
360 UTAH (-13.5) over Arizona State
I like Jayden Daniels in the long-term, but I just don’t think this is the game for him and I think ASU is going to really be counting on him to compete in this game. Daniels is a true freshman. He’s had four games that were decent to very good. Opponents in those games: Kent State, Sac State, Colorado, and Wazzu. Not a good defense to be found there.
He struggled against MSU and Cal. In fairness, they won both of those games, but they scored a combined 34 points. MSU and Cal are both half teams and both of their halves are the defense.
Utah is not a half team. Their offense ranks 7th in FPI and 13th in SP+ and they haven’t even been fully healthy this year. With Zack Moss back in the fold, the Utes are dangerous in Rice-Eccles.
414 NORTH TEXAS (-7.5) over MTSU
We’re going back to the Mean Green well. Last week was unfortunate with Mason Fine getting hurt. Turns out it was his non-throwing shoulder and he’s expected to play this week. I’m not sure what you hang your hat on with MTSU this week. They’ve played one good game all year against Marshall at home. They’re not really good at anything and they’re just 5-10 ATS their last 15 on the road.
344 IOWA (-17.5) over Purdue
I’m a Purdue guy so this hurts to take, but I have to take any personal bias out of it. I will mention that Jeff Brohm is 2-0 SU and ATS against Kirk Ferentz since he took over.
But that’s a small sample size and a bigger one is that Iowa has only given up 10.2 PPG this year. Purdue is occasionally explosive, but the only time they have been since Sindelar got hurt is at home against Maryland and the second half against Minnesota after they were already getting blown out at home. The Boilers can’t run the ball and it’s hard to see them throwing on an Iowa defense that knows they’re one-dimensional.
The defense is how Iowa covers this game, but the offense will have to do something. I think this might be a bounceback game for the Hawkeye offense. They’ve looked awful the last two weeks, but Purdue is not Michigan or Penn State defensively. They’re vulnerable and the Boilers don’t have nearly the pass-rush that UM or PSU had and that’s been the real problem for Iowa’s offense. I think they exorcise some demons here.
364 MIAMI (OH) (+2.5) over Northern Illinois
364 Miami OH +120 ML
I promise you this is never going to be fun, but this is the perfect time to bet on Miami. Their profile has been wrecked with games at OSU, Iowa, Cincinnati, and WMU. NIU stinks and shouldn’t be giving points on the road here. They’re coming off a great win at Ohio, but that sticks out as an outlier.
312 SYRACUSE (+3.5) over Pitt
312 Syracuse +145 ML
I hate Syracuse, but the system is the system. You can’t trust anything in the ACC Coastal division.
328 MARYLAND (+6.5) over Indiana
328 Maryland +180 ML
Last week looked really bad for Maryland, but they just have to stay out of their own way. They had a 50 yard bomb called back on their first drive last week. They also had a perfect wheel route dropped by Anthony McFarland in the first half. On top of that, Piggy threw a pick-6 right at the end of the half to put them down 30-14 at halftime when they probably should’ve been up 28-23.
If they can avoid big mistakes this week, they’ll compete. IU has built a resume off Rutgers, UConn, and Eastern Illinois. They played tight games with Ball State and an overrated Michigan State team. OSU boat raced them in Bloomington. Maryland should be able to run in this game.
324 GEORGIA STATE (+6) over Army
324 Georgia St +200 ML
Sad as it is to say, Army is still overrated and Georgia State is still undervalued. I don’t know what the total is here, but the over seems like a play.
ATS: 39-36-1 (-3.3u)
11-6-1 ATS last week for +4.4u and 5-7 on money line picks for +1.15u.
1 unit on every spread pick and 0.5 units on every money line pick, with the exception of SJSU and Navy. Those are both full unit picks.
107 Syracuse (+4.5) over NC STATE
I don’t really have anything profound to say other than trust the system. It’s a matchup of two teams who’ve been disappointing thus far and they’ve both been blown out on the road by mediocre teams, although I will say it’s happened twice to NC State.
106 TEXAS STATE (+3.5) over UL Monroe
106 Texas State +140 ML
Texas State is gonna get better this season as Jake Spavital develops the program. They’ve been pretty good at home this year. This is a nightmare scheduling spot for Monroe. They’re coming off a big game against Memphis, it’s a short week to prepare, they’re on the road, and they’ve got a potential look-ahead spot with App State on the horizon next week. Oh, and Texas State is coming off a bye.
158 TENNESSEE (+7) over Mississippi State
158 Tennessee +220 ML
The Vols have largely been dogshit this season, but for as much as you can like a team that lost by 29 at home, I liked Tennessee against Georgia. Kylin Hill could be a problem for them, but I found the offense so much more intriguing with Brian Maurer at QB.
132 DUKE (-17.5) over Georgia Tech
Tech is really bad. Duke had a big turnover problem in the first half last week, but the second half showed once again how good they can be. They’ve murdered teams they’re clearly better than.
142 EMU (-1) over Ball State
Feels like a minor “breakout” game for the Eagles. They started off with three straight road games and they played pretty well, including a win at Illinois. They’ve played like crap the last two weeks, but after 4 of 5 on the road, this feels like an opportunity. Ball State has been a surprise to start the season, but this is their third straight road game and they’re coming off the high of a big win at NIU last week. I feel like before this season, the line would’ve been around 7-10 points in EMU’s favor and then it opened as a pick’em.
172 HOUSTON (+7.5) over Cincinnati
172 Houston +240 ML
Feels like a terrible spot for Cincinnati. They are coming off a huge win at Marshall and an even bigger win against UCF last week. Their social media squad was creating glorious shit-talking videos after the UCF win. They just got ranked. Now they have to go on the road against a Houston squad that flourished without D’Eriq King and is coming off a bye.
178 WISCONSIN (-10.5) over Michigan State
It may be like 14-3, but it’s just hard to envision MSU scoring enough to cover this game. If you’re biased toward Wisconsin, you’ll focus on the Michigan domination. If you’re biased against Wisconsin, you’ll focus on the Northwestern struggle. If you’re me, you’ll focus on Wisconsin only giving up 5.8 PPG through five games this year. They’ve pitched three shutouts. Yes, Michigan was their peak and Northwestern was also their low. Otherwise, they’re up 158-0.
With a Sparty offense that always seems to be searching for something and coming off a road game against Ohio State, I don’t think they’ll be up for the challenge in Madison. Only time that Chryst and Dantonio matched up, it was a 30-6 rout for the Badgers in East Lansing.
202 CLEMSON (-27) over Florida State
There’s just so much blowout potential around this game. To start, Clemson won 59-10 in Tallahassee last year. That’s a good place to start.
I’ve never seen anybody as good as Dabo at spinning things so much that he makes his juggernaut of a football team feel like they’re underdogs. It’s an elite skill. I can’t imagine what he was drumming up in the bye week after they just snuck past UNC and everybody started throwing them out of the Top 5.
Since Willie Taggart came to FSU, the big issue for Florida State has been the O-line and now they have to go up against this nasty defensive front and Brent Venables has had two weeks to prepare.
148 ARIZONA STATE (pick) over Washington State
Sad to say, but Wazzu might just stink. They blew out a couple of horrible opponents to start the year, had to come back to win over a mediocre Houston squad, gave up a million in the second half and lost at home to dreadful UCLA, and then got drilled at Utah.
181 San Jose State (+120 ML) over NEVADA
The Spartans love to air it out and they’ll be going against one of the worst pass defenses in college football.
176 VANDERBILT (-14.5) over UNLV
It’s been a tough start to the season for the Dores, with an 0-5 ATS record and 1-4 SU. But this feels like the perfect time for them to get rid of some frustrations against a 1-4 UNLV team that hasn’t cracked 20 points since the opener against Southern Utah.
134 COASTAL CAROLINA (-4.5) over Georgia State
GSU has been a team of peaks and valleys so far and they’re coming off a big peak, upsetting Arkansas State last week. Coastal has been very solid to start the year, including that win over Kansas. The offense has been very efficient and they should be able to take advantage of a Panther run defense that gives up 6.0 YPC.
189 North Texas (+3.5) over SOUTHERN MISS
189 North Texas +150 ML
I think it’s a big bounceback week for the Mean Green after a bye and that weird Houston loss when D’Eriq King abruptly quit the season before the game. This is a matchup they’ve owned since Seth Littrell took over. They’re 3-0 SU and ATS against USM with an average cover of 16.8 PPG.
192 WKU (+5) over Army
192 WKU +175 ML
WKU is suddenly a darkhorse candidate to win the C-USA. I didn’t remotely believe in them at the start of the year, but the defense appears to be legit. They’ve held conference foes to 14, 13, and 3 points so far. They’ve been very good in both phases of the game and obviously the run defense will be important against Army.
193 Charlotte (+5.5) over FIU
193 Charlotte +175 ML
Last week might have been a get right game for FIU, but Charlotte is coming off a bye after a disappointing performance against FAU. The 49er defense has looked questionable to say the least, but they’ve played road games at Clemson and App State. This won’t be as big of a challenge and I think the offense should be able to control the ball some against an FIU run defense that’s been poor.
123 Navy (-105 ML) over TULSA
Navy just might be back to being top dog among the service academies and I’m not sure the market has caught up after the disappointment of last season. They’ve been +12.8 PPG against the spread this year and now they get a Tulsa team that has to be reeling after blowing a huge lead at SMU last week.
204 IOWA (+3.5) over Penn State
204 Iowa +155 ML
Just a disastrous offensive performance last week for the Hawkeyes at Michigan. A lot of blame was placed on Nate Stanley and while he did deserve quite a bit of it, that O-line deserved just as much. Penn State’s a tough defense to bounce back against, but there’s no way Iowa can be worse. Of course they also get to play this one at home in a night game.
I’ve been as high as anybody on the Nittany Lions from the start of the season, but they’ve played a pretty soft schedule so far. Pitt is decent, but otherwise this Iowa defense is miles better than anybody Penn State has seen.
Iowa is 14-6-1 ATS in their last 21 as a home dog. That stretches all the way back to 2000 when their coach was…Kirk Ferentz. They’ve been better than the number by an average of almost a TD per game.
150 OREGON STATE (+14) over Utah
A lot of points for Utah to be laying against a team on the upswing that’s had two of its best weeks back-to-back than it has for years. Oregon State can move the ball both ways and they won’t quit until the bitter end. Could be one where we need a late one to sneak in the back door.
179 Florida (+13.5) over LSU
I’m not gonna lie, I’ll be scared. An LSU team that can pass is a scary proposition.
I gotta tell you though, I’m exhausted with the narrative around Florida. Before the season any time the “Who’s the preseason Top 10 team that won’t finish in the Top 25?” question was asked, every damn answer involved Florida. They beat Miami to open the year and it’s “both teams stink.” They win at Kentucky, losing their starting QB mid-game, and it was “lucky.” They beat Top 10 team Auburn at home and “outside of two big plays” it’s an even game, as if explosive plays aren’t a way to judge football teams.
Anyway, Go Gators. They’re 6-0 and have a more impressive resume than the team giving 13.5, but whatever.
206 SAN DIEGO STATE (-3.5) over Wyoming
Sorry, still upset about Florida. Afraid this game might be like 9-6 or something.
152 ARIZONA (+6.5) over Washington
152 Arizona +190 ML
Arizona feels sneaky kind of good. Washington feels sneaky kind of not good.
ML: 9-10 (+2.85u)
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National United Resources Holdings Limited agrees to acquire common shares in SouthGobi Resources Limited
HONG KONG, Jul 30, 2014 (Canada NewsWire via COMTEX) -- National United Resources Holdings Limited (the "Company", HKEx stock Code?254) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Sale and Purchase Agreement dated July 29 2014 (Vancouver, British Columbia time) ("SPA") pursuant to which it has agreed to acquire, from Turquoise Hill Resources Limited, 29.95% of the common shares in SouthGobi Resources Limited (tsx stock symbol:SGQ and HKEx stock code) ("SouthGobi" and the proposed acquisition the "Acquisition").
The Acquisition is subject to a number of conditions, including approval of the Acquisition by the Company's shareholders, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission not having indicated that the Acquisition will trigger a mandatory general offer obligation on the Company or any of its concert parties under the Hong Kong Takeovers Code, the approval by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange of shareholder documentation in relation to the Acquisition, and certain other customary closing conditions.
The purchase price for the Acquisition is CAD 25,526,410 (approximately HK$ 183 million) payable in cash, based on a price per SouthGobi common share of CAD0.455 (approximately HK$ 3.26). The consideration payable per SouthGobi common share pursuant to the Acquisition of CAD 0.455 represents a discount of approximately 31% to the closing price per SouthGobi common share as quoted by the Toronto Stock Exchange on 29 July 2014. Upon completion of the Acquisition, the Company and Turquoise Hill Resources will own approximately 29.95% and 26.00%, respectively, of SouthGobi's common shares.
Further, upon completion of the Acquisition, the Company proposes to nominate two persons to sit on SouthGobi's board of directors
Mr.Yang Fan, the Chairman of National United Resources Holdings Limited, said: "We believe that the Acquisition will lay a solid foundation for the Company to, among other things, develop a one-stop trading platform of coking coal. The Acquisition allows our group to further secure supplies of coking coal, form a strategic alliance with SouthGobi and will diversify and strengthen our business of natural resources."
About Turquoise Hill Resources Limited
Turquoise Hill Resources Limited is a company listed on the TSX (stock symbol:TRQ), the NASDAQ Stock Market (stock symbol:TRQ) and the New York Stock Exchange (stock symbol:TRQ). Turquoise Hill Resources Limited is an international mining company focused on copper-gold and coal mines in Mongolia. Turquoise Hill Resource Limited's main focus is the operation and development of the Oyu Tolgoi mine.
About SouthGobi Resources Limited
SouthGobi is a company continued under the laws of British Columbia and has a primary listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange (stock symbol:SGQ) and a secondary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code:1878). SouthGobi is focused on the exploration and development of its metallurgical and thermal coal deposits in Mongolia's South Gobi Region. SouthGobi holds a 100% equity interest in SouthGobi Sands LLC, a Mongolian registered company that holds mining and exploration licences in Mongolia and operates the flagship Ovoot Tolgoi coal mine which produces and sells coal to customers in the People's Republic of China.
About National United Resources Holdings Limited
The Company is listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code:254) and is principally engaged in coking coal trading, natural resources related logistics business, outdoor media advertising and media related services.
In relation to its outdoor media advertising and media related services, the Company aims to provide the best comprehensive advertising services for its national and international clients through the integration of high quality outdoor media resources in the People's Republic of China and an all-round networking management platform. The Company commenced its business of coking coal trading in 2013 and has already successfully sourced coking coal supplies in Mongolia on behalf of its customers located in different jurisdictions.
*This press release is issued by China Times Corporate Advisory Limited on behalf of National United Resources Holdings Limited.
Regulatory statements
The Company is purchasing the SouthGobi common shares pursuant to the Acquisition for investment purposes. At the present time, the Company has no current intention to purchase any further common shares in SouthGobi. It should be noted that any future acquisition of common shares in SouthGobi by the Company will be subject to compliance with applicable securities legislation and stock exchange rules (including the Hong Kong Code on Takeovers and Mergers and the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited) and be made by way of open market transactions, by private agreement, pursuant to financing transactions with SouthGobi or otherwise as considered appropriate in light of investment criteria, market conditions and other factors.
In purchasing the SouthGobi common shares that are the subject to the Acquisition, the Company is relying on the private agreement exemption from the formal take-over bid requirements set forth in section 100.1(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario) and section 4.2 of Multilateral Instrument 62-104 - Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids. The Company is entitled to rely on this exemption because (i) the purchase of the SouthGobi common shares pursuant to the Acquisition was made from not more than five persons or companies in the aggregate, (ii) the offer to purchase was not made generally to all holders of SouthGobi's common shares, and (iii) the value of the consideration paid for the Shares, including brokerage fees or commissions, was not greater than 115% of the market price of the Shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange, as determined in accordance with section 1.3 of the Ontario Securities Commission Rule 62-504 - Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids and section 1.11(1) of Multilateral Instrument 62-104 - Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids.
In connection with this press release, an early warning report will be filed by the Company in accordance with applicable securities laws. A copy of such early warning report shall be available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and can be obtained on request from Mr. Jason Lam, Company Secretary, National United Resources Holdings Limited at Suite 5208, Central Plaza, 18 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong or on +852 3918 9300.
SOURCE National United Resources Holdings Limited
To view this news release in HTML formatting, please use the following URL: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2014/30/c1139.html
SOURCE: National United Resources Holdings Limited
Labels: Merger and Acquisition
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A Two-Ring Circus
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Stock Exchange news for August 22
By B. Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar, August 22 (MONTSAME) At the Stock Exchange trades on Friday, a total of 3 million 736 thousand and 591 shares of 13 JSCs were traded costing 452 million 155 thousand and 579.00 Togrog.
"Genco tour bureau” /3 million 515 thousand and 540 units/, “Mongolia Development” /220 thousand 381 units/, “Bishrelt Industrial” /176/, “Gobi” /139/ and "Remikon” /120 units/ were the most actively traded in terms of trading volume, in terms of trading value were "Genco tour bureau” (MNT 316 million 398 thousand and 600), "Mongolia development” (MNT 132 million 258 thousand and 850), "Darkhan Nekhii” (MNT one million 188 thousand and 200), "Gobi” (MNT one million 98 thousand and 100) and "Bishrelt industrial” (MNT 792 thousand).
The total market capitalization was set at MNT one trillion 621 billion 970 million 050 thousand and 130. The Index of Top-20 JSCs was 16,000.02, of increasing 0.59% against the previous day. The experimental index MSE ALL was 997.08, increasing 0.11% against the previous day.
"Motherland is calling" in theatres, starting today
Ulaanbaatar, August 22 (MONTSAME) The premiere of the Mongolian “Ekh oron duudaj baina” (Motherland is calling) feature film ran Friday, dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Khalkh River Battle.
The movie starts with three young men celebrating a friend’s birthday and having a good time and playing with shotguns in a mountain, until when they were suddenly transferred to the past, namely to the battlefield of Khalkh River of 1939.
The critics view this movie as a work of international standards, as it was created with ASC-CDL technology (used in Avengers and Iron Man).
The team includes a director and author V.Agar, senior cameraman D.Angarag, producer S.Ochirkhuyag, and young actors E.Uuganbayar, B.Battulga and G.Dulguun-Ayush.
Xi Jinping: I re-emphasize that China respects the independence, territorial integrity and development choice of Mongolia
August 22 (business-mongolia.com) Xi Jinping: I re-emphasize that China respects the independence, territorial integrity and development choice Mongolia, and it will continue generation by generation.
Chairman Xi and President Elbegdorj made media statement at the State Ceremonial Hall.
President Elbegdorj said that “Chairman Xi Jinping is visiting to Mongolia first time as Chairman of People’s Republic of China. Both parties agree that this state visit will confirm the level of cooperation and established friendly relations between Mongolia and China, and will further develop the current level and determine the prospect of it.
During the visit, Chairman Xi Jinping and I had personal meeting and official meeting. The meeting was held under the great comfort and friendly atmosphere. We exchanged our point of views on the interested issues and reached important conclusions and agreements. The most importantly, we consider our relations as the profound strategic partnership and signed on the memorandum of further development of such relations. I would like to mention core principles of the Statement here:
“Parties will mutually respect each other’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and adhere the principles of non-aggression stance, non-intervention in the domestic affairs, mutually balanced and beneficial relations, and peaceful co-existence and mutually respect each other’s development path.
Plus, he emphasizes that “Parties shall not conduct any activities, sign any agreement or pact, join any alliance and allow or accept any third countries, organizations and alliances to perform any activities to harm and damage each other’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.
Today’s joint statement is clear expression of the historical importance of Chairman Xi’s visit to Mongolia, and determines fundament of the two-nations’ relations, confirms the willingness of further development of such relations, and opens wide opportunity to mutually balanced and openly solve any issues between two nations.
During the visit, many negotiations and agreement was made between the Government officials and Ministers of two countries and signs over 30 agreement and MoU. This is the clear example of the visit’s constructiveness.
Since Mongolia is being landlocked country, I would like to mention here the importance of railway transit transportation agreement with People’s Republic of China. Through the agreement, we solved many issues such as sea ports, new railway border crossings, destinations, load capacity, terms of the agreement and other exemptions.
We say …“Rain welcomes good-will bearer” and it means you are the good will bearer and our people welcome you with good heart. (Mongolian climate is mostly dry and when rain comes herders are happy for their pasture and animal. Therefore, when visitor coincides with rain coming, it is always respectful sign)
Chairman Xi Jinping said that “…using this opportunity I would like to re-emphasize that China respects the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and development choice of the people of Mongolia. Also China considers China-Mongolian relations as the primary direction of our foreign policy. Together with Mongolia, China is ready to be a mutually trusted, responsible and good neighbor, good friend and good partner. Through joint effort, we, as much as Mongolia, are ready to become a heartfelt friendly neighbor with mutual interests. Let’s work together to build joint prosperity and development through cooperation and mutual support.
Two nations will continue their cooperation in the projects of “Silk Road Economic Zone”, “Steppe Road” initiative and Asian Business Development Bank. China supports the Mongolian initiative of Three Nations Summit, China, Mongolia and Russia.
Today is nice humid day. As President Elbegdorj said, cooperation humid is arriving together with wind of friendship. It is a sign of improvement of the two nations relations into the new era and new future.
I invite you President Elbegdorj to the APEC Meeting which will be held in China this November.
Official documents signed on Xi Jinping’s visit to Mongolia
August 22 (business-mongolia.com) Signed documents:
Joint Statement on Development of profound strategic partnership relations between Mongolia and People’s Republic of China
Inter-Governmental Protocol on the performance of the bilateral agreement between Mongolia and People’s Republic of China in 1949 – 2012.
Cooperation Protocol between Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of People’s Republic of China
Protocol on official draft exchange of the Agreement on prisoner transfer between Mongolia and People’s Republic of China
Inter-Governmental Agreement on “access to the seaport and transit transport”
Inter-Governmental General Agreement on development of cooperation of the railway transit transport.
Inter-Governmental Memorandum of Understanding on Development of Railway Cooperation.
Memorandum of Understanding between Ministry of Road and Transportation of Mongolia and Railway Authority of People’s Republic of China on renewal of the “Mongolia and China Border Railway Agreement”
Memorandum of Understanding between Ministry of Mining of Mongolia and National Development and Innovation Committee of People’s Republic of China on cooperation in intensifying coal deep processing
Memorandum of Understanding between Ministry of Economic Development of Mongolia and National Development and Innovation Committee of People’s Republic of China on the establishment of Mongolian-Chinese Council of Mineral, Energy and Infrastructure.
Medium Term Program to develop trade and economic cooperation between Mongolia and China
Inter-Governmental Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation
Exchange letter to build the Development Center for Disabled Children in Ulaanbaatar by the Grant Aid of the People’s Republic of China
Memorandum of Understanding between Ministry of Economic Development of Mongolia and Ministry of Trade of People’s Republic of China on the establishment of Mongolian-Chinese Economic Free Zone.
Special Loan Agreement on “E-Health” between Ministry of Economic Development and EXIM Bank of China.
Special Loan Agreement on “New Century Education” between Ministry of Economic Development and EXIM Bank of China.
Special Loan Agreement on “Procurement of Heavy Tractor” between Ministry of Economic Development and EXIM Bank of China.
Agreement on “Mongolia-China Border Port Management Cooperation Commission” between National Council of Border Port of Mongolia and General Customs Office of People’s Republic of China on
Memorandum of Understanding between Ministry of Education and Science of Mongolia and Ministry of Science and Technology of People’s Republic of China on the building state laboratory
Agreement between Ministry of Education and Science of Mongolia and Ministry of Science and Technology of People’s Republic of China scientist exchange program
Cultural Exchange Protocol between Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism of Mongolia and Ministry of Culture of People’s Republic of China.
Swap Agreement of MNT and Yuan between Mongolbank and People’s Bank of China.
Memorandum of Understanding between Mongolbank and Bank Monitoring Committee of People’s Republic of China.
Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between Oil Authority of Mongolia and National Corporation of Oil of People’s Republic of China.
162 million US$ commercial loan agreement between Development Bank of Mongolia and Development Bank of People’s Republic of China.
Minister Ts.Oyungerel: Bat’s defamation charge is a threat to democracy and free expression
By B. Khash-Erdene and Lisa Gardner
August 24 (UB Post) Minister of Culture Ts.Oyungerel has issued a scathing assessment of the recent libel case which saw her brother, Ts. Bat, imprisoned for some three months for criticizing Transport Minister A.Gansukh on Twitter.
In an exclusive interview with the UB Post, the Culture Minister blasted Minister Gansukh for what she sees as a significant threat to Mongolian democratic values. ”[This case] gives a very bad message about Mongolia … We have democracy, we have human rights, that all countries are struggling for. But if we lose it from within, what will we turn into? It is very bad news for Mongolian citizens, for Mongolia’s future, for Mongolian democracy.”
The minister highlighted a significant deficit in legal protection for those who come forward. “I think that this [case] shows that Mongolia doesn’t have any protection for whistleblowers,” she said. “It’s because of the deficits in the protections of our citizens, this is our misjudgment… My brother is a professional engineer who had a twenty-year long career in Mongolian aviation. That’s why he knows what’s happening in Mongolian aviation, and if he doesn’t like something, he will express it.”
Minister Oyungerel believes the case was politically motivated. “If I list all the punishments that (Bat) received over the course of the past two years, we can say that it was political,” she says. “Imprisonment is just a culmination of what is happening between the whistleblower and the Minister.”
Both the Culture and Transport ministers have come into conflict in the past as a result of her longstanding opposition to the privatization of MIAT, a policy then led by the Transport Minister. “When the Minister of Transport rallied strongly to privatize MIAT a few years ago, I was his main opposition in the Parliament,” said Minister Oyungerel.
The minister expressed dismay that her brother received a harsher-than-expected sentence. “I was so shocked to hear that it was imprisonment,” she said. “I didn’t attend the court hearing, but I did attend the reading of the court verdict. So when the judge read the verdict, she said that the State Prosecutor wanted to issue a fine… But the judge said, ‘but because Bat is unemployed, I order imprisonment.’ The lower your social status, the harsher the punishment – that was the logic in that verdict.”
The minister described the case as “unequal”, with Minister Gansukh using his government position as a means of leverage.
“I’m also shocked that the minister filed his complaint on his ministry’s letterhead – with the stamp of the Ministry – so that gives him an unequal power against a citizen,” Oyungerel said, “a citizen who doesn’t have a job, or doesn’t have other status, and doesn’t have government protection. So I think there’s an unequal fight going on, with power being used against citizens’ freedom, and I, of course, stand with citizens’ rights.”
Ts.Bat had been on medical leave when he was fired for speaking out against Gansukh, and his health is frail, according to his sister. “[Bat] is worried about his health, as he has a very strict dietary regime. That regime is now gone because of the prison regime… His condition will quickly deteriorate… His attorney asked if he could be placed in the prison hospital. Today (on Wednesday) I heard that he was moved there.”
Support has emerged online for Bat’s release, with small protests from the local Twitter community taking place in Chinggis Khan Square earlier in the week, and the hashtag “#FreeBat” receiving increased mentions online.
“Since when is social network deemed as press media. Which law mentions this? #FreeBat,” said Twitter user @iTulga.
“If a minister’s sibling Bat engineer is arrested, some nobody like us will just go hoop #FreeBAT,” said another, @BaagiiJr
Local free expression advocates also expressed their dismay at the ruling. Khashkhuu Naranjargal, executive director of Globe International, described the case as “a brutal action… completely against freedom of expression standards and democratic values.”
Transport Minister Gansukh has been publicly tight-lipped about the case since it first began last October. His office could not be reached for comment in relation to the ruling.
Minister Oyungerel also described Mongolia’s criminal defamation law as a question of Mongolian democracy. “Since 2000, I have been advocating to decriminalize defamation. But it still hasn’t happened that way. Our government actually submitted a draft law – a law on the criminal code – that would decriminalize defamation and libel. But the new law has not been passed yet,” she said.
“Minister Gansukh actually signed in support of the new draft as a Cabinet Member. So his philosophy is very different from his signatory, supposedly in support of decriminalizing defamation.”
Minister Oyungerel said that she will continue to speak out about the case and on freedom of speech, “On human rights, and on freedom of speech, I have always been outspoken – without the borders of party. I have defended any media, any journalist, without even asking who they are. For me, the right of freedom of speech is a lifetime goal.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Mongolia
August 24 (UB Post) Chinese President Xi Jinping is paying a two-day state visit with his wife Peng Liyuan at the invitation of Mongolia Prsident Ts.Elbegdorj.
They arrived at around 11:00 a.m. on Thursday. Unofficial sources report that Xi Jinping and representatives accompanying him are staying in Best Western Premier Tuushin Hotel.
Official negotiations between Mongolian President Ts.Elbegdorj and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a Cabinet of the State House was held on Thursday.
The presidents attended a signing ceremony at the Ceremonial Hall of the State House and press conference was held.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with Mongolian Prime Minister N.Altankhuyag at the State House today, as well as the Speaker of Parliament Z.Enkbold.
He will also attend the opening ceremony of the photographic exhibition “Review of Chinese Mongolian Trade and Economic Relations” at Best Western Premier Tuushin Hotel watch “Besreg Naadam” mini-festival with his wife Peng Liyuan at Chingisiin Khuree Tourist Camp leave at 5:30 p.m.
Chairman of the Parliament and Mayor of UB meet with Japanese representatives
August 24 (UB Post) On Wednesday, Chairman of the Parliament Z.Enkhbold called on delegates led by the Chairman of the Japanese-Mongolian Friendship Group of the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party, Motoo Hayashi.
Z.Enkhbold expressed his gratitude for the visit to Mongolia by the three heads of the Japanese-Mongolian Friendship Group. The Chairman of the Parliament underlined that developing bilateral friendly relations with Japan is one of the major goals of Mongolian foreign policy and emphasized that Mongolia places high priority on developing strategic partnership relations with Japan. Z.Enkhbold stated his satisfaction with the economic partnership agreement (EPA) agreed to be established during the Mongolian President’s visit to Japan in July. This agreement is believed to take the nations to a new level of strategic partnership.
Motoo Hayashi replied that he is also satisfied that bilateral relations and cooperation, especially strategic relations and economic partnership, are developing well and said that the Japanese side will be pleased to contribute to the Mongolian private sector. He added that the visit by the delegates marked the 40th anniversary of Japanese-Mongolian cultural relations and noted participation in the opening of the joint exhibition of Japanese-Mongolian artists, “Sky, Sun, and Partnership”.
The meeting was attended by the following officials: representatives of the Mongolian Friendship Group of Japanese Parliament; Japanese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Mongolia Takenori Shimizu; MP, Chairman of the Mongolian-Japanese Parliamentary Group, and DP Leader D.Erdenebat; MP and Deputy Chairman of the DP S.Odontuya; MPs O.Baasankhuu and Su.Batbold; Mongolian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Japan; Secretariat of the Parliament B.Boldbaatar and others.
The Office of Media and Public Relations of Parliament reports that there are three Japanese-led friendship groups, including the Mongolian Friendship Group at the Privy of the Japanese Parliament, the Friendship Group in the House of Representatives, and group for support of Japanese-Mongolian relations of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Governor of Ulaanbaatar E.Bat-Uul met with delegates led by Japanese Parliamentary Member of the Representative House Issei Koga and shared views on UB’s development.
The Governor said, “I appreciate meeting with you and I want to first express my gratitude to the Japanese people, Parliament and MPs for their assistance and support at difficult times. We created the development plan of UB through 2020 and ideas through 2030 thanks to the Japanese Government, and the plan was approved by the Parliament. We need your assistance and support in implementing the long-term plan.”
Koga Issei replied, “We can see that UB’s development and upgrades are growing quickly. It’s important to start good implementation of the general plan, so we will support you.”
A shareholder of Suruga Corporation, Jinkyou Hong, attended the meeting and reported to the Governor that the corporation has operating in UB for 12 years and has over 300 Mongolian employees.
The Governor said, “Thank you to Suruga Corporation for providing citizens with quality apartments. I hope that your corporation will contribute to investments in UB from the Japanese private sector. We will support you in legal frameworks.”
Closing the meeting, E.Bat-Uul asked for the Japanese government’s support on the issue of a UB metro.
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Facebook, spying
Facebook Unveils Creepy ‘Portal’ Camera That Tracks You At Home
Date: October 9, 2018Author: Nwo Report 0 Comments
Facebook has announced the rollout of its creepy new ‘Portal’ device that allows the company to track users in the privacy of their own homes.
The smart speakers feature a camera that automatically follows users around the room.
“Portal’s smart camera follows the action, keeping you in frame and everyone in view,” a promo for the new product states.
Today we're excited to introduce @PortalFacebook to everyone. Come say hi and check out https://t.co/jQuzzc97CK to learn more. pic.twitter.com/PzlTQDi6NI
— Facebook (@facebook) October 8, 2018
The technology led some people to draw comparisons to George Orwell’s 1984, and a quote from the book illustrates creepy similarities.
“The telescreen recieved and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it; moreover, so long as he remained within the field of vision which the metal plaque commanded, he could be seen as well as heard.”
Undoubtedly wary about fears the technology could be exploited to spy on its users following the company’s data abuse scandals, Facebook has even included a camera cover that can be slipped over the lens.
The device also features a single button that instantly disables the camera and the microphones (because you can surely trust Facebook, right?)
Twitter users responded to the video promo with less than sympathetic feedback.
“No thanks, big brother,” said one.
“From the company that sold your phone number to advertisers,” added another.
Another person imagined a future scenario where Mark Zuckerberg would have to apologize for the device spying on millions of people.
“Zuck’s congressional testimony in 2021: “Did we make a few mistakes? Yes we did. Did we spy on a few million people? I’d like to say no. But we made some mistakes and I accept full responsibility.”
Published by Nwo Report
Once dismissed by cynics as a “conspiracy theory the New World Order is rapidly becoming a reality. We look at its origins, how it operates and how it affects the lives of everyone. View all posts by Nwo Report
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UK-Leeds: Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses).
Purchasing Office, 1 - 3 Lifton Villas, Lifton Place, Leeds, LS2 9JZ, United Kingdom
Tel. +44 1133434104, Email: m.a.whitworth@adm.leeds.ac.uk
Main Address: https://www.leeds.ac.uk
NUTS Code: UKE42
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body: No.
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: http://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Leeds:-Laboratory%2C-optical-and-precision-equipments-%28excl.-glasses%29./2R788V9DFD
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically via http://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-title/74NAG98BAS to the abovementioned address
II.1.1) Title: E/2384a Dynamic Modelling Instrumentation
Reference Number: E/2384a
38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses).
II.1.3) Type of contract: SUPPLIES
II.1.4) Short description: The School of Civil Engineering at the University of Leeds is seeking tenders for a dynamics structural health monitoring system to assess the vibration performance of a range of built assets, ultimately targeting to identify the material ageing effect at the structural, real-scale-performance level.
The equipment will be part of a National Centre for Infrastructure Materials funded as part of UKCRIC (UK Collaboratorium for Research in Infrastructure and Cities). This National Centre will have a focus for research on the deterioration of infrastructure materials (cement, concrete, metals, masonry, timber, glass and soils) through the scales and will build on the University of Leeds’ reputation for work on cement, concrete and structures.
Value excluding VAT: Not Provided
Currency: Not Provided
This contract is divided into lots: No
UKE42 Leeds
II.2.4) Description of procurement: 1x Dynamic Monitoring System
This contract is subject to renewal: No
Description of renewals: Not provided
Options: No
Description of options: Not provided
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Identification of the project: Not provided
Joint bidders shall be jointly and severally liable
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement - NO
In the case of framework agreements justification for any duration exceeding 4 years: Not Provided
Notice number in the OJ S: Not provided
This is a recurrent procurement: No
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: Not provided
Electronic ordering will be used No
Electronic invoicing will be accepted No
https://neupc.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Leeds:-Laboratory%2C-optical-and-precision-equipments-%28excl.-glasses%29./2R788V9DFD
https://neupc.delta-esourcing.com/respond/2R788V9DFD
High Courts of England & Wales
Strand, London, United Kingdom
Internet address: http://www.justice.gov.uk
The University will operate a standstill period at which the award of contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. The standstill period, which will be for a minimum of 10 calendar days provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into.
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Home | Orchard Blog | Six Outstanding Early Apples, and an Outstanding 2015 Forecast
Six Outstanding Early Apples, and an Outstanding 2015 Forecast
EARLY SEASON APPLES have come a long way in the past 50 years. Today, there are a number of excellent choices to satisfy people’s palettes as they await the arrival of the traditional fall apples like McIntosh and Cortland.
These newer early season varieties taste better and last longer than many of their predecessors. Here are six of the best:
Akane apple (Bar Lois Weeks)
Akane (ah-KAH-neh) was discovered in Japan in 1937, but it was not released commercially until 1970. It has beautiful red color with occasional yellow streaks, and sweet-tart flavor with hints of strawberry. Crisp and juicy, Akane is good for both eating and cooking, as it holds it shape well. Akane is the result of a cross between two heirloom varieties: Jonathan, which supplies Akane’s rich red color, and Worcester Pearmain, which contributes its strawberry flavor.
Ginger Gold apple (Bar Lois Weeks)
Ginger Gold was discovered as a chance seedling at a Virginia orchard in 1969; based on its characteristics and where it was found, it may be a cross between Golden Delicious and Newtown Pippin. It has yellow-green skin and is crisp and juicy. Ginger Gold’s flavor is more sweet than tart. It is good for both cooking and fresh eating, and its flesh browns slowly when sliced, making it especially good in salads.
Pristine apple (Bar Lois Weeks)
Pristine was developed at Purdue University in Indiana in 1975, and released commercially in 1994. Yellow with an occasional pink blush, Pristine’s sweet-tart flavor has hints of citrus. It is crisper and stores better than many early season varieties. Its parentage is obscure, a cross between an unnamed seedling and Camuzat, a little-known apple from Spain.
Sansa apple (Bar Lois Weeks)
Sansa is another red apple with yellow streaking, although it sometimes can be deep pink. It is the product of a 1970 collaboration between researchers in Japan and New Zealand, and it was released commercially in 1988. It is sweet and juicy, with just a little tang, and it is considered best for fresh eating. Sansa is a cross between, Akane, which contributes to its red color, and Gala, which lends it sweetness.
Williams’ Pride apple (Bar Lois Weeks)
Williams’ Pride is another apple developed at Purdue’s joint apple-breeding program with Rutgers University in New Jersey and the University of Illinois. It was discovered in 1975 and released commercially in 1988. Maroon red, it is crisp and juicy, with a spicy, sweet-tart taste. It is considered a good all-purpose apple and is especially good for fresh eating. Williams’ Pride is the result of a complex cross that includes Jonathan, Melba, Mollie’s Delicious, and Rome.
Zestar! apple (Bar Lois Weeks)
Zestar! is the newest of this early bunch, developed in 1999 at the University of Minnesota. It is mostly red in color over a yellow base. Crisp and juicy, its flavor is more sweet than tart. A good all-purpose apple, Zestar! is the trademarked name for the variety, which resulted from a cross of an unknown seedling with State Fair, a little-known apple native to Minnesota.
VISITORS to Farm Fresh Fest at Wachusett Mountain in Princeton, Massachusetts, this weekend, will have a chance to taste some of these outstanding early season apples at the New England Apple Association booth. In addition to fresh apples, there will be apple baked goods and other apple treats.
Executive Director Bar Lois Weeks and Senior Writer Russell Steven Powell will be on hand to talk about apples and the upcoming season, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, August 29, and Sunday, August 30.
NEW ENGLAND expects a good apple crop in 2015.
The U. S. Apple Association estimates the 2015 New England apple crop at 4.03 million 42-pound boxes, 18 percent higher than the region’s five-year average of 3.42 million-boxes. The crop is expected to be about 14 percent larger than 2014’s fresh harvest of 3.55 million boxes.
Growing conditions were outstanding in early spring and summer, with good weather during the pollination period throughout the region, and little or no damage from frost. Parts of New England have been dry for the past month, notably areas of Connecticut and New Hampshire, and there has been scattered hail damage in some areas, but over all the crop is shaping up nicely.
The timing of the New England apple harvest so far is on schedule, with early varieties like Akane, Ginger Gold, Pristine, Sansa, Williams’ Pride, and Zestar! already being picked. McIntosh, which accounts for about two-thirds of the crop, is expected to be available by Labor Day Weekend or soon thereafter in most areas.
To find detailed listings of area orchards, visit the home page of the New England Apples website, and click on “Find an Apple Orchard.” Be sure to call ahead to see what is ready for picking.
Most of the region’s orchards expect to have plenty of apples in a range of varieties and sizes.
Here is USApple’s state-by-state forecast for 2015 (in units of 42-pound boxes):
2015 crop estimate 2014 harvest % change from 2014 5-year average % change from 5-year average
Connecticut 631 K 474K +33% 516 K +22%
Maine 1,000 K 905K +11% 738 K +35%
Massachusetts 1,121 K 1,031K +9% 906 K +24%
New Hampshire 495 K 402K +23% 461 K +7%
Rhode Island 55 K 43K +28% 53 K +4%
Vermont 729 K 700K +4% 750 K -3%
The 2015 United States apple crop is predicted to be 234.8 million boxes, about 14 percent smaller than 2014, according to USApple’s annual forecast. Leading the way is Washington state, with an estimated crop of 143 million boxes, about 18 percent smaller than a year ago. New York expects to harvest 26.2 million boxes, a 15 percent decrease from 2014, and Michigan will be slightly down from a year ago, at 24,000 million boxes.
