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Tag Archive: Khmer Rouge
North Korean actions likened to Nazis and Khmer Rouge
Last September, Michael Kirby, a retired Australian judge and leader of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea, briefed the U.N. Human Rights Council on what it had heard so far in its dozens of interviews with North Korean refugees and defectors.
“We heard from ordinary people who faced torture and imprisonment for doing nothing more than watching foreign soap operas or holding a religious belief,” Kirby said of his team’s work. “Women and men who exercised their human right to leave the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] and were forcibly repatriated spoke about their experiences of torture, sexual violence, inhumane treatment and arbitrary detention.”
“They had to live on rodents, grasshoppers, lizards and on grass and they were subject to cruelty,” Kirby told the BBC World TV in September, speaking about children interviewed during the panel’s investigation.
“All in all it is a very horrifying story, the like of which I don’t think I’ve seen or read of since the Khmer Rouge [in Cambodia] and the Nazi atrocities during the second world war,” Kirby continued.
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JJM scripts new Mass Effect comics series
Busy news day! In advance of Comic-Con International: San Diego, Dark Horse Comics comics today announced a joing partnership with Bioware to produce comics based on the hit Mass Effect video game. Launching in January, Mass Effect: Redemption is written by Bioware’s Mac Walters, drawn by Omar Francia, and scripted by … yes, yours truly.
Part of the Dark Horse announcement:
“BioWare™, a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) and Dark Horse Comics today announced a new comic book series based on Mass Effect™, the blockbuster sci-fi action videogame that IGN.com rated the #1 Xbox 360™ game of all time. In Mass Effect: Redemption, the story takes readers through the treacherous events leading up to Mass Effect 2 which opens with galactic hero Commander Shepard having mysteriously gone missing and left to fight for survival. What unfolds next will expose readers to new locations, aliens and extended storyline in the Mass Effect universe. Mass Effect: Redemption is scheduled to launch on January 6, 2010.”
Dark Horse adds from Mac Walters: “Fans of Mass Effect are going to be pleasantly shocked by the events in these comics,” Mac said. “We worked very closely with Dark Horse to make sure this story was built in to the Mass Effect 2 arc, right from the ground up. Reading the series won’t just add to your experience of the universe, it will change the way you look at Mass Effect 2 . . . and beyond.” Mass Effect 2, of course, is the sequel to the award-winning game — and it is scheduled for an early 2010 release.
I’m thrilled to be working on the project, helping to bring Mass Effect into comics for the first time. I’d already had the chance to admire the storytelling handiwork of Bioware’s team on Knights of the Old Republic, and I’ve really enjoyed playing Mass Effect and getting into the milieu. Everyone’s working together to make this a project to look forward to!
There will be more to say later, of course — I have a page on the site here, for after the book releases. And there’s more right now in the press release. But in the meantime, Mac and Omar will be autographing a Comic-con exclusive Mass Effect signing card at the Dark Horse booth (#2615) on July 24th at 4:00pm – 5:00pm at Comic-Con International 2009 in San Diego, Calif. Be sure to stop by!
Update: Mac Walters has an interview here on IGN.
Jarael, Rohlan action figures announced at San Diego!
1 thought on “JJM scripts new Mass Effect comics series”
I love Mass Effect, I love the KOTOR series and I love Omar's artwork. This is a match made in heaven, no doubt.
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Apple Discussion Series: A Conversation with Actor and Director, Michael Arden
The Apple Discussion Series is inspired by The Apple Award, funded by the Nederlander family and named for the family matriarch, Sarah Applebaum Nederlander. This evolution of the Apple Award program will feature online experiences where audiences will hear from actors, designers, managers, producers, and more from the American theatre. Past Apple Award recipients include: Elaine Stritch, Neil Simon, Jeffrey Seller, Carol Channing, Mandy Patinkin, Patti Lupone, and Phylicia Rashad.
This season, we are pleased to be featuring 8 guests, with the possibility of more being added during the Winter 2021 semester. These events are open to the public, free of charge, and will include a moderated discussion and a Q&A with the guest.
Join us on Wednesday, January 13 from 5:30-6:30pm for a live conversation with Broadway's Michael Arden.
Michael Arden made his Broadway debut as Tom Sawyer in the 2003 Roundabout and Deaf West revival of Big River. He also starred opposite John Hill in the 2004 off-Broadway show Bare, a Pop Opera. Arden directed Deaf West Theatre’s acclaimed Broadway revival of Spring Awakening in 2015, for which he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. Arden directed the first Broadway revival of the musical Once on This Island, which began previews on November 9, 2017 and opened on December 3 at the Circle in the Square Theatre, where it ran until January 6, 2019. The acclaimed revival, noted for its gender fluid casting and inspired staging, has been nominated for 7 Drama Desk Awards and eight Tony Awards, including a second Best Director Tony nomination for Arden.
Thomas Karr
theatrepr@wayne.edu
Theatre and Dance, Office of Alumni Relations Calendar, Main Events Calendar, College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts (CFPCA)
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Facebook campaign asks for crew boycott as 'Midnight Rider' production resumes
By Nina Terrero
Updated April 18, 2014 at 01:41 PM EDT
A new Facebook campaign urging crew in the Los Angeles area to boycott work on Midnight Rider has launched just days after news broke that the film would resume production, following an on-set train crash that killed assistant camera operator Sarah Jones in February.
The page — titled “I REFUSE to work on Midnight Rider! For Sarah!!!” — asks for L.A.-based crew to boycott work on the Gregg Allman biopic. The group page, created on April 15, now includes more than 1,000 members.
“This group is for people who REFUSE to work on the show that was responsible for the death of Sarah Jones. Midnight Rider is coming to LA to shoot,” states a description of the group by creator David Allen Grove. “Let’s continue to stand up for Sarah, REFUSE to work on this show. Let’s shut it down!”
Dozens of comments have been left on the page, pleading for industry professionals to refrain from working on the film produced by Unclaimed Freight Productions.
“Please do not risk your life or future by working on this production if it attempts to start up in LA,” wrote Ray Brown in a post, while commenter Claiborne Lashley added, “do not let ‘Unclaimed Freight’ claim another life.”
The online campaign follows a message posted on the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees website announcing that production on Midnight Rider — which had been suspended following the Feb. 20 collision ” would resume in June, with “pre-production starting in a couple weeks.”
“We have expressed our obvious concerns regarding this production starting again,” IATSE international vice president Michael F. Miller Jr. wrote in a message to members Monday. “We have demanded that they provide clearances from any and all governmental agencies and/or police agencies that are investigating this company and the individuals involved.”
Unclaimed Freight Productions did not respond to EW’s request for comment.
A pre-production shoot on Feb. 20 on a railway trestle in Wayne County, Ga resulted in the injury of six crew members, who were filming a dream sequence on railroad tracks when a train unexpectedly crossed the tracks. Jones, 27, was struck and killed by the train.
An investigation into Jones’ death is currently being conducted by the Wayne County, Ga. Sheriff’s office.
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Existimatum > Movies > Gravity > Reviews > Mania.com
Rob Vaux’ “Mania Review: Gravity” Is a Prose Lovers Paradise
In response to Rob Vaux’s 657‑word review of Gravity on Mania.com
http://www.mania.com/mania-review-gravity_article_138497.html
Rob Vaux’s “Gravity” is a spectacular piece of criticism. From Vaux’s descriptions alone many will feel the sweat accumulate on their hands and a sense of unease climb up their back. This is what excellent writing does, it makes you forget that you aren’t in the situation being described and blurs the lines between fantasy and reality.
There are moments however, when Vaux’s seemingly stream-of-consciousness writing style coupled with heaps of hyperbole make him sound more like a hype man than a film critic.
The strength of the writing is bolstered by the keen focus on argument which seems to be that Gravity is a once-in-a-generation type of film that transcends all notions of genre in an effort to create an incredible filmgoing experience.
The site is quite the looker. It’s sleek, easy to navigate, and best of all, there are no invasive ad. The links to the side of the review are relevant to the review and everything else seems to fall in line quite well.
The one department that underdelivers a bit is the spoilers. Though not much can really be said about a high concept film such as this, the writer still finds a way to add some unneeded information into the mix.
Vaux‘s Gravity is a thrill ride that put you into the role of astronaut. It fires on all cylinders from beginning to end. It’s one of those reviews that has to be read to be believed.
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Ralph Lauren's 50th Anniversary Blowout Was An Insanely Fabulous Tribute to New York
The doyen of all-American glamour outdid himself, with a little help from his stable of celebrity admirers and Central Park's Bethesda Terrace.
The finale of Ralph Lauren's 50th anniversary runway show for Fall 2018 on Friday during New York Fashion Week. Photo: Courtesy of Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren, both the man and the iconic all-American design house he founded in 1968, have a penchant for outdoing himself, and itself — during New York Fashion Week, anyway. The brand was an early adopter of the "see now, buy now" runway show format, debuting its first instantly shoppable collection in Sept. 2016 outside of its Madison Avenue flagship. A year later, it showed at Lauren's personal garage in Bedford, N.Y., and last season, transformed its venue into a luxurious Caribbean hideaway, where models walked barefoot. Whatever Lauren had planned for his 50th anniversary spectacular this September, held on Friday evening before a bevy of celebrity admirers, was sure to be just that: spectacular. And, obviously, it was.
When he began the Ralph Lauren Corporation with a line of men's ties, Lauren was 28 years old and worked out of a single "drawer" from a showroom in the Empire State Building. He made deliveries to stores himself. On Friday, half a century later, he transformed Central Park's Bethesda Terrace into his own private banquet hall, showing five separate collections — more than 100 looks in total — before a crowd that included the likes of Oprah, Kanye West (who's frequently cited Lauren as his idol) and Hillary Clinton, who was seated beside Anna Wintour. Business of Fashion reported that the steaks for the dinner portion of the evening had been flown in from Lauren's own ranch in Colorado.
In a release, Lauren discussed that his "inspiration" for the collections, as it's often worded in a designer's show notes, was, of course, New York, where it all began. "For my 50th anniversary, I wanted to create and share a runway experience that was deeply personal and a summation of the style I've always believed in: personal, authentic, and forever, in a place so quintessentially New York and so special to me — Central Park," he said.
Photo: Courtesy of Ralph Lauren
It's difficult to separate New York, the city he's worked in and the fashion of which he's helped define, from the work he's done personally. All five collections (women's Collection, men's Double RL and men's, women's and children's Polo Ralph Lauren) were "timeless" — luxe suiting and sporty craftiness for women, utilitarian workwear and traditional tailoring for men. With prep staging a comeback this season, the clothes likely would have struck a chord anyway, even if they weren't themselves remarkable. But they were.
During over-the-top runway shows, clothes can often seem like an afterthought — I find this to be such a shame, especially if the designs are worth poring over. Though in this case, the clothing's significance was not lost on Lauren's stable of movie stars, music industry scions, editors-in-chief, presidential contenders and fellow American design icons, including Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Diane von Furstenberg and Tommy Hilfiger. The clothing was the significance. It's what I'd like to think is exactly the kind of fantasy a 28-year-old Lauren would've carried with him, bent over a sewing machine in a windowless studio on 34th Street, dreaming about Central Park.
See Ralph Lauren's full Fall 2018 collection in the gallery below.
Spring 2019Spring 2019 New York
Christian Siriano's 10th Anniversary Spectacular Was a Fabulous, 72-Look Blowout
He truly pulled out all the stops to celebrate his brand's milestone.
Designers Want You to Head (Back) to Prep School for Spring 2019
Popped collars optional.
The Pyer Moss Spring 2019 Collection Was a Powerful Celebration of Black Culture
Designer Kerby Jean-Raymond brought showgoers to Weeksville in honor of his brand's fifth anniversary, an ongoing partnership with Reebok, new artwork by Derrick Adams, a Fubu collaboration and, above all, the African-American experience.
The Front Row at Tom Ford's Spring 2019 Show Was a Feast for the Eyes
Any front row that houses both Cardi B and Henry Golding is a perfect front row.
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NMCI exec takes change in stride
"In defense of NMCI"
As a naval reservist, Capt. Chris Christopher is accustomed to being flexible, changing plans and working two jobs.
Since January, Christopher has served as the Navy Department's acting deputy program executive officer for information technology and director of the $6.9 billion Navy Marine Corps Intranet outsourcing contract. The Navy promoted him after David Litchfield returned to the private sector.
Christopher began his career in 1976 in the Navy, following in the footsteps of his father and older brother. Christopher wanted to fly planes but soon discovered that he suffered from airsickness. So within two years, Christopher left active duty and joined the Naval Reserve Force as a Soviet intelligence analyst, training at the Naval Air Station in New Orleans and later in Pensacola, Fla.
Meanwhile, Christopher was working civilian jobs at Louisiana newspapers, first in the sports department at the New Orleans Times-Picayune while in college in the early 1970s. He held positions at several newspapers, including sports editor, and from 1984 to 1987 was the publisher of the weekly base newspaper for the New Orleans Naval Air Station and the monthly newspaper for the Louisiana National Guard.
In 1999, while Christopher was heading the Agriculture Department's National Finance Center's publication and visualization center, active duty called again. He returned to work at the Navy on the service's Year 2000 project at the Office of Naval Intelligence. Similar to the other military branches, the Navy relied heavily on reservists to coordinate software code testing and remediation for Year 2000 readiness.
His decision was the Navy's gain. "He's focused. He's very results- and goal- oriented," said Capt. Dan Dayton, a fellow naval reservist who worked with Christopher in the Year 2000 project office and then supervised Christopher's work as a Web publisher for the International Naval Review in New York.
Dayton, a former radio station owner who is now a spokesman for the Office of Naval Research, said he appreciated Christopher's "wonderful sense of humor."
Christopher's civilian experience could prove a benefit in grasping the contracting philosophy behind NMCI. He understands the bottom line and the importance of industry/government partnership. To avoid a long, drawn-out procurement, the Navy anticipated working with winning contractor Electronic Data Systems Corp. to add features to the contract, such as enabling users to access e-mail from home.
Christopher takes the extra workload in stride. "Good sense will prevail, and we'll come up with something we can agree on," he said of the complex deal. "This is a different approach to government contracting," rather than focusing only on the lowest price, he said.
Progress has been made on some fronts. EDS and the Navy reached a compromise April 18. For $500 a year, reservists who lack NMCI accounts or "seats" will be able to access their e-mail and public-key infrastructure-enabled applications from their home PCs as long as they have smart card readers and security tools.
Christopher works in a politically sensitive program that faces immediate criticism from opponents of outsourcing in the event of any problems. For example, when Litchfield left, NMCI detractors said they smelled problems with the program.
Christopher accepts such rumors as part of the job and dismisses them. NMCI is a multiple-year program, he said, and people will come and go on the government side and the vendor side.
The Chris Christopher file
Position: The Navy Department's acting deputy program executive officer
for information technology. He directs the Navy Marine Corps Intranet outsourcing
Hometown: New Orleans.
Federal career highlight: Helped bring electronic publishing to the
Agriculture Department's National Finance Center in New Orleans, which
is the department's center for administrative billings, collections and
payments. That organization publishes 1,000 different user manuals for
its computer systems.
Interests: Christopher is a published poet with a master's in fine
arts from the University of New Orleans. Other interests include collecting
books, reading, traveling, writing and the Naval Reserve.
Family: Wife is a vocal music instructor at Loyola University in New
Orleans. They have two teenage daughters.
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On July 17, 2019 July 17, 2019 By fellowtravelersfpblogIn Interviews
Science diplomacy is part of the basic blocking and tackling of American foreign policy. The State Department’s Office of Science and Technology Cooperation, for example, manages a US Science Envoy Program and an Embassy Science Fellows Program in an effort to “build relationships and partnerships that advance American foreign policy and scientific priorities”. Yet it is rare to hear any real debate about the role of science in America’s work abroad, or about how science came to be incorporated into the core functions of American foreign policy. Enter Audra Wolfe, a historian whose recent book, Freedom’s Laboratory: The Cold War Struggle for the Soul of Science covers the rise and consequences of science diplomacy as a tool of the American state and the rationalizations scientists made along the way. I spoke with Dr. Wolfe over e-mail about how the Cold War shaped American science in the 20th century and how effects are still felt today.
Sam Ratner: Your work centers around the idea of “scientific exceptionalism”, which isn’t a concept that we hear a lot in foreign policy discourse. What exactly is scientific exceptionalism, and why does in matter to broader questions of diplomacy?
Audra Wolfe: Scientific exceptionalism is the claim that science — and scientists — somehow exist beyond the reach of politics, and especially international politics. It’s a claim that obviously isn’t true, and yet it is also a core belief among many American scientists. I wanted to figure out why that is, so I dug into the history of American science. What I found kept bringing me back to Cold War propaganda.
Much of the existing historical scholarship on science and the Cold War focuses on identifying which scientists supported, and which opposed, McCarthyism and the expansion of the military-industrial complex. As I got deeper into this account, I was particularly troubled by the realization that most of the scientists usually held up as oppositional voices were, in fact, deeply embedded in state power, whether as “informal diplomats” or as participants in overt or covert propaganda programs. Some of them did this knowingly, and others simply chose not to ask a lot of questions about who was supporting their international work, and why. My concern here was less about whether it was appropriate for scientists to support the work of the state, but rather, the consequences of assuming that American scientists’ international partnerships were, by definition, some sort of critique of US power and the ideology of capitalist superiority during the Cold War—because that’s definitely not the case.
How had scientists and historians, myself included, misunderstood this story so badly? Over time, I came to realize that the sheer effectiveness of Cold War-era propaganda campaigns limited scientists’ ability to understand their role in the stories being told about science and freedom. These were campaigns largely carried out by private individuals who insisted that their activities were driven by a commitment to the values of science, not any individual nation. Scientists’ belief in their autonomy as scientists–their commitment to scientific freedom–limited their ability to recognize that their ideas were being put to use in campaigns they did not always control.
SR: You write that, during the Cold War, American science defined itself, and justified its exceptional place in American life, as the opposite of Soviet science. Does American science define itself against anything today, and if so what role does “other” science play in modern American scientific ideology?
AW: In my experience, most contemporary American scientists don’t think of their approach to science in either nationalistic terms or as the opposite of anything—it merely exists as a naturalized approach to producing knowledge. If anything, the popularity of the language of science diplomacy shows how scientists the world over have embraced the language of scientific internationalism, the idea that science has no borders.
But if pressed, these same scientists might bring up pseudoscience as the “opposite” of science. They might invoke anti-vaxxers, or perhaps “alt-facts.” These (hypothetical) responses draw on the idea that the opponents of science have a “politics,” whether from the left or the right, while mainstream scientists do not. When I bring up the idea that mainstream science, too, has a politics in public forums—especially Twitter—someone inevitably responds by invoking the specter of Lysenkoism. “Lysenkoism,” as Americans usually use the term, refers to the process by which Trofim Lysenko, a Ukrainian agronomist, seized control of Soviet genetics by currying Stalin’s favor. Their collective response might best be summarized as, “We’ve seen what happens when we let politics into science, and it’s geneticists getting shot.”
I want to be clear that not all scientists respond this way. For the record, in 2019, many young scientists, particularly those who are not white men, readily acknowledge that the institutions and rituals of science as it is practiced in the United States inevitably enact the same sort of politics that govern the rest of life in this country. Even so, there remains a militant core of science warriors who defend the idea of science that is and must be disembodied from any form of power, and who warn that any discussion that dares to suggest otherwise will inevitably end in death and destruction. The staying power of anti-Communist propaganda is remarkable.
SR: Could you describe one of the Cold War propaganda programs that drew on the idea of scientific exceptionalism? I’m interested in both the execution of the program and, maybe more so, in the justifications planners gave for utilizing a depoliticized vision of science for propaganda purposes.
AW: I love the story of how US high school biology textbooks ended up in Asian classrooms because it’s so absurdly complicated—so much so that summarizing it in a paragraph or three is complicated, but I’ll try my best.
Propaganda involving science typically took the form of propaganda of the deed—US foreign policymakers assumed that scientific and technical professionals would be more receptive to conferences, exchanges, research support, and other forms of real-life interaction, as opposed to the films, print media, and exhibits that made up the bulk of the US Information Agency’s work. You can see this logic being worked out in a 1955 memo produced by the Operations Coordinating Board (a high-ranking body tasked with implementing National Security Council policies, particularly as relating to psychological warfare) with the wonderful title of “Strengthening the Free World Through Science.”
One tool at the propagandists’ disposal was the Asia Foundation. The Asia Foundation still exists today as a mostly State Department–backed NGO doing development and democracy work in East Asia, but from its founding in 1951 (originally as the Committee on Free Asia) until 1967, the organization was a CIA proprietary that worked closely with Asian-led nongovernmental organizations to further US interests in countries on the perimeter of the People’s Republic of China. I often describe it as a sort of hybrid USAID/Rockefeller Foundation that reported to the CIA. The Asia Foundation became deeply interested in science education in the early 1960s.
Meanwhile, scientists working in the United States had been developing a series of what they called “inquiry-based learning” approaches to science education with support from the National Science Foundation. Textbooks always represent ideology, and these were no exception, but the biology books especially trumpeted ideas associated with US propaganda as intrinsic to scientific practice. Biology, as presented in these textbooks, was based on empirical research rather than received authority (a dig at Lysenko); biological scientists focused on basic research rather than applied problems (a dig at socialist planning, in general). No one in government “told” the biologists to develop textbooks with these positions. The biologists who developed the textbooks ascribed to this same ideology, and they wanted to transmit it to the next generation. And because the Asia Foundation also wanted to transmit these views to the next generation, they subsidized elaborate programs to translate and adapt these textbooks for use in Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and other places vital to US interests in South and East Asia.
SR: One overlap between the scientific and mainstream foreign affairs communities in the US is a fascination with Track Two diplomacy–semi-official channels between states run through private individuals who have more freedom to speak than their official counterparts but are expected to pursue their country’s interests as though they were actual diplomats. How did Track Two diplomacy become a major idiom of scientific internationalism in America, and how has it shaped scientific development here?
AW: Absolutely! Especially after the end of World War II, US scientists were dabbling in what we would now call Track Two diplomacy, in large part because many of them sincerely believed in the language of scientific internationalism. If science has no borders, then of course it is only good and right that scientists would be conducting backchannel conversations on matters that involved science and scientists. Atomic weapons fell into this category because the bomb was associated with arcane scientific knowledge, matters so complicated that only physicists could possibly understand them.
In 1950, the State Department attempted to harness scientists’ enthusiasm for chatting each other up to the needs of scientific intelligence. The so-called Berkner Report (you can read the unclassified version in the October 1950 issue of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists) proposed that “certain benefits which are essential to the security and welfare of the United States stem from international cooperation and exchange with respect to scientific matters.” It proposed that scientists, as people dedicated to the forthright and open exchange of ideas, would be particularly good vehicles for promoting peace, by which Berkner and his colleagues at the State Department meant US leadership.
That’s what the government wanted from the scientists. But whether you ascribe this to narcissism, guilt, or social conscience, many American scientists—especially physicists—believed that they held a special responsibility to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. The Pugwash Movement for nuclear disarmament is a classic example of this. An international group of scientists started the movement as a transnational, independent, nongovernmental call for nuclear disarmament, but the American scientists involved with the campaign soon found themselves working closely with US government officials. They had briefings in Washington before their meetings and filed reports after for the CIA. In one meeting, held in Moscow in 1960, a handful of them held nightly strategy sessions with the US Ambassador to the Soviet Union. I don’t necessarily think they were wrong to do this—any effective international treaty ultimately requires government buy-in—but I do think these scientists weren’t being particularly honest with themselves or others about their level of independence from the US government.
SR: What would it look like to advocate for science diplomacy with a more realistic notion of science, one that acknowledges that science, like art, law, and economics, is part of power structures?
AW: Any time you’re talking about national security, there are limits to transparency. That being said, democratic governance requires as much transparency as possible. Treating all forms of science diplomacy as somehow separate from the power structures that drive the rest of foreign policy is an unsupportable on the face of it, because “diplomacy” is about advancing a given country’s national interests. Practically speaking, it’s also bad policy, in that scientists who are “protected” from foreign policy considerations are unlikely to be skilled negotiators. From scientists’ perspective, it’s a problem because you can’t challenge power if you’re unwilling to recognize and name its existence.
So what does the alternative look like? From a policy perspective, it means simultaneously acknowledging that there are foreign policy benefits to be had from scientific internationalism and that you can’t negotiate international scientific agreements in a vacuum from the rest of foreign policy. The people who actually do what we might call “science diplomacy” at State know this, but they encounter a surprising amount of resistance from both scientists—who insist that science should be free of politics—and other government agencies—who emphasize US preeminence above all other considerations.
Here’s a specific example. The Trump administration’s travel ban is a humanitarian disaster. It’s also disrupted any number of scientific collaborations and research partnerships. In response, some scientists have argued that we need to create a “special visa” for scientists, a morally untenable response that suggests that scientists, as specialized experts, are more deserving of freedom of movement than other categories of humans. Political hardliners, meanwhile, assert that the ban won’t affect the quality of science in the United States because they blithely assume the superiority of native-born US scientists, a racist and Islamophobic position that ignores that skills and insights of scientists from other countries. The travel ban has absolutely harmed American science, but the only politically honest and morally defensible approach to this problem is to lift the travel ban as a whole, not just for science.
SR: What’s the best thing you read recently, on the history of science or any other topic?
I’m thoroughly enjoying Lindsey Freeman’s This Atom Bomb in Me, a sort-of memoir of growing up in and outside atomic culture in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Even before I finished writing Freedom’s Laboratory, I’ve been thinking a lot about why it’s so difficult for historians of science to tell stories that don’t center on those who hold enormous amounts of power. I’m convinced that the answer has something to do about our lack of words to describe people on the receiving end of science. This Atom Bomb in Me is a book that’s simultaneously obsessed with an object of science–the atomic bomb–and items not remotely tethered to scientific practice, like paintings by Bob Ross. It’s unlike anything I’ve read in recent memory, and I’m finding it enormously refreshing.
Audra J. Wolfe is a Philadelphia-based writer, editor, and historian. The author of Competing with the Soviets: Science, Technology, and the State in Cold War America, her work has appeared in the Washington Post, The Atlantic, and the podcast American History Tellers.
Sam Ratner is a contributing editor at Zitamar News, where he covers security issues in southern and eastern Africa.
Fear of a Black Atlantic World Order
The Quartermaster’s Tools and the Quartermaster’s House
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Posted By: festivalsexclusivecom
Two people were killed and one was injured as shots rang out during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, just before midnight Tuesday, according to the city’s police department, amid anger over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement Wednesday that he authorized 500 members of the Wisconsin National Guard to “support local law enforcement in Kenosha County” Wednesday night.
“A senseless tragedy like this cannot happen again,” Evers said in a statement about the shooting Tuesday night. “I again ask those who choose to exercise their First Amendment rights please do so peacefully and safely, as so many did last night. I also ask the individuals who are not there to exercise those rights to please stay home and let local first responders, law enforcement, and members of the Wisconsin National Guard do their jobs.”
A curfew will begin in Kenosha County on Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. local time.
Kenosha police issued a statement early Wednesday morning confirming that two people were dead while another sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries on the third consecutive night of protests. An investigation is underway and the victims’ identities have not yet been released, the statement said; no announcement was made of any arrests.
The sound of gunfire was captured shortly before midnight in a video posted. It was not clear what preceded the shots, who fired or how many people were involved or injured.
In another video shared on Twitter, a man can be seen sitting in the middle of a street aiming a gun at people who were running along the road.
One person appeared to attempt to grab the weapon, then a shot was fired and the individual was seen to collapse a few feet from the shooter.
At least one other person appeared to be shot before the shooter got up and started walking down the street.
The video did not make it clear what happened in the moments before it began.
One independent journalist, CJ Halliburton, said in a graphic video posted to his Facebook page that he witnessed the attack and rendered aid to a man who had been shot in the arm. “He shot the other guy in the head right there in the road,” wrote Halliburton.
The shooting in Kenosha follows a familiar call from an armed militia to “defend a city” during Black Lives Matter-related protests.
The Kenosha Guard, a self-described “local militia,” set up a Facebook event, “Armed Citizens to Protect our Lives and Property” and on its main Facebook page on Tuesday, asked, “Any patriots willing to take up arms and defend [our] City tonight from the evil thugs? Nondoubt they are currently planning on the next part of the City to burn tonight!”
The page listed more than 4,000 “interested” in the event. It was removed by Wednesday morning, as was the group’s Facebook page.
Militia and armed anti-government groups have seen a sharp proliferation in the U.S. in the last decade. Pledging to protect property, these armed groups, often dressed in military-style camouflage and bulletproof vests, have been visibly present at recent coronavirus Reopen rallies and Black Lives Matter protests, often with the seeming blessing of local police. Their presence has led to violence at demonstrations in Louisville, Kentucky, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Portland, Oregon.
The protests were sparked after a video shared on social media showed Blake, 29, being shot at close range by police on Sunday.
Blake was shot seven times by an officer and he is now paralyzed from the waist down, family attorney Patrick Salvi said Tuesday. Doctors don’t know if the condition is permanent.
Blake was “helping to de-escalate a domestic incident” when he was shot from behind after he walked away from officers, co-counsel Benjamin Crump said.
Kenosha police have released few details beyond saying that officers were responding to a domestic incident at 5:11 p.m. Sunday that resulted in a shooting.
Raysean White, 22, who recorded the video, has said he heard police tell Blake to “drop the knife.” White said he did not see Blake with a knife, and it is not clear whether he was carrying one.
By early Tuesday evening, protesters had once again taken to the streets of Kenosha, a city of nearly 100,000 about an hour’s drive north of Chicago.
Demonstrators threw bottles and authorities responded with pepper spray as they faced off outside the Kenosha County Courthouse. Authorities drove armored vehicles through the crowd to disperse people at Civic Center Park near the building.
Law enforcement using amplification told protesters they were violating curfew and dispersal orders.
“We’re asking you to voluntarily comply,” a male voice said. “Please don’t destroy your community.”
As demonstrators were driven out of the park and into nearby streets there were confrontations with men carrying assault weapons who said they were defending businesses, including a gas station. A few small fires burned nearby.
A protest against police also took place Tuesday night in Atlanta.
Earlier in the day, Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency and committed to doubling the number of National Guard troops in the city to 250.
Kenosha County Executive Jim Kreuser and Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian said in a statement that more than 100 law enforcement officers from other parts of Wisconsin were also expected Tuesday night.
A curfew was in effect from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m., and transit service was suspended from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m.
During Monday night’s protests, which spread to other American cities, including New York, Los Angeles and San Diego, Kenosha authorities responded to 37 fires and multiple life-threatening gunshot wounds, according to the fire department. The fires “nearly leveled several city blocks,” the fire department said in a statement.
The in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May was still resonating throughout the nation when Blake was gunned down Sunday.
Floyd’s death prompted the firing of four officers the next day, and they have since been charged in the death. In Atlanta, the officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks from behind in a Wendy’s parking lot in June was fired, and the chief of police resigned the next day. Two days later the former officer, Garrett Rolfe, was charged with suspicion of murder.
In Wisconsin, local, state and federal authorities are investigating the shooting, and the involved officers have been placed on administrative leave.
“We ask that you give the system time to run its course,” Kenosha police Chief Daniel Miskinis said in a video statement Tuesday.
On Tuesday Blake’s mother, Julia Jackson, appealed for peace.
“If Jacob knew what was going on as far as that goes, the violence and the destruction, he would be very unpleased,” she said.
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Photo courtesy of HER Planet Earth and Sandra Lim
A teams journey across Greenland’s Arctic Circle
By Christine Amour-Levar
NO DOUBT, traversing the full length of Greenland’s Arctic Circle Trail at the heart of winter on a bike will stand as one of the most extraordinary and unique experiences of my life. The journey saw my HER Planet Earth team and me push our limits to the brink of exhaustion on multiple occasions in extreme conditions and temperatures, across one of the most awe-inspiring and stunningly beautiful places I’ve ever witnessed.
The goal of this pioneering expedition was to raise awareness and funds (a team total of $50,000) for underprivileged women affected by climate change in the Asia region. We chose Greenland because it is one of the last final frontiers. Eighty percent covered in ice, its glaciers are contributing to a rise in the global sea level faster than was previously believed. As this accelerates, many coastal cities will be affected, and Asian cities will be hit much harder than others given their population, economic activity, and landmass. The processes that control sea-level rise are amplified in Asia. As a result, about four out of every five people impacted by sea-level rise by 2050 will live in East or South-east Asia.
Stepping off the plane in Kangerlussuaq, a small town in western Greenland with a population of a few hundred people feels like you have landed at the very edge of one of humanity’s last settlement. The minus 33°C temperature hits you in the face instantly. The dry air fills your nostrils and lungs, and it’s as if you are suddenly inhaling ice particles that freeze you from the inside out.
Waiting for us at the tiny airport terminal is no less than a giant of a man, Bo Lings. Standing in front of us with a warm and welcoming smile, the full length of his impressive two-meter muscular physique, the Greenlander is quite literally the largest man with whom I have shaken hands. Immediately, he inspires a deep sense of confidence and calm in our team. We understand that we are in excellent hands. And even though we have only just met him, I am reasonably sure that we would follow him, unquestioning, anywhere if he asked.
Thereafter, the biking expedition surpassed my expectations in terms of the scale and beauty of the landscape, the physical and emotional challenge of the experience, and the strength of the bond we formed as a team. Over the span of a week, we journeyed across the 200km Arctic Circle Trail from the Russell Glacier to the western coast of the world’s largest island, Greenland. We battled through temperatures ranging from minus 20°C to minus 40°C, ridding on all types of terrain, from hard-packed and powdery snow to slippery ice, mud, and rock. The team cycled up and down many hills and mountain passes and across vast frozen lakes and fjords. The days on the trail were long and tiring, with no shelter from the bitter cold and wind for up to ten hours each day. We kept looking in our goggles for Bo’s support vehicle to appear in the horizon, with some hot tea or soup, to give us a much-needed boost of energy and words of encouragement.
Some days were longer than others, and we would reach our shelter for the evening in complete darkness, shattered, cold, and wet, with every bone in our body hurting. Yet our hearts would be full from the stunning sceneries we had been lucky to behold that day.
We barely saw anyone on the trail, but one morning, the howling of dogs outside our cabin woke us up. They had arrived the night before at the helm of a sled piloted by a local Inuit couple. Inuit are the indigenous people of Greenland who make-up 90% of the population and who migrated initially from Alaska through Northern Canada.
One of the toughest moments during the journey involved getting up mountain passes. For sure, pushing a 13kg fat bike with oversized tires, while carrying a 6kg pack and breathing through a balaclava is an exhausting job! Once on top, however, we would always be rewarded with breath-taking views. And from those heights, the downhills were just formidable, a much-deserved reward after the long and hard slogs. Descending a snowy trail at full speed on a fat bike with towering mountains all around in the remote wilderness of Greenland, made me feel more alive than I had ever felt in a long time.
Despite the grueling conditions, the esprit de corps was strong. The teammates looked after one another with kindness and compassion, which makes all the difference. We encouraged each other, made each other laugh. A lot. The extreme environment emphasized the importance of caring for one another — there was no room for mistakes. We couldn’t afford to be complacent as the risk of frostbite was all too high. We disciplined ourselves to stay close together despite the different biking paces because if someone got lost, hurt, and left behind, they could freeze to death or die of hypothermia within hours.
During the long days on the trail, we had no contact with the outside world. The vast emptiness and isolation that envelope us inevitably made us reflect on our insignificance. We also thought about our loved ones so far away, but mostly, we focused on the person’s tracks ahead of us, and in those instances of deep concentration, it was easy to be present in the moment.
When at the end of our journey, we finally rode into the coastal fishing town of Sisimiut, the second-largest city in Greenland with a few thousand people, it felt so strange to be back to civilization after days in the vast emptiness of the Arctic Trail. There were cars, snowmobiles, dog sleds, people walking in the snowy streets, staring at our convoy of bikes. Suddenly we realized… that’s it, we had done it! We had succeeded in becoming the first all-female team to fat bike the frozen lands of the Arctic Circle Trail of Greenland. The sense of happiness and pride was powerful, and we were overwhelmed with emotion. Yet it was the experience as a team that bonded us, more than the achievement in itself.
There is no doubt that Greenland’s savage beauty has cast a spell on us. This land so wild and remote has a fragility to it that is calling us to wake up to a new world reality. We are all connected to it somehow, and our destiny seems interlinked with its very survival. Nations, like individuals, come to light at times of crisis. Indeed, what happens in the Arctic, does not stay in the Arctic, but will undoubtedly shape humanity’s future and survival, sooner than we think. The question is whether each of us will do our part to safeguard our planet and it’s most vulnerable, or just be a bystander.
Christine Amour-Levar is a Filipina philanthropist, adventurer, entrepreneur, and author. A passionate advocate of female empowerment and environmental conservation, she set up Women on a Mission (WOAM) and HER Planet Earth, two award-winning not-for-profit organizations. The organizations take all-female teams on challenging, often pioneering expeditions to off-the-beaten-track locations around the world to support worthy causes. HER Planet Earth’s primary objective is to raise awareness and funds for underprivileged women affected by climate change, while WOAM aims to support and empower women who have been subjected to violence and abuse.
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Australia, Finance Chats, money, Wealth
How Budget 2017 may affect families
The announcements in this update are proposals unless stated otherwise. These proposals need to successfully pass through Parliament before becoming law and may be subject to change during this process.
The Medicare levy will increase by 0.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent from 1 July 2019
The Government will spend $37.3 billion on child care over four years
Additional education funding has been set at $18.6 billion over 10 years
University student fees will increase by 7.5 per cent by 2021
University graduates will start repaying their loans when they reach an income level of $42,000 a year, down from approximately $55,000
Family Tax Benefit Part A payments will not be indexed for two years
Doctors will be encouraged to prescribe generic drugs to save the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme $1.8 billion over five years
In health care, the Medicare levy will increase on 1 July 2019 by 0.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent of taxable income to help fund the $22 billion National Disability Insurance Scheme. Treasurer Scott Morrison says all Australians need to support the disability scheme, even if they aren’t directly affected.
The Government will invest $37.3 billion in child care over four years to help about 1 million families, including those that need before and after school care for their children. A single, simplified, means-tested child care subsidy will provide more support for the families who need it the most from 2 July 2018.
The subsidy will introduce hourly rate caps and remove unnecessary regulation to allow providers to offer more flexible hours of care. The child care subsidy will be payable only to families with incomes below $350,000 per annum (in 2017-18 terms) from 2 July 2018. The upper income threshold of $350,000 per annum will be indexed annually by CPI from 1 July 2018.
A further $428 million will be provided to extend the National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to early childhood education for the 2018 school year to allow access to a quality preschool education.
This Budget will invest $18.6 billion in extra schools funding over the next 10 years, in accordance with the Gonski needs-based standard. Funding for each student across all sectors will grow at an average of 4.1 per cent a year.
However, university fees will rise by $2,000 to $3,600 for a four-year course and students will have to start paying back their debt when they earn more than $42,000 from July next year, down from the current level of approximately $55,000. A 2.5 per cent efficiency dividend will be applied to universities for the next two years.
First-home buyers will be able to use voluntary contributions to their existing superannuation funds to save for a house deposit. Contributions and earnings will be taxed at 15%, rather than marginal rates, and withdrawals will be taxed at their marginal rate, less 30% tax offset. Contributions will be limited to $30,000 per person in total and $15,000 per year. Both members of a couple can take advantage of the scheme. Non-concessional contributions can also be made but will not benefit from the tax concessions apart from earnings being taxed at 15%.
In Melbourne, Defence Department land at Maribyrnong will be released for a new suburb that could cater for 6,000 new homes. A new National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation will be established by July 1, 2018, to provide long-term, low-cost finance for more affordable rental housing.
States and Territories will be encouraged to transfer stock to the community housing sector and managed Investment trusts will be allowed to develop and own affordable housing. The incentive for investors will include a capital gains tax discount of 60 per cent, and direct deduction of rent from welfare payments from tenants.
Australians over the age of 65 will be able to make a non-concessional contribution of up to $300,000 each into their superannuation fund from the proceeds of the sale of their principal home from 1 July 2018.
Family Tax Benefits
The current Family Tax Benefit Part A payments will not be indexed for two years from 1 July 2017. Indexation will resume on 1 July 2019. A 30¢ in the dollar income test taper will apply under Method 1 for Family Tax Benefit Part A families with household incomes above the Higher Income Free Area (currently $94,316) from 1 July 2018. Entitlements under Family Tax Benefit Part A may be worked out using two income tests, with the one giving the highest rate applying. Method 1 sometimes produces a higher result for larger families.
If any of these proposals raise questions, concerns or potential opportunities for you, please speak with your financial adviser today. These opportunities apply to Australian consumers.
CentrelinkChild CareeducationMedicarepropertyUniversity
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Home / Arena / Nationwide Arena
Nationwide Arena opened just in time for the 2000-2001 NHL season. It is the home to the Columbus Blue Jackets which is one of 30 teams in the NHL. It also the home of the Columbus Destroyers (Arena Football), the Columbus Landsharks (Lacrosse) and host the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets (Tier 1 Hockey).
Location – 200 West Nationwide Blvd, Columbus, OH 43215. (Which is also known as the Arena District.)
Owners – Nationwide Financial Services
Construction Cost – $175 million
ESPN The Magazine declared “the No. 2 stadium experience in professional sports.”
The Ultimate Sports Road Trip rated it the best arena in the NHL saying “This newer arena in downtown Columbus is the anchor for the emerging Arena District, already burgeoning with shops, restaurants and hotels. The venue is spectacular, from its nostalgic brick and stone veneer to its sweeping concourses with blue mood lighting and modern amenities. The arena bowl has state of the art scoreboards and surround LED graphics boards which look 21st century high tech. With a separate practice rink built right in the facility, theme restaurants and great food selection, not to mention a raucous hockey atmosphere, this NHL venue is a must see!”
