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Tue., January 13, 2015
Fact Checker: Branstad's 2015 Condition of the State
Gov. Terry Branstad delivers the Condition of the State address to the a joint session of the legislature at the State Capitol building in Des Moines on Tuesday, January 13, 2015. (Adam Wesley/The Gazette)
Governor Terry Branstad’s 2015 Condition of the State address made claims about Iowa’s job growth, Home Base Iowa initiative, business investment and tax cuts.
Source of claim
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad Click here for the full text of the speech.
Jobs claims:
“In the past four years, 168,700 jobs have been created [and] Iowa’s unemployment rate has been slashed by nearly 30 percent.”
“Our unemployment rate is the 10th lowest in the nation.”
Iowa’s seasonally-adjusted non-farm employment through November shows 168,700 gross jobs created since January 2011.
But gross jobs created isn’t a measure used by economists because it doesn’t take into account jobs eliminated during the same time period. That would be like counting babies born and saying Iowa’s population had grown by that amount without subtracting the number of people who died.
Net job growth subtracts the number of lost jobs from the number of new jobs. Iowa saw net non-farm job growth of 82,500 between January 2011 and November 2014, according to the same report from Iowa Workforce Development.
Branstad’s job-creation claim is technically true, but not an accurate measure of the job market. We give it a D.
But when the governor talks about unemployment rates, he gets an A.
Iowa’s unemployment was 6.1 percent in January 2011, compared to 4.3 percent in November. This is a 29.5 percent reduction in employment. The state’s November unemployment rate was indeed the 10th lowest in the nation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Veterans claims:
“Today, over 600 veterans have been matched with jobs in Iowa through our Home Base Iowa initiative. Eight cities and counties have become Home Base Iowa Communities ... and eight college campuses have earned the Home Base Iowa CHAMPS designation ... Already, our work together has resulted in over 24,000 jobs being posted on the Home Base Iowa jobs bank.”
Kathy Anderson, Home Base Iowa program manager, said 807 veterans had been matched with jobs through Home Base Iowa. Numbers are tracked through the Home Base Iowa website and Iowa Business Council, she said.
The eight schools designated as Home Base Iowa CHAMPS are University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Hawkeye Community College, University of Dubuque, Upper Iowa University, Des Moines Area Community College and Mount Mercy University.
The Home Base Iowa website had roughly 23,450 jobs listed Tuesday. Anderson said the number ranges from 24,000 and 26,000 when including jobs pledged by Home Base Iowa companies.
We give Branstad an A for these claims.
Economic claims:
“Over $9 billion in private capital investment has located in Iowa ... We passed the largest tax cut in our state’s history.”
Branstad uses figures from The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) for his claims about investment by private companies, such as Google, Facebook and Microsoft.
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A review of Business Assistance Awards from January 2011, when Branstad’s term began, shows a capital investment of $9.5 billion from 245 active business projects, according to a report provided by IEDA Spokeswoman Tina Hoffman.
The figure is actually conservative because it is based on the investment companies can guarantee, she said. For example, Facebook, which opened a data center in Altoona, promised a capital investment of $300 million, but when its campus is fully built the investment will be much closer to $1 billion, she said.
Branstad’s claim doesn’t fully account for incentives provided to those companies. The state has set aside $411 million for project assistance, according to IEDA. Breaks from local municipalities, exemptions provided by the tax code, or grants through other agencies, such as the Iowa Department of Transportation, also aren’t included.
For tax cuts, Branstad signed a wide-ranging bill promising tax relief to all classes of Iowa property — agricultural, residential, commercial and industrial —- as well as breaks to Iowa income taxpayers, The Gazette reported in June 2013. The plan is expected to provide $4.4 billion in property tax relief over 10 years and $90 million a year in income tax savings.
That amounts to “the biggest tax cut in Iowa history,” The Gazette reported at that time.
We give Branstad’s economic claims an A.
With mostly As and one D, we give Branstad’s Condition of the State address a B overall.
Goodwill creating 40 new jobs near Coralville - half for people with disabilities
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Ken Clarke: ‘Brexit is like a parody version of student politics’
Jonathan Freedland
Kenneth Clarke
The Father of the House loves the EU but doesn’t want another referendum, called Theresa May ‘bloody difficult’ yet backed her deal three times, and finds the political deadlock both annoying and ‘hugely entertaining’
@Freedland
Mon 15 Apr 2019 09.00 EDT Last modified on Mon 13 May 2019 12.06 EDT
Ken Clarke: ‘Maverick he may be, but he’s not going to light up in his office.’ Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian
The twin pillars of Tory pro-Europeanism, the two men who defended that lonely cause in the Thatcher heyday and through the long trudge of the Major years, have responded very differently to Brexit. On one side stands Michael Heseltine, belated darling of the remainers, the lion in winter who won a deluge of Twitter love for his speech before a vast crowd at last month’s People’s Vote rally, where he spoke lyrically of his lost European dream. And there, on the other, is Kenneth Clarke, 79 this summer, not in the House of Lords but still slugging it out as a working MP, on his feet asking pointed questions, moving amendments in nail-biting midnight sessions, even tabling the alternative Brexit proposal – continued membership of a customs union – that came closest to success, falling short by just three votes.
It is not merely that Hezza, as Clarke calls him, has retired from the Commons while Clarke is still there: Father of the House, no less, in recognition of the fact that he has served continuously since 1970, a record matched only by Dennis Skinner. It also points to a deeper difference. Clarke is a devout pragmatist, an evangelical realist. Pro-European he may be, but that faith is trumped by his deference to “the real world”, a phrase he uses no fewer than five times when the two of us meet in his corner office at Portcullis House.
And so, while Heseltine or the next generation of (formerly) Conservative pro-Europeans such as Anna Soubry are holding out for a second referendum that might keep Britain in the EU, Clarke is committed to accepting reality, as he sees it. “Unless and until I can see an opportunity of actually reversing Brexit and restoring a stable membership of the European Union, then in the real world I concentrate on minimising the damage,” he says, sitting behind a desk that could only belong to Ken Clarke. (On it are several copies of the Nottingham Post; a cassette of Artie Shaw’s greatest hits; and a small booklet that turns out to be the Rules and By-laws of the Garrick Club.) “Only an ideologue deals with the world as he would wish it to be, as opposed to the world as it is.” When he recalls Edward Heath, the first Tory prime minister Clarke served as a frontbencher, he describes him as a “fanatic pro-European”. It is not a compliment.
Clarke in his office, behind a desk that could only belong to him. Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian
This is how Clarke, so vehement a pro-European he once championed Britain joining the euro, has found himself breaking from his one-time comrades in the cause, becoming instead an advocate of soft Brexit. It has made him that rare creature on the Conservative benches: a Europhile MP who has voted for Theresa May’s deal three times, filing into the aye lobby against the ultras who dismiss it as not Brexity enough and the remainers who see it as too Brexity to stomach.
It has been lonely for the former chancellor, former home secretary and serially defeated Tory leadership candidate. “That’s why I’m so annoyed by the fact that nobody’s been able to compromise: everybody votes everything else down apart from their own perfect solution. I have made a very considerable compromise.”
It has been compromise upon compromise for him. When he proposed his customs union amendment, he did it with no love or enthusiasm. It was, he admitted, no more than a “lowest common denominator”. For one thing, it called only for a customs union. “Again, pragmatic old me, not the customs union.”
He knows that’s not good enough. “I personally am desperately anxious that we stay in the single market for economic reasons. And I think we should retain the closest links we can, politically, and within the fields of security and criminal justice enforcement and so on. But it was a start. At least it didn’t exclude anything else.”
Why not hold out for the big prize, of staying in the EU? Winning a second referendum would deliver that, and then he wouldn’t have to compromise. The great European project that has dominated his working life could live on. “Great friends of mine, political friends as well as personal friends, like Michael and Anna, are convinced that another referendum can save us the whole thing,” he concedes. But he just can’t bring himself to join them. “I think referendums are ridiculous. One opinion poll with a simple yes/no answer to a question that contains hundreds of complex questions. Referendums are designed to get round parliamentary government, and people only demand referendums when they think they can’t get a majority in parliament.” He takes a breath. “Mussolini was the most brilliant practitioner of referendums.”
But no one’s urging Clarke to become a habitual user of referendums. Just one, to deal with the mess left by the last one. “Just one they think they might win,” he says of the second referendum crowd, warming to his theme, talking over several attempts I make to interject, although doing it with that trademark laugh in his voice that ensures he never seems rude – a technique that made him one of the Conservatives’ most effective messengers on the airwaves for four decades. “Unless remain won by an enormous majority, I don’t think it would solve anything. I think it would just lead to bitter, angry division, which is already there among the public. I think the campaigning would almost certainly be as silly as it was last time.”
However much Brexit appals him, referendums seem to appal him more. Throughout our conversation, he refers to the ballot of 23 June 2016 as “one opinion poll”. In which case, should parliament simply have ignored the vote to leave, carrying on as if nothing had happened? Seriously, if he were in charge, what would he have said to the British electorate the day after they had voted for Brexit?
“Somehow I would have to say: ‘Well, it’s not quite as simple as that. Leaving the EU probably isn’t going to make the faintest difference to most of the things that so annoy you. What I will take on board is that you feel so angry about the ruling class and politicians, and the establishment and so on.’ Because anger was the main emotion let loose by the referendum campaign and since.”
Which is not to say he is dismissive of those who voted leave or what motivated them. He links the leave vote to “what’s going wrong in every western democracy: Trump, the yellow jackets, anarchists in Italy”. He explains: “We achieved considerable economic success from the 1980s, 1990s, onwards, which hugely advantaged the young, the educated and the entrepreneurial. We neglected that bulk of the population being left behind and living in post-industrial towns where their living standards were static or falling. And the new globalised economy, the rules-based order, the digital revolution meant nothing to them.
Clarke (left) in 1985 with Norman Tebbit and Margaret Thatcher. Photograph: Alamy
“People want scapegoats: they blame foreigners and immigrants. You know, for Trump, it’s all the fault of the Mexicans. For the British, it’s all the fault of Brussels. Now, I blame the political class to which I belong – the establishment, of which I was undoubtedly a member – for failing to see this coming.”
So he does include himself in this failure? Yes, he says. “I did not see it coming.” He represents “the prosperous part” of Nottinghamshire, where the schools were good and house prices were high. But in the old mining towns, the signs were there. He admits he should have seen them earlier.
Still, others bear the chief blame for the current nightmare. He looks back on what will soon be a half-century in parliament and notes what he calls “the symmetry of my career: I started the year we were joining the European Union, I’m finishing when it looks as though we’re leaving”, and thinks he was lucky that his time coincided with EU membership, a period when Britain at last discovered its role in the world: “We found our vocation as a European power.” But then came that dreaded opinion poll, as he calls it, in 2016. “The whole thing’s been thrown away by a silly whim of David Cameron, who thought he’d get some short-term, party political advantage by running this stunt.”
What about May herself, whom he famously was caught calling a “bloody difficult woman”? “She is a bloody difficult woman, because she gets fixed ideas in her head, she sticks to them stubbornly. But I say that with some praise.” So we shouldn’t blame her for this mess? “Oh, it’s not Theresa’s fault. She has walked into the biggest collection of political problems facing any prime minister in my lifetime, with the possible exception of Clement Attlee. Most of them would have been overwhelmed by what she inherited. And she has qualities, among them the rather stubborn doggedness and sense of duty of a traditional home counties Tory lady.”
He refers to Attlee several times: “Quite a hero of mine.” He has praise for Tony Blair, too, as “a good prime minister who made one catastrophic mistake which I bitterly opposed, the invasion of Iraq.” How might Blair have handled Brexit? “He had the political skills; he might well have made a better job of it.” John Major, meanwhile, “would have been worried sick by it”. But at the top of the list is the woman he served for so long: “Margaret was the best prime minister of my lifetime. Mythology has turned Thatcher into someone regarded either as a goddess by her supporters or an evil witch by her opponents. She was a very pragmatic, rather odd, distinctive, determined woman with very, very forceful leadership qualities and absolute determination which might have got her through.” It’s a surprise to hear Clarke describe Thatcher as “pragmatic”. One more reason why he says: “Theresa May is no Margaret Thatcher.”
What would Thatcher have done? The very thought of it makes Clarke smile. Watching her wrestle with Brexit would, he says, have been “quite something”. He’s quite clear on one thing, though. “She was never in favour of leaving the European Union. She got exploited by hardline Eurosceptics in her dotage. When she was in office she was very pro-Europe economically, [even if] deeply suspicious of political Europe.”
Clarke (right) in 1999 with then prime minister Tony Blair (centre) and Michael Heseltine at the launch of a cross-party Britain in Europe campaign. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA
How would she have voted in 2016? “She would have voted remain, just as she campaigned very heavily to remain” in the 1975 referendum. True, she had a “bad temper towards Europe towards the end” but that was “because she got on very badly with [German chancellor Helmut] Kohl and [French president François] Mitterrand, who patronised her … They weren’t quite ready for a woman being their political equal, which she certainly was.”
Yet another Tory leadership election is looming; Clarke must have lost count of the number he has witnessed. He won’t say who he likes: “That would be the kiss of death.” Intriguingly, he tells me he has spotted “some very substantial men and women” on both the Labour and Tory benches among those elected in 2010. They’re the ones to watch.
All this talk of leaders and leadership nudges us towards the fact that he never made it himself, despite attempts in 1997, 2001 and 2005. What kind of prime minister would he have been? “Sometimes kind people put me in the category of good prime ministers we might have had. It’s a very good club to be in. Denis Healey, Roy Jenkins, Rab Butler, Geoffrey Howe. And I will say it’s the best club to be in because nobody ever knows how bad you would have been if you’d ever done it.” He will say this, though. “I would have enjoyed it. That was one thing that would distinguish me from John Major: whatever else I’d have done, I’d have been determined to enjoy it.”
I hesitate before making the next suggestion, although his response tells me I needn’t have worried. Is it possible that he’s enjoying, if only a little bit, Brexit itself? After all, it revolves around the great cause of his life; it is pure, compelling drama; and he is at the centre of it. Some politicians would be offended by such a thought, or at least affect to be. Not Clarke.
“It’s hugely entertaining, if it were not so deadly serious. Oh, for a political addict, there’s nothing more fascinating than the bizarre, day-by-day, incompetent manoeuvrings that are going on. It’s like a parody version of student politics. The trouble is, the subject matter is of desperate importance to the wellbeing of next generations … I take an extremely active part in parliament not just ’cause I’m indulging myself as an old parliamentarian who’s got hooked on it. But because I’m actually having an opportunity – a privilege – of taking part in the public debate on vitally important things that matter a lot to me. I’m sure it’s doing me a power of good: it’s very therapeutic to a man approaching his 80th year and all that.”
Therapeutic seems the right word. Clarke was widowed in 2015, losing Gillian, his wife of more than 50 years, with whom he had two children. Does that help explain his decision not to retire from parliament, fighting for re-election in 2017 despite making some earlier noises about standing down?
“I normally avoid getting too personal in interviews, but my advice to all my friends who find themselves bereaved is: the best way of coping with bereavement is to keep yourself busy. Do not become a recluse, feeling sorry for yourself. Try to get busier than you usually are. That’s not the reason I’ve stayed in politics – I’m just an addict – but I think it helps. I think it helped me cope with the bereavement that I remained so absorbed and so obsessed on a daily basis with my political life, yes.”
Clarke with Theresa May at Tory party conference in 2009. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA
Our time is nearly up. Clarke gamely agrees to pose for the photographer with an unlit cigar: maverick, he might be, but he’s not going to light up in his office. It strikes me that the difference between him and Heseltine might not just be Clarke’s get-on-with-it pragmatism, but that speaking of heartbreak at the loss of something he cherished for half a century – whether it’s a marriage or the European dream – is just not him.
So he will confess to feeling “dispirited and annoyed” by Brexit, infuriated by it and by a “political establishment that is spectacularly weak and unable to cope with the crisis we’ve created”, but he does not become elegiac. It is a matter of temperament. “I’m so laid-back that I’m almost horizontal, is how I would describe myself. I’m a naturally cheery and gregarious guy.”
He collects his things; he has dinner plans. I assume there’s a function to attend, maybe black tie, perhaps a speech to give. Not tonight, he says. He has a weekly semi-appointment to keep at the Kennington Tandoori: table for one, just him and a copy of the Economist. He’s looking forward to it.
• This article was amended on 13 May 2019 to clarify that Clarke’s record of having voted for May’s deal three times does not make him “rare” among Tory MPs, the majority of whom have joined him in the aye lobby on each occasion.
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Lincoln-Way student earns recognition at United States Naval Academy
Although she has yet to determine her post-high school plans, Lincoln-Way East student Sydney Nekola has already made an impression on one prospective option.
On June 7, Nekola received the Outstanding Candidate Award after attending Summer Seminar at the United States Naval Academy (USNA).
Acceptance to Summer Seminar is the first step in applying to USNA. The five-day long program allows students to experience what life is like at the United States Naval Academy. Thousands of high school juniors nationwide apply for the chance to attend, but only 5 percent are selected (or 850 students per session).
Applicants are chosen based upon GPA, class rank, ACT/SAT scores, course selection, school and community involvement, along with a written personal statement. Of the 850 attending, Nekola was just one of five to receive the Outstanding Candidate Award during the closing ceremony.
While attending Summer Seminar, Nekola’s selflessness kicked into gear when she noticed a struggling cadet on her squad falling behind during the E-Course (an obstacle course).
Noticing her action, Nekola’s Sergeant informed her that he would be nominating her for the Outstanding Candidate Award, an award given to five students based upon leadership, performance and teamwork.
In addition to being class president for all four years of high school, Nekola has been involved in volleyball, basketball, soccer, student council executive board, Peer Helpers, Be the Change, Griffin Crew, Black and Blue Crew and Peer Mentors.
She has also been a part of Mu Alpha Theta, National Honors Society and Science NHS.
Although she is not yet set on a specific college, Nekola is narrowing down her choices and hopes to receive an appointment from USNA. Other schools that interest her include Michigan State University and University of Tennessee.
Will County Felony Files: July 16, 2019
Plainfield, Joliet got gators without outside assistance
Channahon woman battles breast cancer with all she's got
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https://www.thehour.com/entertainment/article/Summer-sounds-sizzle-at-Wilton-Library-s-Summer-8187088.php
Summer sounds sizzle at Wilton Library's Summer Music & More
By Mike Horyczun
Published 9:15 am EDT, Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Nobody knows the history of Wilton Library's "Summer Music & More Concert Series" quite like Janet Crystal. "The summer concert series was conceived 13 years ago when I started with the library as a late afternoon, early evening way to unofficially begin the weekend, with only one more day to go," said Crystal, the library's Marketing Communications Manager and producer of the series. "They were held in what was our entrance courtyard to the old building. When the construction was completed in 2005-2006, and we had the wonderful Brubeck Room at our disposal, we started to hold the concerts in that room."
The tradition continues tonight, July 11, as the latest installment of the series kicks off at 5 p.m. with Chance Browne and The Twinkies playing funk and blues. "I try to bring an eclectic mix of bands each summer that appeal to a broad audience," said Crystal. "Chance Browne, a Wilton local and treasure, has been opening for us 12 of the13 years, and the crowd adores him. We usually see upwards of 145 people, and they keep coming throughout the series." Upcoming shows include the Bernadettes on July 18, mixing R&B, Motown, and disco sounds. Steve Kazlauskas plays music from the Great American Songbook with "Echoes of Sinatra" on July 25. And another crowd favorite, In Harmony, sings doo-wop vocals from the '50s, '60s and '70s, in a special Saturday night show, Aug. 10 at 7 p.m.
"We face the bands in such a fashion that the crowd can choose to sit inside with the cool air conditioning or sit out in the courtyard adjacent the room to enjoy the outdoors, the cool music and the delicious refreshments," said Crystal. "The concerts go off rain or shine because of this terrific concert space." And they're free. The Village Market of Wilton has sponsored Summer Music & More Concert Series since the start. Wine is being donated by Michael Crystal. Wilton Library is located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in the heart of Wilton Center. For more information and directions, visit www.wiltonlibrary.org, or call 203-762-3950, ext. 213.
Norwalk's free First County Bank Summer Concerts at Calf Pasture Beach has The Royal Kings singing songs from the '50s, '60s and '70s at 7 p.m. Wed., July 17. A classic car show precedes the music, at 6 p.m. Rain date is July 18. Calf Pasture Beach is located on Calf Pasture Beach Road in East Norwalk. There's a $5 per car parking charge for cars without a Norwalk beach sticker. For updates and additional information, call the Norwalk Recreation and Parks Office at (203) 854-7807. For cancellation information, call (203) 854-7938.
The great Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar joins John Cutrone on drums and Jerry Bruno on bass for a special appearance at Sono Seaport Seafood Restaurant at 100 Water Street in South Norwalk this Sunday, July 14. Sets are at 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. It's free. Call (203) 854-9483.
Stamford's Alive @ Five series in Columbus Park has Ryan Cabrera headlining tonight, July 11. Music starts at 5 p.m. with Alexis Babini and Mike Scala opening. Admission is $15. You must be 21 and older to get in after 7 p.m. Photo I.D. required. Children under 12 are free but must also enter before 7 p.m. Stamford's Jazz Up July series, in the same location, has the Brubeck Brothers Quartet performing on Wed., July 17. Benny Benack opens. Music starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10. Children under 12 are free. Jazz Up July's rain location is the Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic Street. Columbus Park is located between West Park Place and Main Street. Visit www.stamford-downtown.com
Westport's Levitt Pavilion continues its free summer series on Jesup Green, adjacent to the Westport Library, with pianist-vocalist Pete Muller at 7 p.m. tonight, July 11; Hank & Cupcakes playing electric disco at 8 p.m.; Fri., July 12, Steve D'Agostino and his band playing songs from the Great American Songbook at 7 p.m. on Sun., July 14, and the Dirty Socks Funtime Band in a children's show at 7 p.m., Wed., July 17. Call (203) 226-7600, or visit www.levittpavilion.com, for more information.
Sono Caffeine has singer-songwriters Keeley Filgo, on tour from the U.K., and Julie Corbalis, at 8 p.m. on Fri., July 12. It happens at 133 Washington Street in South Norwalk. Visit www.sonocaffeine.com, or call (203) 857-4224.
Ridgefield's free, outdoor CHIRP concert series has Amy Helm, daughter of the late Levon Helm, and the Handsome Strangers at 7 p.m. tonight, July 11, at Ballard Park, on Main Street in Ridgefield Rain location is East Ridge Middle School. The Duhks play at Ballard Park at 7 p.m. on Tues., July 16. Rain location, Ridgefield Playhouse. Call (203) 431-2760 after 4 p.m. on Tuesday, to confirm concert location. Visit www.chirpct.org, for more details. Got music news? Send it to news2mh@gmail.com
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SCHENDEN: Life as Pilgrimage
by Fr. Gregory Schenden, S.J. — September 28, 2017
Last weekend, the Catholic Ministry hosted our Loyola retreat for first-year students at the Calcagnini Contemplative Center, Georgetown’s retreat center in Bluemont, Va. The Loyola program serves as the first in a four-year series of retreats — Loyola, Montserrat, Manresa and La Storta — named for key moments in the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
The aim of these retreats is to allow students to more deeply experience what is at the core of our heritage at Georgetown — the Ignatian spiritual tradition. Foundational to our Ignatian heritage is the notion of pilgrimage. St. Ignatius, in his “Autobiography,” always referred to himself as the pilgrim. It was the manner in which he viewed himself near the end of his life.
The difference between a mere traveller and a pilgrim was explained to me once by a wise Jesuit in this way: A traveller, when visiting a town, city or other locale moves through the place. A pilgrim, on the other hand, will allow the place to move through them.
Such an understanding implies that each of us is transformed by the experiences of travel. We are always becoming something new, something unknown and, hopefully, more fully becoming our authentic selves. As Jack Kerouac said in his novel “On the Road,” “Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.”
I was asked while on the Loyola retreat whether it was necessary to travel abroad in order to experience life as pilgrimage. While physical travel surely provides opportunity for the transformative experience of life as pilgrimage, St. Ignatius recognizes that each day of our lives — from the thrilling to the mundane, from the joyous to the difficult — is necessarily part of our individual pilgrimages.
Pilgrimage becomes a mindset from which to approach one’s life and experiences. As we begin this academic year, we should seek to actively acknowledge the pilgrimage we are embarking upon and to embody the Ignatian principles that are fundamental to this journey.
Three key dispositions found in “The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius” are foundational in recognizing our life here at Georgetown as pilgrimage: indifference, presupposition of good and magnanimity.
In an Ignatian understanding, indifference is not a matter of not caring, nor is it passive. Rather, it is an engaged openness in seeking greater meaning in all aspects of life — health as well as sickness, wealth as well as poverty, joy as well as sorrow, the noise of our busyness as well as the silence of our communal contemplation. In those beautiful moments of silent reflection at Loyola, our newest Hoyas embodied that very indifference, that openness, to discovering deeper meaning in the midst of a new experience.
Moreover, in The Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius insists that the foundation of the relationship between a retreatant and spiritual director is the presupposition of good in each other’s words and actions. It is often referred to as the “Jesuit plus sign” — giving the benefit of the doubt and listening in a spirit of authentic love.
Finally, for St. Ignatius, magnanimity is a prerequisite for one seeking to accomplish The Spiritual Exercises. Magnanimity is not mere generosity, but rather runs much deeper. It is an approach to life with an open heart and a generous, deep spirit — literally, with great soul.
Indifference. Presupposing the good. Magnanimity. All of these foundational dispositions reside in the virtue that is the core of St. Ignatius’ worldview — gratitude. As we continue on our pilgrimage that is this academic year, even if this transformative journey does not take us far from campus, we should all be mindful each day of these foundational Ignatian dispositions and seek to more fully live them out each day, in all that we do and in all that we are.
Fr. Gregory Schenden, S.J., is the Catholic chaplain at Georgetown University. As This Jesuit Sees It appears online every other Thursday.
Tags: as this jesuit sees it, pilgrimage, retreat, St. Ignatius of Loyola
Author: Fr. Gregory Schenden, S.J.
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Shah Rukh to step in Aamir's shoes for Rakesh Sharma's biopic
There has been a lot being said about Aamir Khan skipping Rakesh Sharma's biopic due to creative differences, there have been many rumors flowing in on who will play the leading hero in the film. Finally, some reliable sources have come into the picture to give concrete news.