The 2015 national apple crop forecast is close to the five-year average of 236,008 million boxes.
TWO RECENT BOOKS by Russell Steven Powell, senior writer, and Bar Lois Weeks, executive director of the New England Apple Association, explore the history of apple growing in the region and look at the nation’s apple industry.
Apples of New England (Countryman Press) is an indispensable resource for anyone searching for apples in New England orchards, farm stands, or grocery stores — or trying to identify an apple tree in their own backyard.
The book contains color photographs by Weeks and descriptions of more than 200 apples discovered, grown, or sold in New England, accompanied by notes about flavor and texture, history, ripening time, storage quality, and best use. Apples of New England offers practical advice about rare heirlooms and newly discovered apples.
Apples of New England includes chapters on the rich tradition of apple growing in New England, and on the “fathers” of American apples, Massachusetts natives John Chapman (“Johnny Appleseed”) and Henry David Thoreau. Apples of New England presents the apple in all its splendor: as a biological wonder, as a super food, as a work of art, and as a cultural icon.
America’s Apple (Brook Hollow Press) tells a rich and detailed story about apple growing in America, from horticulture to history to culinary uses. Powell writes about the best ways to eat, drink, and cook with apples. He describes the orchard’s beauty and introduces readers to some of the family farms where apples are grown today, many of them spanning generations.
America’s Apple looks at how America’s orchards are changing as a result of the trend toward intensive planting and the trademarking of new varieties, and what that means to consumers. Powell also writes about the fragile underpinnings of modern agriculture: the honeybees needed to pollinate the crop and the labor required to pick it, plus new and exotic pests and increasingly volatile weather.
Apples of New England and America’s Apple are available in hardcover at fine bookstores and orchards and online. America’s Apple is also available in paperback.
For more information, write to newenglandapples@verizon.net.
"The Cult of Gravenstein"
"A New Logo on New England Apple Day!"
Categories: New England apple varieties
Tagged: 2015 New England apple cropAkane appleAmerica's AppleApples of New EnglandBar Lois WeeksCamuzat appleearly applesearly season applesearly season New England applesFarm Fresh FestGala appleGinger Gold appleNew England Apple AssociationNew England apple orchardsNew England applesNew England orchardsPristine appleRussell Steven PowellSansa appleState Fair appleWilliams' Pride appleWorcester Pearmain appleZestar! apple
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Home » 2017: An ‘incredibly scary’ year
2017: An ‘incredibly scary’ year
CUs shared several common struggles during last year’s hurricanes and wildfires.
When you work for a business continuity and disaster recovery company, you encounter a lot of devastation, says Scott Teel, vice president of organizational development for Agility Recovery, a CUNA Strategic Services alliance provider.
But 2017 stands out as a particularly difficult and “incredibly scary” year, he says.
“I have never personally seen, heard from, talked to, and helped so many people that felt so helpless, unprepared, and literally stranded,” Teel says.
During 2017’s Hurricane Harvey, one of the costliest storms on record, Teel received a call he won’t soon forget from the president of a small credit union in Texas.
The credit union president explained she was calling from her home, which was under nearly two feet of water, and she was struggling to figure out what her credit union would need to recover.
“She was in tears telling me her situation as I heard in the background the noise from nearby National Guard helicopters rescuing people from their roofs,” Teel says.
Overall, the number of events didn't break any records, Teel says, but the severity and duration of some of the larger, regional events was overwhelming.
Many credit union leaders had to fight to maintain branch operations through flooding, evacuation orders, roadblocks, or damaged infrastructure.
“Many of these organizations never considered themselves in the threat area for flooding or wildfire evacuations, yet found themselves either directly affected or interrupted,” Teel says.
He saw credit unions share some common struggles during the disasters including:
• Failing to think beyond the organization. Some organizations, despite investing time in detailed risk analysis, found their strategies focused nearly exclusively on their physical properties versus the location of their employees’ and members’ homes, businesses, schools, and routine commuting patterns.
• Relying too heavily on work-from-home strategies. These strategies often failed during Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, and the California wildfires.
Either employees couldn’t work from home due to interruptions to local utilities or they were relocated out of the area due to evacuations.
“These strategies, while a sound approach in some cases, should only be one facet of a larger strategy for continuing operations in an alternate facility,” Teel says.
• Failing to test shared branching plans. Some credit unions which relocated operations to a neighboring community credit union found that available space, computer systems, and bandwidth for conducting transactions weren’t sufficient.
“If this is a strategy your credit union relies on, you must test it or else it is doomed to fail almost immediately,” Teel says.
KEYWORDS business continuity credit union disaster recovery
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Ex-Judge: Smollett’s Lawyers Not Allowed to Practice Law in Illinois
Matt Masterson | July 24, 2019 3:04 pm
Retired Illinois Appellate Court Judge Sheila O’Brien appears on “Chicago Tonight” on June 24, 2019.
The retired appellate judge who successfully petitioned for a special prosecutor to review the Jussie Smollett case says the actor’s California-based attorneys should be reported for the unauthorized practice of law within Illinois after they made a series of filings last week on their client’s behalf.
Sheila O’Brien claimed in a letter to Cook County Judge Michael Toomin on Wednesday that four motions celebrity attorney Mark Geragos and Tina Glandian filed for Smollett last week should be ignored as the pair doesn’t have the proper legal standing to practice law in Illinois.
“Ms. Glandian and Mr. Geragos told this court that each of them was ‘Rule 707 admitted,’” O’Brien states in her letter. “This information was untrue at the time of the filing and is untrue now.”
That rule O’Brien cites – 707 – comes from the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission and permits “an eligible out-of-state attorney to appear in an Illinois proceeding upon the filing of an appearance of an active status Illinois attorney and a verified Statement.”
Out-of-state attorneys must obtain permission to practice law in Illinois for state cases. According to ARDC registration records O’Brien included in her letter, neither Glandian nor Geragos are currently authorized to practice in Illinois, with each of their registrations expiring sometime in 2019.
“More than thirty days have passed since the June 21, 2019 (decision) rendered by this court. Because Ms. Glandian and Mr. Geragos and the Geragos law firm were not licensed in Illinois, their pleadings of July 19, 2019 in this cause should be held for naught and reported as the unlicensed practice of law in Illinois,” the letter states.
Smollett and his attorneys maintain he was the victim of a racist, homophobic attack when he was beaten by two brothers near his Streeterville residence in late January. But Chicago police detectives determined Smollett arraigned the incident himself, paying the two brothers beforehand and instructing them when and how they should attack him.
A grand jury indicted him earlier this year on 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct for filing a false police report.
Jussie Smollett appears at a hearing for judge assignment with his attorney Tina Glandian, left, at the Leighton Criminal Court Building on Thursday, March 14, 2019. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Pool / Chicago Tribune)
The case has garnered extensive, international attention, not only due to the bizarre details of the case itself, but for the way it was handled within the office of Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. After Foxx recused herself, citing contact with Smollett’s family when he was still considered a victim, she appointed her top assistant Joseph Magats to oversee the prosecution.
Magats dismissed the charges in March as part of what the state’s attorney’s office called an “alternative prosecution” with Smollett, who had no criminal background.
But O’Brien, and many other legal experts, took issue with Foxx appointing her own successor after her recusal. Foxx has since changed her reasoning for why she stepped away from the case and claimed she never formally recused herself.
O’Brien filed a petition this spring seeking the appointment of a special prosecutor to review Smollett’s case and decide whether any charges are warranted. Toomin obliged.
“But once that (recusal) decision became a reality, section 3-9008 was the only road (Foxx) could traverse and that statute unequivocally requires that a special prosecutor be appointed by the court,” the judge wrote in his June 21 ruling. “Yet, for reasons undisclosed even to this day, Foxx instead chose to detour from that mandated course, instead appointing Mr. Magats as ‘the Acting State’s Attorney for this matter.’”
Toomin has not yet appointed a special prosecutor.
Geragos and Glandian asked the judge to reconsider that ruling last week. They’re also seeking a new judge to handle the case, claiming Toomin accepted false media reports in presuming Smollett’s guilt of those charges, labeling him a “charlatan who fomented a hoax the equal of any twisted television intrigue.”
“This case has been a travesty of justice and an unprecedented deprivation of Mr. Smollett’s constitutional rights,” they wrote in one motion last week, “including the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial.”
A hearing is scheduled to discuss their motions next Wednesday.
Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson | (773) 509-5431 | mmasterson@wttw.com
Jussie Smollett’s Attorneys Seeking to Reverse Special Prosecutor Ruling
Judge Orders Special Prosecutor to Examine Smollett Probe
Chicago Releases 911 Calls from Smollett Incident in January
Kim Foxx: False Rumor Caused Recusal in Jussie Smollett Case
Read: Chicago Police Release First Wave of Jussie Smollett Documents
Read the Newly Released Jussie Smollett Case File
Judge Orders Jussie Smollett Case File to be Unsealed
7.24.19 Letter to J. Toomin.pdf
Cook County State's Attorney
Sheila O'Brien
Ex-Judge: Kim Foxx Shouldn’t Use Tax Dollars for Outside Counsel
City Attorneys Ask Federal Judge to Toss Jussie Smollett Countersuit
Spotlight Politics: Will Smollett Saga Sway State’s Attorney’s Race?
Smollett Says He Was Maliciously Prosecuted in Counterclaim Against City
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx Will Seek Re-Election in 2020
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Cimarron Golf Resort
Andrew Cavanagh November 17, 2017 0 comments
Since the Cimarron Golf Resort opened in 2000, one honor after another has come our way. We’ve been picked as one of Golf Digest’s Best Places to Play and we’ve won acclaim in the ESPN Zagat Survey and Palm Springs Life. And we were also chosen as one of the Top 100 Women-Friendly Places to Play by Golf for Women magazine.
That’s because Cimarron is everyone’s favorite club, not just because of its golf but also because of its rugged San Jacinto Mountain backdrop. Our championship layout has more of a wild desert look than many of the all green-grass layouts in the Palm Springs area. It also has something of a links style of play and lots of British Isles-style sodwall bunkers filled with crushed white marble sand. As one of the best public golf facilities in the Palm Springs area, Cimarron Golf Resort is proud to offer you the choice of two sensational courses, both designed by renowned Scottsdale architect John Fought who shaped and contoured them to fit this magnificent desert site. The par-71 Boulder, previously called the Long Course, is our 18-hole championship length course and the par-56 Pebble, previously known as the Short Course, is our equally stunning 18-hole executive course. After your round of incredible golf, you will want to relax and enjoy a meal and refreshments in our beautiful full-service restaurant, On the Rocks, located in our expansive desert-style clubhouse. Our casual patio is also available for drinks and dining to take advantage of some of the most breathtaking views in the Coachella Valley.
On the Rocks is continually voted “The Best Place to Watch the Sunset” in the Palm Springs area!
67 603 30th Avenue Cathedral City , CA 92234
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Honourable Provincial Chief Executive
A satirical Open Letter to the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan for the acknowledgment of his services.
The ensuing letter is written with a solemn and firm conviction to explicate the sanctity of moral pedestal that you have attained and to apprise the general masses at large of the services you have dispensed and the sacrificial contributions you have made for the social welfare, societal betterment and institutional re-organization of our society. It is an onus upon those in loop of your endeavours to further disseminate the saga of your achievements to ensure their shelter from divine anathema for the crime of its concealment.
The dispensation of justice, the uplift of the downtrodden, and the alleviation of poverty have been the cornerstone of your political campaign. Soon after you assumed the helm of chief ministership, you reinforced your commitment on the floor of the house to avail yourself of every opportunity to act up to your vows. Those around you on their seats and the ones glued to their television sets felt a surge of excitement after having listened to your speech. You generated a spine-chilling wave of gusto in an auspiciously powerful oration. A strong sense of trustworthiness ran through the veins of your words.|
To this end, you strained every nerve from the onset and appointed hand-picked civil servants and endowed them with perks, privileges and unwarranted authority. They were provided with the license to liberally manipulate, slyly maneuver, and advertently hamstring the local civil administration at will and whim to peddle for a greater sway over the resources. Funds were criminally tapped into, resources were brutally abused, illegal inductions were carried out at industrial scale, and financial largesse was distributed amongst the cronies with impunity at your behest. By pressing into use your political go-ahead, these civil servants showcased their exceptional calibre in siphoning off money by bypassing all the auditory filters. Industrious, painstaking, and assiduous bureaucrats were either upstaged or were incapacitated of their legal right to undertake any meaningful enterprise. They were vilified, ridiculed, and disempowered only with an intent to further strengthen the organizational sinew of our civil administrative skeleton.
The spree of showering the financial blessings did not restrict itself to the civil servants, the political elite and the government contractors were also collaborating in unison in their pious effort to loot, plunder, and embezzle without scruples. An outstanding display of camaraderie, collusion, connivance was exhibited and an insurmountable bar of exceptionally brilliant record for systemic mismanagement, malfunction, and malpractice was maintained by these contenders. You did not shrink away from ennobling yourself as the spearhead of this crusade for the aggrandizement of personal assets and the proliferation of personal belongings. Your commitment to remain unequivocal and unambiguous in your speeches is reflected in your admission of these achievements.
Under your direct supervision, the fragile infrastructure of Gilgit-Baltistan languishing in shambles and mired in dilapidation is transformed into a cutting-edge network of artistic sophistication. A wide web of transportation-facilitating metallic roads is spread across the length and breath of the region with colossal flyovers and titanic off-ground bridges straddling the skyline of skyscrapers. Each lap of metallic road is interspersed by a government administered tax-free advisory cell dedicated to cater traffic education and a horse-reliant postal service. This unique model was conceived and materialized into execution under your auspices.
The Korean Committee for quality transportation in the Republic of Korea and the Zimbabwean Committee for serviceable highway-mapping in the Republic of Zimbabwe in acknowledgment of this project dispatched theirs teams of experts to study, investigate, and adopt the formula at play in the formulation of this model.
In addition, innovative proposals reflective of intellectual ingenuity have already been conceived by your perspicacious coterie to generate electricity by grinding the boulders littered across the region, to purge the sea-water of adulteration by diverting its course of flow towards Russia, and to get connected with wider global community through telepathy by invoking shamanic powers in lieu of internet. A vast swath of land has been earmarked with a vision to establish a state-of-the-art workshop in pursuance of launching a home-manufactured satellite for the exploration of space. The project entails a multi-layered process ranging from the indigenous systemization of space technology to the consignment of a robot-carrying satellite across a multitude of galaxies. Of late, concerted efforts have been undertaken to store the light of stars for the generation of electricity in order to meet the industrial consumption.
In toto, the afore-mentioned series of achievements merely amounts to an infinitesimal mass of speck against your accolades, and a writer notorious for his lack of lexical acquaintance and a letter characterized by the brevity of its content, cannot stand up to enumerate the string of accomplishments carried off in your brief stint of benison-endowed incumbency.
Honestly Yours,
A Passionate Truth-Teller
The writer is a prospective candidate for the Ph.D. program at NYU.
Former COAS, Pakistan friendscolumn@hotmail.com
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Nimerta and Riyast-i-Madina
Rising population
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Just One ‘Gun Law’ Could Have Reduced ‘Stoneman Shooting’ Killings
David Codrea
All, Second Amendment
'Only Ones', Broward County Public Schools, David Codrea, Isla Vista, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Nancy Pelosi, NRA, School Shootings
The “Only Ones” the “law allows” to be armed will never be able to prevent multiple victims from being slaughtered. (@FranklinWSVN)
“Another school shooting” has rocked America, once more bringing out how divided the country is on guns. As we’ve seen before, furious words are being hurled by raging citizen disarmament zealots manifesting their hatred of those who believe in the right to keep and bear arms, and accusing “NRA” of having “blood on its hands.” As usual, we see opportunistic and strident “progressive” politicians, cheerleading “journalists” and foaming-at-the-mouth “celebrities” egging that on, and posturing loudly for new “gun laws.”
“Debate” with fanatics vested in citizen disarmament is a wasted effort. At best, those attempting to inject reality into the public discourse may help enlighten those who have not given the matter close scrutiny and retain open minds. As for those whose minds are on lockdown, ask what laws would have made a difference in the atrocity at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High. You’ll get the same tired old platitudes.
Background checks? How have those worked at “stopping the violence” in places like Chicago? Besides, the suspect reportedly passed one.
Banning so-called “assault weapons”? Those represent only a small fraction of homicides committed with firearms, so anyone seriously proposing that needs to also demand a ban on handguns.
As previously reported at Oath Keepers, Nancy Pelosi admitted the “slippery slope” gun-grabbers used to ridicule as “paranoid,” but which the founders of the modern disarmament movement freely endorsed. And lest you think banning all guns hasn’t been a long-term goal, check out what I found from the Jan. 1968 issue of GUNS Magazine while doing some research:
It’s only in recent times that gun-grabbers feel it more prudent to mask their true goals with terms like “common sense gun safety laws.”
So much for the lie that “No one is talking about taking your guns.” Of course they are. That’s the end game, or at least the beginning of the end game.
Not on our watch.
OK, so if guns are at a stalemate, what about identifying common factors to stop killers before they can strike? Like Hollywood’s Department of Precrime…?
There are plenty of conflicting reports about the suspect’s mental state, temperament, politics and ideology, with many playing “Gotcha” to conflate and spread blame. And people are naturally curious about such aberrations in their midst and information gets put out there that later turns out to be inaccurate. We’re still finding out much about him, not that the finger-pointing matters in terms of resolving anything. And our finding out is being hampered anyway now that the suspect’s social media presence is being taken down, forcing the public to rely on major media passing along what civil authority wants them to know.
The only relevant ideology is that he is twisted and evil. No one in his right mind advocates killing innocents.
Speaking of “right mind,” how about the “fact” that “everybody knew” the suspect was a likely school shooter? Even the FBI had been informed and they didn’t follow up properly!
While we don’t know what they legally could have done, it’s tempting to believe they could have taken the suspect out of the general populace.
On what grounds? We can’t throw away due process. Recall that despite three visits, cops from a few years back say they didn’t have enough to remove the Isla Vista killer from circulation (which, among other things, was a spectacular admission of how California gun registration has proven useless at preventing anything.)
So I’m saying that’s just the way it is? Nothing can be done?
Not at all. There is one “gun law” that at least had the potential to make a difference, but it was being infringed by “gun free school zoned” edicts. Broward County Public Schools, of which Stoneman Douglas is part, explains on its website:
No person shall be authorized to carry any weapon or firearm into any meeting of the public school district; any school athletic event not related to firearms; any school administration building; any school facility; and/or school sponsored event. Any person possessing, transmitting, and/or using a weapon on School Board property shall be subject to arrest. In addition, employees who violate this policy may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. The SBBC hereby waives the exception in section 790.115(2)(a)3., and therefore prohibits the possession of any firearms in vehicles for student or campus parking privileges. a. Certified law enforcement officers are exempt when working within scope of their employment. b. School Board property shall be defined as school grounds, facilities, administrative offices, bus stop, school bus, or vehicle provided for transportation by the school system. c. School sponsored activities shall be defined as any approved School Board event or official School Board business, on or off School Board property.
Don’t look for the Second Amendment to be recognized any time soon by our representatives or the courts as “being necessary to the security of a free State.” Instead, look for renewed demands to enact even more citizen disarmament edicts.
We’ll see if this puts the kibosh on the Republicans’ stomach for nationwide concealed carry reciprocity with the midterms coming up. And don’t be surprised if some “gun rights leaders” — prone to endorsing “compromises” on things like “bump stocks” or “Fix NICS” — decide it’s time for them to extend another olive branch to those who want nothing less than everything.
The proper response of course, for those who would “guard with jealous attention the public liberty,” is to respond to gun-grab demands with one word:
“No.” You can add “Your move” for effect.
For those who still insist on the disarmament we see so many calling for, I have one question:
How many men who resist are you willing to see killed in order to make that happen?
Don’t be surprised if some of the more emotion-driven and restraint-challenged answer “All of you.”
STATEMENT BY STEWART RHODES, FOUNDER OF OATH KEEPERS:
This shooting only reinforces the problem with “victim disarmament zones” and the utter necessity of armed officers in the schools AND armed and trained school staff and teachers. As for calls to disarm us and ban guns, remember, in Paris, the terrorists at both the Charlie Hebdo and theater attacks used select-fire AKs which were smuggled into the country and were entirely illegal in France. France’s ban on all such weapons in civilian hands didn’t matter.
A terrorist, a drug lord, a gang, or a raving lunatic, can all get whatever they need on the black market worldwide. That is the reality.
Given that reality, exactly what gun law here in the U.S. would have possibly prevented that crime? None. You can’t legislate away the existence of modern firearms. They will exist. But you can empower we the people, in all places, to be the protectors and actual first-responders the founders expected us to be as the militia. An armed populace – including teachers and school staff – who are allowed to protect the children under their care, is the answer, just as it has been the answer in Israel for decades in defense of their children at school. It works. in fact, that is the only thing that works when a school is targeted for attack. Everything else is simply too slow, as this latest shooting again demonstrates with the police failing to stop the shooter in time to prevent 18 deaths, and counting.
The staff and the teachers need to be able to put a stop to the killing, because they are ALWAYS THERE and don’t need to come from somewhere else. They and they alone can provide the fast response that is needed to stop the killing. When seconds count, the police are only moments away. And that means the teachers and staff need to be armed and trained, just like in a church the staff and volunteers need to be trained. The recent mass slaughter at Sutherland Spring Baptist Church in Texas shows that reality all to well. Even with a local hero like Stephen Willeford responding as fast as he could with his own AR to stop the killing (beating the cops there) he was nowhere near as fast as an armed church member would have been, if any had been armed.
Whether it is a church, a school, a college, a mall, or any other public soft target for terrorism or mass murdering nuts, the answer is that the intended victims must be able to defend themselves and to protect those under their care.
One answer short term is for us trained military and police veterans to volunteer to do shifts at schools as armed guards across the nation until we can get enough teachers and staff trained up. I’ll serve, Won’t you? Stewart
Protecting children in Israel.
Armed teacher in Israel.
If you believe in the mission of Oath Keepers, to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, please make a donation to support our work. You can donate HERE.
David Codrea’s opinions are his own. See “Who speaks for Oath Keepers?”
David Codrea blogs at The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance (WarOnGuns.com), and is a field editor/columnist for GUNS Magazine. Named “Journalist of the Year” in 2011 by the Second Amendment Foundation for his groundbreaking work on the “Fast and Furious” ATF “gunwalking” scandal, he is a frequent event speaker and guest on national radio and television programs.
Stoneman Douglas football coach ‘died a hero’ protecting students during shootingAlabama House Passes Broadened ‘Stand Your Ground’ After Florida School Shooting
Jorj Proud American says:
Yes outlaw victim disarmament zones!
Obama sent &1.7 Billion to terrorists in Iran. Ex US AG Holder armed criminals Fast and Furious. Billions could have been spent to protect our kids!
Yet liberal democrat progressives defend illegals, rapists, murderers, abortionists, crimnals and only scream gun-control after the FBI who knew about most of the shooters who murdered Americans.
Curious ? When was the last School Board Meeting you attended where you demanded more security measures be put in place in your KID’s schools?
Have been advocating this for a very long time. Often I add that teachers who cared would advocate it as well. Guess who fights it the hardest? It seems we would get a twofer if we implemented a teacher armament program. Maybe a threefer. We just might weed out the progressive scourge a little.
KBB says:
That’s my thinking exactly. Requiring a teacher or admin (or 3 or 4) per school to be licensed and trained to conceal carry would solve 2 problems: no shooter would even approach a school knowing awaiting him is someone who will shoot back; and 2) requiring one or more teachers must conceal carry would drastically reduce liberal teachers. Heck, liberals likely wouldn’t even pursue a teaching career. Perfect.
OlGreyWolf says:
There is a Business in Fla called Florida Gun Supply. He has offered classes to educators so that they could defend themselves and the Children…That offer has been out there awhile
Yes, and many rifle/pistol ranges and gun clubs offer highschoolers shooting competitions and gun education. Knowledge is power. Put the knowledge in the hands of young people to help police themselves and others. Teach them the benefit self protection and how it flows over into daily life situations.
Still as Mean says:
Same old game different day. The disarmament zones are quite purposeful. Without them, the Left’s argument disappears. An armed LEO (Student resource Officer) Would bring these attacks to a screeching halt. And yet the ignorance of the average American and the purposeful subversion of others continues to fuel the fires. Where are the calls for requiring schools to have Student resource Officers? Where are the calls to protect the students in a rational way? It’s past time to “bitch slap” the career Politicians.
IT should be OathKeeper policy to push for Student Resource Officers placed in every School.
Oath Keepers. I used to be a member. You are far too passive. Read the book “Nation of Cowards”, by Jeff Snyder. You, the NRA, the GOA, you have no passion for telling the truth. A well regulated militia is our only hope.
The shooter at Thurston High School, Springfield. OR was stopped by two cousins trained in the use and operation of guns. The cousins recognized they had an opportunity to attack the shooter when he was in the process of inserting a new magazine into his firearm. Although one of the cousins lost part of his finger, they were successful in subduing the shooter. The local media covered up the heroic efforts by the cousins.
StormN1 says:
Great point! I was unaware of this incident. Just being well informed and even trained, allowed these to unarmed cousins to react effectively – instead of collapsing into an ignorant hysterical panic as most anti-gun people would and do.
Gun control ensures higher death tolls in school shootings Allow willing teachers and staff to carry in school
I support your use of the word “willing”. I think it is important.
Sobering article, David.
Today, I was refreshing my memory of Charles Starkweather and his murder spree in 1958.
The reason he captured the Nation’s interest is that he was an outlier.
Now, his evil kind seems commonplace. See what happens when schools expel the Ten Commandments.
Mr. Albert says:
It doesn’t hurt to point out that Senator Dodd was an out and out crook. He had all the Clinton type tricks.
Nomad says:
An ARMED public , is a polite public.. I know it would be very much chaos at first..but if ALL citizens were armed..things would chill FAST. It works in Isreal
To rise above this event is accepting we as a nation are to blame, we can not be divided. We can not rely on elect, LEO’S, they seem to be sleeping.
Matters not, so long as us that are awake stand together, as one nation under God.
Dodge says:
Do like sheriff Joe did put his armed posse out at the schools or let the teachers and staff that have a ccs to carry at school so the kids are safe all this gun free zone crap is for the birds and we need to stop it now train the teachers and it will stop
Stewart Rhodes says:
Please give us more details on this. Very important.
No gun law could have prevented this crime. The only thing that could have prevented this event, is a common sense approach preventative policy. Politics aside, staff at all public schools must embrace a common ground policy to prevent this from happening. Train the teachers and staff, in conjunciton with local law enforcement to stop an individual from entering a public school. We as working parents relinquish our children to be educated at a public facility. We as parents expect our chidren to come home at the end of the day. We need our teachers, appointed officials, elected officials, law enforcement personel, and parents to address this issue NOW. This isn’t a Federal issue, this isn’t a media issue, this isn’t a platform issue for an election campaine, this is a community issue. (town by town, city by city, state bu state.)
The Founders gave us common sense; “A well regulated Militia, being necessary…”
As George Mason asked and answered, “I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people.” Think of how many questions that answers, and how many solutions it presents.
Our rights are being withered away as we wax on philosophically about this or that. We will be talking the same nonsense as we’re being carted off to camps for re-education, or God knows what.
Can it happen here. We have people marching and demanding that their fellow citizens be disarmed. Sounds like a start to me especially when you have members of the left calling for the incarceration of those who believe that we should be a nation of laws.
But a very serious question goes to out Stewart. Is this another NRA organization that convinces its membership to pour money into loosing arguments? Because ultimately, without enforcing the rule of law, maybe some of us will not see it, but our children will certainly suffer for our toothless action.
175 gr says:
Sean Hannity nailed it, here’s a view to the problem and a solution that could use Oath Keepers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud-qS5d_mQQ
Nancy Oakley says:
Thank you for your comment. Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham on the school security problem: https://oathkeepers.org/sean-hannity-laura-ingraham-school-security-problem/
The majority of these responses deal with strategies to win the armed conflict. I agree that we need to win the armed America, by identifying and correcting the causes. My observation is that big government now replaces the father in most of these households that spawn these criminal boys. That is part of a bigger strategy on the part of the globalists to dominate and control our once great nation. More components to their strategy are the forced cohabitation of incompatible cultures and the introduction of Islam into Wstern Culture. This will not end well.
Hey, Stewart, I’m sure you meant the police are only MINUTES away.
Great photo of the Israeli male school teacher with the handgun but not so much the lady with the rifle slung over shoulder (smile)!
How much less likely would school shooters like Florida’s Nikolas Cruz commit their crimes if they knew before hand that schools where not gun-free? Obvious answer: A lot less likely.
If a journalist were to demand another answer from me I would add,” Stop with your anti-gun hysteria. Take a breath and wait at least a few days in respectful silence on behalf of the unimaginable grief of the victim’s families – before trying to profit from this tragedy.”
I just checked the FBI’s violent crimes statistics and they still look very good: over one third drop in the rate of violent crime over the last 20 years. This includes the non-gun crimes like the IRS building bombing, the New York twin towers bombing, and the Boston marathon bombing. Folks, violent crime is not getting worse. On the contrary, it is getting better! I thank God for our second amendment.
Retired Navy Spook says:
I’m not trying to trivialize this horrendous masssacre, but the use of an AR-15 to commit an atrocity like this seems to play into the Left’s desire to ban so-called “assault rifles,” when, in reality, they’re used in a tiny percentage of gun homicides. IIRC, the only mass school shooting where a handgun was used was Virginia Tech, which was also the deadliest with 32 dead. It would seem to me that someone bent on killing as many as possible in close quarters like a school hallway would use a high capacity semi-auto handgun with a 30 round magazine and either a laser sight or a mini-red dot. Extra magazines are also lighter and smaller than a 30 round AR-15 magazine. Is it possible that the choice of an AR-15 is influenced by the romanticizing of such weapons in movies, TV shows and video games? Perhaps David could weigh in on this.
Scott B Freah says:
I will be attending the next school board meeting in my community. I propose that I will for minimum wage bring my skills as a former P.O.S.T certified peace officer and 11B infantry soldier w an honorable discharge to protect and serve the local elementary school. As a 61 year old sheepdog I believe my skills could be put to use. This will probably not fly but I Will have tried.
I agree with all who promote our free will, freedoms, and God given right to carry a weapon regardless of the time and place. It has become the mindset that no one is carrying because of the constant anti gun message from the left through a MSM, giving would be crazies the idea that they will not be dealt with by the means they themselves employ. One should also consider that bank robbers do rob banks that have armed guards as well as home invaders are so stupid as too not consider the ultimate equalizer: the gun.
The difference in Israel vs USA school shooting deaths is negligible. There are .9 school shooting deaths per million in Israel and 1.0 per million in the USA, which shows that those evil enough to carry out such a crime are not deterred by the presence of return fire. It’s similar to suicide by cop mentality. Regardless, school staff should have open carry and conceal; open carry sends a clear message we mean to protect everyone at schools and conceal provides stealth as too who might just shoot back.
Bruce makes a lot of good points. Many children are not brought up by parenting, but by electronic mind control devices designed to entertain and mold young minds thought process. Notice how Google owned YouTube now interjects videos that were not requested in a search, a design to manipulate the viewer on a new path, often a negative venture.
Parents of children attending public schools need to sue the state, city and school districts that ban teachers and other staff who would otherwise exercise their constitutional right to carry a gun. Notice Bath House Barry sent his girls (pretend family) to a private school with armed guards. And other elites do similar, while advocating public schools ban all weapons of any sort. Their hypocrisy is glaring.
So once again, there needs to be a public rage out-voicing the anti gun agenda and to those who advocate the destruction of our constitution to pay a consequence. No consequence, no change.
Rikki says:
The FBI messed up along with the school system in Florida, The First Doctor who prescribed Meds for this punk should have sent a red flag to the ATF, The psychiatrist who was treating him in therapy should have sent a flag to the ATF. If the media came up with all the information in 2hrs why did the FBI Have such a hard time doing so ? Kids Today are being babysat by Extremely violent games and garbage for music while Hollywood pumps out crap that has desensitizes kids. Sandhook shooting would have never happened but his mother got him the help he should have had and she knew he was defective from a very young age.
The news (FOX) is talking about all the “Red” flags that were “MISSED”…..
Now the debate over “Gun Control” starts again……..
What better way to start the debate again, by having another shooting.
Why were “The Red Flags” “MISSED” before that church shooting? And now again before this shooting? I’m thinking we have the beginning of a pattern? The government will stop at nothing to disarm the people.
Just thinking out loud……………
Let’s not forget that after WWII came all the pharma drugs. There’s proof the psycho drugs are involved in the senseless acts we so often now read about, but this information is intentionally being suppressed at the hand of big pharma. People ask why the crazy seems more prevalent today; direct your attention to psycho drugs and the industry that hands them out like candy.
Last night I started a draft letter to my legislators. Nothing new here, but I was trying to frame this in a way that anyone could absorb. It felt like I hit the wall until I quit thinking about this, and then it hit me. Isn’t it strange how some epiphanies come this way?
During the cold war, the government created survivability bunkers for themselves. In other words they “prepped” for themselves on our dime. Right after Sept. 11th, they put security and hardened measures in virtually every Federal, State, and Local Govt. building. Again they protected themselves first (only). If we couple the “Future Generations” narrative with their unwillingness to act to protect our most vulnerable, then maybe we can shame them into action. My letters will be along these lines and include: the aforementioned, TSA, the debt, etc. I will include that if we can’t fund it immediately, then maybe they should take down the protection measures for themselves and reconstitute them into our “Future Generations” schools.
Plain Old American says:
We need to open our eyes to the slow, deceptive, almost imperceptible legal manipulation by which the emotion driven tyrants are using to ultimately disarm the electorate. Note in US v Miller the court said basically that only weapons suitable for use in the service in the Militia were protected under the second amendment. Since shotguns having a barrel length of less than 18″ they are NOT firearms suitable for normal use in the Militia and therefor were NOT protected and could be banned by the NFA.
Today in the Heller case the court ruled that since a revolver was a weapon in common use by civilians and NOT a weapon used for military use it was protected under the second amendment and that set the stage for the court to refuse to review the Maryland ban.
We can no longer sit back and refuse to pay attention.
Bobbyjoe says:
The Obamacare had mental evaluations in there as the beginning of the plan to invoke a mental exam to have firearms. I know as when it came out and Pelosi said “ we have to pass it to know whats in it” i went and printedit at local office store. Set me back a couple hundred just in printing costs. I went through it and saw the mental halth sections. This was about the time doctors began asking if you owned firearms. This is how they will try to go after our gun rights by requiring mental exams. Think of the potential for abuse. Beware this is where they are heading
JuniorJetson says:
The anti-gun, anti-Second Amendment, anti-self defense arguments are so devoid of logic that any agreement with them places one squarely in one of two camps: 1) those unable to think critically, or, 2) intentional subversion of the U.S. Constitution.
Both can be fatal, especially to those in both camps.
Txcntryboy says:
I volunteer to protect children in school. I am trained with firearms. I am a Marine veteran. I am an Oathkeeper.
Ignatious Piazza with Front Sight has offered to train teachers and school administrators for free at the Front Sight Firearms Training Institute in Pahrump, NV. I do not believe any ISD has taken him up on his offer.
I’m probably older than most here. I was brought up at a time when most of the men had served in WWII. When you sat at the family dinner table on Sunday, you got the impression that conspiracy was the issue.
It wasn’t because you were some tin-foil hat nut, but because you had common sense. The men in my family hated FDR. They knew that Pearl Harbor was a setup. They understood the workings of government and how its goals.
Having said that, does anyone here recognize the real goal of gun free zones?
Lets get it started Oath Keeper. Time for you to spear head a national petition making it mandatory for all school faculty to train in and open carry of firearms. As the left moves farther against the protection of our nation with the elite, new world Government, we must take even grater steps in the proper direction to include even bringing back firearms training in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades as I and my four brothers and sisters were trained back in the late sixties. WDYT? Please comment. Bob H Florida
Proud Patriot American says:
When guns are outlawed (if the left has their way, it will happen!) America will cease to exist as FREE open society! Our personal liberty will be gone! Our rights to choose will be gone! our right to “FREE SPEECH” will be gone! Our FREE and OPEN ELECTIONS will be gone. It IS NOT the Legal gun owning American Patriot that is the problem! It is the Liberal Left and their “live as you want” thinking that is the problem. Is AR type semi-auto weapons are banned-all semi-auto shotguns, pistols, rifles will be illegal for all but the military, police, security, Government and criminal’s! Law breakers will ALWAYS have access to ALL types of weapons, including semi-auto and automatic weapons even after law abiding citizen’s have been banned from owning them. A ban on guns will increase the sale on the “Black Market” of all semi and automatic guns across the entire world! The only ones to benefit from a gun ban will be the criminal element. period!
illinois concealed carry license expiration says:
Holy shit… Illinois… New York? Glad to see you guys
are getting your teeth back despite your elected officials…
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Another Day, Another Scandal-Bitter Fruit of a Free Market
By Stephen Metcalf • 07/15/02 12:00am
Buy, Lie, and Sell High: How Investors Lost Out on Enron and the Internet Bubble , by D. Quinn Mills. Financial Times, Prentice Hall, 286 pages, $21.60.
How Companies Lie: Why Enron Is Just the Tip of the Iceberg , by A. Larry Elliott and Richard J. Schroth. Crown, 200 pages, $18.95.
Scrubbed from the Astros’ ballpark and the memory banks of the Cheney energy task force, the name Enron is suddenly popping up on the cover of every new business book. It’s usually a last-minute addition. Neither How Companies Lie: Why Enron Is Just the Tip Of the Iceberg nor Buy, Lie, and Sell High: How Investors Lost Out on Enron and the Internet Bubble is really about Enron, per se. They’re about a culture of semi-sanctioned numbers-fudging, feather-bedding, self-dealing and sketchy bookkeeping, all the Enron-style abuses now crowding the business pages.
The scandal-shouting headlines should be telling us something, and both these books confirm it: Forget individual acts of villainy; forget who set up what dummy L.L.C. in the Caymans. Ask instead: What is the fate of those Cato Institute buzzwords, “transparency”and”efficiency”? What about those hymns to the glory of deregulation and the free market, the sing-along that shaped public attitudes and public policy in the 90’s? Was that only a sweetener for venality and graft? In the aftermath of Enron (of Sunbeam, Waste Management, Tyco, Global Crossing, WorldCom, Harken Energy), we confront a bitter irony: What if, instead of freer markets, all the talk of Adam Smith and Friedrich von Hayek was actually a smokescreen obscuring a Nomenklatura-style crime wave?
Your conservative pundit, terrified that shifting winds will expose the crony capitalists clustered under the free-market banner, has decided, rather perversely, to blame the public. “Everybody knew they were participating in a bubble,” The Wall Street Journal ‘s Holman W. Jenkins Jr. wrote recently in Slate -a fair representative of the new strategy for coping with the rash of corporate scandal. The media, Mr. Jenkins assures us, are resorting to “off-the-shelf narrative devices and standard clichés of the ‘evil businessmen did this to us’ variety. Of course, we’re not criminalizing any office clerks or … ordinary shareholders who also sold at the top, though thousands did.” According to this logic, we’re all implicated, and we’re punishing Ken Lay, Gary Winnick, Mary Meeker, Martha Stewart et al. for our own sins.
How Companies Lie and Buy, Lie, and Sell High spare the public and heap the blame squarely on corporate malefactors. Not unlike a late-90’s I.P.O., each book feels a little quick and dirty, as if it’s been rushed to market to satisfy fickle demand. ( How Companies Lie is by far the worse offender: It seems to have been dictated in real time rather than written and edited, and it’s filled with floating assertions and half-attributed anecdotes.) Nonetheless, together they paint a portrait of corporate America that’s like something out of Hieronymus Bosch: Our traditional corporate watchdogs morphing into partners in crime, our traditional financial stewards into predators. “In the modern world,” writes D. Quinn Mills, a professor at Harvard Business School, “a financial bubble is made by professional players who take advantage of public excitement to realize profit opportunities.” And, of course, it’s the small investor who gets screwed.
Saucy title aside, Buy, Lie, and Sell High is everything the boom-boom years weren’t: orderly, patient, sober and a bit boring. (Be warned: This is a book whose lone blurb comes courtesy of Orrin Hatch.) Foursquare as it is, Professor Mills’ treatise drives right to the heart of the most pertinent question: Who made money and who lost money on the $4 trillion round trip known as Nasdaq 5,000? The Internet bubble and the accounting scandals represent two rather startling transfers of wealth: in the case of Enron and its brethren, from shareholders to executive-level managers; in the case of the speculative bubble in Internet shares, from small investors to the supply chain that dumped increasingly flimsy public offerings onto the market.
As Professor Mills doggedly documents, nowhere in this supply chain did anything resembling professional disinterest assert itself. V.C.’s forced entrepreneurs to hurry fledgling companies to public markets long before they were ready, all the while bullying them to overspend on mass marketing.Next,theinvestment bankers-after performing no real due diligence-grossly underpriced the I.P.O., the better to use the new issue in their own elaborate system of favor-trading (which diverted money away from the entrepreneurs, giving it instead to high-roller clients, who promptly flipped the rocketing new issue). Finally, the banks supported the stock in the after-market with hype dressed up as research, often selling them to the mutual funds, who were all too happy to goose their own near-term results by providing mindless buy-side support.