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You are here: Home / Economy News / Countrywide to Distribute Settlement to Its Clients
Countrywide to Distribute Settlement to Its Clients
The number of consumers recovering money in the settlement is the biggest in the F.T.C.’s history and wound up being double what the commission had estimated. Most will get $500 or less, but 5 percent will receive $5,000 or more, the trade commission said.
“It is astonishing that one single company could be responsible for overcharging more than 450,000 homeowners, which is more than 1 percent of all the mortgages in the United States,” Jon Leibowitz, chairman of the trade commission, said in an interview. Countrywide’s “was a business model based on deceit and corruption, and the harm they caused to American consumers is absolutely massive and extraordinary.”
The excessive fees and improper charges were levied on borrowers whose loans were serviced by Countrywide. Most of those receiving money under the settlement — almost 350,000 customers — were routinely charged excessive amounts by Countrywide for default-related services.
To profit from property inspections, title searches and maintenance on homes going through foreclosure, Countrywide set up subsidiaries to do the work and marked up the cost of the services by more than 100 percent. The company’s strategy was aimed at increasing profits from default-related services during bad economic times, the trade commission said. Some troubled borrowers were charged $300 by Countrywide to mow their lawns, for example.
An additional 102,331 people will share in the settlement because Countrywide gave them incorrect figures about how much they owed on their mortgages or added fees and escrow charges without notice, the trade commission said. Because these borrowers had filed Chapter 13 bankruptcies to try to keep their homes, the erroneous amounts supplied by Countrywide were also filed with the courts. Of these borrowers, about 43,000 were charged improper fees that Countrywide levied after their bankruptcies had been concluded and they were no longer under court supervision.
The recipients under the settlement are borrowers whose loans were serviced by Countrywide between Jan. 1, 2005, and July 1, 2008. In addition to being the nation’s largest mortgage lender, Countrywide was the biggest loan servicer, administering $1.4 trillion in mortgages. Countrywide nearly collapsed under the weight of its subprime lending, however, and was acquired in a fire sale by Bank of America in 2008.
It took more than a year to identify all of the borrowers injured by Countrywide’s practices because the company’s records were completely disorganized and chaotic, according to people briefed on the investigation. After the deal was struck, Bank of America was given 30 days to provide the F.T.C. with a list of borrowers who had been overcharged. The company failed to meet the deadline and its later assessments of those who had been victimized were found to be incomplete.
Ultimately, Bank of America had to hire an accounting firm to determine that it had correctly identified all the borrowers who were owed money.
When Bank of America settled the F.T.C.’s charges last year, it said it was doing so “to avoid the expense and distraction associated with litigating the case.” The company did not admit wrongdoing but was barred from the conduct cited by the commission. It also agreed to use a “data integrity program” to ensure that the information it used in servicing loans in Chapter 13 cases was accurate.
Article source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=0f5a23d433a39949febd340f52e2c4e0
Filed Under: Economy News Tagged With: business model, excessive amounts, excessive fees
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This Week's Program: Sunday, January 1, 2006
Homeless for Over a Century, a Tribe Awaits U.S. Redemption
Here is an article that describes one tribe's struggle for federal recognition, highlighting the history of U.S. land theft that displaced the tribe and left them marginalized. The article also provides a good outline of how the the recognition process unfolds, including its shortcomings and inadequacies, and the reasons why tribes continue to seek it.
By Jim Robbins The New York Times December 24, 2005
Here at the base of a rise called Hill 57, a steady, cold wind blows on a cloudless day as James Parker Shield and Russ Boham tell of life for the landless Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
The tribe, its land taken away more than a century ago, squatted in Great Falls and elsewhere in north-central Montana through the late 1960's, living as many as 12 to a tar-paper shack without plumbing, and scavenging at the dump for scrap metal, rags and food. Parents often ran afoul of state child welfare officials. ''They'd see you sleeping in a car body and take you away from your family,'' said Mr. Boham, who, like Mr. Shield, was among those shipped to the state orphanage when he was a child.
Today, with most of its members living in public housing around Great Falls, Mr. Shield and Mr. Boham are leading a protracted fight for government recognition of the tribe. Recognition would allow their people to gain control of federal money to buy land here for a tribal headquarters and housing, and to win back a measure of dignity.
The 112 families led by Chief Little Shell lost their North Dakota homeland to the government in 1892 when a chief of the Pembina Chippewa signed away their rights to it, without their authority and in their absence. The Little Shell had left home, in the Turtle Mountain area, to go hunting, and an Indian agent forced the other Chippewa to accept the Ten Cent Treaty -- so called by Indians because it bought about 10 million acres of Chippewa land, including that of the Little Shell, for a million dollars.
Ever since, the Little Shell have known only diaspora. Most came to Montana, where they lived near dumps and on the streets of Great Falls, Helena and other towns. In 1896, angry whites asked the government to do something about them, and the Army rounded them up at gunpoint, put them on boxcars and shipped them to Canada. ''Most of them made their way back,'' said Mr. Shield, the vice president of the tribal council, which Mr. Boham serves as assistant.
The three other surviving Chippewa tribes from the Turtle Mountain area -- the Turtle Mountain, the White Earth and the Rocky Boy -- were all less scattered and received federal recognition over time; they now have reservations. But the 4,500 or so Little Shell still await official recognition from the Office of Federal Acknowledgment at the Interior Department, a quest for which they have gained the support not only of other tribes in Montana but also of the Montana governor's office, the State Legislature and Cascade County, which includes Great Falls.
The recognition process was created by the government in 1978 to make reparations to tribes that had been forced to move from place to place throughout American history. There are now 562 federally recognized tribes in the United States. Roughly 220 others have expressed interest in recognition, but such efforts are often strongly opposed. Some of that opposition comes from tribes, already recognized, that are eager to protect their vast casino gambling income, and from states that do not want recognized tribes within their borders, because a bid for recognition is occasionally a ploy of relatively few Indians with dubious historical ties simply to open a new casino. ''We're running into the ripple effects of gaming and politics,'' Mr. Shield contended. ''But the gaming has nothing to do with us. If you take a hard look at the gaming opportunities in Montana, there's no market and no population. We want a home.''
James E. Cason, an associate deputy interior secretary who oversees Indian affairs, denied that the gambling issue had been a factor in the case of the Little Shell, who first applied for recognition in 1984, who received preliminary approval in 2000 and who have spent much of the time since then engaged in assembling the documentation needed for final approval. (The final draft of their petition was sent to the government earlier this year.) ''It doesn't have anything to do with gaming -- it's a non issue,'' Mr. Cason said, adding that the Little Shell had been ''in control of this process the last five years and have asked for extensions.'' With the final draft now in hand, ''we will try to do it as expeditiously as we can,'' he said.
But the recognition process has long been criticized by Indians as unwieldy, partly because of a requirement for extensive documentation that proves they have acted as a tribe politically and culturally over the last two centuries. ''It's extremely onerous, almost prohibitively so,'' said Kim Gottschalk, a lawyer for the Native American Rights Fund, a nonprofit law firm based in Boulder, Colorado, that is researching the Little Shell claim. The fund estimates that it has spent more than $1 million in out-of-pocket expenses on the petition, not counting lawyers' pay.
Kevin Gover, a Pawnee Indian who was assistant interior secretary for Indian affairs from 1997 to 2000 and is now a law professor at Arizona State University, is also critical of the recognition program. ''They've been around for 30 years,'' he said, ''and they've never managed to approve more than two a year.'' Professor Gover said the Office of Federal Acknowledgment demanded far too much documentation, ''and that is especially a problem for tribes like the Little Shell,'' who lived in a remote area and have no written records from the period.
The Little Shell band is not claiming land. But with $3.5 million held in trust for it by the federal government until recognition is achieved, it would buy 200 acres of farmland here in Cascade County, where most tribal members live, and build a headquarters, a clinic and housing. In November, Cascade County commissioners passed a resolution calling for the county to be the home base of the tribe, even though that would mean the removal of 200 acres from the tax base.
"We support them moving forward with official recognition,'' said Commissioner Lance Olson. ''But if they aren't going to recognize them, they should tell them.'' Federal recognition would also allow the Little Shell to apply for minority contracts and to have a government-to-government relationship with Washington. ''That means they could no longer treat us,'' Mr. Shield said, ''like someone they don't want to admit they fathered.''
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Jenna Flanagan, MD
OB-GYN, Instructor, Academic Specialist Faculty, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Harvard Medical School, MA, USA
Work Experience: 6+ years’ experience in obstetrics, gynecology, and minimally invasive gynecologic surgery
“I am honored to be working with an application that has such a huge user base. I strongly believe information and knowledge are essential to making good medical and health decisions and to be helping provide access to these resources through Flo has been very rewarding.”
Dr. Jenna Flanagan, FLS, FACOG, MMS, is an academic generalist OB-GYN at Beth Israel in Boston, MA. She has subspecialty interest in Family Planning, Global Health, Laparoscopic surgery and Public Health.
She works directly with resident physicians and is a part of the Family Planning Department at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC).
Graduated cum laude with Biology degree (Biology, Chemistry, Neuroscience) at Bowdoin College. Completed a 2 year honor's thesis on spinal cord regeneration. Published work and presented at 2006 National Neuroscience Convention in Atlanta, GA.
MD in Medicine at University of Vermont College of Medicine.
Completed her postgraduate training in an Obstetrics & Gynecology residency at UVM Medical Center.
Jenna Flanagan has received a number of awards:
The James E. Demeules Surgical Research Prize
The Carbee Award for academic excellence
A Ryan Fellowship for excellence in Family Planning
The Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology award
Her research has focused on optimizing the experience of labor and delivery in the Somali population.
Dr. Flanagan’s interests include resident teaching and medical education, labor innovations, breastfeeding medicine, laparoscopic surgery, and evidence-based medicine.
She’s a mother of two (and a dog), an avid runner and hiker who loves the outdoors.
“I strongly believe a person should have the right to make medical decisions about their health and body, especially as that relates to pregnancy. I strive to provide support and accurate knowledge during that journey and offer services to allow my patients to receive the care they need in a high quality, evidence-based way.”
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Why I Give: Lee Palmer Everding
A commitment to community and faith inform Lee Palmer Everding's generosity and community work.
Philanthropy is an essential element of Lee Everding's world, and she sees an opportunity to learn and engage everywhere.
A social worker by training and profession, Everding has always taken a "resident leadership" approach to her work. "I try to help people find their voices and lead and advocate for their own issues," she says. Her story of taking a group of mothers from a low-income area to meet with the governor at the Colorado State Capitol exemplifies her commitment.
"The women realized that they do have a voice and that people do care," she recalls.
Over 40 years ago, Everding founded Denver Eclectics, a nonprofit organization that promotes discussion and lifelong learning among women in Metro Denver. With field trips and presentations from dozens of experts a year, Denver Eclectics explores wide-ranging topics including urban agriculture, reintegrating former prisoners into society, international politics, and Renaissance Venetian art. More than 200 members participate in the programs and discussions.
Faith plays a major role in Everding's life. "I've been involved in the Episcopal Church since I was quite small," she explains, "and that helped form a social justice view." Everding learned to "stand and be counted in issues that matter" and get involved to help others directly. "It's no good to be on the outside observing," she says. "I learned that it is both better and more fun to give than to receive."
In early 2001, Everding helped to found The Abrahamic Initiative, which facilitates lectures, readings, and "conversations that matter" in the Christian, Hebrew, and Muslim traditions. The Initiative helps people expand their knowledge and increase their networks, and promotes understanding among different faiths. It's also about taking social action. (See abrahamicinitiative.org)
"Given the circumstances of today's world, it's important that we are open to meeting people from other faith traditions. We need to learn about each other's traditions and learn what we share," Everding says.
Everding would rather talk about ideas and activities than about herself. But she will say that her reasons for giving started at home. "I've always felt very fortunate, and also very responsible," she explains. She brought up her own children with the same desire to look inward, to reach out, and to help others.
Faith, family learning, concern for community: These are the reasons why Lee Everding gives.
Are you ready to make a difference with your giving?The Denver Foundation helps generous people like you to make a difference in our community and beyond.We can help you create a personalized fund to accomplish your philanthropic goals. If you have questions, contact Kelly Purdy with the Philanthropic Services Group, kpurdy@denverfoundation.org
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Here’s Why Camila Cabello Wants to Protect Her Relationship With Shawn Mendes
Home CELEBRITY NEWS Here’s Why Camila Cabello Wants to Protect Her Relationship With Shawn Mendes
Camila Cabello is one of Elle‘s cover stars this month for its Women in Music issue, and in her interview she discussed all those rumors about her and Shawn Mendes. “Love is the most sacred, precious thing to me,” she said. “I want to always feel like my love is between me and that person, and never belonging to anyone else. As much as I love my fans, and as much as I love people, I like to live my life as normally as possible. In a relationship, it makes me feel uncomfortable to invite everyone in on that.”
When asked specifically about Mendes, Cabello said, “I don’t know; people can say whatever they want to say. They can speculate, but at the same time, we are going to live our own lives, enjoy it, and fall for each other like nobody is watching. That is how I want to live. I never want to open the door for people to feel like they are involved. Like I said, I want it to be mine and [his]. That’s why I’m so tight-lipped about it: because I want to protect it.”
If you haven’t been keeping track of this situation, the internet is convinced Cabello and Mendes are a couple. Their steamy collaboration, “Señorita,” first sparked the discussion, followed by a string of PDA moments. Toss in a super-hot VMAs performance (watch above), and you have a full-blown pop-culture phenomenon.
Mendes actually confirmed he’s in a relationship earlier this week, though he didn’t explicitly say who with. It seems that anyone who wants a closer look at what’s going on will have to wait for Cabello’s upcoming album: “I feel an undeniable truth that the album has captured the essence of me at this point in my life,” she also told Elle. We can’t wait to listen.
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British Academy International Partnerships and Mobility Grant (2017)
The International Partnership and Mobility grant enabled the research team to undertake two workshops (UK and Peru), multiple meetings involving structured interviews / discussions with stakeholders, and field visits to four locations in the Peruvian Andes: Aypate (Piura), Cusichaca (Cusco), Huanta/Wari (Ayacucho) and Huaros/Marcapomacocha (Lima/Junín). The field visits enabled the team to engage with local communities, field archaeologists, non-governmental organisations, agronomists, university researchers, and members of government institutions. Representatives from these stakeholder communities were then represented at the workshops in Lima and in Reading.
Cordillera Viuda, Upper Chillon Valley / Marcapomacocha, Lima/Junin Regions, Peru
Academy of Medical Sciences – Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) Network Grant: Food Production and Climate Resilience in Peru: Past, Present and Future (2018-2019)
The GCRF Network Grant enabled the team to: discuss and communicate the main issues associated with climate resilience and sustainable food production in Peru over the past 1500 years; convey significant issues governing sustainable food production in Peru at the present day and in the future; design methodologies for data collection, and impact activities, and establish procedures for collaboration and publication; undertake preliminary field surveys of traditional agricultural systems in three of the key study areas with a specific emphasis on irrigated agriculture – Ancash (W-C Peru), Ayacucho (C-S Peru) and Lima/Junin (W-C Peru); design inter-disciplinary collaborative research projects in Peru.
Modern irrigation, Cordillera Blanca, Ancash Region, Peru
British Academy Knowledge Frontiers Research Grant: Adaptive Capacity of Farming Communities to Climate Change in the Peruvian Andes (2019-2020)
The impact of climate change on water availability, agro-pastoral systems and local communities remains poorly understood in the Peruvian Andes. This is a highly controversial issue given that Peru is vulnerable to the effects of climate variability and extreme weather (e.g. El Nino). This is already having a significant impact on agricultural productivity. Our project aims to gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by communities living with climate change, and the opportunities afforded through appropriate adaptive strategies. To plan climate change adaptation strategies, we will undertake a fully integrated study drawing upon methodologies developed in social science, archaeology and hydrology. We will focus on a region in N. Peru (Ancash), where the impact of water stress is already being felt by communities. The main output will be a framework, integrating socio-economics with water resource data, for use by communities and institutes in Peru and internationally.
Irrigated agricultural fields, Cordillera Blanca, Ancash Region, Peru
GCRF – Royal Academy of Engineering Research Grant: Climate Resilience and Food Production in Peru (CROPP) (2020-2023)
The current and future impact of climate change on agro-pastoral farming systems, and their water supplying ecosystems, remains poorly understood in the Peruvian Andes. This is a significant issue given the known vulnerability to climate variability and extreme weather, which is already having a significant impact on agricultural productivity, compounded by chronic poverty in many rural areas and the need for better government-led strategic planning. To address this challenge, our project aims to gain a better understanding of the difficulties faced by rural farming communities living with climate change, the opportunities afforded through appropriate adaptive strategies, and the inherent resilience of people and mountain environments to natural shocks and disasters caused by climate variability. We will also develop a model that integrates agroeconomic data with climate change scenarios, and water and ecological resource quantification and analysis. These approaches will enable us to plan sustainable management practices that enhance climate resilience in conjunction with positive economic outcomes for farmers, aiding decision-makers to better understand and debate future adaptive strategies. We will undertake a fully integrated study that is collaborative and interdisciplinary drawing upon methodologies developed in the humanities, and social and natural sciences, with expertise provided by local communities, NGOs, government personnel, and academic staff from the fields of archaeology, hydrology, ethnography, economics, ecology and climatology. The research will involve workshops and interviews with stakeholders, interrogation of secondary datasets, assembling climate models and meteorological data, the survey of the water management infrastructure, and the collection and analysis of hydrological and ecology data from tributary rivers and peatlands. Building upon our previous research, we will focus on Ancash (Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Negra) in west-central Peru, and undertake a comparison with Ayacucho-Apurimac (Sondondo and Chicha-Soras) in south-central Peru, where the impact of climate change is already being felt by rural communities.
Agricultural fields, Cordillera Blanca, Ancash Region, Peru
Josie Handley
Project: Testing the resilience of traditional agriculture in the Peruvian Andes to periods of climate change and human activity (Funded by the AHRC).
Supervisors: Professor Nicholas Branch, Professor Jose Iriarte (University of Exeter).
Dan Teeling
Project: Quantifying responses to abrupt climate change in the Andes, South America: Empirical data and model synergies (Funded by the NERC).
Supervisors: Dr. Stuart Black, Professor Nicholas Branch, Professor Christopher Vane (British Geological Survey), Dr. Joy Singarayer.
Our approach is to collect and share ethnographic and ethnohistoric baseline data using the Rapid Appraisal of Agricultural Innovation Systems (RAAIS) methodology. The methodology permits analysis of agro-pastoral systems, especially the capacity for adaptation and innovation, and utilizes participatory action research.
Our approach is to collect and share: Quaternary Science data – palaeoclimatic, palaeoenvironmental and palaeoecological data from lakes and peatlands (bofedales) using a range of methods, including sedimentology, stable isotopes, organic and inorganic geochemistry, pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, phytoliths and charcoal; Hydrological data – quantify hydrological storage and flows using a range of methods, including survey of rivers, current and ancient water management features, and modelling to determine flow direction, flow accumulation and saturation index and topographic wetness.
Our approach is to collect and share landscape survey, excavation and post-excavation data using a range of methods, including remote sensing and GIS, soil micromorphology, phytoliths, charcoal, geochemistry and ceramics.
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Diallo in high demand at West Ham
Date: 22nd August 2019 at 3:30pm
West Ham youngster Amadou Diallo is in huge demand across Europe after emerging as one of the brightest talents in England, according to the Independent.
The newspaper claim on their website that the 16-year-old winger is highly regarded by both club and country after his performances at youth level and that he has risen through the ranks at a rapid pace.
With high expectations for the prodigious attacker, the report states that a vast number of sides across Europe are keeping a close eye on the teenager as they hunt a move for his capture.
Diallo is naturally a left-sided winger and was playing for both the Hammers’ under-18s and under-23s last season, scoring two goals in three Premier League 2 appearances.
No one would want to get ahead of themselves when it comes to the future of a 16-year-old footballer but the fact he is playing under-23 football shows how highly-rated Diallo is at the London Stadium. The Hammers do of course have a reputation of developing young talents into first-team stars, with Declan Rice the latest example of their success. The problem the 16-year-old has right now is how much competition lies ahead of him for a place on the left wing, with the likes of Felipe Anderson, Manuel Lanzini and Andriy Yarmolenko already battling it out in the first-team. What the Hammers have to do is prove he has a chance of progressing to the senior side sooner rather than later, or face him looking for opportunities elsewhere. We have already seen that happen with Domingos Quina moving to Premier League rivals Watford and the Irons will not want lightning to strike twice.
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Photo by Piotr Chrobot on Unsplash
Explore The Economic Powerhouses Of The World
by James Metcalfe May 20, 2018, 5:28 pm
Known for being the hub and global cities of the world, cities and locations right across the globe have risen and fallen over the last six hundred years or so, growing and shrinking as events and circumstances unfold around them. Influence and power radiate from these cities, yielding some of biggest and bravest transactions known to man every single day. Billions of pounds are gambled on stocks and shares through the massive stock exchanges set up in the heart of these cities and, for some, it’s their only way of ensuring they stay relevant on the map.
Want to travel to any of these destinations? Find cheap hotels, flights and car rentals here.
#4 London
#7 Tokyo
#8 Dubai
#9 Toronto
Truly the first example of a real multinational trading hub, Venice established itself as one of the biggest and most prosperous Italian states right from the sixth century, all the way to the sixteenth. Its famous canals bringing in the world's most ambitious tradesmen from around the globe, Venice's prosperity ensured that it would remain a key player in the international politics of the day. With one of the strongest navies ever seen, it was a bustling hive of activity and trading.
Owning the right to call it the biggest and most important city in the world for over a century, the Dutch golden age in the 1600s brought along new and revolutionary ideas towards what really made a financial capital. Establishing the very first central bank in the Bank of Amsterdam in 1608, the city introduced the world to the concept of bank money, providing one of the best and most reliable sources of income for national and international trading. Many of the Dutch models set up during their dominance on the world stage would come to be copied by the likes of Sweden, France and the United Kingdom later on.
The cultural capital of the world, Paris is seen by many as one of the leading cities in the whole European sector. Once possessing an empire that was the second largest of all time, its links and influences still spread out across the globe to this day.
Once possessing the biggest empire of all time, London has established itself as one of the leading financial capitals of the world since the mid 1700s. Profiting from its place inbetween the Asia and US timezones, London also makes top use of its connection with its European counterparts. As a global city, it is consistently ranked amongst the top three in the world during the present day.
For years the undisputed heavyweight city of the world, New York boasts the two biggest stock exchanges still operational today, along with the most famous marketing street across the globe in Wall Street. The symbol of freedom, liberty and self-made millions, it is the hub of the American Dream and attracts millions upon millions of tourists every year.
One of the most densely populated areas on the planet, Hong Kong has established itself as one of the key trading ports in the entire world. With a rapid growth starting sometime in the 1960s, Hong Kong features more skyscrapers in a single location than anywhere else in the world, with a financial sector that is quickly becoming more and more influential.
A symbol of resistance to the Western-dominated politics and economies of the world, Tokyo's revolutionary economic and social growth has consistently made it stand out as one of the global cities in the world. With a technological hub that rivals any other centre around the globe, its position as a powerhouse will only grow as the years pass on.
The hub of the Muslim world, Dubai's staggeringly quick growth is down to the discovering oil in the 1960s, coupled with smart real estate movements and tourism. Their hyper-contemporary city boasts the biggest buildings in the world, attracting more attention from the world around it.
Easily one of the most multicultural and diverse global cities in the world, Toronto boasts some of the impressive skyscrapers anywhere in the world, with the CN Tower being labelled the tallest free standing building in the entire Western Hemisphere.
in 💼 Business, 🎁Gifts
14 Gifts That Would Make A Farmer’s Life Easier
Gift something that helps with the farmer’s daily grind.
by Nathaniel Fried
in 🛫 Travel
9 Stunning Spots You Have To Add To Your Irish Bucket List
by James Metcalfe
11 Spots To Add To Your German Bucket List
15 Beautiful Spots To Add To Your UK Bucket List
The Ultimate Spanish Bucket List For Sightseers
The Ultimate Italian Bucket List For Sightseers
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Everton Women manager Willie Kirk has signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract until the end of June 2023.
Appointed in December 2018 along with Assistant Manager Chris Roberts, who has also agreed a new contract until June 2023, Kirk told evertontv:
“We want to take the standards at Everton to a completely different level. A higher level than it’s ever been before.
“I’m desperate to bring silverware to Everton Women. And we want to qualify for the Champions League.
“There are a lot of building blocks [towards achieving those goals], but that’s what we want to do.”
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Home » News » This PlayStation 1 Game Was Recently Completed After Two Decades
This PlayStation 1 Game Was Recently Completed After Two Decades
A PlayStation 1 game has recently been completed after 20 years since the start of its development. Yes, a PlayStation 1 title.
The game is called Magic Castle, and it was a game a small team of Japanese developers were trying to bring to life in 1998. After spending eight months on the game, the team brought the title to seven big publishers, like Sony, in hopes that at least one of them would believe in their pitch. It never really got picked up in the end, but one member from the original team decided to take it upon himself to resurrect the project after finding its original source code. The developer used emulators and tied off a handful of loose ends to finish the game. The result is a game that boasts a genuine vintage aesthetic of isometric designs and lively music. There’s a Net Yaroze Europe interview with two of the game’s original developers, where they go into detail about the game’s making and how it was almost picked up by a company known for producing “famous Japanese RPG’s,” albeit it never really happened.
Those who want to play Magic Castle can download the game on Net Yaroze Europe‘s website.
In case you missed it, GmanModz has created the world’s smallest portable Nintendo 64.
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Silent Hill 2 Special 2 Disc Set
The player is cast in the role of James Sunderland, on first sight a normal person who got confused, as anyone else would, when he received a letter from his wife asking him to come to Silent Hill, their special place. The only problem is that his wife died three years ago, and has kept the secrets surrounding her death. James decides to honor the letter's request, wondering if this is a sick joke or if there is more to this. As James reaches the outskirts of the town, he finds that the road is blocked, and parks at an abandoned restroom. Little does he realize that this is the first step forward into the mystery of Silent Hill and his own past.
Silent Hill 2 is a survival horror game. The gameplay is similar to that of the first installment. The player navigates James around the town of Silent Hill and collects weapons, health-restoring items, and objects needed to solve puzzles in an unlimited inventory. A radio alerts James when enemies are near. Like the protagonist of the first game, James is not very skillful in combat; he can fight with basic melee weapons or firearms with scarce ammunition. Most of the puzzles are logic-based and are often shaped like riddles, though there are a few simple inventory-based tasks as well.
While the basic concept is the same as in the previous entry, the game is set in a part of town that was unexplored in it, and the weapons and enemies are mostly new as well. Also new is the ability to change the standard "survival horror" (character-dependent) controls into the more widespread, 3D (camera-dependent) navigation. The difficulty level can be adjusted separately for combat and puzzles.
Unlike the North American release, the PAL and Japanese releases have an extra Making of Silent Hill 2 disc featuring various behind-the-scenes materials, interview with developers, Konami game trailers and more.
Silent Hill 2 Special 2 Disc Set has been cleaned, tested and is working. If you experience any difficulties in getting the game to run on your system, please contact us via email or live chat. Faulty products will be refunded in full under our 30-day free warranty policy.
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The Foundation expansion is a nice reminder of what made Control so great
Screenshot: Control (Remedy Entertainment)
Remedy Entertainment’s 2019 action game Control—if I may take off my Serious Critic Hat and replace it with my Person Who Just Likes Video Games Hat—is rad as hell. It has some very big problems, and some of the blurring effects gave me a headache when I played it for review last summer. But goddamn, it is just super freakin’ cool (and those blurring effects are often in service of really nice environmental destruction). The game’s first paid expansion, The Foundation, just came out on Xbox One after being exclusive to PlayStation 4 and PC for three months, and it’s a fantastic refresher on all of the things Control did well (and also, oddly, the things Control kind of whiffed on). If you played the base game, it’s a nice opportunity to expand the story in some interesting ways and lay down some surprising groundwork for future stories. If you haven’t played the base game, go do that. It’s rad as hell.
Here’s a refresher on Control: You play as Jesse Faden, a woman who experienced a supernatural event as a child and has been searching for her missing brother ever since. That search leads her to an office building in the middle of New York called The Oldest House that happens to contain the headquarters of The Federal Bureau Of Control, a secret government organization that investigates supernatural events. When Jesse arrives, she finds FBC Director Zachariah Trench dead, and an extra-dimensional entity known as The Board (which sort of runs the FBC from behind the scenes) appoints her as his successor.
The Foundation takes place after that story, which I won’t fully spoil here (as I already did that elsewhere), with Jesse accepting her new duties as FBC director and responding to a call from The Board about something wrong with The Oldest House’s Foundation. The building is sort of a sentient entity, known for shifting hallways around on a whim—or at least the skyscraper equivalent of a “whim”—and the Foundation is mostly a byzantine series of caves spiraling out from a black monolith called The Nail. The Board tells Jesse that The Nail is broken and that she must fix it, which mostly involves solving some puzzles and trying to kill (or “video game,” to quote one of Control’s best jokes) new enemies infected by the evil hive-mind creatures from the base game.
The main plot is pretty standard stuff, as far as Control goes, but it gradually raises some really cool questions about The Board and the history of the FBC that were never really addressed before. The Foundation makes it explicit that the FBC existed before The Oldest House and The Board were discovered, and yet Jesse and her predecessors were perfectly willing to go along with whatever The Board (which is only ever depicted as an inverted black pyramid) told them to do. Over the course of The Foundation, Jesse’s trust in The Board starts to shatter as she realizes how she’s being manipulated, and she starts to learn more about an entity called The Former that showed up as a minor side-boss in Control and has a connection to The Board (it’s the big one-eyed bug thing).
The Foundation also has a lot more of the supplementary reading material that was one of the biggest highlights of Control, fleshing out some members of the FBC and offering weirdly hilarious bits of flavor text about this universe’s extremely dry treatment of fantastical events. You find a letter at one point from a man who believes he has learned how to speak the language of fish, and it’s simply addressed to “Science.” It’s all mostly great, and now I’m even more excited for the next expansion, AWE, which is supposed to directly tie in with the events of Remedy’s similarly excellent Alan Wake. Combine that with the interesting stuff that happens in The Foundation, and how great Control was already, and AWE could be… pretty rad. It just needs a release date now. And by “now” I mean “Please, Remedy, give it to me now.”
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The first piece of Trump’s wall is set to go through a Texas wildlife refuge
Posted on July 17, 2017 by GarryRogers
GR: Destroying a nature refuge to satisfy a campaign promise is probably more than Trump’s fellow phobes wanted. But there is no limit to the damage Trump will do to get some approval. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about the harm from such a wall. Perhaps we can help some of Trump’s supporters see the truth by sharing this bit of nasty outcome.
An official told the Texas Observer that construction would “essentially destroy the refuge.”
CREDIT: AP Photo/Eric Gay
“U.S. Customs and Border Patrol has begun preparations to construct the first leg of the Trump administration’s border wall through the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge in South Texas, according to the Texas Observer.
An Ocelot seen at the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge near Alamo, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
“The Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge comprises 2,088-acres along the U.S.-Mexico border, and was established in 1943 for the protection of migratory birds.
“Federal officials told the Texas Observer that the wall would consist of an 18-foot levee wall that would stretch for three miles in the wildlife refuge. The construction plan would require building a road south of the wall, as well as clearing land on either side. Such construction would “essentially destroy the refuge,” an official told the Texas Observer.
Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge is home to 400 bird species, 450 types of plants, half of all butterfly species found in North America, and such rarities as the Indigo Snake and Altamira Oriole shown here.
“Congress is still debating funding for the billion-dollar wall, but a federal official told the Texas Observer that funds could be transferred from within the Department of Homeland Security to pay for construction at the refuge. Construction within the refuge could begin as early as winter of 2018.” –Natasha Geiling (The first piece of Trump’s wall is set to go through a Texas wildlife refuge)
This entry was posted in Endangered Species, Politics and tagged trump, wall, wildlife-refuge by GarryRogers. Bookmark the permalink.
7 thoughts on “The first piece of Trump’s wall is set to go through a Texas wildlife refuge”
Nancy on July 17, 2017 at 1:21 pm said:
Josh Gross | The Jaguar on July 17, 2017 at 1:55 pm said:
Unfortunately I can’t pretend to be surprised: advocates and scientists have repeatedly warned us that Trump’s border wall would be catastrophic for wildlife.
GarryRogers on July 17, 2017 at 5:07 pm said:
My pleasure Gary!
Exposing the Big Game on July 18, 2017 at 7:19 am said:
GarryRogers on July 18, 2017 at 11:35 am said:
Thank you Jim.
Pingback: The first piece of Trump’s wall is set to go through a Texas wildlife refuge — GarryRogers Nature Conservation – Sig Nordal, Jr.
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AFN National Chief, Perry Bellegarde, releases letter Chief St. Denis requested on Nov. 25
It took a year and a few requests before Chief Harry St. Denis of Wolf Lake First Nation got word from the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) that Perry Bellegarde has done his job–something that wasn’t clear even 2 weeks ago.
In fact, the National Chief’s July 2016 letter to officials who were to receive a copy of Resolution #49/2015 goes beyond a mere passing on of the resolution’s content. It urges the Prime Minister and other recipients that they need to “respect the rights and jurisdiction of [various Algonquin First Nations] about decision-making regarding [their] traditional territory.” Page 1 of the letter follows.
Page 2 of the letter contains a closing paragraph urging the parties involved to discuss the issues raised by the resolution.
On August 23, National Chief Bellegarde received a reply from Prime Minister Trudeau, as follows. He made that available, too, as part of his response to Chief St. Denis’s Nov. 25 letter. The matter is now at rest.
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Immigration debate forces Republicans to choose
The gun debate has revealed some troubling tensions within the American conservative movement. It is a misnomer, of course, to speak of the American conservative movement, we are really dealing with dozens of overlapping movements locked in a troubled marriage of convenience. The same sort of uneasy alliance exists on the left. Major shifts in political fortune often reveal deep fissures within the constellation of groups and individuals Hillary Clinton once called the “great right-wing conspiracy”.
Conservatives have a deep distrust of centralized government, but they are often willing to support the unmitigated flowering of government authority if it promises to get drugs off the streets, reduce crime or enhance America’s reputation in the world or secure the nation’s borders. When three-quarters of a steadily-growing Latino electorate pulls the lever for the opposition, the need for change is obvious. Suddenly the conservative desire to maintain white hegemony (“taking back our country”) is in tension with the conservative fear of “jackbooted thugs”.
In an opinion piece for The Hill, Mike Lillis directs us to recent remarks from South Carolina Republican Trey Gowdy, by all accounts the staunchest of staunch conservatives:
While Gowdy has not made immigration a focus of his two years on Capitol Hill — most often toeing the party line without fanfare — he recently rejected the notion that the government should round up and deport the millions of illegal immigrants living in the country.
“You want them knocking on your front door?” Gowdy told Gannett this month. “You want them going to elementary schools and rounding up the kids?”
The “You want them knocking on your front door?” argument is a variation on Martin Niemoller’s “first they came for the socialists” lament. If the jackbooted thugs are breaking down the doors of illegal aliens today, the reasoning goes, they will be kicking down your door tomorrow.
Unfortunately, to follow this reasoning, it is necessary to grant undocumented Mexicans the same moral standing “real” Americans enjoy, and that is precisely what the white-is-right folks refuse to do.
The unfolding immigration debate has begun within the Republican Party. The central question is whether undocumented aliens should be given a path to citizenship. Marco Rubio assures his detractors that it will take years, even decades, for undocumented field laborer to move from work visa, to green card, to citizenship. They will pay fines and back taxes as an act of contrition for breaking the law. They will be shunted to the back of a very long line. Young men and women who begin the process could be in advanced middle-age before they emerge as Americans in good standing.
To Mr. Rubio’s conservative friends, that’s just a fancy substitute for “amnesty”.
Memory is much neater than history. We remember an America where immigrants had to stand in line and follow the rules. Back in the day, we tell each other, you couldn’t just become a citizen by wandering over the border and staking your claim; you had to produce your documents and follow proper procedure.
Historical reality isn’t that neat; the rules have changed dramatically over time. There have been times when white people passed between the United States and Canada as if the border had no meaning. There have been times when the US-Mexico border was porous. There have been times when strict limits were placed on immigration from Asia or Eastern Europe. Jewish immigration was severely restricted before, during and after the Second World War. At other times the words “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore” was a reasonable description of American immigration policy.
If you are white and Protestant, chances are that your ancestors found it remarkably easy to obtain American citizenship. There were no lines, no waiting periods, and certainly no taxes or fines. You just presented yourself at the border and, unless the authorities had good reason for keeping you out, you were in.
That’s how my ancestors came to Canada and the United States, often moving back and forth between these countries with remarkable ease. My father’s ancestors settled in Pennsylvania before heading north to Ontario and from South Dakota north to Saskatchewan. My mother’s parents traded a life of poverty and deprivation in England for a life of poverty and deprivation in Ontario. If you could book passage, you were in. Simple as that.
But these are white people we’re talking about. Not particularly impressive white people, to be sure. They had little money or education, and most of them spoke little or no English upon arrival, but they were white people so they got a pass. Their full humanity was unquestioned.
And let’s face it, the current immigration debate is driven by the fact that most of the people coming to America today are not white. I became an American citizen a few years ago in a ceremony involving hundreds of newly minted Americans. Just a handful of us hailed from Canada, England, Germany or Sweden. I know, because each national group was asked to stand together. When Mexico was called, half the room was on its feet.
But the line of Mexican applicants is long; so long that most of the folks standing in line have little chance of success. If you are poor, uneducated and lacking in high-tech competence, there is no line. So, if you want to come to America badly enough, you find a Coyote, pack up as much water as you can carry, and head for the Rio Grande. Or you obtain a visitors visa and intentionally overstay your welcome.
If, like Marco Rubio, your family hails from Cuba, a different set of rules apply. Make it to the border and you will be welcomed as an American citizen. Any enemy of Fidel is a friend of ours. Which explains why Ted Cruz, the newly elected Hispanic Senator from Texas, wants to build a wall at the Mexican border. Ted is Cuban.
For the past thirty years, the immigration debate has been driven by an intense desire to return to the days when white votes settled elections and dictated public policy. But, moral considerations aside, is this dream becoming hopeless? Some within the Republican Party have concluded that radical re-branding is in order. It is no longer possible to win a national election without Latino support, they argue, and we shouldn’t be surprised that people of color are reluctant to vote for the Party of White. It’s certainly not because the Democrats are enthusiastic about immigration reform, Latinos simply see the blue team as the lesser of evils. A small shift to the center in the immigration debate would bring Latino votes streaming over to the red side of the electoral column. Republicans can easily outflank the Democrats on the immigration issue and greatly enhance their national electoral chances in the process.
This argument will be rejected out of hand by the “taking back our country” folk. If Latinos vote Republican, they argue, they will recreate the party in their own image. It won’t be our country anymore; it will be their country. And that’s exactly what we don’t want to happen. Besides, seal-the-border politics still works miracles in southern and border states.
It’s not a question of skin color, of course, it’s all about value and tradition and language and heritage and all that other non-racial stuff that’s all about race. Sure, we’re all equal; but some of us are more equal than others. If the jackbooted thugs come for them, it’s okay; we just don’t want them coming for our guns.
Which side of the Republican Party will triumph in this civil war? It’s too early to tell. But if Republicans fail to change their image, and if Obama can unite the Democrats behind the kind of immigration reform that honors the full humanity of all humans, the Republican share of the Latino vote will be closer to 15% in 2016.
January 25, 2013 · Posted in immigrant rights, immigration, immigration history, immigration reform · Tagged immigration, race, Republican Party ·
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Astronomers Found 10 New Moons Circling Jupiter
Jessica Boddy
Jupiter is pictured here with its closely orbiting moon Io (not one of the newly discovered moons).
Photo: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Scientists announced that they have discovered 10 previously unknown moons orbiting Jupiter. This brings the gaseous behemoth’s total moon count up to 79.
The team, led by astronomer Scott Sheppard, first spotted some of the new moons while looking for exceptionally distant objects at the brim of our Solar System, beyond Pluto, using the Blanco 4-meter telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. Jupiter just happened to be in their view, and they noticed a handful of new objects near the planet, between just one and four kilometers in diameter. After tracking the objects’ orbits for about a year with other Chilean telescopes, in addition to some in Arizona and Hawaii, the scientists were able to confirm them as moons.
Last year, this same team announced the discovery of two other moons, which brought Jupiter’s total at the time to a very nice 69.
Two of the newly discovered moons orbit close to Jupiter—thought not as close as the large, Galilean moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. These moons are “prograde moons,” meaning they orbit Jupiter in the same direction the planet spins. Because their orbits put them near other prograde moons, they’re thought to be bits of a larger moon that was broken apart by a collision long ago.
Seven of the new moons orbit a bit further out, and in the opposite direction, making them retrograde moons. There’s a throng of other retrograde moons in that further-out region, which fall into three distinct groupings of similar orbits. The researchers think those three groups were once three larger moons that were also broken apart by collisions.
And then there’s the tenth moon—the oddball. It orbits in the same general path as all of the retrograde moons, but in the opposite, prograde direction. Sheppard told Gizmodo that it could be a remnant of some random object in the Solar System that got sucked in by Jupiter’s gravity—like a rogue comet, for example—which smashed into some of the retrograde moons, and broke them into the many that orbit the gas giant today.