Zero will be releasing on Christmas 2018
We have seen in past how when a film has been bounced by a Khan is caught by another one. When Shah Rukh Khan was recently questioned at an event, he smoothly declined of signing any film apart from Zero, he said, “I haven’t signed a film yet. I really want to live with Zero because it’s a little tedious… I have been meeting Siddharth and Ronnie. I have met a lot of other directors and producers because I have to. But I haven’t confirmed anything yet…”
Shah Rukh Khan has been currently busy with Aanand L Rai’s Zero and it’s been said he will start shooting for Salute post it. A source revealed, "SRK wants to start shooting in September and continue for two months before he starts promoting Zero, which releases on Christmas. After that, he will resume Salute’s shoot from January 2019. The film is expected to release next year.”
As far as the leading lady is concerned, there are speculations makers are keen to cast a fresh face. Priyanka Chatterjee is the name which has been popped out for the name of the actress in the film.
Shah Rukh Khan recently dived into a pool and went underwater after garnering over 33 million fans on Twitter.
Shah Rukh, who was sporting a tuxedo paired with dark sunglasses and completed his look with gelled hair, took to Twitter, where he shared a video and captioned it: “This didn’t go as planned… But on a lazy Sunday afternoon, with my limited floatation expertise, this is the best I could do! Judge nahi karna, feel karna (don’t judge, just feel). Thanks.”
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Warner Brothers Studio Tour Review Los Angeles
If you are a fan of film and TV and are in love with the magic of it all then the Warner Bros. Studio Tour should be at the top of your bucket list. Located in Burbank, Los Angeles on the edge of Hollywood it is a must do for all movie and TV fans visiting the city. I was beyond thrilled to recently take the tour, here is my Warner Brothers Studio tour review.
Warner Bros Studio Tour Costs and Descriptions
There are three to four tour options available depending on the time of the year. The basic tour costs $65 USD (bought online) for adults. The tour consists of 2 hours of a guided tour via a tram and then time to explore studio stage 48 which highlights various parts of film & TV production.
Other tour options include the Classics tour for $75 USD per guest. This tour highlights the golden era of film and TV from the beginning up until the 1970s. For the ultimate movie and TV buffs I definitely recommend looking into the Deluxe tour. A bit of a higher price at $265 per guest this tour takes 5 hours. It includes everything from the basic tour as well as a fine dining lunch, a visit to the costume department, props and a lot more.
During the Halloween season the Warner Brothers Studio also offers a “Horror Made Here: Festival of Freights” tour. This features a few scary mazes featuring characters from your favorite horror films like Pennywise from “It”. You can also see costumes, props and more from the brain of Tim Burton, some crazy haunted mazes and a lot more. This tour is offered only on select nights in October and prices vary from $76 to $86 USD.
It is recommended to buy your Warner Bros Studio tour tickets well in advance. You can purchase them online for the best rate HERE.
The iconic WB water tower
Best Tips for a Warner Bros. Studio Tour
While visiting I took the regular studio tour. It is recommended that you arrive for your tour 15-30mins in advance. Check in with your tickets and you will be assigned a card that will be called when it is your time for the tour. While waiting there is a bathroom available as well as a Starbucks in the waiting area.
The tour begins with a quick video introduction on the history of Warner Brothers with some funny bits by Ellen Degeneres. Guests are then taken outside by their guide where you get on a studio tram and your tour begins. During the tour pretty much no video recording is allowed but you can take photos in many spots. They will be more than sure to tell you when no photography is allowed.
Throughout the tour you will be getting in and out of the tram a few times and often the tram you are riding in changes, so be sure to keep your belongings with you at all times. Tour routes also vary due to 1) How many tours are happening at that time. 2) The filming locations of current productions that might close down certain areas. 3) A million other reasons.
An outside view of the Alibi Bar from “Shameless”
Highlights of the Warner Brother’s Studio Tour
During my tour they were filming the 9th season of Shameless so unfortunately there were areas of the backlot that we couldn’t drive through. I had hoped to spot some of the cast as I am a big fan of the show, but no luck. Celebrity sitings are not uncommon however so keep your fingers crossed and your eyes peeled.
Driving through the backlot one moment was as if we were driving through the streets of New York and the next Rosewood, Pennsylvania through the sets of “Pretty Little Liars”. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and could answer many questions about things that had been filmed there. We also learned some movie magic secrets. All of the buildings in the NYC set had missing door knobs and street numbers as each different thing that films there uses different ones each time.
The popular bandstand from “Gilmore Girls’
There were many other exterior locations that we saw as we toured around the backlot as well. We saw spots featured in the “Gilmore Girls”, the exterior of the house from “Fuller House”, “Shameless”, “La La Land”, locations from “Friends” and more.
Costumes for Aquaman and the Flash
It was cool to drive through the backlots and see all of the famous exteriors but the best parts were when we got to get off the tram and explore a bit closer. One of the buildings we stopped at housed the “DC Universe: The Exhibit” which was full of various costumes worn by your favorite super heroes.
Gal Gadot’s blue dress from Wonder Woman
On display when I visited were the costumes from the main members of the Justice League. You could get up so close to Batman, Superman, Aquaman, the Flash, Cyborg and yes of course Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman even had her own section for her own film with costumes and props from other characters in her story like Steve Trevor and Antiope. They also had the stunning blue dress she wears with sword down the back and all.
Original costumes for the teachers at Hogwarts and the sorting hat from the Harry Potter films
Upstairs from the DC exhibit were even more surprises. There were costumes and props from the Harry Potter films including the Triwizard cup. You could also be sorted by the sorting hat. This level was basically all things JK Rowling. There were also costumes and props from the first “Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them” film. You can check Newt Scamander’s costume as well as bread shaped Nifflers, Erumpents and Demiguises from Jacob Kowalski’s bakery.
Baked Nifflers, Erumpents and Demiguises from Jacob Kowalski’s bakery
What is inside the big studio buildings and sound stages?
Aside from filming exterior shots on the backlots, some of building facades also have working interior spaces too for filming. The majority of the filming at WB however is all done inside of the huge studio buildings / sound stages. A cool feature beside the entrance to each studio is a large plaque on the wall listing each tv show or film that was ever shot in that building.
The famous Stage 1 at Warner Brothers
One of the studios that we got to visit was where they film “The Big Bang Theory” with a live studio audience. Inside we saw both apartments featured in the show and the famous broken elevator and stairwell. Unfortunately no photos were allowed inside and the show was on hiatus during my visit so we couldn’t get to close to the hot sets either. It was still cool to see and I was AMAZED at how small the sets were. I didn’t think they were real they looked to small. It’s amazing what camera tricks and angles can do.
The Batmobile from Batman and Batman Returns
As we drove around we also got to see the exterior of the large props department. It would have been amazing to go inside, but that option is only included in the longer Deluxe tour. Right next to it however was another exhibit area that we were able to enter that was full of a bunch of Batmobiles from over the years, to celebrate 75 years of Batman. This was like a history display of the evolution of the bat mobile from all 7 Batman films. There were Batmobiles from the Michael Keaton days all the way up to Christian Bale. This also included Jared Leto’s pink car from when he played the Joker most recently.
Learning about the Post Production filmmaking process
Our tour finished with us being dropped off at the Warner Bros. Studio Stage 48. Opened in July 2015 Stage 48 adds a whole other experience to your WB studio tour experience. Entering the Stage right away there is a cafe called Central Perk (like in “Friends”), where you can stop and grab a drink or bite to eat. Then continuing on through the experience to the left you will find the actual Central Perk Cafe set from “Friends”. You can sit on the famous couch where you can get a pro photo done by a WB team member. If you are lucky you might even get to participate in a script reading for a scene in the show. They will film you and edit it together with the cast of the show like you were actually filming with them.
Hanging out at Central Perk
(Note: You can get a really nice pro photo done by the WB staff on the “Friends” set. They will also take photos for you with your phone/camera. BUT staff are not allowed to take photos with your own camera with the Central Perk Cafe sign in the shot. If you are there solo ask someone else in line to take that picture for you if you want it.)
Costumes from Casablanca
Stage 48 also features wardrobe pieces from various films. While I was visiting there was a temporary exhibit of the ball gowns from “Oceans 8” as well as the necklace that they steal in the film. They also had many costumes from classic films from the past on display like “Casablanca”.
Here you can also learn how films and TV shows come to be. You can learn about screen writing, casting, postproduction, production design, sound and green screen work is done. As well as ride a broomstick from Harry Potter films and then be put into the film digitally.
I won my first Oscar!
There is also a room full of Oscars, Emmys, award envelopes and other awards. If you are lucky you can have the chance to hold an Oscar yourself.
One of the best parts at the very end of the whole experience and tour was the gift shop. In the Warner Brothers Studios gift shop you can find some unique souvenir items related to your favorite films and TV shows that you might not be able to find elsewhere. From “Ellen” t-shirts and sweaters to Nifflers from “Fantastic Beasts”, various “Big Bang Theory” T-shirts, a “you’re my lobster” cup from “Friends”, “Harry Potter” wands and robes, items from “The Lego Movie” and a lot more.
The Warner Brother’s Studio Tour is a great value for the price with everything you get to see and learn about. If you are a fan of movies and TV and have any kind of interest in how they are made I definitely recommend this tour. Buy your tickets online HERE for the best price.
These were the highlights of the tour in the summer of 2018. Often exhibits change and new things are added so your experience may vary.
While visiting WB I stayed on the coast at Marina Del Rey Hotel.
Special thanks to Warner Brothers for hosting me on this visit. As always all opinions and views expressed are my own.
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What is the Triangle?
The Triangle consists of Wake, Durham, and Orange Counties The largest cities are Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill. The region is also home to Research Triangle Park (commonly referred to as RTP), the largest research park in the country.
Tell me about the local sports scene.
The Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL are the regions most long-standing, top tier professional team. The Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup in 2006, hosted the NHL Draft in 2004, and hosted the NHL All-Star Game in 2011. The regions newest tier 1 pro team is the North Carolina Courage of the WPSL. The Courage won the National Championship in 2016. For Minor League Baseball, the Triangle features the famous Durham Bulls ( Tampa Bay AAA affiliate), the Carolina Mudcats (Milwaukee A affiliate), and the Holly Springs Salamanders, a Collegiate Summer League team. In soccer, the North Carolina Football Club of the NASL leads the way.The Triangle also boasts some of the best collegiate teams in the country led by Duke University, North Carolina Central University, NC State University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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SynopsisWatch TrailerVideosCast BiosDirectorUser Reviews
Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
Genre: Action/Adventure, Animation
DVD: April 18, 2017
Blu-ray: April 18, 2017
Digital: April 4, 2017
Cast: Christina Ricci, Taissa Farmiga, Miguel Ferrer, Kevin Smith, Meg Foster, Jake T. Austin, Gregg Henry, Kari Wahlgren, Maria Canals-Barrera, Sean Maher, David Zayas
While the Teen Titans – Beast Boy (Brandon Soo Hoo), Raven (Taissa Farmiga), Blue Beetle (Jake T. Austin), Robin (Stuart Allan) and Nightwing (Sean Maher) – are on patrol, they come across Starfire (Kari Wahlgren), who is struggling to defend herself from alien forces from her home world. Five years later, she has earned her place as one of the Teen Titan’s fiercest warriors and best leaders. However, their newest teammate, the mysterious and powerful Terra (Christina Ricci), still hasn't fit in, even after one year with the team.
Meanwhile, religious despot Brother Blood (Gregg Henry) and his legion of followers, the H.I.V.E., are waiting to pounce, while familiar foe Deathstroke (Miguel Ferrer) is also lurking in the shadows. Robin senses something more is going on with H.I.V.E. and discovers Deathstroke has been manipulating them to a sinister end. The Teen Titans need to battle their enemies and their own doubts to unite and overcome the evil forces around them.
Director: Sam Liu
Studio: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Producer(s): James Tucker, Alan Burnett
Screenplay: Ernie Altbacker
Teen Titans: The Judas Contract - Official Trailer
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This week's DVD releases take you into the mind of a madman in M. Night Shyamalan's...
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My Inconvenient Truth: Reflections on Al Gore's Impact 10 Years On
Words by Thomas Schueneman
In May of 2006, Al Gore's now-classic climate change documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" was released. The movie won an Oscar in the Featured Documentary category, and Gore was co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, along with the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The nominating committee recognized Gore and the IPCC "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change."
For many, it was as if Al Gore invented global warming. Or that global warming invented Al Gore, I'm not sure which. What is certain is the enormous impact the movie and Gore's advocacy through the years had on raising awareness about the, well, inconvenient truth of climate change.
To be perfectly candid, I think "raising awareness" is among the canon of over-hyped phrases like "paradigm shift." Meaningful at their core, these idioms are overused, often with a pretentious tinge, to the point of diffusing much of their impact and credibility. This is ironic given that we live in transformative times ourselves, witness to a global paradigm shift of raised awareness.
It's tricky.
I read Gore's 1992 nonfiction book "Earth in the Balance," so I was no stranger to his environmental advocacy. But "An Inconvenient Truth" brought the issue to the forefront of public consciousness like little did before or since (except the changing climate itself), for better and worse. I can only speak anecdotally, but I believe Gore is likely the most famous straw man alive -- and for some, also the most reviled. He raised awareness about global warming so masterfully that he has become synonymous with it, often not in a good way.
This may sound like I'm being critical of his work. If I do admit some ambivalence, it is not for lack of admiration and inspiration for what Gore has done and is doing in the public campaign to push for climate action. I've heard Gore speak on several occasions. I've gone through his Climate Leadership training. He is passionate and sincere about his work.
Perhaps my ambivalence is directed more toward the climate change narrative itself than to Gore's engagement with it. It is a narrative too often oversimplified, tortured beyond all recognition of civility and imbued with an ideological fervor that has little to do with the task at hand.
And it's for all this that I'd like to take the opportunity of the 10-year anniversary of "An Inconvenient Truth" to thank Al Gore for changing my life.
An inconvenient journey
I can't say exactly when I first learned about climate change, but it was long before Gore's movie. I'd also read other cautionary works like Jeremy Rifkin's early work "Entropy," Paul Ehrlich's "Population Bomb," Robert Heinberg's "The Party's Over" and The Club of Rome's "Limits to Growth," among others.
From a very young age I was a budding Malthusian.
But while contemplating this doom, I also found great joy in the beauty of the world around me. My ambivalence was my own.
I acquired the domain name "globalwarmingisreal.com" several years earlier, but after seeing "An Inconvenient Truth" in May of 2006 I decided to focus my efforts on what I cared about most and launched the official blog GlobalWarmingisReal.com (GWIR). It was a humble launch, but 10 years on it is still going strong.
What's more, I've had an opportunity to temper my general Malthusian worldview with a sense of guarded optimism. While I've endured over the years the expected heaving of hate and fear, I've also seen firsthand the hard work of many talented, passionate and brilliant people focused on moving the world toward a better future. That's what gives me inspiration to engage with these pathfinders, tell their story and each day try a little bit harder to help light the way.
"Few will have the greatness to bend history itself," Robert Kennedy said in a 1966 speech in South Africa, "but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. And in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation." We all have within us the power to send out "tiny ripples of hope" that will converge into a mighty current of sweeping renewal.
Few of us have the influence or reach of Al Gore, but we all have a responsibility to pursue the harder path before us, so that others may follow. Each in our own way.
Is Al Gore the reason I am concerned about global warming? No. But Gore and his documentary helped set me out on the path I am on today, and upon which I intend to remain for the rest of my life
"My heart is moved by all I cannot save: so much has been destroyed I have to cast my lot with those who age after age, perversely, with no extraordinary power, reconstitute the world."
-- Adrienne Rich
Image credit: Woody Hibbard, courtesy flickr
Thomas Schueneman
Tom is the founder, editor, and publisher of GlobalWarmingisReal.com and the TDS Environmental Media Network. He has been a contributor for Triple Pundit since 2007. Tom has also written for Slate, Earth911, the Pepsico Foundation, Cleantechnia, Planetsave, and many other sustainability-focused publications. He is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists
Read more stories by Thomas Schueneman
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VW Aims to Remake Its Green Empire (and the Electric Car Industry)
Words by Jan Lee
Volkswagen AG's recent announcement that it plans to remake itself into the world's top electric car producer isn't exactly surprising news. With its mile-long list of legal problems from last year's emission scandal and its much longer history of cutting-edge car production, it makes sense for the company to focus on electric car production. Even Elon Musk and a consortium of environmental gurus felt that would be a good fit.
But is it a sustainable choice for Germany's flagship car manufacturer? Green Car Reports senior editor, John Voelcker, points out that VW will have stiff competition based on next year's projected models. The VW e-Golf will have to go some distance to catch up with Chevy's 2017 e-Bolt, which is estimated to double the e-Golf's range. And with more manufacturers getting into the EV game, it's likely the bar for range will raise even further.
The trend is also likely to increase the demand for better, stronger batteries that can support longer distances and fuel even greater jumps in technology. And that's something VW needs before it could outdistance competitors like the Chevy Bolt.
VW's answer to that problem, apparently, is to become the global supplier for electric car batteries. It could cost the automaker as much as $11 billion to build the factory, which would would likely be based in the German state of Lower Saxony. The state owns 20 percent of VW stock, and the new factory would mean increased jobs and services for local communities that already supply as much as 100,000 VW workers.
But that is only part of Volkswagen AG's plan. As Autoexpress U.K. reported last week, the company also plans to build 30 different electric models over the next decade. Counting stock from Porsche and Audi, that could amount to as much as 1 million cars.
Those are tall goals, given the company's legal woes. The $15 billion court settlement reached this week with the United States and California requires VW to shell out $2 billion over the next decade to promote clean energy vehicles. And what will probably sting the most is that the money won't go directly into VW's business, but will help to promote the industry as a whole. That means it will benefit its competitors' success as much as VW's.
"You're looking at $15 billion, but you're also going to have reputational damage and possibly lost market share because the money will promote technologies made by other companies," Maryann Keller, an auto industry specialist, told Bloomberg News on Wednesday.
But that isn't how Volkswagen CEO Matthias Muller sees the company's prospects. The emissions scandal and all of its financial and legal baggage, he says, is the new impetus to change.
"We are using the current crisis to fundamentally realign the Group," Müller told EU parliamentarians in Brussels in January. "I strongly feel we now have the chance to build a new and better Volkswagen."
It's that kind of glass-half-full viewpoint that may just get VW through its challenges. And it could help build a strong electric car industry as it does. It's too early to tell, however, whether consumers will follow.
Image:Flickr/MotorBlog
Jan Lee
Jan Lee is a former news editor and award-winning editorial writer whose non-fiction and fiction have been published in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the U.K. and Australia. Her articles and posts can be found on TriplePundit, JustMeans, and her blog, The Multicultural Jew, as well as other publications. She currently splits her residence between the city of Vancouver, British Columbia and the rural farmlands of Idaho.
Read more stories by Jan Lee
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Uber Accused of Using Technology to Root Out Local Regulators
Words by Leon Kaye
They say you shouldn’t kick someone when he’s down. But over the past few months, Uber made itself an easy target for its critics. The company many love for its convenience, but hate for what they see as its dubious business practices, has stumbled into another nightmare. Last week, the New York Times published the results of a lengthy investigation that accuses the company of using a software program to avoid detection by local officials who attempted to monitor its drivers.
The villain this time around is what Uber employees and executives referred to as “Greyball.” As Times reporter Mike Isaac reported, Uber engineers developed the software to identify and collect information on municipal officials who attempted to monitor the ridesharing service. The program was originally designed to identify Uber users who were violating the company’s terms of service, and is generally used more outside of the U.S.
But in the case of some cities that resisted or attempted to regulate Uber, such as Portland, Oregon, Greyball (also known internally as VTOS) was used to root out authorities who were trying to build a case that the company was operating illegally.
Erich England, a code officer in Portland, was filmed by local newspaper The Oregonian as he attempted to hail a ride in the city. But while his app showed that drivers were near him, they would end up “cancelling” his ride. It turned out that Uber identified England as a potential risk that could embroil the company in legal trouble, as Portland’s transportation department had not yet approved the company to operate within the city of 610,000.
Portland’s argument was that it was unfair for Uber to operate as a taxi company, yet make up its own rules as to how and when it would transport passengers within the city. As explained by Dylan Rivera, a spokesperson for the city’s transport board, Portland objected to giving Uber carte blanche to pick up passengers “without guarantees for picking up the handicapped, guarantees of providing citywide services, or playing by the other rules that the companies play by here." The Times article revealed that, unbeknownst to him, England was using a fake app developed for him and other officials by Uber.
Comments posted below a video which started trending after the Times story broke included cries of “get lost bureaucrats” and accusations that the city was in the hands of “union cab companies.” Of course, those calls get drowned out when there is a news story about a rogue or deadly driver or cases of racial profiling. And Uber has cultivated a reputation as wanting to dictate the terms by which it operates within cities – one of several reasons why the residents of Austin, Texas, voted to kick Uber (and Lyft) to the curb last year. The company's playbook has also not always played well overseas, as it struggles to gain traction in cities such as Tokyo.
But one subtext of this story is how the Times was able to reveal this tale in the first place. The newspaper claimed that four Uber employees leaked documents and explained how the program worked, the newspaper and Isaac reported. As we all know, not everyone working within Uber is enamored with this Silicon Valley “unicorn.” Accusations of a toxic work culture and sexual harassment have distracted the company, leading Lyft to lick its chops as it expands into more cities. Meanwhile, Google accused the company of stealing technology critical for the advancement of self-driving cars. And an ill-time tweet basically announcing “we’re open” while other New York City drivers’ associations were trying to shut down services to JFK Airport during the height of the Donald Trump administration’s travel ban was just the start of the company’s recent woes.
In fairness, Uber provides a service for people who have long been turned off by unreliable and expensive taxi services, or are frustrated by inefficient local public transportation. And while driving for Uber can be far from rosy and even become a massive risk for drivers who become part of the company’s sub-prime auto lending scheme, working as an Uber driver has become a financial lifeline for many people.
The challenge for Uber is that it is unwilling, or is unable, to win the public’s trust. Once that trust is gone, problems such as Greyball only allow its critics to pile on the company even more. At this point, it may take years for Uber to repair its demolished reputation.
Image credit: Aaron Parecki/Wiki Commons
Leon Kaye
Leon Kaye, Executive Editor, has written for Triple Pundit since 2010. He is also the Director of Social Media and Engagement for 3BL Media, and the Editor in Chief of CR Magazine. His previous work can be found at The Guardian, Sustainable Brands and CleanTechnica. Kaye is based in Fresno, CA, from where he happily explores California’s stellar Central Coast and the national parks in the Sierra Nevadas.
Read more stories by Leon Kaye
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Commentary » Politics » Cambodia
A Chinese takeaway in Cambodia
The scale of Beijing's investment onslaught is leaving a bitter aftertaste
Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang (right) gestures as Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (left) looks on during the second Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Leaders' Meeting at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in this Jan. 10 file photo.
(Photo by Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP)
Luke Hunt, Phnom Penh
Rarely have Beijing and its minions been seen in such a dreadful light. The arrival of mainland Chinese in their droves as developers, financiers, restaurateurs, boiler room operators, gamblers, construction workers and tourists is sorely testing the patience of locals in Cambodia.
Even Cambodia's government-compliant press is picking up the baton. 'Chinese behaving badly' is the stuff of daily headlines, particularly in the southern port town of Sihanoukville where Beijing's state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are investing heavily.
Pristine beaches and rainforests are being carved up by big business, driving up property prices that locals can ill afford, amid stories of Cambodians being denied access to their own seaside and Chinese gangs acting as debt collectors, bullying people into selling their homes, and thugs in search of easy targets.
Among the latest incidents, a Cambodian is denied his winnings at a Chinese casino because he's Khmer, winning international sympathy, while a mysterious fire is ignited after shop-owners refuse offers from Chinese buyers.
Reports like four mainlanders, arrested after lending US$14,500 to a couple on a losing streak, are common. Their victims gambled, lost, were held in their casino apartment and tortured with electronic lighters until relatives repaid their debt.
The regularity of such stories are backed by statistics. For the six months to June, Chinese topped the list of foreign nationals on police charge sheets with 275 arrests. Nigerians were a distant second with 37, followed by Vietnamese, Thais and South Koreans.
Soaring crimes rates have outraged Khmers and prompted the government to establish a special police task force targeting Chinese crime, particularly along its southern coast. But the response could be too little too late.
China's Go Global policy — expanding Beijing's interests abroad through SOEs — was initiated in 1999. It took hold with its admission to the World Trade Organization two years later and blossomed under its Belt and Road initiative, announced in 2013.
Strategically important Cambodia was always in sight. Phnom Penh offered a Chinese proxy in the diplomatic arena, access to trade routes, military positions in the Gulf of Thailand, and a country still in dire need of money and repairs after a 30-year war.
Twenty billion dollars in aid, loans and investment arrived over 20 years alongside unflinching support for Prime Minister Hun Sen, who had upset Western donors with his human rights record.
According to his government's own statistics Chinese nationals living in Cambodia have more than doubled from a year ago to 210,000. Of those, 78,000 are living in Sihanoukville and just 20,000 have work permits.
Chinese tourist arrivals have also accelerated to 1.1 million for the first seven months of this year, up 72.6 percent over the previous corresponding period, and is expected to reach 2.5 million annually by 2020 — in a country of just 15 million people. Many of them stay.
To put that in an historical perspective; according to a 1921 census there were 165,485 British subjects living in colonial India — history's most celebrated example of a colonized country — out of a total population of 251.32 million people.
In Cambodia, the net result is that bigger-spending Western tourists and expatriates are being pushed out of their traditional markets and that is hurting Khmers who built businesses around their needs while mainlanders spend exclusively in Chinese businesses.
In the travel industry they are known as "zero dollar tourists" and they have been blamed for damaging the economies of Bali and in Thailand where authorities are cracking down on Chinese tour operators who operate solely within their own ethnic monopoly.
Cambodia faces similar problems in its lucrative tourist market and construction industry, which has dramatically reshaped the skylines of the capital and provincial cities within a handful of years.
Mass-produced Chinese skyscrapers can be erected at a rate of a floor a day. Chinese workers are imported for menial jobs, like bricklaying, and of the completed buildings most are expensive and empty, forcing real estate agents to target Chinese tourists for sales.