Well, you may say, plus ça change. (“This vast, mysterious Wall Street world,” wrote Edith Wharton almost a century ago, with its “‘tips’ and ‘deals.'”) But hasn’t the recent deification of “The Market” encouraged a swashbuckling, almost robber-baron style among people who once might have taken pride in their upright professionalism? Perhaps they were sold on the idea that greed promotes the common good.
“It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner,” goes an Adam Smith quote that made the rounds in the 90’s, “but from their regard to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages.” Self-interest is the public interest. No wonder Adam Smith enjoyed such a vogue.
What passed unnoticed, though, was the precise way in which this bastardized philosophy-Adam Smith meets Gordon Gekko-helped erode ethical probity in the business world. Self-interest was elevated at the expense of the old ideal of professional disinterest.
Professions, after all, are cartels. They distort the market by erecting barriers to entry, by establishing elaborate-and sometimes purely arbitrary-credentialing procedures. In exchange for years of hoop-jumping, professionals regulate fees in a way that cannot be considered strictly competitive. What’s in it for the consumer? Protection: We allow this market distortion because professions protect the layperson against the abuse of expertise. (I may know something instinctively about the quality of my beer or my pork loin that I cannot know about tracheotomies or “swaptions.”) In theory, professions regulate themselves by sanctioning or expelling predators.
They also encourage in the good professional a certain gentility regarding money, an old-fashioned prudishness. Professionals aren’t supposed to haggle; they set standard fees, then bill you. They’re allowed to be very well-off, but not very rich. When the accounting firms went whole hog into consulting, collecting fees that often ran into the tens of millions; when mutual-fund managers became rock stars; when C.E.O.’s became fat-cat Messiahs-that’s when we should have noticed that professional gentility had been tossed overboard.
So let’s own up to it: Maybe greed is not so good after all.
Stephen Metcalf writes for Slate and reviews books regularly for The Observer.
Filed Under: Lifestyle, Book Review, Enron Corporation, Adam Smith, Holman Jenkins, D. Quinn Mills
SEE ALSO: City Ballet’s Casting Crisis A Key to the Company’s Values
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Tobias S. Harris
Japan Analyst
Observing Japan Blog
Recommended Book: Securing Japan, Richard Samuels
On December 17, 2007 By Tobias S. HarrisIn Observing Japan Blog
In the aftermath of Japan’s first successful test of its ballistic missile defense systems, the “Japan Rising” meme will undoubtedly be on the lips of foreign commentators. Expect more articles like the NYT article by Norimitsu Onishi discussed in this post in July.
Fortunately MIT’s Richard Samuels, in his latest book Securing Japan, provides a more balanced look at Japan’s changing security posture. Samuels studiously avoids the extremes of the debate, offering instead a level-headed scholarly discussion of the dynamics of Japanese security policy both at present and since the Meiji Restoration. Unlike Kenneth Pyle’s Japan Rising, however, which is largely a history of Japanese foreign policy change, Samuels spends at least as much time discussing where Japan is going as where it has been.
His conclusion is that the security policy consensus — the successor of the Yoshida Doctrine — that will emerge from the contemporary debate will not be the result of the revisionists simply imposing their will on the Japanese people. Rather, it will be the result of a compromise (what Samuels calls a “Goldilocks consensus”) that strikes a balance between the alliance with the US and economic integration in Asia and a constructive relationship with China, while lifting some of the limits on Japan’s armed forces, a process that Samuels shows is well underway.
The new Japan, Samuels argues, will look more like Canada or Germany, a country reluctant to use force aggressively but willing to play an armed role in peacekeeping and post-conflict reconstruction. As a result of living in a more dangerous neighborhood, the JSDF’s mission profile will, of course, differ somewhat from other US allies, in that it will have to monitor activities in the air and seas around Japan and repel intruders when necessary, as Japan’s Coast Guard is already doing (documented at length by Samuels). But the end result will be a looser US-Japan alliance — in which Japan might occasionally say no — and a greater focus on Asia by Japan, both as a source of security threats and economic opportunities.
This would be, I think, a positive outcome for Japan (and the US).
I would like to make note of a couple more things about this book. First, as in previous books and articles, Samuels shows his first-class skills as a political “taxonomist.” For those confused about the differing schools of thought in the contemporary Japanese debate, Samuels deftly explains the differences and traces their roots back to the late nineteenth century.
Second, for my part I find his theoretical approach appealing. Samuels is a self-described “realist,” but he is not a structural realist. As he demonstrated clearly in Machiavelli’s Children (discussed in this post), leaders matter — and domestic politics matter. National interests and foreign policies are not simply determined by the international system. They are the result of a complex, messy interaction between the international system and domestic political systems, with politicians and bureaucrats playing a mediating role, trying to advance their personal interests and their visions of the nation’s interests simultaneously. The result is that policy changes do not always have obvious international antecedents. There are often lags, as states struggle to interpret changes in the international environment.
The result is that we now have a comprehensive guide to how Japan has interpreted recent international changes and changed its domestic institutions so to be better able to interpret international signals, a guide that will also be useful in putting events like Japan’s BMD test in perspective.
Book recommendationEast Asian international relationsinternational relations theoryJapanese security policyJapanese security policy debateUS-Japan alliance
Desperate for a win
Not your father’s (or grandfather’s) LDP?
4 thoughts on “Recommended Book: Securing Japan, Richard Samuels”
Yeah, I read this book a few months ago (is it you who has my reading list?). I didn\’t pay much attention to the final few chapters as I was a bit busy at the time.\”Rather, it will be the result of a compromise (what Samuels calls a \”Goldilocks consensus\”) that strikes a balance between the alliance with the US and economic integration in Asia and a constructive relationship with China, while lifting some of the limits on Japan\’s armed forces, a process that Samuels shows is well underway.\”This struck me as interesting, not because it is a fairly good assessment of the situation (which it is), but for me, it just seems to be a \”new\” reformulation of the postwar constants. That is, a government that seeks expanded military capabilities to secure \”recognition\” for Japan, held in check by economic priorities and a significant minority of \”anti-militarists\”. The difference now is that the main political arguments form around economic issues not defence. Ever read 日本政治の対立軸? I haven\’t but the thesis sounds similar.
I wonder if this is the sort of thing that Japan\’s expanded capabilities will be used to counter in future:http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/news/20071218ia22.htm
This last point regarding Samuels\’ realism about Japan\’s foreign policy being a complex messy interaction between the international pressures and domestic political considerations is of course true of the foreign policies of other countries as well. But it is surprising how little this \”universal truth\” is appreciated or even understood in the US Congress and especially in the US mass media. It leads to a tendency to take things at face value and accept arguments based on superficial assessments which ultimately result in bad policies and deep quagmires such as we are experiencing in the Middle East today.
Mr Samuels iis n Japan at the moment doing a lot of lectures to promote the book.He was at the ICJS university on Friday.I\’m going to see him on Sunday at http://www.gooddaybooks.com and he\’s speaking at the foreign correspondent\’s club on the 16th! http://www.fccj.or.jp/node/3066
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Howard Stern Calls Britney Spears an 'X Factor' 'Trainwreck'
Here’s How Kim Kardashian Chose Daughter North’s Name
Most everyone in the entertainment world was excited to hear The X Factor had landed Britney Spears as its new celebrity judge. One famous face that's not so thrilled? Howard Stern.
OK! NEWS: IT'S OFFICIAL! BRITNEY SPEARS SIGNS DEAL TO JOIN X-FACTOR
Clearly not a member of the Britney Spears fan club, Howard told Access Hollywood that the pop star will show up "eat a lollipop, wear a sexy outfit" and offer no real insight to any of the contestants.
"Listen, I think we’re going to tune in to see her, if she can sort of function through the thing," he snarled. "As far as any real criticism, I think Simon [Cowell] and L.A. Reid will be doing that… I don’t anticipate great opinions out of her."
Ouch. Not content to drag down only one superstar, Howard then turned his criticisms to Jennifer Lopez on American Idol.
"I think she’s going to sit there like J.Lo and [say], ‘Oh, you’re wonderful. You’re terrific. Do you think I could get a perfume endorsement out of this?'" he said. "'You think I could perform on the show?’ I think that’s what it’s about."
OK! GALLERIES: BRITNEY SPEARS SHOPS IT UP WITH A SMILE
The shock jock ended his verbal tirade by saying Brit will be good for ratings, as people will "tune in to see what kind of trainwreck she is."
A very rich trainwreck, Howard. Brit's contract was rumored to be $15 million for one season, and those in her camp say she and Simon are "very excited to work together."
Will you watch?
Want to stay on top of Britney Spears news? Sign up for OK INSIDER!
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SODM
Groningen gas extraction to be halted 8 years sooner than planned
Sep 10 '19 13:28
BusinessPolitics
The Dutch government wants to halt gas extraction in Groningen much earlier than originally planned. Minister Eric Wiebes of Economic Affairs and Climate now thinks that gas extraction in the earthquake-ridden province can be stopped by mid-2022, instead of in 2030, NOS reports.
Hague gas explosion shows cast iron pipelines pose national risk: report
A large gas explosion in The Hague in January shows that cast iron gas pipelines pose a risk to the entire Netherlands, the state supervision on mines SodM concluded after investigating the explosion in the crawl space of the Hague apartment building. There are still 3,830 kilometers of dangerous gas pipelines in the Netherlands, and network operators must remove and replace these pipelines more quickly, the SodM said, NOS reports.
Minister advised to speed up Groningen home reinforcements
The repair and reinforcement of homes that suffered serious damage as a result of gas extraction earthquakes in Groningen, needs to be speeded up, the state supervision on mines SoDM said in advice to Minister Eric Wiebes of Economic Affairs, RTL Nieuws reports.
Another earthquake in Groningen
Feb 9 '18 07:45
NatureTop Stories
An earthquake was felt in Groningen on Thursday afternoon. According to meteorological institute KNMI, the quake had a magnitude of 2.0 and it's epicenter was near Loppersum at a depth of 3 kilometers.
The quake happened around 4:30 p.m., according to broadcaster NOS. Dozens of people from Loppersum, Zeerijp and Garrelsweer reported feeling it. The KNMI called it an 'induced' earthquake, which means that it was caused by gas extraction.
Netherlands gas fields begin closing in earthquake aftermath
Gas production in Loppersum, Groningen has been shut down with immediate effect, Dutch petroleum company NAM announced on Friday. Closing the Loppersum gas fields immediately was one of the measures the state supervisor on mines SoDM advised following an earthquake in the region last month, the strongest earthquake to hit Groningen in five years.
Dutch told to slash gas extraction by half to stop earthquakes
Gas extraction in Groningen must be halved to a maximum of 12 billion cubic meters a year in order to stop fracking earthquakes and guarantee safety in the province, the state supervisor on mines SoDM said in a recommendation to Minister Eric Wiebes of Economic Affairs and Climate on Thursday. The Loppersum clusters must close immediately, the SoDM said, RTL Nieuws reports.
Parliament demands quick protocol for Groningen earthquake damage; Minister gives no time frame
Jan 17 '18 08:45
Almost all parties in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, demanded that Minister Eric Wiebes of Economic Affairs and Climate come up with a protocol for handling earthquake damage caused by gas extraction in Groningen within two weeks. Wiebes will make haste on such a protocol, but can not give a time frame for when it will be ready, he said in a parliamentary debate on the matter on Tuesday, NOS reports.
Dutch natural gas income at lowest level since 1975
Apr 26 '17 11:55
Last year the Dutch government made 2.4 billion euros from natural gas extraction - almost 3 billion euros less than in 2015 and the lowest level since 1975, according to figures released by Statistics Netherlands on Wednesday.
The decrease can partly be attributed to decreased gas extraction due to the risk of earthquakes, according to the statistics office. Lower gas prices also played a role - last year the producer prices were halved compared to 2013.
Heavy earthquake warning forces further gas extraction cuts in Groningen
The Dutch government is reducing gas extraction in Groningen by a further 10 percent based on advice from the State supervision on mines SodM that this is the only way to reduce the chance of heavy earthquakes in the region, Minister Henk Kamp of Economic Affairs announced on Tuesday. This year 24 billion cubic meters of gas can be extracted in Groningen, as of October 1st that will be reduced to 21.6 billion cubic meters, NU.nl reports.
Mild Earthquake in Appingedam
Nov 27 '13 12:07
A small earthquake occurred in Appingedam, 20 kilometers northeast of Groningen, Nieuws.nl reports quoting a spokesman for the KNMI.
Chance of heavier earthquakes
The earthquakes in Groningen can become more powerful than they have been until now. The authorities concerned, don't rule out the possibility of earthquakes with a magnitude between 4.5 and 6.0 on the Richter scale, in the future.
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They Might be Able to Parrot Diversity, but they’ll Never Quite Understand Pluralism
Imagine someone running for the highest office in Germany, the position of Chancellor, but was the political protégé of, and announced ones’ political career at a social event in the home of a member of the Red Army Faction or the Baader-Meinhof gang. Now imagine dad ort in them there Vereinigten Staaten, 80 to 90 percent of the population wanted Germans to vote for that candidate because there’s something superficial about the candidate appeals to their vanity.
That’s an analog of the example Clarsimonius uses when discussing German ideas of how Americans should vote, and for that reason alone, Americans shouldn’t vote their way. Much in the way that looking through a child’s eyes and hearing their comments tells one a great deal about what they are shown and how they were socialized, it’s revealing.
Now over to Observing Hermann:
But having said that… I want you all to know that Germany and the Germans are expecting a whole lot of you this US-American Presidential Election year 2008. And you may or may not be aware of this, although I wouldn’t know how you could not be, but 80 to 90 percent of the German population expects you to vote for you-know-who. That’s right, him. And by you-know-who I mean you-know-who, not that other guy, what’s-his-name. I’m serious here, by the way. With the numbers, I mean. When I say 80 to 90 percent of the German population expects you to vote for you-know-who and not what’s-his-name, I mean 80 to 90 percent of the German population. No fooling.
Stop and think about this for a minute. This is significant. Unlike us in the US, Germans regularly go 80 to 90 percent for people, things and ideas they like and then later reject. It’s just the way they are. We are a bit backward in that respect, I suppose, rarely able to get half the population to agree upon much of anything, especially these days. I don’t know why we are that way, but we are. Germany has it much better than we do in this regard. Things are so much more, well, homogeneous here.
Via the formerly dormant David’s Medienkritik, a portrait of the populist German view of the United States tells you even more about this wisdom – it delights in any shred of a theory about the smiting, hopeful downfall, or debasement of the US. They also as an almost uniformly simplistic and near monolithic social entity, want Americans to vote for Barack Obama, who has such poor judgment that Ayers’ terrorist acts (having occurred when Obama was 8,) has given Barack Obama his entire adult lifetime to realize that the Weather Underground hated America in the exact same way the RAF, Red Brigade, and the Baader-Meinhof gang hated their nations and were willing to use violent coercion to force on the population changes that the public would not have wanted.
It seems that what they really want is to see a snuff film starring America, and they would also tell you it’s because they’re a concerned friend offering advice.
Oiled up and ready for action
Well, thank goodness there will now be drilling off the coast of Florida. It may take a few years but this will help with world supply, world prices, and help elevate the standard of living a little bit.
Of course, there is only one slight problem:
The state-owned Cuban oil company says the country may have more than 20bn barrels of oil in its offshore fields - more than double the previous estimate.
Cubapetroleo's exploration manager said drilling in the offshore wells would begin as early as the middle of 2009.
Such reserves would place Cuba among the top 20 oil producing nations.
Glad to see that at least someone is taking energy sufficiency issues seriously. As capitalist countries become more socialist, why not the socialist ones becoming more capitalist?
Yes, the insanity of the US-centric environmentalist movement is clear to see.
Posted by Georges at 16:16 No comments: Links to this post
J.H.C. on a rubber crutch!
Despite being possibly the only member of the NP staff (an admittedly junior member) who would consider voting for Senator Obama if possible, this editorial from the New York Times is beyond absolutely unbelievable and incredulous. Even a casual observer not living in the US is quite aware of what ACORN is and what they have been up to in terms of fraudulent activity. Still the NYT sticks its journalistic head (and its few remaining shreds of credibility) in the sand, deep:
In Wednesday night’s debate, John McCain warned that a group called Acorn is "on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history" and "may be destroying the fabric of democracy." Viewers may have been wondering what Mr. McCain was talking about. So were we.
Acorn is a nonprofit group that advocates for low- and moderate-income people and has mounted a major voter-registration drive this year. Acorn says that it has paid more than 8,000 canvassers who have registered about 1.3 million new voters, many of them poor people and members of racial minorities.
In recent weeks, the McCain campaign has accused the group of perpetrating voter fraud by intentionally submitting invalid registration forms, including some with fictional names like Mickey Mouse and others for voters who are already registered.
Based on the information that has come to light so far, the charges appear to be wildly overblown — and intended to hobble Acorn’s efforts.
Someone needs to alert the FBI that they are wasting their time on the investigation into ACORN's activities.
Take a Closer Look at His Gift, and Tell Us…
(Thanks to Valerie)
European betters, defined
Whether it be the Guardian, Der Spiegel, Liberation, etc, Americans (US) are constantly harangued about their fast-food, Texas-laden, faux-nouveaux, Jerry Springer culture.
Why can't those bloody Yanks take a page from the European model, grow-up and behave appropriately:
Jobless George Lee, 28, hugs his pregnant wife Stacey, 21 — yet the baby boy she is carrying proudly is NOT his.
She inseminated herself using a 50p turkey baster and sperm from George’s stepfather Paul, 57.
Stacey and her hubby already have one child each from previous relationships but both youngsters are being looked after by Social Services.
Sit back and let the high European culture wash over you in waves.
Hope, Change, and Fraud
One of the many ways that actual spending on Obama’s campaign got past the $1 Billion mark when you include the unions and organizations tacitly running on his behalf without the direct consent of their members.
Do as I say, not as I do. This is the left. FABulous elitism and a bunch of people who give themselves a million reasons to both burden everyone else to satisfy their needs to absolve themselves of guilt, while at the same time grinding others under their heels.
Finally, the working class proletarians can “reduce their carbon footprint” while they take a private jet tour around the world to tromp all over otherwise undisturbed areas that are only undisturbed because they want to take them out of any form of productive use to the people who live there.
This is all that this famous “but you can run your economy on eco-tourism” amounts to – setting it up so that happy peasants can appear to be stroking their dolphins, living happily in the 18th century to prop up their world view while they jet overhead. They will no doubt also be the recipients of even more influence and abused political power if Obama is elected.
- Thanky, Thanky to Strummin’ Joe
So Ayers Is a College Professor? Okay, But… What Exactly Would a Man Who Regrets Not Setting Off More Bombs Be Teaching in His Classes?
Welcome back, Expat Yank!
Those Funny Pages
A meme thing: Fausta sends us to Brian where the fun begins. The topic, a press release by Senator Obama's campaign that mysteriously appears situ verbatus in a New York Times article. No beef with the Senator's campaign, they are just doing their job. The NYT, well ..... perhaps they think they are just doing theirs as well.
The end of modern journalism? Nah, just another day at the office.
What Leftists Mean When they Say that they'll Cut your Taxes
What they mean is nothing but numerical parlor tricks. This, after he insisted that the Bush tax cut would be eliminated, of course.
Wonder where the "Hope and Change" theme came from?
Wonder no more. Mark Levin reads verbatim from Saul Alinsky's book Rules For Radicals (Thanks to Comrade Frank), "the book that Obama taught from — that Obama organized from".
Now Man I Don't Think We're Better Than Anybody Else; This Is America: We ARE Everybody Else!
(Thanks to unknown jane)
Obama to bring Gentle and Thoughtful “World Politics” to Ignorant American Ingrates
No thanks – because it’s precisely why Americans are always said to turn their backs on the world:
About 50 parishioners were locked into the Assemblies of God church before it was set ablaze. They were mostly women and children. Those who tried to flee were hacked to death by machete-wielding members of a mob numbering 2,000.
The 2008 New Year Day atrocity in the Kenyan village Eldoret, about 185 miles northwest of Nairobi, had all the markings of the Rwanda genocide of a decade earlier.
Thank you, Mr. Odinga. Which means it’s now time to trot out the idiotic buzz-phrases and fake adolescent 80’s poetry slam anger in the interest of Hope and Change.
Mr. Odinga and Mr. Obama were nearly inseparable throughout Mr. Obama's six-day stay. The two traveled together throughout Kenya and Mr. Obama spoke on behalf of Mr. Odinga at numerous rallies. In contrast, Mr. Obama had only criticism for Kibaki. He lashed out against the Kenyan government shortly after meeting with the president on Aug. 25. "The [Kenyan] people have to suffer over corruption perpetrated by government officials," Mr. Obama announced.
"Kenyans are now yearning for change," he declared. The intent of Mr. Obama's remarks and actions was transparent to Kenyans - he was firmly behind Mr. Odinga.
Thereto we should find a growing appeal for over-exaggeration, emotionalism, mendacity, and the ridiculous assertions found out there in that gentle and caring world™®©, as lectured to us by our continental betters:
Mr. Odinga and Mr. Obama's father were both from the Luo community, the second-largest tribe in Kenya, but their ties run much deeper. Mr. Odinga told a stunned BBC Radio interviewer the reason why he and Mr. Obama were staying in near daily telephone contact was because they were cousins. In a Jan. 8, 2008, interview, Mr. Odinga said Mr. Obama had called him twice the day before while campaigning in the New Hampshire primary before adding, "Barack Obama's father is my maternal uncle."
These aren’t the ties that bind, and when it comes to ridiculous requests and demands based on that relationship, I’m sure President Superman will ignore them, unless there’s some sort of extortion opportunity involved that ‘his divine munificence’ has opened himself up to.
Mr. Obama's judgment is seriously called into question when he backs an official with troubling ties to Muslim extremists and whose supporters practice ethnic cleansing and genocide. It was Islamic extremists in Kenya who bombed the U.S. Embassy in 1998, killing more than 200 and injuring thousands. None of this has dissuaded Mr. Obama from maintaining disturbing loyalties.
Nonetheless Africans are sure to feel the hurt when the Hope and Change train changes and dramatically reverses US international policy in the interest of the caring and loving Bobos both in the US and in Europe.
So Are There Any Differences, and What Are They?
Continuing adventures in what really counts...
Ahhh governmentalism, keeping it real during financially chaotic times:
Any football match in France before which the country's national anthem is booed will now be "immediately stopped", French Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot said Wednesday after meeting with President Nicolas Sarkozy.
The dramatic move followed the booing of "La Marseillaise" during France's 3-1 friendly win over Tunisia at the Stade de France in Paris on Tuesday.
"Any match when our national anthem is whistled will be stopped immediately," Bachelot said after talks with Sarkozy and French Football Federation president Jean-Pierre Escalettes.
"Government members will immediately leave the arena where our national anthem has been whistled.
"When whistling of our antional anthem happens, all friendly games with the country concerned will be suspended for a period yet to be determined by the federation president."
Could they be any more condescending? The interviewer is a French dork who split from his shithole country to work in an Silicon Valley start-up headed by Loïc LeMeur (ex-Internet consultant for Sarko's electoral campaign).
Note to John McCain:
Barack Obama = Jane Fonda
What is it about leftist politics that you don't understand, John McCain? You who defend Barack Obama as a good family man who would make a terrific president…
Listen, if you haven't understood yet, this ain't officers' promotion roll, where in general, one officer's promotion to higher rank over another is, in the long run (and beyond the losing officer's entirely personal disappointment), no big deal. If you haven't understood yet, Barack Obama is, or is equivalent to, Jane Fonda. (Yes, that Jane Fonda.)
How do you think that, say (just to pick an example out of thin air), the prisoners of Hanoi Hilton would have fared had Richard Nixon run against Jane Fonda in 1968, had Nixon said that Henry Fonda's daughter had family values second to none and would make a terrific president, and had Jane won the elections of 1968 (and 1972)?
That may be stretching the truth a little bit, some might say, but certainly it is hard to say that Barack's friends and entourage are different from Jane's — unless you take into account that Obama's have a lot more power.
And as far as friends (and buddies and colleagues) are concerned, John McCain, it's time you stopped looking at the Illinois senator as one — he is not a fellow officer, not a brother in arms — and you started looking at the members of your party base as as many intimates. Certainly, any friendship you get from Barack is, if not feigned, at best a stepping stone to personal power and to victory.
From Terrorist to Terroiriste
Marina Petrella's weakened state and "profound depression" is potentially life-threatening, the office of President Nicolas Sarkozy said, announcing that the French chief of state had annulled an extradition decree for humanitarian reasons.
Former Red Brigade terrorist Marina Petrella was imprisoned last year for life, convicted in absentia by an Italian court in 1992 for killing an Italian police commissioner. Since her health is poor, and that alone is an adequate reason to in all but name, absolve her of any guilt, the French government sought to release her back into the wild, rejecting an appeal by an Italian court to extradite her to Italy.
It Seems that the Snapper is Mightier that the Sword
It was sped up by Sarkozy sister in law, and was even made light pleasant by a call to Patrella by Carla Bruni, purportedly at the request of the President. Meddling in this whole matter is Carla’s sister, who took on the role of an advocate for Patrella using Carla to get the ear of Sarkozy.
Elisa Novelli, the daughter of Marina Petrella, also received a call Saturday for the first lady of France. "I was at home when I get this call. Madame Bruni-Sarkozy introduced herself and said the military clause had been applied on my mother (...). Of course I was surprised and saddened. I was extremely touched by his involvement, "she said on RTL."
"We appreciate the humane commitment of Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi and her sister Carla Bruni-Sarkozy", said Scalzone Oreste, a member of the committee to support Marina Petrella.
Thanks to the "pugnaciousness" of Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, who "throughout the past two months has frequently spoken about this subject with my husband," that role "alert" played with the Chairman was possible, insisted Carla Bruni-Sarkozy to Libération.fr.
She stressed first be Marina Petrella went to prison in order to provide "a personal and very direct", then explained his views to his sister who "gave its assent to her husband."
"I just thought it was a terrible thing to die," the actor insisted.
Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi is said to have also spoken directly with President Nicolas Sarkozy, who, she says, "absolutely listened. Then he met, I think on several occasions, doctors and lawyers. He studied the case," she went on to say.
There is no reason to believe that she would die, not that her murder and terror isn’t a reason to believe that she forfeited her life to begin with, but that just doesn’t matter.
After all, in Left-world, imprisoned terrorists are a cause, released terrorists are rock stars. Just as the likes of William Ayers is a trophy signaling to others that one is a elite of edginess, Marina Patrella who killed for the same causes and same ideology as Ayers will be no different.
Just watch as the posers and attention-seekers gravitate to her.
"Voter Registration"? No, That Is Not the Way to Describe ACORN's Moves…
This says it all:
After speaking, dramatically, of how others have “died so I can vote" and after evoking "one nation, indivisible with liberty and justice for all", Maryland ACORN president Rev. Gloria Swierenga adds that "the Palin campaign speaks for itself.”
If ACORN is non-partisan, as it claims to be, the attack on the Palin (or the McCain) campaign is out of bounds and shows its true colors.
True, this should not be surprising to anyone — as ACORN has publicly come out for Barack Obama — but the voter registration is depicted as a patriotic duty, and that ought to be non-partisan. But the people whom ACORN's workers are registering can't be described as voters, or even as American citizens; what they can only be described as is as Democrats — Democrats who think exactly like ACORN, to be specific… (Of course, some of the registered people can also be described as dead persons, but that's another story…)
So it isn't voter registration. It's Democrat registration, or, People-who-think-like-me registration. There's nothing incriminating in that in and of itself, of course… No…
Only: don't tell us that this is ACORN's patriotic gesture (as in its ALL-American gesture)!
Caption: Heeding the call, another voter feels it is his most solemn duty to join the Obama drive! (Merci à RV pour l'image et le hyperlien…)
Are People Voting for Obama Because of His Policies or Because He Is Black?
Are you more for Obama's policy because he is pro-life or because he thinks our troops should stay in Iraq and finish this war?
Howard Stern's radio show adds a follow-up question (merci à Larwyn et François Guillaumat) while taking McCain's policies and pretending they are Obama's:
Now, if Obama wins, do you have any problem with Sarah Palin being his vice-president? … Are you glad he elected her to be the VP if he wins?
With allies at every layer of society who are willing to change rules, break laws, and flout procedures in order to bring Obama to power…
With "a vote fraud operation working on his behalf in states across America" and with "allies at every layer of society who are willing to change rules, break laws, and flout procedures in order to bring him to power", Christopher Cook worries about freedom of expression and even fears that The Second American Civil War Is Underway…
Ségo Light
Just as they did in France, suggesting that violence would break out if the conservative is elected, the Left in the US are injecting similar threats of violence in the rhetoric in another way. They’ve always used the same old word-dropping silliness, using the word “dangerous” in reference to their opponents, just as they do with those that disagree with them, but in this case it’s an attempt to revive fears of Dixiecrat style violence.
It’s a stunning inversion of the violence found in their own world view. Between one blogger referring to Palin as a M.I.L.P. (mother I’d like to punch), to former comedian Sandra Berhardt’s threat that “her in thin air, it’s patently obvious that Obama’s supporters are the ones desperate with rage.
Quagmire in Gaza
Same difference, and it probably took place between long-winded lectures about American lawlessness or maybe America being a ‘police state’ or something:
A police crew was caught in a real ambush yesterday around 4 pm on Rue Vestrepain in Toulouse. The patrol car was targeted by a about 40 individuals who hid their faces and threw projectiles at police: stones, cans and whatever they had on hand. To escape police used flash-ball rounds [ed.: a non-lethal weapon] on as well as tear gas. The policemen managed to leave the area without being hurt. None of the attackers has been arrested despite the arrival of reinforcements.
Otherwise there are sock-puppet Euro-intellectual types who are willing to crane their necks far enough to call a dump like that ‘a treasure’ – up until the moment they get treated like the Samoan in Pulp Fiction.
A Winning Strategy for McCain: Not Attacking Specifics, Simply Describing Patterns
It is not enough for John McCain to discuss specifics and attack specific details of Barack Obama's record every time they pop up. He must also speak of patterns.
It is not enough for John McCain to describe the present and state what he will do. He must also speak of the past make comparisons with the past. Specifically, his opponent's past.
In fact — what I am going to say now may sound senseless and outrageous at first, but read it through and see if you do not agree — in fact, that is the only (or at least the main) thing McCain should speak about. He should forget about challenging Obama and only speak of patterns in the Illinois senator's life, career, and speeches.
Challenging Obama — unfortunately — does nothing, or little, to make a dent in the Illinois senator's poll numbers.
Simply describe Obama's pattern(s) and leave it at that.
Stop looking for explanations or apologies from Barack Obama or his campaign on this topic or on that topic.
No. What must be adopted is a matter-of-fact tone that pictures Obama for what he is.
Not because this is a strategy. Not because this is campaigning.
But because this is — precisely because this is — the truth.
There is nothing to attack. No matter what he has said in the past, no matter what he will say in the future, Barack Obama is surrounded by radicals with radical ideas — end of story.
Simply describe Barack Obama for what he is.
It is vain to ask for repudiation of this associate of his and apologies for that other associate of his. What counts is to point out that his entire entourage bathes in radicalism. Point it out as a fact. A fact that asks for no explanations and no apologies — nothing more than a vote against the Democratic Party at the polls.
And a note to John McCain: By doing what I write about here, you are not using unfair tactics. You are doing nothing more and nothing less than giving a description — a highly accurate and objective description — of who is likely to be in the highest spheres of power should Barack Hussein Obama win the presidency. It is vital — even patriotic and, yes, honorable — to point out exactly what awaits America should Americans make the leftish choice at the polls.
Domestic Policy and the
Content of Obama's Character
The point about the Reverend Wright was never the "God Damn America" epithet itself. It was, first, that, given the evidence, this could only be illustrative of the personal pastor's message throughout the years (including the 20 (!) years the Obama family sat in his pews) and, even more importantly, that he is illustrative of the type of people that Obama has associated with before, associates with now, and will associate with in the future, especially if he wins the White House.
If you focus on the "God Damn America" alone or on a Weatherman's past alone — or one at one moment in the campaign and the other at a totally different moment — Obama's repudiation of Jeremiah Wright or claim of not knowing much about William Ayers puts an effective stop to the criticism or makes it look like unreasonable rants. But point out — matter-of-factly, with little or no emotion (and keep pointing out, without respite) — that these phenomena (violent ravings in the pulpit, violent attacks on American institutions) are only indicative of the (simplistic) beliefs of a great deal of people surrounding Obama and likely to be in his inner circle when/if he enters the Oval Office — they even seem to be the beliefs of his wife (if nothing has made her, will make her, proud of her country until her husband is elected president, then somewhere, in her opinion, it can only be true that America must be a pretty damned-awful country) — and there you get people (even, perhaps, some members of the mainstream media) to think.
Again, it does little good to focus on Jeremiah Wright for weeks or months (only to have Obama repudiate the Reverend), then, months later, on Billy Ayers (only to have Obama belittle the relationship and perhaps repudiate the former (?) Weatherman by the time of the election), then (if time allows) on someone else. From the beginning, the constant drumbeat should have been — and it must be from now on — on all the significant others, all the associates, and all the foreign "fans" (not to mention the spouse) whose just-as-constant refrain through the years (and through the decades) has been "God damn America" — or words to that effect ("America be damned", "a goddamn awful place to live", "Allah damn America", etc, etc).
It is next to worthless to make demands and requests upon Obama (i.e., ask for apologies or to denounce a certain person's views). This is what the mainstream media does — asking him to "explain" himself, saying "how do you respond to this (obviously unfair and hateful) attack?" and "What can you do — what can we do — to put this behind us and focus on the real (sic) issues", allowing him to spin an answer, however much truth there is in that explanation or not. If you come back to the issue in attack mode, Obama simply says — and his allies (and those include the media, naturally) simply say — that McCain is obsessed, extremist, and vindictive or that because of the polls, these are a campaign's act of desperation.
As I have written elsewhere, from the beginning, John McCain should have said as follows (and in the remaining three weeks this must his campaign's constant drumbeat):
You object to the Republicans' making an issue of your associations, your friends, and your allies. The problem, as I see it, is the number of radicals you are surrounded with whose basic message is (or is akin to) "God damn America"; and whose tenet that has been for the past two decades or more.. The Reverend Jeremiah Wright says "God damn America" — and it is hard to believe he hasn't been preaching as much during the past 20 years. The Weatherman terrorist from whose residence you launched your Illinois senate campaign, Bill Ayers, spouts — and continues to this day to spout — words to the effect of "God damn America." During his lifetime, the Communist Party USA member Frank Marshall Davis, whom your campaign has admitted was the "Frank" mentioned in your autobiography, used to shout (in so many words) "God damn America." The basic message of Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, is "God damn America."
How about organizations such as ACORN and MoveOn? Is it unfair to say that the basic essence of the message in such damn-civilized-debate,-damn-the-voter-process groups is God damn the American Way? How about Tony Rezko — what does his travails say about his respect for America's rules and laws? And how about Michelle Obama? Being proud of her country for the first time if and only if her husband wins the presidency is akin to saying what, pray tell… The Middle Easterner Ahmed Yousef who spoke out in your favor, is a senior leader of the Hamas terrorist movement whose members regularly march through the streets, chanting God damn America. And what, pray tell, does Mahmoud Ahmadinejad say? Should Iran's president wish to meet with an American president (in order to be told that his country should not build nuclear weapons, a request which he can then ignore, as we know since George W Bush has been saying the same thing for years, as have the governments of France, Germany, and Britain), then you are his man.
All in all, that's a lot of friends and allies in your inner circle who dance to the tune of "God damn America!" That's a lot of admirers in the world, as well as same-minded activists, whose basic message is (or is akin to) "God (or Allah) damn America!"
The Jimmy Carter Style
of Foreign Policy
What is the major reason that Iran is our enemy today instead of our friend? Because Jimmy Carter wanted to teach a lesson to a faithful (if embarrassing) friend of America's.
Did you notice this at the debates? Most people don't seem to have: at one point, Barack Obama skewered John McCain and/or the Bush administration for not acting friendlier toward Iran or North Korea. At another, he issued threats to Iraq and Pakistan.
When Barack Obama criticized, first, Iraq and then Pakistan, McCain should have gone into pattern mode — evoking Jimmy Carter then and there.
Have you noticed how my opponent is always talking about having talks with our adversaries? He speaks of acting friendly with North Korea's Kim Jong Il and heading to Tehran to hold talks with a Holocaust-denyer (and a Holocaust-promiser!).
Yet Senator Obama also speaks about talking tough. Who does he speak about talking tough to? America's friends and allies. Iraq. Pakistan.
It's been tried before, my friends.
Some of you are too young to remember it, but back in 1976, Americans were hungering for change. And so they elected a man who was almost as young as Senator Obama. An idealist who spoke the same language and who boasted the same promises of hope and change, all with a winning smile and obvious reserves of good faith.
Jimmy Carter also spoke of dialogue. He spoke of solving all the problems and having his intervention solve all problems or inititiate a beginning to a solution for all problems.
In all this, the former Georgia governor was quite honest.
He opened up to our enemies and he closed the hatch down on our friends.
A man almost as young as Senator Obama, Jimmy Carter also thought that having talks with our enemies could solve — would solve — must solve every problem.
He criticized our friends notably in the Nicaraguan government and the Iranian government, talking tough with them. Those allies were sometimes distasteful allies, but in an imperfect world, they were America's allies nonetheless.
Thanks in great part to Jimmy Carter, those friends were overthrown. And in both cases, they were replaced not only with régimes that were inimical to America and to the West, but with régimes far more repressive and with far worse human rights records than those the criticized friends had reigned over.
The most conspicuous of these was Iran. And now Iran is in worse shape than ever. It is still a dictatorship — it is, in fact, a worse dictatorship than under the Shah — and it is now America's enemy and the enemy of the free world. And — need I tell you — it's in the process of getting nukes!
The Jimmy Carter version of foreign affairs has been tried before, my friends, and it doesn't work. It must be pushed out of the body politic.
It's a based on wishful thinking where no hard decisions must ever be taken, and all we must do is elect a young handsome candidate with a winning grin, and all will be well.
Not only does the Jimmy Carter version of foreign policy not work, but it is actually counter-productive. My friends, we do not need another four years like the Jimmy Carter era.
Spanish Foreign Minister Sees Syria as Home
Probably because it's a backwater and a cruel and retrograde dictatorship.
In an interview, Moratinos told Syrian TV: "Were it not for Syria's positive and helpful participation, the Doha Agreement and the steps that followed it would never have been achieved... Europe recognizes Syria's status and role, and that is why we are now seeing so many European foreign ministers lining up to visit Syria. As a matter of fact, all E.U. member states have good and positive relations with Syria."
On Spain's relations with Syria, Moratinos said: "There is nothing to prevent [us] from developing these relations, especially in this new era... In 2010, Spain will assume the E.U. presidency, and we must strengthen the strategic relations between Spain and Syria and include Syria in the E.U. framework. We share a long history and a rich culture, and there are many [potential] areas for cooperation between Spain and Syria
.Maybe this is more of that "telling people whatever they want to hear... maybe it's a sort of desperate latent desire to become a superpower for no particular reason, having had no particular role - especially in the making of any sort of just and durable peace for anyone, anywhere.
Maybe we can call this the Spanish fastasy pole.
"The unipolar world [order] has come to an end, as I have noticed in all my diplomatic activities. I have seen that countries and regions [now] shape their fate by themselves, without having to receive permission from Brussels, Washington or any other capital. This is a good [development], and its impact on the world will be a positive one."
Oddly enough, in this case the appeal comes at the expense of the Lebanese and Israelis - two societies that actually DO share a value systemn that resembles those of the Europeans... but what does THAT matter when you're pandering to an audience?
Tea-leafing
Hmmm, watching a live presser from Paris in which the bigs of the EU are announcing the latest governmental plan to "tackle" the current economic situation.
Plenty of praise for President Sarkozy, as to be expected for the host and current holder of the EU Rota Presidency.
Oddly enough, from a European perspective, Chancellor Merkel is not on the dais and has not been mentioned except in passing. One would think that an issue of paramount EU-importance would include the leader of the largest country/economy on the continent.
It will be interesting to see/hear/read why she was absent.
Reds 2.0
Not to be out-done by those hacks at the Guardian, Ellen Barry of the IHT lays it on thick in beatifying the previous death throes of that loving, caring, and simpler communal form of existence, the Soviet:
Their faces registered grief: They had lost Russia. They were dying off themselves. On the sidewalk, Valentina Ivanova, 56, was wiping away tears. "We once were a great country," she said. "Now we are divided into the rich and the poor."
They were poor, the people marching in front of us. The posters read, "No more increase in the price of food!" and "Revolution will return!" and "Capitalism = Death." Igor Mishenev, marching at the end of the procession, described Russia's post-Soviet history as a long heartbreak: The life expectancy for men is 59; the birth rate is half what it was in the late 1980s.
A small portion may have become wealthy, he said, but millions suffer. "All our slogans," he said. "They all came true."
Oddly enough, no mention of the gulag, mass famine, Red Terror, or millions dead can be found in the article. Then again, that really isn't the point now is it?