Though that errant object no longer fully exists, the oddball moon could be a fragment of it. The team proposed the name Valetudo for this moon in the kooky orbit, after the Roman god Jupiter’s great-granddaughter, according to the release from the Carnegie Institution for Science.
Image: Roberto Molar-Candanosa (Carnegie Institution for Science)
“This just shows how chaotic our Solar System was in the past. These outer moons of Jupiter are remnants of chaos,” said Sheppard. He also added that Valetudo is bound to hit something again in the future and be ground to dust. “It’s like driving a car on the wrong side of the highway.”
The reason these moons are just being discovered now is because telescope technology has improved so much over the last decade or two, Sheppard told Gizmodo. Astronomers can take bigger, higher-resolution pictures and are less affected by glare and scattered light from planets.
“There’s been somewhat of a technology barrier,” Sheppard said. “Jupiter is a big planet, and there is a big area of sky around it to survey and find all of its various moons. Now, we can take four big pictures and see everything around it. But in the early 2000s, it was like looking through a straw.”
As telescopes continue to improve, Sheppard expects we’ll find even more moons orbiting Jupiter, since it’s so massive.
Alycia Weinberger, an astronomer also from the Carnegie who wasn’t involved in the new discovery, agrees with Sheppard.
“Just a few years after the first moons were discovered, people started finding many more all the time,” she told Gizmodo. “That suggests that there are more lurking there. As things get smaller they get harder to detect. I think we would be foolish to ever think we know everything.”
Additional moon discoveries could help reveal more about the history of Jupiter and other gas giants, because moons are often a window into how a planet formed.
Jupiter, for example, formed in a spinning disc of dust; gravity caused a bunch of mass to compact together and create various rocky and gaseous objects there, which eventually smashed together to create the gas giant we know today. But some leftover junk from Jupiter’s birth that didn’t get sucked into the planet continued to orbit in the original direction of the disc, and what would be come the eventual spin direction of Jupiter. Those are prograde moons.
The team thinks that Jupiter’s retrograde moons, however, are mostly made up of a passerby objects from elsewhere in the Solar System that Jupiter vacuumed up and captured with its gravity.
Understanding moon-planet relationships like this one could be especially useful for studying other solar systems and exoplanets. Scientists discovered the first exomoon just last year.
“[Exoplanet moons] could potentially tell us how an exoplanet formed, and either how quiet or violent the planet-forming process was,” said Weinberger. “If certain collisions happen here, they happen in other systems.”
No matter the case, moons of any kind are worth paying attention to.
“This all folds into learning about how solar systems work, and how small bodies in solar systems buzz around,” principal investigator for NASA’s Juno spacecraft Scott Bolton, who was not involved in the discovery, told Gizmodo. “It’s always exciting to discover new moons or any bodies that are a part of our Solar System.”
[Carnegie Institution for Science]
I don’t see anything on size or shape here... would I be mistaken if I think of these moons as small, oblong shapes like Phobos and Deimos, instead of big spheres like Europa or Luna?
We’re defining moons here as basically “big chunks of orbiting rock”, right?
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Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed the alleged certificate forgery suit filed against the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed delivered the judgment on Saturday in a suit filed by the All Progressives Party (APC) and a chieftain of the party, Williams Edobor, against the governor.
The APC and Edobor had filed the suit alleging that Governor Obaseki presented a forged certificate to seek re-election in the Edo State governorship election held on September 19, 2020.
According to the plaintiffs, the said document was purportedly issued by the University of Ibadan, while the governor presented same to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which conducted the poll.
Before Justice Mohammed delivered the judgement in the suit, counsels to both parties in the matter had closed their cases after they presented witnesses and evidence to the court.
During proceedings on Thursday, lawyer to the Plaintiffs, Akin Olujimi, adopted his final written address.
He urged the court to affirm their position that the governor presented a forged certificate to the electoral umpire and was unfit to occupy the office.
This was, however, rejected by Governor Obaseki’s counsel, Ken Mozia, who asked the court to dismiss the suit over what he described as the plaintiff’s failure to prove their case.
A Dramatic Switch, Yet Same Result
Governor Obaseki contested and won the governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a bid to extend his stay in office by another four years.
Although he was elected into office for the first term on the APC platform, the governor later defected from the party after he was screened out from the party’s primary which saw Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu emerging as the APC flagbearer for the election.
This came in the middle of a lingered dispute between the governor and his predecessor and immediate past APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.
After defecting from the APC, he got the PDP’s ticket and went ahead to defeat Ize-Iyamu for the second time to claim the governorship seat in what can be described as a dramatic switch of political parties.
Governor Obaseki had defeated Ize-Iyamu as the APC candidate in the 2016 governorship election while the latter was the PDP candidate.
Four years later, he secured 307,955 of the total votes, 84,336 more votes than Ize-Iyamu who got 223, 619 votes.
Indonesian Plane With Over 50 Passengers Aboard Goes Missing After Take-Off Previous post
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Godmersham Park Heritage Centre
for the Parishes of Godmersham and Crundale Limited
Opening Times & Events
Godmersham Park Heritage Centre was opened to the public in 2008, by kind permission of Mr. John Sunley, of Godmersham Park. The Heritage Centre holds the records of the parishes of Godmersham and Crundale, as well as The Godmersham Park Estate. A small exhibition hall documents the history of the two villages, located in the North (Wye) Downs in Kent, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Heritage Centre has a growing number of collections on the history of the area, including the archives of Rex Lancefield, the famous Kent historian. Each year the collections are growing, as we actively record living history, ready for future generations.
Items of interest include:
The Diaries of Fanny Knight (Jane's Niece)
William Harvey's Book - The Discoveries of Circulation on the Blood
Collection of Coins and Artifacts dating back to Viking Times
Another major attraction is Godmersham Park itself. Built in 1732, it was once the home of Edward Knight (nee Austen), brother to the novelist Jane Austen. The house itself is closed to the public. However, a public footpath runs through part of the estate, offering views of the House and Folly. Further information on the house and it's glamorous past is displayed here at the Heritage Centre.
During your visit, you can also visit the St Lawrence the Martyr Church, and see the memorials of Thomas Knight and his Family (relations of Edward Knight). Or you can walk the North Downs Way to neighbouring Chilham, with its historic square, used in films such as Jane Austen's Emma.
Please note that there is no access to Godmersham Park Estate and House via The Godmersham Park Heritage Centre. The House at Godmersham is a private house, and is used by ABDO as a College for dispensing opticians, and therefore has no public access.
(Photograph: Godmersham Park House - taken by Rebecca Lilley BA Hons)
Godmersham Park Heritage Centre in located on the old estate road at Godmersham Park, next to St Lawrence Church.
Opening Hours (April to October):
1st Monday of the Month 9am-12noon & 1pm-5pm or 2pm-4pm on most other Mondays
Admission Price: £3.00
Picnic Area Outside.
Mrs Fiona Sunley, Chairman
Mr Gregory F.Ellis, BSc (Reading)
Mr Ben Palmer, MRICS, FAAV
Mrs Margaret C Smyth, BA Hons (NUI)
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GIRC-Centre to bridge research gap in Science, Technology and Innovation – MESTI
The Ministry of Environment Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) have launched the Ghana Innovation and Research Commercialization Centre (GIRC-Centre) in Accra.
This is aimed at bridging the gap between research, on the one hand and management of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI),
The centre will create opportunities to engage stakeholders in providing guidance and support services that will help researchers and innovators avoid the pitfalls associated with the processes of commercialisation.
Framework for the effectiveness of the STI programme will be backed by legislation to ensure effective continuity from one administration to the next.
Legislation, in addition, is being pursued to facilitate the implementation of the national STI policy.
The Business Development Minister, Dr Mohammed Awal, reading a speech on behalf of the Minister for Environment Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, made this known yesterday at an Annual Regional Meeting of the Science Granting Councils Initiative.
The President, Nana Akufo-Addo had earlier pledged that a minimum of one percent of gross domestic product (GDP) will be used for research and development.
This will be increased with time until it reaches three percent which according to the Minister will be the primary source of funding for the National Science and Technology and Innovation Fund which is being established to support the development of the STI system.
“The fund will be established as an autonomous body with oversight from the ministry in charge of Science, Technology and Innovation,” he added.
He said through the initiative, the GIRC-Center will act as collaborators to drive and grow research, as well as support the transformation of innovation and research into industry.
He added that a Presidential Advisory Council on Science, Technology and Innovation is being set up as an independent advisory board with a mandate to advise the president on issues related to STI development.
“The council will be made up of eminent scientists, engineers, industrialists and other accomplished professionals and their advice will be meant to assist the president in the formulation of government policies to ensure STI development remains the primary vehicle of the nation’s socio-economic development.”
To also ensure there is coordination of sector activities involving STI, Dr Awal said an Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Council will be set up and chaired by the Minister for Environment Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Frimpong Boateng.
He said government will continue to focus on certain strategic technology areas that are deemed very essential in pursing the use of STI for national development.
By Mawuli Y. Ahorlumegah
Ghana on path towards low carbon emission resilient economy – Duarte
Be circumspect on lifting ban on small scale mining, govt urged
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Justia Government Contracts Opinion Summaries
Articles Posted in Supreme Court of Texas
Carowest Land, Ltd. v. City of New Braunfels, Texas
November 20, 2020 by Justia
In this infrastructure development dispute, the Supreme Court vacated the judgment of the court of appeals concluding that the Legislature had not waived immunity for Plaintiff's declaratory relief claims against the City of New Braunfels, holding that because Plaintiff relied on the court of appeals' holding in a previous appeal that declaratory relief was available and the Open Meeting Act and Tex. Local Gov't Code chapter 252 afforded alternative relief to consider, remand was required in the interest of justice.Plaintiff sued the City seeking declaratory relief for violations of the Open Meetings Act and the contract-bidding provisions of chapter 252. The trial court denied the City's jurisdictional plea based on governmental immunity, and the court of appeals affirmed, permitting Plaintiff's claims to proceed. Plaintiff prevailed at an ensuing trial, and the trial court awarded declaratory relief. The court of appeals reversed, concluding that the City was immune. The Supreme Court vacated the judgment and remanded the case, holding that this was a compelling case requiring a remand in the interest of justice. View "Carowest Land, Ltd. v. City of New Braunfels, Texas" on Justia Law
Posted in: Government Contracts, Supreme Court of Texas
City of Conroe, Texas v. San Jacinto River Authority
The Supreme Court held that the Expedited Declaratory Judgment Act (EDJA), Tex. Gov't Code ch. 1205, gave the trial court jurisdiction to declare whether contracts executed by the San Jacinto River Authority were legal and valid but not whether the Authority complied with the contracts in setting specific water rates.The Authority, which has contracts to sell water to cities and other customers and uses the revenue to pay off its bonds, filed suit seeking declarations under the EDJA regarding the contracts and the water rates set under those contracts. Several participants, including three cities (Cities) opted in as interested parties. The Cities filed pleas to the jurisdiction, arguing that the trial court lacked subject matter jurisdiction to adjudicate the Authority's claims. The trial court denied the pleas to the jurisdiction. The court of appeals held primarily for the Authority. The Supreme Court held (2) the EDJA permits the trial court to exercise jurisdiction over the Authority's claims as to the valid execution of the contracts, but it does not confer jurisdiction over whether the Authority complied with the contracts in setting specific water rates; and (2) the Cities' governmental immunity does not bar an EDJA claim, which is brought in rem to adjudicate interests in property. View "City of Conroe, Texas v. San Jacinto River Authority" on Justia Law
Posted in: Contracts, Government Contracts, Supreme Court of Texas
Lockheed Martin Corp. v. Hegar
May 1, 2020 by Justia
The Supreme Court held that Lockheed Martin Corporation's receipts from the sales of F-16 fighter jets to the U.S. government were improperly sourced to Texas for purposes of calculating its Texas franchise tax, holding that Lockheed Martin demonstrated its entitlement to a refund of franchise taxes.The fighter jets at issue were manufactured in Fort Worth and destined for foreign-government buyers. In accordance with federal law, the foreign buyers contracted with the U.S. government to purchase the jets, and the U.S. government contracted with Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin filed for a refund of the portion of its franchise taxes for the tax years 2005 through 2007 attributable to the sales of the F-16 aircraft. The Comptroller denied the claim, and Lockheed Martin brought this suit. The trial court rendered judgment for the Comptroller, and the court of appeals affirmed. The Supreme Court reversed, holding (1) Lockheed Martin's "sale" of each F-16 was to the respective foreign-government "buyer" for whom the aircraft was manufactured, and the government's involvement had no bearing on whether to apportion the receipts from that sale to Texas; and (2) the F-16s were delivered to the "buyers" outside of Texas, and therefore, the receipts from the sales of those aircraft were not properly sourced to Texas. View "Lockheed Martin Corp. v. Hegar" on Justia Law
Posted in: Government Contracts, Supreme Court of Texas, Tax Law
San Antonio River Authority v. Austin Bridge & Road, L.P.
In this construction contract dispute, the Supreme Court held that the San Antonio River Authority possessed the authority to agree to arbitrate claims under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 271 and exercised that authority in the contract and that the judiciary, rather than an arbitrator, retains the duty to decide whether a local government has waived its governmental immunity.The River Authority hired Austin Bridge and Road L.P. for a construction project. The parties agreed to submit any disputes about the contract to arbitration. Austin Bridge invoked the contract's arbitration provisions when disagreements about the scope of work and payment arose. After the arbitrator denied the River Authority's plea of governmental immunity, the River Authority sued Austin Bridge, arguing that it lacked the authority to agree to the contract's arbitration provisions. The trial court concluded that the arbitration provisions in the contract were enforceable. The court of appeals agreed that the River Authority had the authority to agree to arbitrate but concluded that a court, rather than an arbitrator, must decide whether the River Authority was immune from the claims against it. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that chapter 271 waived the River Authority's immunity from suit for Austin Bridge's breach of contract claim. View "San Antonio River Authority v. Austin Bridge & Road, L.P." on Justia Law
Posted in: Arbitration & Mediation, Construction Law, Contracts, Government Contracts, Supreme Court of Texas
In this case concerning the scope of the Expedited Declaratory Judgment Act (EDJA), the Supreme Court held that the EDJA gives the trial court jurisdiction to declare whether the execution of contracts entered into by the San Jacinto River Authority to sell water to cities and other customers was legal and valid but not whether the Authority complied with the contracts in setting specific rates.The Authority, which used the revenue from the contracts to pay off its bonds, sought declarations regarding the contract and the specific water rates set forth pursuant to the contracts. Several cities filed pleas to the jurisdiction, arguing that the trial court lacked subject matter jurisdiction to adjudicate SJRA's claims under the EDJA. The trial court denied the pleas to the jurisdiction. On appeal, the court of appeals held primarily for the Authority. The Supreme Court reversed in part, holding (1) the trial court may exercise jurisdiction over the Authority's execution of the contracts - which met the statutory definition of "public security authorization" - but may not exercise jurisdiction over whether the Authority complied with the contracts in setting the water rates; and (2) the Cities' governmental immunity did not bar this EDJA suit, which was brought in rem to adjudicate interests in property. View "City of Conroe, Texas v. San Jacinto River Authority" on Justia Law
Posted in: Government Contracts, Securities Law, Supreme Court of Texas
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Board v. Vizant Technologies, LLC
May 17, 2019 by Justia
The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the court of appeals in part and rendered judgment dismissing Plaintiff's claims that a governmental entity breached a contractual promise to make a good faith effort to obtain authorization for a higher payment than the parties' written contract required the entity to make, holding that governmental immunity applied and that chapter 271 of the Texas Local Government Code did not waive the entity's immunity.Vizant Technologies sued the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Board for, inter alia, breach of contract, alleging in part that the Board failed to make a promised good-faith effort to authorize increased compensation than that set forth in the parties' contract. The Board filed a plea to the jurisdiction, asserting that governmental immunity barred Vizant's claims. The trial court denied the plea. The court of appeals affirmed the trial court's denial of the Board's plea against Vizant's breach of contract claim, holding that, while governmental immunity applied, chapter 271 of the Texas Local Government Code waived the Board's immunity against that claim. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that governmental immunity barred all of Vizant's claims against the Board and that chapter 271 did not waive that immunity. View "Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Board v. Vizant Technologies, LLC" on Justia Law
Rosenburg Development Corp. v. Imperial Performing Arts, Inc.
March 8, 2019 by Justia
In this contract dispute over whether a municipally created economic development corporation is entitled to immunity from suit as if it were a political subdivision of the state, the Supreme Court affirmed the court of appeals’ judgment denying an economic development corporation’s plea to the jurisdiction, holding that economic development corporations are not governmental entities in their own right and, therefore, are not entitled to governmental immunity.Rosenberg Development Corporation (RDC), an economic development corporation created by the City of Rosenberg under the authority of the Development Corporation Act, executed a contract with Imperial Performing Arts, a nonprofit organization, to renovate a historic theater. When RDC refused to extend the deadline to complete the theater’s renovation, Imperial ceased work on the theater project. This dispute followed. The immunity issue on appeal was limited to Imperial’s breach of contract and declaratory judgment claims. The trial court denied RDC’s plea to the jurisdiction, and the court of appeals affirmed. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that economic development corporations are not governmental entities immune from suit. View "Rosenburg Development Corp. v. Imperial Performing Arts, Inc." on Justia Law
American K-9 Detection Services, LLC v. Freeman
At issue was whether the district court correctly dismissed the claim that because of negligent training and handling by private military contractors, a dog that protects soldiers and others by sniffing out enemy improvised explosive devices (IEDs) bit Plaintiff on a United States Army base in Afghanistan.Defendant, which contracted with the Department of Defense to provide teams of working dogs and handlers to the Armed Services, claimed in defense that the incident was caused by the Army’s use and prescribed manner of quartering the dog. Defendant filed a plea to the jurisdiction asserting that Plaintiff’s claims were nonjusticiable under the political question doctrine because they required an assessment of the Army’s involvement in causing her alleged injuries. The trial court granted the motion and dismissed the case. The court of appeals reversed, thus rejecting the application of the political question doctrine. the Supreme Court reversed, holding that this case is nonjusticiable due to the presence of an inextricable political question. View "American K-9 Detection Services, LLC v. Freeman" on Justia Law
Posted in: Civil Procedure, Government Contracts, Personal Injury, Supreme Court of Texas
Fort Worth Transportation Authority v. Rodriguez
April 27, 2018 by Justia
At issue in this statutory-construction case was the damages-cap and election-of-remedies provisions of the Texas Tort Claims Act (TTCA) with respect to independent contractors performing essential governmental functions.Plaintiff, the daughter of a pedestrian who was struck and killed by a public bus in Fort Worth, brought claims under the TTCA against the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (FWTA), its two independent contractors, and the bus driver. The Supreme Court held (1) the TTCA’s damages cap applies cumulatively when, as in this case, an independent contractor performed essential governmental functions of a transportation authority; (2) the TTCA’s election-of-remedies provision extends to cover an employee of an independent contractor performing essential governmental functions; and (3) the transit defendants in this case were not entitled to attorney’s fees arising out of interpleader. Accordingly, the Supreme Court reversed the court of appeals’ judgment and reinstated the trial court’s judgment in favor of FWTA with respect to issues one and two, and affirmed the denial of attorney’s fees and remand to the trial court for further proceedings. View "Fort Worth Transportation Authority v. Rodriguez" on Justia Law
Posted in: Government Contracts, Personal Injury, Supreme Court of Texas
City of Richardson v. Oncor Electric Delivery Co.
February 2, 2018 by Justia
The pro-forma provision in the tariff in this case, which set the rates and terms for a utility’s relationship with its retail customers, did not conflict with a prior franchise agreement, which reflected the common law rule requiring utilities to pay public right-of-way relocation costs, or the common law, and the franchise agreement controlled as to the relocation costs at issue.At issue was whether the City of Richardson or Oncor Electric Delivery Company must pay relocation costs to accommodate changes to public rights-of-way. The City negotiated a franchise agreement with Oncor requiring Oncor to bear the costs of relocating its equipment and facilities to accommodate changes to public rights-of-way, but Oncor refused to pay such costs. While the relocation dispute was pending, Oncor filed a case with the Public Utility Commission (PUC) seeking to alter its rates. The case was settled, and the resulting rate change was filed as a tariff with the PUC. The City enacted an ordinance consistent with the tariff, which included the pro-forma provision at issue. The Supreme Court held that the provision in the tariff did not conflict with the franchise contract’s requirement that Oncor pay the right-of-way relocation costs at issue. View "City of Richardson v. Oncor Electric Delivery Co." on Justia Law
Posted in: Government & Administrative Law, Government Contracts, Real Estate & Property Law, Supreme Court of Texas, Utilities Law
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Lacey Sculls Unfiltered: Dating Bret Michaels on Rock of Love, Fallout with Heather Chadwell, I…
September 14, 2018 December 8, 2020 Dating
Who is Bret Michaels’s wife? Lovelife about Bret Michaels
Jes Rickleff
Heather Chadwell Bio, Wiki, Realtor, Boyfriend, Tattoo and Clark Gable
Who is Heather Chadwell dating? Heather Chadwell Dating/Relationship History
The Ladies From ‘Rock Of Love’: Where Are They Now?
Heather Chadwell Interview
The Bad Girls of ‘Rock of Love’ Have Gone Good
I Love Money Season 1: Megan
Reality TV. As you continue to weigh the performances of David Cook and David Archuleta on American Idol last night, here’s a quick look at other rea May 21, am Posted in: Reality TV. Specifically, the comedian remarked on the differences and similarities of having contestants from all over the world compete against one another May 20, pm Posted in: Reality TV. Ah, our national pastime. Baseball, not The Hills.
Rock of Love with Bret Michaels is a competition-driven reality television series starring Bret Michaels , the lead singer of the band Poison. Filmed at locations in and around Los Angeles , Las Vegas and Cabo San Lucas , Mexico , each episode covers events of one or two days and ends in the elimination of one or more contestants. Although not a direct spin-off, Rock of Love with Bret Michaels clearly takes its name and inspiration from Flavor of Love starring 80’s rap star Flavor Flav.
The contestants participate in various physical and social challenges that are occasionally judged by industry greats such as Don Was and Richard Blade.
Studio: ANCHOR BAY; Release Date: April 8 ; Run Time: minutes Lacey and Heather are some of the most memorable contestants of this first.
This American songwriter and musician was born on March 15, He was baptized as Bret Michael Sychak. His fame began when he was the lead singer of the metal metal band Glam Metal Poison, whose worldwide sales exceeded 50 million records and only in the United States has sold more than 15 million. In , Michaels was ranked by Hit Parader in the 1 spot in the heavy metal singers category. He also released as a soloist several hits, including the soundtrack to the film A Letter from Death Row, Songs of Life.
However in July , he was already announcing the separation with Gibson, which was not surprising to nobody. Gibson, his on-again, off-again companion of 16 years, is the mother of his two daughters. Her acting career never really took off according to her biographical data. A very explicit sexual tape recorded by the couple appeared in The year After a judicial litigation she managed to prohibit the distribution of the tape.
Pamela Denise Anderson, a Canadian American actress who was born in , now decides to fight for animal rights. The artist also was on the verge of marriage with actress and singer Susie Hatton but the couple in decided to end the relationship. After his two daughters, Raine Elizabeth, born May and Jorja Bleu on May 5, , and all the health problems suffered by the Poison vocalist, diabetic and with two stents in his body, it could hardly be thought that Is looking to continue procreating more children.
She is most known for her appearance on VH1’s Rock of Love, but has also ventured into acting with a small appearance on an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. She has Anna Nicole Smith’s former agent working as her agent now; they are working on a comedy film similar to the American Pie movies about “a dancer who wants to go to college. Heather was born on May 5, in Columbus, Ohio.
She has five stepbrothers, which is what she claimed “made her a tomboy as a child. She temporarily lived in Jacksonville, Florida with her father until her parent’s divorce. After her parents divorce she moved back to Ohio and enrolled in college.
Find the latest news, pictures, and opinions about Heather Chadwell. Heather Chadwell Aces & Angels Celebrity Poker Party. Source: Getty Images. Aces & Angels January 1, Heather Locklear Dating History – Test Read Full Story.
Remember Me. I met up with Heather about two weeks ago at the Fox Reality awards show and tracked her down on myspace to set up an interview. We chatted for about an hour while she was on her way from Vegas to Los Angeles. Big things are coming her way. She is talking with VH1 about a new show and moving to LA. Mark RealityWanted. Heather Chadwell “Rock of Love”: I began modeling at the age of 12 doing calendars, pageants, etc.
When I came to Vegas I kept it up with agencies, and also auditioned for different reality shows. A few months later the producer for “Rock of Love” contacted me via my myspace page. He didn’t tell me anything about the show except that it was a dating show with an 80’s rocker. Believe it or not I was hoping it was Bret Michaels, he was the first person I thought of. Mark: Did you have to drop everything quickly once you found out you were going to be part of the cast?
Heather Chadwell “Rock of Love”: I had to take the dogs to friends for a month and had to have friends watch my house, feed my frogs, hermit crabs, and ferret. Heather Chadwell “Rock of Love”: We are friends now, we made up and if I can take anything back I would remove the end of the episode where I lost it on her.
TEEN mom star Farrah Abraham told The Sun in an exclusive interview she “supports” her mom’s controversial rap career – even though she has received backlash from fans. My daughter Sophia just released Take Yo Bestie and it blew up. It’s taken over TikTok and it’s on YouTube.
Starring: Bret Michaels, Big John Murray, Heather Chadwell. Genres: Music to the penis. Rodeo, Erin, and Lacey rate the best results and win a date with Bret.
Watch the video. Title: The Rose and the Thorn 30 Sep Things heat up when Bret tells the final 2 girls to pack their bikinis ’cause they’re goin’ for an exotic getaway to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico! Looking for some great streaming picks? Check out some of the IMDb editors’ favorites movies and shows to round out your Watchlist. Sign In. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends.
She celebrates her birthday on May 5 yearly. Chadwell will be 46 years of age on May 5, Heather is a woman of above-average stature, she also appears to be quite tall in stature in her photos.
Rock of Love with Bret Michaels is a competition-driven reality television series starring Bret Heather Chadwell, Runner-Up After the group date, the other women confront Heather about what she wrote in the letter, and Heather claims the.
Rock of Love with Bret Michaels is an American reality television dating game show. It stars Bret Michaels , the lead singer from the band Poison. The show closely resembles the show Flavor of Love. The first season featured 25 women competing to be Michaels’ girlfriend. Each week, the women face challenges, the winner of which gets to go on a date with Michaels.
Some of the challenges were based on situations that they might encounter if chosen to be Michaels’ girlfriend. The first season winner was year-old Jes Rickleff from Naperville , Illinois. At the reunion, she revealed that she did not have romantic feelings for Michaels, and that she thought that he should have chosen the runner-up, Heather. The second season featured another set of 20 women. After the show, the two maintained a relationship, but parted ways after just a few months.
The third season premiered on January 4, A fourth season was offered to Michaels, but it was announced in May that he would be appearing in a new show entitled Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It , based around his everyday life.
Sure, Poison frontman Bret Michaels never found a happily-ever-after on Rock of Love , but he and the ladies competing for his heart still had us enthralled for all three seasons of the VH1 dating show. Happily, many of Bret’s would-be soulmates stayed on the air in spin-offs such as Rock of Love: Charm School and I Love Money , but those shows ended years ago.
Where are the girls now? We’ve got the scoop on seven of the most memorable contestants below. One fancies herself a news satirist, one pursued an acting career, one became a realtor in her hometown, and one is a popular DJ in virtual reality!
We gab about: Was he actually attracted to New York Reconnecting with Jason “Heat” Rosell Dating Rock of Love’s Heather Chadwell Responding to Heather’s.
Register – Forgot Password. By creating an account, you verify that you are at least 13 years of age, and have read and agree to the PopCulture. Poison frontman Bret Michaels may never have found his soulmate on Rock of Love , but he certainly met with some of the biggest personalities and baddest ladies in reality show history. The women who were a part of the VH1 reality series’ three-season run didn’t necessarily win Michaels’ heart, but they did win over America, and a spot on a number of spin-offs such as Rock of Love: Charm School and I Love Money.
Those shows ended years ago, however, and everyone involved in the show has clearly moved on. But where are they now? Keep scrolling to see where eight of the show’s most memorable personalities ended up, including realty, the front of a stage and everywhere in between. These days, Sculls is rocking out in a band known as Halo, and is working to get a news satire series called Indecent Exposure off the ground in order to get young people involved in activism and social justice causes. Nowadays, she’s in the luxury lifestyle business, and also started the foundation Imagine No Bullying Now.
After scoring roles in Californication and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia , she moved home to Ohio and became a realtor, according to her social media. But she also took it a few steps further, appearing on Celebrity Big Brother and Botched. The sweetheart “good girl” from season two also appeared on Rock of Love: Charm School , and then appeared on VH1 as a celebrity interviewer for other reality show contestants.
Since then, Kinni has covered red carpets, emceed technology and celebrity events, and worked with the Television Academy.
Alycen Rowse. Pamela Anderson. Kendra Jade. Christy Canyon.
Rock of Love with Bret Michaels is an American reality television dating game show. It stars Heather Chadwell: Runner-up of season one of Rock of Love.
Skip to main content. Log in or register to post comments. Last post. June 29, – pm. Rock of Love: Heather Chadwell. Heather is just one stunning hot blonde bombshell I love seeing her sexy body everytime she appears on a VH1 or other tv show lol I mean it’s just sad to see girls like Daisy and now Megan get their own show Heather was around long before those two bimbos, and really should have her own show I must agree with you!
I don’t understand, Megan and Daisy are both lame. She’s like the white New York. I heard Heather’s show was supposed to be called ” I heart Heather” but it went out the window when she punched Daisy. But I can’t say the same for Megan ;.
The Farmington Police Department is seeking information on a missing Farmington woman who has been missing for a couple days. He added she was last seen wearing a black leather jacket, tie-dyed shirt, pink pajamas pants and grey tennis shoes. We had a detective sitting at her home yesterday when we thought she was heading there, but they turned off in another direction.
Slide 3/8 – Heather Chadwell heather chadwell (Photo: ). After coming in as runner-up on season one, Chadwell turned.
Log in or Sign up. Messages: 9, Likes Received: Trophy Points: Heather Michelle Chadwell was last seen walking away from her home Monday night. Chadwell lives with her mother, who is her court-appointed guardian. She told investigators Chadwell was chatting with people on dating websites. She has a cell phone and is not accepting incoming calls. Location information from her cellphone indicates that she was recently in Eureka, Mo.
Heather was last seen wearing a black leather jacket, tie-dyed shirt, pink pajama pants, and grey tennis shoes. Messages: 1, Likes Received: 1, Trophy Points:
During their time on VH1’s reality dating show Rock of Love, Heather Chadwell and Lacey Sculls went from co-conspirators in the hair metal mansion to mortal enemies. The two babes ruthlessly battled 23 other hard-drinking rocker chicks for the love of bandanna-rockin’ Poison frontman Bret Michaels, culminating in a massive falling-out involving claims that Sculls performed oral sex on Michaels screamed at her in front of her dad and derogatory slams about Chadwell’s work as a stripper.
That whole ugly, mesmerizingly messy fight was 13 years ago.
You may remember Heather Chadwell as the girl from VH1’s Rock of Love 1 who tattooed Bret Michaels’ name on the back of her neck, only to go home.
Heather Chadwell is currently single. Heather Chadwell has been in a relationship with David Amerman Heather Chadwell has had an encounter with Bret Michaels Her zodiac sign is Taurus. Heather Chadwell is a member of the following lists: American television personalities , births and births. Help us build our profile of Heather Chadwell! Login to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and get credit for your contributions.
Heather Chadwell and David Amerman dated in January, Heather Chadwell and Bret Michaels had an encounter in
Rock of Love with Bret Michaels 1
Are Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart Dating?
The Complete Stax/Volt Singles Collection
Demi Lovato Definitely Won’t Deny She Wrote Two Love Songs About Nick Jonas
McFly rocker Danny replaces Miss England ’08 girlfriend with ’07 model
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American Bar Association (ABA) Centre for Human Rights
US Bar: Sedition Act more restrictive than others
The American Bar’s Centre for Human Rights, in its report, says the application of Malaysia’s Sedition Act violates international standards and is far more restrictive than other Commonwealth nations with similar laws.
PETALING JAYA: The American Bar Association’s (ABA) Centre for Human Rights has stated that the application of Malaysia’s Sedition Act violates international standards and is far more restrictive than other Commonwealth nations with similar laws to reign in seditious behaviour.
“Malaysia’s Sedition Act is far more onerous than international norms proscribe and fellow Commonwealth countries currently employ,” the report stated.
The statement coincided with ABA’s report titled, “Malaysia’s Sedition Act Unlawfully Restricts Free Expression.”
The statement was also released in anticipation of the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s hearing on the constitutional challenge to the Sedition Act of 1948 slated for March 9, 2016. Read more →
Reports & Memorandums American Bar Association (ABA) Centre for Human Rights, freedom of information, human rights defenders, national security, Sedition Act 1948
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A Salon debate on cap-and-trade and energy politics: day four
By David Roberts on Jul 1, 2010
Last week, I took part in a debate at Salon.com on the merits of pricing carbon (and related matters). My debate opponent was Steve Everley, manager of policy research at American Solutions and a contributing author to To Save America: Stopping Obama’s Secular-Socialist Machine, by Newt Gingrich. Salon has graciously agreed to let us republish the debate here. There will be four installments.
You can read Monday’s exchange here, Tuesday’s here, Wednesday’s here. On day four we offered our concluding thoughts. Steve led off.
Steve Everley: As we conclude, let me thank David for a spirited and well-informed debate. In a time of intense partisanship, I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this important issue on rational terms with a person who clearly has an intellectual faculty to be envied. I can only hope my arguments have made the feeling mutual.
What we have been debating is actually about values. Do we value affordable energy, or do we value a European model of high energy prices? Do we value an empowered private sector, or do we value an empowered and, yes, even larger government? Most importantly, do we value creating American jobs today, or do we value making insignificant changes in temperatures 90 years from now?
Supporting a market-based economy, what could be called “the freedom culture,” is a necessary prerequisite for enduring prosperity and protecting the American way of life. Continuing to do this will, in turn, continue to pay the dividends we have already reaped: An expansion of wealth through greater opportunities and higher productivity; an economy that is globally envied and attracts immigrants from the world over; and exciting new inventions and technologies, including those that protect the environment in ways central planners could never conceive.
This is the fundamental reason why opposition to cap-and-trade is so high. The American system rejects the long disproven notion that we can tax our way to prosperity. The Left may believe in their hearts that cap-and-trade will create jobs and make life better for everyone, but that is a conclusion taken blindly on faith, not its compatibility with the American system.
Nor is it even based upon empirical research, as Spain and Europe as a whole have discovered. Numerous reputable analyses have indicated that cap-and-trade will kill jobs, and it is universally accepted that cap-and-trade will raise energy prices: Even President Obama says so, and the president’s now-former budget director has testified that higher prices are necessary for cap-and-trade to work. The only mitigating factor for these new taxes is the hope that government will fulfill its promise to redistribute wealth effectively. Again, that must be taken on faith, not history or experience.
As a representative democracy, the American people have the power and freedom to choose, through tradeoffs and establishing priorities, how they want to address a host of problems, ranging from the economy to the War on Terror. On global warming, it’s clear that Americans do not support a policy that will kill jobs and raise their taxes so they might put an insignificant dent in temperatures many decades from now.
Cap-and-trade is an attempt to redistribute wealth, kill jobs, and let the government define what opportunities are permissible, all of which represent a fundamental rejection of the American freedom culture.
David Roberts: Thanks to Steve for a lively debate. It is too rare these days for people with opposing viewpoints to come together and engage directly; I hope this isn’t our last time.
America faces serious challenges. Above all is the one Steve seems keen not to talk about: climate change. Another is increasing dependence on oil just as the world’s supply is set to plateau. In coming decades the pursuit of oil will be dirtier and riskier (as we’re seeing in the Gulf of Mexico, to tragic effect). The pursuit of coal will follow the same arc.
More immediate are the grievous ongoing effects of recession and 10 percent unemployment. We’re in a politically delicate situation in which we need both short-term stimulus spending and a long-term plan to address the structural deficit. Ultimately, the deficit problem cannot be solved without new sources of economic growth. What will they be? What industries will dominate the 21st century? Given the Herculean work involved in putting the world on a path to low-carbon prosperity, energy is the obvious candidate.
With some political leadership and a smart set of choices, we can tackle multiple challenges at once. For instance, a top priority in the coming five years should be ramping up energy efficiency programs, particularly around buildings. It’s a win-win-win: construction trades suffer from crippling unemployment rates, efficiency can lower energy use and carbon emissions at a profit, and reduced demand can lower energy bills even if rates rise. We can also put people to work by funding state public transportation programs and building new low-carbon infrastructure like rail lines and transmission wires.
Longer term, we need a stable source of revenue for the necessary investments in clean energy research, development, and deployment. The obvious source for that revenue is a price on carbon. Unlike capricious government tax credits, a carbon price shifts investment incentives across the entire economy at once, especially as it slowly ramps up over time. It also provides money, if necessary, to protect consumers from short-term bumps in energy prices, reduce other tax rates, or pay down the deficit.
I simply don’t share Steve’s conviction that we must cling to the dirty energy status quo or our economy will crumble. I have faith that American researchers, entrepreneurs, and workers can overcome this country’s challenges, if only we set them to the task.
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Arab Bank says report of $1bn settlement is ‘inaccurate’
Citing an unnamed source, the trade magazine The American Lawyer reported that Arab Bank had agreed to pay “slightly more than $1bn” to settle litigation
Arab Bank Plc on Friday described as “inaccurate” a report that it would pay “slightly more” than $1bn to settle litigation brought by hundreds of Americans who accused it of facilitating militant attacks in Israel.
Citing an unnamed lawyer with knowledge of the settlement, the trade magazine The American Lawyer reported that Arab Bank had agreed to pay “slightly more than $1bn” to settle.
In response to the report, Arab Bank said in a statement, “The terms are confidential and we will not comment on them specifically beyond saying the report is inaccurate.”
The Jordan-based bank reached a deal last week to avert a damages trial, after a federal jury in Brooklyn, New York, last September found it liable in connection with two dozen attacks attributed to Hamas.
Michael Elsner, a lawyer at Motley Rice representing the families, issued an identical statement.
Approximately 500 U.S. citizens had sued Arab Bank under the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act, which permits U.S. citizens to pursue claims arising from international terrorism.
Last year’s verdict marked the first time a bank was held liable in U.S. court for violating that law.
The case is Linde et al. v. Arab Bank, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, No. 04-2799.
gulfadmin August 23, 2015
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New English Language Test For UAE Companies
The British Council has released a new English language assessment tool called Aptis to assist multinational firms in the UAE.
The British Council has released its latest English proficiency assessment tool, Aptis, to the UAE market to help companies test the competency of their employees’ English.
Aptis is a test for adults which can be used to assess ability in four English skills including speaking, listening, reading and writing. It can also be customised to test one or more specific skills, allowing organisations to assess factors relevant to their needs.
The content of Aptis can also be adapted to suit a specific domain, such as for teaching or travel and tourism, the British Council said in a statement.
Philip Rylah, director, Examinations MENA, said: “Companies are increasingly driving demand for English in the region, and this is in particular the case for multinationals.
“Industries such as IT and software development, maritime and airfreight, telecommunications, banking and finance, as well as tourism and hospitality have the highest need for English-speaking employees.
“Three quarters of English speakers today are second language speakers and half of employees in international companies globally use English every day at work,” he added.
Aptis uses an interactive platform which develops, manages, delivers and monitors the test simultaneously.
The platform also allows organisations to administer the test themselves. It can be delivered by computer, telephone, or pen and paper, and results are available in 24 hours.
The marking system of Aptis is task-based, meaning that in one task, several people in different locations around the world mark different items within the test, all through the online platform.
The business-to-business assessment service is available only to organisations, not individuals.
Andrew Mackenzie, head of Assessment Services at the British Council, said: “The British Council is a world authority in the English language. We work across a wide range of English teaching and assessment services, as well as with ministries of education to improve the English language teaching in education institutions around the world.”
The British Council already has existing language tests such as IELTS, ESOL and IDP: IELTS Australia.
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The Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories (DRMCRL) has an international reputation for research in hormone-dependent cancers, with specific focus on breast and prostate cancer.
Established in 2002 by Professor Wayne Tilley and Professor Villis Marshall, the DRMCRL is an initiative of the University of Adelaide and the Hanson Institute in collaboration with the Cancer Council of South Australia and the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
The DRMCRL is named in recognition of Dame Roma Mitchell AC, DBE, CVO, QC (1913-2000), an iconic South Australian who was the first woman to be appointed as an Australian Supreme Court Judge (1965-1983), Chancellor of the University of Adelaide (1983-1990) and Governor of South Australia (1991-1996).
Dame Roma Mitchell. A woman of many firsts.
Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences building.
The DRMCRL is located in the University of Adelaide's Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences (AHMS) building (Level 8), University of Adelaide, a $246 million building housing state-of-the-art facilities for 1600 students and more than 400 researchers. Co-located with the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) and South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), the AHMS facility plays a key role in transforming health education, research and patient care. These facilities at the west end of North Terrace comprise the Adelaide BioMed City precinct, the state's highest priority development for health, research and education infrastructure.
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U.S. Capitol, East Front Stereoview
U.S. Capitol, Library and House Office Building from an Aeroplane Postcard
U.S. Capitol Page School Handbook
U.S. Capitol Postcard
U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C.