As one Khmer recently told me, as hundreds of overall-clad workers poured out of a building site at the end of their work day: "I can do that. Why won't they let me?"
It's an awkward scenario for Cambodian leaders. Recent election promises were built on increased wealth and free trade with China, which has enabled Hun Sen's coterie of business acolytes to grow ever richer.
In opening up Cambodia to China, Hun Sen also earned Beijing's political support, which was most welcomed after he won all 125 seats in the July ballot, made possible by a ban on the only opposition party capable of challenging his long-ruling Cambodian People's Party.
But the trickle-down effect of Chinese largesse has been minimal, exacerbating an already burgeoning wealth gap between the politically connected, aspiring mercantile class and the poor who can only watch, dumbfounded.
Colonialism with a Chinese face
Cambodia has witnessed an influx of foreigners bearing cash before. The United Nations spent billions of dollars on peacekeeping in the early 1990s and Western non-governmental organizations (NGOs) followed.
Much was accomplished; demining, democratic elections, infrastructure upgrades and improved health, water and sewage, but Western NGO workers were often criticized for their big pay packets, big cars and big attitudes that were too often seen as belittling the Khmers.
Then the Russians emerged, buying islands and coastal properties in deals that were often tied to organized crime, before beating a hasty retreat about four years ago following the collapse of its economy and the ruble.
Their exit opened up further opportunities for Chinese SOEs, which acquired Russian-owned real estate on the cheap and have since gone on to set fresh benchmarks in Cambodia for Sinicization around the world.
Mainland arrivals have also created headaches on other fronts. As in many other parts of the region, Chinese have been migrating here for centuries.
They assimilate, speak the language, inter-marry and have made great contributions to the fabric of Cambodian society.
But with resentment rising, they fear being tarred with the same brush as mainlanders who arrived at the behest of the politburo, in numbers reflecting dollars spent and with the same speed and ferocity as it takes to erect a 50-story skyscraper on a Beijing deadline.
Much has been written about China's push to replace the United States as the premium power in Southeast Asia. Another US$7 billion in Chinese spending has already been earmarked for Cambodia alone.
Beijing, however, is not Washington. It can't stomach criticism and the behavior of China's own makes a mockery of any illusion to being a benevolent world power.
Nowhere is that combination more evident than in Cambodia where the impact of unprecedented Chinese investments — from the back streets and casinos of Sihanoukville to the corridors of power in Phnom Penh — will be judged harshly for many years to come.
To avoid that Beijing must change course and improve the attitude of its minions. On current standing, that appears unlikely.
This article was first published 4.10.2018.
Luke Hunt is the Opinion Editor for ucanews.com.
Cambodian villagers fight Chinese developers to save ancestral home
A Hun Sen poll victory is as certain as death and taxes
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Ultimatecarpage.com
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2018-08-30: Porsche 910 in full detail and Le Mans winning Dauer Porsche ...
The rate of development at Porsche was relentless during the 1960s with replacements of existing models already being developed even before the latest cars hit the track. A great example of this was the 910, which was a development of the 906 and raced as a works car for less than a year before it was superseded. Compared to the 906, it was lower and more slippery. The first cars were used to win the European Hill Climb Championship from the second half of 1967. During the early races of 1968, the 910s won the two-litre class at events like Daytona and Sebring, while flat-eight engined examples won the Targa Florio and Nurburgring 1000km outright. Before the 1968 Le Mans, the 910 was already replaced by the 907, which had been purpose built for the flat-eight engine. In its brief racing career, the 910 did elevate Porsche from a contender for class victories to a scratch winner. The example highlighted was a works car and is still raced to this day. This weekend, we will get another opportunity to see the car in action at the Dix Mille Tours and then again the weekend after when it will be raced in the Goodwood Revival. As always, you can expect in-depth coverage both events, perhaps even with some more Porsche 910 images!
Among the most unusual of Porsche Le Mans victories was scored in 1994 with the Dauer 962 LM Sport. Using a maze in the newly introduced GT1 regulations, this was a thinly disguised Group C racer based on Dauer's road going version of the successful 962C. The race winner was the brainchild of Porsche legend and regulation whisperer Norbert Singer. The two cars featured were both raced at Le Mans in 1994 and finished first and third. The maze was quickly closed and the Dauer Porsches were not raced again but not before giving the legendary 956/962 series a formidable farewell win.
2018-08-28: Monterey auction results with mighty Duesenberg ...
The Monterey auctions have come and gone and as the dust settles we take a look at the results. All eyes were on the RM Sotheby's sale, which featured the highly anticipated Ferrari 250 GTO. As expected, it changed hands for a world record smashing $48 million. Also contributing considerably to the $157 total were the Aston Martin DP215 and Ford GT40 Mk2 that sold for $21.5 and $9.8 million respectively.
The $116 million Gooding Pebble Beach Auctions were headlined by the magnificent Duesenberg SSJ that sold for twice the estimate at $22 million. Perhaps the most desirable of all Duesenbergs, this SSJ was originally owned by Gary Cooper and was offered on the market for the first time since 1949. Also doing remarkably well was the Porsche RS Spyder that found a new owner for $4.5 million.
Bonhams kicked off the auction with the one-day Quail Lodge Auction. Close to $38 million worth of machinery changed hands with the sale topped by this fabulous Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Competizione at $3.5 million and the Mercedes-Benz we featured last week at $3.2 million.
2018-08-27: High performance Bugatti, Ferrari and Lamborghini and Mercedes-Benz show car ...
Over the weekend on the Monterey Peninsula, Bugatti, Ferrari and Lamborghini all launched new high performance models while Mercedes-Benz revealed a new show car. The most powerful of the bunch is definitely the Bugatti Divo. Named after former Bugatti racer Albert Divo, it shares the same 1,500hp drivetrain with the Chiron it is based on but it is refined in every other aspect to make it faster. The Divo is 35kg lighter and produces 90kg more downforce, and as a result is 8 seconds faster than the Chiron around the Nardo test track. With a price of Euro 5 million, it is the most expensive production car to date but all 40 cars due to be produced have already been sold.
Ferrari, meanwhile, took the wraps off the Spider version of the highly acclaimed 488 Pista. Like its fixed head counterpart, the Pista Spider boasts a 720hp version of the twin-turbo V8 engine, which helps the new Ferrari accelerate to 100km/h in just 2.8 seconds.
A few weeks ago, Lamborghini announced that a new production car record was set at the Nurburgring but it took until this weekend before the car used, the Aventador SVJ broke cover. It lapped the famous track in just 6:44.97 minutes, eclipsing the time set by the Huracan Performante. Compared to the Aventador SV, the new 'Jota' is lighter and more powerful. Interestingly, it has the same power to weight ratio as the Pista Spider and also accelerates to 100km/h in 2.8s. Production of the fast Lamborghini road car yet is limited to 900 examples.
As a tribute to the record breakers based on the legendary Silver Arrow Grand Prix cars of the 1930s, Mercedes-Benz revealed this Vision EQ Silver Arrow at Pebble Beach. This all-electric machine combines its thoroughly modern underpinnings with a design inspired by the W125 Streamliner of 1937. The all-electric drivetrain of the show car is good for an impressive 750hp but is still good for a 400km range.
2018-08-24: New Audi and Infiniti show cars and BMW Z4 launched at Pebble ...
For several years now, the Monterey Peninsula Car Week has not just been about classic cars. Major manufacturers use the influx of the world's richest car collectors and international media to launch their latest show and production cars. This year is no exception with three interesting machines breaking cover at Pebble last night.
The most striking of the three is this Audi PB18 e-tron. Inspired by the Le Mans winning R18, it is effectively an all-electric racing car for the road. It is powered by three electric motors, one at the front and two at the back, which together can produce up to 764bhp. The lines of the PB18 were penned in Audi's new Malibu design studio and include a particularly interesting 'shooting brake' tail. The interior is adaptable as the driver can sit in the middle if there are no passengers or move over to one side to make room for a second person. For now the car is just a design study but with its all-electric e-tron powertain it should fit nicely at the top of Audi's future line-up.
Following up on the highly acclaimed Prototype 9 launched last year, Japanese luxury manufacturer Infiniti have now returned to Pebble with the Prototype 10. It is once again a minimalistic show car but this time it at least has fully enclosed wheels. Where last year's show car heralded the era of 1950s open wheel racing, the Prototype 10 is a tribute to California Speedsters of the same era.
BMW used the opportunity to finally reveal the third generation of the Z4. Compared to its predecessor, the roadster is completely redesigned and features a fabric instead of a metal foldaway roof. At the launch, the Z4 will be available in M40i trim, which means it is powered by a 340bhp version of BMW's familiar turbocharged straight six engine. Full technical details and specifications will follow at the Paris Motor Show next month.
2018-08-22: Gooding Pebble Beach Auctions preview ...
The third major sale staged on the Monterey Peninsula this weekend is the annual Gooding & Co. Pebble Beach Auctions. The two-day sale features a colourful mix of collector cars. Undoubtedly the famous livery of all is carried by this Gulf Oil sponsored Mirage GR8 Cosworth. It is the sister car to the 1975 Le Mans winner and was extensively raced throughout the second half of the 1970s. Among its subsequent owners was Rosso Bianco Museum and the ROFGO Collection. The GR8 has however been consigned by the Cluxton family, who raced the car in period and re-acquired it in 2014.
As at Bonhams and RM Sotheby's, Ferraris also headline the Pebble Beach Auctions with this fabulous 275 GTB/C, which has a $12-14 million estimate. It is one of twelve built and had none other than Pedro Rodriguez as its first owner. Following its contemporary racing career, it has been part of some of the biggest private collections. Owned by the same collector since the early 2000s, chassis 09063 has not been seen in public in recent years. Another major Ferrari consigned to the sale is this 250 GT Tour de France. Originally sold to an Italian gentleman racer, it has been owned by the late Fred Peters since 1966. He campaigned the car extensively before finally having it restored in 2014. The 250 GT Tour de France has now been consigned by his estate and looks set to sell for over $6.5 million.
One of the most recent competition cars in the sale is the virtually brand new Porsche RS Spyder. Acquired new by a stillborn racing effort, it was not raced in period. The current owner only exercised the Porsche a handful of times. As such, this is a unique opportunity to by a nearly perfect example of the dominant prototype racer of its era.
One of our favourite cars in the sale is this lovely Siata 208 SC Corsa Spider. The car was built by Bertone with a one-off body style and was raced in period by Nuccio Bertone himself. Freshly restored, the Siata won its class at Pebble last year and should sell for around $2 million.
2018-08-20: Back-to-back Le Mans winning Ferrari and Porsche ...
Winning Le Mans outright once turns a car into an instant legend but scoring back-to-back victories is a feat only a handful of cars have achieved. It was long believed that no Ferrari had done this but recent research by Ferrari Classiche has revealed that this 275 P had not only won Le Mans in 1964 but had already done so in 1963. At its first victory, it had been entered with the identity of an earlier car, for which the entry had been filed but which could not compete due to sustaining accident damage. Since 1970, it has been part of the late Pierre Bardinon's Mas du Clos collection and it first made headlines last year when it was announced as the headliner for Artcurial's 2018 Retromobile auction. After a dispute between the Bardinon heirs, the 275 P was withdrawn from the sale. Chassis 0816 is now back on the market with RM Sotheby's as a private treaty sale. RM Sotheby's commissioned the additional Ferrari Classiche research, which also found the car to be the winner of the Sebring 12 Hours in 1964. No price has been revealed but we expect Ferrari's only two-time Le Mans winner, which has not been on the market since 1970s, to sell for an amount well into the eight figures.
A well known two-time Le Mans winner is this Porsche 956, which won the epic endurance race in 1984 and 1985 as a private entry by Joest Racing. The first win was less of a surprise as Porsche had decided not to field its works team, leaving its many privateers to fight the quick but frail Lancias for the outright victory. The 1985 win was certainly more of an upset as Joest Racing managed to beat the might of the Porsche factory team with their brand new 962Cs. Despite scoring back-to-back victories, Joest Racing could not afford to park 956-117 and it continued to race until the end of the 1986 season. Fittingly, it scored a win in its very last outing before joining Reinhold Joest's private collection. It remained their until very recently, when it joined the stable of a prominent British racer.
2018-08-16: Bonhams Quail Lodge auction preview ...
Today we take a look ahead at next week's Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction. The annual sale is headlined by this lovely Ferrari 250 GT SWB. It was sold new to the United States and has been owned by some of the great American collectors like Harley Cluxton, Robert L. Bodin and Chip Connor. Chassis 3337GT has benefitted from a recent restoration to its original colours.
Bonhams have also consigned a fine selection of pre-War cars, which includes this one-off Mercedes-Benz 540 K. Using the highest specification chassis, it was clothed by the Mayfair Carriage Company with a body styled like the famous Trossi Roadster. While it is not known who commissioned the car but chassis 154080 has had some reputable recent owners like the Imperial Palace Collection and General William Lyon.
Ten years older still is this Bentley 6.5 Litre Barker Sports Tourer. Delivered new to the UK, it is believed to be one of jus two examples bodied by Barker in this style and the sole survivor. After spending most of its life in South Africa, BR2354 was recently repatriated and beautifully restored to its original colours.
Also benefiting from a recent restoration is this unique Talbot Lago T26 Saoutchik Coupe de Ville. Built for the 1950 Paris Auto Salon, it was a price winning car in period but has been hidden away from the public eye for most of its life. Not shown yet since its restoration, the unique T26 should provide an automatic entry into all major events.
Other highlights consigned to the sale include this Siata 208 S and Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Competizione.
2018-08-13: RM Sotheby's Monterey auction preview ...
Every year, the world's leading auctioneers manage to pull out all the stops for the annual sales on the Monterey Peninsula. Set to break some records this year is the RM Sotheby's sale in downtown Monterey. The sale's absolute headliner is this Ferrari 250 GTO. It was raced in period by works driver Phil Hill and was subsequently updated to 1964 specification with the wind-tunnel honed body designed by Pininfarina. Following its contemporary racing career, it has been owned by many leading collectors including the consignor, who campaigned the car extensively since acquiring the car in 2000. The pre-sale estimate of 3413GT is a staggering $45-60 million. If it sells, it will be the most expensive car ever sold at auction.
Also estimated to sell for eight figures is the unique Aston Martin DP215. Built in 1963 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it was the ultimate development of the successful Aston Martin racing program of the 1950s and early 1960s. It was damaged in period and over the next four decades the subsequent owners restored the car and it was most recently reunited with its original engine. The one-off DP215 has a pre-sale estimate of $18-22 million.
Due to sell for a slightly more 'reasonable' price is this Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR road car. Originally sold in Germany, it was later part of a collection in Hong Kong for over a decade. Chassis 09 of 25 road cars built is now legal to use in the United States under the Show and Display exemption. The same $4.25 - 5.25 million can also get you this Maserati A6G/54 2000 Zagato Coupe. Compared to the other 19 examples built, this car features a unique grille and was raced in period at the Mille Miglia. Chassis 2124 was recently restored to its original livery and shown at Pebble Beach and Villa d'Este.
The full 150-strong lot list of the two-day auction can be found here.
2018-08-09: Ferrari SWB, BRM P160, Ford Zakspeed Capri and Brabham from Goodwood ...
At last month's Goodwood Festival of Speed, there was a lot more to admire than just Porsches and today we have highlighted a further four very interesting machines that were gunned up the hill in front of Goodwood House.
The earliest and most valuable of the quartet is this Ferrari 250 GT SWB Comp/61. One of less than two dozen built for the 1961 season, the Comp/61 one or SEFAC Hot Rod was the ultimate development of the 250 GT SWB before Ferrari switched to the 250 GTO for 1962. The featured example was sold new to Count Volpi for his Scuderia Serenissima and was later comprehensively restored by Ferrari Classiche.
Formula 1 cars always take centre stage at Goodwood and in 2018 this BRM P160 was one of the most intriguing. Raced in 1973 with the familiar BRM V12 engine, it was later also fitted with the latest evolution of the Weslake V12 engine for testing. Although, it ran only once in this guise, the signs of the Weslake installation are still visible on chassis P160/07 today.
We have a soft spot for the Group 5 silhouette racers of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Few were quite so extreme as the Ford Zakspeed Capri. One of half a dozen built and raced by Zakspeed, this car was used by Klaus Ludwig to win the 1981 DRM Championship in dominant fashion.
Grabbing the limelight in the Michelin Supercar Run was the Brabham BT62. Designed and built in Australia, it is the first product of the company that was restarted by the late Sir Jack Brabham's son David. The first examples of this wild track-day machine feature liveries inspired by Brabham's Grand Prix wins and accordingly, the BT62 seen in action at Goodwood featured the colours of the BT46B driven to victory in the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix by Niki Lauda.
2018-08-05: Three mighty racers that starred at the Le Mans Classic ...
Major events like the Le Mans Classic feature many regular faces and machines but there is always some 'new' blood to keep things interesting. At last month's edition, we were pleasantly surprised by the mighty Maserati 450S brought by a German historic racer. Freshly restored, this well known car had not been seen in action since the early 2000s when it was raced by fellow German Dr. Thomas Bscher. Chassis 4506 was acquired new by John Edgar and raced with great success by the late, great Carroll Shelby. At some point in its life, it also featured a tarmac-shredding 6.2-litre version of the quad-cam V8 that had originally been developed for powerboat racing.
Rarer still was the Howmet TX brought by the Ascott Collection. This particular car was originally intended to be raced in the Can-Am series but was rebuilt by the original designer Bob McKee to sports car configuration. The turbine-engined Howmet was raced with great verve at Le Mans and was one of the star cars of the event.
Although perhaps unfamiliar at first glance, this Porsche 935 K3 had in fact competed in the Le Mans Classic before. The unfamiliarity came courtesy of a fresh livery, which matched the one used by the car during the 1981 season when it finished second overall in the Sebring 12 Hours and replaced the Coca Cola livery sported by the car in 1980. The striking blue with gold and red stripes of the K3's current paint-scheme together with the flame-belching engine worked particularly well during the night sessions.
2018-08-01: Le Mans winning Jaguar and new Audi concept teased ...
Among the many anniversaries celebrated at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last month was the 70th of the legendary Jaguar XK engine. For the occasion a dedicated class of six-cylinder engined Jaguars was present, with cars ranging from early XK120s through to a Lightweight E-Type. While almost all of these cars were Goodwood regulars, we were particularly impressed by the Jaguar C-Type in the line up. One of just three built to lightweight specifications ahead of the 1953 season, chassis XKC 051 was driven to the outright victory at Le Mans that year. It has been owned by some very noteworthy collectors and we had not seen it since 2003. Also featured are the two sister cars, one of which sold at auction for a staggering $13.2 million back in 2015.
Audi, meanwhile, have offered a first glimpse of the PB 18 e-tron show car due to be revealed during the Pebble Beach week later this month. The supercar concept is a further proof of the German manufacturer's new, electric direction.
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Daily Ratings & News for Perrigo
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Perrigo Company PLC (PRGO) Holdings Lifted by Deutsche Bank AG
Posted by Dante Gardener | Apr 17th, 2019
Deutsche Bank AG raised its position in Perrigo Company PLC (NYSE:PRGO) by 56.2% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 277,750 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 99,928 shares during the period. Deutsche Bank AG owned about 0.20% of Perrigo worth $10,758,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its stake in shares of Perrigo by 4.8% during the third quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 984,487 shares of the company’s stock worth $69,713,000 after purchasing an additional 44,917 shares in the last quarter. Paloma Partners Management Co increased its stake in shares of Perrigo by 791.7% during the third quarter. Paloma Partners Management Co now owns 16,090 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,139,000 after purchasing an additional 18,416 shares in the last quarter. Man Group plc increased its stake in shares of Perrigo by 754.0% during the third quarter. Man Group plc now owns 113,206 shares of the company’s stock worth $8,015,000 after purchasing an additional 99,950 shares in the last quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp increased its stake in shares of Perrigo by 2.1% during the third quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 203,324 shares of the company’s stock worth $14,395,000 after purchasing an additional 4,162 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Macquarie Group Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Perrigo by 31.4% during the third quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 234,400 shares of the company’s stock worth $16,596,000 after purchasing an additional 56,000 shares in the last quarter. 85.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
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NYSE:PRGO opened at $50.60 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.10, a PEG ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 1.31. Perrigo Company PLC has a 1-year low of $36.28 and a 1-year high of $83.26.
Perrigo (NYSE:PRGO) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 27th. The company reported $0.97 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.98 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $1.20 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.18 billion. Perrigo had a net margin of 2.77% and a return on equity of 10.74%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 6.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.28 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Perrigo Company PLC will post 4.17 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 1st were issued a $0.19 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 28th. This represents a $0.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.50%. Perrigo’s payout ratio is 16.70%.
A number of research firms have recently commented on PRGO. ValuEngine cut shares of Perrigo from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 20th. SunTrust Banks began coverage on shares of Perrigo in a research note on Tuesday, March 19th. They set a “hold” rating and a $51.00 target price for the company. Royal Bank of Canada set a $48.00 target price on shares of Perrigo and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 28th. Wells Fargo & Co set a $47.00 target price on shares of Perrigo and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 28th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their target price on shares of Perrigo from $67.00 to $54.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 26th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $74.33.
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY WARNING: “Perrigo Company PLC (PRGO) Holdings Lifted by Deutsche Bank AG” was posted by The Lincolnian Online and is the sole property of of The Lincolnian Online. If you are accessing this report on another website, it was illegally stolen and reposted in violation of US & international copyright and trademark laws. The legal version of this report can be accessed at https://www.thelincolnianonline.com/2019/04/17/perrigo-company-plc-prgo-holdings-lifted-by-deutsche-bank-ag.html.
Perrigo Profile
Perrigo Company plc, a healthcare company, manufactures and supplies over-the-counter (OTC) healthcare products, infant formulas, branded OTC products, and generic pharmaceutical products. The company operates through Consumer Healthcare Americas, Consumer Healthcare International, and Prescription Pharmaceuticals segments.
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Italy's oldest theme park reopens after eight years
The Local
luneurtheme parkattractionrometraveltourismfamilychildren
Construction workers at the Luneur amusement park in Rome. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP
Italy's oldest theme park will reopen on October 27th after lying unused for eight years.
And the Luneur theme park in Rome has had a bit of a makeover.
During the 54 years it was open, it was beloved by Romans of all ages before it closed amid financial and legal woes in 2008.
Now Luneur - which takes its name from the EUR district of Rome in which it is situated - will cater to children under 13 in particular.
The 25 child-friendly attractions include dodgems, a Wizard of Oz-inspired yellow brick maze and an interactive role-playing game called the Elven Path.
The park has been closed for eight years. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP
There will be special rooms for breastfeeding and baby-changing, events for pregnant mothers, trails and events designed for schools, and children's menus in all the eating areas.
The opening celebrations on Thursday will take place from 2pm onwards. And the park is opening just in time for Halloween, meaning there will be extra festivities (in fancy dress) between October 29th and November 1st.
The video below explores the abandoned amusement park.
In fact, the park was never intended to be permanent. The rides were set up as part of Rome's 1953 Agricultural Fair, but were so popular that authorities decided to keep the site open for a few months each year.
After the 1960 Rome Olympics, the park was open all year round, before returning to a limited open season after five years and eventually closing in 2008.
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Spectre of default stalks Noble agencies cut ratings
'Increased risk that Noble may not be able to meet its debt obligations in the next six months'
S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service said there’s an increasing risk that Noble Group, the embattled commodity trader, may default on debt obligations in the next six months.
S&P cut Noble’s credit rating deeper into junk territory, lowering it by two notches to CCC minus from CCC plus, and kept a negative outlook, suggesting more downgrades are likely. Minutes after S&P’s statement was released, Moody’s followed with its own report that reduced the company’s credit rating by two levels, to Caa3 from Caa1.
"We see an increased risk that Noble may not be able to meet its debt obligations in the next six months," S&P said in a report.
Moody’s added: "The downgrade reflects significant default risk for Noble within the next several quarters, given its operating cash burn, declining cash levels and large debt maturities."
Moody’s painted a bearish outlook, saying that if a default occurs, "the prospect of a full recovery of principal and interest will be low for unsecured bondholders”.
Noble Group didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Noble, once Asia’s largest commodity trader, last week reported a $1.75bn second-quarter loss, capping a crisis marked by losses and criticisms of its accounting that has wiped more than 90 percent from its market value.
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The company said it had secured a waiver until October 20 of financial covenants on its $1.1bn revolving credit facility due May 2018, effectively giving it two months to restore confidence among its banks, counterparties and investors.
Noble is also trying to sell assets to shore up its finances. Last month, it announced an agreement to sell the gas and power business to Mercuria Energy Group for $248 million. It has unsuccessfully searched for more than a year for a “white-knight” investor to inject fresh capital.
"We need to press on with the sale of our businesses in North America,” the chairman Paul Brough told investors last week. “Time is a factor in maximising proceeds, because of the high fixed cost base.”
Moody’s warned that the asset sales may not be enough to keep the company afloat.
"It is uncertain whether these sales will raise sufficient proceeds to meet its debt maturities and cash outflow over the next 12 months," it said, echoing similar comments from S&P.
Noble Group has debts of $1.5bn due in the next 12 months - including $378m in bonds due in March and the $1.1bn revolving credit facility due in May.
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The excellent cricketers who never played in a World Cup
Rafiqul Ameer
Roar Guru
Before discussing the main theme of this article I first want to make clear I am considering only those players who have played at least part of their career after the beginning of the World Cup era starting in 1975, otherwise all the great players of the previous era going all the way back to William Grace would come into the list.
I have also ignored the South Africa players of the 1970s and the 1980s as their country was banned from international cricket at the time and didn’t feature in the World Cup before 1992.
Vangipurapu Venkata Sai Laxman (India)
I have checked some Indian fan sites and the opinion seems divided about Laxman’s effectiveness as a one-day batsman. While his position as one of the best Indian middle-order batsmen in Test cricket is unquestionable, his ODI record is fairly modest – an average of 30.76 with a strike rate of 71.23.
It’s also important to note that while he played his last Test in 2012, his last ODI was in 2006, so his only realistic chance of a World Cup appearance was in 2003. But then the Indian selectors went for Dinesh Mongia, a left-hander who was known to be more of an accumulator of runs rather than a genuine strokemaker. But he was a useful left-arm spinner and that certainly worked in his favour.