Hypocrity as Heroism
Leftists, while always willing to accuse anyone who disagrees with them of being obsessed with Soviets, Communism, or some feature of the past, can't seem to realize that the past is something they're still living in and clinging to as if it will lend them comfort. Worse still, it's romanticized to forget the millions murdered by the shining lights of the left in the past: Hitler, Mao, Stalin, etal...
That never seems to stop them from living in the past themselves.
The men and women of the International Brigades came from across Europe and beyond, and from all sorts of backgrounds too. In one of the Manchester Guardian's regular lists of those killed, the name of Jim Foley, "an old member of the Irish Republican Army", is followed by that of Christopher St John Sprigg, "the author of a number of detective novels and books on aeronautics".
Winston Churchill's nephew Esmond Romilly cycled across France in order to fight, one of over 2,000 people from Britain, Ireland and the Commonwealth who joined the Brigades. Many were communists; all were driven by a loathing of fascism. They confronted it out of choice when Britain and France were still trying to appease Hitler.
They were heroes, but not treated as such, attacked in rightwing British papers as mercenaries (the Guardian published plaintive denials from the frontline) and neglected after Spain fell in 1939.
A little criticism from the beggining of the last century, and they still haven't gotten over it. Amazing. If the author had any idea what the scale, persistence, and nature the slander that his fellow travellers emit reflexively... Even though an individual's choice is the last thing that the left's world view would accept. ALL is for the guided greater good of the state and the Jesus-like sacrifice that whatever el lider type they have to lionize at the moment has made for them.
All hands on deck...
....for the coming apocalypse and how to solve the most pressing problems facing man-kind:
Bars are to be banned from offering free alcohol to women and free wine and beer tastings will be curbed under a new system of government restrictions to cut public drunkenness.
There will also be rules to limit "happy hour" offers that encourage speed drinking and soft drinks will have to be sold at the same discount during promotions. Wine in restaurants will have to be served in glasses with marked measures.
The proposals, drafted by the Home Office and the Department of Health, seek to transform social attitudes towards drinking by breaking the association between drink and sexual, financial and social success.
The nanny-statists and extreme environmentalists will no doubt have a hard time straight-facing the nonsense they peddle should the current slouch indeed slump long and hard.
(Update: As we said, quite hard to straight-face)
They Might be Able to Parrot Diversity, but they’l...
So Ayers Is a College Professor? Okay, But… What E...
What Leftists Mean When they Say that they'll Cut ...
Wonder where the "Hope and Change" theme came from...
Now Man I Don't Think We're Better Than Anybody El...
Obama to bring Gentle and Thoughtful “World Politi...
Note to John McCain:Barack Obama = Jane Fonda
"Voter Registration"? No, That Is Not the Way to D...
Are People Voting for Obama Because of His Policie...
With allies at every layer of society who are will...
A Winning Strategy for McCain: Not Attacking Speci...
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The majority of those asked thought that these 'likes' helped to promote humanitarian causes and their work. Only a few users went no further than simply 'liking' organisations or issues related to humanitarian causes.
‘Likes’ provide humanitarian support
By Åse Dragland
According to a Norwegian study, ‘likes’ on Facebook are providing a new type of humanitarian support and social responsibility.
Petter Bae Brandtzæg and Ida Maria Haugstveit at SINTEF have been mapping the habits of more than 400 Facebook users recruited from Plan Norge’s Facebook page. The aim was to identify their motives in ‘liking’ a particular humanitarian cause or organisation on Facebook.
Facts about the project:
• The study has been published by the International Journal of Web Based Communities.
• The project is affiliated to the delTA project and is funded by the Research Council of Norway. Its aim is to study new types of online social responsibility among young people.
• As well as SINTEF, other participants in the delTA project include NRK, Plan Norge, Amedia, Kongsvinger municipality and the School of Architecture and Design.
Six different motives
The researchers asked the users to answer three main questions. Firstly, did they think that ‘liking’ on Facebook actually supported humanitarian causes? Secondly, what was it that motivated them to ‘like’ humanitarian causes? And finally, why did the users decide to ‘unlike’ humanitarian causes on Facebook?
“We discovered that there were about six different ways of using ‘likes’ in relation to support for humanitarian causes”, says Petter Brandtzæg. “For some people, it was about taking social responsibility. Other people clicked ‘like’ based on an immediate emotional response. A third group wanted to find out more information about the cause, while a fourth wanted to appear to their friends as socially responsible. Then there were those who clicked ‘like’ because it costs so little to ‘like’, and finally those who did this out of habit.
Self-marketing
The majority of those asked thought that these ‘likes’ helped to promote humanitarian causes and their work. Only a few users went no further than simply ‘liking’ organisations or issues related to humanitarian causes.
The researchers believe that it is important to be aware that for people who ‘like’ humanitarian causes on Facebook, this is not just an opportunity to support a cause. It is also a chance to promote their own commitment and market themselves, as well as encourage others to ‘like’ the same thing.
“Facebook offers a new type of social responsibility and humanitarian support – a kind of ‘low threshold activism’ in which it is easy for everyone to support a cause, no matter how much time, space or money they have”, says Brandtzæg.
• The 'like' button on Facebook was introduced as a function in 2009. It allows users to support and follow updates of a particular organisation, company or suchlike.
But 'liking' a page is also a way of making it available to their friends and acquaintances, and of adding their own comments.
Underlying social motives
‘Likes’ on Facebook are often accused of being simple ‘show-off’ actions, but this study shows that people who ‘like’ a humanitarian cause believe that their action can make a difference. This tendency was reinforced by the fact that the method of socially responsible ‘liking’ was the most common motivation for ‘liking’ a humanitarian cause.
“Social motives and an emotional reaction show that users are more likely to ‘like’ or follow a page rather than just search for information and news”, says Brandtzæg.
You can see the article here: http://www.inderscience.com/info/ingeneral/forthcoming.php?jcode=ijwbc
Petter Bae Brandtzæg, SINTEF ICT
Energy and environment Energy distribution Energy efficiency Energy storage Health ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Leisure time Media Nutrition and lifestyle Society Sociology Solar power Technology
Ocean prophets
These scientists can predict the direction an oil spill will take, or if salmon lice will infect a neighbouring fish farm.
Stress alarm for smoke-divers
Smoke-divers are exposed to high temperatures, physical exhaustion and stress. A new sensor system lets them know when the body has had enough.
Taking X-rays of CO2
A spongy sandstone deposit can help cool the Earth’s fever.
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Dengue fever sweeps Sri Lanka
by | 24 Aug, 2017
Red Cross Sri Lanka photo
An unprecedented dengue fever outbreak is spreading through Sri Lanka after flooding earlier this year. More than half of Sri Lanka’s districts were inundated by monsoon rains, leaving standing water as prime mosquito breeding areas.
The current infection rate is more than four times the annual average recorded since 2010. Since the beginning of 2017, more than 100,000 cases and nearly 300 deaths have been reported. Sri Lankan hospitals are so full they have been forced to turn away patients.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection that can cause severe pain and even death in severe cases. There is no known vaccination for the disease, so the best way to treat it is to avoid it altogether. With prevention as their goal, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in Sri Lanka (NCM Lanka) has begun a project to clean up trash in areas where mosquitoes breed.
Mosquitoes can turn even small amounts of standing water, such as in an empty food container, into breeding grounds. NCM Lanka is working to eliminate standing water by removing trash, implementing recycling efforts, and filling in low ground areas where water collects.
They are focusing on 11 communities where they run child development centers and have already developed relationships, predominately in areas where government cleanup efforts aren’t able to reach. In addition to promoting recycling, NCM Lanka staff are partnering with the government to promote cleanup efforts through the distribution of trashcans. They are also implementing educational programs on the importance of removing standing water and how to recognize signs of dengue. Through these efforts, approximately 750 families will be directly impacted.
Please pray for those who have lost loved ones and those who are caring for spouses, children, parents, and friends. Pray for those who are recovering from illness and for protection of lives, especially for vulnerable children and senior adults.
Churches and individuals around the world can provide support through the Sri Lanka Dengue Fever Outbreak Fund. Donations will be used for tools and materials necessary for prevention efforts and education.
To send donations by mail:
In the U.S., make checks payable to "General Treasurer" and send them to:
Global Treasury Services
Kansas City, MO 64184-3116
Be sure to put 128164 in the Memo area.
In Canada, make checks payable to "Church of the Nazarene Canada" and send them to:
Church of the Nazarene Canada
20 Regan Road, Unit 9
Brampton, Ontario L7A 1C3
For additional countries, please give through your local church or district, designating your gift to Sri Lanka Dengue Fever Outbreak.
--Nazarene Compassionate Ministries
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Chris Paul scores 28, leads Thunder rally to hand Rockets fourth straight loss
Associated PressJan 20, 2020, 9:44 PM EST
HOUSTON (AP) — Chris Paul scored 28 points and Danilo Gallinari added 25 as the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat cold-shooting James Harden and the Houston Rockets 112-107 on Monday.
Paul scored 27 of his 28 points in the first half against his former team. Gallinari and Dennis Schroder, who scored 17 of his 23 points after halftime, carried the Thunder after the break.
Former Thunder player Russell Westbrook had 32 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds for Houston. Harden had 29 points but was astonishingly inefficient, making 1 of 17 3-point attempts, as the Rockets’ losing streak stretched to a season-high four games.
Oklahoma City used a 6-0 run, highlighted by a dunk from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after he stole the ball from Harden, to put the Thunder up 108-105 with about a minute left.
Harden made a layup for Houston to cut the lead to one, but Schroder made a jump shot with 28 seconds remaining to make it 110-107. Russell Westbrook missed a 3-pointer on the other end and Gilgeous-Alexander added two free throws to secure the victory.
Houston had a 15-point lead before the Thunder scored 13 straight points to get within 100-98 with 4 1/2 minutes to go. Gallinari led the way for Oklahoma City in that stretch, making two 3-pointers and adding three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt.
Harden made one of two free throws after that but Gallinari struck again seconds later with another 3 that tied it at 101-all. Gilgeous-Alexander then made one of two free throws to give the Thunder their first lead since the first quarter.
Westbrook made Houston’s first field goal in more than four minutes with a layup with just more than three minutes left. He then added another layup after a steal seconds later to give the Rockets a 105-102 lead with about two minutes to go.
The Thunder trailed by 16 points after three quarters, but a 9-2 run, with five points from Schroder, got them within 91-82 with about 9 1/2 minutes left.
Houston trailed by as many as 10 in the first half but led by seven at halftime and used a 9-3 run to open the third quarter and push it to 73-60. P.J. Tucker had a 3-pointer in that stretch and Westbrook added four points.
Houston scored the last four points in a third quarter where Oklahoma City scored just 14 points to make it 87-71 entering the fourth.
Tags: Chris Paul, Danilo Gallinari, Dennis Schroder, James Harden, P.J. Tucker, Russell Westbrook, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Three Things to Know: Lakers’ dependance on LeBron exposed by red-hot Denver
Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
By Kurt HelinDec 23, 2019, 9:17 AM EST
Every day in the NBA there is a lot to unpack, so every weekday morning throughout the season we will give you the three things you need to know from the last 24 hours in the NBA.
1) Lakers’ dependance on LeBron exposed by red-hot Denver. Taking sweeping lessons from one NBA regular-season game is a Trumpian-level overreach, but one game can highlight trends.
We saw that with both the Lakers and Nuggets Sunday night at Staples Center, where the Denver Nuggets won their sixth game in a row, cruising past the host Lakers 128-104.
For the Lakers the trend — and the lesson from it — was clear: They need to find LeBron James some playmaking help.
LeBron is the Lakers’ fulcrum, without him the offense simply does not space and move the same way — they had a season-low 18 assists. Saying the Lakers are better with their MVP-candidate, the man who is arguably the best player walking the face of the earth (even as he turns 35 next week), is not exactly a hot take. LeBron missed his first game of the season Sunday night with a thoracic muscle strain (and he is day-to-day heading towards the Christmas Day showdown with the Clippers).
The lesson from Sunday is the Lakers need another playmaker for their eventual playoff run.
When LeBron sits this season, the Lakers offensive rating falls off 10.7 points to 102.2 — a number that would be dead-last in the league right now, worse than the mainly G-League team the Warriors are rolling out nightly. With LeBron and his league-leading 10.6 assists a game (not to mention 25.8 points), Anthony Davis gets the rock in places he can do damage, players in the weakside corner are just one bullet pass away from being a threat, and the Lakers are dangerous in transition. With LeBron, the Lakers are a top-five offense in the league.
Without him, with everything flowing through Anthony Davis (32 points, 11 rebounds), the Lakers looked a little too much like the Pelicans of recent years. The team Davis forced a trade to get away from. As good as he is, Davis alone cannot run the show.
The best teams, championship teams, have a second shot creator who can keep the offense flowing when playoff defenses scheme to load up on the primary ball handler and take away his favorite plays. In the postseason, things will get harder for LeBron, and that’s when the Lakers can turn to… Rajon Rondo? Kyle Kuzma? Are those guys the Lakers can trust?
They may have to be because there is no good path to adding a quality player in Los Angeles at the trade deadline. Their older players on one-year contracts will not return much in a move (Danny Green would, but the Lakers aren’t trading him). Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s name comes up (paired with Kuzma?), but he has the right to veto any trade and likely would.
It’s the one concern with the playoff Lakers. We’ll see a good test of how they would fare on Christmas against the Clippers (LeBron is expected to be healthy and good to go then).
On the other side of the court, the lesson is Denver’s offense is back — they are having fun again on that end — and with that, they must be counted as one of the top teams in the West.
As of Monday morning, the Nuggets are 20-8 on the season, have won six in a row, and are officially the two seed, just ahead of the Rockets and Clippers (and three games back of the top-seed Lakers, who built a cushion for their current three-game losing streak). Denver may have stumbled out of the gate this season with questions about Nikola Jokic’s conditioning swirling, but the Nuggets have shed the “bust” label, found their footing and look like a threat again.
During Denver’s six-game streak, they have an offensive rating of 119.3, best in the NBA.
Jamal went deep into the bag of tricks!#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/GElIj8l2S9
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 23, 2019
Watch them play against the Lakers and it was obvious they were having fun again — Malik Beasley putting his fingers to his lips to quiet the Laker crowd, while Paul Millsap was flexing. Denver has had a surprisingly good defense all season; now that their offense is clicking again the Nuggets need to be mentioned as one of the top threats in the West. Maybe on the second tier (behind the two Los Angeles teams), but a threat like the Rockets and others.
Denver’s season ultimately will be judged on games in May, not ones against a shorthanded Lakers team in December. The Nuggets were bounced in the second round by Portland last season, and to move forward from that spot will be more difficult this season. But that is the ultimate measuring stick.
For now, however, Denver is having fun again. And that’s a good start — and makes them one of the more entertaining teams in the league to watch.
2) Jayson Tatum scores a career-high 39 points in Celtics win against Hornets. For the past few weeks, it felt like Jaylen Brown may be the young Celtic player breaking out this season, he had played well on both ends of the floor and fueled wins.
Sunday, Jayson Tatum reminded everyone what he could do, dropping 39 points (on 15-of-29 shooting) against Charlotte, including taking over late with 22 in the fourth.
Tatum did his damage when he drove to the rim (5-of-6 shooting) and from three (4-of-9). What he also brings Boston is good, switchable, perimeter defense — that’s the end of the floor that has coach Brad Stevens praising Tatum, via NBC Sports Boston.
“I can’t believe it’s not talked about more, how good he is defensively,” said Stevens. “I think, for whatever reason, that gets lost in the shuffle. How much effort he’s been playing with all year has been like — he’s really become a great defender. His length. He chases balls, he challenges shots. He gets his hands on balls or keeps them in their mind that he’s behind them with that length. And then he’s a great rebounder from the wing.
“So he’s a really good defender. He’s a big reason why our defense is where it is as a team and we need him to keep continuing to be at that level.”
Boston has the fourth-ranked defense in the NBA this season (they are not missing steps without Al Horford in the paint), and if the Celtics are going to be the second-best team in the East and a threat to the Bucks, that’s the end where it has to start. Tatum has become key to that.
3) Paul George is welcomed back to OKC with cheers and open arms. Then beaten. If the fans in Oklahoma City had decided to boo Paul George after he forced his way out of town last summer and into a trade to Los Angeles, it would have been understandable. Fans are loyal to their town and team, and they want the same from the players. George re-signed in OKC, then a year later wanted out.
However, he was welcomed with open arms and cheers in his return on Sunday.
Warm welcome back to OKC for PG. pic.twitter.com/V2Oyh1y46V
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) December 23, 2019
Oklahoma City is a better team than many fans realize and moved above .500 Sunday with a 118-112 win over George’s Clippers. That was fueled by 32 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the player the Clippers didn’t want to give up but had to in the George trade. The Clippers knew he would be good, and SGA got his revenge game.
How big a postseason threat the Thunder are — and they look like a playoff team in a West where nobody has run away with the last couple of seeds — will depend on what the roster looks like after the trade deadline. Danilo Gallinari, Steven Adams, and others could be on the move.
With Chris Paul and Gilgeous-Alexander running the show (and some interesting three-guard lineups with Dennis Schroder) Oklahoma City is going to be a tough playoff out.
Follow @basketballtalk
Tags: Al Horford, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul, Danilo Gallinari, Danny Green, Dennis Schroder, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, LeBron James, Malik Beasley, Nikola Jokic, Paul George, Paul Millsap, Rajon Rondo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Steven Adams
Paul George’s return to Oklahoma City spoiled by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 32 points
Associated PressDec 22, 2019, 11:49 PM EST
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Paul George’s return to Oklahoma City was spoiled by a player the Thunder got back when they traded him.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander matched his career high with 32 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 118-112 on Sunday night.
George, who finished third in the MVP voting last season, was sent to the Clippers for Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari in a deal that began the restructuring of the Thunder roster. George was cheered when he was introduced during the starting lineups.
“It was great,” he said. “It made me feel appreciated, just being here. I enjoyed my time here.”
George scored 18 points, but he made just 6 of 17 shots and had five turnovers. Gilgeous-Alexander made 12 of 25 field goals.
Oklahoma City trailed by 18 points in the second quarter, making it the third time in seven days the Thunder overcame a deficit that big to win. This time, the victory came against the No. 2 team in the Western Conference standings.
“That’s a really good team over there,” Thunder guard Chris Paul said. “Obviously, they’ve been in all type of different situations. It’s good. It’s really good, especially they way we were down in the first half.”
Los Angeles scoring leader Kawhi Leonard sat out because of left knee soreness.
Dennis Schroder scored 16 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and Steven Adams added 20 points and 17 rebounds to help the Thunder win their fourth straight. Oklahoma City has won nine of 12 to move above .500 for the first time this season.
“You just go on chemistry, being more comfortable with the offense, defense, you could do all that sort of stuff,” Adams said. “Figuring out playing habits — you could go on, mate.”
Lou Williams scored 22 points for Los Angeles, and Montrezl Harrell had 18.
The Clippers led 63-57 at the half, with Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 19 points for the Thunder.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s layup tied it at 66 in the third quarter. After the Clippers seemed to regain control, the Thunder remained competitive. Paul’s 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer cut it to 89-86.
With 5:35 to play, Harrell appeared to score and draw a foul from Nerlens Noel. The basket would have given the Clippers a 100-94 lead with a free throw coming. The Thunder challenged the call and it was changed to a charge on Harrell.
The Clippers weren’t sure if the challenge worked as it was supposed to. Some time passed as Harrell waited to shoot the free throw.
“I just thought the delay was strange,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “We kept asking, ‘What was the delay for? What was the delay for?’ The ref kept holding the ball.”
The Thunder took advantage. Schroder’s 3-pointer put the Thunder ahead, then Adams had a steal and a layup to make it 110-106 with 1:19 to play. After the Thunder got a stop, Schroder’s layup put the Thunder up by six.
“I think as mad as we are that we’re letting games get away early, we’re starting to figure out how to win them now,” Paul said. “We’ve got to keep it going. Even if we’re not making shots, knowing we can get stops. Really good teams in this league — that’s when they buckle down — the fourth quarter.”
Tags: Chris Paul, Danilo Gallinari, Dennis Schroder, Kawhi Leonard, Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, Nerlens Noel, Paul George, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Steven Adams
For second straight game, Thunder come from 24-points (or more) down to win
OKLAHOMA CITY — The same Thunder team that began the season losing close games on a regular basis now has figured out how to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds and win.
Dennis Schroder scored 31 points, and Oklahoma City overcame a 24-point deficit and beat the Memphis Grizzlies 126-122 on Wednesday night.
Danilo Gallinari and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander each scored 20 points and Chris Paul added 18 for the Thunder, who rallied from 26 points down to beat the Chicago Bulls on Monday.
According to the Thunder, Oklahoma City is the only NBA team in the past 20 years to overcome deficits of at least 24 points in consecutive games and win both. The Thunder will take the wins, but they’d prefer to avoid the extra drama.
“It feels good,” Schroder said. “Two of them. You can’t rely on it. We’ve just got to come out better in the first quarter. But it was good. We can go home and enjoy the time but we’ve got to be better for 48 (minutes).”
Schroder scored 22 points in the second half.
“I think Dennis was — not to gas him up or nothing — but that was inspiring tonight,” Paul said. “On a night where we sort of don’t have the energy, don’t have the mojo — just sitting over there watching how hard he was playing and the energy he was playing with, it forced everybody else to get on board.”
Brandon Clarke scored 27 points, Jonas Valanciunas scored 24 and Ja Morant added 22 for the Grizzlies.
“Tough one for us tonight,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. “Obviously, great job building that big lead. Credit the Thunder. They played a heck of a second half. Their bench was phenomenal. Just a little short tonight.”
The Thunder got off to another shaky start on Wednesday. Memphis shot 54% in the first half and took a 68-59 lead at the break. Valanciunas and Morant each scored 13 points for the Grizzlies while Gallinari scored 11 points for the Thunder.
Oklahoma City did not score for three minutes to start the third quarter, and Memphis took an 80-59 lead. The Grizzlies’ largest lead was 89-65.
The Thunder surged at the end of the third quarter. Abdel Nader hit a 3-pointer with nine seconds left, then Schroder stole the inbound pass and Gilgeous-Alexander hit a 16-footer at the buzzer to cut Oklahoma City’s deficit to 100-93.
“That was a momentum switch for sure,” Jenkins said.
Oklahoma City finally took the lead on a pull-up jumper by Schroder with just over eight minutes to play.
Paul’s short jumper gave the Thunder a 122-120 lead in the final minute. Memphis could have tied the game, but Morant and Clarke missed in close and Schroder made two free throws at the other end for Oklahoma City to push the Thunder lead to four.
After a dunk by Clarke, Schroder was fouled with 7.5 seconds to go, and he made both free throws to give the Thunder control for good.
Tags: Abdel Nader, Brandon Clarke, Chris Paul, Danilo Gallinari, Dennis Schroder, Ja Morant, Jonas Valanciunas, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Three Things to Know: Philadelphia zones out against Miami in loss
Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
1) Philadelphia zones out against Miami, Heat snap Sixers home winning streak. Brett Brown has done the self-scouting on his Sixers team, he knew this day was coming. Think about the Sixers’ biggest offensive strengths — Joel Embiid in the post, the slashing game of Ben Simmons getting to the rim — and the strategy becomes obvious and logical:
Play a zone defense.
A packed-in 2/3 zone that makes it hard to get Embiid the ball in the post and takes away Simmons’ driving lanes. Dare the Sixers to shoot over the top of the zone and beat it. Other teams had tried this for a few possessions here and there against Philadelphia this season, but nothing steady.
Miami has been more of a zone team than most already this season. They have the length and athleticism to make a zone work at the NBA level, so long as the other team can’t shoot well from distance.
Starting in the second quarter Wednesday night, Miami broke out its zone, and Philadelphia struggled. A lot. Philadelphia’s offense had flowed in the first quarter (with their defense creating transition chances), but it slowed and became clunky. At the heart of the issue was the Sixers couldn’t shoot over the top of the zone and make the Heat pay — Mike Scott was 1-of-6 from three, Josh Richardson 3-of-10, Joel Embiid 1-of-5, and as a team the Sixers shot just 30.8% from deep.
The Sixers then let their offensive struggles impact their defense. In the words of Tobias Harris, the Sixers became “zombies.” Miami went on a 23-5 run to take the lead, stretched that out to as much as 16, then held on at the end to win 108-104. That gave Philadelphia its first home loss of the season after 14 wins.
Miami’s zone cut off a Sixers strength — Embiid post-ups — and exposed a weakness of reliable long-range shooters. The Sixers started to adapt by moving Embiid more to the high post, with some success (and they could have even more long term by getting Al Horford or Ben Simmons the ball at the nail and letting them initiate the offense) but it was too little, too late.
Philly has been good this season against the league’s best — even with this loss it is 6-3 against the team with the 10 top records in the league — but their weaknesses can be glaring at times. It’s a concern when looking ahead to potential playoff matchups.
Games like this — with Bam Adebayo going off for 23, Kendrick Nunn 26, and Jimmy Butler being the closer when needed — make it clear Miami is going to be a very tough playoff matchup. Miami is the team other top teams would like to avoid come the postseason, the Heat will be a very tough out (and a real upset threat).
2) Oklahoma City comes back from 20+ points down to win for the second straight game. Some teams play better with their backs against the wall. Oklahoma City appears to be one of those teams.
Monday night, the Thunder stormed from 26 down against Chicago — with Chris Paul taking over late — to get a 109-106 win.
Wednesday night, the Thunder got down 24 to the Grizzlies but stormed back behind 22 second-half points off the bench by Dennis Schroder to get a 126-122 win.
Per @EliasSports, the @OKCThunder are the 1st team in the last 20 seasons to overcome a 24-point deficit in back-to-back games.
They are the 2nd team in the last 20 seasons to overcome a 20-point deficit in back-to-back games, joining the Pacers on Jan. 11 and Jan. 13, 2010. pic.twitter.com/kioU3T8Gmi
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 19, 2019
That’s not a sustainable way to keep picking up wins, but they count just the same.
Phoenix may want to plan for how to handle the OKC guards if the Suns race out to a lead Friday night.
3) Two reasons the Knicks hiring David Blatt should concern Knicks fans. Steve Mills played basketball at Princeton, and there he was teammates with Craig Robinson and David Blatt. All three played under legendary Princeton coach Pete Carril, and all three went on to careers in basketball.
Mills is the president of the Knicks basketball operations and — hot seat or no — he still has power. He had already hired Robinson, and on Wednesday he hired Blatt — the former Cleveland Cavaliers coach — as a consultant.
In a vacuum, this move is fine. Blatt knows basketball, he may not have the personality and temperament to coach NBA players, but he has a long track record of success in Europe and he understands the game. Adding another smart voice to the front office mix is generally a good thing.
Two key things should concern Knicks fans with this hire. (And that assumes that Blatt never comes down from the front office to coach this team, or it would be three things to be concerned about.)
First, this is a very insular hire, when what the Knicks need is someone outside the box. One of the issues with Mills is that he was the guy with the power before Phil Jackson and the one with the hammer after Jackson left — the Knicks never shook things up. It was always insular, comfortable, safe moves. Mills, as president, just hired a guy he knows well and comes from the same coaching tree. It’s a move that backs the status quo, and is this status quo where the Knicks want to be?
Second, this hire shows Mills still has juice in the organization and may be around a while. For all the talk of Mills being on the hot seat and a fascination in the front office with Masai Ujiri (or other high-level replacement), this not a move ownership okays if the plan is to show Mills the door anytime soon. Even if the plan is to get a new POBO this summer, is this a hire ownership signs off on.
It’s the kind of move that makes it feel like Mills (and GM Scott Perry) are going to be around a while. A long while. Things change fast in Madison Square Garden, but for now the winds of change are not sweeping through the building.
Tags: Al Horford, Bam Adebayo, Ben Simmons, Chris Paul, Dennis Schroder, Jimmy Butler, Joel Embiid, Josh Richardson, Kendrick Nunn, Tobias Harris
Chris Paul scores 28, leads Thunder rally to hand Rockets fourth straight loss January 20, 2020 9:44 pm EST Three Things to Know: Lakers’ dependance on LeBron exposed by red-hot Denver December 23, 2019 9:17 am EST Paul George’s return to Oklahoma City spoiled by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 32 points December 22, 2019 11:49 pm EST For second straight game, Thunder come from 24-points (or more) down to win December 19, 2019 8:32 am EST Three Things to Know: Philadelphia zones out against Miami in loss December 19, 2019 7:40 am EST NBA Power Rankings: Bucks, Lakers hold on to top two spots heading into showdown December 18, 2019 4:00 pm EST Chris Paul puts Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert in a spin cycle (VIDEO) December 10, 2019 8:01 am EST Three Things to Know: Warriors go small to earn first win of young season October 29, 2019 8:14 am EDT Russell Westbrook scores 21 as Rockets ruin Chris Paul’s return, beat Thunder 116-112 October 29, 2019 3:11 am EDT NBA players most likely to be traded this season October 9, 2019 3:30 pm EDT Damian Lillard: ‘Me and Russ are really cool off of the court’ April 26, 2019 6:03 pm EDT Damian Lillard outduels Russell Westbrook again, Blazers go up 3-1 April 22, 2019 1:02 am EDT Russell Westbrook outduels Damian Lillard, Thunder pick up win to get back in series April 20, 2019 1:50 am EDT Blazers lock OKC down on defense to take 2-0 lead April 17, 2019 2:06 am EDT Three Things to Know: Jusuf Nurkic’s injury devastating, for him and Trail Blazers March 26, 2019 9:03 am EDT Watch Paul George drain game-winning floater in 2OT, lift Thunder past Jazz February 23, 2019 2:37 am EST Paul George, Russell Westbrook each have triple-doubles in Thunder win February 12, 2019 1:18 am EST Paul George, Russell Westbrook rally Thunder past Rockets, 117-112 February 10, 2019 1:48 am EST Three Things to Know: Paul George starts fast, Dennis Schroder takes over late, Thunder win January 30, 2019 8:06 am EST NBA Power Rankings: Golden State is back on top and it feels like a return to normalcy January 23, 2019 2:16 pm EST Paul George hits game winner, lifts Thunder past 76ers 117-115 January 19, 2019 8:14 pm EST Dennis Schroder on trade from Hawks to Thunder: ‘I wanted to be in a winning-mentality organization. You just can’t go out there and try to lose’ January 16, 2019 6:50 pm EST Our Midseason NBA awards: MVP, Defensive Player of Year, Coach of Year, much more January 14, 2019 1:35 pm EST Andrew Wiggins denies saying OKC’s Dennis Schroder “was just gay” January 9, 2019 2:41 pm EST Dennis Schroder and Raymond Felton suspended for Thunder-Bulls fight December 19, 2018 5:48 pm EST NBA Power Rankings: Do we really believe in Toronto and Portland? November 14, 2018 1:04 pm EST Thunder blast Rockets by 18 without Russell Westbrook, grab seventh straight win November 8, 2018 11:56 pm EST Russell Westbrook’s injury not as bad as it looked November 6, 2018 3:57 pm EST Rockets’ Marquese Chriss, 76ers’ Furkan Korkmaz, Nuggets’ Tyler Lydon, Thunder’s Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot also have options declined November 1, 2018 12:00 pm EDT Russell Westbrook, Paul George lead Thunder past Suns for first win October 29, 2018 12:37 am EDT Three Things to Know: Jayson Tatum is a star. Markelle Fultz… October 17, 2018 7:47 am EDT Warriors get rings, still have Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and that’s too much for OKC October 17, 2018 2:38 am EDT Dennis Schroder, Maxi Kleber save Germany from defeat with 0.4 lob pass September 16, 2018 4:19 pm EDT Thunder secured Paul George, surprisingly kept spending August 23, 2018 12:11 pm EDT With Dennis Schroder trade, Trae Young knows Hawks have bet big on him August 21, 2018 9:00 am EDT Hawks progressing nicely in rebuild August 16, 2018 11:05 am EDT Rumor: Rockets, Pelicans interested in Kent Bazemore trade July 31, 2018 11:58 am EDT Carmelo Anthony traded to Hawks, who will waive him July 25, 2018 12:30 pm EDT PBT Extra: Carmelo Anthony will be a Rocket, but will he accept new role? July 20, 2018 6:28 pm EDT Report: Thunder trading Carmelo Anthony, first-rounder to Hawks for Dennis Schroder July 19, 2018 5:30 pm EDT
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The University of Sydney - OMIA - Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals
Sydney School of Veterinary Science
Landmarks, Reviews, Maps
Citing OMIA
You are here: OMIA / Search / OMIA 000844 / dog
OMIA 000844-9615 : Pyruvate kinase deficiency of erythrocyte in Canis lupus familiaris
In other species: domestic cat
Possibly relevant human trait(s) and/or gene(s) (MIM number): 266200
Mendelian trait/disorder: yes
Mode of inheritance: Autosomal Recessive
Considered a defect: yes
Key variant known: yes
Year key variant first reported: 1994
Cross-species summary: Also known as PK deficiency
Species-specific description: In pyruvate kinase deficiency, the erythrocyte life span is markedly reduced, which leads to severe regenerative hemolytic anemia. Clinical signs include intermittent weakness, moderate hepatosplenomegaly at less than one year of age and bone marrow and liver failure by 5 years of age. Pyruvate kinase deficiency has been identified in the basenji, beagle, West Highland white terrier, and Cairn terrier. The mode of inheritance is autosomal recessive.
Edited by Vicki N. Meyers-Wallen, VMD, PhD, Dipl. ACT
Molecular basis: By cloning and sequencing a very likely comparative candidate gene (based on the homologous human disorder), Whitney et al. (1994) showed that the causative mutation in Basenjis is a single base-pair deletion in exon 5 of the gene encoding R-type pyruvate kinase (PKLR).
The causative mutation in West Highland white terriers is a 6 base pair insertion in exon 10 of the same gene (Skelly et al., 1999).
Gultekin et al. (2012) reported three new causative mutations in the canine PKLR gene: a nonsense mutation (c.799C>T) in Labrador Retrievers, a missense mutation (c.848T>C) in Pugs, and a missense mutation (c.994G>A) in Beagles.
Clinical features: Affected dogs present as young adults with signs of severe macrocytic hypochromic regenerative hemolytic anemia, such as intermittent weakness. Moderate hepatosplenomegaly occurs by one year of age, followed by progressive osteosclerosis and myelofibrosis. Bone marrow and liver failure typically occur by 5 years of age. Carriers have no clinical signs, but have half-normal levels of erythrocyte pyruvate kinase activity (Giger et al., 1991). Bone marrow transplants have been used to alleviate clinical signs in affected dogs (Takatu et al., 2003).
Pathology: Red blood cells are dependent on ATP generated through glycolysis to maintain their Na/K pumps. Pyruvate kinase is a key enzyme in anaerobic glycolysis, converting phosphoenolpyruvate to pyruvate. Deficiency leads to inadequate ATP production, erythrocyte lysis or premature erythrocyte destruction by the spleen. Normal canine erythrocyte life span is approximately one month, whereas in affected dogs, the erythrocyte half-life is a few days (Giger et al., 1991). There are DNA tests available to detect the known causative mutations in basenjis and West Highland white terriers. Tests for erythrocyte pyruvate kinase activity are not accurate for diagnosis. There are other isoforms of pyruvate kinase in the dog that are encoded by different genes. The R-type is the only isoform expressed in normal canine erythrocytes. Affected dogs lack the R isoform, but enzyme activity in their erythrocytes typically appears elevated due to activity of the M2 isoform, (Whitney et al., 2005).
Control: Parents of affected dogs are obligate carriers. Siblings of affected dogs should be tested. Breeding of affected or carrier dogs is not recommended.
Genetic testing: There are tests available to detect the known causative mutations in the basenji and West Highland white terrier.
Breeds: Basenji, Beagle, Cairn Terrier, West Highland White Terrier.
Associated gene:
OMIA gene details page
PKLR pyruvate kinase, liver and RBC Canis lupus familiaris - no genomic information (-..-) PKLR Homologene, Ensembl, NCBI gene
By default, variants are sorted chronologically by year of publication, to provide a historical perspective. Readers can re-sort on any column by clicking on the column header. Click it again to sort in a descending order. To create a multiple-field sort, hold down Shift while clicking on the second, third etc relevant column headers.
WARNING! Inclusion of a variant in this table does not automatically mean that it should be used for DNA testing. Anyone contemplating the use of any of these variants for DNA testing should examine critically the relevant evidence (especially in breeds other than the breed in which the variant was first described). If it is decided to proceed, the location and orientation of the variant sequence should be checked very carefully.
Breed(s)
Variant Phenotype
Type of Variant
Reference Sequence
Chr.
g. or m.
c. or n.
Verbal Description
EVA ID
PubMed ID(s)
Basenji Pyruvate kinase deficiency of erythrocyte PKLR deletion, small (<=20) a single base-pair deletion in exon 5 of the gene encoding R-type pyruvate kinase (PKLR) 1994 7520391
West Highland White terrier Pyruvate kinase deficiency of erythrocyte PKLR insertion, small (<=20) a 6 base pair insertion in exon 10 1999 10490091
Pug Pyruvate kinase deficiency of erythrocyte PKLR missense c.848T>C p.V283A 2012 22805166
Beagle Pyruvate kinase deficiency of erythrocyte PKLR missense c.994G>A p.G332S 2012 22805166
Labrador Retriever Pyruvate kinase deficiency of erythrocyte PKLR nonsense (stop-gain) g.42268632 c.799C>T p.Q267* 2012 22805166 20181218 Thanks to Maarten de Groot for advising FN of the genomic location
Download table as CSV
Note: the references are listed in reverse chronological order (from the most recent year to the earliest year), and alphabetically by first author within a year.
2012 Gultekin, G.I., Raj, K., Foureman, P., Lehman, S., Manhart, K., Abdulmalik, O., Giger, U. :
Erythrocytic pyruvate kinase mutations causing hemolytic anemia, osteosclerosis, and seconday hemochromatosis in dogs. J Vet Intern Med 26:935-44, 2012. Pubmed reference: 22805166. DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2012.00958.x.
Trobridge, G.D., Beard, B.C., Wu, R.A., Ironside, C., Malik, P., Kiem, H.P. :
Stem cell selection in vivo using foamy vectors cures canine pyruvate kinase deficiency. PLoS One 7:e45173, 2012. Pubmed reference: 23028826. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0045173.
2006 Harvey, J.W. :
Pathogenesis, laboratory diagnosis, and clinical implications of erythrocyte enzyme deficiencies in dogs, cats, and horses. Vet Clin Pathol 35:144-56, 2006. Pubmed reference: 16783707.
2003 Takatu, A., Nash, R.A., Zaucha, J.M., Little, M.T., Georges, G.E., Sale, G.E., Zellmer, E., Kuhr, C.S., Lothrop, C.D., Storb, R. :
Adoptive immunotherapy to increase the level of donor hematopoietic chimerism after nonmyeloablative marrow transplantation for severe canine hereditary hemolytic anemia. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 9:674-82, 2003. Pubmed reference: 14652850. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2003.08.005.
1999 Kohn, B., Freistedt, R., Pekrun, A., Wang, P., Giger, U. :
Erythrocyte pyruvate kinase deficiency causing chronic hemolytic anemia and osteosclerosis in a longhaired dachshund [German] Kleintierpraxis 44:437-+, 1999.
Skelly, B.J., Wallace, M., Rajpurohit, Y.R., Wang, P., Giger, U. :
Identification of a 6 base pair insertion in West Highland White Terriers with erythrocyte pyruvate kinase deficiency American Journal of Veterinary Research 60:1169-1172, 1999. Pubmed reference: 10490091.
1995 Whitney, K.M., Lothrop, C.D. :
Genetic test for pyruvate kinase deficiency of basenjis Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 207:918-921, 1995. Pubmed reference: 7559024.
1994 Whitney, K.M., Goodman, S.A., Bailey, E.M., Lothrop, C.D. :
The molecular basis of canine pyruvate kinase deficiency Experimental Hematology 22:866-874, 1994. Pubmed reference: 7520391.
1992 Pekow, C.A., Hinds, T.R., Maggioprice, L., Hammond, W.P., Vincenzi, F.F. :
Osmotic Stress in Red Blood Cells from Beagles with Hemolytic Anemia American Journal of Veterinary Research 53:1457-1461, 1992. Pubmed reference: 1510326.
Schaer, M., Harvey, J.W., Calderwoodmays, M., Giger, U. :
Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency Causing Hemolytic Anemia with Secondary Hemochromatosis in a Cairn Terrier Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 28:233-239, 1992.
1991 Giger, U., Noble, N.A. :
Determination of Erythrocyte Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency in Basenjis with Chronic Hemolytic Anemia Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 198:1755-1761, 1991. Pubmed reference: 2071475.
1990 Chapman, B.L., Giger, U. :
Inherited Erythrocyte Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency in the West Highland White Terrier Journal of Small Animal Practice 31:610-616, 1990.
1975 Prasse, K.W., Crouser, D., Beutler, E., Walker, M., Schall, W.D. :
Pyruvate kinase deficiency anemia with terminal myelofibrosis and osteosclerosis in a Beagle Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 166:1170-1175, 1975. Pubmed reference: 1141034.
1971 Searcy, G.P., Miller, D.R., Tasker, J.B. :
Congenital hemolytic anemia in the Basenji dog due to erythrocyte pyruvate kinase deficiency. Can J Comp Med 35:67-70, 1971. Pubmed reference: 4251418.