U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. Stereoview
U.S. House of Representatives in Session, Hon. Joseph Cannon, Speaker of the House. Stereoview
U.S. House of Representatives Office Building, Washington, D.C., Postcard
U.S. House of Representatives Page Call System Card (Republican)
U.S. House of Representatives Seal
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Showing metabocard for DG(16:0/0:0/22:4n6) (HMDB0056028)
IdentificationTaxonomyOntologyPhysical propertiesSpectraBiological propertiesConcentrationsLinksReferencesenzymes (114)transporters (1) Show 115 proteinsXML
enzymes (114)transporters (1) Show 115 proteins
DG(16:0/0:0/22:4n6)
DG(16:0/0:0/22:4n6) is a diglyceride, or a diacylglycerol (DAG). It is a glyceride consisting of two fatty acid chains covalently bonded to a glycerol molecule through ester linkages. Diacylglycerols can have many different combinations of fatty acids attached at the C-1, C-2, or C-3 positions. DG(16:0/0:0/22:4n6), in particular, consists of one chain of palmitic acid at the C-1 position and one chain of adrenic acid at the C-3 position. The palmitic acid moiety is derived from fish oils, milk fats, vegetable oils and animal fats, while the adrenic acid moiety is derived from animal fats. Mono- and diacylglycerols are common food additives used to blend together certain ingredients, such as oil and water, which would not otherwise blend well. Dacylglycerols are often found in bakery products, beverages, ice cream, chewing gum, shortening, whipped toppings, margarine, and confections.
Synthesis of diacylglycerol begins with glycerol-3-phosphate, which is derived primarily from dihydroxyacetone phosphate, a product of glycolysis (usually in the cytoplasm of liver or adipose tissue cells). Glycerol-3-phosphate is first acylated with acyl-coenzyme A (acyl-CoA) to form lysophosphatidic acid, which is then acylated with another molecule of acyl-CoA to yield phosphatidic acid. Phosphatidic acid is then de-phosphorylated to form diacylglycerol.
Diacylglycerols are precursors to triacylglycerols (triglyceride), which are formed by the addition of a third fatty acid to the diacylglycerol under the catalysis of diglyceride acyltransferase. Since diacylglycerols are synthesized via phosphatidic acid, they will usually contain a saturated fatty acid at the C-1 position on the glycerol moiety and an unsaturated fatty acid at the C-3 position.
Structure for HMDB0056028 (DG(16:0/0:0/22:4n6))
(2R)-3-(Hexadecanoyloxy)-2-hydroxypropyl (7Z,10Z,16Z)-docosa-7,10,13,16-tetraenoic acid HMDB
Diacylglycerol(16:0/0:0/22:4n6) HMDB
Diacylglycerol(16:0/0:0/22:4) HMDB
1-Palmitoyl-3-adrenoyl-sn-glycerol HMDB
DAG(16:0/0:0/22:4N6) HMDB
Diacylglycerol(16:0/0:0/22:4W6) HMDB
DG(16:0/0:0/22:4) HMDB
DAG(16:0/0:0/22:4) HMDB
DG(16:0/0:0/22:4W6) HMDB
1-Hexadecanoyl-3-(7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z-docosatetraenoyl)-sn-glycerol HMDB
DAG(16:0/0:0/22:4W6) HMDB
DG(16:0/0:0/22:4n6) Lipid Annotator
(2R)-3-(hexadecanoyloxy)-2-hydroxypropyl (7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z)-docosa-7,10,13,16-tetraenoate
[H][C@@](O)(COC(=O)CCCCCCCCCCCCCCC)COC(=O)CCCCC\C=C/C\C=C/C\C=C/C\C=C/CCCCC
InChI=1S/C41H72O5/c1-3-5-7-9-11-13-15-17-18-19-20-21-22-24-26-28-30-32-34-36-41(44)46-38-39(42)37-45-40(43)35-33-31-29-27-25-23-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2/h11,13,17-18,20-21,24,26,39,42H,3-10,12,14-16,19,22-23,25,27-38H2,1-2H3/b13-11-,18-17-,21-20-,26-24-/t39-/m1/s1
SRMSUOYLQWZALL-PJFZBGSQSA-N
Secondary alcohols
Secondary alcohol
pKa (Strongest Basic) -3.4 ChemAxon
1. Long-chain fatty acid transport protein 1
Lipid transport and metabolism
Involved in translocation of long-chain fatty acids (LFCA) across the plasma membrane. The LFCA import appears to be hormone-regulated in a tissue-specific manner. In adipocytes, but not myocytes, insulin induces a rapid translocation of FATP1 from intracellular compartments to the plasma membrane, paralleled by increased LFCA uptake. May act directly as a bona fide transporter, or alternatively, in a cytoplasmic or membrane- associated multimeric protein complex to trap and draw fatty acids towards accumulation. Plays a pivotal role in regulating available LFCA substrates from exogenous sources in tissues undergoing high levels of beta-oxidation or triglyceride synthesis. May be involved in regulation of cholesterol metabolism. Has acyl-CoA ligase activity for long-chain and very-long-chain fatty acids
Q6PCB7
Hatch GM, Smith AJ, Xu FY, Hall AM, Bernlohr DA: FATP1 channels exogenous FA into 1,2,3-triacyl-sn-glycerol and down-regulates sphingomyelin and cholesterol metabolism in growing 293 cells. J Lipid Res. 2002 Sep;43(9):1380-9. [PubMed:12235169 ]
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Zimbabwe 17 September 2020 Events
Judicial Symposium: Guaranteeing Access to Justice in the context of COVID-19 and ensuring efficient and effective delivery of justice with particular reference to the role of Judges
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) shall be convening a two-day training symposium for judges under the theme Guaranteeing Access to Justice in the context of COVID-19 and ensuring efficient and effective delivery of justice with particular reference to the role of Judges. The meeting will take place at the Trout Beck Inn, in Nyanga from 18 to 19 September 2020. In line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines and government directives amidst the COVID 19 Pandemic the meeting will convene 50 Judges drawn from around the country.
The advent and spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global medical emergency. Its impact has gone beyond the health sector and has affected every facet of life. The virus has fundamentally altered the way the world functions, changing the entire global socio-political order, and adversely affecting the economies of most countries. The pandemic has resulted in major social, political, and legal challenges. To manage the impact of the disease, WHO has issued a set of guidelines for countries to follow, these include measures such as quarantine, self-isolation, repatriation of citizens, and preparedness at workplaces for essential services. The net result of these measures is that non-essential businesses and industries have closed to mitigate infection risk for employees and customers alike. This “new normal” has fundamentally altered how we understand and go about our lives, necessitating restrictions on the ability of people to move, gather and interact, and in so doing has adversely impacted the court’s capacity to operate. The effects of the COVID restrictions are not peculiar to Zimbabwe. Courts around the world have been forced to either close down completely, reduce or adjust their operations. Negatively impacting the court’s power to provide prompt justice and fair hearings. This has led to increased case-backlogs, longer pre-trial detention periods for accused persons, and has lengthened period taken to resolve judicial and administrative proceedings. The justice sector as a whole must find creative means, within the parameters set by the law to navigate the crisis and uncertainty it creates. Faced with these insurmountable challenges the judiciary must continue to demonstrate impartiality, independence, fairness, and a constant commitment to public exemplariness that reinforces security and confidence in the courts. In the reformulation of society to meet the challenges imposed by the pandemic, access to justice, and the rule of law cannot be afterthoughts. This invariably must mean the courts must continuously engage with the issues, collectively look to resolve emerging challenges and adapt.
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Indore named ‘Cleanest City’ 4th time in a row
Indore cleanest city for the fourth time. -- IANS
New Delhi, Aug 20 (IANS) Indore city in Madhya Pradesh has been named the cleanest city for the fourth time in a row in the category of more than one lakh population, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development announced during the Swachh Survekshan 2020 award ceremony on Thursday.
Karnataka’s Mysuru city had won the award in the first edition of the survey in 2016, while Indore retained the top position for three consecutive years.
Indore is followed by Surat, Gujarat and Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra in the same category.
Meanwhile, in the category of less than one lakh population, Karad, Saswad and Lonavala cities in Maharashtra emerged victorious.
Chhattisgarh ranked first in the category of best performing states with more than hundred urban local bodies, while Jharkhand topped the list in the less than one hundred urban local bodies category.
India’s cleanest cantonment was awarded to Jalandhar in Punjab and best Ganga town was given to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
Swachh Survekshan, meant to monitor the performance of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, was launched in 2014.
This year, the survey was conducted in 4,242 cities, 62 cantonment boards and 92 Ganga towns and completed in 28 days.
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Valles de Disierto, Copiapo , Chile
Rutas del Desierto, Iquique , Chile
The highway stretch called Alternative Access to Iquique is located in the region of Tarapaca.
Ruta del Limari, La Serena , Chile
The concession involves the upgrading of two main accesses to Iquique; (i) a section of 47 km between the Humberstone region and the eastern access to Iquique along Route 16 and (ii) a section of 31 km between Diego Aracena Airport and the southern access to Iquique. Though the majority of the second section consists of bi-directional dual lane roadway, a small stretch of 1.1 km close to Diego Aracena Airport consists of a bi-directional single lane roadway. This project is currently in the Exploitation Period. Infrata provide Technical Due Diligence services for the buyer.
The infrastructure landscape is changing. Increasingly, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) are coming to play a key role in investment decisions.
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Today in the Cafe Trieste
"Tillinghast's poems range confidently among different cultures. He has a sense of history as a living force. The experiments in metre, rhyme and free verse in 'The Stonecutter's Hand' are important. He is a wonderfully gifted poet, one of the few."
"Of all the many complex, sometimes self-cancelling, tasks a poet must address, it may be that the most demanding and severe is getting things right. Richard Tillinghast performs that office with an honesty so strict that over and over his poems prove themselves faithful in ways that bring a quiet, undisputed delight."
Today in the Café Trieste brings together new and old work by Richard Tillinghast, author of five books of poetry published in the United States, including the critically acclaimed The Stonecutter's Hand. James Dickey called Tillinghast "the best poet of the younger generation, and deserving more recognition than most of the poets of the older generation..." His work stands out among contemporary poetry for its focus on history, and for the ease with which it moves back and forth between widely differing poetic idioms. In the early 90s Tillinghast lived for a year with his family in Kinvara, County Galway, and he continues to visit Ireland often. He frequently writes on books and travels for the New York Times.
Richard Tillinghast
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The reason for Soleimani’s recent visit to Iraq … and talk of Iraqi and Syrian betrayal !!
Saturday 04 January 2020 at 09:55 am
Baghdad / Sky Press
Local and Arab media sources revealed the details of the operation that targeted the Iranian “Quds Force” commander, General Qassem Soleimani , and the deputy leader of the “Popular Mobilization” militias, Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, and a number of the two aides in Baghdad, but the Iraqi military, intelligence and political sources confirmed It will cause an earthquake at the level of the narrow circles that Iran has planned around its citizens in Syria and Iraq who are citizens of both countries. The data reveals that Washington succeeded in penetrating these circles and obtaining the date of the arrival of Soleimani and the plane in which he was traveling, and even the car that came to the runway at Baghdad airport to take him with another car designated for his assistants, until targeting them after they left the airport precisely, which was crowded with passengers coming To Baghdad and its departures, in an area where civilians were likely to be affected by the impending strike zero.
Through the Syrian “Cham Wings Airlines” company, Soleimani landed at twelve thirds at night at Baghdad Airport, coming from Damascus on a trip in which he accompanied his daughter-in-law, an officer in the Revolutionary Guards, in addition to another figure who was not recognized quickly because of the absence of the American strike, the features of her face .
As for Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, a close friend of Soleimani since the days of the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988), and the deputy commander of the “Popular Mobilization”, the most reliable Iranian arm in Iraq , accompanied by Muhammad Reza, who appeared with him in the siege of the American embassy a few days ago in Baghdad and holds the position of The chief of ceremonies of the “Popular Mobilization” who is also the husband of the daughter of the engineer, along with Muhammad Al-Shaibani, Haider Ali and others, they were on the old cargo plane runway, a small runway canceled and then developed to be for private and small aircraft that officials in Iraq usually use.
After Soleimani and his companions landed, two Star X minibuses were waiting for them, and everyone distributed on both cars and left the airport from the services gate without passing through the security gates or even passport officers, before the cars crossed Abbas Bin Firnas Square, the first crossroads leading to Baghdad Airport, and about 300 meters from Bin Firnas Square at a security entrance for inspection, the two cars were targeted simultaneously and at the moment when the place was empty, except for the two cars.
The first call from the security control point called “Control 4” of the Federal Police, spoke about the fall of Katyusha rockets, one of which struck a car. For about five minutes, this call was continued with the security leaders in what is known as “Central”, which is the Baghdad Operations Command, and it was expected to respond Armed factions to strike Qaim. And since the American forces are setting up their camp adjacent to the airport, what appeared to be another attack like previous Katyusha attacks on the camp. However, the arrival of the security forces on the scene changed the call, after the cars and the bodies, some of which were charred, were extinguished. After about 20 minutes, the identities of the dead were identified by another leader in the “crowd”, Abu Muntazir al-Husseini, one of the leaders close to Qasim Soleimani, and was aware of his arrival.
A senior Iraqi security official in Baghdad told “local and Arab media” that the majority of the dead bodies are incomplete due to the rockets that targeted the two cars and made holes in the asphalt of the street, adding “the last thing we expected was a US attack in Baghdad and that the target was Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis And his guest Qasim Soleimani.
He stated that the phone of the resigned Prime Minister, Adel Abdel-Mahdi, was switched off and he was not aware of the matter until hours later, and his military office director took contact and coordination, to understand the nature of the attack, coordinate with the security forces, and inquire from the Americans about the attack. The official revealed that there are numerous accusations of leaking information or treachery that led to the American strike , and there are charges and arrests, including a Syrian and an Iraqi, as well as the investigation of the crew of the plane that transported Soleimani and an Iraqi intelligence employee at the airport. He added that the Americans are likely to know that Soleimani has left since taking off from Syria to Iraq, pointing out that the general impression is that the Americans have succeeded in penetrating the narrow circles of Tehran in Syria and Iraq, their arrival in Soleimani and knowledge of all his movements in the recent period.
For his part, a leader in the Al-Fateh Alliance, the political wing of the “Popular Mobilization” militia, told “local and Arab media outlets” that Soleimani’s arrival in Baghdad was not what was said to organize an attack on the Americans but rather to resolve the file of forming the new government and ending the differences between The leaders of the political blocs: The leader, who requested not to be named, added: “The visit was the fourth in less than two months, it remains for several days and leaves,” explaining that a meeting was scheduled, yesterday evening Friday, between Soleimani and the leaders of the political blocs to resolve the dispute and agree on the name Among the names proposed for the presidency of the government, the most prominent of which is Abdul-Ghani Al-Asadi, Tawfiq Al-Yasiri Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi, and Imad al – Husseini.
However, political sources in Baghdad said that the visit was a surprise and does not know by any of the leaders of political blocs closest to Iran, only the leaders are limited to “popular crowd”, this means that his visit to a military nature and related to the attack on the embassy The American and before it the American air strike in Al-Qaim on the borders with Syria, according to the same sources, his visit to Syria was related to the border file and an attempt to push forces from the Assad regime to the Iraqi-Syrian border strip to replace the factions that were targeted.
skypressiq.net
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Principles of Modern Finance Sample Midterm
Principles of Modern Finance Spring 2013 Sample Midterm February 22, 2012 Instructions • You have 1 hour and 40 minutes. • The exam is out of 25 points. • There are 22 multiple-choice questions.
19 questions are worth one point, 3 questions are worth two points and are marked as such. • If you get stuck, move on and come back later. 1 1. A stock is expected to pay a dividend of $10 next year, and this dividend is expected to grow by 5% each year thereafter.
What should the price of the stock be if instruments of similar risk are paying 12%? (a) $83. 33 (b) $142. 86 (c) $150 (d) $200 2. A project has the following cash? ows: Year 0 1 2 Cash? w +12000 ? 7080 ? 6654 The IRR of these cash? ows is 9%. Assets of similar risk pay 5%. Should you accept this project? (a) Yes (b) No 3.
I am considering buying a Greek government bond that promises to pay $1210 in two years’ time. However, there is a possibility that the Greek government will default between now and the promised payment. If the government does default, the bond will only pay $500. The probability of default is 0. 5. What should the price of the bond be if instruments of similar risk are paying 10%? (a) $1000 (b) $706.
62 (c) $413. 22 (d) $303. 68 4. I am enrolled in a 2-year MBA program, and have just started classes.To pay the tuition and living expenses, I borrow $50,000 per year (paid at the start of the year). The interest rate on the loan is 5%.
I am certain to get a job at the end of the two years of study. That job will be guaranteed for ten years (from the date I start work), at a constant salary which will be paid at the end of each year of work. There are no taxes. I estimate that I will be able to save 1/4 of my income, whatever my income is. What is the minimum salary the job must have to allow me to pay o? my loans within ten years? (2pts) 2 (a) $43,050 (b) $50,000 (c) $55,752 (d) $61,339 5. A credit card company o? rs me a card with 20% APR, compounded daily. I make purchases of $3,000 on the card, and allow interest to accrue on those purchases for a year. Assuming each year has 365 days, the amount I will have to pay back is: (a) $3,315 (b) $3,600 (c) $3,664 (d) $3,901.
30 Answer the next two questions with reference to this information: Analysts argue that two things can happen over the next year: the economy can continue as it is or it can go into recession. The returns of two stocks: General Electric (GE) and Cisco (CSCO) in each possible state are given below: State Return on GE Continue as-is 15 Recession ? 5 Return on CSCO 5 -1 The analysts estimate the probability of continuing as-is to be 0. 8 , and the probability of a recession to be 0. 2. 6. What is the expected return on a portfolio which is 120% in GE and ? 20% in CSCO? (a) 10. 04% (b) 8% (c) 2.
55% (d) 0% 7. What is the variance of CSCO? (a) 1. 96%2 (b) 5. 76%2 (c) 13%2 (d) 23. 04%2 3 8. Alice can get a one-year loan at 5% at her bank, while no bank is willing to give Brad a one-year loan for less than 10%. Brad has just had surgery, and must pay the hospital $10,000 immediately, but he has no money today, though he will have money in one year. So Alice o? rs Brad a proposal: she will borrow $10,000 from her bank for one year on her own account, and Brad will repay this loan.
In addition, he will pay Alice a sum of money today. What is the maximum amount that Brad should be willing to pay Alice up-front under this arrangement? Alice is not willing to consider borrowing more than $10,000. (2pts) (a) $454.
54 (b) $377. 18 (c) $476. 19 (d) $500 9. The risk-free interest rate today is 7%. One year ago, you bought an asset which is risk-free and would pay $100 two years from the date of purchase.
The risk-free interest rate on the date of purchase was 10%. You sell the asset today.What is the rate of return (HPR) that you made? (a) 13% (b) 10% (c) 7% (d) 15% 10. The correlation between Alcoa (AA) and American Express (AXP) is 0.
3. You want to form a portfolio, investing 50% in each stock. What is the variance of your portfolio’s return? You have the following information: AA AXP 10 12 8 16 Expected return Standard deviation of return (a) 85. 76%2 (b) 99. 2%2 (c) 121%2 (d) 144%2 11.
If you can get an 8% return (annual e? ective) on a ten year CD from your local bank, would it be wise to invest in a 10 year bond which promises to make a single payment of $1000 at the end of its life? Assume both are equally risky). This bond costs $475 now and will pay $1000 in ten years. 4 (a) Yes, the bond is better. (b) No, the bond is worse. (c) Can’t tell from information given 12. You are given the following information about portfolios of two risky assets, A and B: Weight in A Weight in B Std. dev.
of portfolio 0 1 12 0. 5 0. 5 14 1 0 16 What is the covariance between A and B? (a) 192%2 (b) 168%2 (c) 224%2 (d) Cannot be determined 13.
A ? rm in a well-functioning capital market has the following projects available. The risk-free rate is 10%. Which should it invest in? NPV IRR X 10 15% Y 0. 3% Z -5 22% OCC 22% 5% 6% (a) X only (b) Z only (c) X and Y (d) X and Z (e) All three 5 14. You are considering investing in a bond.
This bond costs $300 now and pays $550 in ten years. What is the IRR of this investment? (a) 1. 06% (b) 6. 25% (c) 8. 33% (d) 9. 01% Answer the next two questions using the following information: A project has the following expected cash ? ows. Year 0 1 2 Expected cash? ow ? 370 814 ? 447. 7 The IRR of these cash ? ows is 10%.
15. Which of the NPV functions on the following page best describes this project? (2pts) (a) Graph A (b) Graph B (c) Graph C (d) Graph D 16.Given your answer to the previous question, what is the range of discount rates for which you should accept this project? (a) 10% only (b) Greater than 10% (c) Less than 10% (d) Always accept, except at 10% (e) Always reject 6 NPV NPV 10% Discount rate 10% Discount rate Graph A Graph B NPV NPV 10% Discount rate 10% Discount rate Graph C Graph D 7 Answer the next six questions using the following information: Boeing is a very pro? table aeroplane manufacturer. It is considering building a facility to manufacture 747s on 10,000 acres in the Nevada desert. It is not considering any other sites.To encourage Boeing to set up the facility, the local chamber of commerce has bought the land and has o? ered to rent it to Boeing at a rent of zero dollars per year. Assume that this “gift” has no tax implications for Boeing. If Boeing were to try to rent the land in the open market, the rent would be $1,500 per acre per year, payable at the end of each year.
Building the factory will cost Boeing $800M (800 million dollars), of which $200M is payable today and $600M will be need to be paid as soon as the factory begins production. It will take one year to build the factory and start production.The IRS says that the $800M cost can be depreciated (straight-line to zero) over the ? rst twenty years in which the factory produces aeroplanes. However, Boeing expects that the demand for the 747 will eventually dry up, and so they plan to scrap the plant after the ? rst ten years of production. They expect the scrap will be sold for $100M. Boeing expects the facility to produce and sell three Boeing 747 aeroplanes a year, with the ? rst batch ready by the end of year 2.
Raw materials cost $100M per plane, and labour costs will be $120M a year. Labour costs will be paid at the end of the year in which they are incurred.Raw material will be paid for one year late (i. e. , raw material costs incurred in year 2 will be paid at the end of year 3).
Sales will be paid for two years late. Inventory is always 0. The price Boeing will receive for each plane is uncertain. It might be as high as $500M, or as low as $200M. Most likely, the price will be $400M. On average, the price they expect to receive is $350M. Boeing’s corporate o? ce is located in Chicago.
Currently the CEO and his sta? make 120 ? ights a year in the corporate jet. Each ? ight costs $200,000. If the Nevada facility is built, the CEO will have to make ten more ? ghts a year, starting in the ? rst year of production, with the cost per ? ight being the same. The cost of the ? ights is incurred at the end of year in which the ? ights are made. The salary of the CEO will remain ? xed at $12m per year. However, the corporate o? ce has decided to allocate $1m per year of this cost to the Nevada project, should it be built, starting at the end of year 2.
This allocation has no tax implications. Boeing has another project which they wanted to start today. This project has a single after-tax cash in? ow of $20 million one year after it is started (and no other in? ws or out? ows). Building the factory in Nevada will occupy executive time, and mean that Boeing will have to delay starting this project until the Nevada factory begins production. Taxes are expected to be 30%.
The discount rate is 8%. 8 17. When calculating cash ? ows for NPV, the revenue in the income statement at the end of each year of production will be (a) $600M (b) $1050M (c) $1200M (d) $1500M 18. The expected cash ? ow the ? rm obtains from scrapping the plant after ten years of production is (a) $70M (b) $90M (c) $100M (d) $190M (e) $280M 19.The cost that you will show in the income statement for each year of production will be: (a) $420M (b) $422M (c) $423M (d) $438M 20.
What is the working capital at the end of the second year of production? (a) ? $300M (b) $750M (c) $1050M (d) $1800M 21. What is your net cash ? ow two years after the plant has stopped producing, that is, at the end of year 13? (a) $0 (b) $735M (c) $750M (d) $1050M (e) $1800M 9 22. The PV today of the opportunity cost from delaying the other project is: (a) $20M (b) $18.
52M (c) $17. 15M (d) $1. 37M 10
Role of Project Management
Pipeline Risk Analysis
Lockheed Analysis The Balance sheet provides a snapshot
Income Measurement and Profitability Analysis
Social Communication in Nation Building
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Forza Motorsport 7 Review
Loknath Das October 6, 2017 Forza Motorsport 7 Review2017-10-06T17:34:02+00:00 Gadgets
Forza Motorsport 7 is a simulation racing game has been in the spotlight ever since Microsoftannounced the Xbox One X. It’s a first-party game for Windows and Xbox One, and one of the first to be optimised for the Xbox One X. The game promises a realistic driving experience coupled with stunning visuals, both of which hardcore racing game fans appreciate. With a wide variety of cars and tracks, Forza Motorsport 7 looks exciting on paper but does it deliver?
Forza Motorsport 7 has been developed by Turn 10 Studios, which Microsoft established way back in 2001 to develop the Forza series. If you played the excellent Forza Horizon 3 and came here hoping for more of the same, you should revise your expectations or take a U-turn. Forza Horizon 3 (Review) is an arcade racing game with little emphasis on realistic driving and more emphasis on building a festival in Australia, making insane jumps off cliffs, and driving on gravity-defying Hot Wheels tracks. Forza Motorsport 7 is the polar opposite. Here you drive mostly on racing tracks closed to traffic, and the emphasis is heavily on mimicking the driving experience found in real-world cars.
This means that casual racing game fans may not enjoy Forza Motorsport 7, but hardcore fans are bound to love it. However, we must commend Turn 10 Studios for the effort they’ve put into making this game approachable for everyone. By default the game has all assists enabled so it will do its best to ensure that your car stays on track and you get to have fun. If you want, you can disable these assists, that is if you enjoy manually changing gears, having a fine control on the car’s steering, and if you think you can corner a car without spinning it off the track. We’re not highly skilled at simulation racing games and yet we found ourselves having fun learning how to drive without assists.
7, Forza, Motorsport, Review:
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about us | our story
Celebrating over 40 years of excellence in education!
When Dr. Mary Dore established North Carolina’s first comprehensive school for students who learn differently in 1978, she envisioned an environment where students could gain self-confidence in their ability to learn and to succeed in life after graduation. Since the beginning, our faculty have taught students using an individualized, multi-sensory approach. The Dore Academy grew over the next 35 years, and in 2012 the school was renamed The John Crosland School and relocated to the 6-acre property on Parkway Plaza Blvd. John Crosland, Jr., for whom the school is named, was a prominent Charlotte developer and philanthropist, who knew from personal experience how difficult a traditional school environment could be for students who learn differently.
The John Crosland School
In its 40-year history, the school has educated and nurtured over 3,500 students. Our graduates go on to succeed in a variety of post-secondary settings, including 4-year universities, community colleges, vocational training, and entering the workforce or public service. We believe, as our alumni do, that The John Crosland School has provided and will continue to provide the educational foundation to support our children’s curiosity, talents, character, humanity, and dreams.
Percent of Students Receive Financial Aid
Percent of Students with Multiple Diagnoses
Percent of Seniors Accepted into College in the Past Two Years
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Remembering George Washington on his birthday
Given that February 22nd is the birthday of one of my American heroes, I thought I’d share an excellent post written by David Boaz. In reference to the quote at the end of the article from the oft maligned King George III, I think there may have another man who eschewed an earthly kingdom after achieving an even greater victory, and Washington’s faith in Him may have been a contributing factor into making Washington into the man he was.
Why We Honor George Washington:
Today is some vaguely named “Presidents’ Day,” but Wednesday is the anniversary of George Washington’s birth. So it’s a good day to remember the contribution he made to the American republic. I wrote this several years ago:
George Washington was the man who established the American republic. He led the revolutionary army against the British Empire, he served as the first president, and most importantly he stepped down from power.
John Trumbull, “General George Washington Resigning His Commission”
In an era of brilliant men, Washington was not the deepest thinker. He never wrote a book or even a long essay, unlike George Mason, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Adams. But Washington made the ideas of the American founding real. He incarnated liberal and republican ideas in his own person, and he gave them effect through the Revolution, the Constitution, his successful presidency, and his departure from office.
What’s so great about leaving office? Surely it matters more what a president does in office. But think about other great military commanders and revolutionary leaders before and after Washington—Caesar, Cromwell, Napoleon, Lenin. They all seized the power they had won and held it until death or military defeat.
John Adams said, “He was the best actor of presidency we have ever had.” Indeed, Washington was a person very conscious of his reputation, who worked all his life to develop his character and his image.
In our own time Joshua Micah Marshall writes of America’s first president, “It was all a put-on, an act.” Marshall missed the point. Washington understood that character is something you develop. He learned from Aristotle that good conduct arises from habits that in turn can only be acquired by repeated action and correction – “We are what we repeatedly do.” Indeed, the word “ethics” comes from the Greek word for “habit.” We say something is “second nature” because it’s not actually natural; it’s a habit we’ve developed. From reading the Greek philosophers and the Roman statesmen, Washington developed an understanding of character, in particular the character appropriate to a gentleman in a republic of free citizens.
What values did Washington’s character express? He was a farmer, a businessman, an enthusiast for commerce. As a man of the Enlightenment, he was deeply interested in scientific farming. His letters on running Mount Vernon are longer than letters on running the government. (Of course, in 1795 more people worked at Mount Vernon than in the entire executive branch of the federal government.)
He was also a liberal and tolerant man. In a famous letter to the Jewish congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, he hailed the “liberal policy” of the United States on religious freedom as worthy of emulation by other countries. He explained, “It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it were the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights, for, happily, the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens.”
And most notably, he held “republican” values – that is, he believed in a republic of free citizens, with a government based on consent and established to protect the rights of life, liberty, and property.
From his republican values Washington derived his abhorrence of kingship, even for himself. The writer Garry Wills called him “a virtuoso of resignations.” He gave up power not once but twice – at the end of the revolutionary war, when he resigned his military commission and returned to Mount Vernon, and again at the end of his second term as president, when he refused entreaties to seek a third term. In doing so, he set a standard for American presidents that lasted until the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose taste for power was stronger than the 150 years of precedent set by Washington.
Give the last word to Washington’s great adversary, King George III. The king asked his American painter, Benjamin West, what Washington would do after winning independence. West replied, “They say he will return to his farm.”
“If he does that,” the incredulous monarch said, “he will be the greatest man in the world.”
Why We Honor George Washington is a post from Cato @ Liberty – Cato Institute Blog
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Thinking again about church membership: neglected evangelism tool?
On August 27, 2013 By Jesse ZinkIn Mission
LarkNews has a satirical story about church membership:
Faith Community sent polite but firm letters to families who attend church services and “freebie events” but never volunteer, never tithe and do not belong to a small group or other ministry. The church estimates that of its 8,000 regular attendees, only half have volunteered in the past 3 years, and a third have never given to the church.
The story is funny, as it is meant to be, but it also gets me wondering about what we mean by church membership. The Episcopal Church has detailed canons about what it means to be a member of a congregation, how one transfers one’s membership to another congregation, etc. It’s all there in Title 1, Canon 17. Here’s a snippet:
A member of this Church removing from the congregation in which that person’s membership is recorded shall procure a certificate of membership indicating that that person is recorded as a member (or adult member) of this Church and whether or not such a member:
Upon acknowledgment that a member who has received such a certificate has been enrolled in another congregation of this or another Church, the Member of the Clergy in charge or Warden issuing the certificate shall remove the name of the person from the parish register.
I’ve been a member (I thought) of a handful of Episcopal congregations in my life. I have never once done this. Has anyone?
The thing is, I think membership might be something we want to reclaim more actively in the church. So much of the world today is about minimizing commitment—people want one-off obligations, if they want obligations at all. It’s not only churches that are having trouble getting people to join. It’s political parties, service organizations, and (famously) bowling leagues. (In my mind this lack of commitment is related to prevelance irony and sarcasm in society: why commit to something when you can make fun of it?)
But Christianity is (inter alia) about a life-long commitment to God in Christ, and the church is where we experience that commitment. Membership is how we express that commitment. Commitment is one of many ways in which Christianity is counter-cultural.
The trouble is, as attendance/membership has declined and the Euro-Atlantic world has become a more secular place, the church has responded not by highlighting the importance of commitment, but minimizing it. Here, take communion, some say. You don’t even have to be baptized! The Episcopal Church welcomes you! You can belong before you believe!
There may be good reasons to say these things, but the point here is that the church comes to sound more and more like the world around it: you don’t have to commit. Along the way, our canons on membership appear to have become a casualty.
I visited a church once that had membership forms. It was such an unusual thing to see that I picked one up. The form invited me to give my information and have a meeting with the priest. That kind of form I had seen before. But what this form also said was that if I became a member, I would publicly affirm my commitment to the church in a liturgical fashion during a Sunday service. I had not seen that before. I was a visitor so I didn’t fill out the form, but I found myself impressed by it. Among other things, it indicated to me that this place really took itself seriously. (This is not the only way of showing you take yourself seriously, of course.) I should say this church was going like gang-busters when I was there.
There can be a real reluctance in the world these days to draw in-out lines. But I wonder if that’s not what the church needs to do sometimes. This is not a hostile act. On the one hand, we might say, “These are members of the church, and this is what members of the church do.” (That, more or less, is what our canons already do.) On the other hand, we say to those not in the church, “And we can’t wait for you to come join us and be committed to the transforming love of God in Christ as well. And we’re so eager for you to join us, that we’re going to come to you and show you how we’ve experienced that grace.”
It would certainly be different than what the world is used to hearing.
I’m genuinely curious (as always) how you think this might play out in the congregation you know best.
canonsevangelismmembership
MRI, Fifty Years On
Praying for Archbishop Ignatius
6 thoughts on “Thinking again about church membership: neglected evangelism tool?”
I have never once done this. Has anyone?
Yes. If I’m reading the legalese correctly, this is standard administrative practice – although the parishes generally do all the work on the back end. Most parishes proved a “Member Information Form” that asks for the name of the parish the person previously belonged to. The new parish’s office staff then contacts the previous parish and asks for membership to be transferred; that’s done by letter.
Then, the person is in fact removed from the membership rolls of their previous parish.
Irulan
What astonishes me, in a Baptist context, is easily members can leave a congregation. We set certain standards for accepting folk into membership: application forms, interviews,.congregational vote, etc. – but, at any given moment, a member may just up and remove him / herself from the body. And we think we have a high view of church. I can’t see a Catholic doing that…
Jay Croft
As a priest I’ve always been careful about membership transfers, in and out. But several requests for my wife to transfer membership from the last church I served toour present location have been ignored.
Elizabeth (Hulley) Sukhovskaya
While I’m not Episcopal, this topic is very relevant today. We were just talking about the issue of “church-hopping.” A lot of people say that they get plenty of input just from hanging out with other believers and listening to sermons independently, and don’t need to be a member of a particular congregation. I have always felt the importance of investing in one local body, certificate or not. But I find it hard to explain why. It just seems obvious to me that as a part of the spiritual maturity process, one starts to show up faithfully and become more involved in some way, taking on more responsibilities. No longer a visitor.
Ron Dippo
I agree that your action of not ‘officially’ transferring membership is probably quite common. About 1976 I began regularly attending an Episcopal church. The Rector became a good friend and though he weeded out the parish list he was casual about transfers, saying that he was more interested in folks taking an active part in the prayer life and mission of the parish. Eventually I got around to being received into the Episcopal Church, but the truth is I had already been elected to 1 or 2 terms of the Vestry!! Now I am in another parish and have still not transferred membership after 8+ years. I am just saying…
SAMcClellan
I became an Episcopalian, after a long search for a religion which aligned with the Bible’s core principles, leaving the So. Baptist Church I joined and was baptised in, at age 9; to take instruction and join the Episcopalians, in good faith, at 18. I even brought more people into the church, including an (ex)spouse. I can’t even begin to describe the feeling of betrayal I felt, when the church’s “elders” decided, without even taking into account, the wishes of the church’s congregants; & allowed the ordination of Robinson as a priest…diametrically opposing the teachings of both the old and new testiments and initiating the division, now experienced, in America, at every level of society. I was hoping for a reversal of the decision; but it didn’t come and I am, at age 70, wanting to take my name off the Episcopal Church rolls, so as to never be associated with these policies, based on man’s opinion; which I do not, cannot and will not, go along with. The three small churches I was affiliated with, became missions and then were closed, finally; so I don’t know where to go, to address this situation. Please advise, as I’ve already started my own Independent, non-denominational, ministry. ~Thank you.
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Study Finds a Link Between Obese Moms and Autistic Kids
Cassie Murdoch
In the ongoing hunt to figure out what's causing the alarming increase in autism in children, there's a new finding that's bound to stir up a lot of debate. The study in question found that there appears to be a link between obesity in mothers and autism in their children. This is one of the first studies to connect the two, though it doesn't come close to proving obesity causes autism.
Still, the results are intriguing. The study, which was conducted at the University of California, Davis, and appears in Pediatrics, looked at 1,000 children between the ages of two and five. Some 700 of them had autism or developmental delays. Researchers found that women who were obese during pregnancy were 67 percent more likely to have autistic children than were women who were in the normal weight range. In addition, obese mothers also had twice the risk of having children with other developmental delays. The average chance of a woman having a child with autism is one in 88, and according to the results of this study, that increases to a one in 53 chance for those who are obese during pregnancy.
The study's co-author Paula Krakowiak explained that inflammation and excess blood sugar, which are linked to obesity, may be to blame. Substances related to inflammation and excess blood sugar could reach the baby and damage its brain. The problem with the study, however, is that they weren't actively studying the women in pregnancy, so they don't have blood test data or solid information on the women's diets and habits during pregnancy. Thus, this is a long way from being considered conclusive proof of anything, but it could have profound implications, since more than a third of woman of childbearing age in the U.S. are considered obese.
Autism may be linked to obesity during pregnancy [AP]
Image via kentoh/Shutterstock.
This is some pretty solid fat blaming, especially since you're correlating obesity with autism, and that's presupposing that you're correlating obesity with poor health. There's nothing here about the actual health of the mothers, only that these mothers read as "obese" which is normally determined by outdated standardized height/weight charts or the even more outdated and bad science based BMI measure. Is it true that many overweight people are unhealthy? Sure. It's also true many underweight people are unhealthy. And many "normal" weight people. If you want to hypothesize that blood sugar and inflammation affect the baby, that's great - that sounds like a pretty solid study with some interesting implications for all women. But that wasn't studied or looked at here, just added in as a potential explanation for the results.
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Home > Contested Frontiers in the Syria-Lebanon-Israel Region
Contested Frontiers in the Syria-Lebanon-Israel Region
Cartography, Sovereignty, and Conflict
Asher Kaufman
Contested Frontiers in the Syria-Lebanon-Israel Region studies one of the flash points of the Middle East since the 1960s—a tiny region of roughly 100 square kilometers where Syria, Lebanon, and Israel come together but where the borders have never been clearly marked. This was the scene of Palestinian guerrilla warfare in the 1960s and '70s and of Hezbollah confrontations with Israel from 2000 to the 2006 war. At stake are rural villagers who live in one country but identify themselves as belonging to another, the source of the Jordan River, part of scenic and historically significant Mount Hermon, the conflict-prone Shebaa Farms, and a defunct oil pipeline.
Asher Kaufman uses French, British, American, and Israeli archives; Lebanese and Syrian primary sources and newspapers; interviews with borderland residents and with UN and U.S. officials; and a historic collection of maps. He analyzes the geopolitical causes of conflict and prospects for resolution, assesses implications of the impasse over economic zones in the eastern Mediterranean where Israel, Lebanon, Cyprus, and Turkey all have claims, and reflects on the meaning of borders and frontiers today.
Subject: International Relations
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Latest news from #StowandTell
25th Sep 2020 Leave a Comment on Latest news from #StowandTell
First workshop on Thursday October 29th! A new theatre-making project giving young people in rural Suffolk a platform to tell their stories.
Young people in the Stowmarket area are being given the chance to help create a new play focusing on the realities of growing-up in rural Suffolk.
Theatre Producer Karen Goddard (pictured above), writer Martha Loader and director Scott Hurran have teamed-up with ‘The Together Project’ at The Mix in Stowmarket to offer 15 – 24-year-olds the opportunity to take part in the new drama project, entitled ‘Stow and Tell’.
Thanks to recent funding from Arts Council England, ‘Stow and Tell’ will invite young people to take part in a series of free weekly face-to-face theatre-making workshops at The Mix during October, November and December.
Participants will get (socially-distanced!) experience of every aspect of theatre production from writing, researching, developing and marketing and finally staging a pilot performance of a new play.
The project will provide participants with a fun and fascinating ‘behind-the-scenes’ experience of producing a new piece of theatre. It will also offer young people the chance to learn some important transferable work skills that will help their chances of future employment.
‘Together Project’ Youth Worker Chloe Davis said: “This is a really exciting opportunity for young people to have a platform to voice what really matters to them. It is also an amazing chance for young people to gain important life skills, as well as an insight into theatre production and the vast and varied employment opportunities within the arts industry.”
‘Stow and Tell’ will also provide employment for a group of professional freelance creative practitioners.
Producer Karen Goddard said: “Freelance actors, writers and theatre directors are having a really hard time at the moment. So, I’m pleased that the grant I’ve been awarded is enabling me to offer not only a great creative learning experience for a group of young people, but also the chance for Ipswich-based playwright Martha Loader (pictured below) to develop a new script and for director Scott Hurran and a fantastic group of actors to bring her ideas to life. All this has only been possible thanks to public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England, so I am hugely grateful for that!”
Hedley Swain, Area Director, South East, Arts Council England, said: “We’re really pleased to support ‘Stow and Tell’ thanks to National Lottery funding. It is really important that young people have the opportunity to develop and share their creative voices, but especially those who are vulnerable and might not otherwise have that chance. And that is exactly what this project is all about.”