Laxman’s elegant soft touches, especially while playing in the leg side, made him a delight to watch in Test matches, but for ODI cricket someone like Yuvraj Singh served the team’s purpose better. Laxman was perhaps a bit too much of a gentleman for ODI cricket – perhaps an ‘executive’ with coat and tie on, not suited to the pyjama version of the game. An interesting fact about Laxman is that he got ducks in both his first and last innings in ODI cricket.
(AP Photo/Gautam Singh)
Erapalli Anantharao Srinivas Prasanna (India)
Prasanna, arguably India’s greatest off spinner, never played an ODI. The consensus was that he was not athletic enough for this version of the game, yet most of his playing time was before the Kerry Packer days when many top cricketers took the game in a lighthearted manner and cared much less about fitness in comparison to the players of these days. Even in the 1987 World Cup I remember a number of England cricketers whose movement in the field was not very smooth. Basically it was the Aussies under Bob Simpson who first attached great significance to physical fitness, especially for the limited-overs game.
India went in to the 1975 World Cup with little preparation. Following the fashion at the time, they went for a pace-heavy attack and only Bishan Singh Bedi and Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan form the spin quartet made the World Cup squad. Both Bedi and Venkat had considerable experience in the shorter game, having played in England’s domestic competitions.
But it should be mentioned here that Pras at the time was in pretty good form despite being in the twilight of his career. In Madras in January 1975 he had helped the Indians in a Test victory over a strong West Indies side, taking nine wickets in the match. A year later in Auckland he took 11 wickets with a career-best 8-76 in the second innings to lead India to victory. The Auckland win was a special one as it would take India more than three decades to register their next Test success in NZ.
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Gehan Mendis (England and Sri Lanka)
Born in Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, in 1953, he along with his family migrated to England when he was 12. There he enjoyed a long and successful county career as an opening batsman with Sussex and Lanchashire. Thus he was qualified to play for both England and Sri Lanka, but in the end he never made it to the international arena.
When Sri Lanka participated in the 1975 World Cup most people expected his name to be at the top of the team list, but playing for Sri Lanka would have jeopardised his chances of playing for England. More importantly, he would have lost his status as a home player on the county circuit and would have had to fight with the best cricketers in the world to hold his place in the county team as an overseas recruit.
It should also be mentioned here that the cricketing structure in Sri Lanka at the time can at best be described as semi-professional, and it wasn’t easy for even a top cricketer to consider cricket as his full time profession.
While his name often emerged as an England probable, he never got a chance with the national team. The fact that Geoffrey Boycott opened for England in the 1979 World Cup and Chris Tavare was used in the 1983 event make me feel he was distinctly unlucky not to play in a World Cup.
Lawrence Rowe (West Indies)
Michael Holding described him “as the best batsman I ever saw”. Sir Gary Sobers felt that “he could have been the greatest of all West Indian batsmen”. Yet a lack of fitness and other problems meant that he ended up playing just 30 Tests and 11 ODIs. He missed the whole of the 1974-75 season with eyesight problem and didn’t feature in international cricket until November 1975. Viv Richards took his place in the middle order during the Subcontinent tour in the winter, while veteran Rohan Kanhai appeared in the World Cup team of 1975.
In 1979 he, like many other West Indies players, was coming back from the Packer series, but it was big-hitting Collis King, another player on a comeback mission, who took the No. 6 slot and stole the limelight in the Lord’s final. By the time the 1983 World Cup started Rowe was away from international cricket. The fact that the West Indies middle order included Larry Gomes and Faoud Bacchus suggests that, if available, Rowe might well have had a chance.
I like to watch videos of Rowe’s batting on YouTube. It gives me great delight. While Viv and Lloyd were about power and destruction, Rowe was about soft, elegant touches. Like VVS Laxman, Rowe made batting look far too easy. For them batting was a form of art – the way runs were scored was more important than the rate of scoring. It’s a pity that world cricket saw so little of his enormous talents.
Stuart MacGill (Australia)
He played just three ODIs for Australia for reasons known to everyone. In his ODI career he bowled 30 overs and took six wickets for 105 runs, including 4-19 in his debut match against Pakistan in January 2000. In a sense he can consider himself lucky to have played three ODIs; prior to the Shane Warne days leg spinners were something like persona non grata in the Aussie ODI team.
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Other cricketers
Ryan Harris didn’t feature in any World Cup campaign for Australia. This is understandable given his fitness problems would have been a liability in any long event.
Although I have ignored the South Africa cricketers of the 1970s and 1980s, the case for Clive Rice deserves consideration because it was he who led the South Africa team on their first three ODIs in the autumn of 1991. In Delhi South Africa recorded their first-ever ODI success under his captaincy, but then he was unceremoniously dumped by the selectors. Kepler Wessels captained the South Africa World Cup team in the 1992 World Cup.
Jimmy Cook was another unlucky player to miss out on a chance to play in the 1992 World Cup for South Africa, although it should be mentioned that at the time Rice was 42 and Cook 38.
Finally, Dilip Doshi may consider himself unlucky not to be picked ahead of Bedi in the 1979 World Cup team. There Bedi bowled accurately but failed to take a wicket – in fact he didn’t pick any wickets in his last five ODIs. Doshi was a poor fielder and a real rabbit with the bat, but his experience in England could have helped him had he been picked in the World Cup team.
David Schout
Has the dust settled yet on the World Cup final? Or is it still swirling around Lord’s since Martin Guptill’s fruitless final ball dive unsettled the sloped earth?
Australia were already underdogs for the upcoming Ashes but their task looks even tougher now given the hot form of key English players and the confidence and momentum earned by their World Cup win.
Martin Guptill leans forward, eyes fixed on the ball, a flick of the wrist.
Oscar Samios
England’s dramatic World Cup final win over New Zealand is rightly being praised as one of the greatest ODIs ever played.
Scott Bailey
The ICC have refused to be drawn into the furore surrounding the overthrows rule and whether England were incorrectly awarded an extra run in the World Cup final.
New Zealand were robbed in the World Cup final
New Zealand were beaten by the rules, not by England.
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Cardinals vs. Giants MLB Pick – July 6th
MLB Picks Jul 6th, 2019 by Kyle E
MONEYLINE
-102ODDS
The St. Louis Cardinals blasted the San Francisco Giants by a score of 9-4 for their third win in a row and fourth win in five games. The Cardinals are looking for a strung push to close out the first-half of the season. it’s a wide-open NL Central, so they are in the thick of things with an average record of 44-42. That’s all it takes to be 1.5 games out of 1st place in the division.
They certainly don’t deserve to be that close to winning a division with that record, but nobody else wants to step up. With a win for the Brewers last night, they jumped into 1st with a record of 47-42. That gives them only a half game cushion on the Cubs. The Reds and Pirates both slipped to four games back.
For the sake of competitiveness, I hope things stay like this until October. Maybe teams can start playing better in the NL Central, but a close division will be entertaining. The Cards have as good a chance as everyone else to win it, but they might have to turn to the market to initiate a trade for their offense.
The Brewers have Christian Yelich and the Cubs have a host of talent to bring to the plate. Paul Goldschmidt was supposed to fill that void for the Cards in their lineup, but hitting .251 puts him at risk of posting his worst season in the major leagues when it comes to his batting average.
Marcell Ozuna is absent with an injury, so that hurts, and he’s been hitting just .259 as well. The Giants’ offense has been thin this season in the talent department. At 39-48, the only place they’re going to is the phones to attract teams to work out deals. The Giants certainly won’t be buying, and one of the guys up for sale looks like Madison Bumgarner.
Bumgarner has done a lot for this franchise since 2009, but it’s time to move on. He deserves to go to a contender at this stage in his career; he’s earned that right. Bumgarner will get the start this evening, while Miles Mikolas will go for the Cards. Head below for our free Cardinals vs. Giants pick and review.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. S.F. Giants Pick:
Betting Odds:
Moneyline: Giants -118/Cardinals -102
O/U: 8
Pitching Matchup:
Miles Mikolas (5-8, 4.34 ERA)
Madison Bumgarner (5-7, 4.02 ERA)
Betting odds provided by bovada.lv
Madison Bumgarner hasn’t been his elite self this season. It could be he is just getting tired of playing on a losing team. A trade to a contender might be able to change him around. He could suddenly have that competitive drive that made him so dangerous during the Giants’ postseason runs. When he was locked in and focused, nobody was getting to him.
That hasn’t been the case this season, as his ERA has fallen to 4.02, which puts him in danger of setting a career-low. In his last three outings, Bumgarner has posted an ERA of 4.86 and 1.26 WHIP. Certainly not usual for him, though he was sharp in his most recent appearance, holding the Diamondbacks to 4 hits and 1-run.
He has struggled against the Cardinals in the past. Even when he has been an elite pitcher, his numbers haven’t been too great against this roster. The Cards are hitting .296 with a .362 OBP in 196 at-bats against him. Additionally, they’ve connected for 8 home runs and 25 runs. Goldschmidt has been at his best against Bumgarner, with a .333 average and 3 home runs in 66 at-bats.
Miles Mikolas has been productive for the Cards, especially recently in his previous three outings. Mikolas owns an ERA of 2.12 in his previous 17 innings pitched. The Giants have not been good against him as well, hitting just .208 in 24 at-bats. Brandon Crawford is the only batter to have hit a long ball. The oddsmakers continue to overvalue Bumgarner this season and this looks like another spot. The Cardinals look like a solid play in San Francisco here at this price.
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Kyle E
Kyle is a veteran of The Sports Geek and has spent nearly a decade providing accurate sports picks and writeups here. He has been a sports handicapper for 10+ years and started sharing his picks and thoughts in 2011 at The Sports Geek. His expertise spans across multiple sports, including the NFL, NCAAF, MLB, and the NHL. Prior to writing for The Sports Geek, Kyle was a fantasy football expert, who ultimately parlayed it into a successful sports betting career. You can find his picks daily at The Sports Geek.
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Privatisation a good option
Friday, 5 Apr 2019
AS a retired Human Resources Ministry official, it is horrifying for me to read news about industrial accidents, especially those that involve fatalities.
The recent Sungai Kim Kim pollution incident is not just a blatant disregard for environmental laws but also points to poor enforcement of workplace safety.
When I was in service, one of the proposals to beef up enforcement involving the Human Resources Ministry was to merge and privatise it. But this proposal was shot down many times by those who have vested interests, including key officials in the ministry.
Right now, different agencies under the ministry have their own enforcement unit. For example, the Labour Department acts against employers who do not pay salaries on time. The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) goes after companies who fail to meet minimum health and safety standards at the workplace. The list goes on.
This present arrangement has resulted in an environment where agencies work in silos. For example, a DOSH official on his rounds in factories will not act against employers hiring illegal workers even if he stumbles upon them.
His jurisdiction is confined only to workplace health and safety, not workers without permits. And by the time he informs the relevant authorities about this, the illegal worker would have gone into hiding.
This creates inefficiency and is more costly. Under the proposed unified enforcement unit, one person can take over the jobs of multiple staff from different agencies.
The current arrangement also creates room for enforcement
officials to build “relationships” with parties which they are supposed to oversee. As we know, “familiarity breeds contempt”, if not outright corruption.
This is why a unified and privatised enforcement team can help plug the existing loopholes in the system. For a fee to government coffers, companies can bid for licences to carry out such enforcement. Since private corporations are profit-driven, they would have more incentives to ensure not just tight enforcement but also optimum use of manpower. Companies found to have slacked or engaged in dubious activities could have their licences revoked.
Privatisation of enforcement is not new. In Malaysia, vehicle inspection, previously undertaken by the Road Transport Department, is now done by Puspakom, a private company.
But unlike Puspakom, enforcement of laws pertaining to labour and human resources should not be monopolised by one company but should be opened up to enable competition, which will bring about efficiency.
Singapore, a country known for top-notch efficiency, has also privatised some of its enforcement. For example, there are five commercial auxiliary police forces authorised to provide armed security to government organisations. Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) has also authorised multiple companies to conduct vehicle inspections.
Additionally, privatising enforcement responsibilities is also in line with the government’s aspirations to trim the civil service. As we can see, there’s plenty of potential the government and public can derive from having a merged and privatised enforcement. In the spirit of new Malaysia, I appeal to Human Resources Minister M. Kula Segaran to seriously consider this long-overdue proposal.
Grik, Perak
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20 Spots In The USA That Actually Feel More Like Europe Than America
by Ashley Rayner
in Destinations
There’s something about Europe that inspires travelers. Whether it’s the idea of seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris or visiting ancient ruins in Rome or skiing in the Alps, Europe evokes a certain je ne sais quoi when it comes to taking a holiday. Whether it’s the culture, the architecture, the history, or just some Old World charm, Europe’s a top destination for many people.
The big problem? Getting to Europe can be quite expensive! You’ll definitely need to buy a plane ticket, or you’ll be looking at taking a long trip across the Atlantic on a boat. While a cruise can be an adventure on its own, who wants to spend so much of their precious vacation time on a boat when they could be sipping a coffee in a cute Parisian bistro? And then, once you get to Europe, you’ll need to pay for accommodations and food and everything else.
If the thought of traveling to Europe entices you, but also makes you feel flat broke, there is a solution. There are plenty of places around the good ol' USA that have that peculiar European flair. There’s an eclectic mix of big cities and quaint countryside towns, and all of them boast an atmosphere that will make you feel like you’ve traveled overseas without ever leaving North America.
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20 New Orleans Is America’s France In Miniature
Louisiana was, at one point in its history, ruled by the French crown. That changed during the Napoleonic era of the 1800s. France decided to sell its Louisiana territory, and the United States was willing to pay. Although it’s been nearly 200 years since this happened, you can still see and feel the vestiges of French influence everywhere in the state’s largest city.
The French Quarter of the Big Easy will make you feel you’ve been transported right across the ocean, maybe to somewhere on the French Riviera. The city’s rich history and unique culture make it more than worth the trip.
19 Visit This Town For An Authentic Oktoberfest (Leavenworth, Washington)
Oktoberfest is perhaps one of Germany’s best-known cultural exports. All across North America, towns with German influence and heritage will stage their own celebration of sausage, sauerkraut, and stout during the month of October.
You may think you need to travel all the way to Munich or Berlin to get a true experience, but Leavenworth, Washington, gives you a great alternative on the west coast. The snow-capped peaks and timber-framed houses will make you wonder if you haven’t managed to land in Bavaria.
Once you’re finished with the bratwurst and washed it down with some brews, check out the museum dedicated to E.T.A. Hoffmann’s classic The Nutcracker.
18 Charleston Blends A Dash Of Europe Into Southern Charm
Charleston, South Carolina, is well known among North American tourists. It’s often ranked as one of the most scenic cities in the South, if not in all of the United States. But the very things that make it such a beautiful Southern locale to visit also loan themselves to European flair.
Think rainbow-colored row houses lining cobblestoned streets and Gothic-inspired church steeples sweeping the blue sky. Palm trees wave sumptuously in the breeze along the streets. We couldn’t blame you if you closed your eyes and imagined, for a moment, you were strolling through the wide boulevards Marseille or Seville.
17 Holland, MI, Is A Pretty Good Stand In For The Original
If you’d prefer to go a bit further north and visit the cobblestone streets and bridges of Amsterdam, you’ll find a Dutch-inspired destination much closer to home. Holland, Michigan, is named after the homeland of many of the immigrants who settled there in the 1800s.
The Dutch influence is still everywhere today, and the descendants of those settlers continue to celebrate their heritage. Holland is home to the oldest working Dutch windmill in the US, De Zwaan. The annual Tulip Time Festival attracts around 1 million visitors every year. Pack your wooden shoes and schedule a trip to Holland, Michigan, for a European vacation in your own backyard.
16 This Colonial City Is One Of America’s Most Unique (Baltimore)
Baltimore is known as the City of Neighborhoods, and, given the city’s lengthy colonial history, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that some of those neighborhoods have a distinctly European flavor. A great example of this is Little Italy.
The first settlers arrived here in the 1660s, bringing with them their culture and traditions. In the 1700s, the city became a granary for Britain’s Caribbean colonies. At the end of the century, it played a key role in USA's Independence. Despite the Great Fire of 1904, which destroyed 70 blocks of downtown, many of Baltimore’s historical buildings are still intact.
15 Welcome To Spain's Most Northernmost Outpost In The New World (St. Augustine, Florida)
Florida is usually held up as one of the greatest examples of US culture, but the Sunshine State has a much longer history. Before it was property of the USA, it was actually a territory belonging to Spain. If you look closely, you can still spot the remnants of this lengthy heritage, especially in places like St. Augustine.
St. Augustine was founded in the mid-1500s as an outpost of the Spanish New World empire, which makes it as old as some famed European cities themselves. The Castillo de San Marcos, a stone fort, speaks to this history, as do the colonial homes and churches lining brick streets.
14 Boston Preserves Its Colonial History
Although Boston might be remembered as the home of the infamous Boston Tea Party, the city itself hasn’t forgotten how it started. There are still buildings and streets that harken back to days of yore, when this East Coast metropolis was a colonial outpost for the Britain empire.
Boston’s long history makes it one of the best places for historians to visit. Whether you want to learn more about one of America’s oldest cities, the Revolution, or the colonial period, Boston is a great place. Visit some of the museums, then stroll through the streets and admire row houses and other vestiges of bygone eras.
13 Step into Denmark in this little California Paradise (Solvang)
Most Nordic people in America settled in places that were similar to their homelands. As a result, many people in the Midwest claim history from Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Places like Minnesota reminded them of the landscapes they’d left behind in Europe.
Of course, they didn’t come all this way just to put up with snow! Some settlers from Denmark kept moving farther west, eventually establishing the town of Solvang in California. Stop by one of the authentic bakeries or hop a ride in a horse-drawn carriage between the colorful storefronts. Visit in September to take part in the town’s famed “Danish Days” celebration.
12 Washington D.C. Is A Melting Pot Of Cultural Influences
Washington, DC, may be the capital of the United States of America, but you can’t overlook the European influence in the city. Clearly, when the founders of the Republic set up shop, they set out with the goal of creating a capital to rival all the capitals across Europe. It was designed by a Frenchman, something to keep in mind as you stroll the city’s wide, Parisian boulevards.
Being the center of government, DC is also home to a number of foreign nationals who stay a while, and many who make the capital home. Their influence is seen in the bar and restaurant scene, as well as around the many embassies and offices.
11 This Wisconsin Town Is Named After A Place In Switzerland (New Glarus)
Wisconsin is famed for its cheese and dairy industry. Switzerland is also famous for cheese, which makes these 2 places a great match. The town of New Glarus shares the same name as the canton (state) of Switzerland, and it certainly capitalizes on their love of cheese and chocolate.
If you’ve been craving some Swiss chocolate or some authentic fondue, you’re in luck. You can visit a Swiss bakery or any of the Swiss restaurants around town. If you’re interested in more, check out the Swiss Historical Village and Museum or the Swiss Center of America. Afterwards, kick back with a pint from New Glarus’s own craft brewery.
10 This Michigan Town Is Known As Little Bavaria (Frankenmuth)
Frankenmuth, Michigan, is most famous for Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland. This year-round establishment is said to be the largest holiday store anywhere in the world. It could likely rival some of Europe’s biggest Christmas markets, such as the annual one in Vienna, Austria.
But there’s more to Frankenmuth’s flair than a single store. The town is actually known as “Little Bavaria,” which is fitting. The downtown area looks like something out of a fairytale, with stores located in cute, Germany-inspired buildings. The restaurants serve up culinary culture that would match what's found in Germany, and unlike almost anywhere else in the United States. You don’t need to fly to Munich to get a taste of Bavaria.
9 Kansas Is Home To Little Sweden (Lindsborg)
Kansas might be the last place you expect to deliver European charm, but schedule a stopover in the town of Lindsborg, and you’ll quickly revise your opinion. Swing by the Sweden-style Pavilion from the 1904 World’s Fair, or see if you can spot the larger-than-life Dalarna horses scattered through the streets.
Every other October, the town celebrates the Svensk Hyllningsfest (Sweden Heritage Celebration), which takes you into Sweden with dancing, cooking lessons, art, and of course a parade! The next festival takes place in October 2019, so you have plenty of time to plan and prepare for your visit to America’s own Little Sweden.
8 Portland’s Culture Makes It Euro
If you head to Portland, Oregon, you probably won’t see too many centuries-old buildings or European-inspired heritage houses. That’s because the city was only founded in the 1800s. By the early 20th century, however, it had become a seedy port town, much like its counterparts in Europe.
Culturally, Portland has much more in common with the Old World these days. It has the largest collection microbreweries in the US, and the foodie scene here rivals the culinary heavyweights of Europe. Concern for the environment and other, more liberal outlooks make Portland feel more like a cultural capital that could be found in Europe, as opposed to many other parts of America.
7 Find A Slice Of Germany In Fredericksburg, Texas
via:texaswinelimos.com
When you think of Texas, you probably think of a larger-than-life attitude. Everything’s bigger in Texas, and steak and cowboys are staples of the US way. You can still find a slice of Europe in the Lone Star state, however. All you have to do is visit Fredericksburg.
The whole town has a walking-through-Germany feel, which recalls its 1846 founding by settlers from Germany and identifiable architecture and fonts dot the landscape here.
If you listen closely, you’ll hear a Texas-German language, particularly in the idioms and in place names. Oh, and of course there are biergartens around for the truly authentic experience.
6 Helen, Georgia Is Home To A Miniature Alpine Village
Helen, Georgia, probably isn’t high up on your list of places to visit if you want a little slice of Europe. Until the 1960s, this small town outside of Atlanta scarcely had any European influence at all.
That changed when business owners and city planners came together to turn Helen into a miniature Alpine village. Today, this Bavarian-inspired paradise is an excellent stop for those who want to get some more Munich into their lives, but need to stay Stateside. And, since the town is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, you may actually find some alpine activities to amuse you during your stay.
5 Philadelphia’s History Is As Deep As A European City’s
Philadelphia is another one of America’s oldest cities. It’s also one of the most important. It is, after all, where the Constitution was signed and the Founding Fathers held the first government. But Philly’s long and rich history also gives it a sort of Europe flavor. Certain parts of the city still boast influence from Europe, such as the houses along Elfreth’s Alley or Fairmount Park.
Murals, outdoor sculptures, and other commitments to the arts also bolster Philadelphia’s international flair. Add a few markets to the mix, and you might mistake the streets of the City of Brotherly Love for Rome or Barcelona.
4 This Village Brings Europe To Ohio (Gallipolis)
Via: Pinterest
Ohio isn’t usually associated with that peculiar Old World feel, but the village of Gallipolis will challenge your perceptions. It was founded by a group of aristocrats from France in 1790. They had fled after the Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. They were known as the 'French500' , and they had been promised a land like the Garden of Eden.
They didn’t actually get a Garden of Eden, but they did make Gallipolis home. Take a stroll through the downtown core, and you’ll likely see France reflected in both architecture and the pace of life. It may not be Paris, but it’s a great place to stop in for a coffee and croissant.
3 Steph into quaint Germany in New Ulm, Minnesota
The state of Minnesota is known for its lakes and forests, something that makes it quite similar to the homelands of Scandinavia. In fact, many locals are the descendants of settlers from Scandinavia. That’s part of the reason New Ulm stands out. In a state with lots of international heritage, the Germany-USA population stands out, with about 50 percent of New Ulm.
The town reflects Germany through hosting cultural celebrations, including offering unique options at the local brewery that taste just like Germany. Founded by an immigrant (we bet you can guess where he was originally from), it’s now one America’s oldest breweries.
Other attractions include the Hermann Monument, a genuine Turner Hall, and the Brown County Historical Museum.
2 Vermont’s Capital Is Named For A French City
via:Getaway Mavens
At first glance, there isn’t much that makes Montpelier, Vermont, feel much like Europe. But the deep connection with France has certainly influenced the city’s history, culture, and even its name. It’s named after the city of Montpellier, France. The Vermont city was founded after the US Revolution, a time of friendship between France and the US, so there was a general enthusiasm for all things francais.
Montpelier is also situated a scant 2 hours from Montreal, Canada, a major city with a distinct flair from Europe. Montpelier seems to have drawn some inspiration from its northern neighbor. Farmers markets, quaint shops, and a handful of buildings with internationally influenced architecture will help you feel like you’ve escaped deep into the beautiful countryside somewhere in France.
1 There Are Actual Canals In California’s Venice
Ask most people about Venice, California, and they’ll tell you all about Venice Beach. While the beach is no doubt one of the most famous attractions the Golden State city has to offer, there’s more to see and do here.
Venice’s name is purposeful as well. A millionaire founded it in 1905, intending it to become the “Venice of America.” Canals, small rowboats, bridges, and waterways certainly lend themselves to the illusion. If you can’t visit the Venice across the pond, this California paradise will make a great substitute. And, of course, you can visit the beach when you’re finished exploring the streets inspired by Europe.
Sources: Huffington Post, Livability.com, Travel+Leisure, Cities Journal
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The Wings of Hope story is a simple one: making a difference to those less fortunate than yourself.
I was very fortunate to have grown up with parents who were always giving and sharing what they had.
My father, a Civil Engineer, was passionate about Maths and English. He would give up his weekends to teach children whose parents worked in low paid jobs including clerks, drivers and cleaners. My mother was always sharing food and money. This had a profound effect on me, and I suppose in a way was the basis of setting up this charity. My husband and I truly believe that education is the key to getting children out of the poverty trap. We are proud to invest our time and energies in making a difference to the lives of these disadvantaged children.
The Wings of Hope Achievement Awards is making a difference to our very own British school children by recognising, rewarding and ripening their skills. Once again, we are very proud to have made a difference to over 32,500 students in more than 420 schools all over Britain over the last thirteen years.
All this would not be possible without the help and support of so many individuals and organisations, for which we are very grateful.
Best wishes and thank you for your continued support,
Co-founders of the Wings of Hope Children's Charity: Mrs Rajni and Dr R. Sriram
The Wings of Hope is a London based charity, providing education and support for underprivileged children around the world. We are an international children's charity working to provide free education for children in the developing world. We are not affiliated with any religious or political organisation.
We run school projects in India, Malawi, and here in the UK. Our social enterprise programme WOHAA supports underprivileged children in India and Malawi at the same time as developing the skills and ambitions of secondary and Sixth Form students in the UK.
The Wings of Hope charity believes in the transformative power of education.