1969 Tasker, J.B., Severin, G.A., Young, S., Gillette, E.L. :
Familial anemia in the Basenji dog Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 154:158-165, 1969. Pubmed reference: 5812576.
Created by Frank Nicholas on 12 Sep 2005
Changed by Martha MaloneyHuss on 23 Aug 2011
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Changed by Vicki Meyers-Wallen on 10 Sep 2011
Changed by Frank Nicholas on 12 Dec 2011
Changed by Frank Nicholas on 05 Jan 2013
© 2020 The University of Sydney. Last updated: 19 Jan 2020
Authorised by: Dean, Sydney School of Veterinary Science.
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Discover Redmond
Living in Redmond
Michael Mattmiller
Director, Government Affairs at Microsoft
Michael Mattmiller is a government technologist who champions efforts to connect people with their government, increase workforce productivity, and increase digital equity. Serving as the Chief Technology in the City of Seattle from 2014-2018, Michael In led the creation of the City’s consolidated technology department, which brought together more than 650 professionals and provided the scale necessary to deliver powerful technology solutions for the City and public it serves. In addition, Michael led the creation of a City-wide privacy program to build public trust in how their municipal government collects and uses their personal information, and a broadband program that has increased availability of fiber-to-the-home gigabit broadband service throughout the city. Working with other departments, Michael helped modernize critical public-facing systems, facilitating the migration to modern cloud-based computing platforms that reduced costs and increased public satisfaction with City services.
Michael joined the Microsoft State Government Affairs team in 2018, helping state and local governments achieve more by leveraging Microsoft’s services and policy resources. Previously, Michael was a consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers where he helped federal agencies secure and manage their technology investments. He serves on the boards of the MetroLab Network, an organization that encourages government-university collaborations to solve urban challenges using data and new technologies, and is an advisor to the Internet of Things Consortium. He received a Bachelors of Business Administration and Masters of Science from The George Washington University.
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From An Open Tournament To The Starting Lineup: A Weekend To Remember For Penn State Wrestling’s Creighton Edsell
In the span of 24 hours, Penn State wrestling’s Creighton Edsell went from suiting up at an open tournament to bringing 6,333 fans at Rec Hall to their feet.
Edsell, along with six teammates, traveled to Millersville University Saturday to compete in the Floyd “Shorty” Hitchcock Memorial Tournament at 174 lbs. However, after Edsell’s first match, head coach Cael Sanderson received a call that 184-pounder Aaron Brooks was going to miss Sunday’s dual against Northwestern.
Sanderson promptly pulled Edsell, who once more this season has jumped up to 184 lbs. to fill in for the Nittany Lions, out of the tournament to get him ready for Sunday.
When he wrestled against the Wildcats, Edsell turned in the definition of a gritty performance, something that’s sure to win over any Rec Hall crowd and provoke it to chant a wrestler’s name whether it’s his venue debut or farewell dual.
After trailing Northwestern’s Jack Jessen 1-0 entering the third period, Edsell seized control of the bout and engineered a comeback with an escape, takedown, and riding time point to win 4-1. The win helped Penn State to a 30-9 win over the Wildcats.
With Mark Hall’s firm grasp on 174 lbs., Edsell has yet to wrestle at his normal weight in a dual, but he’s made his limited action count, winning both dual matches that he’s moved up to 184 lbs. for, following his 5-2 win against Andrew Buckley of Navy in November.
The way Edsell has embraced his role as the emergency 184-pounder speaks to how grateful he is to be able to compete. After all, he didn’t get to wrestle at all as a true freshman last season due to an injury.
“If you look back at last year, I was in a sling at this time,” he said after the dual Sunday. “Being able to come back a year later and being healthier and being able to compete and have fun is a blessing.”
And spoken like a true Penn State wrestler, Edsell didn’t divulge much about his preparation for the dual, saying “It’s about always being ready whenever the coaches ask. Yesterday, getting the match in, and today, nothing really changed. Just always being ready whenever the coaches asked.”
But when you ask Sanderson about how Edsell prepared for the match, the legendary coach has a bit more of a cynical perspective of how the redshirt freshman spent Saturday.
“He was the co-pilot. Very critical as the backseat driver.”
Anthony Colucci
Anthony Colucci is Onward State’s managing editor, a preferred walk-on honors student, and a senior majoring in psychology and public relations. Despite being from the make-believe land of Central Jersey, he was never a Rutgers fan. If you ever want to know how good Saquon Barkley's ball security is, ask Anthony what happened when he tried to force a fumble at the Mifflin Streak. If you want to hear the story or are bored and want to share prequel memes, follow @_anthonycolucci on Twitter or email him at [email protected] All other requests and complaints should be directed to Onward State media contact emeritus Steve Connelly.
Other posts by Anthony
AEPi Fraternity Placed On Interim Suspension Pending Sexual Assault Investigation
Police received an online submission Tuesday that four brothers had sexually assault a student sometime on January 15.
University Finally Learns To ‘Keep It Simple, Stupid’ With New Penn State Go App
Oregon Hires Former Penn State Offensive Coordinator Joe Moorhead To Same Role
By Gabe Angieri
From An Open Tournament To The Starting Lineup: A Weekend To Remember For Penn State Wrestling\'s Creighton Edsell
https://onwardstate.com/2020/01/13/from-an-open-tournament-to-the-starting-lineup-a-weekend-to-remember-for-penn-state-wrestlings-creighton-edsell/
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Journal of Preventive Medicine and Care
Volume No: 1 Issue No: 1
Research Article | Open Access
Available online freely | Peer Reviewed
Mental Health Promotion Through Collection of Global Opinion Data
Neil Seeman 1 Sean G. Fogler 2 Mary V. Seeman 3
1Institute for Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 3M7; Senior Fellow, Massey College, University of Toronto;
2Sean G. Fogler, MD, Fellow, Caron Treatment Centers, c/o 1900 Hamilton St, Unit C12, Philadelphia, PA 19130;
3Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Suite 2374, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada. Mary.
Mental health promotion depends to a large extent on the gathering of accurate baseline opinion data from a targeted population.
The aim of this paper is to explore the potential applications of a new method of measuring true attitudes toward mental illness, and of monitoring and evaluating subsequent public health interventions.
This paper reviews the strengths and limitations of a novel survey method, RIWI, its early findings, and its potential applications in the field of mental health promotion. Comparisons are made to other commonly used survey methods through entering pertinent search terms into the Google Scholar™ database.
The RIWI online survey method has several advantages over earlier survey methods: it is random, quick, anonymous, and reaches very large samples. Questionnaires are easily translatable and can be repeated, with excellent test-retest reliability. Anonymity reduces social desirability bias. The limitations are: a) variable completion rate, which carries the upside of allowing regional comparisons, and b) the reality that the respondent pool reflects regional Internet usage, often biased toward young literate males.
A survey method that is able to quickly and repeatedly sample large numbers of random individuals is an important advance for health promotion in that interventions can be timely and their efficacy can be rapidly evaluated.
Received 19 May 2016; Accepted 17 Jul 2016; Published 26 Jul 2016;
Academic Editor:Ying-Chu Lin, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan
Checked for plagiarism: Yes
Review by: Single-blind
Copyright© 2016 Neil Seeman, et al.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Neil Seeman, Sean G. Fogler, Mary V. Seeman (2016) Mental Health Promotion Through Collection of Global Opinion Data. Journal Of Preventive Medicine And Care - 1(1):23-36.
Download as RIS, BibTeX, Text (Include abstract )
DOI10.14302/issn.2474-3585.jpmc-16-1112
Before launching initiatives in mental health promotion, it is important to accurately survey the views and beliefs of local stakeholders. Reliable surveys enable what is referred to as ‘ground-truthing,’ candid opinion provided by voluntary self-report as opposed to information gathered through indirect inference. The aim of this paper is to explore the potential applications of a new survey method to measure attitudes toward various aspects of mental illness and, thus, to enable subsequent testing of the adequacy of public health interventions.
Working Method of this Review
This paper first describes a novel Web survey method, Random Domain Intercept Technology (RDIT™), addresses its strengths and its limitations, and outlines early findings based on the method. Subsequently, the authors systematically entered the search terms defined in Table 1 (as well as their common synonyms) into the multidisciplinary database, Google Scholar™, and determined how standard survey methods that address mental health and public sentiment dealt with them. Each item was entered in the database in conjunction with the phrase, “mental health sentiment survey” and the Methods and Limitations sections of applicable studies were subsequently scanned. Since mental health sentiment surveys are a new phenomenon, there were relatively few comparators (‘follow up’ = 0; ‘freshness’, ‘reproducibility’ = 2; ‘population breadth’, ‘voluntariness’ = 3; ‘question appropriateness’, ‘neutrality’ = 4; ‘sample size’, ‘randomness’ = 5; ‘representativeness’, ‘anonymity’, ‘questionnaire length’ and ‘questionnaire validity’ = 6) from which to choose. The discussion section explores potential applications to health promotion and the prevention of mental illness.
Table 1. Factors Important to Mental Health Surveys
Population Breadth The ability to reach as many diverse individuals as possible
Size of Sample The ability to collect large population samples
Randomness The equal chance of any individual being exposed to the survey questions
Representativeness The degree to which respondents represent the general population of the region
Anonymity The impossibility of associating respondents with their answers, thus guaranteeing confidentiality
Freshness The likelihood of recruiting respondents with minimal previous exposure to surveys
Voluntariness The certainty that potential respondents have the freedom to participate or not, as they wish
Appropriateness of Questions The likelihood that the language, tone, and clarity of the questions enables respondents to answer accurately
Appropriate Length of Questionnaire The likelihood that the questionnaire is long enough to cover the research question but short enough to prevent survey fatigue and that it thereby ensures sufficient numbers of reliable and complete responses
Validity of Questionnaire The likelihood that the questions asked will yield quantitative or qualitative answers useful to the research purpose
Neutrality The likelihood that respondents will not be swayed by what they consider to be socially desirable answers or by the offer of rewards for participation
Reproducibility The likelihood that the same opinion questions, administered more than once to the same population parameter, will yield the same results (unless there is an intervening event that explains the discrepancy in results)
Follow-Up The possibility of administering a questionnaire repeatedly, thus enabling longitudinal research and the measurement of efficacy of an intervention
Description of the RIWI Method
Taking advantage of the fact that all users of Web-enabled devices make occasional typographical errors on non-trademarked websites when navigating the Web, errors that lead them to unintended Internet destinations, the RIWI method places survey questions on such unintended Web destinations 1, using Random Domain Intercept Technology or RDITTM2. Web users mistyping a URL are, thus, automatically exposed to an opt-in anonymous survey that allows them to answer questions from one Internet Protocol (IP) address once only. A proprietary code ensures that the RIWI sample of exposed domains is randomized, ‘bot’-free, geo-representative (that is, specific to a city, region or country), and quality controlled (ensuring no duplicate entries from the same IP address) 3. It enables real-time survey response data collection simultaneously in any and all geographic areas serviced by the Internet. Individual government restrictions, such as closure of social media sites, do not interfere with this method.
Comparison with Other Methods
Socially Desirable Responses
There are several known methods of gathering opinion data about mental health and illness. Each one has its strengths and biases. Face-to-face or telephone interviews can collect in-depth information. A trained interviewer is often able to motivate respondents to respond fully and honestly by building a relationship of trust, which is absent in impersonal Web surveys. On the other hand, such interviews are not anonymous so that candid responses are constrained by social desirability bias and impression management, the tendency of survey respondents to answer questions in ways that interviewers would approve of 4. Anonymity, while not guaranteeing honesty (people can exhibit ‘shirking behavior’ in anonymous surveys, which means not expending sufficient mental effort to fully answer questions; or they can deliberately falsify their answers), does provide the freedom to give honest answers, even when they are perceived as unpopular. The results of a comparison study comparing social desirability in face-to-face versus Web surveys while controlling for response rates showed that face-to-face surveys generated more socially desirable responses 5. This is especially important when collecting sensitive mental health data. When doing cross-country comparisons, it is also important to realize that there are cultural differences in both shirking and social desirability tendencies. Asian collectivist cultures, for instance, show more of both these tendencies when compared to individualistic North American cultures. Respondents from individualistic cultures are more inclined to inflate their own skills and to have greater confidence in their own judgments and, therefore, to be more definite about their opinions 6. Interviewers in face-to-face interviews are able to pick up on nonverbal cues that signal false reporting whereas anonymous Web respondents are hidden from view. Anonymous surveys, therefore, do not guarantee a truthful response but they increase its likelihood. Truthful response depends also on the wording and presentation of the questions 7, an important aspect of response data quality whatever the survey format.
Questionnaires, Incentives, Sample Size, Sample Diversity
Person-to-person interviews have the advantage of being able to use long, standardized, reliable, and valid questionnaires, which are able to yield, for instance, accurate point prevalences of mental health conditions 8. The RIWI method cannot do this. A survey of more than 14 questions has been found to lead to survey fatigue and survey abandonment. This may be because RIWI respondents are not ‘incented’ or rewarded for participation. Incentives increase participation but, at the same time, they make anonymity impossible 9. They also may be perceived as coercive 10.
In contrast to other methods, the RIWI process can reach vast numbers of individuals simultaneously throughout the world, and its brief questions can be easily translated into any number of languages, as needed.
Representativeness, Jadedness, Randomness
Delphi–type panels, structured communication methods that rely on the judgment of a panel of experts, have been used to gather a wide range of mental health data 11, but the opinions of hand-picked experts, while knowledgeable, do not represent the total population of mental health stakeholders, e.g. patients, family members, neighbors, employers. Widely distributed email invitations to visit survey websites are another commonly used method, but such invitations are increasingly blocked by email SPAM filters and, importantly, respondents to such mail-outs are not anonymous. The other problem with targeted survey methods is that they are known to recruit habitual respondents who, over time, become increasingly jaded 12 and, therefore, tend to respond hastily and haphazardly, to ‘shirk’ in other words. RIWI surveys, being random, reach different respondents on each occasion so that responses stay fresh while still representative of the targeted population.
Another way of extracting qualitative information about mental health is from applying linguistic algorithms to the text of postings on Twitter™ or other social media and blogs. The method has been applied to the analysis of public sentiment about autistic spectrum disorder 13 and dementia 14. The first reference harvested 11 million tweets about autism and showed that linguistic analysis could be applied to such texts. The second reference retrieved 9,200 tweets about dementia and developed a coding guide that could be used to analyze them. The findings were that a majority of the tweets were links to health information sites and that a large number discussed research relating to prediction of dementia risk. The personal opinions that can be gathered by this method have been found subject to significant interpretation error, especially in unfamiliar cultural contexts because personal idioms of distress vary in ways that language cannot always capture 15. Another problem is that the texts that are analyzed through these methods are unlikely to be representative of general sentiment 16 and, as mentioned above, governments are able to control access to and censor social media sites.
A problem with all Web-based surveys is that the relative intensity of Web usage varies among regions. Offline surveys have similar limitations in that some populations are more accessible than others. The problem is partially mitigated by the RIWI process via respondent population re-weighting to local Census data and through the participation of large samples of all age categories.
Most factors important to consider when designing mental health surveys intended to cover as wide a swath of the world population as possible are summarized in Table 1.
Relative Advantages of the RIWI Survey Method
Response and Retention Rates
The meaning of “response rate” differs in different contexts, which makes survey methods difficult to compare on this measure. With respect to the RIWI method, the sample potentially exposed to the questionnaire is every person using the Internet in the targeted location during the time of the study. Whom the survey reaches depends on how frequently one uses the Internet, what access one has, whether one prefers to type or to copy and paste URL addresses, whether one tends to use bookmarks, and how careful one is to avoid mangled words or non-existent websites in the URL bar (everyone makes such errors on non-trademarked domains; some of us more frequently and some of us less so). It cannot be known how many persons are presented with the questionnaire and choose to ignore it. The main reason for ignoring the questionnaire is presumably the wish to return to the true, intended website destination. The number of such “non-responders” is unknown. There may also be “non-responders” who briefly scan the questionnaire and decide against it for lack of interest or other reasons, but this number is also unknown. An analogy is any member of the general public who sees a newspaper advertisement for a survey and ignores it. Such people are not included in the denominator when calculating response rates.
For RIWI and for online newspaper advertisements, non-response can be defined as beginning a survey and then abandoning it – i.e., abandonment rate. The post opt-in RIWI ‘abandonment rate’ varies depending on the topic and on the geographies targeted. Abandonment rates are generally lower in wealthier than in poorer countries; they depend on the salience of the topic to respondents 17, 18. A related measure is completion rate – the rate at which, once opted in, respondents complete the survey. For RIWI, this always exceeds 40%. A 40% to 50% response rate (defined as the percentage of individuals to whom a questionnaire was sent who return it) is considered average for mail and Internet surveys. While response rate thus defined does not exactly correspond to RIWI’s completion rate, it is probably the best comparison measure 19.
There may be some sensitive items on a questionnaire that are less likely to be responded to than others. This is the “item response rate” and it will vary with the sensitivity of the question and how it is framed. RIWI’s ability to reach non-habitual responders who can be expected to be relatively interested in answering survey questions and RIWI’s receipt of approximately the same number of responses from any given region at different points of time both suggest fairly robust responsiveness, although exact comparisons with other methods are not possible to make.
Wide Population Breadth
RIWI respondents currently come from 231 countries and territories and from all walks of life, but the respondent pool is limited to those with access to the Internet (43% of the world’s population) – and, generally, therefore, this means more males (65%). The male/female ratio varies, depending on geography. The male bias is narrower in North America and Western European countries than it is in the rest of the world. For example, the population with access to the Internet is 52% male in the U.S., in contrast to 77% male in Pakistan 18. It is a relatively young population, 54% being 34 years old or younger, relatively more educated, more likely to be employed, and thus in a higher socioeconomic bracket than their peers 17. If the survey is in English (as most current global surveys tend to be), non-English speakers are automatically excluded. RIWI questions, however, being short, can easily be translated into local languages. RIWI respondents have been shown to be representative of the Web users in any country or region (re-weighted to the most recent official Census figures). The RIWI method has been described as yielding a “truly random sample” 17, 18.
Absence Of Social Desirability Bias
The RIWI method does not provide financial incentives to participants and collects no personally identifiable information about individual respondents. The anonymity and lack of incentives dramatically reduce social desirability bias 20.
Because of the randomness of recruitment, RIWI respondents tend to be unjaded, relatively ‘fresh’ with respect to participating in surveys. The GRIT Consumer Participation in Research Report 17 states that 7 out of 10 RIWI respondents had not answered a survey of any kind in at least one month. ‘Fresh’ responders have been shown to provide more reliable replies to surveys than habitual responders 21, 22.
Reproducibility of Results
To check test retest reliability, RIWI has conducted monthly repeats of the same questions in a well-populated country (India) over 21 months 23. Each time, 10.1±0.11% s.e. of (different) respondents endorsed the statement that persons who suffer from mental illness are more violent than others, indicating strong reproducibility of response in the population. The RIWI method can thus be used repeatedly to monitor changes in attitude or opinion. The same individuals will not answer (so there will be no ‘practice effect’) but, the sample size being large, comparable groups of individuals will respond on each occasion.
Large Sample Size
The large sample sizes that can be obtained through the use of this method ensure the statistical power required to obtain significant results for questions posed in a brief survey. In a study for the World Bank, over 16,000 complete responses were captured in a month using RDIT™ methodology, and as many as 60,000 responses to individual questions in 14 countries 24.
RIWI surveys are cross-sectional and cannot follow the same individuals over time. However, large samples of comparable individuals can be recruited and the survey repeated as often as needed. This enables longitudinal research.
All Web surveys, especially if no incentives are provided, tend to have large drop off rates, questionnaires being abandoned before completion. The 40% RIWI completion rate may sound low but there has been a lack of consensus on how best to calculate and report response rates on surveys, understandably, because dissemination methods vary. Surveys traditionally aim at a somewhat arbitrary 60% response rate, but what counts most is sample representativeness and response rates may not be as strongly associated with representativeness as was once believed 25. Because RIWI questions are very brief, however, there is relatively less risk for abandonment. Contrasting RIWI drop-off rates in different regions can, in fact, be useful because contrasts can be used to assess differential regional interest in specific topics at a snapshot in time, or over extended periods of time.
It is to be expected that a fairly large proportion of people exposed to RIWI questions will choose not to answer them, but this does not bias the survey results because of the large potential pool of responders and the random nature of the exposure.
All Web surveys select for respondents with Internet access. As time passes, Internet access will be available to more and more of the world’s population and, as smartphone and tablet usage increases and the number of Web domains in each country increases, manual type-in errors on all browsers will become more likely, thus increasing the potential reach of RIWI surveys 18.
The method works best with very brief sets of questions so that lengthy mental health questionnaires are not used. This makes the method challenging for lengthy epidemiological surveys of the prevalence of mental health conditions that require well-validated gold standard instruments. Long RIWI surveys can, however, be modularized, or ‘chunked up’, as has been done in one Canadian study on social values that consisted of a 150-question survey instrument. The results showed good reproducibility of long-established norms 26
Prior Uses of the RIWI Method
The RIWI method was first used to probe anti-vaccine sentiment during the 2009 HINI flu pandemic 27. The objectives of that study were to evaluate Canadian opinion on the safety of the H1N1 vaccine in real time and to investigate the possibility that public health communications over the Internet could counteract anti-vaccine sentiment. A random sample of 175,257 Canadian web users was asked about perceptions of the safety of the HINI vaccine. A total of 27,382 unique online participants answered the survey. Of the respondents, 23.4% considered the vaccine safe, 41.4% thought it was unsafe and 35.2% were ambivalent. Many websites and blog posts during the course of the pandemic were found to be expressing intense anti-vaccine sentiment, which helped to explain the survey findings, and to suggest that appropriate public health messaging could in fact be used to counteract public mistrust and seeming suspicion of the medical establishment.
More recently, RIWI conducted a global survey of mental health stigma, probing attitudes toward persons suffering from mental illness 23. 596,712 respondents completed this survey over a period of 1.7 years. These were the key findings: Of 229 countries, daily contact with a person with mental illness was most prevalent in China. This was a surprise finding given the reported degree of stigma that attaches to mental illness in Asian countries 28. The ease of disclosure was undoubtedly facilitated by the anonymous nature of the survey and the finding can be interpreted to mean that, in China, persons with mental illness reside in the family home (hence daily contact) rather than in institutions or boarding homes. The fact that daily contact was true in China more than anywhere else in the world may also be due to the cohesiveness of family structure in China, to the pervasive shame of mental illness, and to a relative lack of treatment facilities.
In developing countries, 15% of respondents (twice as many as in developed countries) were of the opinion that individuals with mental illness were violence-prone. The developing/developed country difference in this form of stigma can be attributed to the fact that mental illness is often left untreated in developing countries because of poor access to mental health services and perhaps also to the available treatment being relatively ineffective. According to the World Health Organization, more than 75% of persons with serious mental illness in less-developed countries never receive treatment and for those who do, treatment effectiveness has not been evaluated 29. There is an established link between untreated or undertreated mental illnesses and violence 30, which helps to explain the findings.
While 45% to 51% of respondents from developed countries believed mental illness to be similar in kind to physical illness, only 7% agreed that mental illness could be overcome. This was a large discrepancy, suggesting that biophysiological perspectives on mental illness do not necessarily lead to trust in the effectiveness of treatment.
The findings of this study and its methodology captured significant academic attention 31 because the quality and extent of stigma can be measured before and after a directed public health intervention and can, thus, evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.
The RIWI method lends itself to health promotion because it can provide: a) quick accurate responses from very large, random, and widespread populations b) anonymous answers to questions that are sensitive in nature c) answers to brief, validated survey instruments. This method can probe regional differences and questions can be asked before and after public health interventions so that intervention efficacy can be measured. Repeating the survey can also test the duration of impact of a public health campaign. Furthermore, the participant abandonment rate can, in the proper context where, for example, an anti-stigma campaign is active, be a good measure of the resonance of the message of that campaign. The lower the percentage of respondents who fail to respond or complete, the higher the evident interest. This intensity measurement is more transparent and objective than sentiment analysis based, for instance, on the application of language algorithms to social media postings that need to be interpreted 16.
The rest of the discussion outlines mental health conditions to which the RIWI survey method can be applied. The examples were chosen by the authors to reflect public health need, requirement for anonymity, availability of appropriate validated survey instruments, presence of regional differences, and the possibility of using survey results to evaluate an intervention.
Posttraumatic Stress Syndrome
Prevention of posttraumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) is a particularly good example of a condition to which this kind of survey can be profitably applied because PTSD is a reaction to an event. It is an important syndrome to study because it inflicts substantial burden on individuals and on societies across the globe 32. PTSD symptoms can be monitored in a community in the aftermath of natural disasters, wars, or epidemics. Short, reliable and validated PTSD questionnaires appropriate for such surveys are available 33. Global surveys that address this condition are important because PTSD symptoms are expressed as culture-specific idioms of distress and specific treatments may prove to be more effective in one culture than in another 34, 35. The natural course of PTSD – how long effects linger after trauma exposure – is best measured by repeat surveys. This has been done locally following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in New York City 36, but can now also be done in less well-resourced regions of the world.
Comorbidity of PTSD and substance abuse 37 is perhaps especially important to study because of its association with domestic abuse and violent crime 38. It is often this association that determines stigma, or the public’s attitudes towards PTSD sufferers. Change in public attitudes can be monitored after a programmatic intervention as can, after a period of time has elapsed, the possibility of posttraumatic growth, positive psychological change in the aftermath of trauma 32, in some segments of the population.
Substance Abuse And Addiction
Substance abuse on its own brings associated problems that pose an increasing challenge throughout the world although the actual substances of abuse vary from region to region. Alcohol and opiate use is escalating in Europe, Africa and Asia, while amphetamine and cannabis use is rising in Asia, North America and Europe. Cocaine use is on the rise in North America and Europe, whereas khat is a problem in parts of Africa and the Middle East, as are coca leaves in South America 40. The results of RIWI surveys can help to differentiate the effects of different substances on public perceptions of health and of safety 41.
Professional education is important as physicians who prescribe analgesics, hypnotics, anxiolytics, or stimulants can inadvertently contribute to the addiction problem. Medical prescription often starts people on the road to addiction. Surveying jurisdictions before and after continuing medical education campaigns can help to design more effective educational interventions.
There are forms of non-drug dependency (e.g., gambling, sex, shopping, hoarding) that are widely considered to be Western phenomena – their presence or relative absence in the developing world can be determined by surveys. Answers to such questions are important for global disease prevention and health maintenance.
Shame and Guilt Syndromes
Much psychopathology will be preventable when more is known about negative emotions such as shame and guilt 42, 43. The RIWI method is ideal for this area of study because there are validated brief questionnaires that can differentiate between shame and guilt 44. Reliable global surveys are needed because there are well-recognized differences among countries and cultures with respect to these two emotions 45. It is thought that individuals from collectivist cultures react with shame when they judge themselves to have violated cultural expectations while individuals from individualistic cultures react with guilt. Shame is a reaction to what others think and say whereas guilt is a reaction to one’s own conscience, to perceiving that one has violated an internalized moral or traditionally valued standard. Such distinctions are, in fact, controversial and need to be probed further.
New Events And Special Populations
The RIWI method can respond quickly to new events. For instance, because of events in Iraq and Syria, the world is currently on high alert to the effects inherent in large-scale migrations of refugees. RIWI surveys can elucidate the relationship between refugee status, trauma, shame, and guilt, and determine whether the emotional needs of migrants are addressed more effectively by specific resettlement strategies 46.
Particular segments of the population may require special focus. The elderly, for instance, are more vulnerable than other groups to some mental illnesses. The growth in the prevalence of dementia has been identified as a priority at a recent G-7 Dementia Research Meeting 47. Surveys can be conducted on priorities in elder care. The efficacy of risk reduction strategies can also be tracked.
Related to the prevalence of old age and dementia in the community is the issue of prevention of elder abuse. Though the victims may not have access to the Internet, questions pertaining to elder abuse can be asked of the general population who have observed acts of physical, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse directed toward the frail elderly. Here again, the effects of population educational campaigns and changes in the licensure of care providers can be assessed by repeat surveys.
Sensitive Issues
Survey respondents can be forthright about sensitive topics when the surveys are anonymous. As an example, a recent study found that heterosexual respondents were less likely to support equal access to employment, military service, adoption, and marriage for homosexual people in Web surveys (where they perceived themselves to be anonymous) than when being asked the same questions face-to-face 48.
Social desirability plays a large part in the accuracy of survey responses. The issue of induced abortion, for instance, is one that divides people across the world. Many consider taking a life to be an indefensible crime. Others believe abortion is a woman’s choice since she is the one carrying the fetus. A question that has troubled even the staunchest abortion advocates is sex-dependent abortion, the preferential killing in utero of female fetuses. Only an anonymous, entirely confidential survey can garner people’s true opinions on such sensitive issues, and this is vital to the passage of public health legislation that reflects majority opinion.
A good example of a condition for which many quasi solutions are implemented without prior evaluation is obesity 49, 50, 51. Some jurisdictions have introduced school lunches, some have invested in public health messaging, some have banned sugar-sweetened beverages, and some have mandated physical activity in schools. Most of these interventions enjoy limited empirical evidence of efficacy 52. The RIWI method was used to assess the self-reported efficacy of a new tax on soft drinks in Mexico. The data were first segmented by income group and other pertinent variables. The results indicated that Mexicans did not reduce the number of sugary drinks they consumed post tax introduction, nor did they support higher taxes as a way to reduce obesity 53. This is a good example of the usefulness of before and after opinion surveys.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an example of a contested diagnosis, given to a child who is inattentive, impulsive, and overly active at home or at school. It has a worldwide prevalence of about 5% 54. The perception of impulsivity, activity and attentiveness remains, however, largely subjective and, for this reason, it is important to ascertain whether ADHD constitutes true pathology or whether it is better conceptualized as a social construct peculiar to Western cultures that place high premium on quiet classroom sitting 55, 56, 57, 58.
Regional variations can help. While there is a global interest in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder 59, different geographic areas focus on different aspects of the disorder. Europe has been reported to be most interested in the association of ADHD with antisocial behavior, the US with the addictive potential of anti-ADHD drugs, East Asia with issues of self-esteem secondary to stigmatizing attitudes toward ADHD whereas Israel, Turkey, Australia and South America focus most on the academic sequelae of ADHD 60. There is a lack of studies from Africa. Pursuing regional differences will help to clarify the underlying pathology of ADHD and help to shape culture-specific interventions.
Concussion associated with sports trauma, especially with respect to late effects, has become a major preoccupation 61. Significant information about contact sports injuries around the globe can be quickly probed and the effects of new equipment and new regulations and return-to-play policies monitored with the RIWI method. Concussions are said to occur on average 1.75 million times a year in North America 62. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US has declared that sport-related concussions are reaching epidemic levels and urgently require further research 63. There is significant concern about the potential long-term cognitive and behavioral consequences of concussion for young athletes and the burden of injury is said to disproportionately affect low and middle-income countries 64, 65, 66. These are important and provocative findings that, if confirmed, will make preventive measures possible.
The RIWI survey method is able to obtain simultaneous answers to brief focused questions on sensitive issues from very large numbers of random respondents. Comparable incentive-based surveys take longer to complete and may be less representative and more vulnerable to bias. Repeat surveys are needed to answer many important health questions and have, until now, been particularly difficult to conduct, especially in developing countries, because of cost and lack of available resources.
A recent paper predicts that the burden of mental health and substance-use disorders will increase worldwide in the near future and that the greatest rise will be seen in low and middle-income countries because of rising life expectancy in those regions, population growth and under-resourced health care systems 67. An important goal of mental health promotion is to identify and address unmet needs for mental health care in these very countries. Critically needed are accurate identification, preventive measures, and assessment of the efficacy of interventions.
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1.Généreux Mélissa, Petit Geneviève, Roy Mathieu, Maltais Danielle, O’Sullivan Tracey, 2018, The “Lac-Mégantic tragedy” seen through the lens of the EnRiCH Community Resilience Framework for High-Risk Populations, Canadian Journal of Public Health, 109(2), 261, 10.17269/s41997-018-0068-z
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Journal Name : Journal Of Preventive Medicine And Care
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MZ id : JPMC-16-1112
Prevention of Stigma
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Oral histories on the topic 'yugoslavia'
Roger Martindale
Roger Martindale, born 1943 in England, was a police constable in the UK until 1973 when he migrated to Australia. He joined the Commonwealth Police (now AFP) VIP protection service in 1973 which included being part of Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser's security team in 1978 and thereafter that of t...
Topics: ‘A Current Affair’ (TV program), Aboriginal Tent Embassy, AFL Grand Final, Aircraft, Alresford, ASIO, Attendants, Australian Federal Police, Australian Protective Service, awards, Bahamas, Barrie Cassidy, Barry Brown, Beijing, Bill Hayden, Bob Hawke, Bob Hunter, Bomb scare, Bushfires, Cabinet anteroom, Cabinet Room, Camaraderie, Canberra, China, CHOGM, CHOGRM, Chris Conybeare, Commonwealth Police, Constitutional Convention 1998, Cook Islands, Craig Emerson, Demonstrations, Denis Richardson, Doug Anthony, Dubrovnik, Duck shooting, Election campaigns, Fairstar (ship), Family life, Firearms, Frank Leverett, Frank Lowy, Gambling, Gareth Evans, Geoffrey Yeend, George Davidson, George Shultz, Golf, Gorbachev, Government House, Governor-General, Graham Freudenberg, Graham Richardson, Graham Seidel, Hampshire, Hazel Hawke, Hilton bombing, Hilton hotel, Horse races, Hostels, Ian Sharp, Ian Sinclair, India, Indira Gandhi, Ireland, Irish Republican Army, Israel, Jill Saunders, Joe Feldman, John Bowen, John Button, John Hewson, John Kerr, KGB, Kim Beazley, Kirribilli House, Kremlin, Laurie Oakes, Lionel Bowen, Malcolm Fraser, Margaret Thatcher, Michelle Grattan, Mick Young, Migration, Monterey, Mullumbimby, Nanjing, Nareen, New Dehli, New Parliament House, Ninian Stephens, Osvaldo Meneghello, Pakistan, Party Room, Paul Keating, Peter Harvey, Phil Lynch, Photographs, Policing, Portsmouth, Press Gallery, Princess Anne, Provisional Parliament House, Queen’s Visit 1992, Radio, Rajiv Gandhi, Red Square, Right to Life, Robert Ray, Royal Marines, Royalty Protection, Group, Sandy Hollway, Security, Security Intelligence and Diplomatic Liaison, Shandong Province, Singleton Army Base, South Africa, South Pacific, Forum, Tamie Fraser, The Lodge, Thomas Kelly, Tiananmen Square, Tipperary, Training, Turkey, US Secret Service, VIP Protection, Washington, Wombat trail, Yasser Arafat, Yasushiro Nakasone, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zelman Cowen
Steve Gavin
Steve Gavin, born in Brisbane in 1944, worked in the Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet from 1970 to 1980 and was a Cabinet note-taker for three years from 1976 to 1978.
Topics: Administrative Services Department, Aircraft hijackings, Allan Rose, Anteroom, Arthur Tange, Australian Defence College, Australian Federal Police, Bicentenary, Bob Ellicott, Brassey House, Brisbane, Cabinet, Cabinet anteroom, Cabinet Handbook, Cabinet leaks, Cabinet meetings, Cabinet Room, Canberra, Capital Hill, Constitution and Legal Affairs, Crimes (Foreign Incursions and Recruitment) Act, Croatia, Defence Department, Defence Planning Division, Defence Signals Division, Diplomatic Service trainees, Doug Anthony, Federal Police Training College, Foreign Affairs Department, Fred Daly, Geoffrey Yeend, Gough Whitlam, H.C. ‘Nugget’ Coombs, Henry Bland, Hijackings, Hostels, Ian Sinclair, Intelligence and Security Branch, John Bunting, Joint Intelligence Organisation, Joint Services of Staff College, Lawley House, Legislation Committee, Lionel Murphy, Malcolm Fraser, National Capital Development Commission, National Party, New Parliament House, Note Takers, Office of National Assessments, Officials’ Gallery (Senate), Papua New Guinea, Parliamentary Liaison Officers, Peter Nixon, Phil Lynch, Policy and Projects, Primary Industry Department, Prime Minister & Cabinet Department, Public Service Board, Public Works Department, Queensland University, Redcliffe, Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security, Secret Intelligence Service, Special Minister of State, Taxation, Terrorism, Tony Powell, Torres Strait, Transport Department, Treasury, William McMahon, Yarralumla, Yugoslavia
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O Society
Political Skeptics
What the Hell is O Society?
Run Lolo, Run! CBD: Is It Crap or Not Crap?
O Society Aesthetics & Beauty, Beliefs, Cognitive Bias, Psychology, biology, critical thinking, Echochamber Friday November 7, 2019 November 8, 2019 3 Minutes
Today on Dichotomy Theater Game Show, we ask the question is Cannabidiol real or fake? You decide! By voting! By likes! By popularity! Is it InstaCrap or Not InstaCrap?
by Daniel Roberts edited by O Society Nov 6, 2019
Every week, another current or former pro athlete endorses a CBD brand!!!
The list of CBD endorsers runs the gamut from NBA to NFL to pro golf, young and old, male and female. To name just a few: Rob Gronkowski, Tiki Barber, Carson Palmer, Nate Burleson, and Ricky Williams (NFL); Greg Norman and Bubba Watson (golf); Paul Pierce, Lamar Odom, Jay Williams, and John Salley (NBA); Riley Cote and Ryan VandenBussche (NHL); Mike Tyson and Nate Diaz (fighters); Kerri Walsh Jennings (volleyball); Ryan Sheckler (skateboarding); and Olympic medalists Lolo Jones and Amy Van Dyken all talking up the benefits of CBD!!!
Some of them launch their own brands, others sign on as ambassadors of existing brands… and so the drama is manufactured, no?
Olympian Lolo Jones Talks Looking For Love & Staying A Virgin
“It’s like a floodgate opens,” says Olympic hurdler and bobsledder Lolo Jones, who signed a deal with CBDMD, formerly called “Level Brands,” which trades on Nasdaq as YCBD.
Jones joins a list of 40 athletes CBDMD brought on board, a huge number for a company only selling products since 2017.
Kim’s CBD Baby Shower Yesterday with Meditation Pics
Brightfield Group estimates the CBD industry will hit $5 billion in sales for 2019, an eye-popping (and hard to believe) 706% jump over 2018.
If the athletes who pump CBD are to be believed, it is a miracle drug!
It helps you sleep better, calm you down, heal your injuries, soothe your aching muscles, and make your dog happier. But the health benefits of CBD are still in contention, and very little definitive data exist to verify these claims these companies make about their products… the plot thickens!!!
The explosion of CBD causes many consumers to beconfused. “If I was a regular consumer, I would be confused too,” Jones acknowledges. How about as an irregular consumer then? Silence…
So, why is the CBD floodgate open if CBD is still so new and unproven by science?
For Jones, it’s about her sport lifting its ban on the product. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) removed CBD from its list of banned substances in 2018. As a result, Jones says, “Now athletes try to find the right CBD from a trustworthy company they can actually use while they’re training and not fail a drug test.” Jones and Bubba Watson both say they visited CBDMD’s lab before signing as ambassadors, and confirm the products are clean to avoid contamination.
“I’ve done a ton of research on this, and I try out different ones,” Jones says, “because I’m a 37-year-old Olympian. I need all the help I can get. When I wake up in the morning, I feel like an 80-year-old sometimes. I’ve aged in dog years.” She also has neck pain due to whiplash from a bobsled crash.
NFL quarterback Carson Palmer sounds a very similar note: “After playing for 15 years I’ve got a lot of aches and pains, a lot of sorenesses, and I’ve also got four young kids I’m chasing around. It’s a product which helps me continue to be able to play.”
But Palmer cautions consumers: “It’s not a miracle drug. If you have issues, you need surgery on—like myself, I’m going to need a hip replacement at some point, I’m just not ready to go under the knife and do hip replacement right now. This product helps my hip. But it is not a miracle drug cure-all.”
As more and more athletes get approached by CBD brands (many of them brand new, unproven brands) they have a lot of choice, but also the risk of endorsing one which fails. “It’s like shoe companies,” Jones says. “You can go get a cheap pair of shoes, but then it’s a nightmare running in them.” RUN!!!
cannabidiol CBD
crap or not
Lolo Jones
Published November 7, 2019 November 8, 2019
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2 thoughts on “Run Lolo, Run! CBD: Is It Crap or Not Crap?”
Reblogged this on 23741.
Benjamin David Steele says:
I’ve never used CBD oil. But I have a friend who swears by it. She had a brain concussion some years ago. It’s been a gradual recovery. She claims to have had improvements after taking CBD.
I haven’t looked into it at all and so I can’t make any claims about it, for or against. It’s not hard to understand why it would work, though. It’s simply an anti-inflammatory, assuming it works. There are many anti-inflammatories out there.
Here is the more fundamental issue. What is causing all of that inflammation in the first place? That is something we do know from scientific research. Inflammation is caused not only injury or sickness but also stress, sleep deprivation, industrial seed oils, high-carb diet, etc.
I recall a woman who was on a vegan diet. She was constantly dealing with pain, joint problems, and such. So, she used CBD oil to reduce inflammation. When she stopped using it, the problems were intolerable. Then she tried a low-carb diet, maybe ketogenic or even zero-carb, and all of the inflammatory issues went away without any need of CBD.