The ‘Stow and Tell’ project is supported by The Mix and Suffolk County Council, in partnership with the John Peel Centre for the Creative Arts, Eastern Angles, Bury Theatre Royal, and The Garage in Norwich.
The Covid-secure workshops will be held at The Mix Centre in Stowmarket every Thursday from 5 – 7pm from October 29th onwards. The sessions will be limited to 15 people per group with participants wearing facemasks and observing social distancing rules. For more information on how to sign-up for the weekly workshops contact: Together@themixstowmarket.co.uk or ring Karen on 07789 933558
Karen Goddard is Freelance Theatre Producer based in Charsfield, Suffolk. www.karengoddard.net
Martha Loader is an Ipswich-based playwright. Her plays have been performed at the Ink Festival and as part of the Ipswich ‘Women’s Voices Women’s Votes’ Festival. She is also co-founder of Tusk Theatre Company.
Scott Hurran is Artistic Director of Ecclesia Theatre Company. His most recent directorial work is ‘Paper Cut’ by Andrew Rosendorf, produced in association with Theatre 503. He has worked with the Mercury Theatre, Eastern Angles and Action Transport Theatre.
The Mix is a Youth charity in Stowmarket which exists to empower and enable young people.
Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. We have set out our strategic vision in Let’s Create that by 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences. We invest public money from Government and The National Lottery to help support the sector and to deliver this vision. www.artscouncil.org.uk
For Press Enquiries and interviews contact: Karen Goddard, karenlgoddard@outlook.com 07789 933558
Previous Post Stow & Tell
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ISSUE 11 · September 2020 · www.energymagazine.com.au
THE RISING IMPACT OF wind in Australia
ACHIEVING RESILIENCE THROUGH A HARSH NEW REALITY
required on energy efficiency
COMMUNITY BATTERIES:
bringing renewables to the masses
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A quality leap through systembased protection testing System-based protection testing – something new again? Yes, absolutely. This innovative approach makes it possible to check the correct functioning of the entire protection system and thus increase the testing quality. Instead of validating individual relay settings, RelaySimTest simulates realistic scenarios in the energy system to reveal errors in the settings, the logic and the design of the protection system. www.omicronenergy.com/relaysimtest info.australia@omicronenergy.com Australia: 03 9473 8400
ISSUE 11—SEPTEMBER 2020 WELCOME
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Cover highlights our feature on wind energy, which in 2019 overtook hydro power as the leading source of renewable energy in Australia.
Monkey Media Enterprises ABN: 36 426 734 954 204/23–25 Gipps St Collingwood VIC 3066 P: (03) 9988 4950 F: (03) 8456 6720 monkeymedia.com.au info@monkeymedia.com.au energymagazine.com.au info@energymagazine.com.au ISSN: 2209-0541
Editor Laura Harvey Assistant Editor Imogen Hartmann Journalists Lauren Butler Eliza Booth Design Manager Alejandro Molano Designer Jacqueline Buckmaster National Media and Events Executives Rima Munafo Brett Thompson Marketing Associate Radhika Sud Publisher Chris Bland
EDITOR’S WELCOME
s it possible to reflect on the last three months and think that almost nothing has changed, while simultaneously thinking tremendous change is upon us? In 2020, when anything goes, I think the answer is yes. I know I’m not alone in struggling with the monotony many of us have experienced since life in lockdown began. And as a resident of Melbourne, under stage 4 restrictions as I type this welcome, the weight of the events of this year can begin to bear down. But in amongst the challenges, and the feeling that we’ve been stuck in a holding pattern for six months, there are positive signs. And these are what we need to hold onto right now. In the world of energy, I still see stories every day that give me something to smile about. Many of these have been profiled in further detail in this issue. The release of the Integrated System Plan from AEMO has been long awaited, and has filled the industry with a sense of hope about the path forward. Importantly, there is a feeling that with this report, AEMO has stepped into the void left at the
federal level to develop a workable energy policy, taking matters into its own hands. After more than a decade of inertia, this can only be a good thing. The impact of wind energy on the Australian industry is continuing to grow, which is also pleasing to see. After a record-breaking 2019, the contribution of this generation type will continue to grow in 2020, with new farms approved, under construction, and getting closer to commissioning. And in this issue, we’re also taking a closer look at the role new technologies like microgrids and community batteries are having, and will continue to have, on our evolving industry in the years to come. So while at times it can be difficult to see past the despair of 2020, when you look a little deeper, the signs of progress are clear to see. So from one grateful industry observer, I send my thanks to you and every member of the Australian energy industry who continues to show up, keep the lights on, and drive the crucial transition of this sector. Laura Harvey Editor
We’re keen to hear your thoughts and feedback on this issue of Energy. Get in touch at info@energymagazine.com.au or feel free to give us a call on (03) 9988 4950.
September 2020 ISSUE 11
CONTENTS NEWS 4
Australian-ASEAN Power Link fast-tracked
AEMO releases 2020 Integrated System Plan
Australia’s biggest electrolyser arrives
The changing face of Energy
EACH ISSUE 1
EDITOR'S WELCOME
64 FEATURES SCHEDULE
64 ADVERTISERS’ INDEX
10 INDUSTRY INSIGHT
10 Are we still in agreement?
ASSET INSPECTION & DRONES
20 Setting the standard for the renewable transition
30 Bringing high-tech drones to Queensland
22 The forgotten renewable energy
32 How drones and AI are changing solar farm management
12 The energy costs of staying at home 15 The urgent action we need to take on energy efficiency
DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT 18 Tips for running a successful webinar
24 New technologies reducing oil and gas emissions
34 Smarter earthing testing reduces cost & improves safety
26 Bowen Basin pipeline: leading the energy recovery charge
www.energymagazine.com.au
36 DISASTER MANAGEMENT 36 A mindful approach to supporting staff wellbeing during COVID-19
42 Nuclear energy: still a dangerous distraction
45 Discover an internet-enabled correction service for high accuracy GNSS 46 Quality trenching equipment and customer service key to success
39 Achieving resilience through a new harsh reality
48 A unique approach for testing protection systems
49 Save the date: gather with energy industry colleagues in 2021
50 The power of community batteries: bringing renewables to the masses
56 Unlocking microgrid opportunities in regional and remote Australia
60 The macro impacts of Australian microgrids
53 The rising power of wind in Australia
he Federal Government has granted Major Project Status to Sun Cable’s proposed Australian-ASEAN Power Link (AAPL) in order to fast-track the project. The project is set to be Australia’s largest renewable energy infrastructure project and one of the world’s largest dispatchable renewable electricity systems, supported by the world’s largest battery and solar farm in the Barkly region near Tennant Creek. Federal Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Karen Andrews, said the project would create 1,500 Australian jobs during construction, 350 ongoing jobs in Australia, as well as indirectly supporting around 12,000 Australian jobs. It will also see the production of a new solar farm manufacturing facility. “This project draws on Australia’s world-class solar technology and our high-tech manufacturing capability to export renewable energy on an unprecedented scale,” Ms Andrews said. “Not only will this power link make Australia a world-leader, it will also create significant economic and employment opportunities here at home with about $8 billion of the $22 billion investment to be injected directly into Australia. “It’s a strong statement to all Australians that despite the immediate challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic we will come out the other side stronger and industry is still investing in
opportunities that will drive our economic recovery and create much needed jobs.” Federal Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Angus Taylor, said projects like this will help maintain Australia’s longstanding position as an energy exporting powerhouse. “Australia has long been a world leader in energy exports,” Mr Taylor said. “As technologies change, we can capitalise on our strengths in renewables to continue to lead the world in energy exports.” Sun Cable CEO, David Griffin, said, “Sun Cable is delighted that the AAPL has been granted Major Project Status. “It is a significant milestone for the AAPL, which will see Australia become a world leader in renewable electricity trade, generating approximately $2 billion worth of exports for Australia annually. “This project is helping to grow a new industry, utilising intercontinental HVDC submarine transmission systems, to supply renewable electricity to major load centres in the Indo-Pacific and support the region’s low-emissions goals,” Mr Griffin said. Major Project Status is the Commonwealth Government’s recognition of the strategic significance of a project to Australia. It provides companies with extra support from the Major Projects Facilitation Agency, including a single entry point for Commonwealth Government approvals, project support and coordination, and help with state and territory approvals.
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AEMO RELEASES 2020
INTEGRATED SYSTEM PLAN
he Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has published its 2020 Integrated System Plan (ISP), highlighting the National Electricity Market (NEM) investments that will be crucial in securing grid stability. The 2020 ISP identified the optimal development path for the NEM that will both maximise consumer benefits and deliver $11 billion in net market benefits to 2040. AEMO’s Managing Director and CEO, Audrey Zibelman, said that the ISP undertakes a comprehensive review of the changes that are occurring in the electricity system and identifies the series of supply and network investments that can best meet consumer expectations of affordable and reliable electricity. “The ISP analysis confirms that as our coal plants retire, the least-cost transition of the NEM will be to a highly diverse portfolio consisting of distributed energy resources (DER) and variable renewable energy (VRE), supported by multiple dispatchable resources,” Ms Zibelman said. “To enable the expected rise in renewable energy, the ISP identifies strategic investments in transmission infrastructure and renewable energy zones (REZs), which when coupled with low-cost firming resources, will be the most costeffective way to add generation capacity and balance variable resources across the NEM. “In progressing these projects, it is critical that the cost of building transmission lines is tightly managed to ensure consumers derive these benefits.” The work of producing the Final 2020 ISP has also highlighted essential market and regulatory reform needed to ensure consumers reap the benefits of the future power system. “When implemented alongside market and regulatory reforms, the targeted transmission investments identified in the ISP will bring the right resources into the system in a timely fashion. “This will create a modern, efficient and resilient energy system that delivers $11 billion in net market benefits weighted across the different ISP scenarios over the next two decades,” Ms Zibelman said. “The work of the Energy Security Board and market bodies on essential reforms to attract investment and optimise markets for
emerging energy resources remains critical to ensure the consumer benefits of the ISP are fully realised.” Through extensive consultation, which included the publication and review of the Draft 2020 ISP in December 2019, AEMO considered many possible operating environments, transition scenarios and sensitivities to rigorously test and identify significant change in the investments needed for the NEM to 2040. These are broadly classified as: » DER: expected to double or triple, providing 13 to 22 per cent of total underlying annual energy consumption » VRE: more than 26GW of new VRE is needed to replace coal-fired generation, with 63 per cent of coalfired generation set to retire » Dispatchable resources: 6-19GW of new dispatchable resources are needed to back up renewables, in the form of utility-scale pumped hydro, fast responding gas-fired generation, battery storage, demand response and aggregated DER participating as virtual power plants » Power system services: the growing need to actively manage power system services (voltage control, system strength, frequency control, inertia, ramping and dispatchability) » The transmission grid: strategically placed interconnectors and REZs, coupled with firming resources, to add capacity and balance variable resources across the NEM Over an 18-month period, AEMO consulted on and developed the ISP which includes the least-cost investments to optimise net market benefits and deliver low-cost, secure and reliable energy through a comprehensive range of plausible energy futures for the NEM. The 2020 ISP identified four categories of transmission projects – committed, actionable, actionable (with decision rules) and future ISP projects – permitted to be developed by the transmission network service provider through the Renewable Investment Test – Transmission (RIT-T) process. Previously committed ISP projects include South Australian system strength remediation, the Western Victorian Transmission Network Project, and QNI Minor, which is the addition of 150MW of capacity on the NSW-QLD interconnector.
2020 actionable ISP projects include: VNI Minor: a minor upgrade to the existing Victoria-NSW Interconnector (VNI), which is close to completing its regulatory approval process, with project completion expected in 2022-23 » Project EnergyConnect: a new 330kV double-circuit interconnector between South Australia and New South Wales, which is close to completing its regulatory approval process. The project completion is expected by 2024-25 » HumeLink: a 500kV transmission upgrade to reinforce the NSW southern shared network and increase transfer capacity between the Snowy Mountains hydroelectric scheme and the region’s demand centres. This project commenced its regulatory approval process earlier this year, with project completion due by 2025–26 » Central-West Orana REZ Transmission Link: network augmentations to support the development of the Central-West Orana REZ. The project completion is due in 2024-25. »
Two further projects are deemed actionable with additional decision rules: » VNI West: a new high voltage alternating current (HVAC) interconnector between Victoria and NSW » Marinus Link: two new HVDC cables connecting Victoria and Tasmania, each with 750 MW of transfer capacity and associated alternating current transmission Energy Networks Australia CEO, Andrew Dillon, welcomed the release of the document, saying the plan highlighted the critical role transmission would play. “To handle the seismic shift expected in electricity generation by 2040, we will need targeted investment in key transmission connections,” Mr Dillon said. “Around the world, we’re seeing countries embrace greater connectivity as part of managing the ever-increasing amounts of variable generation from renewables. “The ISP shows that a more connected future makes sense for Australian energy customers too.
“The sheer scale of the energy transition in the NEM is outlined in the ISP with a predicted 200 per cent increase in household solar and batteries and a 63 per cent drop in coal generation by 2040.” Mr Dillon said this jump in variable generation and closure of synchronous plants would need to be carefully managed to ensure a strong and reliable electricity system. “The ISP charts a path to managing the development of a more interconnected grid,” Mr Dillon said. “The priority for energy networks is ensuring these proposed developments are efficient and deliver customers a low-cost pathway to a more secure, affordable system. “Networks will continue to deliver an efficient, reliable and affordable grid for customers.” The Australian Energy Council’s (AEC) Chief Executive, Sarah McNamara, said, “The ISP is important in identifying strategic shifts in the energy market and ensures there is a national approach to system planning. “We welcome AEMO’s decision to consider multiple scenarios and allow for staged implementation of two major projects during the 2020s, making use of the proposed ‘decision rules’ structure. “This optionality will ensure flexibility and allow adjustment to be made based on market conditions. It helps the industry get ready in case they are ultimately needed but does not commit customer funds earlier than strictly necessary. “Whilst AEMO has provided a broad, national plan, the task now shifts to planning these projects in detail and justifying their cost-benefits before the regulator. This is an equally critical part of the process.” EY Energy Leader, Matt Rennie, said, “The Australian Energy Market Operator’s $25 billion Integrated System Plan to build up the power grid is a real milestone in energy policy and evidence AEMO is stepping up to the plate to be a real force in the design of the energy system through and post the transition. “Preparing for a decarbonised generation mix and a greater role for decentralised power through solar and batteries was always going to require investment in new transmission lines and distribution infrastructure to cope with these changes. We are entering a time of new beginnings in energy. “The important thing now is to press on, send the right signals, and allow competition and markets to bring the costs down and drive our inefficiencies.
“This needs to be the beginning of new transparent communication between AEMO as the system designer, the AER as an efficiency czar and the AEMC to ensure that the design of the regulatory framework provides the best possible economic architecture for smart and new investment.” Climate Council Chief Executive, Amanda McKenzie, argued that AEMO’s report shows that the current push for gas expansion from the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission is unnecessary and undesirable. “We can transition to a renewablepowered energy grid without the need for any new gas. New gas is expensive, polluting and a poor public investment,” Ms McKenzie said.
“Our recently released Clean Jobs Plan shows we can create 15,000 jobs in renewable energy, while setting Australia up for the future and tackling climate change. Clean energy is a no brainer. “The report also shows that despite gas industry claims, an ever-deeper penetration of renewable energy doesn’t rely on growth in gas. “Those scenarios where wind and solar provide more of Australia’s energy needs see the lowest need for all fossil fuels, including gas.”
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ustralia’s largest hydrogen electrolyser has been delivered for installation at Hydrogen Park South Australia (HyP SA), located in the Tonsley Innovation District. The electrolyser’s arrival, a key component in the hydrogen production facility, marks an important milestone in the South Australian Government’s plans for renewable energy. South Australian Minister for Energy and Mining, Dan van Holst Pellekaan, said, “Hydrogen is a fuel with tremendous potential and the Marshall Government is getting in on the ground floor to ensure we can service local, national and international demand for zero carbon hydrogen. “The 1.25MW Siemens Proton Exchange Membrane electrolyser will remove carbon from South Australia’s gas supply by using renewable electricity and water to create zero carbon hydrogen gas. “Once operational, the electrolyser at HyP SA will be capable of producing up to 480kg of hydrogen per day, that will supply more than 700 properties in nearby Mitchell Park with a blend of up to five per cent renewable hydrogen delivered through the existing gas network. “HyP SA is an $11.4 million demonstration project delivered and funded by Adelaide-based Australian Gas Networks, part of the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) and supported by a $4.9 million grant from the South Australian Government’s Renewable Technology Fund. “This exciting renewable hydrogen generation project showcases to the world how electrolysers can integrate gas and electricity networks to support whole-of-system energy stability, particularly as more renewable electricity generation capacity comes onto the grid. “It will additionally demonstrate the feasibility of blending hydrogen into the broader South Australian gas network and inform the South Australian Government’s planning on how we transition to a low carbon gas distribution network.” Mr van Holst Pellekaan said that the innovation taking place at HyP SA is an example of the State Government delivering on its plan to facilitate investment in hydrogen infrastructure and integrate hydrogen into the energy system, as set out in South Australia’s Hydrogen Action Plan. “The learnings from HyP SA will be shared with the $4.15 million state and federally co-funded Australian Hydrogen Centre
to deliver a range of studies from blending small amounts of hydrogen to the full conversion of South Australia and producing energy in cleaner, smarter ways,” Mr van Holst Pellekaan said. “The outcomes of this project are part of the State Government’s ambition to blend up to ten per cent renewable hydrogen in South Australia, with the ultimate goal of 100 per cent hydrogen conversion in towns, cities and states across Australia. “Importantly, there is no additional cost to customers who will receive the blended five per cent renewable gas as part of this project, and the change will not impact any arrangements they have with their existing natural gas retailer. “So, not only will customers taking part in this project play a part in a clean energy future, they will not notice any disruption or difference in the supply of their gas needs.” AGIG’s Chief Executive Officer, Ben Wilson, said that the delivery of Australia’s largest electrolyser to site at HyP SA was a significant milestone. “This project demonstrates Australia’s gas networks are hydrogen ready,” Mr Wilson said. HyP SA will be an Australian first to deliver renewable hydrogen made from water, sunshine and wind, to homes and businesses through the existing gas network. “Importantly, it meets widening community recognition of hydrogen’s benefits, and underlines South Australia’s status as a leader in this emerging industry with real potential to deliver jobs and growth for residential, commercial, industrial and export applications.” Mr Wilson added that innovative renewable hydrogen projects, such HyP SA, illustrate the ability of the nation’s gas networks to meet the decarbonisation challenge – a key in balancing the energy trilemma. “At AGIG, we are investing in the long-term interests of our customers and the environment. “This project paves the way for the commercial deployment of a hydrogen economy as we seek to deploy ten per cent renewable gas in our networks before shifting to the potential conversion of entire networks.” AGIG has already announced plans for a similar plant in Gladstone, Queensland and is developing detailed plans to introduce hydrogen into gas networks in both Victoria and South Australia through the Australian Hydrogen Centre.
FACE OF ENERGY Monkey Media, the publisher behind Energy, has been adapting to the changed world brought about by COVID-19. Top L-R: National Media and Events Executives, Brett Thompson and Rima Munafo. Bottom L-R: Energy Publisher, Chris Bland and Energy Editor, Laura Harvey.
he pandemic has seen a significant number of our subscriber base shift to working from home, while many others are involved on the frontline of essential projects. The demand for timely information has increased, and with the mainstream press providing constant updates on the broader situation, we have dedicated our resources to more analysis and reflection on the impacts on the energy sector. This has included an increased focus on digital newsletters, social content, videos, webinars and virtual conferences, all of which have received precedent levels of engagement since March. According to Energy Editor Laura Harvey, the sector has been particularly interested in "signs of hope" stories – news about major projects being sanctioned or moving ahead. Two project developments in particular have been really popular with Energy readers – the sanctioning of the Surat Gas Project, and Blue Energy’s plans to develop the Bowen Basin Gas Pipeline. “In addition, renewable energy is always a strong point of interest for our audience, and developments in the hydrogen space
are getting the most attention right now. Stories about energy storage, and in particular, community batteries, are also being widely read,” said Laura. "To me, this highlights the fact that the industry is ready and willing to focus on the main task at hand, which in energy, is keeping the lights on, and starting to bring about the kind of system-wide change we need to see to deliver the energy market of the future.” And while change is a constant when it comes to the energy industry and publishing alike, according to Energy Publisher and Monkey Media Managing Director Chris Bland, some things do stay the same. "While we will keep updating the platforms and methods of delivery, we have always focused on understanding the industry, and delivering the best content we can to the key players in that industry,” said Chris. “That part of our approach hasn’t changed, we’re just reaching our audience in more ways now than ever before.” This adaptation has led to a broader range of marketing services and options for companies looking to get their message to the industry, with custom EDMs, content marketing, lead generation and virtual
conferences and webinars among the most popular options. The changing situation has also seen some changes to the team, with Brett Thompson recently joining the team as National Media and Events Executive. Brett brings years of experience in similar roles, and joins long-standing National Media and Events Executive Rima Munafo. The two will work closely with Energy's commercial partners to help them develop new content and strategies to communicate with our audience. According to Chris, "I've worked with Brett for many years previously, and it's great to be back on the same team with him again. There are so many exciting new ways that we're able to help companies to get their message out and play a leading role in this sector.
“Brett and Rima both have a great passion for getting results for our partners, and I’m excited about what they’ll be able to achieve in the future.”
ARE WE STILL IN AGREEMENT? by Chris Gilbert, Senior Economic Advisor, Energy Networks Australia
The Australian Energy Market Agreement was enacted in 2004, but since then, a lot has changed in the energy industry in Australia. Here, we take a closer look at the agreement and consider whether it is still an effective tool for bringing our states and territories together when it comes to energy policy.
Does the AEMA still have authority and buy-in to support coordinated national policy? Current evidence suggests this may not be the case.
he Australian Energy Market Agreement (AEMA) was a landmark agreement enacted by all states and territories to signal that the future direction of the energy market would be pursued in a nationally consistent manner. Or at least, it was meant to be. Recent state-led developments appear to be stepping away from a national agenda, and the question must be asked – where does the Australian Energy Market Agreement and nationally agreed policy stand today? The Finkel Review in 2017 reflected that in recent times, “the commitment of governments to this national approach to energy policy has been tested”.1 Complicating things, the AEMA explicitly outlines that states can develop their own environmental, energy efficiency, demand management and greenhouse emissions policies. Finkel questioned whether it was time to reaffirm Australian governments’ commitment to a national, integrated approach to policy, eliciting the review’s favoured approach in recommendation 7.3: By mid-2018, COAG leaders should agree to a new Australian Energy Market Agreement that recommits all parties to: » Taking a nationally consistent approach to energy policy that recognises Australia’s commitment in Paris to reduce emissions and governments’ commitment to align efforts to meet this target with energy market frameworks. » Notifying the COAG Energy Council if they propose to take a unilateral action that falls within the scope of Australian Energy Market Agreement prior to taking the action. » Within 28 days of notification, the Energy Security Board will provide advice to the COAG Energy Council on the impacts of the proposed action taking into account the objectives of Australian Energy Market Agreement. COAG responded months later, stating that by mid-2018, the COAG Energy Council would propose a new AEMA to COAG to reaffirm Australian governments’ commitment to the NEM and a national, integrated approach to energy and emissions reduction policy. The silence has been deafening since, with no recommitment in sight. In December 2018 the ESB reported delays while prioritising the National Energy Guarantee, with progression to recommence in 2019. However, in February this year, work remained on hold. Meanwhile, states have been busy implementing their own fragmented policies and making inroads to progress their own
goals, and the Council of Australian Government framework itself has been overtaken by new COVID-19 inspired arrangements. Legislation in Victoria passed earlier this year that gave the state Energy Minister power to go it alone on local transmission planning and investment. The government said the reforms were necessary to “override the complex and outdated national regulatory regime, which causes excessive delays in delivering transmission projects and fails to properly account for the full benefits of investments”. Damning criticism of the national framework is not easy to reconcile with a recommitment to the AEMA. The NSW Government’s Electricity Strategy brings forward NSW priority renewable energy zones, which can influence the trajectory of national planning. While state-based policies can usefully progress issues and remove some roadblocks, uncoordinated state interventions pose questions for the future of the AEMA. AEMO’s recent Minimum operational demand thresholds in South Australia report, requested by the SA Government, details 31 recommendations to manage the influx of solar PV into the SA grid. SA-specific analysis for its unique solar PV circumstances seems sensible, but the process to this outcome has bypassed existing national standards and planning mechanisms and is another step away from the AEMA. There are numerous other derogations from national frameworks, and of course, the AEMA recognises that some policy areas lie with states. But does the AEMA still have authority and buy-in to support coordinated national policy? The three market institutions were enacted to oversee national policy implementation, but when policy is no longer national, the once clear roles and responsibilities of market institutions are put to the test. The national framework is fraying around the edges while the AEMA needle and thread sit idle. Due to the nature of our interconnected system, state-based policies often have implications for other states and the nation more broadly. Current events might indicate that snowballing state interventions are the new normal. Is it possible to get back on the national bandwagon? We’re at a turning point, and with the ESB’s future up in the air, how well cooperative federalism will work for the energy sector over the years ahead is far from clear.
Formally known as the Independent Review into the Future Security of the National Electricity Market, June 2017.
THE ENERGY COSTS OF STAYING AT HOME by Dr Kari Dahlgren, Dr Jathan Sadowski, Associate Professor Yolande Strengers, Dr Larissa Nicholls and Professor Sarah Pink, Digital Energy Futures Project, Monash University As we begin to adjust to the new normal brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, we know things will not return exactly to the way they used to be. While we’re figuring out this new normal, we need to ask what aspects of our new lifestyles should stick around, and at what cost?
According to researchers from Monash University, we need to be careful to ensure a shift to working from home effectively captures sustainability benefits.
obody likes long video calls, for example, but the flexibility and speed of an e-commute may be difficult to give up. What’s more, there also seem to be important environmental benefits that come with working from home. The reduction in cars driving and planes flying has contributed to a significant drop in pollution around
the world. Considering the dire predictions of climate disasters, these reductions are necessary. How do we capture and maintain these environmental benefits even as countries seek to reopen their economies? “If emissions rebound, it is very difficult to see how they will be brought down in future,” said Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency.
Replacing traffic jams with data centres will come with its own environmental cost.
But it’s not only a rebound in travel that we have to watch out for. Many of the digital technologies that allow us to stay connected, productive, comfortable and entertained at home are also energyintensive. Replacing traffic jams with data centres, or highways with networks, will come with its own environmental cost. It’s important to remember that digital does not always mean more sustainable.
Staying at home As part of a three-year Digital Energy Futures project, which is researching how current and future digital technology lifestyle trends are likely to impact energy demand, we developed six future scenarios that represent key industry predictions for the future, including one called The Stay at Home Life. The Stay at Home Life scenario presents a future that places the home at the centre of nearly all our activities: work, study, leisure, entertainment and shopping – thus resulting in increased investment in, and reliance upon, digital technologies for new and existing services. This version of our near-future life comes with significant energy implications, which are already apparent. While overall electricity usage has remained relatively stable during the pandemic, it has shifted drastically to residential use, with estimates as high as a 40 per cent increase in household electricity use. This will lead to bill shock and energy hardship for many.
Should the lifestyle and technology trends envisioned in this scenario continue and accelerate, energy usage is likely to increase significantly, and change the timing of energy peaks.
Energy costs of smart home upgrades The pandemic is already revealing that people invest in energyintensive household goods when preparing to spend more time at home (if they can afford to do so). Many white goods have seen demand surge in recent months, particularly freezers. Electronic and household goods stores JB Hi-Fi and the Good Guys have seen sales increase 20 per cent in the second half of the financial year. In the US, in the midst of summer, personal swimming pools are in high-demand, one of the most energyintensive luxuries available today. As people upgrade and invest in home technologies, they are also likely to be ‘smart’ – often by default. Things like smart fridges, smart lights, digital voice assistants, and remote-controlled thermostats are often celebrated for their energy-saving capabilities. They allow users to turn off appliances with apps, set automated routines – “Alexa, start my day” – and have the potential to be responsive to energy price signals and renewable energy sources. However, these devices also allow for new entertainment, comfort and conveniences that potentially increase or shift
While a reduction in air travel has had a positive impact on carbon dioxide emissions globally, some studies suggest that data centres may in fact contribute more to carbon dioxide emissions than the airline industry.
energy demand in other areas, such as pre-cooling or -warming the home. They are often used simultaneously, adding to an increasing suite of digital home devices. In addition, while the devices themselves are usually more energy-efficient than their predecessors, the infrastructure required to make connected and smart things work, like the data centres filled with massive servers for storage and high-powered processors for computation, have created an energy pit.
If the digital acceleration continues, without sufficient gains in efficiency, renewables and sustainable materials, the energy needs of our digital lives may soon undermine any potential environmental gains from staying at home – and worse.
This scenario is not inevitable Whether or not the Stay at Home Life scenario will continue to accelerate and eventuate remains to be seen. But one thing is already clear: it will likely continue to increase residential The energy costs of data energy demand, and change the timing As we switch from in-person meetings, of current peaks. Our future research will or even from phone calls to video test industry scenarios like the Stay at Home teleconferencing, we are using significantly Life with a diverse set of Australian households, more data. The more high-definition and seamless to better understand how these visions might these videos become – let alone if we switch into unfold in different ways. From here, we will work with virtual reality and other immersive technologies – the our industry partners to innovate so-called “demand Lead author more our data and energy needs are likely to further management” programs, which seek to reduce or shift Dr Kari Dahlgren. increase in the future. energy consumption in homes through technologies, Data centres already use approximately 1-2 per cent of global campaigns and incentives. electricity, and some estimates have even suggested they Avoiding any significant environmental rebounds as we come contribute more to carbon dioxide emissions than the airline out of COVID-19 restrictions will require ensuring we do not offset industry. And as The MIT Technology Review reports, “training a energy savings in one sector like transportation with energy usage single (artificial intelligence) model can emit as much carbon as five in another like consumer electronics. We cannot assume that a cars in their lifetimes.” “smarter” world will fix our energy problems. But better planning Having an infinite supply of data at our disposal and a personal and understanding of people’s changing digital lifestyles can help AI to run our household sounds fantastic, but at what hidden cost? us imagine and realise more sustainable futures.
THE URGENT ACTION WE NEED TO TAKE ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY Despite energy efficiency's tremendous potential, the world is struggling to capture its full benefits. Recognising this, the Global Commission for Urgent Action on Energy Efficiency has issued ten recommendations to support governments in achieving more ambitious action on energy efficiency.
lobal energy efficiency is not improving quickly enough to offset strong energy demand and carbon dioxide emissions growth. In light of these worrying trends, there is a growing recognition by governments and leaders across the globe that efficiency efforts need to be stepped up. Convened by the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) in response to the global slowdown of energy efficiency progress, the Global Commission for Urgent Action on Energy Efficiency was established in June 2019 at the IEA’s Fourth Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency in Dublin, Ireland. The Commission has 23 members and is composed of national leaders, current and former ministers, top business executives and global thought leaders. With analytical support from the IEA, Global Commission members have examined how progress on energy efficiency can be rapidly accelerated through new and stronger policy action by governments across the globe. In the year since the Commission was launched, the world has changed in so many different ways. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a tragic loss of life, and has led to a global economic crisis from which all our countries are working hard to bounce back. We need transformative change. As a result, the Commission has developed this series of ten actionable recommendations to support governments in achieving more ambitious action on energy efficiency. The recommendations identify policies that can be implemented quickly to boost activity on energy efficiency globally; and focus on how to stimulate more action, more investment, and more jobs, especially in the COVID-19 recovery. 1. Prioritise cross-cutting energy efficiency action for its economic, social and environmental benefits A stronger policy focus on energy efficiency will enhance social and economic development, energy security and resilience, and decarbonisation, as well as supporting immediate job creation and economic stimulus. Capturing these benefits requires whole-of-government engagement, using narratives that highlight efficiency’s positive benefits and build support for stronger action. Efficiency cuts across all sectors and all government departments, from energy to environment, from finance to education, to health, buildings, industry and transport. A wholeof-government approach can ensure alignment of priorities and actions and, hence, greatly increases impact. There are many good examples of whole-of-government approaches strengthening impacts. Energy efficient cooling, for
example, is a cross -cutting issue of huge importance and is driven by all-of-government national action plans in both China and India, among others. In Japan, energy efficiency progress has been steered by an overarching framework, the Energy Conservation Act, which has been in place for 30 years and provides a comprehensive set of targets, regulations and incentives across all sectors, and is regularly updated. Building such cross-government support relies on the benefits of energy efficiency being made clear through the right metrics and effective narratives. Within any government, different narratives and benefits will resonate. Highlighting, through real data, energy efficiency’s positive impacts on energy security, energy access and lower consumer bills, can build support within various branches of government.
2. Act to unlock efficiency’s job creation potential Energy efficiency investment is a key strategy for immediate job creation, and the Commission believes it can, and should, be a central element of stimulus programs. Evidence shows welldesigned stimulus programs with efficiency considerations can rapidly support the existing workforce, create new jobs and boost economic activities in a range of key sectors. According to the forthcoming WEO Sustainable Recovery Report, energy efficiency actions can be utilised to quickly create millions of jobs, particularly in construction and manufacturing. Key opportunities include building retrofit and technology replacement programs. The Commission stated that governments can draw lessons from experiences from already established programs, drawing particular attention to our own National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) program. 3. Create greater demand for energy efficiency solutions A range of policies exists to drive demand for energy efficient products and services, yet market uptake is still far from where it needs to be. A focus on driving demand for efficiency technologies and services, and on removing barriers to their uptake, can greatly accelerate progress. Policies such as standards and labels can increase demand for more efficient choices by informing consumers and by moving markets towards more efficient options. Transition to more efficient options can also be accelerated by incentives for consumers to replace old, inefficient products with new, more efficient models. Well-designed policies build market scale for new technologies in ways that bring prices down and make more efficient options more affordable.
4. Focus on finance in the wider context of scaling up action Policies to get finance flowing can combine measures to increase demand with actions to remove barriers to investment and to enable appropriate finance and business models. This is critically important now as governments look at ways to channel public funds and leverage private capital at a time when private investment is likely to slow. Among the many initiatives and policies put in place to create flows of finance to efficiency actions, the most successful have avoided looking at finance in isolation, but rather treat it as part of the overall environment that centres on driving larger-scale activity. In the short-term, governments should consider where to focus public funds, such as towards vulnerable communities, social housing, health care, education and other priority sectors. Direct public financing, such as through grants, is likely to be particularly important in many sectors in the short term, and can be designed both to maximise immediate activity and to leverage additional private investment. In the context of economic stimulus, funding is probably better applied to expanding pre-existing mechanisms rather than commencing new ones from scratch. In the medium- to long-term, governments may prefer to shift away from direct grants and loans by offering technical and commercial derisking support to attract private sector capital. 5. Leverage digital innovation to enhance system-wide efficiency Many aspects of energy efficiency are being transformed by the new possibilities created by digital technologies. Digital technologies can reduce costs, overcome persistent barriers, create value, enable new business models, mobilise investment and boost the role of energy efficiency and demand response in energy systems. They also allow for a more modernised, rounded
concept of energy efficiency that considers system optimisiation, such as integrating variable renewable sources, rather than just looking at the end-use of energy. The IEA has created the Readiness for Digital Energy Efficiency policy framework, a set of critical policy considerations for harnessing digital technologies for energy efficiency. The framework is designed to ensure that the benefits of digital energy efficiency are realised through policies that address a range of issues: from balancing data accessibility with data privacy, to helping remove regulatory barriers to innovation. Consistent standards and measurement approaches are also important. Digital technologies enable better control of energy use, for instance through smart building management systems that optimise the building’s conditions efficiently, enhancing comfort while lowering costs while also allowing for wider systems thinking, particularly in electricity grids.
6. The public sector should lead by example Governments should be trailblazers in all aspects of efficiency action and lead by example, positioning themselves as leaders in implementing best practice, using procurement to build scale for efficient technologies and fostering new business models for efficiency services. Investment in public sector efficiency improvements is a clear opportunity for maximising stimulus returns. These returns can be achieved through a variety of mechanisms. Bulk procurement can help target technologies become more affordable and accessible by achieving scale and wide-scale transformation. This has been done successfully in India, where more than 350 million LED lamps have been distributed. The economies of scale of the program have helped reduce the price of a LED lamp by a factor of ten.
7. Engage all parts of society Because energy efficiency requires a particular focus on implementation, it is important to engage relevant parts of society at the appropriate levels. Policies can be more successful if they recognise the relative strengths of different levels of government and empower them accordingly. By empowering cities and sub-national actors to innovate and develop their own ambitious efficiency initiatives, and by collaboration between national and local levels, governments can enable transformation from the bottom up. 8. Leverage behavioural insights for more effective policy Expected and actual behavioural responses to energy efficiency policy can often diverge. This is sometimes because policy design and implementation may resort to 'rules of thumb' about human behaviour, often based on standard economic theory rather than more subtle analysis of a given set of circumstances. Learnings from behavioural sciences can inform policy making by ensuring that energy policies are based on a sound understanding of the mechanisms guiding human behaviours. Behavioural insights are important for all policies designed to change individual, household and business behaviours that impact energy consumption and investment in energy efficiency; they can help identify behavioural barriers to policy effectiveness and help redesign policy actions accordingly. The COVID-19 crisis has brought about significant changes in lifestyles and work practices, as employees in service sectors work from home and avoid business travel, thereby causing immediate implications for energy consumption. Beyond the immediate crisis and society’s reflex reactions to it, longer-term changes in attitudes and beliefs may also affect people’s consumption and mobility patterns, as well as perceptions of energy efficiency. Greater interest in climate change and air quality, as well as concerns raised over issues such as resilience, quality of life and job and energy security, all open up the possibility for new perceptions of the importance of energy efficiency.
9. Strengthen international collaboration The range of examples and learnings discussed here demonstrate clearly the value of international exchange and collaboration. International organisations can help countries to connect with each other for enhanced collaboration. The IEA convenes governments and stakeholders from around the world and facilitates sharing of best practice and data. Platforms such as the Clean Energy Ministerial and the IEA Technology Collaboration Programs serve to enable collaboration and exchange at many levels. Global platforms of commitment, such as the Three Percent Club, also serve an important role in highlighting the efficiency opportunity and encouraging international collaboration. The Global Alliance of Buildings and Construction has also been a strong driver of action and exchange. Among the largest economies, the G20 has been an important forum for energy efficiency collaboration in a number of areas. For example, in 2019, as part of its G20 presidency and as laid out in the Karuizawa Action Plan, Japan embarked on a global collaboration initiative to develop energy efficiency benchmarks for heavy industry as a means of supporting policy making. 10. Raise global energy efficiency ambition The Commission is strongly of the view that significant potential exists to enhance global energy efficiency, and collective ambition should therefore increase. Realising this ambition will entail action over a number of years that blends short- and longer-term perspectives. At this critical moment, governments have a sharp focus on economic stimulus and delivering tangible, widely-felt social and economic benefits. This can include a range of energy efficiency programs such as home retrofits that improve quality of life or action to reduce fuel poverty and enhance energy access, as seen in the IEA’s Sustainable Recovery Plan. Governments can act as leaders by investing in efficient infrastructure, leveraging public procurement mechanisms to encourage manufacturing of efficient products, and incentivising actions and investments that help bring energy efficiency to scale. In order to reach the rapidly approaching goals of 2030 and 2050, the global community cannot afford investments in infrastructure that are not aligned with making progress toward those goals.
TIPS FOR RUNNING A The uptake of webinars and Virtual Conferences has exploded since COVID-19 hit and all trade shows and face-to-face meetings were banned, and they aren’t going away anytime soon.
he pandemic has highlighted that webinars aren’t just a substitute for live events – they have their own benefits when it comes to branding, customer engagement and quality lead generation. If you’re thinking about reaching potential customers with a webinar, here are five tips to help you better connect with your audience and for your event to run as smoothly as possible behind the scenes. 1. Audience: are you reaching your target market? The main purpose of any webinar or Virtual Conference is to provide information to your target market – the people you want to engage with your product or service. So the first thing you need to decide is whether you will be talking to your existing audience or if you want to reach new people. If you’re targeting your existing audience you can directly promote your webinar to them and offer educational and/or interesting content. If you want to reach a new market, the best way to find the most relevant people is through external marketing. This could include social media promotion or other channels like advertising in industry newsletters, allowing you to precisely track how many registrations it drives. Using social platforms like LinkedIn also allows you to identify a new audience based on factors such as job title and location, so you can find exactly who you want to attend your webinar. Monkey Media Managing Editor, Laura Harvey, said virtual events also tend to attract a lot more people than a live event. Monkey Media has run several Virtual Conferences in 2020, including Energy Storage, Digital Utilities, Disaster Management, Asset Management for Critical Infrastructure, Future of Infrastructure, Flow Technology and Smart Cities. “For example, at our Smart Cities Conference, we’d normally get around 300 people for a live event, but by making it a Virtual Conference, we had more than 1,100 people register,” Laura said. Once you’ve decided who your target audience is, it’s important to engage with them before and after the event to foster the relationship. Before the webinar, think about setting up an automated newsletter that sends them useful information on the topic. During the webinar ensure they can participate in the conversation using Q&A chat functions to send questions to speakers, or through poll questions.