Our primary aim is to provide our UK students, particularly those at a socio-economic disadvantage, with the opportunity to learn key transferrable skills, to access relevant and impartial careers advice, and to grow and nurture their confidence, independence and sense of social responsibility.
Our secondary aim is to open up opportunities for the poor and underprivileged children we support in India and Malawi, by providing them with a free education.
We believe these aims are a valued contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as part of achieving Goal Number 4 'Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all'.
The Sustainable Development Goals are an initiative begun in 2015 by the United Nations which have shifted our interpretation of development from simply getting bigger and richer, to thinking how all parts of the world can work together to achieve long-lasting and responsible progress in areas such as education, health, but also environmental sustainability.
There are 17 goals which range from Goal Number 1 'Ending Poverty' to Goal Number 13 'Climate Action' and even Goal Number 17 'Building Partnerships for the Goals'. The aim is to achieve these goals by 2030 in order to build a better planet for everyone living here.
Published: 23rd August, 2017
Updated: 5th April, 2019
Keep up to date with all the latest news from the Wings of Hope
Contact Wings of Hope
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Culture > News
Desi Linden Is the First American Woman to Win the Boston Marathon in 33 Years, Even After Waiting for Her Friend to Take a Bathroom Break
by Bridget Read
Not to peddle grossly overgeneralized myths about women’s behavior, but it seems that many of us truly do go to the bathroom in pairs—even while running the Boston Marathon. On Monday, 34-year-old Desi Linden became the first American woman to win the marathon in 33 years, and she did so even after waiting for her friend Shalane Flanagan, who took a bathroom break during the 26.2-mile race, which also took place in heavy rains. One small (or, actually, historic) step for Desi Linden, one giant leap for female friendship!
When Flanagan darted into a port-a-potty on the sidelines less than halfway into the race, Linden was already feeling like she might not even finish and was ready to help her friend win in any way she could. “Honestly, at mile two, three, four, I didn’t feel like I was going to even make it to the finish line,” Linden said afterwards, according to USA Today. “I told [Flanagan] in the race, I said, ‘If there’s anything I can do to help you out, let me know because I might just drop out.’ ”
https://twitter.com/nzaccardi/status/985933876383113222
https://twitter.com/ChrisChavez/status/985884944101756928
Linden eventually pulled in front of not only Flanagan, but Kenyan Gladys Chesir, who was in the lead before Linden made her move around mile 22. “When you work together, you never know what’s going to happen,” Linden said of her pit stop with Flanagan, which ended up motivating her to get back into the race. “Helping her helped me and kind of got my legs back from there.”
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Dec. 28, 2018 / 2:10 PM
Jets sign Enunwa to contract extension
New York Jets receiver Quincy Enunwa runs across the goal line to complete a 69-yard touchdown reception during a game against the Baltimore Ravens on October 23, 2016. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
New York Jets wide receiver Quincy Enunwa will sit out Sunday's matchup at the New England Patriots, but he still ended the season on a high note.
The Jets announced on Friday that they signed Enunwa to a contract extension. Although the team did not disclose terms of the deal, multiple media outlets reported Enunwa signed a four-year contract worth $36 million, including $20 million guaranteed.
"I knew when I got here that I wanted to be a Jet for a very long time," said Enunwa. "Now, I'll get my opportunity and it feels really good."
Enunwa was limited to 11 games this season and Sunday's matchup will mark the third straight contest he has been sidelined due to an ankle injury.
RELATED Steelers WR Brown undergoing tests on knee
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Enunwa had 38 receptions for 449 yards in his return to the roster after missing the entire 2017 season due to a neck injury.
"Quincy is a key part of our foundation, and we are thrilled that this contract will keep him here for years to come," New York general manager Mike Maccagnan said.
A sixth-round draft pick of the Jets in 2014, Enunwa had 22 receptions for 315 yards in his rookie campaign before emerging as a vital cog in the team's offense the following season.
RELATED Lions coach Patricia: Stafford 'our quarterback'
The former Nebraska star had 58 receptions for 857 yards and four touchdowns in 2016, but his progression was stalled by the knee injury that cost him the 2017 season.
"I'm excited for the future and for some more big plays," Enunwa said. "And I think there is a lot in store for us as a team."
RELATED Longtime Bills DT Kyle Williams retiring after Sunday's game
Mike Maccagnan
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Oct. 18, 2017 / 7:34 AM
Senators demand answers in deaths of 4 U.S. soldiers in Niger
Ed Adamczyk
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was among Senate Armed Service Committee members angered Tuesday that the Trump administration has offered little information on the October 4 deaths of U.S. soldiers in Niger. File Photo by Erin Schaff/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Leading members of Congress say they need answers to an ambush in Niger this month, in which four U.S. soldiers died.
Preliminary findings are expected by the end of the week, but are likely to remain classified.
Several U.S. officials described a surprise firefight between 12 U.S. soldiers and members of what the Pentagon called a self-radicalized group affiliated with the Islamic State. Four elite Green Beret soldiers were killed in gunfire and two were injured, and French air support was required to end it.
The U.S. presence in the landlocked West African nation includes a drone base and about 800 soldiers. Officials said U.S. troops were embedded in a larger unit of Nigerien soldiers when the fighting began. Some reports said the troops were seeking a high-value target in the area, identifying Adam Abu Walid al-Sahraoui, leader of a group calling itself Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.
RELATED Experts: Islamic State 'death spiral' most dangerous part of fight for U.S. coalition
U.S. Africa Command has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
On Tuesday, two weeks after the ambush, members of the Senate Armed Services Committee demanded more information. They complained that the administration of President Donald Trump has not been forthcoming in proving information to the committee.
"I had a better working relationship, as far as information back and forth, with [former Pentagon chief] Ash Carter than I do with an old friend of 20 years," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said of Defense Secretary James Mattis. He noted that the statement also included H.R. McMaster, Trump's national security adviser, adding, "I think they had this idea that once Trump won [the 2016 presidential election] that we are a unicameral government."
RELATED Fourth Green Beret's body found after Niger attack
U.S. Africa Command said a timeline of the incident is being established, but questions remain. They include whether U.S. troops were aware that IS-affiliated militants were in the area, why the evacuation required the involvement of French troops and why the body of one U.S. soldier killed, Sgt. La David Johnson, was left behind.
"I think the administration has to be more clear about our role in Niger and our role in other areas in Africa and other parts of the globe," committee member Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said. "They have to connect it to a strategy. They should do that. I think that the inattention to this issue is not acceptable."
RELATED Militants hit Nigerian crude oil pipeline
James Mattis
H.R. McMaster
Jack Reed
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Cryptocurrency: What it is, how it works -- and will the bubble burst?
Daniel Uria
There are hundreds of cryptocurrencies in circulation -- with bitcoin being the most popular. As of Monday, it carried a value over $8,000. File Photo by Dave Hunt/EPA-EFE
As cryptocurrencies like bitcoin become more popular among investors, governments are looking into how to regulate them and investors are searching for new ways to protect them. Photo by Maxim Shipenkov/EPA
A view of cryptocurrency mining machines during the second edition of the Venezuela Power Expo in Caracas, Venezuela, on April 28. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez/EPA-EFE
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro leads a press conference with the new Venezuelan cryptocurrency 'petro' logo on his desk in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 22. File Photo by Cristian Hernandez/EPA-EFE
May 21 (UPI) -- In an increasingly digital world, cryptocurrencies like bitcoin have been rising in popularity -- a tool for decentralizing money on a global scale without an intermediary.
"It relies on a mixture of clever computer science, cryptography and other economic incentives," Massachusetts Institute of Technology assistant Professor Christian Catalini told UPI.
Most cryptocurrency transactions are focused on investment, speculation and trading, especially in portions of the world where people have lost faith in government currency.
Transactions rely on "miners" who use computers to validate and add timestamp transactions to a "blockchain" -- a continually growing digital ledger secured with cryptography.
RELATED Report: Japan's Yakuza laundered $270M through crypto exchange
Only a limited number of cryptocurrencies are produced, unlike government-backed notes, to ensure sufficient values.
A few months ago, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro launched the cryptocurrency "petro," backed by the nation's oil reserves and other natural resources. It's an attempt to cope with a failing Venezuelan economy and circumvent U.S. sanctions imposed in December.
Cryptocurrency has been widely adopted by younger people, particularly South Korean millennials. Twenty-three percent of South Koreans in their 20s said they've purchased virtual currencies, according to Korea Financial Investors Protection Foundation.
RELATED Robinhood to offer cryptocurrency trading by phone
In March, the word "cryptocurrency" was added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
What cryptocurrencies exist?
The world's two most valuable cryptocurrencies -- bitcoin and ethereum -- belong to the same family, but have some key differences.
RELATED Russian nuclear scientists arrested in bitcoin mining plot
Bitcoin software was made available to the public nearly a decade ago and was valued for the first time in 2010. It was intended to act as a form of money usable on the Internet, designed to be simple and exclusively allow transactions in value.
"It is extremely limited in terms of additional functionality, which is a design choice to make it extremely robust and secure," Catalini said. "It's not very customizable in terms of what else you can do with it."
By contrast, ethereum was launched through a crowdfunding campaign in 2014 out of a desire to create a cryptocurrency that's more expandable and programmable than bitcoin.
"Ethereum was designed from the ground up to be more of a platform for software application," Catalini said.
Ethereum is fueled by its own form of currency called "ether," which incentivizes developers to write quality applications.
"It has a programming language on top of it, which allows it to build much more complex instruments and contracts and small programs that use the cryptocurrency in the background but then can do other things like a sophisticated lending contract, or mortgage contract or prediction market," Catalini said.
Throughout the years, bitcoin has also become more decentralized than ethereum through the process of mining, in which new cryptocurrencies are created and transactions are recorded and verified.
Catalini likened the process of mining to a lottery, in which computers work to solve cryptographic puzzles and the new currency is awarded to whoever is able to solve it.
"It's a tool for allowing the network to operate and be secure, without knowing the identity of who is participating," he said.
There are hundreds of various cryptocurrencies in addition to bitcoin and ethereum -- ripple, EOS, litecoin, tron, IOTA, Qrum and aeternity -- all of which are listed on exchanges and carry a market cap.
They are all available in limited number. There are about 17 million bitcoins, 100 million ethereum and nearly 40 billion ripple. Their values differ, too. As of Monday, each bitcoin carried a value of $8,481. A far less popular cryptocurrency called 42-coin listed a value of over $30,000 -- one of only a few valued higher than bitcoin -- but has just 42 in circulation.
Due to the differences between various forms of cryptocurrencies, regulators in the United States and other countries have struggled to find ways to regulate them.
MIT senior adviser and former chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Gary Gensler said he believes "well over a thousand" cryptocurrencies are operating outside of U.S. law and will need to come under regulatory compliance.
Due to years of mining, bitcoin has become one of the most decentralized forms of cryptocurrency and is now perceived as a commodity.
Earlier this month The Wall Street Journal reported government regulators are working to determine whether ethereum and other cryptocurrencies are securities, which would make them subject to regulation by the U.S. Securities and and Exchange Commission.
"There's been a lot of intracoin offerings and those are not decentralized offerings and don't look a lot like bitcoin and ethereum because the team has a lot of control over them," Catalini said. "That's why you're seeing all this debate by the SEC about how to regulate these things that look like unregulated securities at the moment."
Ethereum is believed to exist in a "gray zone" between a commodity and security. Its creation through a crowdfunding campaign is considered an illegal securities sale by some regulators, but ethereum has grown and decentralized over time and begun to resemble bitcoin.
"Both of them are probably commodity-like instruments," Catalini said. "There's still some debate if ethereum is a commodity yet or if it looks more like a security because the team still has a lot of influence over it."
In 2014, the Internal Revenue Service ordered that bitcoin be subject to capital gains taxes, as a property, in the United States.
Pros and cons of cryptocurrency
Investing in cryptocurrency can yield great financial returns, but investors also face a potentially volatile market, as well as potential scams or theft.
Bitcoin prices reached record levels last fall, climbing as high as $11,000 for a single bitcoin. At the start of 2017, its value was about $1,000.
Catalini said investing in cryptocurrency presents a big upside, but says potential backers shouldn't invest a single dollar they can't afford to lose immediately.
"This is a very experimental space and so there's still a lot of uncertainty." he said. "Even more established cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are still far from successful and the verdict is still out on which cryptocurrency will become the leading one in the market."
As bitcoin's value soared and would-be investors became more interested in cryptocurrencies last year, bad actors emerged and began presenting misleading initial coin offerings and other scams.
To combat these harmful practices Facebook and Google began implementing plans to block cryptocurrency advertisements.
"It's important for people to do due diligence and make sure that the teams they're looking at are serious teams and this isn't just the promise of a quick return," Catalini said.
Like other forms of property, cryptocurrencies are also subject to theft. In December, nearly $70 billion worth of bitcoins were stolen from a cryptocurrency mining service called NiceHash.
Catalini said most cryptocurrency thefts occur during the process of attempting to convert them to U.S. dollars or store them in a wallet.
"If that piece of software isn't secure, then it's really easy to lose your bitcoin or to be hacked and have someone steal them," he said.
Catalini also warned anyone hosting cryptocurrency that losing their private key -- a password made up of 51 alphanumeric characters that allows a person to send and receive coins -- could result in permanent loss of their funds.
Argentine entrepreneur Wences Casares launched a startup known as Xapo, which is designed to protect his clients' private keys in encrypted computer servers. As of this month Xapo protects about $10 billion worth of bitcoin, Bloomberg reported.
Catalini speculated that as cryptocurrency ownership becomes more commonplace, new forms of security will emerge to help people protect their funds.
"The same way when banking evolved and moved online we developed services around that to make it secure to bank online, we're going to see more services emerge over time to help people manage their bitcoin and other crypto assets," he said.
Gary Gensler
Suspect confesses to killing U.S. scientist Suzanne Eaton in Greece
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Topic: Sergio Romo
Sergio Romo News
MLB // 10 months ago
Red Sox run into surging Rays
The Boston Red Sox won their 90th game of this special season on Thursday at Fenway Park.
Royals look to slow Rays' momentum
The Tampa Bay Rays and manager Kevin Cash hope giant right-hander Tyler Glasnow figured some things out amid a nightmarish first inning at Fenway Park last Saturday night.
Tampa Bay Rays begin homestand against Kansas City Royals
Finishing a 5-4 road trip with a win on Sunday in Boston, the Tampa Bay Rays open a seven-game homestand against the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.
Orioles visit Rays in rubber match
ST. PETERSBURG -- The Baltimore Orioles went into Wednesday night's game tied for the worst record in baseball, then committed five errors for the first time since 1999 and still managed to beat the Tampa Bay Rays for the fourth time in five games.
Mariners look to keep rolling vs. Rays
When Tampa Bay traded reliever Alex Colome to the Seattle Mariners last week in a four-player deal that included outfielder Denard Span, Rays manager Kevin Cash was asked who his new closer would be.
Davis, A's look to avoid sweep vs. Rays
OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics expect home run leader Khris Davis back in the lineup Thursday afternoon when they try to snap a three-game losing streak and salvage the finale of a four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
After bullpen day, Rays turn to Chris Archer vs. A's
It appears Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin will have to wait until at least Thursday to get his wish to witness the strategy of rival Kevin Cash.
Injury-riddled Rays to start relievers vs. Orioles
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- To compare the relative chaos of the starting rotations for Tampa Bay and Baltimore entering the weekend: The Rays are starting three straight relievers as part of a continuing experiment and the Orioles are countering with ... TBA.
Rays turn to Snell to avoid sweep vs. Red Sox
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays have dropped three straight and the Boston Red Sox have won four straight.
Tampa Bay Rays will try to slow down Boston Red Sox's power
The Tampa Bay Rays get back to having a traditional starting pitcher on the mound and they'll do so Tuesday night against the best hitting lineup in the majors.
Giancarlo Stanton goes 0-for-5 with 5 strikeouts, booed by Yankees fans
New York Yankees fans let Giancarlo Stanton hear a chorus of boos after he struck out five times against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium.
Milwaukee Brewers: Orlando Arcia scores twice to top Tampa Bay Rays
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Orlando Arcia, hitting ninth in the batting order, had a triple and home run, scoring the only runs in the Milwaukee Brewers' 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night at Tropicana Field.
Chase Headley leads New York Yankees past Detroit Tigers
Chase Headley is a relative novice at first base, and as the non-waiver trade deadline approached, it seemed possible the New York Yankees might acquire someone else.
New York Yankees win sixth straight on Brett Gardner's walk-off single
NEW YORK -- Brett Gardner hit a bases-loaded single with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth inning and the New York Yankees matched a season high with their sixth straight win, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 on Saturday afternoon.
Brett Gardner, New York Yankees stun Tampa Bay Rays
NEW YORK -- Brett Gardner led off the bottom of the 11th inning with the game-winning homer as the New York Yankees outlasted the Tampa Bay Rays 6-5 in the opener of a four-game series Thursday night.
First Prev Page 1 of 11 Last Next
Sergio Francisco Romo (born March 4, 1983) is a American right-handed professional baseball pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League baseball.
Romo was born in Brawley, California to Mexican immigrant parents. He graduated from Brawley Union High School in 2001, having played shortstop and third baseman on the baseball team.
After transferring from Arizona Western College, Romo played NCAA Division II baseball at two colleges: the University of North Alabama (2004) and Mesa State College (2005). Romo was named to the All-Region I second team of the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference in 2002 and 2003. In 159 innings, Romo made a 16-4 overall record with a 2.79 earned run average (ERA). He was named First-Team All-Gulf South Conference in 2004 while playing for North Alabama and was 10-3 with a 3.69 ERA in 97.1 innings. In his senior year with Mesa State, he was the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year. In 2009, the RMAC named Romo "All-Time Top Pitcher."
It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Sergio Romo."
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Tameka ‘Tiny’ Harris Addresses T.I. Reconciliation Rumors After Divorce Filing
By Stephanie Webber
T.I. and Tiny attend Scales 925 Restaurant Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Scales 925 Restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia. Paras Griffin/Getty Images
Setting the record straight. Tameka “Tiny” Harris spoke out about rumors that she’s reconciling with estranged husband, T.I., in an exclusive statement to Us Weekly.
Celebrity Splits of 2017
Earlier today, the singer, 42, said during The Wendy Williams Show that she and the rapper, 36, are still married and figuring out their relationship as they go.
Tameka Harris and T.I. attend VH1's Hip Hop Honors: The 90's Game Changers at Paramount Studios on September 17, 2017 in Hollywood, California. Phillip Faraone/WireImage
Celebrity Exes Reunited
“This doesn’t imply that my divorce is off, it states that we are trying to figure it out one day at a time,” Harris tells Us. “I do not want false press stories to overshadow the intent of our interview with Wendy announcing tickets went on sale today for my group, XSCAPE’s national arena tour which begins November 22nd. It is also my husband’s birthday on Monday and these stories should not interfere with how my family intends to spend our day celebrating him.”
A source adds to Us that the pair have “been spending time together as a family again.”
Hollywood's Ugliest Divorces
As previously reported, Harris filed for divorce from T.I. in December 2016 after six years of marriage. The pair married in 2010 and have three children together — Clifford “King” Joseph, 13, Major Philant, 9, and Heiress Diana, 18 months.
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West Vail Liquor Mart celebrates 40th anniversary this year
smiller@vaildaily.com
Dominique Taylor/dtaylor@vaildaily.comWest Vail Liquor Mart owners Tom, right, and Laurie Mullen, left, celebrate their store's 40th anniversary this season.
VAIL, Colorado – Since 1972, West Vail Liquor Mart has been one of the town’s main sources of adult beverages. That’s a lot of Bud – and wine, and, well, you get the idea – under the bridge.
Since 1988, Tom Mullen has been part of the crew at West Vail. He, along with his wife, Laurie, have owned the place outright since 2004.
A Midwesterner by birth, Mullen was in working in Denver for a liquor wholesaler before coming to Vail. A co-worker told him there might be an opportunity in the high country, so Mullen talked to store founders Charlie Crowley and Howard Gardner and moved to the mountains.
Another opportunity opened up a few years later, but Mullen stayed after talking to the owners, and learning there might be an opportunity to buy into the business. It was a great opportunity for Mullen, and a chance for the store’s founders to ease out of the business.
“Howard and Charlie were really prescient about having a plan,” Mullen said.
As Mullen bought into the business, the operation was, ultimately, a family affair, although Laurie only started working at the store about five years ago, coming from a career in the sales and marketing side of the lodging business.
“Tom and I saw an opportunity to both work in the business we owned,” Laurie said. “It was a chance to focus all our energy here.”
Couples who work together often clash, but the Mullens said they’re generally able to keep work at work. Having separate offices helps. It also helps that Tom handles more of the financial side of the business, while Laurie focuses on human resources and marketing. Laurie also serves on the Vail Local Marketing District Board.
There’s a common perception that liquor stores are one of the few recession-proof businesses. That’s not exactly true, especially as a store’s customer base changes over the years.
That’s been the case for the Mullens.
“The population center of the valley has changed over the years,” Mullen said. “That’s created opportunities for small businesses to the west, but where our revenue comes from has changed.”
There have always been resort customers, but as Vail’s decade-long construction boom faded, the people who built those new buildings have stopped coming in.
“There have always been peaks and valleys in the business, but the peaks are higher and the valleys are lower now.”
Keeping the store’s revenue stream flowing also requires understanding what people want.
Over the years, what’s on the store’s shelves has evolved along with popular tastes. A lot more cooler space is devoted to “craft” beers these days, brands and varieties that no one had even imagined in 1972.
Smaller companies are starting to spread across the liquor world these days, even in spirits.
“It’s growing, but it’s still minuscule,” Mullen said. “But as we’ve seen consolidation in the business, there’s been an opportunity for smaller guys to come in.”
But that proliferation of craft brewers, vintners and distillers makes it tricky to determine just what to put on the shelves and in the coolers.
That takes a combination of listening to customers and suppliers when it comes to bringing in new items. Ultimately, of course, the customer makes the final decision.
And, while the Mullens believe they’ve been able to keep their business profitable and relevant because of employee housing, community involvement and sponsorships, it’s people who ultimately make or break a business.
“Any business relies on people,” Mullen said. “It’s a partnership with employees, consumers and wholesalers.”
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George Bush, Make-Believe President | Village Voice
George Bush, Make-Believe President
by Sydney H. Schanberg
Illustration: Mike Luckovich
President Bush’s war in Iraq, oddly, has begun to remind me of the floating craps game in Guys and Dolls. In the classic musical, the “guys” have to keep moving the venue from one hiding place to another—to avoid getting caught playing an illegal gambling game. The president, with much bigger stakes, keeps moving his rationale for the war (as he rolls the dice)—to avoid getting caught playing with the truth.
His problem is that he has been caught.
All the recent revelations about the recklessness of his war policy, the delusory nature of his economic plan, the heretofore masked role of Vice President Dick Cheney as the unaccountable power directing the throne, have revealed Bush as he is—a limited man missing many qualifications for the job. This pulling back of the curtain, all at once, has made clear that while George W. Bush may be a religiously sincere man who actually believes he’s trying to do good, he is, in the same incarnation, a make-believe president who has made a mess of almost everything and put the country at risk in many ways, including the risk of economic disorder.
In some of his latest appearances, the revealed Bush, in word and demeanor, has appeared wan and defensive, even hunched—and yet he does not come clean. He cannot seem to take the final step and apologize to a nation that has already lost more than 500 sons and daughters to his Iraq war; each week, another nine or 10 fall. Apologies, ever rare in public life, are even rarer in election years.
Virtually none of the “facts” this president gave after 9-11 to win public and congressional support for an urgent preemptive invasion of Iraq have turned out to be true. No stockpiles of “weapons of mass destruction” have been found in the nine months since victory was declared. No functional production facilities for chemical or biological weapons have been unearthed. Iraq’s nuclear bomb program—which the White House told us was being ramped up again—did not exist. On the eve of war last March 17, with the decision made and our troops and planes poised for the command to go, George Bush spoke to the nation on television from the Oval Office. He spelled out one more time his core justification for starting a war without being attacked by the other side. “Intelligence gathered by this and other governments,” he said, “leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised.”
He said “no doubt.” But a wiser commander in chief would have had tugs of uncertainty at a moment like that. Intelligence is iffy. The CIA analysts always use caveats when they issue findings. Satellite photos, for example, can seem to show absolutes—and then turn out to be inaccurate. Bush and his White House chorus had no place in their calculus for caveats or reservations of any kind. They had “no doubt.”
Well, their certitude is now shown to have been essentially a stew of hyperbole, concoction, and in some cases the knowing use of forged documents from foreign sources (namely a dossier claiming to show that Iraq sought to buy enriched uranium from Niger—which Bush alluded to in his 2003 State of the Union address as evidence of the Iraqi threat).
The White House also had no doubt that the military occupation of Iraq was going to be a relatively smooth one, with administration officials predicting a countrywide embrace of the American troops as liberators, followed by a steady march toward a secular, constitutional democracy. Perhaps the Bush hawks thought it would be unseemly to mention that the three main blocs in Iraq—the Sunnis, the Shiites, and the Kurds—had been killing each other for generations. The ethnic and religious bloodletting has already started again. A more well-balanced president might have prepared us.
This affable Texas carouser who, with his wife’s firm intervention, turned around his tosspot life and found born-again direction through evangelical Christianity seems addled and stunned that slings and arrows are presently flying at him from all directions. Even his conservative Republican base is saying he has put the nation’s economy in jeopardy with reckless spending and record deficits.
Last week, NBC’s Tim Russert, interviewing Bush in the Oval Office for Meet the Press, took note of polls showing that an unusual number of Americans are “angry or dissatisfied with you” and asked, “Why do you think you are perceived as such a divider?”
Bush: “Gosh, I don’t know, because I’m working hard to unite the country. . . . I don’t speak ill of anybody in the process here . . . I don’t attack.”
Russert tried again, bringing up the president’s unpopularity in Europe and asking why he was disliked there.
Bush: “Heck, I don’t know. Ronald Reagan was unpopular in Europe . . . I’m keeping pretty good company. I think that people, when you do hard things, when you ask hard things of people, it can create tensions. . . . I’ll tell you, though, I’m not going to change, see? I’m not trying to accommodate. I won’t change my philosophy or my point of view.”