This is a common experience, especially with ketosis but also carnivore. Besides carbs, plant anti-nutrients like oxalates can cause inflammation. When inflammatories are eliminated from the diet and when anti-inflammatory and healing mechanisms are promoted (ketosis, autophagy, etc), anti-inflammatory substances like CBD oil are no longer necessary.
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By Jacinda Woodhead
222 Autumn 2016
With the release of ‘Formation’ and Beyoncé’s performance at this year’s Super Bowl, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) campaign pierced living rooms across the United States. Complete with Black Panther salute and iconography, accompanied by a film clip with a hurricane-drenched landscape and graffiti reading ‘stop shooting us’, a movement that had been demonised by the mainstream media and the right was given a heroic performance in what is, arguably, capitalism’s ultimate spectacle.
‘I thought it was really outrageous that she used it as a platform to attack police officers, who are the people who protect her and protect us,’ former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani responded guilefully.
The song, performance and video are now unquestionably part of the Beyoncé brand – but this moment also demonstrates the ways politics affects culture. ‘Formation’, and the outrage over Kenneth Goldsmith’s ‘The Body of Michael Brown’ (documented in this issue’s blistering discussion of race and racism in Australian poetry) would have been unimaginable if not for a political movement like BLM – a movement that has since grown beyond national borders. In Australia, for example, it helps fuel fury over the death of Ms Dhu, or our own incarceration rates, something Stephanie Convery talks about in her examination of feminist justice.
Questions of agency and Black experiences hang over every piece in this edition, from new columnist Natalie Harkin’s discussion of ‘national shame’, to Antony Loewenstein’s essay about life in South Sudan, to Maxine Beneba Clarke’s memoir, to the powerful fiction.
This issue also contains the 2015 Judith Wright Poetry Prize winners, accompanied by Peter Minter’s (final) and Toby Fitch’s (first) judges’ report, as well as the winning story in the inaugural Neilma Sidney Prize.
Read this issue, watch that clip. This history is still being made.
Read the rest of Overland 222
If you liked this article, please subscribe or donate.
Jacinda Woodhead is the outgoing editor of Overland. This is her final edition.
More by Jacinda Woodhead
This article was published in 222 Autumn 2016
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Google, Cuba sign deal allowing fast access to company data
by Michael Weissenstein
Backdropped by a poster of the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro, Mayra Arevich Marin, president of state telecom monopoly Etecsa, and Google chairman Eric Schmidt, wait for the start of a signing ceremony, in Havana, Cuba, Monday, Dec. 12, 2016. Google and the Cuban government signed a deal Monday allowing the internet giant to provide faster access to its data by installing servers on the island that will store much of the company's most popular content. Storing Google data in Cuba eliminates the long distances that signals must travel from the island through Venezuela to the nearest Google server. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
Google and the Cuban government have signed a deal allowing the internet giant to provide faster access to its data by installing servers on the island that will store much of the company's most popular content.
Storing Google data in Cuba eliminates the long distances that signals must travel from the island through Venezuela to the nearest Google server. More than a half century after cutting virtually all economic ties with Cuba, the U.S. has no direct data link to the island.
The deal removes one of the many obstacles to a normal internet in Cuba, which suffers from some of the world's most limited and expensive access. Home connections remain illegal for most Cubans and the government charges the equivalent of a month's average salary for 10 hours of access to public WiFi spots with speeds frequently too slow to download files or watch streaming video.
The agreement does not affect Cuba's antiquated communications infrastructure or broaden public access to the internet, but it could make Google websites like YouTube or Gmail up to 10 times faster for users inside Cuba. Content hosted by other companies will not be affected.
Neither Google chairman Eric Schmidt, nor Cuban officials, spoke to the press after the Monday signing ceremony in Havana.
Google chairman Eric Schmidt and Mayra Arevich Marin, president of state telecom monopoly Etecsa, sign an agreement in Havana, Cuba, Monday, Dec. 12, 2016. Google and the Cuban government signed a deal Monday allowing the internet giant to provide faster access to its data by installing servers on the island that will store much of the company's most popular content. Storing Google data in Cuba eliminates the long distances that signals must travel from the island through Venezuela to the nearest Google server. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
In a blog post, Marian Croak, Google's vice president for access strategy and emerging markets, and Brett Perlmutter, head of strategy and operations for Google Cuba and the lead negotiator of the deal, said, "Cubans who already have access to the internet and want to use our services can expect to see an improvement."
Cuban officials appear to be accelerating their approvals of deals with U.S. companies in an attempt to build momentum behind U.S.-Cuba normalization before President-elect Donald Trump takes office next month. The Google pact was announced less than a week after Cuba gave three U.S. cruise companies permission to begin sailing to the island next year. Officials familiar with the negotiations say other deals, including one with General Electric, are in the works.
The U.S. and Cuba have struck a series of bilateral deals on issues ranging from environmental protection to direct mail since the declaration of detente on Dec. 17, 2014, but business ties have failed to keep pace. The Cuban government has blamed the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba. Many U.S. businesses say Cuba has been moving on most proposals so slowly that some suspect the government has been deliberately limiting the development of economic ties.
The Google program could provide ammunition for U.S. advocates of closer ties with Cuba. Both pro-detente forces and those arguing for a hard line on President Raul Castro's single-party government have been pushing for Cubans to have better access to information.
If the Google deal proves to truly improve internet access for a significant number of Cubans, it ties information access to U.S.-Cuban detente in a way that could prove politically difficult to undo for anti-Castro officials in the incoming Trump administration.
Sources: Cuba, Google strike deal to hike internet speed
© 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Citation: Google, Cuba sign deal allowing fast access to company data (2016, December 12) retrieved 22 January 2020 from https://phys.org/news/2016-12-google-cuba-faster-access-company.html
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Germán G. Creamer
Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Business
1 Castle Point on Hudson
http://www.creamer-co.com
Columbia University - Department of Computer Science
Adjunct Associate Professor
Automated Trading with Boosting and Expert Weighting
Quantitative Finance, Vol. 4, No. 10, pp. 401–420
Germán G. Creamer and Yoav Freund
Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Business and University of California, San Diego
Automated trading, machine learning, algorithmic trading, boosting
A Boosting Approach for Automated Trading
Journal of Trading, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 84-96.
Using Adaboost for Equity Investment Scorecards
Howe School Research Paper, NIPS Workshop Machine Learning in Finance, 2005, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
Number of pages: 25 Posted: 28 Oct 2006 Last Revised: 26 Jan 2014
Boosting, machine learning, corporate governance, balanced scorecard, planning, performance management
Machine Learning in Energy Economics and Finance: A Review
Energy Economics, Vol. 81, 2019
Number of pages: 71 Posted: 15 Nov 2018 Last Revised: 08 Jun 2019
Hamed Ghoddusi, Germán G. Creamer and Nima Rafizadeh
Stevens Institute of Technology - School of Business, Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Business and Tehran Institute for Advanced Studies (TeIAS), Khatam University
Machine Learning, Energy Markets, Energy Finance, Support Vector Machine, Artificial Neural Network, Forecasting, Crude Oil, Electricity Price
Model Calibration and Automated Trading Agent for Euro Futures
Quantitative Finance, Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 531-545, 2012
Number of pages: 27 Posted: 26 Mar 2012 Last Revised: 20 Feb 2013
Automated trading, machine learning, algorithmic trading, agent based economics, trading agents, boosting
Semantic Frames to Predict Stock Price Movement
Proceedings of the 51st Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics, pp. 873-883, Sofia, Bulgaria, August 2013
Boyi Xie, Rebecca Passonneau, Leon Wu and Germán G. Creamer
Columbia University, Center for Computational Learning Systems, Columbia University and Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Business
semantic frames, natural language processing, NLP, computational linguistics, machine learning, text analysis, financial forecasting, asset pricing, computational finance
A Link Mining Algorithm for Earnings Forecast and Trading
Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery, Vol. 18, No. 3
Germán G. Creamer and Salvatore Stolfo
Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Business and Columbia University - Computer Science Department
Link mining, link analysis, social network, machine learning, computational finance, boosting, time series, pattern analysis, data mining applications
Using Link Mining for Investment Decisions: Extending the Black Litterman Model
Howe School Research Paper No. 2015-50
Number of pages: 17 Posted: 19 Jun 2013 Last Revised: 04 Apr 2015
Link mining, social network, machine learning, computational finance, portfolio optimization, boosting, Black Litterman model
Leveraging a Call-Put Ratio as a Trading Signal
The Version of Record of this manuscript has been published and is available in Quantitative Finance (2019), 19 (5): 763-777. , Howe School Research Paper No. 2015-49
Patrick Houlihan and Germán G. Creamer
Stevens Institute of Technology and Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Business
Anomalies in Prices; Portfolio Management; Technical Trading; Financial Forecasting; Investment Management; Options; Behavioral Finance
Learning a Board Balanced Scorecard to Improve Corporate Performance
Decision Support Systems 49 (4): 365-385
Boosting, machine learning, corporate governance, balanced scorecard, planning
Using Boosting for Financial Analysis and Performance Prediction: Application To S&P 500 Companies, Latin American ADRs and Banks
Computational Economics, Vol. 36, No. 2, pp. 133-151
Number of pages: 10 Posted: 15 May 2010 Last Revised: 20 Feb 2013
Financial analysis, machine learning, adaboost, data mining
Predicting Performance and Quantifying Corporate Governance Risk for Latin American Adrs and Banks
FINANCIAL ENGINEERING AND APPLICATIONS, MIT, Cambridge, 2004
Number of pages: 11 Posted: 20 Jun 2005 Last Revised: 20 Feb 2013
Corporate governance, machine learning, Adaboost, data mining
Open Regionalism in the Andean Community: Trade Creation and Social Access
Trade Liberalization, Open Regionalism, Latin America, Small Producers, Andean Community
Can Sentiment Analysis and Option Volume Anticipate Future Returns?
Computational Economics, 2017, DOI: 10.1007/ s10614-017-9694-4, Stevens Institute of Technology School of Business Research Paper No. 2015–59
Number of pages: 26 Posted: 29 May 2015 Last Revised: 14 Nov 2019
Social Media, Investor Sentiment, Behavioral Finance, Machine Learning
Leveraging Social Media to Predict Continuation and Reversal in Asset Prices
This is a pre-print of an article published in Computational Economics, 2019. The final authenticated version is available online at DOI: 10.1007/s10614-019-09932-9
Number of pages: 23 Posted: 29 Nov 2014 Last Revised: 18 Nov 2019
Social Media, Crowdsourcing, Sentiment
Using Random Forests and Logistic Regression for Performance Prediction of Latin American ADRS and Banks
Journal of CENTRUM Cathedra, Vol. 2, Issue 1, pp. 24-36, 2009
Number of pages: 13 Posted: 13 Aug 2009 Last Revised: 20 Feb 2013
financial analysis, machine learning, random forests, logistic regression, data mining
Can a Corporate Network and News Sentiment Improve Portfolio Optimization Using the Black-Litterman Model?
Quantitative Finance 15 (8): 1405-1416, 2015
Link mining; Social network; Machine learning; Boosting; Text analysis; Portfolio optimization; Black-Litterman model
Non-Linear Forecasting of Energy Futures
In R. Bembenik, L. Skonieczny, G. Protaziuk, M. Kryszkiewicz, H. Rybinski, Intelligent Methods and Big Data in Industrial Applications, Series Studies in Big Data, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer-Verlag, 2019. Initially published at: Howe School Research Paper No. 2014-42
Financial forecasting, lead-lag relationship, non-linear correlation, energy finance, support vector machine
Impact of Dynamic Corporate News Networks on Assets Return and Volatility
Social Computing (SocialCom), 2013 ASE/IEEE International Conference on , pp.809, Howe School Research Paper No. 2013-4
Number of pages: 6 Posted: 05 Jan 2013 Last Revised: 19 Jul 2017
Germán G. Creamer, Yong Ren and Jeffrey V. Nickerson
Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Business, Stevens Institute of Technology - School of Business and Stevens Institute of Technology - School of Business
Computational finance, social networks, common topics, text analysis, link mining, financial forecasting
Ensembles of Crowds and Computers: Experiments in Forecasting
Stevens Institute of Technology School of Business Research Paper No. 2015–54
Number of pages: 46 Posted: 14 Oct 2015 Last Revised: 14 Dec 2015
Germán G. Creamer, Yong Ren, Yasuaki Sakamoto and Jeffrey V. Nickerson
Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Business, Stevens Institute of Technology - School of Business, AXA Direct Japan and Stevens Institute of Technology - School of Business
Human machine ensembles, forecasting, Delphi method, crowdsourcing, machine learning
Machine Learning and AI: Editor’s Foreword
Quantitative Finance, 19 (9): 1445-1448 (2019)
Number of pages: 6 Posted: 23 Sep 2019
Germán G. Creamer, Gary Kazantsev and Tomaso Aste
Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Business, Bloomberg L.P. and University College London
machine learning, finance, financial forecasting, microstructure, option pricing, investment
News and Sentiment Analysis of the European Market with a Hybrid Expert Weighting Algorithm
Social Computing (SocialCom), 2013 ASE/IEEE International Conference on , pp.391-396
Number of pages: 6 Posted: 27 Jan 2014
Computational finance, text analysis, crowdsourcing, cognitive modeling, machine learning
News, Corporate Network and Price Discovery
Workshop on Information in Networks (WIN), September 2011
Number of pages: 5 Posted: 28 Mar 2012
Segmentation and Automated Social Hierarchy Detection Through Email Network Analysis
ADVANCES IN WEB MINING AND WEB USAGE ANALYSIS - 9th WEBKDD and 1st SNA-KDD WORKSHOP at KDD 2007, Zhang et al. eds., Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer-Verlag, 2009
Number of pages: 19 Posted: 27 Mar 2012
Germán G. Creamer, Ryan Rowe, shlomo hershkop and Salvatore Stolfo
Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Business, Independent, Columbia University - Department of Computer Science and Columbia University - Computer Science Department
Social Network, Enron, Behavior Profile, Link Mining, Data Mining, Corporate Householding
Risk Premium of Social Media Sentiment
Journal of Investing 26 (3): 21-28. 2017
sentiment analysis, risk management, forecasting
A Multivariate Distance Nonlinear Causality Test Based on Partial Distance Correlation: A Machine Learning Application to Energy Futures
Quantitative Finance, 2019, 19 (9): 1531-1542.
Number of pages: 27 Posted: 23 Sep 2019
Germán G. Creamer and Chihoon Lee
Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Business and Stevens Institute of Technology
financial forecasting, lead-lag relationship, nonlinear correlation, energy finance, support vector machine, Brownian partial distance correlation, random forests
A Temporal Based Forensic Analysis of Electronic Communication
Digital Government Proceedings, San Diego, CA
Germán G. Creamer, Salvatore Stolfo and shlomo hershkop
Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Business, Columbia University - Computer Science Department and Columbia University - Department of Computer Science
Social Networks, Email Mining, Histograms, Search, Email Visualization
Network Structure and Systemic Risk in the European Equity Market
IEEE Systems Journal, 12 (1): 1090-1098, 2018
Number of pages: 10 Posted: 21 Jul 2017 Last Revised: 07 Feb 2019
Social networks, text analysis, link mining, risk management, systemic risk
Time Series Forecasting With a Learning Algorithm: An Approximate Dynamic Programming Approach
22nd International Conference on Computational Statistics (COMPSTAT) 2016, Oviedo, Spain, August 2016
Ricardo Collado and Germán G. Creamer
computational fi nance, machine learning, dynamic programming, time series
A Textual Analysis Algorithm for the Equity Market: The European Case
The Journal of Investing, 25 (3) 105-116; DOI: doi/10.3905/joi.2016.25.3.105, 2016
Emissions Abating Technology Adoption Under the SO2 Permit Market: A Social Networks Approach
Social Computing (SocialCom), 2013 ASE/IEEE International Conference, pp.744-749
Bernardo Creamer and Germán G. Creamer
Universidad de las Americas and Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Business
Computational economics; energy economics; environmental economics; social networks; technological change
Efficiency and Trade Network Analysis of the Electricity Market: 1985-2005
Computational economics; DEA; efficiency; energy economics; environmental economics; social networks; technological change
Efficiency of Hospital Cholera Treatment in Ecuador
Pan American Journal of Public Health Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 77-87, 1999
Germán G. Creamer, Ninfa León, Mark Kenber, Pablo Samaniego and Gregory Buchholz
Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Business, affiliation not provided to SSRN, affiliation not provided to SSRN, affiliation not provided to SSRN and affiliation not provided to SSRN
Health Economics, Public Health, Cholera
A Non-linear Dependence Analysis of Oil, Coal and Natural Gas Futures with Brownian Distance Correlation
in Lakkaraju et al. Energy Market Prediction: Papers from the AAAI Fall Symposium. Technical Report FS-14-02, Washington DC: 9-14 (2014)
Number of pages: 8 Posted: 08 Feb 2019
Germán G. Creamer and Bernardo Creamer
Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Business and Universidad de las Americas
financial forecasting, lead-lag relationship, non-linear correlation, energy finance
Trading Network and Systemic Risk in the Energy Market
2016 International Conference on Behavioral, Economic and Socio-cultural Computing (BESC), Durham, NC, 2016: 1-6.
causality, coal, power markets, risk analysis, time series
Linking Entity Resolution and Risk
“Linking Entity Resolution and Risk: A boosting approach.” Eastern Economic Journal 37: 150-164, 2011
credit risk; boosting, machine learning, entity resolution, computational finance
Emissions Abating Technology Adoption in a Coal Trading Network
Social Network Analysis and Mining, Vol. 8(21), December 2018
Social Networks, Link Mining, Computational Economics, Environmental Economics, Energy Economics, Technological Change, Technical Efficiency, Data Envelopment Analysis
Open Regionalism in the Andean Community: a Trade Flow Analysis
World Trade Review, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 101-118
Posted: 03 Aug 2010 Last Revised: 20 Feb 2013
economic integration, andean integration, open regionalism
Open Regionalism in the Andean Community: Creation or Deviation of Commerce?
El Trimestre Economico, Vol. 71, No. 1, pp. 45-71, January-March 2004
liberalizacion de comercio, creacion de comercio, desviacion de comercio, integracion
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| 0.61969
| 0.61969
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Justia Patents Locked BladeUS Patent for Folding knife Patent (Patent # 5,511,310)
Apr 28, 1995 - Fiskars Inc.
A foldable hand tool, such as a pocket folding knife, includes a knife blade and a handle for storing the knife blade, and a pivotally biased lock bar to secure the blade in extended position. The knife also includes a pair of non-slip ridges mechanically interlocked with the handle in a region of the handle proximate to the blade when the blade is in stored position. The ridges, which project outwardly from the handle, are contoured to permit suitable engagement by the fingertips of a user's hand, thereby reducing slippage when the blade is extended from the stored position. The handle is formed of two keyed sections firmly assembled together by cooperation of a lock bar biasing spring with coaxially aligned holes formed in the keyed regions of the handle sections.
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The present invention relates generally to pocket tools, such as knives, having a handle and a working portion wherein the working portion is housed within the handle when the tool is not in use.
Pocket tools, such as pocket knives, are widely used. For convenience and to prevent injury to the user, pocket knives are commonly provided with a handle and a blade which can be safely received within the handle to form a compact assembly when not in use. Prior art pocket knives generally comprise two kinds, namely those provided with a retractable blade, and those of the foldable blade type. An example of a retractable blade pocket knife is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,017 issued May 5, 1981 to Collins. The handle of that retractable blade knife is formed of two substantially identical halves joined together to form a cavity in which the retractable blade is received when the knife is not in use. The handle halves are held together by suitable fasteners such as deformable pins, which cooperate with a generally U-shaped bolster. To use the knife, the user must manipulate the blade to move it into the fully extended position. As can readily be appreciated from the foregoing, a pocket knife of this type has several short comings. In particular, it requires the user to manipulate the tip and sharpened regions of the blade to extend the blade before use. In addition to comprising numerous parts, such a knife also requires the use of unsightly pins and a bolster to maintain the two halves of the handles in cooperative engagement. To overcome some of these short comings, pocket knives with retractable blades have been provided with a sliding mechanism that can be activated by the user thereby avoiding direct contact with the blade. However, such a mechanism, which also typically comprises various components, necessarily protrudes from the surface of the knife handle thereby interfering with proper and comfortable gripping of the knife.
Problems associates with retractable-blade pocket knives have already been recognized and variously addressed by those skilled in the art, using among other things the benefits provided by certain pocket knives with foldable, as opposed to retractable, blades. As one of the most recent examples of a foldable blade pocket knife, U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,509 issued Mar. 28, 1995 to Collins discloses a folding knife having a unitary plastic handle configured to accommodate a blade carrier frame designed to receive the folded blade. To expose the blade, the user, nesting the handle in one hand, engages the finger notch formed near the upper edge of the blade, typically with the thumb nail of the other hand. Although the unitary handle permits the elimination of pins or other fasteners that might otherwise be flush with, and visible on, the faces of the handle, this concept requires the use of an additional component, thereby increasing the number of steps of the assembly process. Furthermore, under certain circumstances such as when the hands of the user are wet, the plastic handle may tend to escape from its nested position in the user's hand, as the user pulls on the upper edge of the blade to open the knife. As one way to overcome this undesirable slippage, handles of folding knives are often coated with a non-slip material such as rubber. Commercially available folding knives provided with non-slip coating are for example those marketed by the assignee of the present invention under the Stallion brand name, as shown at page 15 of the assignee's 1995 catalog. However, over time under certain conditions of use, the rubber coating may start peeling off the handle, thereby reducing its effectiveness and detracting from the overall appearance of the knife.
Another concept used to facilitate the opening of the blade of a folding knife is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,665 issued Sep. 7, 1982 to Glesser. As disclosed in Glesser, the hole formed in the enlarged upper region of the blade is engageable by the user's thumb, thereby allowing the user to open the blade with a single hand, and without making eye contact with the knife. However, to prevent the knife from slipping out of the user's hand, the user will typically have to apply lateral pressure on the knife handle with the tips of the other fingers of the hand holding the knife. In the case of the knife disclosed in the Glesser patent, the user will most likely rest those fingertips on the edge of the pocket clip for more positive retention of the knife within the hand.
The limitations identified in the foregoing make apparent that prior art pocket tools such as pocket knives or the like, have various disadvantages. Some of these prior art items include a blade actuating mechanism comprising several components assembled within the handle using various fasteners, such fasteners and mechanism being apparent on the faces of the knife handle thereby detracting from the overall appearance of these knives and impairing their ergonomic characteristics. On the other hand, the various prior art attempts to limit slippage of a pocket knife handle out of the user's hand during unfolding of the blade, for the reasons explained in the foregoing, have not been fully satisfactory. Thus, it appears desirable to provide foldable pocket knives or the like with improved features to attempt to alleviate the problems associated with conventional prior items, but which are nonetheless engineered to facilitate their fabrication, at the same time improving, or at least maintaining, their reliability and relatively low cost.
A pocket folding knife according to the present invention includes a blade pivotally connected to a handle within which the blade may be received. According to one aspect of the invention, the knife handle includes non-slip regions particularly in the form of ridges interlocked with the handle; the ridges are engageable by the fingertips of the user's hand when the blade is being unfolded in a one handed operation.
According to another aspect of the invention, the handles comprises two substantially identical sections made of a moldable material such as plastic to which ergonomically contoured ridges, made of a flowable non-slip material, are interlocked in a secondary operation. The regions of the handle sections where the ridges are connected are formed with a series of apertures and adjoining inner recessed areas designed to permit the flowable material to expand into, and conform with, those apertures and recesses to attach firmly each non-slip ridge to a respective handle section.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the inner faces of the handles are also provided with keyed protrusions. The knife also includes a spring-biased lock bar to lock the blade in extended position. The lock bar is biased by a spring which also serves to interlock the keyed protrusions, thereby maintaining the handle assembled. A folding knife according to the invention comprises a limited number of components facilitating its assembly, and reduces slippage during one handed opening of the blade, making such a knife more comfortable and easier to use.
The preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like numerals denote like elements and:
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a Folding Knife in accordance with the invention, with the blade shown in folded configuration;
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the Folding Knife of FIG. 1 shown with the blade in the open position;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the Folding Knife of FIG. 2 taken along the longitudinal axis thereof;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the Folding Knife of FIG. 2 taken along the longitudinal axis thereof and showing the blade in semi-folded position;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the Folding Knife of FIG. 3 taken along the longitudinal axis thereof showing the blade in the folded position;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6--6 shown in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the Folding Knife shown in FIG. 5;
FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view taken along line 8--8 shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of a first handle section of the Folding Knife of FIG. 1;
FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of a second handle section of the Folding Knife of FIG. 1;
FIG. 11 is a rear elevational view of the handle section of FIG. 9;
FIG. 12 is a rear elevational view of the handle section of FIG. 10;
FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the assembled handle sections shown in FIGS. 9-12; and
FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the handle sections shown in FIGS. 9-12 showing the engagement of the elongated spring when the handle sections are brought together as shown in FIG. 13.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT
The invention relates to pocket tools having a handle and a working portion wherein the working portion is foldable within the handle when the tool is not in use. Accordingly, the term "folding knife" as used herein from time to time should also be understood to connote other types of foldable implements such as files, hand saws, etc., while the use of the term "rubber-like" material further comprehends similar materials including, for example, Kraton.RTM. from Shell Oil Company of New York, N.Y., Santoprene.RTM. from Advanced Elastomer Systems Inc. (formerly Monsanto Company of St. Louis, Mo.), or other suitable material which can be utilized to form the ridges on the handles of the knife. In this vein, those skilled in the art will further appreciate that the device described herein and its principle of operation, as well as the method described herein for manufacturing such items and its principles of implementation, is broadly applicable to a wide variety of foldable implements generally, and may be adapted to tools other than knives. Accordingly, while the present invention is hereinafter described with particular reference to a folding knife, the skilled artisan will note its many other applications.
Referring to the Figures, a folding knife 10 according to the invention includes a blade 12 pivotally connected to a handle 14 about a pivot 16. Referring more particularly to FIGS. 9-12, handle 14 is formed of two sections 18, 20, each section having oppositely facing inner and outer surfaces 22, 26, and 24, 28, respectively. As will be explained in greater detail below, in accordance with the present invention, folding knife 10 is also provided with a pair of non-slip ridges 30, 32, (shown more particularly on FIGS. 7, 8, and 13) formed on both sides of handle 14 in regions proximate to blade 12 when blade 12 is in stored position as shown in FIG. 1.
As in most commercially available folding knives, knife 10 further comprises a lock bar 34 which is pivotally connected to handle 14 by means of a pivot pin 36, which is preferably knurled for a more positive engagement of pin 36 with handle 14. Lock bar 34 is designed to pivot around pin 36 between first and second positions. In the first position, which is represented in solid lines in FIG. 3, catch 38 of lock bar 34 is received in a conforming recess 40 in the tang portion of blade 12 thereby locking blade 12 in extended position. Lock bar 34 is biased toward the first position, so that catch 38 is retained in recess 40 under the action of an elongated spring 42 removably secured to handle 14. To store blade 12 within handle 14, the user will push down distal end 44 of lock bar 34 moving lock bar 34 to its second position (as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3), sufficiently to overcome the upwardly directed biasing force exerted by spring 42 on distal end 44, to free catch 38 out of recess 40 and permit rotation of blade 12 to its stored position. The user can again bring blade 12 to its fully extended position by holding knife 10 in one hand and inserting the thumb of the hand holding the knife into an opening 13 formed through blade 12 in a region of blade 12 proximate pivot 16.
Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 3-5 13 and 14, and in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, spring 42 having a free end 43 (resiliently opposing distal end 44 of lock bar 34) and a distal end 45, is also preferably used to keep handle sections 18 and 20 assembled together. When sections 18 and 20 are assembled, inner surfaces 22 and 26 are configured so as to be spaced apart to form a cavity 46 adapted to receive blade 12 in stored position. Handle sections 18 and 20 are advantageously manufactured by an injection molding process such as plastic molding, in which the gating can be located on inner surfaces 22, 26 because handle 14 is made of two separate sections. Handle sections 18, 20 are advantageously made of hard molded fiberglass reinforced nylon to improve durability and strength of the knife, without adversely affecting its weight.
As shown in FIG. 14, handle section 18 has a pair of projections 48, 50, formed in the rear region of section 18 and extending from inner surface 22 by a predetermined distance. On the other hand, handle section 20 has a single projection 52 formed in the rear region of section 20 and extending from inner surface 26 by a predetermined distance. Projections 48, 50, and 52 have holes therethrough, respectively 49, 51, and 53, configured to become coaxially aligned when handle sections 18, 20 are brought together to form handle cavity 46. Accordingly, when handle sections 18, 20 are brought together toward that end, projection 52 is keyed between projections 48 and 50, aligning as a result handles sections 18 and 20, thereby facilitating the subsequent assembly of the other components of the knife. To maintain handle sections 18, 20 in assembled relationship, distal end 45 of spring 42 is removably inserted into holes 51, 53, and 49, interlocking sections 18 and 20. Spring 42 is maintained in interlocking position by its own spring force as, when knife 10 is assembled, free end 43 of spring 42 is, at all times, deflected by distal end 44 of lock bar 34. If desired, however, the force maintaining spring 42 in place can be increased by a slight offset of holes 51, 53, and 49, in the order of 0.002" center to center. Alternatively, end 45 could be knurled, although this would increase the cost of spring 42.
It can therefore be readily appreciated from the foregoing that the cooperation of keyed projections 48, 50, and 52 interlocked by spring 42 conveniently eliminates the need to use pins or other fasteners to keep handle sections 18 and 20 firmly assembled. It should also be noted that since spring 42 removably engages holes 49, 51, and 53, knife 10 can be easily disassembled for cleaning and lubricating in the event it came into contact with certain chemicals or after its use under certain conditions that might otherwise affect its performance. The dual function of spring 42, used to bias lock bar 34 as well as to interlock handle sections 18 and 20, permits a reduction in the number of components of a folding knife, thereby facilitating its assembly and most likely increasing its reliability. Furthermore, as will be seen below, the fact that handle 14 is formed of two independent sections 18, 20 provides other advantages which will facilitate attachment of ridges 30, 32 to handle 14.
Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1, 7, 8, and 13, as noted above, handle 14 is also provided with elongated ridges 30, 32 made of a non-slip material. Ridges 30, 32, are mechanically interlocked with handle 14 in regions proximate to blade 12 when blade 12 is in stored position as shown in FIG. 1. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, ridges 30, 32 are formed by molding a rubber-like material such as Kraton.RTM. or Santoprene.RTM. onto handle sections 18, 20, respectively. Those skilled in the art of molding parts will readily appreciate that to form ridges 30, 32 onto handle 14 in a convenient and economical manner requires that handle 14 is not made of a single piece.
As a shown in FIG. 8, ridge 30 comprises an engageable portion 54 and a retaining portion 56 joined to engageable portion 54 by an intermediate portion 58. Similarly, ridge 32 comprises an engageable portion 60 and a retaining portion 62 joined to engageable portion 60 by an intermediate portion 64. Since ridges 30, 32, are preferably unitary pieces made of moldable material such as rubber, engageable portions 54, 60, respectively merge into intermediate portions 58, 64, which in turn merge into retaining portions 56, 62.
To interlock ridge 30 with handle section 18, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 12, handle section 18 comprises an elongated recessed area 66 formed in inner surface 22 in a lower region thereof which is proximate to blade 12 when blade 12 is received in cavity 46. To firmly position ridge 30 with respect to handle section 18, several apertures generally designated as 68 are formed along recessed area 66, extending to outer surface 24 of handle section 18. Similarly, an elongated cavity 70 can be formed in outer surface 24 to increase the positional retention of ridge 30 with respect to handle section 18.
In the same manner, to interlock ridge 32 with handle section 20, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, handle section 20 comprises an elongated recessed area 76 formed in inner surface 26 in a lower region thereof which is proximate to blade 12 when blade 12 is received in cavity 46. To firmly position ridge 32 with respect to handle section 20, several apertures generally designated as 78 are formed along recessed area 76, extending to outer surface 28 of handle section 20. Similarly, an elongated cavity 80 can be formed in outer surface 28 to increase the positional retention of ridge 32 with respect to handle section 20. Since according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention ridges 30, 32 are made of rubber-like material molded onto handle sections 18, 20, the rubber material will expand in, and closely conform with, recessed areas 66, 76, becoming effectively in contact with inner surfaces 22, 26; ridges 30, 32 will also pass through and closely conform with apertures 68, 78, extending into, and closely conforming with cavities 70, 80, to terminate at a predetermined distance from outer surfaces 24, 28.
It can therefore be readily appreciated from the foregoing description of the present invention that because ridges 30, 32 are provided with retaining portions 56, 62 connected to engageable portions 54, 60 by intermediate portions 58, 64 which are received and conform with apertures 68, 78 formed in handle sections 18, 20, ridges 30, 32 will as a result be interlocked with handle 14.
A foldable hand tool such as a pocket folding knife according to the present invention therefore alleviates some of the short comings found in the prior art and in particular improves retention of the knife within the hand of the user during one handed opening of the blade. The pair of ridges used toward that end which are ergonomically contoured also improve user comfort during normal use of the knife. Furthermore, the dual function of the biasing spring also permits elimination of unsightly fasteners. Thus, such novel features should facilitate assembly of such folding knives and also favorably affect other characteristics which are important to users of these knives.
It is understood that the above description is of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, and that the invention is not limited to the specific forms described. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, for example, foldable tools in accordance with the invention could comprise working portion other than a knife blade, as in a foldable saw or file, instead of a knife blade as described in the preferred embodiment. In such a case, the handle of the tool would be configured to suitably receive the saw or file when folded into a compact assembly. Furthermore, ridges 30, 32, could be secured to handle section 18, 20 in a manner other than that described in the foregoing, and could, depending on the application be of other configurations. Likewise, recessed areas 66, 76, and/or cavities 70, 80, could have different configurations, as required by the particular application, in each and every cases without departing from the scope of this invention. Such other configurations and constructions are considered to be within the scope of this invention. Thus, these and other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may be made in the design and arrangement of the elements and in the manufacturing steps disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
1. A pocket folding knife comprising:
a knife blade;
a first handle section;
an opposed second handle section joined to the first handle section to form a handle having a cavity in which the blade is received when in stored position;
each handle section having a pair of oppositely facing inner and outer surfaces;
an elongated lock bar pivotally connected to the handle for movement between a first position in which the blade is locked in extended position, and a second position to permit pivotal movement of the blade to the stored position;
an elongated spring, biasing the lock bar into the first position, the spring having a free end effectively in contact with the lock bar and a distal end; and
means for removably joining the handle sections wherein such means comprises the distal end of the elongated spring.
2. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein the handle sections have keyed projections extending from respective inner surfaces thereof, the distal end of the spring removably connecting the handle sections at the keyed projections.
3. The folding knife of claim 1, further including at least a ridge formed in a region of the handle proximate to the blade when the blade is in stored position, the ridge being mechanically interlocked with one of the handle sections and extending from the inner surface thereof to a point lying at a predetermined distance from the outer surface of the one of the handle sections.
4. The folding knife of claim 3, wherein the ridge is made of moldable material and comprises an engageable portion and a retaining portion joined to the engageable portion by an intermediate portion.
5. The folding knife of claim 4, wherein at least one of the handle sections has an elongated recessed area formed in the inner surface thereof along the region, and a plurality of apertures extending from the recessed areas to the outer surface of the one of the handle sections, and further wherein the retaining portion of the ridge substantially conforms with the recessed areas, the engageable portion extends to a point lying at a predetermined distance from the outer surface of the one of the handle sections, and the intermediate portion substantially conforms with the plurality of apertures.
a handle for storing the knife blade, the handle having oppositely facing inner and outer surfaces and a plurality of apertures formed through one of the outer surfaces to an inner surface respective to the one of the outer surfaces in a region of the handle proximate to the blade when the blade is in stored position; and
a ridge extending from the inner surface respective to the one of the outer surfaces through the apertures and from the one of the outer surfaces by a predetermined distance.
7. The knife of claim 6, wherein the ridge is made of moldable material.
8. The knife of claim 7, wherein the moldable material is a rubber-like compound.
9. The knife of claim 6, further comprising a second plurality of apertures formed in the region of the handle through the other of the outer surfaces to a second inner surface respective to the other of the outer surfaces, and a second ridge extending from the second inner surface through the second plurality of apertures and from the other of the outer surfaces by a predetermined distance.
10. The folding knife of claim 9, wherein the handle comprises a pair of opposed handle sections, each section having an elongated recessed area formed in the region of the handle in the inner surface thereof, and wherein the apertures of a respective one of the handle sections extend from a respective one of the recessed areas to a respective one of the outer surfaces.
11. The knife of claim 6, wherein the ridge is ergonomically contoured to permit suitable engagement by fingertips of a user's hand holding the knife, thereby reducing slippage when the blade is extended from the stored position.
12. The knife of claim 6, wherein the blade further comprises an opening formed therethrough in a region of the blade proximate a pivot point between the blade and the handle, the opening being suitable for engagement by a user's thumb thereby permitting one-handed pivoting movement of the blade from the stored position.
13. The folding knife of claim 6, further comprising:
an elongated lock bar pivotally connected to the handle for movement between a first position in which the blade is locked in extended position, and a second position to release the blade and permit its pivoting movement to the stored position; and
an elongated spring biasing the lock bar toward the first position, the spring having a free end effectively in contact with the lock bar, and a distal end removably connected to the handle.
14. The folding knife of claim 13, wherein the handle comprises a pair of opposed handle sections having keyed projections extending from the inner surfaces thereof, the distal end of the spring removably connecting the handle sections at the keyed projections to form a handle cavity receiving the blade when in stored position.
15. A pocket folding knife comprising:
a handle having oppositely facing outer surfaces and spaced apart inner surfaces forming a handle cavity for storing the knife blade; and
at least one ridge mechanically interlocked with the handle and effectively in contact with one of the inner surfaces in a region of the handle proximate to the blade when the blade is in stored position, the ridge projecting outwardly from a respective one of the outer surfaces by a predetermined distance.
16. The knife of claim 15, wherein the ridge is made of moldable rubber-like material.
17. The knife of claim 16, wherein an elongated recessed area is formed in the one of the inner surfaces along the region, and further wherein a plurality of apertures extend from the recessed area to the respective one of the outer surfaces, the ridge substantially conforming with the recessed area and with the apertures.
18. The knife of claim 15, further comprising a second ridge mechanically interlocked with the handle and effectively in contact with the other of the inner surfaces in the region of the handle, the second ridge projecting outwardly from the other of the outer surfaces by a predetermined distance.
19. The knife of claim 15, wherein the ridge is ergonomically contoured to permit suitable engagement by fingertips of a user's hand holding the knife, thereby reducing slippage when the blade is extended from the stored position.
20. The folding knife of claim 15, further comprising:
21. The folding knife of claim 20, wherein the handle comprises a pair of opposed handle sections having keyed projections extending from the inner surfaces, the projections having holes therethrough configured to become coaxially aligned to receive the distal end of the spring when the handle sections are brought together to form the handle cavity.
22. A method for making a folding knife of the type including a blade and a handle, a pair of first and second opposed handle sections forming a handle cavity for storing the blade, a lock bar pivotally connected to the handle, a spring removably connecting the handle sections and biasing the lock bar to lock the blade in extended position, each handle section having oppositely facing inner and outer surfaces and a plurality of apertures formed therethrough in a region of the handle proximate to the blade when the blade is in stored position, each handle section further including a ridge mechanically interlocked with a respective handle section and extending therefrom by a predetermined distance, the method comprising the steps of:
molding the first and second handle sections;
molding the ridge onto each of the handle sections so that the ridge is effectively in contact with a respective one of the inner surfaces, extending through a respective one of the plurality of apertures, and projecting from a respective one of the outer surfaces by a predetermined distance;
bringing the handle sections together and inserting the spring into coaxially aligned holes of the handle sections to removably join the handle sections and form the handle cavity; and
assembling the lock bar and blade.
D299413 January 17, 1989 DeCarolis
D348818 July 19, 1994 Hesagawa
4265017 May 5, 1981 Collins
4327465 May 4, 1982 Moritsch
4347665 September 7, 1982 Glesser
4570341 February 18, 1986 Konneker
4578864 April 1, 1986 Hoffman
4949457 August 21, 1990 Burout, III
5131149 July 21, 1992 Thompson et al.
5400509 March 28, 1995 Collins
1995 Gerber.RTM. Outdoor Recreational Equipment Catalog at p. 15.
Filed: Apr 28, 1995
Date of Patent: Apr 30, 1996
Assignee: Fiskars Inc. (Madison, WI)
Inventors: George C. Sessions (Milwaukie, OR), Bradford J. Parrish (Oregon City, OR)
Primary Examiner: Hwei-Siu Payer
Law Firm: Foley & Lardner
Current U.S. Class: Locked Blade (30/161); Pivoted Blade (30/155)
International Classification: B26B 104;
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Club Dance For Men
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Club Dance For Men Level 1 Program: Beginner Rhythm And Basic Steps (Digital Download)
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Club Dance For Women Level 1 Program For Beginners (Digital Download)
"Sexy And Fun Dance Moves Designed For Beginners To Get You Comfortable On Your Night Out!"
LADIES! HAVE YOU EVER...
Said to yourself "I have no rhythm" or "I can't dance"?