2. Content: what value is it offering? The content of the webinar or Virtual Conference is what will get people to register, so you need to be offering high-quality information and engaging speakers. Think about what your identified target audience and potential customers would want to learn about and create a program around their interests and pain points. Laura creates the programs for Monkey Media’s Virtual Conferences and said the choice of speakers can play a big part in the success. “You need to decide if you will use an internal speaker from your own company, external experts, or both. A mix is often good as it provides broader program appeal and can look less promotional,” she said. “The key with speaker selection is to first define the topics you want to address in your webinar, and then choose the speakers who are well-regarded and best placed to address these topics, internally or externally. “Speakers who have a high public profile, and who have their own broad networks that they can leverage to attract more delegates to your event are also beneficial.” There’s been a huge number of new webinars popping up lately, so like anything else there are good and bad ones. You want to make sure you’re not contributing to ‘webinar spam’. Don’t just do a webinar because everyone else is. You still need to have something useful to say. 3. Format: make it fit-for-purpose There is no set rule for how long a webinar or Virtual Conference should be, as the length of time should fit the content. If you’re turning a previously live event into a webinar, it’s important to not try to just jam in the existing content. For an event that was previously a one or two day conference, this could be compressed into a 3-4 hour webinar. This is what happened with Monkey Media’s Digital Utilities 2020 Conference, as the COVID-19 lockdown and travel restrictions began less than a week out from the event. Monkey Media Managing Director, Chris Bland, said the decision was made to move it online on Friday, with the event starting the following Thursday. “This gave the production team only three work days to transform it into a completely Virtual Conference, including finding the best platform, and rejigging the program to work better in an www.energymagazine.com.au
SUCCESSFUL WEBINAR online format, including working with all the speakers to ensure their presentations still had the same impact when delivered online,” he said. “It was a steep learning curve and while it wasn’t perfect, we made sure to take the audience into account in terms of how they would be receiving the information presented.” Most people also have short attention spans, so Laura said that generally webinars should go for a few hours, or if there are only one or two speakers presenting on a niche topic, keep it down to 45 minutes to one hour. Take different time zones into account when choosing the optimal time, and make sure your speakers stick to their allocated times. Also, consider breaking up the event with a variety of presentation styles including panels and audience participation through Q&A sessions. Also, don’t forget to keep it visual – having powerpoint slides with illustrations or short videos is more interesting for viewers.
4. Technology: get it right People are forgiving when there are technical issues, but it only takes a minute or two of dead air before you lose someone’s attention, so it’s important to get the technical basics locked down. There are a number of webinar platform options available including GoToWebinar, On24, ClickMeeting and Zoom, with the choice depending on a number of factors, such as price and the specific features needed. Regardless of the platform, the key is to fine tune communication between the production team, speakers and the host to ensure that everything is seamless on screen, said Monkey Media’s Marketing Account Manager, Harry Johnston. Harry manages the technical components of all Monkey Media webinars through programs including the Zoom webinar platform and OBS Studio streaming software. “We have set up websites through Zapier that allow people to automatically download Zoom when they register for a Virtual Conference, and also have several add-on programs such as a virtual camera attachment, so we’re not just using the one program,” Harry said. “Since Digital Utilities, we’ve stepped up our production quality by using Adobe AfterEffects to custom-make our own graphics and animations to show who’s currently speaking and what’s coming up.”
While the webinar is running, it’s best to have a production team set up with different people managing different aspects, including one person to coordinate with the speakers and answer delegate questions that come through, and another to focus on the visuals and audio to ensure everything on screen is running smoothly. “There’s a lot of dialogue behind the scenes, so my best piece of advice for all webinars is to do a practice run at least the day before to troubleshoot any problems. This ensures the speakers are comfortable and know what they need to do, and allows you to test the sound quality, backgrounds, and that slides or visual aids work,” Harry said. Polls are also a great addition to a webinar or Virtual Conference, as they keep people engaged but can also be used as lead generation, where people can opt in to receive more information on certain companies presented.
5. Follow up: keep the conversation going Some companies produce their own webinars, while others work with an agency or publisher to run something more hybrid, either under their own brand, or co-branded. Sponsoring webinars and Virtual Conferences is another option, and can include brand recognition through logos in event promotion, speaking slots or video presentations in the program, information sent directly to these lists before or after the event, and more. These new contacts can opt in to receive more information about your product or service and if it’s a high-quality webinar, you will be associated with it and seen as an authority in the space. If you’re hosting your own webinar, you will already have the leads, but it’s critical to continue to keep in touch with them in a useful way and provide them with continued value. This could be in the form of adding these contacts to an automated nurture track so they can be sent related information. It’s this ongoing engagement that allows you to get the most out of the webinars, long after they are over. “Our conferences remain online after the live virtual event has concluded, so we continue to have people registering to watch our previous events on-demand, which extends the life of the webinar content we create,” Laura said.
If you’d like more information about Monkey Media running a webinar for your business, or sponsoring a future Virtual Conference, get in touch at events@monkeymedia.com.au.
SETTING THE STANDARD FOR THE RENEWABLE TRANSITION
The growing role of renewable energy in Australia’s energy market, and managing the transition, is a critical area of focus for many in the industry. The team at Standards Australia is also undertaking extensive work to ensure the industry has recognised standards to work within as we make the transition.
Standards Australia has formed a group working on standards for marine energy.
Work is also being undertaken in developing battery standards.
ustainable energy remains a strong economic and environmental theme globally. The United Nations has set an ambitious 15-year plan that addresses the global challenges we face, including how to protect the planet through the use of renewables. While the sector is growing in Australia, one report outlines that renewable energy accounted for only six per cent of our nation’s primary energy consumption in 2017-181. Standards Australia continues to be a part of the broader conversation and is providing support in the ongoing development and implementation of sustainable options. This year has seen standards developed and working groups engaged to support three critical aspects of sustainable energy – battery storage, ocean energy and hydrogen. Making a splash At an early age, we learn the earth is 70 per cent water, and until now, this resource has gone widely underutilised. New technologies and innovative thinking have led to opportunities to harvest energy directly from the natural movement occurring in oceans. Ocean energy is a broad term that covers tidal energy, wave energy and ocean thermal energy. In Australia, we have significant ocean currents like those off the coast of Western Australia or Queensland. Having arguably the most significant ocean resources available by country, Australia is uniquely placed and has a strong role to play in ocean energy development. Standards Australia has formed the Australian Marine Energy Standards Mirror Committee to the International Electrotechnical Commission on Marine Energy Standards (IEC-TC114): EL-066 Marine Energy – wave, tidal and other water current converters. Ready H2 Go! Just over a year ago, Standards Australia established a technical committee to work towards adopting and developing standards to support the next wave of hydrogen technology. Eight standards to support hydrogen use and transportation in Australia have now been published as a first step in this ambitious work program. These standards aim to help propel the hydrogen industry to reach its potential. A recent report calculated global demand for hydrogen exported from Australia could be almost a million tonnes by 2030, adding up to $11 billion in GDP growth each year until 20502. The standards adopted include: » AS 16110.1:2020, Hydrogen generators using fuel processing technologies, Part 1: Safety (ISO 16110-1:2007, MOD)
EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS » » »
AS ISO 16110.2:2020, Hydrogen generators using fuel processing technologies, Part 2: Test methods for performance AS ISO 14687:2020: Hydrogen fuel quality – Product specification AS 22734:2020: Hydrogen generators using water electrolysis – Industrial, commercial, and residential applications (ISO 22734:2019, MOD) SA TS 19883:2020: Safety of pressure swing adsorption systems for hydrogen separation and purification (ISO/TS 19883:2017, MOD) AS ISO 16111:2020: Transportable gas storage devices – Hydrogen absorbed in reversible metal hydride AS ISO 19881:2020: Gaseous hydrogen – Land vehicle fuel containers AS 19880.3:2020: Gaseous hydrogen – Fuelling stations, Part 3: Valves (ISO 198803:2018, MOD)
Hydrogen has the potential to transform energy use and change the way we power transport communities and businesses. The adoption of international standards not only intends to support the safety of users but can go a long way in facilitating international trade and enabling Australia to participate in the global hydrogen economy. Standards Australia will continue working with government, regulators and experts to support the successful use of this energy and other sustainable energy options on the horizon.
Growth in grids Last year there were over 22,000 small-scale batteries installed across Australia3. To support the growing market, Standards Australia published AS/NZS 5139:2019, Electrical installations – Safety of battery systems for use with power conversion equipment. Unlike other energy storage and generation, batteries offer more flexibility. They can respond faster, maintain grid stability by being used when needed, and can be installed and used in large and small proportions. Supporting this energy can go a long way to furthering sustainable energy options in both Australia and globally. This standard is a first for battery storage, developed with manufacturers, integrators, designers and installers of battery energy storage systems in mind. AS/NZS 5139:2019 intends to guide safety and installation of battery systems connected to power conversion equipment. Supporting sustainable energy Energy options are continually evolving, and Standards Australia is committed to proactively working to support and provide a foundation for these ongoing developments. The global appeal to address climate change is driving significant growth in renewable sources of power generation. While we are just beginning the journey in this sector, Standards Australia will continue to provide important updates.
https://www.energy.gov.au/sites/default/files/australian_energy_statistics_2019_energy_update_report_september.pdf
http://www.coagenergycouncil.gov.au/sites/prod.energycouncil/files/publications/documents/Erratum%20-%20COAG%20report%20_Accessible%20version.pdf
https://www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/resources/technologies/energy-storage
EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS ENERGY PARTNER CONTENT
RENEWABLE ENERGY While solar and wind have led Australia’s renewable energy uptake, a shift away from landfill in the Federal Government’s waste management policy suggests it’s time to focus on the forgotten renewable – energy-from-waste.
hief Executive Officer of ResourceCo Energy, Henry Anning, said targets set by the National Waste Policy Action Plan, coupled with July’s announcement of a $190 million Recycling Modernisation Fund, signal a significant shift in waste management policy. “Solar and wind renewables have previously held the focus of policymakers, but the move towards reuse and remanufacturing of waste here in Australia presents energy-from-waste in a new light,” he said. “Gas and coal combustion still dominate as the providers for industrial process heat, despite energy-from-waste offering a viable, cost effective and environmentally sound option for energyhungry manufacturers. “Energy recovery from residual waste is a proven and successful energy solution widely adopted across Europe and the UK, and it’s time Australian businesses recognised the opportunity to reduce their long-term energy costs, risk and emissions.” Managing Director of renewable energy engineering and advice firm, ITP Thermal, and author of ARENA’s Renewable Energy Options for Industrial Process Heat report, Dr Keith Lovegrove, said a greater focus on alternatives for heat supply, as well as long-term visionary decision-making, is required. “Australian industry accounts for 44 per cent of the nation’s end use energy, and 52 per cent of that is process heat, with an indicative value of $8 billion per year,” he said. “The level of industrial experience with renewable heat remains low, and we need to make it a priority to change this by removing barriers, including a low appetite for risk and short payback time expectations by the industry,” he said. “Australia can be very competitive in a low emissions world by taking advantage of both its raw materials and renewable energy resources.
“The material ResourceCo makes for example, can be used in boilers to make steam that can be used for process heat, but it can also provide for power generation.” Mr Anning said the fund’s unprecedented investment in transforming Australia’s approach to waste management and recycling will support innovation in the sector and provide confidence for industry investment. “Financial pressures in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic are causing large manufacturers to examine cost pressures associated with generating heat, looking for long-term cost-effective alternatives,” he said. “Some businesses have experienced price rises of up to 400 per cent in recent years, and with high gas prices likely to continue, it’s an obvious time for businesses to change tact. “We’re providing a unique alternative heat solution to gas, coal or electricity in the form of a 90 per cent renewable heat source, at the same time diverting resources that would otherwise be destined for landfill. “It’s about significant cost savings and responsible environmental management by partnering with large energy users to set-up the infrastructure and technology within their operations to utilise heat from recovered fuel. “We’re also delivering solutions for businesses with existing boilers using between 100,000 gigajoules and a petajoule of natural gas by installing between a five and 40MW recovered fuel boiler.” ResourceCo Energy manufactures processed engineered fuel (PEF) from commercial and industrial (C&I), and certain construction and demolition (C&D) materials. These are primarily waste timber materials and include non-recyclable plastics, cardboard, paper and textiles.
For more information about ResourceCo, head to www.resourceco.com.au
TOMORROW’S SOLUTIONS. TODAY
NEW TECHNOLOGIES REDUCING
OIL AND GAS EMISSIONS
The global oil and gas industry is leading the way with new technologies to use natural gas to help reduce emissions and support the global shift to cleaner energy.
atural gas is already playing an essential role in reducing emissions, providing a stable baseload energy as Australia and the rest of the world transition to renewable energy. “Locally, natural gas is a cleaner fuel and can see the emissions intensity of electricity generation fall, particularly on the east coast. Gas-fired generators can be rapidly started, making them complementary with intermittent renewable energy,” APPEA Chief Executive Andrew McConville said. “Alongside the opportunity at home, exporting natural gas as LNG will allow our Asian trading partners to reduce the emissions from their economies. “Government statistics already tell us that Australia’s LNG exports have the potential to reduce emissions in importing nations by up to 164 million tonnes each year through the displacement of coal consumption.” APPEA’s new report, Industry Action on Emissions Reduction, outlines the initiatives and activities being undertaken by the industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, encompassing the entire oil and gas exploration and production lifecycle.
There is even more work being undertaken by the industry to further develop new technologies such as carbon capture and storage and investments in hydrogen. “A focus on innovation and technology, including carbon capture and storage and hydrogen as technologies, can achieve largescale abatement and provide a large-scale economic opportunity for Australia,” Mr McConville said. The ability to embrace new technologies in the industry will also provide economic opportunities. “Reducing global emissions, using natural gas to enable renewables and sustaining and growing a strong export industry are all vital to Australia’s economic future, especially in these tough economic times.” In July, the International Gas Union’s (IGU) Gas Technology and Innovation for a Sustainable Future report showed that utilising natural gas technologies – including carbon capture and storage, hydrogen and renewable gas – to their full economic potential could deliver a reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions of up to 12 gigatonnes (GT) by 2040. This is the equivalent to nearly a third of global energy sector emissions in 2019.
Low emission natural gas
Powering Australia to a clean energy future. Natural gas Naturally part of every day. bright-r.com.au
Brighter is an initiative of the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association. Authorised by S Browne, Melbourne.
BOWEN BASIN PIPELINE:
LEADING THE ENERGY RECOVERY CHARGE
Australia has faced multiple challenges in 2020, from bushfires, droughts and floods to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Now another challenge is looming for Australia’s southern states, with experts predicting an east coast gas shortage in the next four years. The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) says that unless more supply sources are developed, or a pipeline is established to increase capacity, Victoria and NSW could be headed for a gas supply shortfall by Winter 2024. Aiming to mitigate the impending shortage, Australian oil and gas exploration company Blue Energy has been promoting new gas pipeline infrastructure between Moranbah and Gladstone/Wallumbilla.
lue Energy said that the Bowen Basin southern gas pipeline project has the potential to unlock 15,000PJ of already discovered gas resources to alleviate the impacts of the east coast domestic gas shortage, help provide flexible and reliable electricity to the North Queensland grid, and also assist in Australia’s national economic recovery from the pandemic. With the company engaging in discussions with the Federal and Queensland Governments, more gas could soon be available to the southern states to both mitigate the predicted shortage and act as the ideal stabilisation fuel for our increasing renewable energy sources.
A new gas pipeline connecting Moranbah and Gladstone/Wallumbilla could give Australia a much-needed economic boost post-COVID-19.
The approaching East Coast gas shortage East coast gas users, manufacturers, utilities and households require a reliable long-term supply of gas to reduce uncertainty and risk to their continuous operations, and to give investors confidence. Gas is not only used for electricity generation, but also for fertiliser production, glass making, plastics manufacturing, brick firing, mineral processing, hydrogen generation and transportation. Australia has the gas reserves to underpin more than 30 years of stable supply, given the appropriate pipeline infrastructure is put in place. Multiple Australian experts predict an east coast gas shortage will occur in the next four years unless more supply sources are developed and additional gas pipeline infrastructure is constructed. Findings released in 2019 in AEMO’s 2020 Gas Statement of Opportunities (GSOO), and the 2020 Victorian Gas Planning Report Update (VGPR Update) have predicted a projected shortfall during peak winter days in Victoria and New South Wales from 2024 onwards. This shortage in supply is forecast to be caused by several existing Bass Strait gas fields which are projected to possibly end production from 2023 to 2024. In addition, if these gas fields
end production earlier than expected, Australia’s southern states are at risk of experiencing supply gaps by as early as 2023. Concerningly, the latest industry production data shows Bass Strait production has declined a further 18 per cent year on year, clearly demonstrating this rapid decline toward end of field life. Addressing the findings in the GSOO, AEMO Managing Director and CEO, Audrey Zibelman, said that despite new gas field projects proceeding, more needs to be done to ensure a reliable supply. “Supply from existing and committed southern gas developments is expected to reduce by more than 35 per cent over the next five years, despite the increase in newly committed gas projects over the last 12 months,” Ms Zibelman said. Massive CAPEX reductions by major global oil and gas producers, as a reaction to the dramatic oil price crash, also have the potential to jeopardise committed gas project delivery timing. “The risk of peak day shortfalls could be resolved by a wide range of different options, some of which are already being explored by industry and governments. “This could include the development of new LNG import terminals, pipeline expansions, or new supply that could result from the Victorian Government’s decision to lift the ban on onshore gas exploration from July 2021.”
GAS PIPELINES “We’ve been actively exploring the concept of starting to bring some of the 15,000PJ of gas that’s been discovered in the northern Bowen Basin into the East Coast market, and alleviate the pressure on gas users and manufacturers that they’ve been experiencing for the last five or six years due to supply issues and price. “Effectively, the basin is isolated from the southern market because there’s no connection from Moranbah down into Gladstone and Wallumbilla. There is an existing small diameter pipeline connection going up to Townsville, but it only goes one way at the moment, north, and it needs to come south as well. “We’ve been talking with the Federal Government and the State Government in terms of the merits of having a pipeline put in from Moranbah and Gladstone or Wallumbilla, and how that would be funded and prioritised, in terms of nation-building infrastructure for the country that will help rebuild and grow the manufacturing base, post COVID.”
Bowen Basin southern gas pipeline project The looming gas supply shortage for the east coast has highlighted the need for new gas resources and infrastructure, and Blue Energy believes that the development of the North Bowen Basin gas resource would be the quickest solution to the issue. Blue Energy said that the broader Northern Bowen Basin Gas Province has a discovered resource of approximately 15,000PJ of gas which, based on current market conditions and if fully developed, would be sufficient to support the East Coast domestic gas market for 30 years. All that would be required is the construction of a single, multi-user 500km pipeline from Moranbah to Gladstone/Wallumbilla, which would be capable of delivering up to 300TJ of gas per day to the domestic market. Discussing the Bowen Basin southern gas pipeline project with Energy magazine, Blue Energy Managing Director, John Phillips, said that the company was in active discussions with the Federal and Queensland Governments about the benefits of the pipeline project and how it can be funded. “More gas needs to be brought to market, as the ACCC has been saying for four years now, and more infrastructure needs to be put in place to bring that gas to market to reduce the price to end users,” Mr Phillips said. www.energymagazine.com.au
Gas paving the road for recovery and renewables With the pandemic putting a massive strain on the country’s economy, thoughts are turning to how Australia can repair the damage, support industries and create jobs. A recently leaked draft report from the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission (NCCC) suggests that expanding Australia’s domestic gas industry could support a strong manufacturing-led recovery, with an estimated 85,000-170,000 direct jobs created from the expansion. The final report has now been submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office for consideration. A leaked copy of the NCCC’s final report was quoted as stating “One of the task force's primary recommendations is that the Commonwealth underwrite gas demand so new projects have a guaranteed buyer. Government would group together multiple smaller gas users and if they did not consume all the supply, the government would pay for it.” The NCCC report, as well as the GSOO report from AMEO, have highlighted the ongoing importance of gas pipeline infrastructure in Australia to secure supply and ensure affordable prices, not just to assist in Australia’s COVID-19 recovery efforts, but to also pave the way for an expanded renewable energy future. According to data released in the Federal Government’s 2020 Australian Energy Statistics, 21 per cent of Australia’s electricity in 2019 came from renewable energy, up from 19 per cent in the previous year, showing that renewables are expanding across the country, with gas-fired generation also growing to account for 21 per cent of Australia’s total generation. Mr Phillips said that while it’s clear that renewables continue to expand, it is equally important that there is a back-up energy source, like gas, to balance the intermittency of renewables, and continue to deliver reliable and secure energy. “Across the country, and indeed globally, you’re seeing a lot of increase in renewables, namely solar and wind, going into the electricity generation process,” Mr Phillips said. “Now, because of the obvious intermittent nature of solar and wind, you have to be able to call on some sort of reserve power when that solar energy, or wind energy isn’t available. “We think gas is the ideal symbiotic partner to renewable energy. So I think you’ll find as we get increases in solar and wind energy as part of the energy mix, you will also have to have increases in gas-fired fast start generation capacity.” With the Federal Government and the NCCC looking closely at the domestic gas market and how it can both support in the pandemic recovery, and back-up renewable energy generation, it’s more important than ever to develop gas infrastructure. As the east coast gas shortage continues to emerge, the Bowen Basin southern gas pipeline is emerging as a vital piece of infrastructure for the future energy security of the east coast.
BRINGING HIGH-TECH DRONES TO QUEENSLAND The Queensland Government is building a $14.5 million commercial drone flight testing facility at Cloncurry Airport in the state’s north-west, bringing high-technology industry and more jobs to the region.
onstruction is underway on the facility, and is scheduled to be completed in midOctober. The flight test range is expected to be operational soon after. The project will provide a key missing element for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) research and development. The ground facilities and airspace will create an authorised and safe environment for testing and trialling small to large unmanned aerial systems. It will be the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. The facility will include a hangar, buildings to provide office space and house monitoring equipment, range control systems, a surveillance radar and amenities. This is the first stage of a world-class aerial drone test facility to attract investment and innovation in Queensland. QinetiQ Australia has been appointed to oversee construction of the facility. The common-user facility will be available for use by commercial users, industry and academia for a fee. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the facility was a key part of the government’s strategy to support a diverse economy in the North West and create more jobs for locals. “This facility is creating 65 jobs during construction and will bring ongoing benefits to the region. “It’s just one of 13 innovative diversification initiatives that tap into the potential of the North West, and further proof that by working together with local councils and the community, we can grow Queensland’s economy.” Minister for State Development and Minister responsible for the Queensland Drone Strategy Cameron Dick said “The Palaszczuk Government is creating more jobs in more industries, bringing worldclass, cutting-edge aerospace technology to the Queensland outback.
Construction of Queensland’s new commercial drone flight testing facility at Cloncurry Airport is underway, and due for completion by October.
“Our government was the first in Australia to launch a drone strategy, and now we’re well on the way to becoming the nation’s drone technology capital. “We have secured the world’s largest aerospace group, The Boeing Company, to be the first to conduct trials at the facility, creating an exciting new aerospace industry for the region." Boeing Director of Phantom Works International Shane Arnott said the company is looking forward to using the flight facility in 2020 to safely and securely test the latest advances in unmanned systems technology. “The creation of what will be one of the world’s largest commercial unmanned flight test facilities is critical to establishing Australia as a global leader in autonomous technology,” Dr Arnott said. The Palaszczuk Government will invest $14.5 million in the first stage of the facility, which will be built on airport land and
include a hangar, operation room and surveillance radar and communications equipment. The facility will test small-to-medium sized drones weighing between 30-150 kilograms. Mr Dick said during the initial stages of operation drones will make test flights over short distances of up to 25km along a designated flight path away from built-up areas. Cr Greg Campbell, Mayor of Cloncurry, said the announcement is a major win for Cloncurry and the North West. “This will create a hub for aerospace R&D that will be a new high-tech industry for the region, to create jobs and boost the local and state economy,’ he said. The facility will also support the initiatives of the Palaszczuk Government’s North West Queensland Economic Diversification Strategy Implementation Plan 2019-2021, released this week.
QUEENSLAND’S DRONES STRATEGY The Queensland Government was the first in Australia to launch a strategy for unmanned aerial systems. The Queensland Drones Strategy builds upon Queensland’s strengths and leverages the state’s innovation success to take advantage of new and emerging opportunities, complementing the Advance Queensland initiative. Queensland’s vision is that the state becomes a world-leader in drone technology and application. The state’s drone industry has strong investment and jobs growth, supported by its world-leading research and development capability, and a highly skilled workforce. The strategy was developed in consultation with government, industry, academia and the general public, to ensure it supports the industry now and into the future. www.energymagazine.com.au
ASSET INSPECTION & DRONES ENERGY PARTNER CONTENT
HOW DRONES AND AI
ARE CHANGING SOLAR
FARM MANAGEMENT Not only can AI-driven drone data management pinpoint faults down to an individual panel level, solar farm owners can also use this technology to identify trends in array performance and ramp up pre-emptive maintenance efforts.
ore and more solar farm managers have begun to use thermal aerial imaging to assess and track the performance of PV arrays at large solar parks. Traditional aerial thermal imaging techniques zero down on an array which is running at a relatively higher temperature to indicate the possibility of a faulty or declining panel.
The vertikalitiSOLAR reporting platform.
A thermal image from the vertikalitiSOLAR platform.
But this model does not provide solar farm owners with the complete picture. They still need to identify the individual panels in the PV array that are faulty or under-performing. And they still do not have any means to receive an early indication of PV panel degradation which would allow them to implement predictive maintenance programs effectively. Aerodyne Australia is closing the gaps found in conventional aerial inspections by offering a full-service analysis and assessment model driven by machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). Aerodyne’s cloud-based delivery platform vertikalitiSOLAR rapidly compares imagery
from multiple thermal mapping missions to assess and identify trends in PV panel and array performance, delivering exceptional reporting on just those panels where potential issues are being detected. Every PV array (or even each panel) can be managed within the vertikalitiSOLAR platform as an asset. For each asset, solar farm owners can assign a precise GIS location and upload useful maintenance documentation, such as historical inspection data and images, installation reports, maintenance reports and engineering and design data. This allows farm owners to create a ‘virtual twin’ for each array or panel, enabling unprecedented levels of desktop maintenance assessment. “There’s no mystery about why aerial inspection of solar arrays has become so popular,” Aerodyne Group COO, Rossi Jaafar, said. “Traditional methods of panel and array inspections are very time-consuming and expensive to sustain in a market where financial returns are still relatively low.”
Aerial PV array inspections can deliver critical information much faster and usually much more cheaply. But the challenge is that they produce a huge amount of data and imagery, which then has to be collated and analysed before it can be readily consumed for maintenance purposes. “The real game-changer,” according to Rossi, “is being able to capture highresolution visual and thermal imaging, that provides panel-level detail, and delivering this data in a way that client management and maintenance personnel can use readily and easily.” With an in-house thermographer on its analysis team, Aerodyne Australia can identify, classify and detect each anomaly clearly and consistently, as well as make assessments on the performance of the system. Once the data has been analysed and processed by Aerodyne’s experts, clients receive a clear and complete health report of the site via PDF, online maps, and field repair mobile app. They can then plan their next action for repair and maintenance.
For more information about Aerodyne Australia’s solar PV inspection services, call Rossi Jaafar on +614 7888 7469 or email rossi@aerodyne.group
www.aerodyne.group
Critical Asset Inspection & Management 100,000KM 5000 3000 300,000 Powerline distance inspected
Total WTG towers inspected as of June 2020
Vertikaliti Suite
Critical Asset Inspection & Management • Enterprise Intelligence & Analytics • Edge AI Processing • Turnkey Enterprise Application (Cloud & Mobility) • Integration with existing ERP installation
MW inspected as of June 2020
500% Reduction in
inspection time
AMERICA Harjeet Johal +1.404.944.5459 hjohal@measure.com
AUSTRALIA, UK AND EUROPE Rossi Jaafar +1.667.888.7469 rossi@aerodyne.group
RUSSIA Artem Serebrennikov +7.903.726.2262 artem@aerodyne.ru
LATIN AMERICA Marco Sepulveda +56.99.5012.9649 marco@aerodyne.group
Total assets inpected as of June 2020
Drone Technology Data Technology
ASIA & MIDDLE EAST Zulhusni Mokhti +6017.335.5454 zulhusni@aerodyne.group
JAPAN Akira Itoh +81 50 3637 5998 akira@aerodyne.co
SMARTER EARTHING TESTING REDUCES COST & IMPROVES SAFETY
With significant industry disruption, interstate and regional travel dramatically limited, and in some cases reduced capacity for revenue generation, asset owners are under more pressure than ever to reduce costs. In the case of critical infrastructure like power systems, it's imperative that routine maintenance and inspections are not disrupted, and so smarter and more efficient approaches need to be adopted.
n its 2016 revision, the principal standard for high voltage (HV) electrical assets in Australia, AS 2067, introduced substantial improvements to the way HV earthing systems are maintained. This standard is now well established, and compliance is a legal obligation in most instances. If deferring maintenance is not an option, businesses need to discover ways to improve efficiency. Section 8.7 of AS 2067:2016 requires a maintenance schedule to be implemented for earthing assets, which should consider (amongst other things) which test methods are most appropriate. The different test methods tend to fit into one of two categories: Performance tests are those that test the effective operation of the earthing system. The principal performance test is an earthing injection test, where the power line is configured to be representative of an earth fault (e.g. a single phase to earth fault) and a test current injected in that circuit. In this case, a 'real' (though small scale) earth fault is established, allowing measurements of touch and step voltages and current distribution to be taken. Satisfactory results on a performance test give the stakeholders
confidence that an actual full-scale fault would not produce touch and step voltages that constitute an unacceptable risk, and would not exceed insulation and current ratings on equipment. Performance tests are the only measure of risk associated with an asset. Since they are relatively expensive and require specialist expertise and equipment, they are usually scheduled infrequently typically every five to ten years. However, if an earthing system experiences a change that might negatively impact performance, it is unlikely to be detected until the next performance test, and therefore there could be a latent risk issue - the voltages produced during an earth fault might be unacceptably high. Condition tests are those that ascertain whether there has been any change in the condition of the earthing system, such as deterioration, inadvertent damage, or configuration change. Condition testing is less expensive and might be carried out every one to two years. Whilst it doesn't measure system performance, and cannot on its own indicate the safety compliance of an earthing system, it is often considered the most valuable testing, for two main reasons: 1. No change in condition implies no change in performance. If the previous performance test indicated safety
compliance, consistently positive routine condition test results provide confidence that the earthing system will perform effectively in the event of an earth fault. 2. Condition testing will identify risks more quickly. Because they are less expensive, the time between condition tests (and therefore maximum time that a latent issue might go undetected) can be much shorter than performance tests. Condition testing also has the advantage of being less complex. In fact, many asset owners are now having their in-house teams trained and equipped to carry out routine earthing condition testing themselves, which overcomes some of today's cost and travel challenges. Similarly, some electrical service providers are developing their capability in order to add to their existing service offerings. What does earthing condition testing look like? There are two aspects, often carried out together: Visual inspection and integrity testing. Visual inspection requires a trained eye and looks for signs of physical change in the earthing system elements. Integrity Testing assesses the electrical continuity of the earthing system elements, ensuring that everything that should be bonded is bonded effectively and that anything that should be separated is in fact separated. The test requires a test instrument suitable for the environment, typically a 4-wire, switched polarity DC continuity meter with sufficient AC and DC noise immunity, robustness, portability, and battery life. Such instruments are readily available, and in-house or online training courses in the test method are available.
ENERGY PARTNER CONTENT ASSET INSPECTION & DRONES
ABOUT SAFEARTH Safearth is Australia's largest and most experienced earthing team, and is also at the forefront internationally with leadership roles in developing IEEE standards and Cigre and CIRED technical brochures. Safearth provides: consulting services, including design, testing, audits, standards development, investigations and asset management; training in all aspects of earthing, including testing; instruments to equip your team to carry out testing; and also a range of software for design and analysis. The team at Safearth is available to help you develop a comprehensive and effective plan to introduce earthing testing into your portfolio today.
Learn more: safearth.com/energy/ energymag@safearth.com 1800 327 844
Safearth’s cable management solutions are built to last.
Safearth has a long history in carrying out earthing testing. In fact, we invented some of the key methods that are commonly used today. As pioneers, we've developed our own equipment - designed and built specifically for the unique requirements of HV electrical environments. We still use
some third-party products where they are suitable, but where suitable products haven't been readily available, we've developed our own. This initially included test instruments, but has extended to specialist cable and cable management solutions, which have been designed strong, tough, and easy to use.
Our new online store is ofďŹ cially open!
For September and October, Safearth is offering Energy readers a 10% discount on the CS3 and accessories. For more information visit:
safearth.com/energy
The CS3 is the world's leading earthing integrity tester. Australian made, and the winner of an Engineers Australia Engineering Excellence Award, it's simply the best instrument available for earthing condition testing, and it is available in-store now.
A MINDFUL APPROACH TO SUPPORTING
STAFF WELLBEING DURING COVID-19
by Associate Professor Erin Smith, Edith Cowan University
As we enter our sixth month of managing and mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we hear from disaster management expert Erin Smith on how energy businesses can support their staff during the second wave of the pandemic.
he COVID-19 pandemic is presenting workplaces with unprecedented challenges. Depending on the organisation, staff may now be working remotely, operating under staggered rosters, or undertaking modified roles. Anxiety and worry about health is exacerbated by economic concerns related to financial stability and employment status. Not surprisingly, these combined stressors can negatively impact staff wellbeing. There are, however, a number of things that organisations can do to proactively support staff during these challenging times. Here, we’ll take a look at some of the key steps energy businesses can take to support their staff right now.
Put health and wellbeing first Everyone deals with stress differently, so organisations should empower staff to make decisions around their own health and wellbeing that best suit them, whether that be work from home options or flexible schedules outside of normal hours. Organisations should also promote the importance of self-care, and embed psychological first aid options as routinely as physical first aid. Practice compassionate leadership Now – more than ever – it’s important for staff to feel like we are all in this together. Despite each individual employee having their own unique circumstances, as a workforce the organisation needs to come together as a collective.
A sense of unity and belonging will be important for wellbeing at this time. It is integral for leaders to demonstrate compassion and empathy – good leaders will be honest about how they are feeling.
Ways to practice compassionate leadership Look: Take time to check in with your team. Find out who within the team is vulnerable. Who has been tested? Who is isolating at home? Is anyone positive? How can you support these staff? Look for the unsaid. Have moods changed? Behaviours? How are people's energy levels? Listen: Embed time into the work week for discussing how people are travelling. It could be a weekly COVID Catch Up. Give everyone a chance to chat about how they are feeling. This could be online or face-to-face. Practice mindful listening. Give your staff space to be open and honest about how they feel, both mentally and physically. Ask them: how can we do better? Link: Everyone is going to be feeling a range of different emotions. Taking the time to acknowledge how someone else is feeling empowers us to respond with kindness. Consider getting a range of different speakers, mental health or alternative health professionals to speak to your staff or run wellbeing sessions. Research shows that mindfulness meditation and yoga can reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression, and can have a significant impact in the workplace. The cost of these activities can be offset by the reduction in absenteeism that will come from staff feeling connected and cared for. Be open and honest During times of uncertainty, providing accurate and honest information is an important ingredient for protecting mental health and wellbeing. It’s important that staff receive frequent, clear, and reliable information. Make sure that as new facts emerge from trusted public health sources, information is clearly and immediately provided to staff in language they understand. Connection is key – but avoid “death by Zoom” Connection is an important part of wellbeing. But staying connected has been challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic for many people, particularly for staff suddenly
finding themselves working from home. And especially for staff living alone. Regular team catch ups are an excellent starting point for maintaining a sense of connection and for helping build rapport. They also provide an opportunity for leaders to develop a better understanding of how staff are travelling. When these catch-ups are held regularly, they allow leaders to pick up on little changes among staff that may indicate that someone’s having a particularly hard time. But it’s a fine line! Some workplaces have gone from having no regular team meetings to staff suddenly finding their calendars are filled with a glut of online meetings. Beware of “death by Zoom”, as staff may become fatigued by the constant stream of well meaning online catch-ups and meetings.
Reach in When it comes to supporting wellbeing, it is not enough for organisations to simply say reach out if you’re not OK. Gone are the days of purely reactive approaches to supporting mental health. When people are in crisis they are less likely to ask for help. Organisations need to proactively “reach in” to staff to see how they are travelling. Ideally, these wellness check ins should occur regularly – at least every six months during non-crisis times, and more frequently during times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic – so that conversations around mental health become normalised and embedded within the workplace culture. During COVID-19, organisations should be providing staff with regular opportunities to check in – whether that is with appropriately trained leaders, managers, consultants or colleagues – who encourage safe conversations and peer support. Other reach in techniques include ensuring that staff know where to find up-to-date and appropriate information; guidance and support for protecting their wellbeing and mental health; maintaining open channels of communication to hear how staff are feeling; and, importantly, listening and responding. Organisations could consider establishing a hotline or central contact point for staff – and developing in-house channels and hubs to respond promptly to staff questions and concerns.
It’s important to remain connected to employees – but it’s a fine line to ensuring you avoid “death by Zoom”.
Future-proof your workforce In addition to the range of supports outlined above, the pandemic is also an opportunity for organisations to look for some silver linings. Look for the opportunities to empower staff and encourage them to take ownership and accountability for their own wellbeing – so they can come through the crisis potentially more resilient and with greater mental health literacy than before COVID-19. This will help future-proof your organisation for emerging crises when you have a workforce who are more aware of the importance of self-care, who are more connected, and more resilient.
Keep an eye on your own mental health And finally – it’s important for leaders and managers to not forget about their own wellbeing. It’s easy to get distracted by the broader needs of the organisation and staff during a crisis. But to support staff health and wellbeing, you need to take the time to check in with yourself. Leaders should maintain regular catch ups with trusted colleagues, mental health professionals or other support providers to ensure their own health. Talking openly about their own mental health with their staff can also be beneficial – both in building rapport and developing a sense of trust and connection – and in helping staff feel more comfortable in sharing their own experiences and difficulties.
Associate Professor Erin Smith has a PhD in Disaster and Emergency Response from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Erin also has a Master of Public Health and Master of Clinical Epidemiology. She is a Research Consultant for The Code 9 Foundation and an Emergency Services Response Volunteer for the Australian Red Cross. Erin is a member of the Board of Directors of the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine.
ACHIEVING RESILIENCE THROUGH A NEW
by Charlie Richardson, Utilities Lead, Accenture Australia & New Zealand and Tony Histon, Transmission & Distribution Lead, Accenture Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa As an essential service, energy providers need to be amongst the most resilient businesses in the world. With COVID-19 being the latest in a series of events that have severely tested our ability to operate in a “business as usual� environment, Charlie Richardson and Tony Histon share their thoughts on how the energy industry can prepare itself for and cope with the unexpected.
Accenture research has revealed only a quarter of utility executives feel their organisations are well prepared to deal with black swan events.
he severity and frequency of extreme weather events, such as last summer’s devastating east coast bushfires, has placed increased pressure on utility companies to respond with greater network resilience and flexibility. Yet alarmingly, recent Accenture research has revealed only a quarter of utility executives feel their organisations are well prepared to deal with the operational and financial challenges that arise from such black swan events. A business strategy that focuses on reliability is no longer enough. Utilities must shift their focus from reliability to resilience. They must take the lead to overcome the new, harsh realities of severe weather and black swan events such severe cyber attacks and the ongoing COVID pandemic. The harsh reality We are living in a new, harsh reality. More frequent and severe weather events are increasing the scale of outages and impinging on restoration efforts. The proliferation of distributed generation – such as solar and wind – is causing fundamental changes to the electricity system, creating new requirements in the pursuit of a net-zero-emissions society.
Extreme weather events, such as last summer’s devastating east coast bushfires, have placed increased pressure on utilities to respond with greater network resilience and flexibility.
Utilities are also battling to maintain insurance and financing at competitive rates; and evolving regulatory compacts are expanding the scope of many utilities’ responsibilities. Many regulated industries are called to take on leadership roles in the communities they serve offering affordable essential services during good times and bad. This, along with the steep costs of maintaining aged transmission and distribution assets, is putting utilities at a tipping point – and it’s only expected to get worse. Accenture’s recent survey revealed 92 per cent of utility executives expect extreme weather events to increase and worsen over the next decade. With extreme weather recognised as the new reality, companies must respond in new ways. Reliability, while a valuable and continually necessary foundation for utilities, is no longer effective enough to combat the new landscape – we must instead focus on a plan of resilience.
Reliability vs resilience Until now, most utility companies have focused on reliability: minimising the frequency and duration of outages by planning for an anticipated set of fault scenarios. Wide-spread issues resulting from disasters have often been considered
infrequent anomalies. Today, utilities need to design and operate for resilience: maintaining a sustainable business and effective service under the threat of more frequent major events. They must shift focus from developing reliability tactics, to developing a strategy for addressing wider issues and frameworks needed for a business focused on resilience. To start, it’s imperative that the C-level
Tony Histon.
Charlie Richardson.
take responsibility for developing a strategy focused on resilience. Once it’s created, it must be embedded company-wide, including within all governance, processes and structures. From there, all stakeholders – both internal and external – must be involved in regular dialogue, keeping informed and regularly engaged and updated as the strategy evolves. Once this is in place, utilities should also partner with meteorological experts to map potential future weather scenarios and develop a system to understand the impact of various events. This should also coincide with advanced analysis of a broad range of contingencies resulting from faults and demand fluctuations. Finally, utilities should engage in regular and open discussion with regulators to discuss means of measuring and incentivising resilience. Establishing these foundations will confirm the business has all the data, frameworks and tools to make decisions based on a strategy of resilience. Once this has been achieved, utilities can move on to the next step – building a more resilient network.