The campaign skills that got him elected in 2000—slogans and backslaps and bouquets of promises thrown out with winning bonhomie—may not be enough to win him a second term in November. Lots of Americans are rankled, not just the Democrats. People are not better off than they were four years ago. And they’ve been lied to by a clique who apparently believe that military action is a first resort, not a last one—and, concomitantly, that since our armed power outstrips that of any other nation-state or coalition, we must, to keep our nation secure and mighty, seize this moment to move forward boldly and tame the world, wherever we have enemies or unstable conditions that affect us. This is a doctrine of preemptive war, pure and simple. All of it defies world history and our own nation’s experience.
Bush’s extremist domestic and foreign policies have both seen their shiny outer wrappings torn to shreds, suddenly exposing their hocus-pocus innards.
Here we have, as one example, an education policy (No Child Left Behind) that lays out all the testing and learning requirements but only a trickle of the federal funds needed to pay for the training and teaching. So local taxes have had to be raised. One might call this a trickle-down tax policy. One might also call it trumpery.
Bush’s big-picture tax policy, already in full swing, has made large reductions in the federal income tax. Sound great? Yeah, but it’s less filling for the working classes. Most of the cuts go to the richest of Americans. Bush’s theory is that these are the nation’s entrepreneurs who will use the bulk of their windfall to create new jobs. But we’ve lost jobs instead—more than 2 million of them since George Bush took office. He doesn’t seem to have noticed. At first, with his tax cuts, he sent every taxpayer a check for a few hundred dollars—an advance, so to speak, on the treasure to come; he told us to go out and shop, to spend the money that will prime the economic pump. It didn’t.
The same kind of scary collapse, as we have seen, has happened with Bush’s foreign policies, which seem born of a military-industrial vision of American empire. Just what General Dwight Eisenhower warned us against after he had led the Allies to victory over the Nazis in World War II and been voted into the White House.
Here is yet another example of the ever shifting certainties of the Bush era—one that is still taking lives. Do you remember, back in 2002, when the president’s White House minions began planting stories about how the CIA and State Department and Pentagon were deliberately understating the size of Saddam Hussein’s terror arsenal and thus trying to diminish the gravity of the Iraqi threat? Now, two years later, as if they had somehow undergone a memory erasure, Bush and Condoleezza Rice and Donald Rumsfeld and the rest of the White House gang accuse the CIA of having done just the opposite—of having exaggerated Iraq’s nuclear, chemical, and biological capabilities.
He was misled by our intelligence community, the president now announces, in this latest revised edition of his policies. But never mind, he says, I forgive the CIA. And anyway, he says without blinking, even though our search teams have been unable to find the arsenal of mass destruction “I expected to find,” the preemptive war was the “right thing” to do. “Hussein was dangerous,” he said last week on television, “and I’m not going to leave him in power and trust a madman.” Though Iraq may not have had the weapons or production lines, Bush said he had to act regardless, because Hussein had the intent and “the capacity to make a weapon and then let that weapon fall into the hands of a shadowy terrorist network.” The desire and the “capacity” (read: scientists)—but not the urgent threat.
This is an entirely new doctrine of war for the United States. In a Cincinnati speech five months before the start of the Iraq war, Bush described it thusly, explaining why the U.S. had to act “now” against Hussein: “America must not ignore the threat gathering against us. Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof—the smoking gun—that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud.”
But we knew then that the Iraqis no longer had a credible nuclear program, and we know now that they also didn’t have the weapons about which President Bush said there was “no doubt.”
It wasn’t Iraq that was peddling nuclear technology to rogue nations and terrorists. It was Pakistan, our “ally” in the war against terror. Clear evidence shows that Washington knew this several years ago. Yes, President Bush knew it when he took the oath of office in January 2001. And he never told us, not even after 9-11.
In 1961, John F. Kennedy—after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion by American-trained Cuban exiles—didn’t point fingers at the CIA or anyone else. Instead, he told the National Security Council that “we’re not going to have any search for scapegoats . . . the final responsibilities of any failure is mine, and mine alone.”
George Walker Bush, who said he was going to “restore honor and dignity to the White House,” could learn something from that history. Truth is better than fiction when you’re sending your youth into battle.
Research assistance: Jennifer Suh
More:George W. BushIraqLongformMiddle EastThe White House
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Commish, Mayor Warned: ‘Blood on Their Hands’ | Village Voice
Commish, Mayor Warned: ‘Blood on Their Hands’
by Jarrett Murphy
The crowd of well-dressed, mostly elderly citizens probably looked harmless to Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta as he strode toward City Hall on Thursday afternoon, but as he drew near, the shouts turned to jeers. He made his way up the steps, waving and smiling, but no one else was grinning. “It’s on your head, Scoppetta!” one woman yelled. A few minutes later Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz warned, “This administration and this fire commissioner could have blood on their hands,” and told Scoppetta to find a new job. Eddie Brown, Bronx trustee for the Uniformed Firefighters Association, echoed the macabre theme: “When somebody in Woodlawn dies, I wish they’d play the tape back of the commissioner smiling.”
The dire warnings have to do with the city’s plans for Ladder 39, located since 1899 on 233rd Street. Everyone agrees that the company’s firehouse is in disrepair. But while FDNY says it has made no final decision on whether to repair or abandon the firehouse, the community suspects the city plans to move Ladder 39 in with Engine 63 in nearby Wakefield. The neighborhood—along with the Bronx beep, local reps, and fire union—wants Ladder 39’s house to be repaired at an estimated cost of $8 million and a temporary firehouse put in place during the rebuilding. If not, they warn, it could cost lives.
Why? It’s not just that the firehouse would be farther away. The streets of Woodlawn are narrow, many of the houses are wood-framed, they sit close together, and the whole neighborhood is isolated—bordered by a park, a cemetery, a highway, and the Yonkers line. Then there’s the filtration plant being built nearby, meaning trucks hauling chemicals to and fro. Ironically, Woodlawn is also believed to be home to lots and lots of firefighters. And all the Irish in the ‘hood mean area stores carry European candy bars, like Aeros, which are amazing. In sum, it’s a special place. (But not that special: One speaker pointed out that, “The Woodlawn community is made up of hardworking people. We have many families with young children,” which is what one can say of just about every city neighborhood, with the possible exception of Rikers Island.)
Fittingly, today is the anniversary of the closure of six firehouses in 2003 during the mayor’s post–9-11 budget bloodletting. And some of the characters are the same, like the mayor, the commissioner, and State Senator Jeff Klein, who in 2004 threatened to subpoena Scoppetta to a hearing on the closures. Now, the FDNY is targeting his district, but Klein’s argument is the same: Closing a firehouse in one place affects other areas. After 2003, Klein said Thursday, “response time not only went up in the communities but in the boroughs and the city as a whole.”
FDNY’s overall citywide response time has indeed increased ever year since the closures. But over the same period, civilian fire fatalities have also dropped. Opponents of the firehouse closures say the former number will eventually rise enough to impact the latter. Activists in Williamsburg, where Engine 212 was shuttered, plan later today to release response times in areas affected by the mayor’s moves three years ago.
FDNY’s press office says there’s no timetable for moving the company or deciding what to do with their firehouse. Councilman Oliver Koppell is trying to force a decision by asking for capital funds for a new firehouse in this year’s budget.
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The “Free Speech” Lie In The Chick-Fil-A Argument | Village Voice
The “Free Speech” Lie In The Chick-Fil-A Argument
by Michael Musto
Swarms of people have rallied to protect poor Chick-Fil-A from the abuse they’ve suffered–simply for saying gays shouldn’t have equal rights, and for vigorously funding causes that agree with that!
Poor little Chick Fil-A.
But the real killer is that these people don’t label themselves homophobes or haters.
Oh, no!
They’re “patriots” who are defending the Constitution and touchingly supporting everyone’s inspiring right to “free speech.”
Free speech means you can generally say whatever you want without being carted off to prison or otherwise punished by law.
But it doesn’t guarantee that there won’t be any repercussions!
You can run through the street yelling “Blacks shouldn’t be allowed to get married,” but that doesn’t protect you from people boycotting your store and using their free speech to announce their horrified lack of support for you.
I suspect that the “patriots” haven’t thoroughly thought out their noble act to the point where it’s completely devoid of other agendas.
Their moving love of human rights–which they exercise by rallying in support of some old-school gay bashers–doesn’t seem to be an equal-opportunity kind of situation at all.
I mean, if someone found a religious book that said conservatives should be stripped of rights and treated as second class citizens, would the Santorums be lining up to buy that person’s chicken while calling themselves fierce defenders of the Constitution?
But in defending the hate mongering Chick-Fil-A, these people can hide behind their flag-waving, pseudo libertarian crap while backing an organization’s bigoted views that just happen to mirror their own.
Do they have a right to say that?
Sure. And I have a right to yell bloody murder.
Oh, and I also have a right to remind you that:
(A) The Supreme Court has decided that free speech isn’t absolute.
(B) Section three of DOMA has been found unconstitutional in seven federal courts.
If anyone’s constitutional rights are being violated, it’s same-sex couples who can’t get married.
More:Michael Musto
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Rushen, Patrice
Soul New - LP 60015 Elektra
Sealed 1982 Original Featuring The Killer Heavily Sampled "Forget Me Nots." Surprisingly Excellent Sound. Tiny Saw Cut.... more details
Jazz New - LP AL 8401 Arista
Sealed 1987 Original With Small Saw Cut.... more details
Before The Dawn
Jazz New - LP P 10098 Prestige
Sealed 1975 Original. Features Hubert Laws, Lee Ritenour, Harvey Mason, Ndugu, Oscar Brashear, Hadley Caliman And Others. Tracks Are "Kickin' Back," "What's The Story" (Vocals By Josie James), "Jubilation," "Before The Dawn" And "Razzia."... more details
Soul Used - LP 60360 Elektra
Mint 1984 Original, Custom Inner Sleeve. Includes "Feels So Real (Won't Let Go)."... more details
Jazz Used - LP 6E 160 Elektra
1978 White Label Promo.... more details
Prelusion
Jazz Used - LP P 10089 Prestige
Beautiful 1974 White Label Promo. Rushen, Acoustic And Electric Piano, Clavinet, ARP Synth; George Bohanon, Trombone; Oscar Brashear, Trumpet, Fluegelhorn; Hadley Caliman, Flute, Alto Flute, Soprano Sax; Joe Henderson, Tenor Sax; Ndugu, Drums; Tony Dumas, Electric Bass; Kenneth Nash, Percussion. Tracks Are "Shortie's Portion," "7/73," "Haw-Right Now," "Traverse" And "Puttered Bopcorn."... more details
Shout It Out
Beautiful 1977 Original In Shrink Wrap, CC. Tracks Are "The Hump," "Shout It Out," "Stepping Stones," "Let Your Heart Be Free," "Roll With The Punches," "Let There Be Funk," "Yolon" And "Sojourn."... more details
Jazz New - LP 6E-160 Elektra
Sealed 1978 Original With Cut Corner.... more details
Sealed And Pristine 1974 Original. Rushen, Acoustic And Electric Piano, Clavinet, ARP Synth; George Bohanon, Trombone; Oscar Brashear, Trumpet, Fluegelhorn; Hadley Caliman, Flute, Alto Flute, Soprano Sax; Joe Henderson, Tenor Sax; Ndugu, Drums; Tony Dumas, Electric Bass; Kenneth Nash, Percussion. Tracks Are "Shortie's Portion," "7/73," "Haw-Right Now," "Traverse" And "Puttered Bopcorn."... more details
Jazz New - LP 6E 160 Elektra
Sealed 1978 Original, Small Saw Notch, Custom "Hang It Up" Hype Sticker On Shrink Wrap. Very Light Corner Bump/Seam Rub.... more details
Soul New - LP 6E-302 Elektra
Sealed 1980 Stereo Original With Custom Hype Sticker On Shrink. Clean Cut Out Hole.... more details
Soul Used - LP 6E 302 Elektra
Mint 1980 Soul-Jazz White Label Promo With Test Press Sheet.... more details
Sealed 1979 Original. Saw-Cut. “When Patrice Rushen Was Being Lambasted By Jazz Snobs For Making The Switch From Jazz Instrumentalist To R&B/Pop Singer, She Was Also Winning Over Quite A Few People. R&B Fans Didn't Care If She Was No Longer Playing Long, Improvised Piano Solos With Joe Henderson Or Hubert Laws; They Loved Her Singing, And Couldn't Have Cared Less What Jazz Snobs Thought Of Her New Direction. Rushen's Profile In The R&B World Continued To Increase With Pizzazz, Her Second Album For Elektra And Fifth Overall. The Song That Did The Most To Make This LP A Success Was "Haven't You Heard?," A Gem Of A Single That Soared To The Top Of R&B Radio Play Lists And Was Among Rushen's Biggest Hits. Many Listeners Bought Pizzazz Because Of "Haven't You Heard?," And They Quickly Discovered That The Rest Of The Album Was Also Excellent. Drawing On Such Influences As Earth, Wind & Fire, Minnie Riperton, Stevie Wonder, And The Emotions, Rushen Has No Problem Holding An R&B Lover's Attention With Treasures That Include The Funky Opener "Let The Music Take Me," The Soulful Ballad "Settle For My Love," And The Perky "Keepin' Faith In Love." Pizzazz Might Have Received Tongue-Lashings From Jazz Critics, But From An R&B/Pop Perspective, It's Among Rushen's Most Rewarding And Essential Albums.” – Alex Henderson, All Music Guide... more details
1979 Test Pressing. Appears Unplayed. “When Patrice Rushen Was Being Lambasted By Jazz Snobs For Making The Switch From Jazz Instrumentalist To R&B/Pop Singer, She Was Also Winning Over Quite A Few People. R&B Fans Didn't Care If She Was No Longer Playing Long, Improvised Piano Solos With Joe Henderson Or Hubert Laws; They Loved Her Singing, And Couldn't Have Cared Less What Jazz Snobs Thought Of Her New Direction. Rushen's Profile In The R&B World Continued To Increase With Pizzazz, Her Second Album For Elektra And Fifth Overall. The Song That Did The Most To Make This LP A Success Was "Haven't You Heard?," A Gem Of A Single That Soared To The Top Of R&B Radio Play Lists And Was Among Rushen's Biggest Hits. Many Listeners Bought Pizzazz Because Of "Haven't You Heard?," And They Quickly Discovered That The Rest Of The Album Was Also Excellent. Drawing On Such Influences As Earth, Wind & Fire, Minnie Riperton, Stevie Wonder, And The Emotions, Rushen Has No Problem Holding An R&B Lover's Attention With Treasures That Include The Funky Opener "Let The Music Take Me," The Soulful Ballad "Settle For My Love," And The Perky "Keepin' Faith In Love." Pizzazz Might Have Received Tongue-Lashings From Jazz Critics, But From An R&B/Pop Perspective, It's Among Rushen's Most Rewarding And Essential Albums.” – Alex Henderson, All Music Guide.... more details
Beautiful 1975 Original. Features Hubert Laws, Lee Ritenour, Harvey Mason, Ndugu, Oscar Brashear, Hadley Caliman And Others. Tracks Are "Kickin' Back," "What's The Story" (Vocals By Josie James), "Jubilation," "Before The Dawn" And "Razzia."... more details
Jazz New - LP AL-8401 Arista
Sealed 1987 Original With Custom Hype Sticker On Shrink.... more details
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chat room Jan. 2, 2008
Michael K. Williams on Playing Omar on ‘The Wire,’ Discovering Snoop, and How Janet Jackson Changed His Life
Glory be! HBO’s The Wire returns this Sunday! To kick off Vulture’s wall-to-wall coverage of every media outlet’s favorite TV show, we’ve got an interview with Michael K. Williams, better known to regular viewers as gay, shotgun-toting stickup artist Omar Little. Slightly intimidated but completely excited, Vulture recently sat down to lunch with Williams — he’s actually pretty jovial offscreen — to try and dig out some secrets to The Wire’s final season.
You were a professional dancer and choreographer before you started acting. How did you initially get into dance?
I was always dancing. I came out the womb dancing. But before I became a professional dancer, I was 23 years old, working for Pfizer pharmaceuticals and going to BMCC — a.k.a. the thirteenth grade. I had a very turbulent teenage life — drugs, rehab, all that crap — and that was my way of getting my life together, going to school, getting a job. And then here comes Janet Jackson flashing her ass across the screen, talking about Rhythm Nation — I went crazy. I set off to become a Janet Jackson dancer. I wore the tour jacket, the Doc Marten boots, all that. She inspired the shit out of me.
…at which point you started appearing in dance videos, and now you’re on The Wire. Is the cast a close-knit bunch?
We are family. I think that how we connected and respond to each other as co-workers — I seriously doubt that happens on other shows. Maybe because we were thrust into Baltimore and no one really knew the town, so that kind of brought us closer together. But yeah, I always say I’m not going to, but I cry every fuckin’ season finale — every time a season wraps.
I can’t really imagine Omar crying. Of the actors on the show, who’s the most similar to his or her character?
Felicia Pearson [who plays Snoop]. She is Baltimore. She’ll put a bullet through your eyes no quicker than you can bat ’em. But she’ll come in here, smile, and light up the whole room. She has the heart and the spirit of an angel.
I read that you discovered her — how did that happen?
We met in a local bar in Baltimore; she had just come home from prison [for attempted murder]. And, man, I just had this feeling. Something told me to get in on her life — God told me to be a part of her life. I was like, “Jesus Christ, they dumped you on the streets of Baltimore as a little girl to fend for yourself? And you are still alive?!” I was like, “Baby girl, whatever you want, if I can help you get it, you gon’ get it.”
Do you think The Wire’s helped to shed light on the darker side of Baltimore?
What I really hope the show’s done is struck a chord with all the hoods in all the cities of this country. Because, really, what The Wire is, is an American story, an American social problem. There’s a Wire in every fuckin’ city.
I hear that Season Five is even more intense than the last one. How would you describe the new season?
It’s really dark and explosive. Everyone’s off the hook; no one trusts anyone. Everyone questions the way things are operating on the street level, in the police department, in the newsroom. Like McNulty, he’s way off the hook this year. He’s doing things that are totally outrageous, questioning authority, and trying to find the truth. He goes way off the deep end this year.
Can we expect any big surprises to come our way?
Oh yeah, a lot of big surprises. My hint towards that question is to keep your eyes on the children. Watch those kids. They’re gonna really take it to another level this year. But all I can really say is, brace yourself.
—Joe Colly
Related: Jamie Hector on Playing Marlo on ‘The Wire’ — and Keeping Secrets About ‘Heroes’
Earlier: David Simon Deification: A Season-by-Season History
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Safe, happy and free: does Finland have all the answers?
Key Excerpts from Article on Website of The Guardian (One of the UK's leading newspapers)
The Guardian (One of the UK's leading newspapers), February 12, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/12/safe-happy-and...
Western Europe’s last naturally caused famine ended 150 years ago. In ... Finland, more than a quarter of a million people – nearly 10% of the population – starved to death. Last year ... Finland was ranked, by assorted international indices, the most stable, the safest and the best-governed country in the world. It was also the third wealthiest, the third least corrupt, the second most socially progressive and the third most socially just. Finland’s judicial system is the most independent in the world, its police the most trusted, its banks the soundest, its companies the second most ethical, its elections the second freest, and its citizens enjoy the highest levels of personal freedom, choice and wellbeing. The Nordic country’s 5.5 million inhabitants are also the third most gender-equal in the world and have the fifth lowest income inequality. Their babies are the least underweight, their kids feel the most secure, and their teens perform the second best at reading (only third at science, though). In a century and a half, they seem to have done rather well. The magic sauce ... seems based mainly on basic virtues: self-confidence, cooperation, equality, respect for education, trust. At bottom and in practice, says [Finnish journalist] Anu Partanen ... it boils down to a different quality of relationship. She calls it ... the Nordic theory of love. “In a society, it means policy choices aimed at ensuring the greatest possible degree of independence, freedom and opportunity for everyone.”
Note: Watch this 10-minute video about how Finland completely turned around it's education system to become #1 in the world, largely by cutting out homework. The above article is part of an inspiring new Guardian series investigating the things that are going right in the world.
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AboutReleasesNewsConcerts
Ian Bostridge’s international recital career has taken him to the Salzburg, Edinburgh, Munich, Vienna, Aldeburgh and Schwarzenberg Schubertiade Festivals and to the main stages of Carnegie Hall and La Scala, Milan.
Ian Bostridge’s international recital career has taken him to the Salzburg, Edinburgh, Munich, Vienna, Aldeburgh and Schwarzenberg Schubertiade Festivals and to the main stages of Carnegie Hall and La Scala, Milan. He has held artistic residencies at the Vienna Konzerthaus and Schwarzenberg Schubertiade (2003/2004), a Carte-Blanche series with Thomas Quasthoff at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw (2004/2005), a Perspectives series at Carnegie Hall (2005/2006), the Barbican, London (2008), the Luxembourg Philharmonie (2010/2011), the Wigmore Hall (2011/12) and Hamburg Laeiszhalle (2012/2013).
His recordings have won all the major international record prizes and been nominated for 14 Grammys. They include Schubert's 'Die schöne Müllerin' with Graham Johnson (Gramophone Award 1996); Tom Rakewell with Sir John Eliot Gardiner (Grammy Award, 1999); and Belmonte with William Christie. Under his exclusive contract with Warner Classics recordings included Schubert Lieder and Schumann Lieder (Gramophone Award 1998), English song and Henze Lieder with Julius Drake, Britten's 'Our Hunting Fathers' with Daniel Harding, ‘Idomeneo’ with Sir Charles Mackerras, Janacek with Thomas Adès, Schubert with Leif Ove Andsnes, Mitsuko Uchida and Antonio Pappano, Noel Coward with Jeffrey Tate, Britten Orchestral cycles with the Berlin Philharmonic and Sir Simon Rattle, Wolf with Pappano, Bach cantatas with Fabio Biondi, Handel arias with Harry Bicket, Britten’s Canticles and both Britten’s ‘The Turn of the Screw’ (Gramophone Award, 2003) and ‘Billy Budd’ (Grammy Award, 2010), Adès’s ‘The Tempest’ (Gramophone Award 2010) and Monteverdi’s “Orfeo”. Recent recordings include Britten songs with Antonio Pappano for Warner, and Schubert songs with Julius Drake for Wigmore Hall Live.
He has worked with the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, London Symphony, London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw, New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestras under Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Andrew Davis, Seiji Ozawa, Antonio Pappano, Riccardo Muti, Mstislav Rostropovich, Daniel Barenboim, Daniel Harding and Donald Runnicles. He sang the world premiere of Henze’s ‘Opfergang’ with the Accademia Santa Cecilia in Rome under Antonio Pappano.
His operatic appearances have included Lysander ('A Midsummer Night's Dream') for Opera Australia at the Edinburgh Festival, Tamino (‘Die Zauberflöte’) and Jupiter (‘Semele’) for English National Opera and Peter Quint ('The Turn of the Screw'), Don Ottavio (‘Don Giovanni’) and Caliban (Adès’s ‘The Tempest’) for the Royal Opera. For the Bavarian State Opera he has sung Nerone ('L'Incoronazione di Poppea'), Tom Rakewell (‘The Rake’s Progress’) and Male Chorus (‘The Rape of Lucretia’), and Don Ottavio for the Vienna State Opera. He sang Aschenbach (‘Death in Venice’) for English National Opera and in Brussels and Luxembourg.
Performances during the 2013 Britten anniversary celebrations included War Requiem with the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Vladimir Jurowski; Les Illuminations with the Concertgebouw Orchestra under Andris Nelsons; and Madwoman (‘Curlew River’) in the Netia Jones staging for the Barbican, which was also seen in New York and on the west coast of America. In the autumn of 2014 he embarked on a European recital tour of ‘Winterreise’ with Thomas Adès to coincide with the publication by Faber and Faber in the UK and Knopf in the USA of his new book 'Schubert's Winter Journey: Anatomy of an Obsession'. The book has since been published in Germany and The Netherlands and is to be translated into a total of twelve languages.
Recent engagements include a tour of Asia with guitarist Xuefei Yang, and the Evangelist in a staged St Matthew Passion for the Hamburg State Opera. Highlights of the 2016/17 season include his operatic debut at La Scala, Milan as Peter Quint (‘The Turn of the Screw’), an American recital tour of Schubert’s ‘Winterreisse’ with Thomas Adès, a staged Schubert project with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, performances of Zender’s ‘Winterreise’ in Taipei, Perth and for Musikkollegium Winterthur, and Britten’s Curlew River in Hamburg and Madrid.
Ian Bostridge was a fellow in history at Corpus Christi College, Oxford (1992-5) and in 2001 was elected an honorary fellow of that college. In 2003 he was made an Honorary Doctor of Music by the University of St Andrews and in 2010 he was made an honorary fellow of St John's College Oxford. He was made a CBE in the 2004 New Year’s Honours. In 2014 he was Humanitas Professor of Classical Music at the University of Oxford. In 2016 he was awarded the The Pol Roger Duff Cooper Prize for non-fiction writing for his book 'Schubert's Winter Journey: Anatomy of an Obsession'.
Requiem, The Pity of War
Shakespeare Songs
Monteverdi: L'Orfeo
Antonio Pappano
Choir of King’s College, Cambridge
Benjamin Beilman, Annabelle Meare, Lawrence Power, Antonio Lysy, Nabil Shehata, Radovan Vlatković, Calidore Sring Quartet
Cortile di Fattoria
La Foce, Italy
Antonio Florio, Cappella Neapolitana
Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Servi
Città della Pieve, Italy
Angelika-Kauffman-Saal
Schwarzenburg, Switzerland
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WARRIORS SIGN PRO-BOWLER HALOTI NGATA – (April Fools)
Former Highland HS Rugby All-American signs with Major League Rugby’s Utah Warriors just two weeks after announcing his retirement from the NFL
(Salt Lake City, Utah) – Haloti Ngata, the 5-time NFL Pro-Bowler and Super Bowl champion with the Baltimore Ravens, announced this morning that he has signed an Associate Player Contract with Major League Rugby and will start immediately with the Utah Warriors. Ngata, who played high school rugby at Salt Lake City’s Highland High School, had just announced his retirement from the NFL on March 18th on top Mt. Kilimanjaro with a banner which read, ‘I’m retiring on top’. He matched that by hiking Utah’s Ensign Peak this weekend with a banner that reads, ‘I’m Going Back To Rugby’, making the statement that this is the place, rugby is the place that molded him to be the football player he is known to be.