Needed to drink before dancing, which only made things worse?
Avoided the dance floor altogether and sat off for most of the night?
Got tired of the same boring club experience and wanted a FUN NIGHT TO REMEMBER?
Thought that you were the WORST DANCER IN THE WORLD?
Got tired of not knowing what to do with your hands while doing the same two dance steps the whole night?
Felt out of place or uncomfortable at a girl's night out because you couldn't dance?
Wanted some sexy dance moves to flirt with guys ?
"Relax! Our Club Dance System Has Easy To Learn Moves That Will Get You Dancing Quickly And Confidently"
Believe it or not, most women don't think they can dance or say they can't dance, yet we all love to dance. It's in our nature! If you think you're an absolute beginner, you're not alone, but fear not, our programs are perfect for you! We've spent an extensive amount of time teaching women of all backgrounds how to dance, crafting it JUST FOR BEGINNERS.
Best of all, our love of dancing and teaching experience shows through! We break down each dance move carefully, just as we do when teaching in real life. If a certain dance move is trickier, we isolate each body part and work on them. We also identify common problem areas most women have with certain moves, and show you the best way to becoming a better dancer. Remember, it's more important to dance a few moves with style than to dance a large number of moves poorly!
We also use slow practices and warmups to get you started and familiar with your body. As you get better, you progress to faster practices and sexier dance moves that combine more body movements. Eventually, we'll help you develop your own style as you choose the moves you love most and match the music you dance to.
And, of course, what kind of club dance program would this be if we didn't show how to dance with guys? We show all the latest, greatest moves to mix it up with guys. We keep things sexy WITHOUT letting it get raunchy - from our experience, we honestly believe that's the best way to turn up the heat and intensify the attraction. If you have to flirt a little, what better way than on the dance floor?
Hitting the dance floor and grooving to all your favorite songs is now within your reach! The warm-ups, practices, and dance moves combined on this video will help you better understand your body and learn how to use rhythm so that you will feel more comfortable when you’re in the clubs!
Most importantly, all our moves are CLUB-TESTED. We don't teach dance routines - those are for dance performances and competitions. Our material is made just for the clubs and social events.   We've gone out to the clubs a countless number of times with students and have partied the night away on the dance floor. Our beginner core dance moves are highly repeatable and work across most styles of club dance music, while our higher level moves branch out to work with different genres of music, whether it be an smooth, urban jam or a high energy progressive house track.
Club Dance For Women Level 1 has been carefully designed for the absolute beginner, so if you're terrified of dancing, think you have no rhythm, don't know anything about club music, uncomfortable with your body, then THIS PROGRAM IS FOR YOU. Angela has spent years instructing women just like you on how to get rhythm, build confidence, and let loose!
First, we start off with some rhythm exercises to different styles of music to get your warmed up. Next, we step it up with some easy moves accompanied with slow practices. As you get better, you'll move on to the faster practices, and when you're ready, go on to the next dance sexy dance move! If you're not, no need to worry! Just do the practices again - that's what they're designed for!
At the end, we review all the moves learned, combine them, and see how they work to different styles of club music, as well as with a partner! (side note: for more partnering lessons, it's best to see the series)
Why waste any time? Get started today and finally have some REAL FUN IN THE NIGHT CLUBS.
"Learn How To Groove, Move, And Shine On The Dance Floor Today!"
This Beginner's Program Features:
Basic rhythm exercises to get you started
Easy-to-learn moves followed which help you understand and grow more comfortable with your body
Practice sessions that start with slow beats, followed by club speed practices once you're ready
Tips and styling on how to dance to different styles of music played in a club
Demonstrations that will show you how to incorporate those moves with a partner on the dance floor!
Feel like you have the basics down? No problem. Our lessons are designed with difficulty levels in mind. Although most of our moves are taught with beginners in minds, we step it up with some slightly more difficult variations as well as reserve a few intermediate moves, such as waacking, isolations, and sexy hip moves. Although you're not competing for a dance show, you certainly can dance comfortably on your own!
Also, if you're interested in more moves with guys, especially if you have someone special in your life, we also recommend you take a look at our Partnering program. It's a great, little dance system that shows men and women how to mix it up on the dance floor.
Pickupdance instructor Angela is a professional dancer, choreographer, fitness teacher, and dance instructor. She has over 15 years of experience teaching dance, from beginner children's jazz funk classes to complex hip hop routines for competitions. Her work includes being on several high profile dance videos that have over 10 million combined Youtube views, as well as a dancer for Katy Perry. Check out her dance reel below.
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The English left should stay out of the Scottish independence debate
"For outsiders to see Scotland as their pain-free lab for radical economic experiments is no less contemptuous than the braying barons of Westminster"
Wednesday, 22 March 2017 9:38 AM
By Chaminda Jayanetti
Change your life - become a customs officer. They'll be all the rage in a few years time, as Britain's post-imperial neurosis shuts out its neighbours and carves itself up. In the wake of a hard Brexit and the slow motion car crash on the Irish border, the Scottish government wants out of the imploding British union.
One can hardly blame them. Since the morning after the first independence referendum three years ago, the thin-skinned tyrant of English nationalism has treated Scotland with nothing but contempt - English Votes for English Laws, hysterical Tory election posters demonising Scotland's largest party, voting for Brexit, ditching the single market against the express wishes of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and generally behaving like an abusive husband who's hidden the new PIN for the joint bank account.
Now that Sturgeon has demanded a second referendum, the Westminster Right swings between snickering at the supposed naivety of the silly "nats" and raging at their refusal to enthusiastically partake in our brave new Brexit Britain - all the while sneering at the supposed subsidy junkies north of Hadrian's Wall.
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The English Right are thus imposing their own assumptions, prejudices and priorities on the inevitable second Scottish independence vote - Brexit uber alles, as with all things, plus the perennial gripes about the Barnett Formula. Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson - always described as "impressive", which appears to mean "vaguely coherent" when applied to politicians - may find her biggest obstacles leading the No campaign come from the braying Tory backwoodsmen south of the border.
But however boorish the response of the English Right, the reaction from the radical Left is worse - less overtly abhorrent, but more cynical and pernicious. Because just as in 2014, the English Left thinks this is their referendum.
In 2013-14, during the first referendum campaign, many radical English left-wing activists went up to Scotland to join the independence movement. It was an odd sight - not so much why weren't they campaigning for the union, as why were they sticking their oar in?
The answer, in a word, was projection. The English radical Left decided to turn the 2014 indyref into a niche political porno. There was no fantasy they could not imagine an independent Scotland fulfilling. Scotland was a caged socialist tiger waiting to be unleashed - apparently. It was Westminster that was preventing mass egalitarianism, rather than the Scottish middle classes' reluctance to see Holyrood use its tax raising powers. The Scots didn't want Trident. The Scots supported welfare. The Scots would nationalise everything. Sod England - having been rejected by voters at election after election, English socialists would fight for Scottish independence and then flee there to build their new Jerusalem in Scotland's green and pleasant land.
We will no doubt see this repeated over the coming years. Scotland is, of course, more pro-EU than England - though certainly not Europhile. Its politics are also more left-wing than England's, with a centre left government of the European social democrat style - but again, the idea that Scots are uniformly, or even mostly, sympathetic towards benefits claimants and the such like is unsupported by evidence.
The English Left has scrawled its own caricature of Scotland and declared it a carbon copy of the real thing. The reality is Scotland, like any other country, is politically complex, varied, and at times fickle - Alistair Darling was proved entirely right in his warnings over oil prices in 2014, but neither he nor Scottish Labour will ever be thanked for it. The Conservatives meanwhile are resurgent and set to become the main opposition in a land where their name is supposedly - at least according to lefty folklore and nationalist diatribes - nothing short of an obscenity. All this is completely absent from the Red Clydeside nostalgia dredged up by the pro-independence English Left.
The "new Jerusalem" brigade are at least well meaning, in their way - they look at England's politics and beg for an alternative. Well, so do many of us. But then there are the accelerationists - political pyromaniacs whose agenda is chaos from which they may profit, a kind of "disaster socialism" to mirror the disaster capitalism Naomi Klein wrote about in The Shock Doctrine.
This breed of left-wing activist pinned their hopes on Scottish independence in 2014 as a deliberate means of sending the union into meltdown. Their view is that if the union goes into meltdown, so does capitalism and imperialism. Presumably they assume such a chaotic process would be painless for those they claim to represent. Or maybe they don't care, so long as the castle walls are breached so that they may storm them.
James Meadway is now an adviser to shadow chancellor John McDonnell. In 2014 he was still an activist with the SWP offshoot Counterfire, very much in opposition to the Labour Party - and very much in support of Scottish independence.
"My entire adult life has been spent living in a country that is either bombing, invading, or occupying one place or another, with appalling consequences," he said prior to the 2014 referendum.
"Breaking up this warlike [British] state, undermining its capacity to act abroad – as Scottish independence will – will be a huge gain for the world."
On another occasion, Meadway explained his support for independence thusly: "The greater a constitutional crisis can be provoked inside the UK, the greater a chance we have of establishing something outside of the Westminster circus; and there's no doubt that Scottish independence would provoke something of a crisis for the Labour Party itself."
Meadway, and others like him, support independence on economic grounds as well - but Scots might find it curious that they were expected to go through the severe challenges of secession partly so that the ensuing chaos in Westminster would give English radicals an opening, while denying the US an extra hanger-on the next time the White House goes to war.
As for that economic case - there has been little circumspection from those pushing the independence case north or south of the border about how flimsy their case was. Their boisterousness over oil prices takes on Brexit levels of dishonesty given what has happened since - had Scotland voted Yes in 2014, it would now be the world's newest financial crisis.
Of course, for the English left that is mere detail. Some never believed the Scottish economy would be at risk; others just viewed initial strife as a teething problem on the way to future sunlit uplands, not unlike the fanatical Brexiteers or austerity fetishists they so often decry. The practical realities of fashioning a new independent state were swept aside by essentially "foreign" activists plugging a radical socialist future that, as Corbyn's struggles in Scotland show, few Scots appear to actually want.
Much has changed since 2014, of course. The SNP, having misjudged key planks of their argument last time round, has had longer to hone its blueprint. Brexit transforms the landscape - the economic case for independence is far more compelling than it was three years ago. But whenever Scotland gets its vote, its people will have a complex set of risks to balance and a difficult judgement call to make.
And they will have to make it for their own future, unlike those who wish to project their own agendas from elsewhere. For outsiders to see Scotland as their pain-free lab for radical economic experiments is no less contemptuous than the braying barons of Westminster.
Chaminda Jayanetti is a freelance journalist. You can follow him on Twitter here.
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Home » News » Remembering Those Who Serve Freedom
Remembering Those Who Serve Freedom
in News on December 6, 2017
Recently, I sat down with several current and former members of our armed forces. Some were members of our special forces, but all had seen significant combat situations. Some of the things I learned from them were inspiring and hopeful, but what really stuck with me the longest, were the comments that were less inspiring and less hopeful. The comments about loneliness, depression, PTSD, and divorce. The comments about how many of our nation’s patriots need a bigger support system, both while deployed and after they return home.
I asked each of these service members to describe the one main thing that they felt they would have appreciated more of from their fellow Americans. The common theme was this: “We wish that we felt more appreciated, valued, and remembered.”
Keep in mind, those sentiments were not offered to me out of thin air. These sentiments are not to be confused with complaints, grievances, and whining. None of the gentlemen I spoke with ever complained to me about any of the losses or hardship they had endured. But they did answer my questions as honestly as they could, once I had asked.
There is not a soul on earth who does not want to be loved, appreciated, and valued. Every soul also desires to be remembered after they are gone, whether “gone” means another military deployment or “gone” means one’s death. These are universal God-given emotions. These emotions should demand a response.
The Christmas season is upon us, and many thousands of our nation’s patriots will not be sitting around a safe, warm fireplace, opening presents with their families. They will be half a world away, in deserts, in danger, in combat, in defense of our great nation’s national security. They risk limb and literal life every day so that you and I can sit safely around our fireplace. We owe them. We owe them our reassurance. The simple reassurance that their sacrifices are indeed highly loved, valued, and remembered. More importantly…
We owe them our reassurance that THEY are highly loved, valued, and remembered.
To the men and women of America’s armed forces, you have not been forgotten this Christmas. You have been remembered, your service has been remembered, and you are our Patriots! The whole team at Prayers for Patriots and beyond keeps you in our hearts and in our prayers.
To my fellow civilians, take the time this Christmas season to reach out to a current or former service member. Tell them that you appreciate them and their work, that you value them, and that you will remember what they gave to and gave up for our freedoms.
Merry Christmas to our service member patriots, far and near – and also to our civilian patriots who remember those serving freedom.
(If you do not know any current or former military members, but wish to send an encouraging note during the holidays, click here to contact us and we will forward your kind message.)
Our mission: Covering our United States military in daily prayer, so that our American Patriots remain healthy in spirit, soul, and body.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! »
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Paradise Papers was 'most complicated project ever' for Guardian says head of investigations Nick Hopkins
By Freddy Mayhew Twitter
Covering the Paradise Papers was “the most complicated project the Guardian has ever been involved in” – even more so than last year’s Panama Papers, according to the newspaper’s head of investigations Nick Hopkins.
Although the leak was nearly half the size of the Panama Papers in data terms, Hopkins said the project was the first time the Guardian had worked on a collaboration that had independent stories impacting three different “jurisdictions” – with material relating to the UK, the US and Australia.
The Guardian had a team of up to 20 people – including financial correspondent Juliette Garside and Money editor Hilary Osborne – working over 11 months on the leaked documents, with Hopkins editing across three time zones to bring it together for publication.
“I don’t recommend it if you have high blood pressure or a weak heart,” he told Press Gazette. “I would say it’s definitely the most complicated project that the Guardian has ever been involved in and we have been involved in some pretty complicated projects.”
The Paradise Papers relate to 13.4m leaked financial documents spanning from 1950 to 2016, about half of which concerned offshore legal service provider Appleby and corporate services provider Estera (which split from Appleby last year). Roughly half again relate to so-called corporate registries predominantly based in the Caribbean.
The Guardian was one of about 100 media partners involved in reporting the data leak, along with BBC Panorama in the UK. Both were able to access the documents as a result of their membership of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).
As with the Panama Papers, the Paradise Papers documents were first sent to German broadsheet the Suddeutsche Zeitung which then passed it on to the ICIJ. The paper has not revealed the source of the leak.
Core members of the consortium first met in at the Guardian’s headquarters in December last year to scope out public interest angles and discuss the main actors. A second meeting in Munich, where Suddeutsche Zeitung is based, saw the news outlets share their findings and coordinate on deadlines.
Hopkins said: “It’s quite an odd thing for British journalists to be involved in this kind of collaborative journalism, because we are such a cut-throat industry here, but when you go into a collaboration, especially a large one like this one was, you have to suspend all your competitive instincts and you have to buy into this idea that whatever we find we are going to share and you have to trust that every other partner in the project is going to have exactly the same attitude.
“And if you don’t go into a project like this with that kind of attitude, it falls apart. So you have to have a completely different mindset from the one that you would normally adopt in your day-to-day working.”
He said of dividing content with BBC’s Panorama that “there was no formal split” between the two news organisations.
“We both began looking at the data with our own ideas, but because you share everything with your partners in a collaboration like this, there was never any question that we wouldn’t tell the BBC what we were looking at, and vice-versa.
“There is no competition in a collaboration, so we shared our findings on the stories we were both keen on. But in the end you are responsible for your own content. And different media partners had different priorities. That was reflected in the stories we did, and the way we projected them.”
Hopkins said the Guardian concentrated on what was “probably a very tiny subset of the material which related mostly to UK companies” and took those featured in the Panama Papers – which he and Garside both worked on – as a starting point.
He said: “There were lessons that we had learned going through the Panama Papers that informed how we did the Paradise Papers, but the fundamental question that you’re stuck with right from the start is ‘ok, why are we looking at this? What’s the public interest in looking at this?’
“And that’s what we spent the first few weeks and months of the project looking at, which is establishing the public interest.”
Garside told Press Gazette that the data – which was hosted online in another country, allowing the Guardian to circumvent UK data laws – had a search box function much like an online search engine.
She said part of the process involved searching the names of politicians and the super rich to see what they could find, but said: “It’s not foolproof and it misses a lot of stuff.
“Initially we were tackling it that way, we were getting some matches and looking into the names that matched a bit more deeply, otherwise we were just putting in names of cabinet members, politicians, that kind of thing. Literally like you’re interrogating a Google box – there is a search box, you type in your search terms and you get results, it looks very much like the Google interface.”
Nick Hopkins and Juliette Garside. Pictures: Guardian
Added Nick: “It is a mixture of informed – what we’ve done before, these are the people who have appeared in either news stories or things like the Panama Papers before, can we build on the work we’ve done on the politicians and the companies that have appeared before.
“Part of it is informed guesswork and part of it is ‘Ok, well who has spoken out in the defence of tax havens and why might they be doing that?’ Is there something they have in the data that suggests they have an interest that they want to hide – those are the basic principles upon which we want to work.”
But, he told Press Gazette: “I would be extremely nervous and uncomfortable about you characterising this as some kind of fishing expedition, because that is exactly what it isn’t.
“A very clear protocol for the journalists who are involved in projects like this is that we start with the public interest, we try and establish what the public interest is… by looking at politicians, by looking at people who may have interests here.
“Very often, just by concentrating and drilling down in those areas, it will lead you to other people, other companies and you develop stories like that.”
The Panama Papers has resulted in a vast number of stories in the UK press alone, including about the offshore financial activities of the Queen and Prince Charles, Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton and BBC actors.
Hopkins said that for any media organisation to try to cover such a vast amount of documents on their own “would be a lifetime’s work”.
“It would be almost impossible to do it and I do think that with big data leaks like this there is a real value in collaboration and bringing in the skillsets that other media organisations can bring from around the world and they bring a perspective and an understanding that we don’t have beyond the areas in which we have a presence.”
Appleby sues BBC and Guardian for return of millions of Paradise Papers files which it says were taken in 'criminal act'
Some 380 journalists including BBC, Guardian and Private Eye work with ICIJ on 'Paradise Papers' tax havens data leak
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© copyright 2020 Press Gazette Ltd. Made in Taiwan.
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Marquez Valdes-Scantling Roy Robertson-Harris Cody Parkey Jimmy Graham Taylor Gabriel Mitch Trubisky Adrian Amos Preston Smith Eddy Pineiro Mason Crosby Matt Nagy Aaron Rodgers Matt LaFleur Sports NFL football Professional football Football NFL Playoffs
Green Bay Packers Chicago Bears Tennessee Titans
Packers' D, Aaron Rodgers beat Bears 10-3 in opener
By BARRY WILNER - Sep. 06, 2019 12:36 AM EDT
Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers is sacked by Chicago Bears' Aaron Lynch during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
CHICAGO (AP) — Aaron Rodgers doesn't have to lay waste to a defense to enjoy Packers football.
He sure had a good time seeing what his guys on the other side of the ball did Thursday night to the archrival Bears.
"Yeah, it was fun to watch," Rodgers said after Green Bay opened the NFL's 100th season with a 10-3 victory over Chicago. "It's been a long time since I've seen a performance like that. Obviously, a lot of credit to Mike Pettine and his staff, but to those players, just incredible.
"We didn't do them a whole lot of favors with our performance on offense. I mean every time we needed something a stop, they came up with some really big plays."
It was a defensive battle also marked by sloppy offense and penalties. A lack of action in the preseason clearly damaged both offenses, and Rodgers at times looked uncomfortable in the attack designed by new coach Matt LaFleur. But he is a two-time league MVP, and he hit Jimmy Graham in the second quarter for the only touchdown.
That aggressive Green Bay defense would have made Vince Lombardi proud in the latest edition of the NFL's longest rivalry, which the Packers lead 98-95-6. Green Bay has won 16 of the last 19 regular-season meetings, and Rodgers is 17-5.
Chicago's defense hardly slacked, getting five sacks — tying the most it has had against Rodgers. But it could do little with the ball and the Packers had five sacks of Mitchell Trubisky, who never found his stride, and was sacked on Chicago's final offensive play. Former Bears safety Adrian Amos picked off an end-zone pass into double coverage with 1:58 remaining, the only turnover of the contest.
"It feels real good," Amos said. "It feels great to come back to win and how we did as a defense."
Mason Crosby made a 39-yard field goal in the final period for Green Bay, while defending NFC North champion Chicago got a 38-yarder from Eddy Pineiro.
The NFL opted to go for a history-tinged opener rather than having the Super Bowl champions host the first game. New England will be at home to Pittsburgh on Sunday night, and it's unlikely that game will be so dominated by D.
Or by mistakes.
Each team had 10 penalties, there was a total of 467 yards of only offense, and several drops. At one point, Chicago had three straight penalties to put it in a first-and-40. No, the Bears didn't convert.
Still, take nothing away from either defense. They both controlled the line of scrimmage almost throughout the night, and Trubisky was particularly bothered by it, going 26 of 45 for 228 yards.
"Three points is ridiculous," coach Matt Nagy said. "Any Chicago Bears fan ... should be upset."
Rodgers was 18 for 30 for 203 yards, hardly vintage A-Rod, and certainly unlike his performance in leading the Packers back from a 20-point hole in the second half of the 2018 opener against the Bears.
Of course, he had all that support Thursday night from the likes of newcomers Preston Smith (1 1/2 sacks), and Za'Darius Smith (a sack), enough to give Green Bay the boost it needed.
The opening series couldn't have been uglier for Green Bay. A run and a pass netted zero yards, then Rodgers was sacked heavily by Roy Robertson-Harris for a 10-yard loss.
Well, maybe it could. Rodgers was sacked again on the next three-and-out and Chicago took over at the Packers 36 after a punt. Chicago had forced 17 yards in losses on those series, and the Packers had minus-12 yards through one period.
Rodgers erased such ineffectiveness quickly at the start of the second quarter, launching a 47-yard completion to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Two more completions got the Pack to the 8, and Graham did what most former basketball players turned tight ends should, winning a jump ball in the end zone.
By halftime, Green Bay had outgained Chicago 119 yards to 98.
GETTING THEIR KICKS
Bears fans rejoiced in relief on the first score of the season: Pineiro's 38-yard first-quarter field goal. The last such kick on Soldier Field was Cody Parkey's double-doink off the goalpost and crossbar that sent Chicago home from the wild-card round. Pineiro, a second-year player from Florida, was an immediate hero in the Windy City.
PASS INTERFERENCE REVIEW
LaFleur made an ill-advised challenge, claiming offensive pass interference on a catch by Chicago's Taylor Gabriel. He lost in the first such challenge in NFL history after interference calls were added to replay reviews this season.
THIRD-DOWN FAILURES
Chicago was a pitiful 3 for 15 on third downs and 0 for 2 on fourth downs. Green Bay was even worse trying to convert, going 2 for 12 on third downs.
"I am not in panic mode," Nagy said.
"It's just we were uncharacteristic tonight of who we are as an offense," added Trubisky. "We were rolling in practice and it just didn't translate."
Packers: Host Minnesota on Sept. 15.
Bears: At Denver on Sept. 15.
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Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers 1/19/2020
Tom Brady most dominant player in AFC championship history
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By Simmi Buttar Jun. 14, 2019 02:32 PM EDT
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Los Angeles Rams at New Orleans Saints 1/20/2019
Feb. 13, 2019 05:12 AM EST
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DP2842 | The International Lender of Last Resort: How Large is Large Enough?
Charles Wyplosz
Olivier Jeanne
F32, F33, G21
lender of last resort, bank runs, multiple equilibria, credit crunch, Exchange Rate Regime, Dollarization, deposit insurance, Asian crisis, International Monetary Fund
This Paper considers how an international lender of last resort can prevent self-fulfilling banking and currency crises in emerging economies. We compare two different arrangements: one in which the international lender of last resort injects international liquidity into financial markets, and one in which its resources are used to back domestic banking safety nets. We argue that these arrangements have very different institutional implications: the first one implies an international lender of last resort with unlimited resources (a global central bank), while the second one could be operated by a limited ?international banking fund?. This fund, however, would have to be closely involved in the supervision of domestic banking systems. Both arrangements would require important changes in the global financial architecture.
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Prakas & Co.
Dec 11 No Comments
Live music venue Tin Roof coming to Delray Beach
Categories: Prakas News
Tin Roof, a Nashville-based chain, is taking the space formerly occupied by Smoke BBQ on Atlantic Avenue.
Tin Roof, a Nashville-based bar and restaurant chain centered around live music, has leased the space formerly occupied by Smoke BBQ restaurant on Atlantic Avenue in downtown Delray Beach.
The move brings a major music venue to the Avenue and reinforces the growing national retail focus on this once-sleepy city.
Tin Roof is leasing the 3,500-square-foot restaurant space at 8. E. Atlantic Ave., plus the 3,000-square-foot outdoor patio next to it, the largest patio on Atlantic Avenue. Plans are to redo both spaces and open next spring or early summer.
Bob Franklin, Tin Roof’s chief executive, said he was attracted to downtown Delray’s lively scene.”There’s just a variety of businesses there and super-high quality restaurant operations. It’s a great mixed-use street and vibe,” Franklin said. When the Smoke space became available, Franklin said, he grabbed it.
This location marks Tin Roof’s second Florida location. It has a site in Orlando, as well as 14 others nationwide.
Although Tin Roof is based in Nashville, do not expect the Delray Beach location to play only country music. Tin Roof also books indie-rock bands or pop bands, Franklin said. Like all its locations, The Delray Beach Tin Roof will incorporate a range of musical genres.
That said, Franklin said two major country music acts have been launched after playing at Tin Roof locations: Luke Combs and Florida Georgia Line.
Although Tin Roof has multiple locations, each is tailored to the local music scene. In fact, Franklin said Tin Roof’s focus is to provide a venue where local bands can play. “We want to give them a stage where they can play (at night) and write during the day,” he said of local artists. “That musical dream is what they do.”
Franklin said there aren’t a lot of live music venues across the country because they are difficult to run. But keeping the offerings diverse has helped Tin Roof thrive, he said. Plans are to feature live music seven nights a week.
Tin Roof isn’t just a bar and music destination, however. Franklin said it also offers made-from-scratch, Southern-inspired food. The menu includes offerings such as its Dixie biscuits, chicken and waffles, plus burgers, sandwiches and salads. Lunch and dinner will be served.
The Tin Roof Delray Beach deal was brokered by Tom Prakas of Boca Raton-based Prakas & Co.
When Prakas began marketing the space in September, he said, he received quick interest from a number of national restaurant companies. Tin Roof was one of them. “They loved the place and definitely wanted to be here,” Prakas said.
The interest from national restaurant companies follows the move by national clothing retail stores onto Atlantic Avenue.
Restaurant & Hospitality Brokerage
1800 NW 1st Court Boca Raton Fl 33432 Mo-Fr 9:00 AM - 5:00 AM 1-561-368-0003 5614001058 info@prakascompany.com
For Sale & Lease
Restaurant Row – Boca’s First Ever Restaurant Driven Complex Boca Raton Contact us for more information
Quantum Town Centre – Lakefront 4,000 SF Modern Restaurant – FOR LEASE South Florida Contact us for more information
Rattlesnake Jake’s Restaurant & Bar – A1A – One of a kind – FOR SALE Deerfield Beach $195,000
With over 130 years of combined experience, Prakas & Co. offers some of the hottest sites for restaurants, nightclubs, and commercial development in South Florida. We utilize our industry-specific websites and proprietary database of restaurateurs that target prospective buyers & sellers both locally & nationally. In this business, you must know your market to consult and sell high-end restaurant space. We’ve sold or leased more than 450 restaurants and commercial properties. From small café sales and leases, all the way up to some of the largest national and global restaurant groups real estate needs. Our services include business sales, franchise tenant representation, consulting, marketing, property sales and leasing opportunities.
PRAKAS & COMPANY
A RESTAURANT & HOSPITALITY BROKERAGE
1800 NW 1st Court Boca Raton Fl 33432 1-561-368-0003 info@prakascompany.com
The Premier Restaurant Brokers
© 2020 Prakas & Co.. All rights reserved.
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Dr Geoff Brighty joins ReNew ELP
Home News news Dr Geoff Brighty joins ReNew ELP
ReNew ELP are excited to announce that Dr Geoff Brighty has joined the team as Non-Executive Director!
Dr Brighty is a sustainability consultant with a career spanning 30 years in the environmental protection and regulation sector. He is a published research scientist, with a PhD in Fish Reproduction and Aquaculture, and has over 20 publications to his name on environmental pollution issues and flood risk.
Hi early career in water authority led Geoff to understand that water environments were becoming increasingly degraded, and that the pressures they faced required both research and practical solutions.
From the fish farming environment, Geoff moved to research programme management. looking across all the policy and science areas related to environmental protection and management for the National Rivers Authority, and subsequently the Environment Agency – waste management and regulation, water quality, abstraction, chemical regulation, and flood risk. It was during this period in the mid 1990s that Geoff took on the leadership of an emerging area of science and policy – endocrine disruption – and led a series of research programmes that identified oestrogenic (feminising) chemicals discharged in sewage effluents.
After leaving his science and chemical regulatory role, in 2004 Geoff moved into the operational-facing part of the Environment Agency. Here as a Deputy Director-Area Manager, he was responsible for waste, water regulation and flood risk management for an area stretching from Oxford to the East Coast, as well as customer facing work with local MPs and CEOs.
After leaving the Agency in 2014, Geoff established his sustainability consultancy working on environmental issues including flooding, water quality and climate change adaptation for Governments, universities and businesses. He also joined the NGO Plastic Oceans, where he led sustainability, science and policy activities for the release of the Foundation’s film A Plastic Ocean in 2017, and is currently Science Advisor. He is Trustee of the Rivers Trust, and the Norfolk Rivers Trust.
Geoff lives in Norfolk with his wife Ann and their Flat Coated Retriever and has 3 grown-up sons.
I am delighted to be joining ReNew ELP as a non-exec to help the team here establish this exciting technology within the UK. Looking at what Government is wanting to achieve, there is clearly a need to bring more plastics up the waste hierarchy, and to get a greater value back from this important material. The approach ReNew is taking enables chemical recycling to play a growing part of the waste management solution, alongside existing technologies, and help ensure plastics placed on the market live within a circular economy.
-Dr Geoff Brighty
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The influence of variations in eating disorder-related symptoms on processing of emotional faces in a non-clinical female sample: an eye-tracking study
Emma Sharpe, Deborah J. Wallis, Nathan Ridout
This study aimed to: i) determine if the attention bias towards angry faces reported in eating disorders generalises to a non-clinical sample varying in eating disorder-related symptoms; ii) examine if the bias occurs during initial orientation or later strategic processing; and iii) confirm previous findings of impaired facial emotion recognition in non-clinical disordered eating. Fifty-two females viewed a series of face-pairs (happy or angry paired with neutral) whilst their attentional deployment was continuously monitored using an eye-tracker. They subsequently identified the emotion portrayed in a separate series of faces. The highest (n=18) and lowest scorers (n=17) on the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI) were compared on the attention and facial emotion recognition tasks. Those with relatively high scores exhibited impaired facial emotion recognition, confirming previous findings in similar non-clinical samples. They also displayed biased attention away from emotional faces during later strategic processing, which is consistent with previously observed impairments in clinical samples. These differences were related to drive-for-thinness. Although we found no evidence of a bias towards angry faces, it is plausible that the observed impairments in emotion recognition and avoidance of emotional faces could disrupt social functioning and act as a risk factor for the development of eating disorders.
Psychiatry Research
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2016.04.065
© 2016, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
eye-movements
drive-for-thinness
Sharpe, E., Wallis, D. J., & Ridout, N. (2016). The influence of variations in eating disorder-related symptoms on processing of emotional faces in a non-clinical female sample: an eye-tracking study. Psychiatry Research, 240, 321-327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2016.04.065
Sharpe, Emma ; Wallis, Deborah J. ; Ridout, Nathan. / The influence of variations in eating disorder-related symptoms on processing of emotional faces in a non-clinical female sample : an eye-tracking study. In: Psychiatry Research. 2016 ; Vol. 240. pp. 321-327.
@article{12e5e8d19f794c9f878721593ff8a4f3,
title = "The influence of variations in eating disorder-related symptoms on processing of emotional faces in a non-clinical female sample: an eye-tracking study",
abstract = "This study aimed to: i) determine if the attention bias towards angry faces reported in eating disorders generalises to a non-clinical sample varying in eating disorder-related symptoms; ii) examine if the bias occurs during initial orientation or later strategic processing; and iii) confirm previous findings of impaired facial emotion recognition in non-clinical disordered eating. Fifty-two females viewed a series of face-pairs (happy or angry paired with neutral) whilst their attentional deployment was continuously monitored using an eye-tracker. They subsequently identified the emotion portrayed in a separate series of faces. The highest (n=18) and lowest scorers (n=17) on the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI) were compared on the attention and facial emotion recognition tasks. Those with relatively high scores exhibited impaired facial emotion recognition, confirming previous findings in similar non-clinical samples. They also displayed biased attention away from emotional faces during later strategic processing, which is consistent with previously observed impairments in clinical samples. These differences were related to drive-for-thinness. Although we found no evidence of a bias towards angry faces, it is plausible that the observed impairments in emotion recognition and avoidance of emotional faces could disrupt social functioning and act as a risk factor for the development of eating disorders.",
keywords = "attention, eating disorders, eye-movements, disordered eating, drive-for-thinness",
author = "Emma Sharpe and Wallis, {Deborah J.} and Nathan Ridout",
note = "{\circledC} 2016, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
doi = "10.1016/j.psychres.2016.04.065",
journal = "Psychiatry Research",
Sharpe, E, Wallis, DJ & Ridout, N 2016, 'The influence of variations in eating disorder-related symptoms on processing of emotional faces in a non-clinical female sample: an eye-tracking study', Psychiatry Research, vol. 240, pp. 321-327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2016.04.065
The influence of variations in eating disorder-related symptoms on processing of emotional faces in a non-clinical female sample : an eye-tracking study. / Sharpe, Emma; Wallis, Deborah J.; Ridout, Nathan.
In: Psychiatry Research, Vol. 240, 30.06.2016, p. 321-327.
T1 - The influence of variations in eating disorder-related symptoms on processing of emotional faces in a non-clinical female sample
T2 - an eye-tracking study
AU - Sharpe, Emma
AU - Wallis, Deborah J.
AU - Ridout, Nathan
N1 - © 2016, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
N2 - This study aimed to: i) determine if the attention bias towards angry faces reported in eating disorders generalises to a non-clinical sample varying in eating disorder-related symptoms; ii) examine if the bias occurs during initial orientation or later strategic processing; and iii) confirm previous findings of impaired facial emotion recognition in non-clinical disordered eating. Fifty-two females viewed a series of face-pairs (happy or angry paired with neutral) whilst their attentional deployment was continuously monitored using an eye-tracker. They subsequently identified the emotion portrayed in a separate series of faces. The highest (n=18) and lowest scorers (n=17) on the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI) were compared on the attention and facial emotion recognition tasks. Those with relatively high scores exhibited impaired facial emotion recognition, confirming previous findings in similar non-clinical samples. They also displayed biased attention away from emotional faces during later strategic processing, which is consistent with previously observed impairments in clinical samples. These differences were related to drive-for-thinness. Although we found no evidence of a bias towards angry faces, it is plausible that the observed impairments in emotion recognition and avoidance of emotional faces could disrupt social functioning and act as a risk factor for the development of eating disorders.
AB - This study aimed to: i) determine if the attention bias towards angry faces reported in eating disorders generalises to a non-clinical sample varying in eating disorder-related symptoms; ii) examine if the bias occurs during initial orientation or later strategic processing; and iii) confirm previous findings of impaired facial emotion recognition in non-clinical disordered eating. Fifty-two females viewed a series of face-pairs (happy or angry paired with neutral) whilst their attentional deployment was continuously monitored using an eye-tracker. They subsequently identified the emotion portrayed in a separate series of faces. The highest (n=18) and lowest scorers (n=17) on the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI) were compared on the attention and facial emotion recognition tasks. Those with relatively high scores exhibited impaired facial emotion recognition, confirming previous findings in similar non-clinical samples. They also displayed biased attention away from emotional faces during later strategic processing, which is consistent with previously observed impairments in clinical samples. These differences were related to drive-for-thinness. Although we found no evidence of a bias towards angry faces, it is plausible that the observed impairments in emotion recognition and avoidance of emotional faces could disrupt social functioning and act as a risk factor for the development of eating disorders.
KW - attention
KW - eating disorders
KW - eye-movements
KW - disordered eating
KW - drive-for-thinness
U2 - 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.04.065
DO - 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.04.065
JO - Psychiatry Research
JF - Psychiatry Research
Sharpe E, Wallis DJ, Ridout N. The influence of variations in eating disorder-related symptoms on processing of emotional faces in a non-clinical female sample: an eye-tracking study. Psychiatry Research. 2016 Jun 30;240:321-327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2016.04.065
10.1016/j.psychres.2016.04.065
Eating disorder related symptoms on processing of emotional faces
Accepted author manuscript, 174 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND
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| 0.455184
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Long-term aerobic exercise improves vascular function into old age : A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta regression of observational and interventional studies
- Campbell, Amy, Grace, Fergal, Ritchie, Louise, Beaumont, Alexander, Sculthorpe, Nicholas
http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/168698
Campbell, Amy; Grace, Fergal; Ritchie, Louise; Beaumont, Alexander; Sculthorpe, Nicholas
Text; Journal article; Review
vital:13890
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2019.00031
ISBN:1664-042X
There is an emerging body of literature relating to the effectiveness of frequent aerobic exercise as a prophylactic for age-associated dysfunction of large arteries, yet systematic evaluation and precise estimate of this effect is unknown. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled studies examining flow mediated dilatation (FMD) of athletic older persons and otherwise healthy sedentary counterparts to (i) compare FMD as a determinant of endothelial function between athletes and sedentary individuals and, (ii) summarize the effect of exercise training on FMD in studies of sedentary aging persons. Studies were identified from systematic search of major electronic databases from inception to January 2018. Study quality was assessed before conducting a random effects meta-analysis to calculate a pooled ES (mean difference) with 95% CI's. Thirteen studies [4 interventional (n = 125); 10 cross-sectional [including one study from the interventional analysis; (n = 485)] with age ranges from 62 to 75 years underwent quantitative pooling of data. The majority of study participants were male. Older athletes had more favorable FMD compared with sedentary controls (2.1%; CI: 1.4, 2.8%; P < 0.001). There was no significant improvement in the vascular function of sedentary cohorts following a period of exercise training (0.7%; CI: −0.675, 2.09%; P = 0.316). However, there was a significant increase in baseline diameter from pre to post intervention (0.1 mm; CI: 0.07, 0.13 mm; P < 0.001). In addition, there was no significant difference in endothelial independent vasodilation between the trained and sedentary older adults (1.57%; CI: −0.13, 3.27%; P = 0.07), or from pre to post exercise intervention (1.48%; CI: −1.34, 4.3%; P = 0.3). In conclusion, long-term aerobic exercise appears to attenuate the decline in endothelial vascular function, a benefit which is maintained during chronological aging. However, currently there is not enough evidence to suggest that exercise interventions improve vascular function in previously sedentary healthy older adults.
Frontiers Media S.A.
Frontiers in Physiology Vol. 10, no. FEB (2019), p. 1-16
Copyright © 2019 Campbell, Grace, Ritchie, Beaumont and Sculthorpe. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
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Andrew Scheer would let Canadians rot in foreign jails before giving up an electoral edge
John McCallum deserves credit for telling the truth and looking out for Canadians in peril. For this he's excoriated by Conservatives and tossed under the bus by the Liberals.
The Trudeau government will do anything to keep Donald Trump happy
Consider the dissimilar cases of Meng Wanzhou and Stephanie Clifford. The first we won't allow to leave, the second we won't allow to visit.
Massive protests shake up politics in Hong Kong
Asia Pacific Currents
The question of the relationship between Hong Kong and the Chinese government is not clear and a proposed extradition bill saw the biggest demonstration ever in Hong Kong.
Canada turns over relations with China to Trump administration
Duncan Cameron
Canada calling on the U.S. to get China to halt its crossfire, looks less like an independent state, and more like a U.S. dependent territory.
Alberta's new political strategy: when in doubt, blame Ottawa
The plan in a nutshell: blame Ottawa; say you're doing something; if the problem gets fixed, take credit; if not, assign blame again.
Ironies and lessons in Canada's diplomatic crisis with China
Bill Blaikie
At the moment there is much irony to be found in the crisis in Canada-China relations, precipitated by the arrest and detainment of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver.
Canada-China relations imperiled as U.S. indicts Huawei
Not only have two Canadians been arrested on suspicion of committing espionage, China has threatened retribution to trade and commerce if Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou is not released.
U.S. propagates fear of China, again
The U.S. remains the world's dominant power in every respect, with no serious rival. But that does not stop the U.S. from mounting campaigns of fear and paranoia about potential threats to its power.
Stereotypes return in reactions to Canadian impasse with China
Rick Salutin
I'm not saying China is a mensch and we aren't. Yet it feels like Fu Manchu and the Yellow Peril are back. Where did they go, like Joe DiMaggio, so it seemed they'd vanished forever?
Canada's compliance with Huawei extradition gives support to Trump's international thuggery
By co-operating with the U.S. request to extradite Chinese executive Meng Wanzhou, Canada is enabling rogue and reckless behaviour by the Trump administration.