The resilience network Once the foundations of resiliency have been set, there are three broad areas for utilities to improve their network. Firstly, they must harden the network through traditional approaches. This includes the undergrounding of assets, pole replacements and developing flood defences. Utilities must also fortify their restoration effectiveness by strengthening the capability to reduce outage time to the www.energymagazine.com.au
minimum. Finally, and most importantly, utilities must develop greater system flexibility. Developing flexibility is vital – it is what will limit the impact of extreme events. Flexibility can be achieved with: » Systems that automatically reconfigure the network to use redundancy » Distributed energy resources that provide localised support » Customer programs that manage consumption, considering prevailing constraints and microgrids that at certain times may operate independently from the broader grid. Being flexible can allow a more cost effective and adaptable approach to responding to high impact events such as cyber attacks, extreme weather and bushfires. Flexibility also supports the wider agenda when it comes to greater active management of the network to provide cost-effective support for renewable generation, electric vehicles and customer or community-owned batteries.
events, which highlights the vulnerabilities of a business and, at worst, can cause irreversible damage. Resilience planning will also help utilities prepare for events such as the current global pandemic, which has shifted demand patterns, interrupted supply chains and changed safe working practices. Now, more than ever, its imperative utilities take the lead – championing strategies for resilience to deliver sustainable and effective customer services. Utilities must marry their resilience strategies with digital solutions that allow the flexibility needed to truly manage extreme events and mitigate potential damage. By using the three elements of resilience – the foundations, the network and emerging solutions – utilities will develop robust, effective strategies that will set the trajectory for growth.
System flexibility – with digital solutions A flexible approach to resilience should be supported by digital investments that strengthen the network and ensure restoration effectiveness. With a connected communication infrastructure that allows high-bandwidth and low latency communication, network flexibility can be utilised for control and visibility on the grid. We’ve already seen some utilities look into pervasive visibility and control, such as the Urban Futurability project by Enel in Sao Paulo. Their goal is to build a resilient, sustainable urban electricity system, which includes a network of about 5,000 grid sensors that feed information through the digital system, providing real-time data for all stakeholders. Another great example is in Europe, where grid flexibility improvements have been prioritised as a means of more effectively integrating distributed energy resources, addressing bottlenecks in the grid, lowering costs and reducing congestion. The goals may differ across Europe, but all agree increased resilience is vital for limiting the effects of extreme weather conditions, improving the ability to avoid outages, accelerating incident recovery and promoting renewable generation. Becoming an organisation focused on resilience will have its challenges – it is a formidable part of the journey for any utilities business. We simply cannot wait any longer; too many utilities are at the mercy of increasing extreme weather September 2020 ISSUE 11
NUCLEAR ENERGY: STILL A DANGEROUS DISTRACTION
by Josh Wilson MP, Shadow Assistant Minister for the Environment Despite our abundant renewable energy resources, the nuclear debate continues to gain attention here in Australia. Here, Josh Wilson, the Federal Shadow Assistant Minister for the Environment, outlines his case for why we should move on from nuclear, and focus our energy efforts on developing a true bipartisan energy policy that will see us through the next several decades.
uclear technology is both achingly slow and extraordinarily expensive as a form of new energy generation. Those are its defining characteristics. They are the twin reasons for the worldwide decline in reliance on the technology. But there is a laundry list of other reasons too. In the fast-evolving and highly disruptive world of energy generation and energy distribution, nuclear technology has no unique competitive advantages. It has far and away www.energymagazine.com.au
the highest capital costs. It is incredibly time consuming and complicated to deliver. It delivers inflexible supply and is dependent on long-term offtake agreements. It involves acute management and cost uncertainties with respect to operational safety, decommissioning and waste storage. It creates public health risks and requires associated regulatory and safety measures. It carries difficult geopolitical implications. It has caused some of the most severe, costly and harmful industrial disasters. It has no social license.
That is some kind of prospectus right there, and, not surprisingly, nuclear technology is fundamentally uncommercial, “un-investable”, and uninsurable. Also not surprisingly, the only major commercial nuclear players (Areva, Westinghouse) have gone bankrupt, and global leaders in innovation and technology like South Korea have explored and then abandoned plans to move towards nuclear energy. As countries like France and the UK move to wind down their proportional use of nuclear power, they are stuck with the
difficult and expensive problem of having commissioned new plants at precisely the wrong time. Flamanville (France) and Hinkley C (UK) are years behind schedule, billions of pounds or euros over budget, and premised upon eye-watering per kw/h costs that taxpayers will bear for decades into the future. That’s why in 2018 the world added an additional 165GW of renewables and only 8GW in net nuclear capacity. The data contained in the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2019 is utterly compelling.
Building new nuclear plants is among the most expensive energy technologies in the world.
In some cases the countries that still talk about increasing nuclear energy are intending to do so through governmentfunded programs in circumstances where the relationship between civilian and military programs is, worryingly, an enabling consideration, and the quality of regulation when it comes to health, safety and environmental protection is not what we would accept in Australia. Even the Morrison Government’s Technology Investment Roadmap acknowledges that the highly questionable prospect of so-called small modular reactors only merits the status of “monitor and consider” at the outside of the longterm (2030-2050+) time frame. You don’t need to be a cryptographer to read this as a meaningless sop to nuclear die hards. There are three furphies advanced about nuclear power that need to be addressed. The first says that we need to be able to have a proper conversation about nuclear energy. In last year’s inquiry into nuclear energy by the Parliamentary Committee for Energy and Environment, we experienced the cognitive dissonance of being told Australia needed to have such a conversation in the course of a nationally broadcast and Hansard-recorded conversation about nuclear power. One of the first to give evidence was Dr Ziggy Switkowski, who conducted the government review into nuclear energy in 2006. His key message: there is no basis for nuclear power in Australia. Interestingly, there was widespread agreement from those appearing before the Committee that the number one priority was the establishment of a bipartisan
national energy policy to guide investment in low-cost and low-emission power. Yet government members of the Committee could not bear to see that recommendation in print, and the government is yet to formally reply to an offer by Labor to sit down and develop such a policy. And so we continue to wander in circles with higher costs and higher emissions and increasing investment uncertainty. The second furphy says that because we have significant reserves of uranium, it follows that we should develop nuclear energy. That is like saying we should develop a Mars rocket program because we have excellent star-watching conditions in central Australia. Anyone who makes this argument is a fool or takes their audience for fools. The third furphy says we can only test the viability of nuclear by lifting the legislative moratorium. That is wrong. Nuclear is not a marginal case. All the evidence and all the inquiries and all the international trends and data arrive at the same conclusion: it’s not what we need and it doesn’t make sense. The only thing to be achieved by lifting the moratorium is a great waste of money and resources through the extensive regulatory changes that would be required, the inevitable rent-seeking of the nuclear industry and its backers, and the substantial opportunity costs of having money and effort diverted towards this dead end. Truth be told, the opportunity costs are already gathering. While we circle the nuclear merry-go-round again to give the same old paint-chipped hobby horses a run, the big energy challenges have
been neglected. Labor continues to offer the hand of bipartisanship in pursuit of a national policy, as we did with the National Energy Guarantee, which died on the altar of Coalition infighting in 2018. In Australia we are fortunate to have missed the “nuclear moment”, if there was ever such a time, and that has been a matter of circumstances, responsible government and community common sense. We should consider ourselves very lucky. Blessed with hydrocarbons in the now passing age of coal and gas, we find ourselves blessed again with a distinctively rich combination of sun, wind, waves, and new energy metals. Remarkably we are the custodians of all it takes to be a renewable energy, storage and efficiency superpower. Other countries like India, which I visited last November, would love to be in our position, and should be the focus of our effort to share expertise in areas like household solar. Sadly, Australia is making awkward progress towards that potential because we don’t have a national energy policy, we have a government with a clear anti-renewable record, and we continue to undervalue the incredible achievements and learning rate of low- and zero-emission technology, with its potential to revitalise other sectors like manufacturing. At a time when we have real challenges in system design and transmission, liquid fuel security and low-emission transport solutions, storage technology planning and development, the ever present non-conversation about nuclear is a dangerous distraction.
ENERGY PARTNER CONTENT PRODUCT SHOWCASE
DISCOVER AN INTERNET-ENABLED CORRECTION SERVICE FOR HIGH ACCURACY GNSS Position Partners has just launched MiRTK, an alternative to ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio correction services used for accurate GNSS positioning in the construction, mining and geospatial industries.
Position Partners’ new MiRTK system.
ntelligent positioning solutions provider Position Partners has released MiRTK, a correction service for GNSS equipment that utilises the internet instead of UHF radio frequencies. MiRTK is compatible with all brands and models of GNSS from manufacturers including Topcon, Trimble, Leica Geosystems, Sokkia, Hemisphere and more. “Until now, users that rely on high precision GNSS for applications such as surveying and machine control had no option but to use UHF radios or a network RTK solution,” said Cameron Waters, Geospatial Business Manager at Position Partners. “Anyone that’s had to rely on UHF radio frequencies will have experienced problems, including interference, range limitations, costly licensing and severe penalties for breaching licensing laws. MiRTK offers an alternative that is refreshingly simple: no repeaters, no line of sight issues and no complex licensing,” he added. Designed for the geospatial, construction and mining sectors, MiRTK works with every make and model of GNSS equipment, via a small modem that slides onto the accessory slot of the tripod and connects to the base station via a single cable. Unlike UHF radios, MiRTK is not limited by range from the GNSS base station and does not require line of sight with the survey rover or machine. It is limited only by the Telstra network, so if a user is receiving emails on their phone, the MiRTK service will work. Another benefit according to Mr Waters is the ability to utilise a single correction protocol across all brands and types of GNSS
equipment on-site, dramatically reducing complexity and potential connectivity issues. “MiRTK uses NTRIP and a user selectable format such as RTCM3 or CMR, that can be used universally regardless of the brand or model of equipment,” he said. “Users enjoy full speed, full constellation connectivity without the complex radio settings, baud rates, bandwidth or scrambling problems that you get when trying to utilise different GNSS systems with UHF radios.” To set up the unit, users simply connect the modem to the base station, power the modem on, and MiRTK will work for up to 20 hours continuously without charge. Each unit can connect with up to ten devices, such as survey rovers or machine systems as standard, with unlimited potential to scale up connections as required. MiRTK offers the first Hardware as a Service (HaaS) for the geospatial sector, covering the hardware, data and warranty in either a 12-month or 24-month subscription. “The future of UHF is limited with lower bandwidth, higher density areas, increased governance, rising costs and little flexibility,” Mr Waters said. “MiRTK gives customers a new approach to receive reliable correction data in a simple and hassle-free way, while utilising their existing GNSS hardware. “Users can utilise their existing GNSS base station, survey rovers and machine control systems and get reliable correction data in a simple and hassle-free way.”
For more information and to buy online, visit positionpartners.com.au/mirtk or call 1300 867 266.
PRODUCT SHOWCASE ENERGY PARTNER CONTENT
QUALITY TRENCHING EQUIPMENT AND CUSTOMER SERVICE KEY TO SUCCESS
The Schillers RTX1250 Ride-on Trencher in action.
For companies like Schillers Town & Country Electrical, having reliable equipment and a supplier that can provide after-sales support to regional areas is important to keep operations running. When it came time to upgrade an old trenching machine and expand its fleet with a new smaller trencher, these two factors played a key role in the company investing in a RTX1250 Ride-on Trencher and a RTX450 Ride-on Trencher from Vermeer.
ocated in Wagga Wagga in regional New South Wales and servicing the Riverina region, Schillers Town & Country Electrical has been installing pipelines for around ten years. The company installs tanks and troughs for stock water systems and poly-pipelines, and over the past three to four years it has been taking on bigger jobs where over 100km of trenching is required. Updating old equipment Bernard Schiller said the company decided to invest in a new trencher as its previous machine had worked up a lot of hours of use, so it was the right time to invest in new equipment. “At the time I was looking at bringing a second-hand machine over from the US. I had also looked at prices of other brands,” Mr Schiller said. “Then Kevin Gilbert from Vermeer in Albury managed to get in contact with me at the right time. I caught up with him and looked further into what they offered, and decided to go with a Vermeer machine because it was the best equipment that I could buy to fit in with my setup. “The conditions out here can be very hot and the RTX1250 has a very good cooling system, and I’m confident in putting someone else on the machine, rather than me being on it all the time. The increase in horsepower from my previous machine means that I’ve managed to get the trenching jobs done quicker.
“I've found Kevin to be very good throughout the process, and ever since I’ve had the machine. Overall, Vermeer’s customer support has been excellent – it’s what I need when something goes wrong and I need that support straightaway.”
Putting the equipment to work Not long after purchasing the RTX1250, Mr Schiller purchased a second smaller Vermeer trencher, the RTX450. “I had been thinking about trading in a smaller machine for a second-hand machine. I spoke to Kevin about it a number of times, and decided it’s an important part of our operation to have a smaller machine as well, so we decided to purchase a new one,” Mr Schiller said. Mr Schiller said both machines are still quite new and the team is getting used to them, but he has so far found them to be great additions to his fleet. “For me to be successful in this industry I need the best gear that I can buy, and as far as I’m concerned, I’ve got it.” Since receiving the RTX1250, Mr Schiller has been using it on a project to install stock water systems on big rural properties. “We’re working with Darling Irrigation on the project. Solar bores are being put in and then we’re installing the infrastructure, running poly-pipeline from those bores to tanks and troughs,” Mr Schiller said. Getting customer support when needed Mr Schiller said he is very happy with the customer service he has received from Vermeer since purchasing the RTX1250 and knowing that someone will be able to help with the machines at short notice is invaluable. “I feel confident knowing that Vermeer is there to support me if something goes wrong, and the fact that the machines are under warranty is important for me,” Mr Schiller said. “In the past I haven’t had that support, which I desperately needed, and now that I do it’s taken a lot of pressure off me knowing that they’re there, a phone call away, or a day away, to do something to the machine if need be. “I look forward to building more of a relationship with Vermeer.”
For more information about Vermeer’s range of trenching equipment, head to www.vermeer.com.au/equipment-range/trenching-equipment www.energymagazine.com.au
A UNIQUE APPROACH FOR
TESTING PROTECTION SYSTEMS
RelaySimTest is a software solution for system-based protection testing with OMICRON test equipment that takes a novel, future-oriented approach. The new software completely focuses on the correct behaviour of the protection system, made possible by simulating realistic events in the power system.
elaySimTest is a software which controls testing hardware such as the OMICRON CMC test sets. It takes the application of the protection system and feeds it to a power system simulation. To be able to map the different power systems for each protection system, RelaySimTest offers a fast and easy to use single-line editor. Based on the mapped power system, sequences of fault and breaker events can be defined. These sequences, or test steps, can simulate every scenario that the protection system is required to handle. The calculated process values are based on a highly realistic power system simulation, which simulates transient and non-transient effects such as DC-offset current during fault inception, capacitive load current of long lines, mutual coupling and much more. Simplifying distributed tests Since the protection system and its logic and coordination are usually distributed over several relays, it is necessary to inject currents and voltages synchronously to all relays on the system. This can imply the synchronous injection to relays which are distributed over long distances. In the past, this required a coordination of the injection via phone over all ends. The analysis of the protection system behaviour was only possible after the test when all the results were merged. RelaySimTest simplifies distributed tests by controlling multiple test sets simultaneously, either by direct connection or via an ordinary internet connection. To control test sets over the internet, all PCs grant remote access to their connected test sets over a cloud infrastructure secured via a password. The main application finds the remote device via their ID and takes control. The cloud infrastructure is offered by OMICRON worldwide, free of charge. This way the test is started by one application. All results are immediately present after execution so that further investigations can be started in case of a failed test, for example, by moving the fault position and re-executing straight away.
Set up of an end-to-end testing.
Iterative closed loop simulation Real-time closed loop simulations are already established in laboratories and at manufacturers, but they require expensive and heavy hardware that is not usable in the field. It is not possible to run these real-time simulators over distance for distributed relays. RelaySimTest utilises a unique solution, Iterative Closed Loop simulation. Instead of running the closed loop in real-time, the simulation runs in iterations. With every iteration, a new event gets added automatically to the sequence until the sequence is complete. This enables RelaySimTest to test every protection concept simply by placing a fault and observing the reactions of the protection system, even when the relays are distributed. Addressing countless use cases RelaySimTest has already proven its usefulness in many realworld field tests. A small sample of applications that are possible or have already worked particularly well include: » Busbar protection. Because RelaySimTest can control multiple test sets, it is possible to inject to all bay units simultaneously. » Three terminal lines. The possibility to run the test sets over a mobile internet connection reduced the field test time significantly. Also the preparation time was heavily reduced, because no separate calculation was required, as it was taken care of by the power system simulation integrated into RelaySimTest. » Power-swing blocking. » Series compensated lines. » Distribution networks with non-fault interrupting sectionalisers. In such ring-networks a main breaker interrupts the fault current. The sectionalisers isolate the fault and the system gets restored. » New testing procedures for modern protective relays with complex algorithms.
Distributed testing controlled by one PC.
For more information, head to www.omicronenergy.com/relaysimtest
GATHER WITH ENERGY INDUSTRY COLLEAGUES IN 2021
Energy Networks Australia has announced new dates for the Energy Networks Conference and Exhibition, which will now be held from 3 to 5 March 2021 in Brisbane. Planning is in full swing for this must-attend industry event.
he program is well developed, and has been refreshed to include new topics such as the Energy Technology Roadmap, network responses to COVID-19, and resilience initiatives to natural disasters such as bushfires. There will be 110 speakers, including domestic and international keynote speakers, on four plenary panels and sixteen concurrent sessions. » » » »
The four plenary themes are: Data to enable the energy transformation Greening gas – challenges and opportunities The energy future: who pays? Network report card: the customer journey
Concurrent session topics include: data transforming asset management, low emissions, post 2025, the gas evolution, big data, regulation, a smarter safer grid, battery storage, virtual & hybrid power plants, customer centric innovation, hydrogen, microgrids, decarbonising networks, pricing reform, electric vehicles, distributed energy resources and many more. There are four opportunities for networking at the event, including the welcome reception, poster session and happy hour drinks reception, the gala dinner, and the farewell reception. After working from home in 2020, the energy industry will be looking forward to meeting colleagues in person, rather than by video conference. The conference events will include two optional delegate tours to local technological businesses and research institutions, as well as the opportunity for networking over lunch at the Brookwater Country Club.
The exhibition hall will include seating areas with a central lounge for meeting other delegates, a hydrogen display, a university hub and a prominent area set aside for the poster series. The call for poster abstracts brought forward a rich array of submissions, of which 30 will be displayed. There is also an inaugural student poster competition, which attracted a great response from post-graduate students. The top six entries have been invited to join other poster presenters from across industry. The winner will be announced at the happy hour drinks reception. A new approach has been taken with sponsorship and the exhibition for this event, and the response from businesses working within the energy sector has been enthusiastic. To date there are eleven sponsors and more than 50 exhibitors who are looking forward to sharing their expertise with delegates at the event.
There are still sponsorship and exhibition opportunities available; and the March 2021 date gives your organisation more opportunity to gain exposure in event communications and media. A prospectus for sponsorship packages and exhibition options is available at EN2021.com.au. If you want your business to benefit, please contact Vanessa Caldwell on 0420 216 133 or EN2021@energynetworks.com.au
THE POWER OF COMMUNITY BATTERIES:
BRINGING RENEWABLES
TO THE MASSES One of the greatest challenges we often think of when it comes to solar and battery storage uptake is the fact that right now, these expensive technologies can be out of reach for many Australians. Community batteries, which are being trialled extensively around the country, might just be the answer to this challenge we’ve all been looking for.
ommunity batteries are a shared neighbourhood battery solution where solar energy can be stored and retrieved. They offer an alternative to individual households purchasing their own battery storage system, saving them thousands of dollars and improving the level of clean energy supply in the grid. Community batteries generally range in size from 100kW-1MW, and offer a number of benefits over individual battery systems. These include no upfront and installation costs, no maintenance costs, the potential to offer a range of different storage size options, and the flexibility to change storage sizes if photovoltaic (PV) system size increases, or consumption patterns change.
DISTRIBUTED ENERGY A community battery, like any valuable shared asset, also has the potential for wider community benefits such as: » Increased overall levels of storage in the system, reducing peak demand and placing downward pressure on wholesale prices » Improved ability to address targeted network voltage and capacity issues, some of which result from increased solar PV penetration, preventing the need for traditional investment solutions » Economies of scale, especially when coupled with the diversity benefits of storing energy for multiple customers, which could reduce costs by over 50 per cent compared to individual batteries » Improvements to customer equity by potentially providing an equitable solution for customers who are tenants or who live in apartments who don’t have, or can’t access solar – enabling energy trading.
Community batteries may also offer additional benefits over and above what residential and grid-scale energy storage systems provide. Depending on the operation of the storage, benefits include reduced energy costs, improved solar power self-consumption, reduced import and export peak load, and increased network hosting capacity for nondispatchable energy generation such as rooftop solar. Community interest in shared storage may in part reflect a broader enthusiasm from customers for a sharing economy. In Australia, there is widespread interest in community-scale storage, with several trial projects underway. There are also a number of community batteries already being developed, designed, or in use in Australia. Over the page is a small sample of some of the community battery projects currently underway around the country.
A powerful partnership In Western Australia, Western Power has partnered with Synergy to install three community-scale batteries utilising Tesla technology: » Meadow Springs, Mandurah: first trial launched in October 2018 with a 105kW (420kWh) battery » Falcon, Mandurah: an extension of the Meadow Springs trial with a 116kW (464kWh) battery » Ellenbrook: a PowerBank trial launched in February 2020 with a 116kW (464kWh) battery The PowerBank community battery is an Australian-first trial to integrate bulk solar battery storage into the existing grid that also provides customers with a retail storage option. Western Power owns and maintains the battery, meaning customers don’t have to outlay the costs of purchasing a behindthe-meter battery. Customers will be allocated 6kWh or 8kWh of virtual storage costing $1.60 or $1.90 a day. Synergy CEO, Jason Waters, said the importance of Synergy and Western Power joining forces to develop the PowerBank was imperative, as it provides valuable learnings as to how battery storage technology can be beneficial to customers. “There is so much to learn about how to integrate battery storage technology into the sector, as we move away from the traditional centralised generation and network model, to a future that increasingly incorporates distributed energy resources, such as battery storage deployed at individual customer and community-scale levels,” Mr Waters said. “We know more of our customers want to know how they can benefit from battery storage technology in the future and want Synergy to partner with them directly to find solutions. “There is a natural link to their requirements, as they are already effectively selling their excess solar PV electricity output to Synergy through the Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme and buying electricity from the grid when their solar panels are no longer generating. “We know those customers are seeking an alternative to store and use that excess energy to help them manage their household energy consumption more efficiently.” Western Power acting Chief Executive Officer, Dave Fyfe, said the investment in grid-connected community batteries, like the PowerBank trial, would continue as it delivered benefits beyond just battery storage.
“Community batteries don’t only provide immediate, cost-effective solar storage options, they also have a collective benefit of smoothing out power supply to all customers in the area and opening up the capacity for more solar to be installed in the future,” Mr Fyfe said. Western Power has also identified other local government sites where community batteries could be installed in 2020.
Pole-mounted batteries in Melbourne United Energy is installing two polemounted batteries for the local community in Melbourne to share. This is part of its efforts to develop a flexible network that can respond to customer choices. By installing the batteries on the United Energy network, the utility will be able to sustain 99.99 per cent reliability for customers, support those with rooftop solar to get the most out of their investment, and enable customers to use these new technologies. Like household batteries and solar installation, United Energy’s pole batteries will charge at lower demand periods when spare electricity is available. Then, at peak demand times like early evening, it will discharge and assist powering the homes it’s connected to and reduce the likelihood of outages. Using battery technology, particularly in association with rooftop solar, is becoming more common in Victorian homes. However, the cost is not yet affordable for the majority of people. Pole-mounted batteries on the low voltage network will support up to 150 homes and businesses with stored energy. Two locations have been selected for the trial: Black Rock and Highett. These locations were selected based on a range of criteria including residential density, visual amenity, noise concerns and electricity demand. Both are in areas where there are constraints on the network. This means that on peak demand days there is a risk of outages because the network cannot physically move enough electricity to meet customer needs. Installing batteries to provide an alternative source of electricity for these areas can therefore help sustain reliable supplies while deferring more costly network investment.
battery for solar storage and peer-topeer trading. The project aims to test whether small and mid-size electricity retailers, like Enova, can reduce their risk in the electricity market and deliver further benefits to the community via strategic use of the battery. The battery will be located in regional NSW, with Enova currently in the process of determining the optimum location with the network. The aim is for the battery and the peer-to-peer trading platform to be live by the end of 2020. The battery will be about as big as a shipping container, and it will look a bit like a shipping container too.
Kalgoorlie’s solar future Kalgoorlie-Boulder will soon be home to the region’s first 464 kilowatt hour community battery, with construction kicking off in June 2020. Located on Dart Street, Western Power’s utility-grade battery will be integrated into the network, with the aim to improve power quality and ease the daytime and peaktime load periods. It will also enable homes and businesses in Kalgoorlie to continue integrating more rooftop solar and new technologies onto the grid. The rollout of community batteries is a key action of Western Australia’s Distributed Energy Resources Roadmap, which was released in April 2020. The future is bright Early feedback from trials around Australia are reporting positive outcomes for community batteries. Users are pleased with the benefits, and the access to renewable energy and storage without the sizable price outlay from the outset. Utilities are also impressed with the results they’re seeing, which extend beyond happy customers and across to benefits for the grid, particularly in areas constrained on days of excess demand.
Peer-to-peer training in NSW Enova Community Energy, in partnership with Enosi Australia and the University of Newcastle, and with the support of Essential Energy, are jointly working together in a shared community battery project to be deployed in regional NSW. The project will involve a shared 2MWh www.energymagazine.com.au
THE RISING POWER OF WIND
IN AUSTRALIA With eight wind farms commissioned in 2019, adding 837MW of new generating capacity, for the first time in Australia wind energy overtook hydro power as the leading source of renewable energy. Over the course of the year, wind supplied 35.4 per cent of the country’s clean energy and 9.5 per cent of overall electricity – and this growth is not set to slow down anytime soon. Here, we take a look at the sector and some of the most exciting projects underway that will contribute to an expected 5,844MW boost in capacity.
he cumulative installed capacity of wind energy in Australia has been steadily growing, and has more than tripled since 2010. This is in part to it being one of the lowest-cost sources of new electricity supply in Australia, and with the cost of utility-scale wind energy expected to continue to fall, new wind farms are anticipated to deliver electricity at around $50-65/MWh in 2020 and below $50/ MWh in 2030. Another contributor to the rapid increase in installed capacity are technological advances in the sector, resulting in larger
and more efficient wind turbines that are able to make use of intelligent technology. Rotor diameters and hub heights have increased, enabling more energy to be captured per turbine. Furthermore, advancing technologies mean that fewer turbines are needed to capture the same amount of energy, and are giving wind farms increasingly sophisticated adaptive capability. As of the end of 2019, there was 6,279.4MW of installed capacity in Australia, with another 30 wind farms under construction or financially committed to, totalling a combined capacity of 5.5GW.
Image of the Silverton Wind Farm courtesy AGL.
WIND Wind projects to get excited about Silverton Wind Farm, NSW AGL’s $450 million 200MW Silverton Wind Farm, located in north-western NSW, was the largest wind farm to be completed in 2019, and reached full production capacity in early 2020. It is the seventh biggest wind farm in Australia, and is expected to generate approximately 780,000MWh of clean, renewable electricity each year, enough to power approximately 136,000 average Australian homes, and to reduce CO2 emissions by 655,000 tonnes annually – the equivalent of taking 192,000 cars off the road annually. Construction began in May 2017 and was completed in 2019, with first generation in May 2018. The wind farm comprises 58 wind turbines each with 3.4MW 130m rotor wind turbines on 110m towers. They were constructed and commissioned with maximum output at night-time, and commissioning of the wind farm for daytime generation is being progressed with AEMO and TransGrid. Connection works for the project included a 25km transmission line from an existing 220kV substation in Broken Hill, operated by TransGrid, and a new 220KV wind farm substation. MacIntyre Wind Farm, QLD Acciona’s proposed $1.96 billion 1,026MW MacIntyre Wind Farm, located around 200km south-west of Brisbane, will be the largest onshore wind farm in Australia and one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Up to 180 turbines are proposed for construction, within 36,000 hectares of leased land predominantly used for sheep farming – which will be able to continue during the construction and operations phases of the wind farm. Acciona has reached an agreement with CleanCo, a Queensland Government energy operator, for it to become the independent owner and operator of a 100MW wind farm within the MacIntyre complex, which will be the state’s first publicly-owned new renewable energy generation in 20 years. Furthermore, CleanCo will acquire the annual production of 400MW from Acciona's facilities for ten years through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). The project is still under development, with Acciona planning to submit a development application seeking a development permit for a Material Change of Use (MCU) to allow construction and operation of the wind farm to the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) in Q3 2020.
All images courtesy AGL.
THE MACINTYRE WIND FARM PROPOSAL IN A SNAPSHOT Project configuration:
180x5.7MW turbines
Anticipated construction commencement: mid-2021 Anticipated construction duration:
Energy production:
equivalent of up to 700,000 homes annually
Grid connection:
construction of a new 64km-high voltage overhead transmission line to connect to the Powerlink network at Tummaville
Tip height:
approximately 50km south-west of Warwick and approximately 10km south of Karara
Warradarge Wind Farm, WA Commissioning of Bright Energy Investment’s 180MW Warradarge Wind Farm, near Eneabba in WA’s Mid West region, was set to commence in August, with full production expected in Q4 of 2020. It will provide enough power to cover the average annual electricity needs of the equivalent of 148,500 homes. Construction included 51x3.6MW turbines, which are amongst the largest in the state with a tip height of 152m, 67m-long blades and a hub height of 84m above the ground. 117km of underground 33kV electrical cabling was also laid as part of the project. A 10km transmission line from the wind farm substation to the existing 330kV transmission line near Eneabba on the South West Interconnected System (SWIA) was constructed by Western Power and includes a new terminal station at Eneabba. Once production commences, the wind farm will represent a 30 per cent increase in large-scale renewable energy connected to the SWIS.
Murra Warra Wind Farm II, VIC The 434MW Murra Warra Wind Farm project is located in north-western Victoria, 25km north of Horsham. It is being constructed in two stages, with stage one – which consisted of 61 3.7MW turbines – completed and operational. Stage two will see 38 5.5MW turbines (the largest in Australia to date) constructed, adding 209MW in capacity. Once completed it will be one of the largest wind farms in Australia, generating enough energy to power 420,00 homes and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 1.7 million tonnes every year. In August 2020, the consortium comprising RES and Macquaries’s Green Investment Group announced Murra Warra Wind Farm II had sealed finance and a buyer, and construction can now begin. The project is expected to take two years to complete, and will be constructed under contract with General Electric International and its subcontractor Zenviron. RES will provide construction and operational asset management services under a long-term agreement. A long-term PPA for Murra Warra II has been arranged with Snowy Hydro through its Renewable Energy Procurement Program.
STRINGING ROPE DYNEEMA SK75 Diameter
Break weight
100M kg
MELBOURNE ROPE AND SPLICING Contact: Bryan Glover W: www.ropemelbourne.com.au T: 1300978116 M: 0410248458 E: bryan@ropemelbourne.com.au
UNLOCKING MICROGRID OPPORTUNITIES
IN REGIONAL AND REMOTE AUSTRALIA
Regional and Indigenous communities will benefit from more secure, affordable and reliable energy with the Federal Government supporting feasibility studies into microgrids around Australia.
he Government is backing 17 microgrid projects with over $19 million in grant funding under Round One of the Regional and Remote Communities Reliability Fund. These projects are located across Australia, from very remote Indigenous communities in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, to rural farming communities in Victoria. The studies will look at whether establishing a microgrid, or upgrading existing off-grid technologies, would better meet the electricity supply needs of regional and remote communities. Microgrids can help reduce electricity bills for regional and remote communities, as well as deliver benefits for the grid as a whole by saving hundreds of millions of dollars in network costs. Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said initiatives such as this consolidate regional Australia as a great place to live, work and invest outside metropolitan areas. “Our regional and remote communities need an affordable energy supply they can rely on to ensure local businesses can grow and thrive, which means more jobs and more economic activity,” Mr McCormack said. “We need to be looking at options that will help lower cost of living pressures on families and businesses in not only the cities, but in the regions especially, as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Federal Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said the grants are an important step towards unlocking investment in microgrids and improving the technologies that will ensure energy reliability and affordability in regional Australia. “Microgrid technology is becoming increasingly cost effective, creating the opportunity for a reliable, low cost, off-grid supply to our regional communities and industries,” Mr Taylor said. “This funding will enable many communities to realise the potential of innovative technologies or distributed energy resources, like solar and batteries, or reduce their reliance on costly diesel generation. “Lower cost energy is crucial to creating jobs in regional communities.” A large number of successful projects under Round One of the Regional and Remote Communities Reliability Fund will address energy supply in some of our most remote Indigenous communities. Minister for Indigenous Affairs Ken Wyatt said we need to look at new ways to ensure energy supply for remote communities. “Living remotely means that there’s already increases in costs, which can slow and dampen economic opportunity. Ultimately, we want to see affordable and reliable energy for families and businesses in remote Australia,” Mr Wyatt said.
ROUND ONE FUNDING RECIPIENTS The Regional and Remote Communities Reliability Fund - Microgrids is designed to support feasibility studies into more reliable, secure and cost-effective energy supply to regional and remote communities in Australia. The program will fund feasibility studies looking at microgrid technologies to replace, upgrade or supplement existing electricity supply arrangements in off-grid and fringe-of-grid communities located in regional and remote areas. The objective of the program is to support regional and remote communities to investigate whether replacing, upgrading or supplementing a microgrid or upgrading existing off-grid and fringe-of-grid supply with microgrid or related new energy technologies would be cost-effective.
ALINGA ENERGY CONSULTING, $473,670 Effective, responsible energy solutions for remote indigenous communities This project is focused on providing better energy outcomes for Indigenous communities, through studies that provide insights and strategies that can be replicated and adjusted to maximise impact. The team from Alinga will visit Indigenous communities in remote off-grid or fringe-of-grid areas of Australia to spend time gaining a deep understanding of Indigenous community energy circumstances and how microgrid technologies could replace, upgrade or supplement existing electricity supply arrangements. Feasibility assessments will have an emphasis on sustainable solutions that can be adequately maintained to provide long-term benefits, including affordable energy to some of our nation's most vulnerable people to support better educational, health and economic outcomes.
C.L.E.A.N. (COWRA) INCORPORATED, $1,031,556 Cowra Microgrid Detailed Feasibility Study
ATYENHENGE-ATHERRE ABORIGINAL CORPORATION, $303,371 Santa Teresa Microgrid Project The Santa Teresa Microgrid project is a partnership between Atyenhenge-Atherre Aboriginal Corporation and Arup. It is focused on understanding the technical and commercial feasibility of microgrid solutions for Santa Teresa. Santa Teresa is a remote Aboriginal community of 600 residents, 87km south-east of Alice Springs, whose energy supply is currently provided by NT Power and Water Corporation (PWC). Electricity is delivered via overland powerlines and there have been consistent interruptions to power supply over several years. Community and PWC have expressed a strong interest and support for exploring alternative forms of delivering reliable, secure energy to Santa Teresa.
CENTRE FOR NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, $1,404,750 Charlton Zone Substation Microgrid Feasibility & Demonstration Project
together the energy needs of several large industrial regional
The project will compare the feasibility of islanding two regional Victorian towns exposed to supply vulnerabilities using a microgrid. The project will:
businesses into a single aggregated embedded network, and
The 1MW Cowra Solar and Battery Microgrid will bring
see the development of energy generation and dispatchable capacity. The structure will provide cost savings for the clients and increase their energy security with the addition of shared resources. This feasibility study will bring this microgrid project through to investment readiness. In time, it is envisaged the microgrid can expand to: »
Include biogas powered electricity generation
Add thermal networks to local heat customers
Expand to include more electricity customers in the Cowra community
Assess technical and social feasibility, and network impact » Demonstrate high DER concentration benefits » Develop a Microgrid Assessment Tool for other towns » Inform future regulation and policy Following deep community engagement, a multi-variant model will be developed to assess the microgrid's potential to: » » »
Deliver the energy reliability, affordability and security the communities seek Be viable against other solutions with view to costs, benefits, conversion risks and operation Help the towns ride through network faults from events such as extreme weather
DESERT KNOWLEDGE AUSTRALIA, $3,197,507 Alice Springs Modelling The project seeks to address barriers that are currently causing serious grid stability issues and limiting additional renewable energy from being added to the Alice Springs power system, with other NT systems likely to follow. The project focuses on conducting robust technical and economic analysis of Alice Springs, a small yet complex remote microgrid, as well as behavioural modelling to better understand consumer behaviour. This is complemented by the development of a novel multi-objective optimisation tool to best size batteries, expected to be part of the solution. Concluding this project will be the development of a Roadmap to 2030 report, identifying the necessary steps to reach a renewable energy fraction of 50 per cent by 2030. www.energymagazine.com.au
ENER-G MANAGEMENT GROUP, $1,976,451 Yarrabah Microgrid
Ergon Energy Isolated Systems Diesel Off Microgrid Feasibility Study
This project will undertake a feasibility study to investigate microgrid technologies for the Yarrabah Community:
This feasibility study applies to the remote communities of Mapoon, Burketown, Birdsville and Windorah. The proposed studies will review viable options for the deployment of technology solutions to enable a higher penetration of customer and centralised solar PV, as well as develop a pathway to enable “diesel off” for significant periods of the day.
Extensive community engagement to identify options
Audit and scope load and demand profiles
Design and assess options
Identify projects that provide sustainable employment and attract funding
Make use of Distributed Energy Resources including small power generation systems such as PV, wind, WtE, biogas and microturbines, utilising battery storage and electric vehicles
The intention is to make Yarrabah a knowledge sharing showcase of a self-reliant, sustainable microgrid that can be rolled out to other communities.
IMPACT INVESTMENT PARTNERS, $519,954 Mutitjulu & Martu Community Microgrid Project: Feasibility Study A study is required to assess the viability of microgrids for the Mutitjulu township near Uluru, Northern Territory and three Martu community settlements in the Pilbara, Western Australia. Electricity in these communities is currently supplied by diesel generation sets and these systems are expensive to run, unreliable and deliver poor quality electricity due to fluctuations in frequency. This affects the performance and reliability of electrical equipment; essential services delivery such as sewerage and water supply; and household appliances. The study will perform technical and commercial feasibility, and undertake knowledge dissemination to remove barriers to microgrid investment in remote communities and to provide a reliable energy source.
ISLAND POWER CO, $315,504
ERGON ENERGY, $408,954
Enabling this transition would likely result in benefits including reliability improvements through greater power supply system resilience; reduction in the community's dependence on diesel generation; further enablement of community uptake of distributed renewable energy systems; and reduced electricity bills to the community through increased use of local distributed energy resources.
INNOVATING ENERGY, $3,000,000 PowerSmart Farm Electricity Generation using Agricultural Renewable Energy This project will test the feasibility of the InnovE PowerSmart farm electricity generation and technology solution in the dairy industry to build and support a business case for its wider adoption across agriculture in Australia. The solution uses an integrated set of proven technologies with a biogas anaerobic digester power generator at its core to: »
Generate and store electricity on-farm in regional and remote areas
Create a ‘hub and spoke’ model within a dairy network to build economies of scale
Build a wholesale and retail ‘Virtual Power Station Cooperative’ generating green energy for the region
Eliminate current waste and water contamination issues through the technology deployed
POWER AND WATER, $1,210,000
Indian Ocean Territories Renewable Energy Microgrid Feasibility Study
NT Microgrid Futures Project (SETuP 2.0)
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island are
This project will produce a suite of studies applicable to
Australia's most remote communities. The islands have
the portfolio of over 60 remote isolated grids operated by
some of the highest costs of power generation in Australia
Power and Water Corporation in the Northern Territory.
and experience critical ongoing issues with power reliability
The project will investigate methods of maintaining or
and security. The transition to renewable energy microgrids
improving microgrid reliability while supporting higher levels
in the islands could provide more reliable, secure and
of customer solar investment. Building on lessons from the
affordable power for strategic government assets and
successful SETuP Program, it will map a pathway to further
local communities. However, a significant knowledge gap
reduce diesel fuel and operational costs. Detailed studies
exists around the feasibility and viability of new renewable
will span isolated diesel and fringe-of-grid communities,
microgrids in the islands. This project will undertake technical
in regulated and non-regulated spheres. The project
feasibility and financial viability studies across the islands
benefits will include a set of detailed business cases for the
to close this knowledge gap and unlock investment into
selected communities, as well as a set of broadly applicable
renewable microgrids in these remote off-grid islands.
microgrid methodologies.
QUEENSLAND FARMERS' FEDERATION, $654,807 The flow on benefits of microgrids for irrigated agriculture This project will assess whether microgrids can offer benefits to electricity consumers and networks such as more stable network energy flows, increased network utilisation, increased uptake of distributed energy systems and reduced costs in the rural and irrigation sector to provide a community-based source of affordable, low carbon energy within a geographical boundary. The project will establish and analyse four demonstration virtual microgrids in New South Wales and Queensland to test their suitability in different circumstances and models. The project includes community consultation and workshops, data collection and modelling to understand costs and benefits and provide guidance to industry and government.