Ngata, 35, was selected in the first round of the 2006 NFL draft and played defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens, where he earned his Super Bowl ring in 2013. Ngata also played with the Detroit Lions, and most recently with the Philadelphia Eagles. In college, Ngata was a consensus All-American at the University or Oregon but his athletic dominance was first evident on the rugby pitch.
“Rugby was always my first love, it taught me how to be a better football player which proved out in my college and pro career. I am honored to sign with the Warriors and hope to make an impact this Friday night versus Seattle” said Ngata.
Haloti Discusses Importance of Rugby
“I wanted to move my family back to Utah but do not want to stop competing and want to bring another rugby championship home to Utah. The Warriors have done an amazing job in bringing professional rugby to Utah and the Warriors fan base is loud and loyal” Ngata continued. “Whether its the Washington Huskies, the Seattle Seahawks, or now the Seattle Seawolves, I’ve never been fond of teams from Seattle.”
As a rugby player for Highland High School, Ngata played the eightman position and weighing in at over 250 pounds at the time, helped lead Highland to a National Championship. His explosive running and hitting on the rugby pitch carried over into his college and professional football career. Haloti Discusses Importance of Rugby “We are excited to have Haloti join the team, he will be a huge asset to our forwards and eightman position and his professional experience will be an added gift on the field and in the locker room with the team. We will make sure he is in rugby shape for the rest of the season,” said Warriors Head Coach Alf Daniels.
Warriors Forwards Coach, Stevie Scott responded to the signing of Ngata, “Being from Scotland, I don’t know a thing about American Football or the NFL but if he is ready to play rugby again, and can help us scrum our way to victory, and does what I say then I am happy to have him on our pitch. I understand he’s about 18 stones, that should be plenty to scare the other teams not to mention his athletic prowess.”
It is anticipated that Ngata will start this Friday night as the Warriors take on the defending Major League Rugby Champions the Seattle Seawolves starting at 7:00pm MST at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah.
For more information about Ngata’s signing, the Haloti Ngata Family Foundation or about receiving ‘2 for 1’ priced tickets to this Friday’s game for reading this all the way through, call the Utah Warriors Front Office at 801-935-4045.
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Divorce among doctors isn’t as common as you think, study finds
By Elahe Izadi
Elahe Izadi
Pop culture writer
(iStock)
Long hours, a demanding schedule and high-stress day-to-day work for doctors probably means higher divorce rates, right?
Well, divorce among physicians isn't as common as it is for some other professionals, according to a new study published online this week in the journal The BMJ. Researchers analyzing U.S. Census Bureau data found that physicians were less likely to divorce than dentists, health-care executives and nurses.
The researchers also found divorce was less common among physicians than lawyers, who are comparable to physicians in income and education. Only pharmacists had lower rates.
"If you talk to physicians, there seems to be this conception or notion that doctors are more likely to be divorced, not only more than other health-care professionals, but the population at large," said the study's senior author, Anupam Jena, of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Indeed, non-health-care workers and non-lawyers were more likely to have been divorced or become divorced.
Some previous studies looked into the married life of doctors, according to Jena, but none used "big data" to explore the prevalence of divorce among such a large, national sample.
His team's findings also show divorce to be more likely for female doctors than male doctors. Jena said one possible explanation is that women physicians are forced to make more work-life balance choices.
"Females traditionally bear more of the household and child-rearing responsibilities on average, and female physicians, if they have to do both that and maintain a job as a physician, that could lead to a lot of stress and lead to higher rates of divorce," Jena said. "For women physicians, they appear to be essentially getting a raw deal because there is a trade-off they have to make, that unfortunately the male doctors don't have to be making."
The study authors found that divorce was more likely for women who worked longer hours, but the reverse was true of male physicians.
For the study, researchers looked at the American Community Survey, which provides demographic estimates for the United States, and responses to questions about whether doctors had ever been divorced or were currently divorced. Researchers also controlled for factors such as age and income.
They analyzed a group of about 250,000 physicians, dentists, pharmacists, nurses and health-care executives. They also looked at about 59,000 lawyers and 6.3 million non-health-care professionals. The researchers considered that some professionals, such as doctors, marry later in life, which could reduce divorce rates because they had fewer years of marriage.
Physicians had a 24 percent likelihood of divorce; it was 23 percent for pharmacists; 25 percent for dentists; 31 percent for health-care executives; 33 percent among nurses; 27 percent among lawyers; and 35 percent for non-health-care workers.
Previous studies have found a difference in divorce rate among doctors depending on their specialties. A 1997 study from Johns Hopkins examined a group of the institution's medical school graduates over a few decades and found those who specialized in psychiatry and surgery were more likely to be divorced.
Jena said the new findings should reassure those entering the medical field, but raise questions about how well female doctors are supported.
"If you're a doctor, don't worry about high divorce rates overall because of the stress of the job," he said. "But if you're a female doctor, it's certainly something to be cognizant about, that there is this tension between work-life balance that isn't there for men."
Elahe Izadi Elahe Izadi is a pop culture writer for The Washington Post. Prior to joining The Post in 2014 as a general assignment reporter, she covered Congress, race and local news. She has worked for National Journal, WAMU, TBD.com and The Gazette community newspapers. Follow
Leaf Page Test - Mon Jul 15 23:06:02 EDT 2019
‘Urgent needs from head to toe’: This clinic had two days to fix a lifetime of needs
She says she married a pirate’s ghost — and she wants you to stop calling her crazy
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Wizards/NBA
Otto Porter Jr. forced to wait his turn
Bothered by a strained hip flexor, Otto Porter Jr. has been limited to watching from the sideline, riding stationary bikes, stretching with elastic bands and doing flexibility exercises. (Maddie Meyer/The Washington Post)
By Michael Lee
Otto Porter Jr. has spent his first week of NBA training camp with the Washington Wizards fulfilling many of his rookie duties, such as collecting Gatorades for veterans and carrying bags upon request. When the team stayed at the George Mason Inn, Porter played highly competitive games of the soccer video game, FIFA ’14, with veteran Nene. And he has shown up to the gym hours after the team practices to work on his individual game with developmental assistant Joe Connelly.
What Porter hasn’t done is practice.
The third overall pick from Georgetown, Porter suffered a strained right hip flexor before the team gathered to begin making preparations for the upcoming season. Porter has been limited to watching from the sideline, riding stationary bikes, stretching with elastic bands and doing flexibility exercises.
“I’m still not in the process of jogging or running. It’s limited. But I’m doing whatever I can,” Porter said. “You definitely want to be out there, but you also want to learn from the side. Cheer them on, tell them to keep on playing, but that’s the best I can do.”
Porter’s return remains uncertain, and he has already hinted he wouldn’t be available for either of the first two exhibition games against Brooklyn or Chicago. Porter plans to travel with the team to Rio de Janeiro for the first-ever preseason game in South America but added that he would be more excited about the trip “if I was playing.”
A wiry 6-foot-8 swingman, Porter has been struggling with various injuries since summer league in July, when he was limited by a strained right hamstring that forced him to miss the final two games in Las Vegas. On media day, Porter admitted the leg injury contributed to his underwhelming performance in Las Vegas: “It did affect me to where I couldn’t run or anything like that.”
After taking a few weeks off to heal, Porter was a regular at Verizon Center for the rest of the summer but had his latest injury when he slipped on the court during a pickup game and had what he called “a freak accident.”
When asked recently what he has learned about Porter thus far, Coach Randy Wittman replied: “I haven’t learned anything. Nothing. Hard to learn when you’re not on the floor.
“I know who Otto is. Otto is a very sound fundamental player that’s got a good basketball IQ and that’s kind of what I know. But I need to get to know Otto,” Wittman continued. “I’m frustrated for him, because these are valuable, valuable days that we’re looking at here, that he’s missing. I haven’t been able to coach him yet to understand how fast he’s going to pick things up, how long it’s going to take him, how far behind the eight ball he’s going to get. Those are questions I’m going to have to figure out once he does get out there.”
Porter, 20, doesn’t enter this season under the same pressure to produce immediately as fellow top three picks John Wall and Bradley Beal. The Wizards have considerable depth at small forward, with veterans Martell Webster and Trevor Ariza both familiar with the schemes and capable of starting, so there isn’t a high demand for Porter to hurry back for the benefit of the team. Wittman has tried to keep Porter connected by having the rookie sit down with coaches to break down film so that he can learn system before he eventually is able to practice.
“When he gets back, he’s going to have to perform,” said Webster, who has been making sure that Porter is paying attention to the focal points of the system. “This is a game that you can’t speed back. You can’t just come out here and rush it. It’s going to be times that he’s going to be frustrated because his legs won’t be there or he may not be as fast, or he may not have that first step. Getting back into the swing of things is going to be tough, but we have his back.”
With the speedy Wall leading the way, the Wizards plan to use more of a running, up-tempo style than Porter was accustoming to playing the past two seasons at Georgetown. Porter has been startled by the quicker NBA pace but is already imagining how he will fit in while studying film and practices.
“I feel like I can bring a lot of energy, a lot of excitement,” Porter said. “Somebody that can come in and give them a push over the hump. I think if I continue just to work hard, do what the coaches tell me to do, I’ll be fine.”
The first step, though, is simply get back on the court. “I’m feeling better. Taking it slowly,” Porter said. “I talk to Nene all the time. He’s been in the league a long time and he’s basically said, ‘Don’t rush. This is only the first part of the season. You’ve got a long season ahead of you.’ Just work your way back.”
Michael Lee Michael Lee worked for The Washington Post's sports desk. He left The Post in September 2015.
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• Keen Anticipation for Duel between Kipsang and Bekele
» Saturday, 24 September 2016
The former world record holder Wilson Kipsang versus the fastest man ever at 5000m and 10,000m, Kenenisa Bekele – that is the grand showdown for the 43rd edition of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on Sunday. Kipsang of Kenya arrives in town having broken the world record here with 2:03:23 in 2013. Ethiopia’s superstar Bekele has won three Olympic long distance titles and is one of the best runners of all time. Alongside this pair are seven other athletes who have run 2:06 or faster.
Maintaining Berlin’s traditional popularity among both elite and mass runners, 41,283 runners from 122 countries have entered the 43rd edition of the race which begins at 0915 on the avenue of June 17. The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors and an IAAF Gold Label Race, the highest category of road race awarded by the world governing body of athletics.
“I’ve trained well and, three years down the line from my world record here, I feel good and believe I have the potential to attempt the world record once more. Running at the top level, there is a lot of wear and tear on the body, especially when you are running for a time, but I am very focused on the world record,” said Wilson Kipsang, who will be making his second appearance in the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. „My race here in 2013 has been the best of my career, of course and I have great memories of it.“ Kipsang went on to have an outstanding 2014, winning first in London and then New York, but is without a marathon win since.
Kenenisa Bekele is, in the opinion of many, the best track and cross country runner of all time. He has won three Olympic titles and five World Championships’ golds and is the world record holder over 5 and 10,000m, set 12 and 11 years ago respectively. But in the marathon Bekele has still to fulfil his potential. He won in Paris on his debut at the distance in 2014, setting a course record of 2:05:04 yet has been unable to improve on that time, suffering lengthy periods of injury with achilles tendon problems. “Since finishing third in London in April after being injured for so long, I have been training well, better than before. I consider my personal best of 2:05 to be slow compared to the best runners. I want to run as fast as I can on Sunday and beat my best,” said Kenenisa Bekele.
It is far from a foregone conclusion that the winner of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON will be either be Kipsang or Bekele. The fastest man in the field is Emmanuel Mutai, the Kenyan who ran 2:03:13 in Berlin in 2014 and was beaten only by his compatriot Dennis Kimetto’s world record of 2:02:57. Mutai has not reached such heights since then so Berlin marks an attempt to regain such form. “My training has remained the same as in previous years and I know that very fast times are possible in Berlin,” said Emmanuel Mutai. Another man to watch is the 21-year-old Tsegaye Mekonnen. The Ethiopian won his debut at the distance in Dubai in 2014, setting a world class time of2:04:32 which was also a world junior record.
Among the nine runners with best times under 2:06 is Mark Kiptoo. The Kenyan has a strong chance of making history in becoming the fastest 40-year-old ever in the marathon. The current mark, stands at 2:08:38. Kiptoo has the recent pedigree to break the record, given that his best performances in recent years are 2:06:16 (2013), 2:06:49 (2014) and 2:06:00 (2015).
Leading Contenders for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
Emmanuel Mutai KEN 2:03:13
Wilson Kipsang KEN 2:03:23
Tsegaye Mekonnen ETH 2:04:32
Kenenisa Bekele ETH 2:05:04
Vincent Kipruto KEN 2:05:13
Sisay Lemma ETH 2:05:16
Eliud Kiptanui KEN 2:05:21
Evans Chebet KEN 2:05:33
Mark Kiptoo KEN 2:06:00
Alfers Lagat KEN 2:06:58
Jacob Kendagor KEN 2:07:47
Yuki Kawauchi JPN 2:08:14
Steffen Uliczka GER 2:20:19
Wheelchair Series in its debut Abbot WMM season
An innovation this year is the introduction of the Wheelchair series in the Abbott World Marathon Majors (Abbott WMM) which follows the same format as that for runners. The athletes win points from their finishing positions in the six Abbott WMM events as well – depending on the year – from the IPC World Championships and the Paralympic Games. The series made its debut on April 18, 2016 at the Boston Marathon and will end there in 2017. The male and female winners for the series will each earn $50,000. More information about the scoring system is given in the Media Guide. The athlete who has dominated the wheelchair races so far in the AWMM races is Marcel Hug of Switzerland, emerging unbeaten so far with wins in Boston, London and the Paralympics in Rio. Hug is also the favourite in Berlin on Sunday, to no great surprise. Another expected to be vying for a podium place are the South African Ernst van Dyk while Hug’s compatriot Heinz Frei will be competing, 20 years after his first Berlin win. Swiss athletes will also be among the top contenders in the women’s race with Manuela Schär and Sandra Graf in the field. Both have shown how to win in Berlin, Graf taking the title three times while Schär was the 2013 champion.
New: Entertainment before the Start and Internet Streams
An innovation this year is Sunday’s entertainment programme for participants and spectators in the grandstand before the start. Seven giant video screens will show live pictures from 0715 ranging including stories about the marathon’s history, important pre-race information and all the emotions that go with Germany’s biggest marathon. A live stream (Second Screen) shows the mass runners on the course from midday on www.bmw-berlin-marathon.com. This stream continues on a tape loop on the website after the coverage is finished. “Almost Live” clips on Facebook during the marathon show brief highlights of the race both from the elite as well as the mass field.
A live stream showing the fun runners will be available from 12 noon onwards on Sunday at www.bmw-berlin-marathon.com. This stream will be kept available on the website with no time limit. Additionally video clips will be available via Facebook. They will also show the elite races.
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Press Conferences
All press conferences take place in the Charlottenburg Room of the Hotel InterContinental. The media centre is also in the Hotel InterContinental.
Saturday, September 24 at 1800
BMW Winter Sport Relay
Miriam Gössner, Biathlete, Sven Fischer, Biathlete, Tobias Wendl, Luge and Johannes Lochner, Bob Sleigh
Saturday, September 24 at approx. 18.30
Inline Skating:
Winners and Leading Finishers
Sunday, September 25 at approx. 12.30
Winners and Leading Finishers
Further Information is in the Media Guide
The Media Guide for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON contains a wide range of information and statistics and is available on the website to download.
More information is available online at: www.berlin-marathon.com
Photo credit: www.photorun.net
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Trump Has Climate Change Skeptics Eager, Scientists And Green Groups Anxious
November 20, 2016 /in San Diego County /by Adam Hebel /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Joshua Emerson Smith
Environmental groups and scientists are gripped with anxiety about the prospect of President-elect Donald Trump, who has denied the existence of climate change, slashing government money for climate research, gutting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s staffing and authority, and pulling out from international agreements to curb greenhouse-gas emissions. On the other end, skeptics of climate change and those who believe the Obama administration has wrongly prioritized efforts to curb global warming at the expense of the U.S. economy are eyeing Trump’s presidential victory as a chance to give their views high-profile credence.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png 0 0 Adam Hebel https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png Adam Hebel2016-11-20 10:41:422018-06-26 18:21:01Trump Has Climate Change Skeptics Eager, Scientists And Green Groups Anxious
Existential Threats In The Colorado River Basin
November 20, 2016 /in California and the U.S. /by Adam Hebel /Mountain Town Newsby Allen Best
Even from 38,000 feet in a jet, Hoover Dam is a remarkable achievement. The giant plug in the Colorado River about 30 miles outside Las Vegas, the cause of the swathes of blue in the tan desert landscape, stands as a testament to 20th century American ingenuity, stubbornness, and political will. From the crest of the dam, the achievement looks more flawed. Lake Mead has dropped 130 feet since 2000, when it was full. It’s now at 37 percent of capacity and declining rapidly enough to capture the full attention of water managers from Los Angeles to Denver.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png 0 0 Adam Hebel https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png Adam Hebel2016-11-20 10:37:482018-06-26 18:21:01Existential Threats In The Colorado River Basin
OPINION: The Delta Tunnels — A Project Only Engineers Can love
November 20, 2016 /in San Diego County /by Adam Hebel /Los Angeles Timesby Jacques Leslie
A generation ago the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta tunnel project might have made a certain kind of sense. California’s lakes and rivers had been so thoroughly replumbed by dams, drains, pumps, canals and aqueducts that the state already contained the world’s most engineered water system — so why not add one more megaproject to the labyrinth? Water from the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers flows into the delta, where some of it is directed into pumps that send it south to farmers on the San Joaquin Valley’s west side and to municipal users in Southern California.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png 0 0 Adam Hebel https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png Adam Hebel2016-11-20 10:32:462018-06-26 18:21:01OPINION: The Delta Tunnels — A Project Only Engineers Can love
Wet Weather To Continue Through Thanksgiving
November 20, 2016 /in California and the U.S. /by Adam Hebel /SFGate (San Francisco)by Evan Sernoffsky
One by one, wet weather systems will march into the Bay Area through the week, giving the region a much-needed soaking, but complicating things for the multitudes who are traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday. It was boots-and-umbrella weather as rain showers washed through the Bay Area over the weekend, giving drought watchers a reason to be optimistic as yearly rainfall totals near or surpass normal levels. After a brief drying period Monday, things will get wet again as Californians take to the skies and roadways during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png 0 0 Adam Hebel https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png Adam Hebel2016-11-20 10:29:512018-06-26 18:21:01Wet Weather To Continue Through Thanksgiving
Can Trump Deliver More Water to California’s Farmers?
November 20, 2016 /in California and the U.S. /by Adam Hebel /Breitbart Californiaby Adelle Nazarian
President-elect Donald Trump has stated his commitment to helping California’s farmers attain more water, as the Golden State prepares to enter its historic sixth year of a crippling drought, with a federal water policy in place that favors fish over agriculture. However, the authority of California’s state agencies over the allocation of its water supply — which includes the federal Central Valley Project — remains a staggering obstacle the nation’s 45th president must confront. Particularly, as the Sacramento Bee points out, when it comes to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, which is where the endangered Delta smelt primarily reside.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png 0 0 Adam Hebel https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png Adam Hebel2016-11-20 10:16:102018-06-26 18:21:01Can Trump Deliver More Water to California’s Farmers?
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Bob Foos
The Webb City R-7 Schools Foundation, Inc. is proud to honor Mr. Bob Foos as its 2009 Distinguished Citizen. Foos grew up in the small western Kansas town of Healy and graduated in the top ten (but lower half) of his 1968 graduating class of 14. He met his future wife, Ann Suzuki, when they were in the dorms at Kansas State Teachers College of Emporia. His interest in photography led him to a journalism major at Wichita State University, where he and Ann both earned their bachelor's degrees. Bob's first job was at KUHI-TV in Joplin. And one of his first assignments was the open house at Webb City High School in 1972. He achieved his dream of working in a larger market by getting a job as photographer, with union pay, at the Herald-News in Joliet, Ill. The problem with leaving was that Ann would have to give up her first-grade teaching position at Eugene Field. It didn't take long for Bob to realize he was really meant to be a community journalist. What's more, Ann found it difficult applying for a job while wearing a maternity dress. They tried to gracefully leave Joliet, saying that Bob felt the need to improve his skills by attending the University of Missouri School of Journalism while he could still get in-state tuition.
While still at Columbia, he wrote to Bill Myers to inquire about purchasing the Webb City Sentinel and Wise Buyer. He and Marti Attoun, a former Carthage Press staffer, revived the Sentinel in August of 1979. The downtown fire of Dec. 22, 1982, was a milestone. It destroyed the Sentinel office at 13 S. Main St., along with a half block of two-story brick buildings. In the six months that followed, the contract purchase with Myers was complete, and Merle Lortz, who had worked at the Sentinel since he was in his teens, became Foos' partner. The Sentinel moved across the street to a historic building at 8 S. Main St. Kelli Pryor, a member of the Webb City R-7 School District Hall of Fame, was the first of several writers to get their start as Sentinel assistant editors. Today, Foos and Lortz are proud that the Sentinel remains one of the few independently owned media in the area.
Coverage of the city, schools and Webb City Cardinals has been the Sentinel's mainstay. However, more positive feedback has been received regarding the cartoons of Nic Frising and historical columns by Jeanne Newby than anything else. The Sentinel also benefits from its association with the Webb City Genealogical Society and Webb City Farmers Market. Even when going on 30 years at the Sentinel, Bob complained that he would never be a real “Webb Citian” because he hadn't been born in Jane Chinn Hospital and he hadn't graduated from Webb City High School. Thanks to Sentinel bookkeeper Vicki Groff, though, he now has framed documents to prove the contrary.
When Bob returned to Webb City, Ann got her job back at Eugene Field and went on to retire in 2009 after teaching more than 30 years in Webb City. Over the years Ann enriched the lives of the students and staff with whom she worked in the Webb City School District. Bob and Ann have a daughter, Sonya Neece and her husband, Gary, Tulsa; a son, Jake Foos, Overland Park, Kan.; and two granddaughters, Julia Neece, 13, and Ally Neece, 10.
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Police: Don’t flush drugs; you might make a ‘meth-gator’
Dutch railway company to pay reparations for WWII transports
by: MIKE CORDER, Associated Press
Posted: Jun 26, 2019 / 03:36 PM CDT / Updated: Jun 26, 2019 / 08:53 PM CDT
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch national railway company said Wednesday it will pay reparations to Jews, Roma and Sinti whom it transported to camps in the Netherlands during World War II — from where they were sent to Nazi concentration camps.
NS said in a statement that its role in transporting Jews and other minorities to camps on orders of Nazi occupiers during WWII is a “black page in the history of the company.”
Job Cohen, a respected former mayor of Amsterdam who led a commission that proposed the reparations, called the payments a moral gesture.
“It is not possible to name a reasonable and fitting amount of money that can compensate even a bit of the suffering of those involved,” Cohen said in a statement.
NS chief executive Roger van Boxtel said the decision will affect thousands of Holocaust survivors and direct relatives of victims, costing the company tens of millions of euros (dollars).
Some 70% of the Dutch Jewish community — or more than 100,000 Jews — did not survive the war. Most were rounded up in cities like Amsterdam and taken by train to camps in the Netherlands before being sent to the border and put on German trains to concentration camps.
The train company apologized in 2005 for its role in the transportations. It set up Cohen’s commission last year to investigate how best to pay reparations.
NS said an estimated 500 living survivors of the Holocaust who were transported by the company will receive 15,000 euros ($17,000) each. Widows and widowers of victims are eligible to receive 7,500 euros ($8,500) and, if they are no longer alive, the surviving children of victims should receive 5,000 euros ($5,685).
French railway company SNCF also has expressed regret for its role in transporting Jews during WWII, acknowledging that its equipment and staff were used to transport 76,000 Jews to Germany. SNCF has argued that it had no effective control over operations when France was under Nazi occupation from 1940 to 1944.
France’s government has paid more than $6 billion in reparations to French citizens and certain deportees.
The German government has paid around 70 billion euros in compensation for Nazi crimes, mainly to Jewish survivors.
This version corrects the first name of NS chief executive Van Boxtel to Roger, not Rogier.
The recommendations, made public Tuesday, include reducing the time and scope of some annual inspections at the nation's 90-plus nuclear power plants. Some other inspections would be cut from every two years to every three years.
United said Tuesday that its second-quarter profit soared 54%, to $1.05 billion. The results beat expectations, and United slightly raised its forecast of full-year profit.
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Police: Tossing drugs in toilet could lead to ‘meth-gators’
Nissan ex-chair Ghosn cancels news conference in Tokyo
by: YURI KAGEYAMA, Associated Press
FILE – In this April 25, 2019, file photo, former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn leaves Tokyo Detention Center in Tokyo. Ghosn plans a news conference later Friday, June 28, that would be his first since he was arrested in November on financial misconduct allegations.(Kyodo News via AP, File)
TOKYO (AP) — Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn canceled his news conference planned for Friday within hours of its announcement, citing opposition from his family and media adviser.
It would have been his first such appearance since he was arrested in November on financial misconduct allegations, and timed with the Group of 20 summit of world leaders being held in Osaka, Japan.
The reason for the cancellation was not given, but Ghosn had been rearrested after scheduling a news conference in April during a previous release from detention.
At the time, his lawyers released a video statement in which Ghosn asserted his innocence and accused some executives at the Japanese automaker of a “conspiracy” that led to his arrest.
Ghosn is out on bail and is awaiting trial on charges of falsifying financial documents on retirement compensation and charges of breach of trust by diverting Nissan Motor Co. money for personal gain. He has spent 130 days in detention over the two arrests.
Ghosn says he is innocent.
The Foreign Correspondents Club in Tokyo had invited reporters to the news conference. But Ghosn’s family and media adviser met with him after the announcement, the club said in a statement.
The conditions for Ghosn’s release on bail include forbidding contact with his wife Carole Ghosn, who has spoken out about Japan’s justice system. She and her husband’s lawyers have criticized the restriction as a violation of human rights.
Prosecutors say the restriction is needed to prevent evidence tampering.
He is not restricted in interacting with his children or other family members.
Ghosn’s departure has raised questions about the stability of Nissan’s relationship with French alliance partner Renault, which owns 43% of Nissan.