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Detention of Meng Wanzhou - CFO of Huawei
Robber Barons Kidnap Chinese Princess For Ransom
https://indianpunchline.com/robber-barons-kidnap-chinese-princess-for-ra...
"...The intention seems to be to humiliate Chinese national pride and wreak trade concessions. Today, indeed, a substantial section of not only Trump's administration, but of the 'deep state' of the US intelligence bureaucracy and leading lawmakers seem to be pushing for an aggressive anti-China policy..."
To accompany their similarly concocted 'aggressive' anti-Russia policy and for much the same reason - multipolar competition.
Economics Prof Richard Wolff on China's Economy
https://www.rt.com/shows/boom-bust/446337-china-economy-grows-trade/
@o7:15 Breaking down the Chinese economy.
WWWTT wrote:
Yep Freeland and Justin are scared shitless! Probably every liberal MP and their staff as well.
I predict a solid 50% chance that 孟晚舟will be back in China at her job as CFO of Huawei well before the 2019 general federal election.
Freeland is lying straight face that she wants the rule of law to be followed and this is not about politics. Fucking right its about politics! The politics of the liberals keeping their jobs running this country(into the ground)!
And now another Canadian spy detained. China clearly had their eyes on these shady characters for some time.
In a few weeks, in the new year, I'll be very interested to see new poll numbers!
I understood that Freeland's point was that Trump underminded the entire rationale for the arrest for extradition.
The government cannotprevent the arrest without damaging the situationwith the US. However, Freeland's comments woudl have been heard by the judge and I think she has signalled that the government would not mind if the judge ruled that Trump's comments made extradition impossible and let her go.
The best outcome possible is for the federal government not to interfere or upset the US which it has not but for the judge to rule that Trump's comments mean that the process in the US is so politicized that extradition is impossible and let her go. With this the US would be upset but it would be a court making the decision which while Trump may be upset the US would understand. The ruling would satisfy the Chinese as well. This is the only way out that I see wihtout Canada being damaged.
I do not see the government of Canada with many options but Freeland's comments are not unhelpful at all in this case in my opinion.
i don't think the US is even going to forward a formal request for extradition.
Short-Term Thinking Dooms US Anti-China Policy
https://t.co/DlmDlrpPpF
"...We called this US operation a hostage taking to blackmail China. President Trump confirmed that this is indeed the case: 'US President Donald Trump told Reuters on Tuesday he would intervene in the US Justice Department's case against Meng if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal with China.'
The new anti-China campaign follows a similar push of Anti-Russian propaganda three months ago. China has taken the first counter-measures against Canada's hostage taking on behalf of the United States. After three centuries of anglo-american imperialism the economic center of the world is moving back to the east. The US is way too late to prevent the move..."
I am amazed that most posters here think that our court system is corrupt. Sean do you think that our Judges are looking to the papers to see which way the political wind is blowing so they can decide on the merits of a legal application?
Trump's comments highlights that tha whole affair is political. The concept of trying to effect regime change through enforcing sanctions against non-nationals is in itself political. Claiming someone failed to act in accordance with a political process may by itself be enough to get this case bounced. I am sure that we will see some very good legal talent in court at the next hearing with far more sophisticated arguments than relying on the hope a Judge will pick up on a signal from the central government.
kropotkin1951 wrote:
No. Not political winds. But it is fair that the political leadership declares that it is not attempting to game the outcome. What Freeland's comments do is publicly say that Canada disapproves of politcs entering the case. This underlines the fact that the judge should not try to please the political leadership but it also underlines the fact that Canada will not become involved politically on behalf of either China or the US. It avoids anyone thinking that the government of Canada wanted this to proceed in a particular fashion.
Her comments also publicly say to the US and China that Canada does not want to make it a political issue. This is also helpful as neither side are told that any benefit can come from pressuring Canada politically.
I hope the judge determines that the political interference from Trump invalidated the extradition. It may also be appropriate for Canada to say that it may have to review the treaty if the US asks Canada to detain people for political purpose.
I do not think there is fault here on behalf of either the Canadian judicial system or Canada's political leadership. Although if this continues, there could be a political question about the treaty itself.
I think you misread the point of the posts on this: the legal case against the extradition will certainly be argued well. There is a principle in law that justice must be seen to be done and the high profile nature of this did mean that it was appropriate for the Canadian government to declare to the two countries we are caught between, to the public, and yes even to the court, that the political class does not want politics involved here in Canada. This is a positive signal. Nobody is saying that it is a determining factor legally, but it is helpful in such a politicized case for the judge to see a declaration of hands off from the politicians as two powerful countries make conflicting political demands on Canada. Freeland's comments were not so much designed to interfere as to offset attempts to interfere by political actors outside Canada.
Sadly, the US political and judicial process is not as independent as it ought to be. The US has made the request already and I do not see them retracting it. It is up to the Canadian legal system to determine if this request is valid. Given Trump's comments, I hope the determination is that it was not.
My post upthread saying that the government would "not mind if the judge let her go" is to make the point that there will not be political interference from Ottawa in the case. Given the public pressure form the US there could have been a presumption that the Candian government wanted to please the US. Freeland's comments allow that it could go either way on the legal merits -- as it should. It is not a request from the Minister that she be let go.
Comment from #106 by No Paseran:
"Trudeau's insinuation that extradition is a purely judicial process in Canada is simply wrong. the 'International Assistance Group' in the Department of Justice works actively with the requesting state against the person sought for extradition and this can be a hugely political process involving outright lies to the court, as the Diab case revealed. Extradition law is so politicized that even when a judge commits someone for extradition, the matter is then referred to the Minister of Justice, who has the ultimate say. All of this is to maintain Canadian political alliances at the expense of the rights of the accused. Extradition, kidnapping and extraordinary rendition are almost indistinguishable in Canada."
no the formal extradition request has not been forwarded yet.
voice of the damned
So, how come Canada was able to keep Charles Ng in the country for six years, while the courts debated whether or not he could be sent to a death-penalty state? Surely, the Americans wanted him back pronto.
After the US president's recent remarks about his willingness to intervene in the process if China behaves in ways America wishes it can now truly be said that these are 'Trumped up' charges.
The US Not China is the Real Threat to International Rule of Law - by Prof Jeffrey D Sachs
https://t.co/3uJpGcrGxP
"...When global trade rules obstruct Mr Trump's gangster tactics, then the rules have to go, according to him. US Secreutary of State Mike Pompeo admitted as much last week in Brussels: 'Our administration,' he said, is 'lawfully exiting or renegotiating outdated or harmful treaties, trade agreements, and other international arrangements that don't serve our sovereign interests, or the interests of our allies.'
Yet before it exits these agreements, the administration is trashing them through reckless and unilateral actions. The unprecedented arrest of Ms Meng is even more provocative because it is based on US extra-territorial sanctions - that is, the claim by the US that it can order other countries to stop trading with third parties such as Cuba or Iran. [ps It told Canada precisely that in the USMCA with respect to China and Canada agreed like the good little doggie it is.] The US would certainly not tolerate China or any other country telling American companies with whom they can or cannot trade.
The Trump administration, not Huawei or China, is today's greatest threat to the international rule of law and therefore to global peace."
This media clip went viral on Chinese social media (and vid)
https://twitter.com/GregWSong/status/1072813637297819648
"US State Dept spokesman Robert Palladino looks embarrassed when asked by AP journalist Matthew Lee at a press conference about Kovrig's arrest. Let's figure out why he would answer Matthew hesitantly."
Trump just threw Canada under the bus with China. He has politicised the extradition process. Canada has no support from other nations.
The solution is for the courts to deny the extradition request as a political, not legal manoevre and set Meng free.
There is absolutely no reason for Canada to carry Trump's water while he stabs us in the back.
contrarianna
The distinction made that Meng is not charged with breaking sanctions is technically correct, but it's clear that the fraud charges derive from, and were justified by the existence of the US political-economic sanctions:
The fraud allegations against Meng centre around the relationship between Huawei and a company called Skycom, that did business in Iran. According to U.S. prosecutors, Skycom was a "hidden" subsidiary of Huawei.
Iran is subject to U.S. sanctions and banks can be found criminally liable if they help move money out of a sanctioned country and into the broader global banking system.
Reuters did a series of stories exposing the relationship between Huawei and Skycom.
U.S.prosecutors said Meng — who once served on Skycom's board of directors — denied those allegations during a PowerPoint presentation to bankers in New York in 2013.
They accuse her of making "misrepresentations" — including the assertion "Huawei has sold all its shares in Skycom, and I (Meng) also quit my position on the Skycom board."....
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/huawei-meng-extradition-...
There are several points here:
US Iran sanctions are clearly politico-economic warfare against Iran, and were declared illegal by the UN:
The UN’s international court of justice has reprimanded the US over its re-imposition of sanctions on Iran, ordering Washington to lift restrictive measures linked to humanitarian trade, food, medicine and civil aviation.
The Hague ruling, delivered on Wednesday, is a victory for Iran after it complained to the ICJ in July that the return to sanctions imposed by Donald Trump following the US withdrawal from the 2015 landmark nuclear agreement was in violation of the Treaty of Amity, a 1955 pre-revolutionary friendship treaty.
The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, reacted by announcing the US was terminating the treaty, which the US signed with Tehran two years after orchestrating a coup to topple the elected prime minister, Mohammad Mosaddegh....
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/03/international-court-of-jus...
By using the sanction inspired fraud charges, it gives our US colonial spokespeople, like Freeland, (im)plausable deniability when she says the charges are "not political", but merely criminal.
As stated before, charging Meng rather than her company is not usual. Charges against companies allow even heavily culpable executives to partially indemnify themselves from persosnal prosecution when operating on a corporation's behalf. Such corporate friendly laws are standard and offload penalty costs to shareholders, and sometimes, ultimately, taxpayers. In this case the choice to single out an executive is deliberately antagonstic, that is, political.
As for Skycom allegedly being a Huawei shell company, it is certainly possible, but without the Huawei -Iran connection shells companies are business as usual for the highly exceptonal "greatest nation on earth":
BROOKINGS NOW
One year after the Panama Papers leak, starting a shell corporation in the US may be easier than getting a library card
Molli FerrarelloFriday, April 7, 2017
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brookings-now/2017/04/07/one-year-after-t...
The secondary target of the Trump's prosecution of Meng is is to isolate and weaken further Canada trade negotiations with the US. Trump Inc.'s "America First" attack on Canada trade is not news.
Now, having Canada arrest Meng is a win-win for the US. China is Canada's distant second largest trading partner but increasing at a faster rate than the US. Souring relations between China-Canada assures Canada's increased dependence and subservience to its southern master. It's colonial governent in Ottawa was content to comply.
'Five Eyes' Intelligence Agencies Behind Drive Against Chinese Telecom Giant Huawei
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/12/14/huaw-d14.html
"Evidence has come to light that US operations against the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, and the arrest and detention of one of its top executives, Meng Wanzhou, to face criminal charges of fraud brought by the US Justice Department are the outcome of a coordinated campaign by the intelligence agencies of the so-called 'Five Eyes' Network.
According to a major report published in the Australian Financial Review (AFR) yesterday, the annual meeting of top intelligence officials from countries in the network - the US, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada - held last July decided to 'coordinate banning' Huawei from 5G mobile phone networks. In the months that followed 'an unprecedented campaign' has been waged by the five members of the network 'to block the tech giant Huawei from supplying equipment for their next-generation wireless networks' which has now led to the arrest of Meng in Canada..."
contrarianna wrote:
All very good points, expressed very clearly. Thanks, contrarianna.
...The solution is for the courts to deny the extradition request as a political, not legal manoevre and set Meng free. There is absolutely no reason for Canada to carry Trump's water while he stabs us in the back.
Thanks, very informative article.
Water Carriers & War Criminals Meet in Washington
https://youtu.be/IK67maQkfzE
"Thank you Mike!...'We are allies and partners,' 'side by side', 'rules based international order', 'deeply shared values'...We all agree that the most important thing we can do is to uphold the rule of law,' yadda, yadda, yadda.
"...The unprecedented arrest of Ms Meng is even more provocative because it is based on US extra-territorial sanctions - that is, the claim by the US that it can order other countries to stop trading with third parties such as Cuba or Iran. [ps It told Canada precisely that in the USMCA with respect to China and Canada agreed like the good little doggie it is.] The US would certainly not tolerate China or any other country telling American companies with whom they can or cannot trade."
Which comes full circle to the original post I made for this thread.
But then it goes around the same circle again.
China is not "forbidden" from trading with Iran. But a Chinese business might be, as a condition of doing trade with the United States. What's more, U.S. companies are understandably forbidden from trading with Iran -- it's their country's law. Evidently, when Huawei claimed they were not doing business with Iran (but, it's alleged, were) then this implicated U.S. companies in trade with Iran (hence the rationale of "fraud").
I get that way more political hay can be made by saying "Look, the U.S. is playing World Cop and demanding that everyone on earth obey their laws!!", but that's really not the case.
Interesting that none of the other Eyes have come out in support for Canada arresting Meng. While I understand Canada's desire to kept in the loop regarding security threats, playing useful idiot for Trump seems a rather high price to pay.
I wonder if the Ozzies would endanger their relationship with China if Meng landed there?
Australia does have an extradition agreement with the U.S.
Interestingly, according to Wikipedia, Australia is also negotiating an extradition agreement with China. It would be quite fascinating if China were to insist on Australia breaking its extradition agreement with the U.S. even as it works on its own agreement with Australia. How could China make such an agreement with Australia, knowing that Australia is ready to ignore extradition treaties if someone rattles a sabre.
At any rate, if Australia were to break an extradition agreement because it could "endanger their relationship with China" wouldn't that turn a rule-of-law situation into a political one? "We'd like to respect this agreement we signed, but we also want billions in Chinese investment, so the official story is that Meng slipped out while the jailer was napping."
You may be right Mr Magoo! Australia is very dependent on China. I’ve met many Australians in China. And if Australia ever arrested a Chinese national like Ms Meng on US charges, China may very well cause the collapse of the Australian economy to send the Aussies a hard learned lesson.
China may very well cause the collapse of the Australian economy to send the Aussies a hard learned lesson.
A hard earned lesson about what, though? That China's wishes supersede signed treaties??
The lesson that Australia would learn if it hopped-to when told by China would be that other countries aren't that interested in agreements with them that can be unilaterally torn up by Beijing.
It's not super-clear what lesson China is trying to teach Canada right now either. "Ignore your own treaty because we want you to... it'll be easier for you that way"?
So far, I think this whole fiasco has shown how weak the US and Canada really are against the powerhouse China.
What a huge dismal failure for the US. And vise versa, China has shown the entire world that it will pull Trumps ass over his head backwards.
China has proven to every market in the world who has the more stable secure environment. This blunder gave China a trillion dollars worth of positive advertising! And a trillion dollars of anti US/Canada advertising!
I can’t see how Trump could get re elected after this? And Justin and crew????
Mr. Magoo wrote:
Ya that’s pretty much it actually! However I would describe it in a more insightful intellectual way.
The arrest of 孟晚舟 is a part of US imperialism. The latest NAFTA free trade deal clause allowing the US to block Canada Mexico entering trade deals also is s part of US imperialism.
Just because these laws were written up by lawyers and the words “justice system” are being thrown around (ya Freeland again) doesn’t mean shit!
Communist China is fighting US imperialism! Just like she always has. And like she always has, China wins!
Who's side are you on?
For obvious reasons, Canada's.
Imperialist Canada? You sure you don’t want to change your answer?
I'll stick with it. This really isn't our fight, WWWTT. I don't really care whether Trump wins or loses, or China wins or loses. And frankly, arresting a couple of random Canadians in order to "fight U.S. imperialism" like bombing an Afghan wedding party in order to "fight Al Qaeda".
Canada's done nothing wrong here, and I have little interest in deciding who we're supposed to appease. Is it honestly your belief that Canada should have just torn up our extradition treaty because China is larger and more powerful than us and they angrily demand it? Should Canada be taking its orders from China, IYHO?
WDIYHOM?
We use "IMHO" all the time as an abbreviation of "in my humble opinion", so "in your humble opinion".
On China, Has Canada Lost its Sense of Shame? - by Lu Shaye
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-on-china-has-canada-lost...
"...It all comes down to the fact that many still have a cold war mentality, believing that China - a socialist country led by the Communist Party of China - is an abnormal country. They are worried that China is catching up to Western countries too quickly, and that it will surpass them in terms of the economy as well as science and technology. That's why they crack down on Chinese enterprises and impede Chinese development under the pretext of national security.
The detention of Ms Meng is not a mere judicial case, but a premeditated political action in which the United States wields its regime power to witch-hunt a Chinese high-tech company out of political considerations. The so-called long arm jurisdiction of the US however, has no legal basis in international law. The reason behind all the bullying behaviour of the United States is that it pursues power politics against other countries relying on its huge advantage in national strength. Just imagine how the US would react if an American company suffered from such unfair treatement in a foreign country.
The Canadian side detained Ms Meng in an unreasonable way given she has not received any charges according to Canadian law, which is clearly not judicial independence but a miscarriage of justice. While Canada has continued to stress its judicial independence, did it insist on that independence when facing the United States' unreasonable request? The Canadian state has not made its judgement independently, otherwise it would not have arrested Ms Meng. The Canadian government has asserted that it was fulfilling the international obligation to the US but did it fulfill the international obligation of protecting the lawful and legitimate rights and interests of a Chinese citizen?
The Chinese people used to have a favourable impression of Canada. But Canada's behaviour this time has chilled their feelings."
Opinion: Why is Huawei the Real Trade War Target?
https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d774d3359544d31457a6333566d54/share_p.html
"...When this is examined in light of the Trump administration's trade war and other hardening stances against Beijing, it becomes very evident that there is a very specific agenda against the firm by the administration. The trade war is at its heart a technology war."
https://www.straight.com/news/1175931/former-canadian-diplomat-michael-k...
More on 'International Crisis Group' that Canadian 'diplomat' Michael Kovrig was reportedly working for.
https://twitter.com/AlexanderSoros/status/1046884945518563328
'In pursuit of peace.' Yeah, right...
China is not "forbidden" from trading with Iran. But a Chinese business might be, as a condition of doing trade with the United States.
I hear you loud and clear.
What if said business is Huawei?
What if Huawei is not doing trade in the U.S.?
The U.S. has essentially banned it from doing business in their country.
Could it then do business with Iran?
And this whole affair has been with respect to trade with Iran that took place from 2009-2014.
Why did the U.S. go after Huawei nine years after they started to "break U.S. law"?
Why the delay?
Much as I agree with the rule of law as the glue that holds a civil society together, the political underpinings of this exercise in realpolitik leaves me concerned that Canada is living in a fantasy world where 'friends' are considered more valuable than national interests.
In real terms, national interests trump alliances and Canada is merely the next generation Czechoslovaka, Nato Article 5 or not.
The Orange Apparition is merely the face of a world populated by the likes of Putin and Xi.
Heh. I had a hunch this guy would be weighing in with one of his anti-American rants...
"The United States is not, by Canada’s standards, in criminal matters, a society of laws"
https://tinyurl.com/y9lm92xs
Possibly some good points in there, though Full Disclosure would probably dictate that the writer admit his own qualifications for critiquing the US justice system are the same as John Gotti's.
CGTN: Policy Analyst Brian Becker on Latest in US-Canada Talks on Arrest of Meng Wanzhou
https://youtu.be/8ifi2G5S1hE
"CGTN's Mike Walker interviewed Brian Becker of the ANSWER Coalition on the latest on the meeting between Canada and US officials on the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou."
China Prepares Counterattack to Canada
https://youtu.be/uNW7Cm8h9EA
"More blows to come..."
Billionaires are Marxist-Leninist icons now? Seems a lot more like a case of "致富是光荣的" to me.
First Saudi Arabia, Now China - Canada Has a New Foe and its Southern Ally Isn't Helping (&vid)
https://globalnews.ca/news/4761758/canada-saudi-arabia-china-united-states/
"First US President Donald Trump attacked Canada on trade. Then Saudi Arabia punished it for speaking up for human rights. Now China has the country in its cross-hairs, detaining two Canadians in apparent retaliation for the arrest of a top Chinese tech exec on behalf of the US. Canada is caught between two super-powers and taking the punishment - and its ally to the south has been conspicuously absent in coming to its aid.
In years past the US might have defended Canada when it came under attack and other countries would know the US had Canada's back. Not now. And now the stakes are much higher. And Chinese trade with Canada is increasingly key as Canada looks to boost its exports in Asia as its trade with the US is threatened by Trump's tariffs..."
Huawei CFO Case: What Does it Mean for China, Canada and US? (and vid)
https://youtu.be/pSHOSumep9E
CGTN on the Meng Wanzhou/Huawei case.
Neocynic
All Canadians should feel embarrassed and ashamed by this blatantly politically motivated kidnapping and arrest of Huawei's CFO. Cowardly Canadian officials allowed their greater loyalty to American neocons and their militarist agenda to trump their presumed loyalty to Canada's best interests and the rule of law. If anyone should be in jail, it should be those officials for treason. Sad sad day for all Canadians.
What is so surprising if Canada gets into the hostage-taking business for their American masters, a Canadian is taken hostage? Kovrig works for the Canadian government funded "International Crisis Group", another one of those many infamous faux NGO/CIA entities. The facts: Wanzhou is accused of "misrepresenting", as CFO, Huawei's lack of legal ownership and control of Skycom, from which she resigned in 2008, in a 2013 presentation to HSBC to escape liability for Skycom's alleged breaching the American Iran Sanctions (you know, the ones lifted by a multilateral treaty of which the US was a signatory in 2013 and unilaterally cancelled by Trump in 2018). Americans argued in a secret arrest warrant made out in August, 2018 that because Skycom employees used Huawei bank accounts and email addresses (which alone does not constitute legal ownership and control) Skycom was effectively still an operating subsidiary of Huawei. Hence, the "fraud". The case is so ridiculously flimsy that it is obviously a politically motivated prosecution to hold her hostage to US/China trade talks, as Trump the Twit himself has just now admitted. It is pure cowardly bullshit to argue this is a "purely" legal proceeding.
Actually Hua Wei is an employee owned company! Ms Meng's father, Ren Zheng Fei only owns a very small portion of it (1.4%). Profits are shared with 64% of employees who own shares. There's a total of 180 000 employees (700 in Canada). You know of any Canadian or American equivalent cco? Zuckerberg would be jumping out of a window before he ever did something like that!
The people of China see this extradition of Ms Meng as an attack on Chinese success! And rightfully so because that's exactly what it is!
If communist China doesn't stop American western imperialism, than who is? Bernie Sanders? Democracy now? rabble? You? LOL! Keep dreaming!
"The historical West is still violently opposed to the objective rise of a fairer and more democratic polycentric world order. Clinging to the principles of unipolarity, Washington and some other Western capitals appear unable to constructively interact with new global centres of economic and political influence.
A wide range of restrictions are applied to the dissenters, ranging from military force and unilateral economic sanctions to demonisation and mud-slinging in the spirit of the notorious 'highly likely'. There are many examples of this dirty game.
This has seriously debased international law. Moreover, attempts have been made to replace the notion of law with a 'rules-based order' the parameters of which will be determined by a select few..."
Russian FM Sergei Lavrov, 20 November, 2018
Cowardly Canadian officials allowed their greater loyalty to American neocons and their militarist agenda to trump their presumed loyalty to Canada's best interests and the rule of law.
Quite the opposite. Rule of law is why Canada respected the treaty we signed years ago. To pretend there was no such treaty, and decline to apprehend Meng (in order to tweak Trump's nose?) would have been to ignore the rule of law.
That's super. But she's still a billionaire. A communist billionaire! Imagine that! Karl Marx could never have.
You keep referring to China as a "communist" country. Do you know what communism means? And can you tell us how it's compatible with one or two individuals amassing billions of dollars by employing others to do the work?
"NYT: Chinese Ambassador to Canada: 'The so-called long arm jurisdiction of the United States, however, has no legal basis in international law.' Correctomundo! Canada is not 'caught' between anything. Justin Trudeau chose Trump over China. They were all at G20 together and Trump and Trudeau decided to sandbag Xi with the kidnapping of Meng, holding her hostage as part of Trump's trade war against China. Meng was kidnapped by Trump and Trudeau....PS I would hope the people up there can cut through all the bull-twaddle and realize that Justin has sold them out to Trump. You can circulate this up there if you want. Fab."
Francis A Boyle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Boyle
They were all at G20 together and Trump and Trudeau decided to sandbag Xi with the kidnapping of Meng, holding her hostage as part of Trump's trade war against China.
That's quite an accusation. Is there any proof to support it? And no, I don't mean "well, Meng is in custody, right?"
Canada did not need to arrest her. The charge against her was insufficient as a reasonable cause to have her arrested. Do you think they would have been obligated to arrest someone for not paying speeding tickets? Would the PM have signed off on that?
The Chinese arrested a couple of low level spooks in retaliation, so that seems like a measured response. They cited national security and that severely limits the legal options available to the accused. It is also true that under Canadian law you have no rights if you get arrested under our national security laws so its not like anyone should be surprised that the Chinese system is almost identical to ours.
You keep referring to Canada as a democratic country so what the f$$$ is your point? I guess you don't understand the concept of oligarchy.
You sure do like to badger anytime anything "communist"comes up in a thread. A true cold warrior.
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Uber, Lyft, Taxis, Limos, and others in Pinckney, Michigan
Availability of Uber, Lyft, Didi, Ola, and other rideshares in Pinckney
Pinckney, Michigan, United States of America
Are Uber and Lyft available in Pinckney? Do Didi and Ola pickup at airports? How much do rideshare drivers earn in Pinckney?
This page lists all available rideshare services that RideGuru tracks for Pinckney, Michigan. Scroll down for nearby airports and transportation hubs where rideshares may be available.
How much do Uber and Lyft drivers make in Pinckney?
Airports Near Pinckney
Jackson County Reynolds Field (JXN)
nd Street, Flushing, Michigan 48433, United States to N Linden Rd, Clio, Michigan 48420, United States
John C Lodge Freeway, Detroit, Michigan 48226, United States to Summerlyn Trail, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ontario L3Z 3A5, Canada
West Home Avenue, Flint, Michigan 48505, United States to Saginaw Valley State University, 7400 Bay Rd, Saginaw, Michigan, 48604, United States of America
Longview Street, Detroit, Michigan 48213, United States to Evergreen Road, Detroit, Michigan 48228, United States
Kentucky Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48238, United States to Civic Center Drive, Southfield, Michigan 48033, United States
Fall River Road, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48198, United States to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, 1 Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Detroit, Michigan, 48242, United States of America
Ouellette Avenue, Windsor, Ontario N8X 1J9, Canada to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, 1 Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Detroit, Michigan, 48242, United States of America
Mecca Street, Detroit, Michigan 48227, United States to Stautzenberger College, 1796 Indian Wood Cr., Maumee, Ohio, 43537, United States of America
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University > Research portal > Research publications > Research shapes policy
Research shapes policy: but the dynamics are subtle
R Foy, L Locock, S Purdy, C O’Donnell, N Gray, T Doran, Huw Talfryn Oakley Davies
School/Research organisations
Centre for Higher Education Research
Major policy initiatives such as the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) in the national contract for UK general practitioners might variably be informed by evidence at their inception, implementation and subsequent evolution. But what evidence gets admitted into these policy debates—and what is left out? Using QOF as an example, this article demonstrates what an analysis of the relationship between policy and the associated research can tell us about the underlying policy assumptions and about the role of evidence in policy debates.
Public Money & Management
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Whistleblowing over patient safety and care quality: a review of the literature
Blenkinsopp, J., Snowden, N., Manion, R., Powell, M., Davies, H. T. O., Millar, R. & McHale, J., 15 Sep 2019, In : Journal of Health Organization and Management. 33, 6, p. 737-756
Meta regulation meets deliberation: situating the governor within NHS foundation trust hospitals
Millar, R., Freeman, T., Mannion, R. & Davies, H. T. O., Jul 2019, In : Journal of Social Policy. 48, 3, p. 595-613 19 p.
Healthcare scandals and the failings of doctors: do official inquiries hold the profession to account?
Mannion, R., Davies, H., Powell, M., Blenkinsopp, J., Millar, R., McHale, J. & Snowden, N., 28 Mar 2019, In : Journal of Health Organization and Management. 33, 2, p. 221-240
What works now? Evidence-informed policy and practice
Boaz, A. (ed.), Davies, H. T. O. (ed.), Fraser, A. (ed.) & Nutley, S. M. (ed.), 27 Mar 2019, Bristol: Policy Press. 418 p.
Increasing the capacity of policy agencies to use research findings: a stepped-wedge trial
Williamson, A., Barker, D., Green, S., D'Este, C., Davies, H. T. O., Jorm, L., Shakeshaft, A., Rudge, S. & Redman, S., 6 Feb 2019, In : Health Research Policy and Systems. 17, 16 p., 14.
Related by journal
New development: All change? Performance assessment regimes in UK local government
Martin, S., Downe, J., Grace, C. & Nutley, S. M., Jul 2013, Public Money & Management, 33, 4, p. 277-280 4 p.
New development: what works now? Continuity and change in the use of evidence to improve public policy and service delivery
Nutley, S., Boaz, A., Davies, H. & Fraser, A., 2019, In : Public Money & Management. 39, 4, p. 310-316 8 p.
Debate: collapsing collegiality in universities’ fundraising?
Harrow, J. & Jung, T., Sep 2017, In : Public Money & Management. 37, 6, p. 434
New development: Turning around failing schools - lessons from Lahore
Irfan, S. & Nutley, S. M., 2017, In : Public Money & Management. 37, 1, p. 69-74
Debate: Using ideas from the West to improve education in Pakistan?
Irfan, S. & Nutley, S. M., Sep 2016, In : Public Money & Management. 36, 6, p. 396-397 2 p.
Debate: Thou shalt have impact, total impact – government involvement in philanthropic foundations’ decision-making
Harrow, J. & Jung, T., 2015, In : Public Money & Management. 35, 3, p. 176-178
Public Money & Management (Journal)
Sandra Margaret Nutley (Editor)
Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editor of research journal
Sandra Margaret Nutley (Member of editorial board)
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1967 Sunbeam Tiger Mk II
Peter Seabrook ©2019 Courtesy of RM Sotheby's
Favourite VIEW MAILER
Inclusive of applicable buyer's fee.
RM | Sotheby's - ARIZONA 16 - 17 JANUARY 2020
Chassis No.
Engine No.
Body No.
B382100269 LRXFE
2236 A22KA
JAL 700185
Powered by the legendary Ford 289 V-8
Originally sold new to a California enthusiast
Finished in attractive Jaguar Racing Green over black
Accompanied by a letter from the International Registry of Sunbeam Tigers
After the success of the Shelby Cobra, British manufacturers looked for other sports cars that could handle a V-8 transplant. The Sunbeam Alpine seemed like a good candidate. It had been launched by the Rootes Group in 1959 to compete with the MGA, Austin-Healey, and Triumph TR3. Norman Garrad, who headed the Rootes Competition Department, had been urged by Formula 1 World Champion Jack Brabham to develop a Sunbeam Cobra. His son, Ian, an executive with the company in California, tasked Carroll Shelby with converting an Alpine.
Rootes built 6,498 Tigers in both left- and right-hand drive from 1965 to 1966, with many of them featuring the Alpine’s excellent hardtop. After Lord Rootes died, Chrysler bought into the Rootes Group, and not surprisingly, they did not want to sell a car with a Ford engine. As a result, the Mark II was created. It was fast, with 210 horsepower from the 289-cubic-inch Ford engine, but it proved short-lived, as Chrysler ceased the program in 1967 after only 536 Mark IIs (including two prototypes) were ultimately built.
According to a letter provided by the International Registry of Sunbeam Tigers, this example was assembled on 24 January 1967. Further, the IRST correspondent mentioned the car was most likely finished in the popular color of Forest Green. It was sold new to a Norwegian enthusiast in California. After a pleasurable stint in the Sunshine State, the car was exported to Norway, where it was to be further enjoyed. Having exchanged hands later in its life, the car made its way to its current owner in 2002. Shortly afterwards, the car underwent restoration, involving a thorough repaint in the current shade of Jaguar Racing Green.
Of the 536 produced, the Sunbeam offered certainly shines true today, making it a wonderful car for those who appreciate the Tiger’s significance.
Offered Without Reserve
PALM BEACH 2020
1951 Mercury Convertible
RM | AUCTIONS
2006 Ford GT
1961 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL
€100,000 - €130,000
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Stephan Jenkins
Jump to: Overview (3) | Mini Bio (1) | Trivia (5) | Personal Quotes (4)
Born September 27, 1964 in Oakland, California, USA
Birth Name Stephan Douglas Jenkins
Height 6' 2" (1.88 m)
Mini Bio (1)
Stephan Jenkins was born on September 27, 1964 in Oakland, California, USA as Stephan Douglas Jenkins.
Graduated in 1987 from the U. of Cal. in Berkeley.
Lead singer of Third Eye Blind.
Former job as a 'lobster sexer'
Formerly part of rap duo Puck & Natty
He went out with Vanessa Carlton from August 2002 until 2007 and also produced her second album.
Personal Quotes (4)
Twenty years from now, I'll be in some studio arguing over whether there's too much cello. It's my life's work, and I'd do it all for free.
Music is the only thing in this world, with the exception of sneezing and looking at the sunset, that takes you to a place that's above the mundane. Everything else is just bullshit.
[on being a musician and an actor] "Sometimes people go, 'So which is it? Are you a musician or an actor?' I'm entirely and completely a musician. I'm really about making music, and that's my life's work. When a race car driver goes out and plays tennis, nobody goes, 'So are you a tennis player?' I also cook chicken. That doesn't make me a chef."
On the surface, I'm a very cheerful person, but deep down I just love that dark winding road. I relate well to things being grim.
Other Works | Publicity Listings | Official Sites
View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro
Rock Star 2001 premiere
My 2011-2019 Concerts
Mighty Joe Young 1998 premiere
Celebrities I have Met
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Home / Interview / Garrett Mitchell on NHL debut: ‘I’ve waited six years for this’
Garrett Mitchell on NHL debut: ‘I’ve waited six years for this’
Hershey Bears captain Garrett Mitchell just met with the media ahead of the Capitals’ final game of the regular season – an Eastern Conference matchup against the Florida Panthers. Mitchell had a huge smile.
That’s because the 25-year-old forward will make his NHL debut tonight – a moment he admittedly doubted would ever happen.
“It’s one of those things,” Mitchell said. “I am only 25, but with that being said, every year there’s always kids being drafted. Every year, there’s a first-round pick, a second-round pick. For myself as a sixth-round pick, it’s something I’ve dreamed about.”
2,843 days ago, Mitchell was selected by the Capitals 157th overall during the the 2009 draft. After a hot start to his career was later derailed by a major shoulder injury, Mitchell has fought his way onto the league’s best team to officially become an NHL player, likely for one night only.
Garrett Mitchell talks about his feelings heading in to his first NHL Game. #CapsCats #RockTheRed pic.twitter.com/0byinrNkuC
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 9, 2017
“We just finished playing Toronto,” Mitchell said. “[Bears Head Coach] Troy {mann] came in and let every know the schedule. We had a rookie dinner last night. He said Chandler was going to get called up and then said I had been waiting six years to get the call.
“As a kid growing up, it’s something you dream of,” Mitchell continued. “For it to come real here the past couple days, it’s pretty surreal.”
On Mitchell's recall, Trotz said GM Brian MacLellan was who brought it up. Wanted to pay him back for what he's done for organization.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) April 9, 2017
Just nine days ago, Mitchell’s wife Talita gave birth to the couple’s second child, an eight-pound three ounce girl named Lakelyn Braz.
CONGRATULATIONS to Garrett & Talita Mitchell on the birth of their 2nd daughter, Lakelyn Braz Mitchell! Entire family is doing great! Welcome to the family, Lakelyn! ❤🐻🍼 @mitchy1_0 #hbh #baby #BearCub
A post shared by Hershey Bears (@thehersheybears) on Mar 31, 2017 at 4:15pm PDT
Mitchell’s parents, who were en route from Canada to Harrisburg to see their new granddaughter, will now see their son’s first NHL game at Verizon Center.
“It’s pretty surreal,” Mitchell said. “It’s crazy that it just happened to work out. They flew to Toronto yesterday and their flight actually got cancelled to fly to Harrisburg. It just happened that they got talking to the lady and they kind of explained the situation, so they flew mom and dad right here (to Washington DC). Somebody’s watching out for me.”
.@Mitchy1_0's gear ready for his first NHL game! #CapsCats #RockTheRed pic.twitter.com/QifSd0v8BJ
For the last two years, Mitchell has served as the Hershey Bears’ captain and been the beloved leader of the team. “Normally it’s me saying, ‘Hey, have fun with [with your Hersehy debut]. It’s going to be good.” Mitchell said.
But as he arrived at the arena Sunday, Mitchell needed some help from some former teammates in Hershey.
“I walked in and I said, ‘I don’t know where to go, boys. You’ve got to show me where to go.’ So I was getting Paul Carey, and actually Schmidty jumped in with us today with Chandler. I just kind of stayed in the back and take it all in.'”
As for if Mitchell cried when he first found out the news, officially and for the record, he did not.
“I didn’t start crying,” Mitchell said unconvincingly. “I was fighting it back. The way [Troy] did it was amazing. It was in front of everybody. It couldn’t of been better.
“They got a video of it,” Mitchell continued. “I’m sure I’ll post it sometime here. Just haven’t had the time.”
Maybe he’ll have some time after the biggest moment of his career happens tonight.
Congrats @Mitchy1_0 Well deserved brother.
— Michael Latta (@Latta17) April 9, 2017
Full Coverage of Caps vs Panthers
040917, Garrett Mitchell
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Introduction to Mono and Stereo Delays
The Art of Vocal Production
Faculdade Berklee de Música
4.7 (220 classificações) | 16K alunos inscritos
Curso 4 de 4 no Electronic Music Production Programa de cursos integrados
This course addresses recorded vocal performances and the technologies used to highlight and support them in modern record production and mixes. Most of us know that vocals serve as the focal point of modern recordings but many do not know the tools used or when the tools are used best in modern record production. The course begins with simple vocal placement in a mix, where you will also learn the fundamentals of compression and equalization. You’ll further study delays and reverbs before moving to advanced concepts in audio editing, synthetic processing, automatic & graphic pitch correction, time compression, time expansion, flex and elastic audio. Through analysis and/or hands on projects that the students will post for peer review, the student will gain an understanding of the many choices available to modern record producers as they record and mix with a modern tool set. You’ll see, in action, the Vocoder, Auto-Tune, Melodyne, Elastic Audio, Flex Time, VocAlign, tempo based editing and a host of other file modification protocols that are readily available on most Digital Audio Workstations. This course gives students a thorough look at the expanded choices that have risen in the art of vocal production as a result of these modern tools. The goal of the course is to help interested novices understand the recordings they are listening to, performers find an expanded language for their recorded voices and for vocal producers to be able to create musically artistic visualizations using singers as their paintbrushes.
Audio Recording, Music technology, Music, Music production, Singing
Nice and interesting course about vocal production. Great tips and information in an introduction way. Amazing for first steps in music production.
Great course with a lot of good information. Now I just have to work on putting what I learned into actual practice in the studio.
Artificial Vocal Design: How Vocal Producers “Sweeten” the Creation
In this lesson, we will lean less on the vocalist and more on tools that can be used to change the way we listen to vocals in music. You will now understand how delays and reverbs have been used in the music you love and their relationship to time and tempo. Your desire to try out some of these techniques will be piqued by the time you finish this lesson.
Introduction to Time Based Effects2:18
Time Based Effects in a DAW12:53
Introduction to Artificial Widening2:42
Artificial Widening in a DAW7:37
Introduction to Artificial Doubling1:20
Artificial Doubling in a DAW2:50
Introduction to Slapback0:59
Slapback in a DAW3:09
Introduction to Echo2:12
Echo in a DAW9:26
Introduction to Mono and Stereo Delays2:05
Delays in a DAW7:32
Introduction to Reverb2:46
Reverb in a DAW8:54
More Effects2:01
And More Effects10:15
Prince Charles Alexander
We've been listening to delays. Our delays have been living in the phantom image with our original track. We've been listening to mono delay. Mono delay is very interesting, pretty fascinating. It can give you a sense of heightened emotion in a composition. What about stereo delay? What if my voice appears here and the delay appears here? How does that actually happen? I'll give you a hint. When we first looked at delay, we looked at zero millisecond. And zero milliseconds gave us no difference. Where we were living in the center image, our phantom image would have a zero millisecond difference with the delay and that would live in the same plane. And there would be no cone filtering, there would be no stereozation, there would be nothing, just another image. Maybe a slightly louder image. The idea of stereo delay needs that one millisecond of difference. What do I mean by that? So remember we did that math. 120 beats per minute gives us 500 milliseconds on one side, 500 milliseconds on the other side, that's our quarter note of delay. So our first instance is our vocal, 500 milliseconds later, we get a delay on that side, and concurrently, 500 milliseconds later, we get a delay on this side. Guess what happens? 500 and 500 have zero milliseconds of difference between the two. We do not have stereo. In order to create a stereo delay, we need at least a one millisecond difference between the left side and the right side of the delays. Sounds a little crazy, right? Well, let's dial in 501 and 500, and see what happens. Come join me in the DAW and I'll show you this experiment.
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