Ghosn’s trial likely won’t start until next year, according to his legal team.
Ghosn, 65, a Brazilian-born Frenchman of Lebanese ancestry, led Nissan for two decades, saving it from near bankruptcy. He has been ousted from Nissan’s board, and he has resigned from the board of Renault.
Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama
On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/yurikageyama/?hl=en
United said Tuesday that second-quarter profit soared 54%, to $1.05 billion. The results beat expectations, and United slightly raised its forecast of full-year profit.
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Former Dog is inducted into College Football Hall of Fame
By: Tim Bryant
Published: December 05 2018 4:19 AM
Former Georgia Bulldog All-American Matt Stinchcomb was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame last night in Atlanta. The Gwinnett County native, who now works as a commentator on ESPN and the SEC Network, was an offensive lineman for the Dogs in the late 1990s.
From UGA Sports Communications…
Stinchcomb becomes the 14th former Bulldog player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and the 18th selection overall including former coaches. He will be inducted at the annual National Football Foundation awards dinner at the Hilton Midtown Hotel in New York.
A Lilburn native, Stinchcomb may be the most honored offensive football student-athlete ever to wear the red and black achieving the ultimate in balance between academics, athletics, and community service. He is a former recipient of the NFF Draddy Award (currently named the Campbell Trophy) which is often referred to as the “Academic Heisman.” Named in honor of William V. Campbell, the former chairman of Intuit, former player and head coach at Columbia, the trophy has become the most prestigious and desirable "academic" award in college football. The trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership.
As a three-year starter at offensive tackle, Stinchcomb anchored an offensive line in 1997 that paved way for 432 yards per game of offense and 6.3 yards per play—third best average in school history. Pass protecting for quarterback Mike Bobo and run blocking for tailback Robert Edwards, he helped lead the ‘Dogs to a 10-2 season and Outback Bowl victory over Wisconsin.
Stinchcomb was a consensus All-America first team selection in both 1997 and 1998 including those teams chosen by the Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, and Walter Camp. He was the recipient of the 1998 Jacobs Blocking Trophy which goes annually to the top blocker in the SEC and was also a finalist for the Lombardi Award which goes annually to the nation’s top lineman.
Stinchcomb was just as impressive off the field. He was a two-time Academic All-America first team member and in 1998 was named the nation’s Academic All-American of the Year which encompasses all sports at all schools across the country. He also received the Woody Hayes National Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award.
Community service was also one of his passions and during his college career he participated in numerous programs including Habitat for Humanity, Clarke County Mentor Program, Athens Homeless Shelter, Thanksgiving Food Bank, and served as keynote speaker for the Northeast Georgia Eagle Scout Banquet. For his efforts, he was recognized as one of 11 football student-athletes across the country for selection to the American Football Coaches Good Works Team in both 1997 and ’98.
Stinchcomb is the president and founder of the Stinchcomb Family Foundation, a private, nonprofit organization that supports public children’s charities. Together with his brother Jon, a former Georgia football star and former New Orleans Saints NFL lineman, and former Georgia quarterback David Greene, Stinchcomb hosted “Countdown to Kickoff,” an annual children’s charity event held several years at UGA. It provided an opportunity each July for fans to come out and mingle with former and current Georgia players with proceeds benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the Georgia Transplant Foundation, Children’s Tumor Foundation, and the University of Georgia College of Education and UGA’s own Pediatric Exercise and Motor Development Clinic.
At the conclusion of his college career, Stinchcomb was awarded post-graduate scholarships by both the NCAA and National Football Foundation. He also received the NCAA Top Eight Award which annually recognizes the nation’s top eight student-athletes regardless of sport. In 1999 he was an NFL first round draft choice of the Oakland Raiders where he played for four years including the 2003 Raider Super Bowl team. He spent the 2004 and ’05 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was named a member of the SEC Team of the Decade for the 1990’s.
In 2009, Stinchcomb was inducted into the UGA Circle of Honor, the highest honor a former student-athlete or coach can achieve. In 2012, he was named recipient of the UGA Terry College of Business Outstanding Young Alumni Award.
He currently resides in Atlanta where he is a partner with SterlingSeacrest Partners, an insurance and risk management company, and also works as a television football game analyst with the SEC Network and ESPN.
Georgia’s previous Hall of Fame members and year inducted:
Players: Bob McWhorter, 1954; Frank Sinkwich, 1954; Charley Trippi, 1959; Vernon”Catfish” Smith, 1979; Bill Hartman, 1984; Fran Tarkenton, 1987; Herschel Walker, 1999; Bill Stanfill, 1998; Terry Hoage, 2000; Kevin Butler, 2001; John Rauch, 2003; Jake Scott, 2011; Scott Woerner, 2016.
Coaches: Glenn “Pop” Warner, 1951; Vince Dooley, 1994; Wally Butts, 1997; Jim Donnan, 2009.
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AP Interview: Russia hails Norway-brokered Venezuela talks
by: KATE DE PURY and VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, Associated Press
Alexander Shchetinin, head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Latin America department, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, June 26, 2019. Shchetinin said that Venezuelan political forces need to come to terms on settling the country’s political crisis and warned against foreign interference. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s envoy on Venezuela said Wednesday that an international mediation effort between Nicolas Maduro’s government and the opposition have raised a glimmer of hope for settling the crisis, strongly warning the U.S. against using force.
Alexander Shchetinin, head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Latin America department, told The Associated Press in a wide-ranging interview that the Norway talks have produced a “chance, albeit very fragile, for political and diplomatic solution.”
Shchetinin represented Russia at a meeting in Stockholm earlier this month aimed at advancing political reconciliation, which also involved representatives of the United Nations, the Vatican, Cuba and the European Union. He said the main goal of the meeting was to discuss possible assistance to mediation efforts being taken by Norway, which recently sponsored two rounds of talks between the two sides.
Shchetinin said that despite deep distrust between Maduro’s socialist government and the opposition, there is a “real chance” of success.
The envoy’s strong support for Maduro contrasts with the U.S. assessment of the dialogue effort. A senior U.S. official said Tuesday that he sees little chances of success for the Norway talks. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss policy on Venezuela publicly.
The U.S. and several dozen other nations have cast their support behind opposition leader Juan Guaidó and recognized him as Venezuela’s interim president, asserting that Maduro’s reelection last year was illegitimate.
Shchetinin criticized Washington for what he described as “extremely rude meddling in Venezuelan affairs,” adding that “you can’t appoint a president from abroad.”
He said any settlement must be based on international law and respect for Venezuela’s sovereignty.
“Any forceful interference from abroad, and particularly military interference, must be excluded,” he said. “Any options could be on the table, except the military option. That would be a catastrophe for the region.”
Shchetinin said that he and other Russian representatives have been talking to various opposition figures alongside the government, but wouldn’t name any names. He emphasized that Moscow always lets Maduro’s government know about its contacts with the opposition.
The diplomat argued that Moscow would be open to any settlement that would reflect the will of Venezuelans, and acknowledged that Guaidó represents some of the country’s political forces. At the same time, he criticized Guaidó for what he described as excessive reliance on U.S. advice.
“The problem is that Mr. Guaidó has shown himself in recent months as a politician who lacks independence,” Shchetinin said. “Regrettably, he has coordinated his every step with the U.S. administration.”
A spokesman for Guaidó did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Shchetinin cautioned the U.S. against encouraging the Venezuelan military to switch loyalties and back Guaidó, saying that strategy is fraught with unpredictable consequences.
“It’s very dangerous to destabilize any country’s military,” Shchetinin said, pointing to Iraq and its military officers who joined in militant factions following the 2003 U.S. invasion.”Trying to rock the military and encourage desertions, to tell the military to switch sides, means opening the Pandora’s box.”
He noted that despite some senior officers supporting Guaidó, “the Venezuelan armed forces have remained loyal to their constitutional duty” and stood by Maduro.
Shchetinin also argued that U.S. sanctions on Venezuela have deepened the country’s economic crisis and hurt the country’s people. He cited a program funded by the Venezuelan state oil company under which Venezuelan children received expensive cancer treatments abroad. He claimed children have died since the program was frozen in May because of the U.S. sanctions.
He said U.S. officials painted an exaggerated picture of Russian involvement in supporting the Venezuelan government. No new arms contracts have been signed and Russian experts sent to Venezuela to help maintain weapons from previous contracts number in the dozens, not hundreds, he said.
Associated Press writer Joshua Goodman in Washington contributed to this report.
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NRA to hold town hall in Virginia Beach, weeks after tragedy
Police work the scene where eleven people were killed during a mass shooting at the Virginia Beach city public works building, Friday, May 31, 2019 in Virginia Beach, Va. A longtime, disgruntled city employee opened fire at a municipal building in Virginia Beach on Friday, killing 11 people before police fatally shot him, authorities said. […]
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) – The National Rifle Association will hold a town hall meeting in Virginia Beach about a month after it experienced 2019’s deadliest mass shooting.
The Virginian-Pilot reports that the town hall is scheduled for Monday. Another is scheduled for Tuesday on the state’s Eastern Shore.
The lobbying arm of the NRA will focus on proposals that are likely to come up at the July 9 special legislative session that Gov. Ralph Northam convened in the tragedy’s wake.
The Democrat said he wants the Republican-led General Assembly to consider several gun control measures. Republicans have given little indication that they plan to follow Northam’s agenda.
Democrats quickly seized on the news of the NRA’s meetings, which some GOP lawmakers may attend.
Legislators in Virginia’s General Assembly are up for re-election this fall.
More Virginia Stories
James Fields gets life plus 419 years on state charges
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - The Latest on the state sentencing of a man convicted on federal hate crime charges related to a white nationalist rally (all times local):
Child struck by sheriff’s vehicle on Outer Banks beach
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - A 7-year-old boy vacationing in the Outer Banks has been flown to a Virginia hospital after being struck by a sheriff's department vehicle.
Currituck County Fire and EMS Chief Ralph Melton tells The Virginian-Pilot the child was hit by a four-wheel drive vehicle on Carova Beach over the weekend.
DNA confirms remains found in incinerator as missing VA toddler
HAMPTON, Virginia (WJHL) Police in Virginia have confirmed that human remains found at a trash incinerator earlier this month belong to a missing 2-year-old boy.
Hampton police said Noah Tomlin's identity was confirmed through DNA analysis.
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Reprints of Popular Cover Rake In Moolah for New Yorker's Web Site
Sophie HaywardThe Wall Street Journal Online
Updated Dec. 21, 2001 9:31 pm ET
The New Yorker's Web site turned a popular cover into an e-commerce smash, selling out all 750 limited-edition reprints in only nine days.
"We knew we had a hit because we got a hundred calls and about 500 e-mails about it," said Bob Mankoff, founder and cartoon editor for the Cartoon Bank (www.cartoonbank.com), the online cartoon database owned by the New Yorker. The signed 22-inch by 28-inch prints -- no bargain at $280 to $395 -- went on sale Dec. 13 and were sold out by Friday. Smaller prints are still available.
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The Washington Nurse Magazine
Nurses at Providence Holy Family Hospital Hold Informational Picket During Stalled Contract Negotiations
Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA), representing over 400 registered nurses at Providence Holy Family Hospital, is holding an informational picket today from 2 - 6 pm on the corner of Central and Lidgerwood in front of the hospital to highlight issues critical to patient safety and nurse retention during difficult contract negotiations. Nurses at Holy Family have been fighting for patient safety measures such as safe staffing and an adequate preceptorship program for new nurses. A key concern is that the proposed contract will make it difficult to recruit and retain great nurses, directly impacting patient care.
The administration has resisted WSNA’s efforts to specify appropriate staffing levels in the contract. Additionally, the administration’s proposal to have nurse preceptors – the mentors that train new nurses – manage multiple new nurses at a time threatens the ability of preceptors to provide the one-on-one, hands on training required to prepare new nurses. Excellent nursing care can mean the difference between life or death for patients, and these mentorships for new nurses are critical in preparing them for the challenges ahead.
In the interest of reducing nurse fatigue and burnout, nurses have proposed changes to their designated rest between shifts that would incentivize the hospital to give nurses a solid block of rest time without calling them back to work during that time. This rest is critical in providing nurses the opportunity to recharge and be ready at the start of their next shift. Currently, if a nurse is on call and called back to work, in many instances such time is excluded from the rest between shifts guidelines, meaning that time is still counted as rest time despite the fact that nurses are working. The nurses are pushing to remove this exemption so that rest time is truly rest time and the hospital has an incentive to ensure nurses get this critical time away from work.
“I love working at Holy Family and caring for this community. I take great pride in working with such an amazing group of skilled and compassionate nurses, but we need the hospital to be a partner with us in providing the best possible care. We need to keep our great nurses here, we need to continue attracting the best new nurses and training them the right way, and we need to have a voice in decisions that affect our patients. Being a nurse is incredibly rewarding but also incredibly challenging. Pushing nurses to work harder and work longer is not the right direction for our patients and this community,” said Martha Goodall, a nurse at Holy Family and member of the negotiating team.
Nurses are concerned about the potential impact to recruitment and retention of nurses at Holy Family. Wages at Holy Family currently lag behind those of Sacred Heart Medical Center, also owned by Providence. There is a significant amount of crossover and integration of services and personnel between the two Providence hospitals. Management’s compensation proposal would increase the pay gap between the two hospitals, and nurses have expressed deep concern that it will make Holy Family an increasingly less desirable place to work. Management has also proposed that it be able to take away certain healthcare options over the life of the contract without bargaining with the nurses, making the overall compensation and benefits package even less competitive.
“Holy Family is a great hospital with great nurses. We just can’t understand why Providence would choose not to invest in both Holy Family and Sacred Heart. When patients come to Holy Family, they deserve to have the highest level of care with excellent nurses at the bedside, just like Sacred Heart or any other hospital in the region. This community deserves a commitment from Providence that they value all of their patients and all of their nurses,” said Christine Himmelsbach, MN, RN, WSNA Director of Labor Relations.
Ruth Schubert
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Photos: Happy 1st birthday, Prince Louis!
Prince Louis, the youngest child of Britain's Prince William and Duchess Kate, celebrated his first birthday on April 23, 2019. Here are some memorable moments from his first year.
Published: Tuesday, April 23, 2019 @ 2:49 AM
This photo released by Kensington Palace on Monday April 22, 2019, and taken by Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, shows Prince Louis at their home in Norfolk, England, to mark his first birthday on Tuesday. (Duchess of Cambridge/Kensington Palace via AP)
Dan Kitwood
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 23: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge depart the Lindo Wing with their new born son Prince Louis of Cambridge at St Mary's Hospital on April 23, 2018 in London, England. The Duchess safely delivered a boy at 11:01 am, weighing 8lbs 7oz, who will be fifth in line to the throne. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Gareth Cattermole
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 23: The newborn son Prince Louis of Cambridge of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, departs the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital on April 23, 2018 in London, England. The Duchess safely delivered a boy at 11:01 am, weighing 8lbs 7oz, who will be fifth in line to the throne. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
WPA Pool
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 23: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge departs the Lindo Wing with her new born son Prince Louis of Cambridge at St Mary's Hospital on April 23, 2018 in London, England. The Duchess safely delivered a boy at 11:01 am, weighing 8lbs 7oz, who will be fifth in line to the throne. (Photo by John Stillwell - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 23: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge departs the Lindo Wing with her newborn son Prince Louis of Cambridge at St Mary's Hospital on April 23, 2018 in London, England. The Duchess safely delivered a boy at 11:01 am, weighing 8lbs 7oz, who will be fifth in line to the throne. (Photo by John Stillwell - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Matt Holyoak
This Monday, July 9, 2018, photo provided by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shows the official photograph to mark the christening of Prince Louis at Clarence House, following Prince Louis' baptism, in London. Seated, left to right: Prince George, Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge; Prince Louis; Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge; and Princess Charlotte. Standing, left to right: Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex; Megan, the Duchess of Sussex; Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall; Prince Charles, Prince of Wales; Carole Middleton, Michael Middleton, Pippa Matthews, James Matthews and James Middleton. (Matt Holyoak/Camera Press/Duke and Duchess of Cambridge via AP)
Dominic Lipinski
FILE - In this Monday, July 9, 2018 file photo, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge carries Prince Louis as they arrive for his christening service at the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace, London. The youngest child of Prince William and his wife Kate is about to celebrate his first birthday. Prince Louis will mark the milestone Tuesday, April 23, 2019. (Dominic Lipinski/Pool Photo via AP, file)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 09: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge carries Prince Louis Of Cambridge as they arrive for his christening service at St James's Palace on July 09, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 09: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge carries Prince Louis as they arrive for his christening service at St James's Palace on July 09, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Royals release new photos of Prince Louis ahead of his first birthday
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Whitbread raises £2 million for GOSH
Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants is delighted to announce that, through the fundraising efforts of its team members and the generosity of guests, the business has now raised a massive £2 million for its nominated charity, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSHCC) since announcing the partnership in May 2012.
The announcement is the second major fundraising milestone reached by the company in the last 12 months. In June the first fundraising milestone of £1 million was reached, and now a mere six months later a further £1 million has been raised.
The £2 million has been raised through generous donations by customers on the Premier Inn website as well as though a wide variety of activities undertaken by team members across the UK. Some of the fund-raising feats include skydives in Leeds, car boot sales in Epsom, family fun days in Newcastle and a 15 mile trek in Blackpool. The money raised will go towards the development of the brand new Premier Inn Clinical Building. The dedicated building will be the latest addition to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity as part of its on-going refurbishments to improve the hospital environment, its facilities and the care provided for seriously ill children and is due to open its doors in 2017.
Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital continues to redevelop some of the oldest parts of the hospital so that families can benefit from world-class facilities and care including having more space for parents to be with their children. The £2 million that Whitbread, its guests and suppliers, have raised will support the hospital in achieving these aspirations.
Simon Ewins, Corporate Responsibility Director comments: “The collective passion and determination of our teams and customers to raise money for GOSHCC has been truly amazing and I am extremely proud that we have been able to reach this key milestone in such a short space of time. This is an outstanding achievement and a fantastic step towards our pledge of raising £7.5 million.”
Neal Donnelly, Director of Corporate Partnerships at Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity said: “We’re thrilled that our partnership with Whitbread Hotels & Restaurants has raised an incredible £2 million. The funds raised will make a real difference to our patients and families from across the UK, helping us replace outdated buildings with state-of-the-art facilities with more space, privacy and comfort.
Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants is made up by Premier Inn, Beefeater Grill, Brewers Fayre, Table Table and Taybarns brands.
Find out more about Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity at www.gosh.org
For more information or to support Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants’ partnership with the charity, go to www.whitbread.co.uk
Frank PR – 020 7693 6999
premierinn@frankpr.it
About Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants
Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants (WHR) is part of Whitbread PLC and it operates market-leading businesses in the budget hotels and restaurant sectors. Premier Inn – the UK’s biggest budget hotel chain – Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Table Table and Taybarns.
About Whitbread Plc
Whitbread PLC is the UK’s largest hotel and restaurant group. As well as its well-loved hotel and restaurant brands Whitbread also includes Costa Coffee. Whitbread PLC employs over 40,000 people and serves 22 million customers every month in its 2,000 outlets across the UK.
Whitbread has a long association with community and charitable support. Whitbread PLC is a FTSE 100 company, listed on the London Stock Exchange. It is also a member of the FTSE4Good Index.
For further information go to www.whitbread.co.uk
About Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity
Great Ormond Street Hospital is one of the world’s leading children’s hospitals with the broadest range of dedicated, children’s healthcare specialists under one roof in the UK. The hospital’s pioneering research and treatment gives hope to children who are suffering from the rarest, most complex and often life-threatening conditions, from across the country and abroad.
Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity needs to raise at least £50 million a year to help rebuild and refurbish Great Ormond Street Hospital, provide vital up-to-date equipment and fund research into better treatments for the children. You can help us to provide world class care for our patients and families. For more information visit www.gosh.org
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Nations Favourite Coffee Shop Four Years Running
Costa named the Nation’s Favourite Coffee Shop by leading coffee industry experts Allegra
48% of independent consumer panel named the chain as their favourite coffee shop
Costa has been named the Nation’s Favourite Coffee Shop for its fourth consecutive year after industry experts Allegra published their annual Project Cafe13 UK report for 2013. 48% of consumers named Costa as their favourite coffee shop, a figure that has increased by almost 10% on last year’s result. The coffee shop chain also increased its popularity in the typically more competitive London region to 38% naming Costa as their favourite coffee shop an increase of 7% on its previous year’s figure. The coffee shop was also considered the most ethical coffee shop brand in the UK.
Project Cafe13 UK highlights that the UK coffee shop market grew by 6.4% turnover, delivering sales growth of 9.3%. The coffee market segment continues to be one of the most successful in the UK economy and has established itself as a key element of UK society.
The report highlights that the UK is a nation of coffee drinkers: 52% of consumers surveyed maintain their coffee shop visits in the last 12 months. 1 in 5 now visit coffee shops every day compared with 1 in 9 in 2009 Coffee shop visitors drink an estimated 1.7 billion cups of coffee per year in coffee shops.
Jason Cotta, Managing Director Costa UK Retail said:
“We are delighted to have been named the Nation’s Favourite Coffee Shop for the fourth consecutive year and to have been awarded the title from an independent panel of coffee shop visitors makes the win all that more significant.
We would like to thank our fantastic team of baristas in showing outstanding pride, passion and personality in what they do to help earn us the Nation’s Favourite title and we will continue to listen to customers, working hard to ensure that they will continue to choose Costa as their favourite coffee shop.”
Jeffrey Young, Manager Director at Allegra commented:
“Costa has performed extremely well this year in Allegra Strategies’ independent research. Britain is now a nation of great coffee drinkers who have unparalleled access to great coffee in part thanks to the rapid growth of Costa Coffee venues throughout the UK.”
(Allegra Strategies are industry experts within the coffee shop market and have been publishing their annual ‘Project Cafe’ report for over 11 years. The question ‘What is your favourite coffee shop? Is asked of an independent panel of 4,650 coffee shop visitors and so is the best representation of overall brand preference.)
About Costa
Costa is the UK’s favourite coffee shop, having been awarded “Best Branded Coffee Shop Chain in the UK and Ireland" by Allegra Strategies for four years running (2010, 2011, 2012 & November 2013).
Winner of “Best Branded Coffee Chain in Europe” Allegra Strategies 2011, 2012 and 2013.
With over 1,600 coffee shops in the UK and more than 1,000 overseas, Costa is the fastest growing coffee shop business in the UK and the second largest coffee shop operator in the world. Founded in London by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa in 1971, Costa has become the UK’s favourite coffee shop chain and has recently diversified into both the at-home and gourmet self-serve markets.
Just 1% of the world’s production of coffee is good enough for us to choose from. Only the very best 100% RFA certified coffee available can go into creating the unique taste and aroma of our Mocha Italia blend.
Costa is committed to looking after coffee-growers. That's why we've established The Costa Foundation, a registered charity. The Costa Foundation's aims are to relieve poverty, advance education and the health and environment of coffee-growing communities around the world. So far, The Costa Foundation has funded the building of 42 schools and improved the social and economic welfare of coffee-growing communities.
About Allegra
Allegra Strategies Allegra Strategies is a London-based strategic research consultancy recognised as a global leader in the foodservice and coffee shop sector. Allegra is best known for its definitive reports on the European and UK coffee markets. Allegra has accurately predicted trends in the UK branded coffee shop market since 1999. The report is considered by the industry as "the bible" of the coffee sector.
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Regulations Anyone?
As the small business committee of the House of Representatives addresses regulatory reform, The National Federation of Independent Business weighs in. It has submitted its top recommendations for legislation that is intended to improve the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA).
Andrew Langer, senior manager of regulatory affairs at NFIB, urged lawmakers to remember that it's not one specific rule that causes such a burden, it's the compilation of thousands of detailed regulations that make compliance extremely burdensome for small firms.
"Regulations cannot be made in a vacuum," Langer said. "Agencies have to take into account how each and every little rule adds up to weeks' worth of a small business' time."
Following are some of the specific suggestions NFIB proposed to the legislators. They are aimed at improving the current regulatory state for small business owners.
More Stringent Review of Rules on the Books: Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act ought to be expanded to cover the review of all rules impacting small business. Currently, the reviews only cover regulations the agency considered, "economically significant," at the time they were proposed.
Include Indirect Economic Impacts in Regulatory Review: Congress ought to require agencies to consider how regulations affect small businesses that themselves are not being directly regulated by a rule, but will nevertheless be impacted.
Strengthen Compliance Guide Mandates: Small businesses continue to be frustrated with the instructions they are supposed to follow in figuring out how to comply with new regulations. Agencies should be mandated that whenever a rule requires a final regulatory flexibility analysis, then they must also publish a compliance guide, in plain language, specifically geared towards small businesses.
Expand Small Business Protections to the IRS: The RFA's jurisdiction over the IRS must be clarified. IRS rules ought to be subject to Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA) panels, similar to those faced by proposed OSHA and EPA regulations, and most importantly, small business protections must expressly cover all new information collection requests (i.e., questions) and not just new forms, as the IRS currently interprets the law.
Require that Agencies Publish the Name and Number For A Regulation's Principal Author: One of the most problematic situations for a small business owner is knowing who to turn to when a question arises. We believe that the person primarily responsible for a regulation's shepherding through promulgation would have the greatest expertise on a regulation. If a small business owner is going to be required to follow a regulation, then it's only courteous and fair that the person who wrote the regulation be made regularly available for questions about the regulation.
Financially Penalize Agencies That Ignore Their Regulatory Flexibility Obligations: Many small business owners and their representatives believe that agencies only pay scant attention to their obligations under the law. Part of the reason for this is that there is no penalty when the agencies treat their obligations in a pro forma manner. We recommend that should it be found that an agency affirmatively ignored its obligation, some financial penalty accrue to the agency.
Expand the Purview of the Regulatory Fairness Boards to Include Review of Agency Compliance with Regulatory Flexibility Laws: Currently, there exists no body which engages in an across the board, comprehensive review of agency compliance. We believe that the Regulatory Fairness Program administered by the National Ombudsman for Small Business at the SBA has been a rousing success. These successes ought to be built upon. Expanding this program's scope to include regulatory flexibility compliance review would be appropriate.
For more detail on these proposals, visit www.NFIB.com. A complete copy of NFIB's congressional testimony is available to download for free.
Related Articles: small business
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