REGIONAL POWER CORPORATION, $600,000 Exmouth Microgrid – 100% Renewable Energy Town Transition Horizon Power wants to explore the feasibility of transitioning the power generation in Exmouth, WA to 100 per cent renewable energy supply. This feasibility proposal spans over one year and comprises of: »
Deliberative Community Engagement in the conceptual design, co-ownership business models, and implementation of the new renewable energy ecosystem
Engineering concept feasibility and design for a new 100 per cent renewable generation ecosystem
Asset audits (generation) – to understand the condition of the assets and assessment of remaining asset life
Developed and tested customer asset ownership business models
Targeted customer service and products as an outcome of the community engagement
WATTWATCHERS, $1,787,300
REGIONAL POWER CORPORATION, $1,402,128 Energy for all: Modernising microgrids for Aboriginal Western Australians Electricity services for Aboriginal people living in WA's remote communities are far behind the rest of Australia. Over 12,000 people in 160 Aboriginal communities have services with major safety and reliability issues, aging infrastructure, and no solar PV. Horizon Power will produce a plan for 13 Aboriginal communities to upgrade to utility standard electricity services including: » » »
Clean, lower cost solar-diesel hybrid generation Safe, utility-owned and operated distribution networks User pays retail, including prepayment billing, smart phone application » Local Aboriginal procurement and employment outcomes At closeout, Horizon Power will negotiate with the State Government to secure funding to undertake the works.
TOTALLY RENEWABLE YACKANDANDAH INC, $346,644 Yackandandah Islandable Microgrid Project Totally Renewable Yackandandah is an Australian thought leader in the community energy sector, winning acclaim for its clear renewable energy target, three existing microgrids, virtual power plant and solar penetrations exceeding 55 per cent. This project will analyse an important next step for Yackandandah – how to build in the requisite storage capacity to manage the excess of daytime solar generation to use each evening. In general, the project will draw together a technical feasibility study of both a 1-2MW battery storage and a 4-6MW pumped hydro energy storage facility, and then consider the financial viability of such in the local area network. This will be done with a clear eye on an islandable power supply for safety and resilience.
YURIKA, $968,447
MyTown Microgrid: a community and data-driven feasibility
Developing commercial microgrid models for regional C&I businesses
MyTown Microgrid takes an innovative approach to microgrid feasibility using cutting edge IoT technology, combined with community engagement and business model co-design. The Latrobe Valley town of Heyfield will seek to answer if microgrids can deliver reliability, economic, emissions and community benefits by:
Yurika aims to advance the commercial viability of microgrids
locations, Yurika will evaluate the commercial and technical
Using multi-data source platforms to calculate demand, flexibility and supply » Undertaking community engagement and co-designing community centric business models » Wrapping technical, economic and regulatory analysis into fit-for-purpose decision support tools Ultimately the project seeks to develop tools to make it faster and cheaper for regional communities to deploy costeffective microgrids for optimal outcomes. www.energymagazine.com.au
for the commercial and industrial sector in regional Australia. Having assembled a portfolio of sites including airports, ports, industrial estates, state development areas and agricultural businesses in existing and developing regional feasibility of microgrids across a spectrum of potential use cases. Yurika will utilise its proven record of delivering and managing complex electricity infrastructure, embedded networks, metering and distributed energy solutions, complemented by partnering with University of New South Wales to leverage its extensive research experience in advanced microgrids.
THE MACRO IMPACTS
OF AUSTRALIAN MICROGRIDS With Australia’s relatively small population being spread across large, remote geographical areas, a lot of pressure is put on the electricity grid to cover long distances. In response to this challenge, as well as an increase in the cost-competitiveness of renewable technologies, the industry is increasingly turning to microgrids as a solution.
o, what is a microgrid? According to Energy Networks Australia, the term microgrid can have many different meanings in regards to size, purpose, load capability, sustainability and infrastructure in relation to the grid. Simply put though, a microgrid is an autonomous or local energy grid, with the control capability to operate separately to the traditional grid. There are several ways a microgrid can be powered, including solar or other renewable resources, batteries or distributed generators. Sizing also varies in microgrids, and can be defined by geographical coverage, consumers served, peak load or generation capacity. This is where the discrepancies in microgrid definitions come in, as there are also picogrids, nanogrids and macrogrids. Being a standalone system doesn’t always qualify a system as a microgrid – it could simply be a minigrid or remote grid. Microgrids often utilise existing grid infrastructure, but they also exist as separate physical structures. Although the template for what a microgrid is may be dynamic and varying, they are quickly becoming established as an essential and lucrative component of Australia’s energy network, with the remote microgrid market expected to increase to $20 billion by 2024. Microgrids servicing macro needs Offering solutions to principal energy industry challenges such as increasing electricity costs, the demands of servicing a large geographical area, and aging infrastructure, microgrids are becoming an increasingly important component of Australia’s energy network. With some remote communities, such as islands, typically lacking energy and water security, there is often a disproportionate reliance on electricity generated using fossil fuels like diesel, which can be costly and logistically intensive. Similarly, reliance on diesel fuel generation could potentially deter other social and economic development investment. This means that integrated energy solutions are vital for high renewable energy penetration in island markets. For Australia as a whole, and the communities in which they operate, microgrids provide more options for energy reliability and independence, as well as opportunities for distributing and storing renewable energy. The future of microgrids in Australia A rapid uptake of renewables, the increasingly high costs of extending a centralised generation network and soaring diesel prices make distributed energy systems like microgrids an appealing option for Australian energy.
MICROGRIDS The benefits of renewable microgrid solutions in Australia’s energy landscape can be categorised into five main categories: reliability, cost and convenience, renewable energy integration, efficiency, and boosting local economies.
Reliability is key With bushfire, flood and cyclone events becoming more frequent and severe, electricity supply challenges during and after these events are becoming more and more significant. Electricity dependence during these events also heightens the risk and consequences of physical or cyber attacks, highlighting the need for local energy solutions like microgrids. In 2009, during Victoria’s Black Saturday fires, power losses impinged severely on the community’s ability to respond. Following the immediate threat, the challenges continued throughout the aftermath, as power outages and loss of telecommunications hampered the recovery and clean up effort. Queensland residents experienced similar issues during and after Cyclone Larry (2006) and Cyclone Yasi (2011), where locals were without power for weeks. These lessons are also being learned around the world. In the United States, Connecticut and New Jersey have invested millions of dollars into microgrids after Hurricane Sandy devastated much of the mid-Atlantic coastline in 2012; and in the Japanese city of Sendai, an experimental microgrid maintained a supply of power and heating to a university and hospital for two days in 2011 following a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Advances in technology have demonstrated how microgrids provide reliable power, even during extreme weather events. Cost and convenience Power outages, particularly in extreme weather events, can also be costly with supply interruptions often costing states hundreds of millions of dollars. In this regard, microgrids can preventably offset costs by assisting in maintaining a sustainable energy supply. Microgrids, unlike regional-scale grid infrastructure, can also be established quickly and cost-effectively. In 2018, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) made a submission to the Economics and Industry Standing Committee Inquiry, with the aim of informing the committee of microgrids’ potential as an affordable and reliable energy source, particularly in Western Australia. In the submission, ARENA stated that: “Renewable energy resources and microgrids can help offset the need for large-scale distribution network capital investment and operating costs, thereby reducing costs for industrial, commercial and household consumers, especially in remote areas and fringe of grid situations.”
Integrating renewables Smaller scale and tailored microgrids can accommodate larger amounts of renewable energy. Australia’s renewable energy is currently expanding ten times faster than the world average per capita. Over the period 201921, Australia’s pipeline for new wind and solar PV systems is 6-7GW. Australia also has the highest solar uptake in the world, with rooftop PV up to 50 per cent a year. The rapid implementation of renewables contributes to a larger shift towards DER. With the energy landscape now consisting of household energy storage systems, electric vehicles, demand response and energy-efficient appliances, consumers are driving the demand for connected series of microgrids. Boosting local economies Microgrids can serve local regions by generating economic value and creating jobs – a pertinent issue in the postCOVID-19 climate. In March 2020, the Clean Energy Council (CEC) began lobbying the federal, state and territory governments to include renewable energy and energy storage in their COVID-19 response strategies – including microgrids. The CEC said, “Governments should accelerate and increase funding for the installation of microgrids, stand-alone power systems, community batteries and other programs for bushfire recovery and to build resilience for future summers.”
The CEC proposed that implementing these measures would assist in stimulating the Australian economy, save jobs in the renewable energy industry, and protect households and businesses from high electricity costs.
Challenges still lay ahead Microgrid systems are still in their infancy in Australia and around the world, which means that along with the opportunities, challenges remain. Some of these key challenges include: » Financial investment – the design and construction of a microgrid still requires a significant financial investment » Energy storage risk – with an ever changing market, energy storage presents potential expense and risk » Complexity – microgrid design and operation is inherently complex, particularly in regard to unique location designs » Public information – information and research about microgrids is not adequately available in the public domain » Regulation – standard operating procedures, quality standards and OH&S standards pertaining to microgrids are insufficient » Local expertise – it can be difficult to locate the relevant technical expertise on a local level » Investor risk – microgrids are still a new technology and therefore performance or user behaviour ambiguity may be a deterrent for investors
The Australian Energy Council says that microgrid technologies present both opportunities and challenges for the energy sector, but that states like Western Australia are already demonstrating the energy system optimisation made possible by microgrids and associated technologies. In The Power of Microgrids, IEEE Smart Grid Chair Dr Massoud Amin, the “father of smart grids”, said he envisioned “a hybrid system with a central power backbone, sectionalised for reliability and resilience, with a cellular power network of microgrids overlaying it”. “Each individual microgrid, whether for a building, campus, or ‘smart’ city, would rely on local energy resources as much as possible to serve local citizens. “Each individual microgrid would coordinate with others and with the entire system.” Australia, with its vast land and regional communities, seems perfectly suited to adopt and pioneer microgrid technology. As well as being suitable for Australia’s urban sprawl, their use of renewable energy make them an appealing solution that is well in-line with the national target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. With funding, feasibility studies and demonstration initiatives quickly developing for microgrids, it’s clear that growing the number of microgrids in Australia’s energy network is already well underway, providing a promising outlook for the future.
INTEGRATING RENEWABLES: HORIZON POWER, WESTERN AUSTRALIA Western Australian Government-owned Horizon Power currently operates 38 systems in regional and remote communities, 34 of which are microgrids. This includes Horizon Power’s Onslow system, which is set to accommodate a microgrid that will be the nation’s largest and most advanced in terms of energy distribution. Horizon Power aims for the microgrid to supply more than 50 per cent of the energy needs with renewable power. Because huge geographical areas, such as Western Australia, present specific power supply challenges, Horizon Power uses a combination of energy sources, including diesel, gas and renewables. This combination strategy allows for renewable resources to reduce diesel use and emissions, while still maintaining reliability. Horizon Power’s high renewable energy penetration systems include: » » »
Kununurra (99 per cent) Denham (45 per cent) Marble Bar and Nullagine (both 34 per cent)
Western Australia’s remote communities of Sandstone (located approximately 660km north-east of Perth) and Carnarvon (900km north of Perth) are also serviced by Horizon Power microgrids. The Sandstone microgrid serves as an isolated power system – an 11kV distribution network and a peak load of 180kW. The microgrid has 34kW of solar PV installed by customers and Horizon purchases power – a contracted maximum demand of 192kW – from an independent power producer with an installed generation capacity of 456kW. Carnarvon has a service area of approximately 300 square km. Horizon supplies power to 6,500 customers connected to a network of 520km of powerlines and 8,600 power poles. In addition to operation and maintenance of the distribution system, Horizon Power operates two power stations with a total firm capacity of about 15MW. The network includes 120 customers with a total installed solar PV capacity of about 1.2MW.
PIONEERING WAVE ENERGY: CARNEGIE CLEAN ENERGY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA In a world-first, Carnegie Clean Energy is designing a $7.5 million renewable energy microgrid on Garden Island, using a combination of wave energy, solar PV, a desalination plant and energy storage technologies.
The project has been commissioned by a power purchase agreement between Carnegie Clean Energy and the Department of Defence, with approval to operate granted by Western Power, who will also be providing grid and network expertise and support.
The project will integrate 2MW of solar PV and a 2MW/0.5MWh battery storage system with Carnegie’s wave energy site directly offshore from the island.
The Garden Island Microgrid Project aims to provide a clear working demonstration that wave energy integrated microgrids can be a viable solution that meet specific island and coastal fringe-of-grid communities’ energy needs and challenges.
This combination will result in a microgrid with the capability to operate either autonomously or in conjunction with Western Australia’s South West Interconnected System, with functionality to switch between the two seamlessly through a control system.
The microgrid has been designed to demonstrate wave energy technology’s potential as a renewable energy solution in an effort to expedite its commercialisation as a renewable energy source.
DEMONSTRATING MICROGRID SOLUTIONS: VICTORIA In December 2017, the Victorian Government announced a $10 million Microgrid Demonstration Initiative (MDI) to promote the development and implementation of microgrid demonstration projects across the state. The grant program funding was designed to support several Victorian microgrid projects, totalling over $27 million in value, in an effort to address key microgrid sector challenges and contribute to the unlocking of the sector in Victoria. Battery storage and new technology solutions are included in the commercial demonstration projects to showcase the use of energy storage in different settings, while also incorporating other complementary technologies. Following the MDI announcement, a $3 million Latrobe Valley Microgrid Program (LVMP) was revealed in August 2018. The LVMP supports a single microgrid project in the Latrobe Valley totalling $15.5 million in value.
Other projects funded by the MDI and LVMP include: »
The Birchip Cropping Group (BCG) microgrid, in the Mallee region in north-west Victoria, was operated by SwitchDin and was awarded $210,000 towards its $330,742 total value. The BCG microgrid was the first MDI project to be completed. Primarily based on PV and batteries, the microgrid installed at BCG’s agricultural research facility is currently providing a working demonstration of the microgrid’s ability to lower energy costs and improve reliability for the region. Monash University in Melbourne is currently building an on-site microgrid at its Clayton campus in order to reduce demand and strain on the network during peak times, as well as stabilising the wider grid, making it more resilient.
Euroa Microgrid: Euroa Environment Group was awarded $680,000 towards a $1.6 million project to demonstrate economic opportunities for shared renewable energy and battery assets in communities Virtual Power Plant (VPP): Origin Energy was awarded $4.5 million to develop a $20 million cloud-based project to distribute power from up to 650 customers with solar PV and batteries during peak periods Community Energy Hubs: Ovida was awarded $980,000 for its $2 million project to install shared solar PV and battery systems at three of Melbourne’s multi-tenanted buildings to demonstrate how residential and commercial tenants can access and share renewable energy resources to reduce household energy costs Constrained Single-Wire Earth Return (SWER) Microgrid demonstration: Totally Renewable Yackandandah was awarded $380,389 towards a $767,014 project to establish a microgrid in Yackandandah, aiming to increase the number of houses with solar PV and batteries on a SWER powerline and include control technology to manage network security The Solar Partnering Around Regional Communities (SPARC) LVMP: Ovida WAS awarded $3 million towards a $15.5 million project. The SPARC microgrid project aims to out of behind-the-meter microgrids, based on solar and batteries, to reduce energy costs and support the transition of the Latrobe Valley to a low-emission economy
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Energy networks Storage and solar Safety and risk management Waste-to-energy
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Transformers and substations Vegetation management
Asset inspection & drones/UAVs
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Distant Memories - Live in London brings together selections from 2019's Distance Over Time, in concert with the full and complete performance of 1999's Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory, in what was one of the most anticipated and historic evenings in Dream Theater history, ultimately becoming this instant classic. The entirety of the band's The Distance Over Time Tour: Celebrating 20 Years of Scenes From a Memory is a testament to their fans' long-term appreciation and love for the band as the members themselves recount, expressing that the "tour has been really incredible for all of us in so many ways. We have been supporting our latest work which has been embraced by DT fans all around the world in a way that we are incredibly grateful for, and the two nights we recorded and filmed in London were definitely amongst the best shows of the tour."
Distant Memories - Live In London [Box Set]
Artist: Dream Theater
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There are a number of schools of thought on how to teach journalism. Some advocate an in-house training program like the one the British tabloid, News of the World, runs for new cadets, and others believe in a wider ranging multi-disciplinary approach in a university setting. We hear the case for different styles of teaching journalism. Guests include G. Stuart Adam from the Poynter Institute in the USA, and John Henningham from J-School.
Lucinda Duckett: I think what’s important here is to realise that universities and newspapers are trying to do different things, and we are not in the business of criticising universities for the job that they do — because they do a very good job — but they also do a very different job from us. And I think that it’s dangerous to confuse the duty of a university, which is to encourage thought, academic rigour — and the duty of newspapers, which is to produce good productive journalists. And those two things don’t necessarily come together in a journalism course.
Donna McLachlan: Lucinda Duckett is the Editorial Development Manager for News Ltd. Hello, and welcome to Cultures of Journalism. This week we’re having a look at journalism education. There are so many different ways of learning how to be a journalist. Perhaps you learn on the job or you might learn as a Distance Education student. Or you might go to a university. So today we’re going to focus on some of the differences in approach to journalism education.
Lucinda Duckett: What we see is that many journalism degrees are very theoretical, do have much academic rigour and critical thought which probably belongs in a degree. But the mistake is to think that that will produce a work-ready journalist, because the two things are completely different. One is work training, I suppose, and the other is academic study. They’re two completely different things. And I think the universities may have lost their way a little in their direction. Are they trying to offer trade courses or degrees? The two things are very different.
Wendy Bacon: Well I think it’s about both things. first of all, our graduates have to be more than work ready.
Donna McLachlan: Associate Professor Wendy Bacon, from the University of Technology, Sydney, is also a journalist.
Wendy Bacon: At the moment we have final year students doing interviews at the various media outlets, and even to have a chance of getting a job, you need to have a very strong portfolio — sometimes across more than one type of media — and it needs to be of a professional standard. So right from day one in our course, our students are turning out stories, many of them also do subediting courses to improve their writing; they do radio, they’re actually broadcasting with breakfast shows on community radio stations — so we put a huge emphasis on being work-ready. But as well as that, in a university you can’t really pretend to have a journalism course unless you also study what journalism is about, what is its role in society, what is the media about — and also prepare your graduates to go out and be in a workplace where, if they are to put into practice their highest ideals in terms of professional practice and ethical practice, they need to understand the environment in which they work in order to maximise their opportunities to produce a high quality of journalism.
Donna McLachlan: And at the privately run JSchool, founder and director, John Henningham also believes you need to think more broadly about the media as well as the practical skills of journalism.
John Henningham: That is important. And what I’ve done in my course is I’ve boiled the curriculum down to one year, whereas university courses are generally three years, sometimes longer. And some people say, oh, you can’t teach all that you need to know in one year. Well, you can’t teach it in three years, or in a lifetime, really, and most of what journalists will need to know and will learn will be on the job after they’ve finished their studies. Some think that I concentrate entirely on the skills of writing and newsgathering, but you can’t really run a journalism course without looking at that context — the areas of knowledge that journalists need to know — and parts of this are to do with the media themselves, with the media’s role in society, and other parts are to do with the broader map of understanding politics, economics, literature, history — of having a broad understanding that a well-educated person should have in any field, really.
Donna McLachlan: How do you ingrain that in a short course?
John Henningham: Well, my approach is to do it in a hands-on way. The aim is to develop skills in writing and in recognising news. And when teaching the context I continue with these methods, so when we’re looking at politics or economics, if I have a guest lecturer, for example, the students write a story about what they’ve said, or they write a feature story on the topic. And when we’re studying politics we go to Parliament House. We spend a week in the Queensland Parliament House. They attend seminars there, they meet members of the press gallery, they meet members of parliament and ministers and shadow ministers. And so they develop an understanding of politics through being in a political parliamentary context and meeting the movers and shakers and seeing what’s going on. And at the same time, learning how journalists report on politics by talking to journalists about how they do it and making their own attempts at writing stories about what happens in Parliament House. So they have a hands-on approach where they’re learning often without realising they’re learning. They’re learning just by being there and talking to people and observing proceedings.
Wendy Bacon: People talk about journalism education, but what I like to think about is journalism in a university as the starting point. A few years ago I wrote an article called ‘What is a Journalist in a University?’, because to me, that was a very big challenge when I went from the media into the university. What happened to my journalism? And I think really, journalism in the university has got to be about three things. It’s got to be about being a journalist — and that means continuing on to actually practice journalism at as good a level as you can. Now that doesn’t mean you can do it all the time, but if we move away from that as journalists and educators, we’re really not providing an example of high standard professional practice for our students. We also, amongst our staff, for example, have someone who’s in very innovative radio. So we should be in innovation and good professional practice. As well as that, we need to research journalism. We need to be seriously engaged in scholarly activity. And then we teach journalism. And those three things really should work together in an environment that because of the pressure on journalism academics to get PhDs (which is a good thing to do) — far too many journalism education academics turn away from journalism into scholars and then rely on people they’re hiring out of the industry on a part-time basis, which can be good but you’ve got to have people on staff as well — they rely on them to actually deliver what effectively very often becomes training.
What News Ltd is about with their online courses — and some private universities too — they’re on about really what is a form of journalism training. It’s not really about a journalism education, which must include thinking about journalism as much as doing journalism. And you’re not going to do journalism very well unless you think about it.
Donna McLachlan: Wendy Bacon is an Associate Professor of Writing, Journalism and Social Enquiry at UTS. One of the key thinkers and writers in the area of journalism education is G. Stuart Adam, a journalist who crossed over into journalism education. He helped to establish the Carleton School of Journalism in Ottawa, Canada, in 1973. And Professor Adam is now at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in Florida.
You wrote a piece for, I think, The Columbia News, about a task force that was set up to look at the future of journalism education. And I was really interested in the idea that it shouldn’t be an ‘either-or’ situation, you know, like trading off the trade and the craft of journalism for intellectual rigour and the ability to be critical, and I wondered if you could just talk to that kind of idea in terms of the future of journalism education.
Stuart Adam: Well, I think in one respect, very straightforward. It takes the classical idea of a liberal education and understands it as an education for public life. And then it tries to build, as it were, a curricular model that forges a relationship between the two things. And as you indicated in your question, it constitutes a remedy, I think, to a problem that has vexed journalism education and has been a continuous subject of discussion amongst journalism educators. There’s been this estrangement between the professors of professional practices and the professors of academic research. And my model, in a nutshell, just says that the classical disciplines of what I would call political science, economics and law, the cognate disciplines, the civic disciplines, married up to a kind of literary education. And forged in the context of a vision of how you form journalists it will add up to something that is stronger, more interesting, more powerfully educating, and bring the disciplines of the university into contact with journalism students and professors of professional practices into contact with the discipline.
Donna McLachlan: Professor Stuart Adam. And in his model for journalism education, understanding context, be it political, scientific or social, is crucial.
Stuart Adam: The way I break it out is that I think of something called ‘the editor’s lexicon’, or the writer’s lexicon. And a portion of it has to do with the language of craft which reflects the experience of craft and the experience of making and knowing and judging journalistic work. So that’s one piece of the educational process. the second piece has to do with tying the mind critically to the content and meaning of the world’s events and the shape of the world. And in a sense you can think of journalism as an application of the forms of understanding that are born in, as it were, non-journalism subjects (to take a conventional example, like political science, or any part of the civic disciplines) if you require people to come to terms with those concepts, even with statistics, so that they’re numerate. In due course this turns up as an incorporated part of their understanding. And so context, then, is not something that is separated from the act of reporting.
Donna McLachlan: And I think what you’re describing there is as students gain knowledge and intellectual ability — and this is again a quote from your article — that they ‘learn to think like a journalist.’ Is that what you’re getting at?
Stuart Adam: Yes. And I think one of the things that we’ve always struggled with in journalism education is that there’s not a natural understanding, in the minds of academics, of news. News is the thing that, as journalists, we own — and the understanding. And so what we’re doing is in a sense quite unique in the university. We’re taking something that is born in the practice of journalism — namely the idea of news judgment. And then forging a relationship between it and the forms of understanding that languish in the academic disciplines. But the academic disciplines themselves aren’t going to, as it were, tutor an understanding of news — or breed the journalist. That’s something that we have to do.
Donna McLachlan: One of the great aspects of the in-house training program at News Ltd is the on-going training available to working journalists.
Lucinda Duckett: We have a number levels for training. The most notable one is an online training school which is national, which all our journalists have access to and which is exclusive to them. At the moment, at any one time, we have about 200 people enrolled in courses in our online program. Obviously we have many hundreds of graduates. We have a number of courses ranging from subediting to law reporting, court reporting — and there are other courses under development. Journalists can log in to those courses at any time, to suit their deadlines. Aside from that we have on-the-spot training at various sites, particularly the bigger ones in major cities. And we have people coming in for courses every now and again as well. So there’s a sort of range of courses being delivered on site by departments at various of our newspapers, but also nationally through the online program.
Donna McLachlan: Lucinda Duckett points out that it’s the editors of newspapers who choose the journalism cadets. But what has she observed about the qualities they may bring to their new job?
Lucinda Duckett: The majority of our intake these days have a degree but we don’t insist on it, and we actually like to see some people coming in who do not have a degree. They have a certain freshness that we don’t see always in people who are graduates. We also like to see people who come in with a variety of degrees — we’re not just looking for people with journalism degrees. We’re looking for economics, for medicine, for law, for all kinds of things that reflect the diversity of the things that we report and write about in our papers. If anything, I would say that we are beginning to become slightly disillusioned with people who have journalism degrees, and to focus ourselves a little bit more on people who don’t.
Donna McLachlan: So tell me more about that disillusionment — what is it that is being presented in the young cadets who have journalism degrees that isn’t matching what you need, or what your editors obviously need for particular newspapers?
Lucinda Duckett: The most striking would be the amount of theorising on journalism that they have done. To give an example, we have just gone through the process at our Melbourne newspaper group (The Herald and Weekly Times) of selecting cadets. We had 130 applications from people who sat the exam. And it was very noticeable, there was one question which was, ‘under what circumstances do you think it would be acceptable to refuse an assignment?’ And people who had done journalism degrees or journalism courses were able to answer that question very fully, with large numbers of answers about the circumstances in which they would not cover a story. The people who had not done a journalism degree cited very few reasons that tended to be around, I wouldn’t do a story if it broke the law, I wouldn’t cover a story if it threatened my personal safety. And that’s what we’re looking for. It appears to us that the theorising that’s going ahead in the university journalism courses is actually paralysing people’s ability to cover news. It’s paralysing action. They’re thinking of more reasons to keep things out of the paper than to put things in. And what we’re looking for is people who are passionate to expose things, cover them, tell the truth, get it out and write about it.
Donna McLachlan: [Wendy Bacon], do you think there is an overemphasis on theory in journalism degrees?
Wendy Bacon: Not at all. I think it would be a disgrace if you thought that you could just study journalism any more than you could study medicine, law or engineering in a university and not actually think about what it is you’re going to do and what role that profession plays in a society. And the whole idea that you can think too much about it, I find quite abhorrent. Now what I find also really quite interesting is that we had at UTS presenting our awards Chris Mitchell who is editor-in-chief of The Australian, and he began his speech, actually, by saying, look, ‘some of our best young journalists on The Australian are recent graduates of your course’. I would say, though, the idea — I can understand from a company perspective how someone might say they want to turn out compliant journalists who don’t question when they’re asked to do a particular story. But that’s not in the interests of the public, and we’re educating to be able to produce journalists who can perform their role in a democracy. And it is not in the interests of democracy for us to produce students who will go into newsrooms and ask no questions. Because if you can’t ask any questions of the editor and the person who’s asking you and telling you what to do, you won’t be able to ask any questions of the powerful either and you’ll become a generally compliant being.
Now that said, you do need to — and we always emphasise; to students a newsroom is a complex place — you need to learn how to work in that environment, but unless you understand where news agendas come from, which is part of what we would look at in our theory subjects, you understand really what news is and its relationship to audience — you’re not going to operate in that environment effectively, you’re just going to become a fairly compliant person who turns out very often what is basically PR. And that is the other feature of our courses, is that we are one of the universities in Australia to have been able to resist a pressure within the universities to merge at least part of the courses with public relations — or what we call at UTS ‘public communication’. At UTS we keep those two things very distinct, and I think that’s again in the interests of the public that we make a strong distinction.
Donna McLachlan: Wendy Bacon is Associate Professor of Writing, Journalism and Social Enquiry at the University of Technology, Sydney. And on this question of democracy, Professor Stuart Adam from the Poynter Institute. I’m interested in that kind of feedback loop, I guess — we’re talking here about the language of reporting and how that’s been informed by the growth in journalism education and understanding that. But I’m interested in the impact of public debate on journalism and then how the language of journalism feeds back into public debate. How, in fact, journalism helps to form social policy.
Stuart Adam: Well, that’s a very complex question, and the answer, I hope, will not sound too glib. But the most fundamental thing I think we do arises out of the creation, as it were, of public consciousness and understanding — not so much the process, I mean obviously there’s an impact on public policy, but I’m very much a fan of George Orwell’s Politics and the English Language. And it’s really about the relationship between the quality of language and the ways in which we express ourselves, and the degree to which we’re clear. I’d be very interested in the relationship between that and the quality of politics. And so there’s a basic assumption that occurs before in a sense the activist understandings of journalism and having an impact on reform, and so on, which has to do with the clarification of understanding, the creation of a world of understanding which people inhabit, and have a map of the world they occupy. And I think it’s enormously challenging to train people who can translate complex understandings and bring them forth into the public domain, so there is a — however large or small — a public that understands and can engage political questions in a meaningful way. I’m really talking about the fundamental architecture of democracy, how you stitch this together and make it work. Well, there have to be people, to put it in kind of an Orwell fashion, who write and think clearly and don’t face the political system by burying the world in cliches or abstractions or fancy ways of saying things that can be restated and understood.
Donna McLachlan: Someone who’s come at the idea of journalism education from a slightly different perspective is Michael Schudson, with a background in researching the history and sociology of the American news media. What does he think is essential for teaching journalism?
Michael Schudson: I’d have two thoughts about that. The first thing I’d say in the education of young journalists is they should read newspapers. I’m almost embarrassed to say that I’ve taught a course for 20 years here on the sociology of the American news media, and last year for the first time ever I required students to read The New York Times every day. And so many of those students don’t follow news very much at all. And if they do it’s rarely print media. And I can’t tell you how many ‘thank you’s I got from students who said their eyes were opened. They had no idea there was so much good, complex, apparently fair-minded reporting out there. And this from just one newspaper that landed on their doorsteps every day. It was a major task for them to get through it, and I actually asked them to time themselves, how long it took them to read just the front page of the newspaper. Just the front page and the continuation of those front page stories. And that was about a 45-minute activity for most of the students every day. When you think about that, that’s an enormous amount of time if someone is really to try to follow the news that way. But few of us read the news with that kind of care unless we’re professional journalists already. So that would be the first thing I’d say, is read the newspaper, and ideally read more than one. The second thing I’d say is do some studies besides journalism. Editors I’ve talked to, at least at better publications, are really looking for someone with curiosity, with some broad base of general knowledge – journalists are thrown into all kinds of things in which they have to be very quick studies. If they have some broad base in the wide variety of humanities, social sciences and sciences, they’ll do better. That’s a tall order, but that would be the other thing I’d recommend.
Donna McLachlan: Professor Michael Schudson from the University of California, San Diego. But for all the thought that’s gone into understanding how to teach journalism in universities, a degree isn’t always desirable for an employer such as News Ltd.
Lucinda Duckett: some of our best journalists have no degree at all, and most of our group editors in the country do not have a degree. A degree is not a requirement to be a good journalist. What we need from a journalist is somebody who can find stories rather than wait for them to be given to them. While the critical thought and the academic rigour at universities is valuable, does it really teach you how to get somebody to talk when they’ve just been bereaved? Is that a skill that the universities are teaching? Are they teaching people how to write at great speed? They may be teaching people to write to a point, although I have to say one of the biggest elements of our reporting course is called News English, and it’s about the absolute basics of grammar and spelling and writing, and we’re seeing that that has not been taught properly in universities — and I think probably goes further back — has not been taught properly in schools. So I think much too much emphasis is given by people who look outside-in to newspapers on the writing element of it. We need good, sound, basic writers, people who can communicate at a simple level. But beyond that, we need people who can really sniff out stories, who can go beyond and find out what’s really going on. No university has a monopoly on the people who have those skills.
Donna McLachlan: Lucinda Duckett is the National Editorial Development Manager at News Ltd. On Cultures of Journalism today we’ve been looking at journalism education. But I’d like to end on a note about ongoing training for journalists. Lance Polu is President of PINA, the Pacific Islands News Association.
Lance Polu: Our professional development in terms of training and looking at raising standards targets the whole region, so whether they are journalists or photographers or media practitioners who are working for a newspaper or media outlet that is foreign owned or owned by somebody outside the Pacific region, it doesn’t stop what we are doing in terms of training and upskilling for everyone who is working in the media in the Pacific.
Donna McLachlan: How important is it for their identity that there is a news service that’s representing their own stories?
Lance Polu: It is very important for that identity to be kept. And I think it’s an area that in the training and the programs that PINA has been running in the past, it has been looking at this particular issue. So that the training of journalists who are based in the Pacific countries to write their own stories and interpret what’s happening on the ground for not only for the community newspapers or radio stations or television stations, but they can also write these stories for a wider or global market.
Donna McLachlan: Lance Polu, president of the Pacific Island News Association. I hope you can join me next week for a vibrant and provocative discussion about the future of journalism, with Chris Masters, Andrew Bolt and Barbie Zelizer in the hot seats. My thanks to Bruce Jacobson for technical production and I’ll talk to you same time next week.
G. Stuart Adam
Stuart Adam is the Journalism Scholarship Fellow at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, Florida and Professor of Journalism at Carleton University, Ottawa
Wendy Bacon
Associate Professor of Writing, Journalism and Social Enquiry, University of Technology, Sydney.
Lucinda Duckett
National Editorial Development Manager, News Limited.
John Henningham
Founder and Director of J-school, an independent school of journalism in Brisbane, Queensland.
Michael Schudson
Professor of Communication and Adjunct Professor of Sociology at the University of Califronia, San Diego.
Source: Journalism education (ABC Radio National)
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Google wants to make Android phones act as earthquake detectors
Finally, a good use of technology.
Over the weekend, the states around North Carolina and Virginia experienced two smaller earthquakes in the 5.0 magnitude range. For us in the area, this was pretty out of the ordinary, but it was definitely interesting timing, as now Google is looking at ways to make Android phones assist in detecting and warning people of earthquakes.
It’s a three-step process according to The Verge. The first step revolves around partnering with the United States Geological Survey and the California Office of Emergency Services. In this step, they will be using data from expensive seismometers to alert users of earthquakes.
For the second step, Google wants to use the power of its search engine to help alert people of potential earthquakes. Basically, if you feel a shake, there’s a good chance you are going to Google to see if there has been any news on it. Google says this mass amount of data can be used to detect if a possible earthquake did occur. This step, at first, wouldn’t push notifications to phones, but will just give you localized search results and a prompt asking you if you felt an earthquake.
That said, once Google feels more confident with the data, it could start using this information to push out alerts to users.
Finally, the third step – and this is where it gets pretty cool – revolves around using the accelerometer located in many Android phones as a way to literally detect earthquakes. Typically, the accelerometer is used to detect things like screen rotation and apps that can trigger things by shaking the device.
Because there are so many Android phones out there, researchers would be able to see a huge net of information. That functionality would be able to trigger both P and S waves, which are associated with the initial wave from the epicenter and then the smaller, but often more damaging second wave. Google also notes that the data would be “coarse” data and not attached to an individual.
In this third step, Google will do what Google does best, take all that information, send it through algorithms, and use that data to determine the epicenter and strength of an earthquake. Marc Stogaitis, principle Android software engineer at Google, does note to The Verge that the system wouldn’t be perfect.
The biggest key thing is that the phones that are nearest to the earthquake can help users away from the earthquake know about it. One of the limitations of the system is that we can’t warn all users before an earthquake reaches them. The users closest to the epicenter of the earthquake just aren’t likely to get a warning in time because we’re not predicting earthquakes ahead of time.
This also means that there wouldn’t be human intervention in this because of the speed it would take to warn people of an earthquake. They aren’t predicting earthquakes, just hoping to alert people with a speed not previously available.
The Verge and Stogaitis also point out some of the long-term benefits of a system like this. If the system is refined, it could be used to automatically do things like turn off gas at businesses or stop elevators before the S wave hits, allowing people to get off elevators safely.
Overall, it seems like an amazing use of technology. We always talk about using technology for the good of the people, and this seems like the perfect example.
What do you think? Would you be ok with Google using information from your phone to help alert people of earthquakes? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.
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The best new iOS and Android apps to download in October 2020
Lots of good stuff this month!
Apparently, even Android users want the new iPhone 12
Kinda surprised to see this.
Android 11 is now available – here are the best new features
Android 11 wants to help you get all of those notifications under control.
The best new iOS and Android apps to download in September 2020
Camera apps, messaging apps, and more.
The five best board games you can play on Steam
Facebook thinks I’m in a poly relationship with my partner and her mother
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UNLV Professor On How Tailor-Made Drugs Could Address The State's Opioid Crisis
opioids.jpg
Chelsea Garcia
Nevada has long struggled to help people with mental illnesses and the state, like many areas of the country, is struggling with the opioid crisis. But could both of those problems be addressed with technology from the 50s?
In the 1950's, researchers began exploring the field of pharmacogenetics.
It's the science of how our body's genes and drugs interact – and how well the body breaks down and absorbs certain drugs.
The medical potential is that it could end a one-dose-fits model for medical prescriptions. Instead, drugs would be personalized, based on a patient’s individual genetic makeup.
But 60 years after it became known, pharmacogenetics is still not widely used in medicine. Roughly 12 percent of all doctors use it, according to a recent study.
Jay Tan, an assistant nursing professor at UNLV and a nurse practitioner, has an idea of why it's so sparsely used.
“I think the problem is it’s still not part of a big curriculum for any medical training or even in nurse practitioner training,” he said.
Tan told KNPR's State of Nevada that while many practitioners know it works they don't use it because they're simply unfamiliar with it.
According to Tan, to use pharmacogenetics, doctors would need to swab the inside of a person's mouth to collect genetic material. That genetic material can then be analyzed to show what medications would work the best.
For example, the genetic testing will show if a person metabolizes a medication quickly or slowly. That information could determine how much of a medication is needed, Tan said. If someone metabolizes a medication quickly, he or she may need a higher dose to get the same result.
“Pharmacogenetics is the science that gives us that predictability if that medication really fits your body,” he said.
Tan said the technology started with cancer patients but it is also very useful with pain medication because it allows doctors to specifically target pain instead of using a series of medications that provide too much or not the right kind of medication for a patient's pain.
The same is true of people with mental illnesses. Tan, who is a nurse practitioner specializing in mental illness, used pharmacogenetics to determine the proper medication for a patient. He said the patient went from hearing voices to no delusions. Eventually, she was able to go back to work.
Besides doctors not feeling comfortable with the science, Tan said people don't choose to get it done because many health insurance companies don't cover it. But he believes that pharmacogenetics can benefit everyone and take the guess work out of prescriptions.
Jay Tan, assistant nursing professor, UNLV
Jay Tan
Would You Want To Know The Secrets Hidden In Your Baby's Genes?
More Nurse Practitioners Are Pursuing Residency Training To Hone Skills
Antidepressants Can Interfere With Pain Relief Of Common Opioids
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attack of the show
In 2006, an unknown named Olivia Munn began hosting a program on game-centric network G4. Five years later, she's…
Wii Assist: Wii Can Make A Difference!
Angelito Yambao Jr.
Attack of the Show's "Viewer Army" showcased engineering students from the University of Delaware who are attempting…
Olivia Munn's Debut As The Daily Show's Senior Asian Correspondent
Witness Olivia Munn's debut on Comedy Central's The Daily Show, covering the plight of Gulf Coast Vietnamese…
Olivia Munn Trying Out For The Daily Show
Attack of the Show host Olivia Munn, who recently played a reporter in Iron Man 2, is appearing as a correspondent…
Hey, Olivia Munn Was Cut From Iron Man 2, Then Added Back
Olivia Munn, host of television program Attack of the Show! and Playboy covergirl, was slated to appear in…
The Girl At The Video Game Store
To celebrate the 1,000th episode of G4's Attack of the Show, Nerf Herder front man Parry Gripp composed this…
Olivia Munn Not Nude, Not for a Lack of Effort
No matter what was discussed, agreed, or signed, when you're in front of a Playboy lens, the nudity negotiation…
Olivia Munn's Playboy Cover Looks Like This
Attack of the Show! host Olivia Munn is the "Babe of the Month" for Playboy, appearing in a non-nude pictorial and…
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Provide legal assistance in obtaining for the first time and the extension work permit for foreigners in Ukraine
Without queues and wasting time
Extensive work experience
A prerequisite for the reception of a foreign citizen to work in Ukraine is to obtain a work permit an employer alien. a work permit (employment) foreigner is a document issued by the employment center, which allows an employer to hire a foreign citizen, on whose name is decorated permit, for a specified period.
In connection with the new reform in the field of foreign investments in Ukraine, work permit for foreigners can be issued for a period of 3 years. With the possibility of prolongation for the same term.
Features a work permit (employment) foreigner in Ukraine
Please note that the work permit is issued for a particular alien, indicating the specific position for which the foreigner is issued. Thus, the employer obtained permission for foreigner gives him the right to take the foreigner only to the specified position in it. Employment Center gives work permit an alien , in particular, provided that:
lack of workers with the appropriate skills among citizens of Ukraine, which can perform similar work
providing sufficient justification employment centers need to take it to an appropriate position of an alien
There is a list of foreigners, taking on work which does not require a special permit by the employer Employment Center: permanently residing in Ukraine, foreigners, employees of foreign media and representatives, artists, athletes, participants of international projects, invited to teach in universities.
Services Company to obtain a work permit an alien
The process of obtaining work permit an alien has some difficulties. However, having received permission to employment of foreigners interested in compliance with the law employers will avoid in the future many unpleasant moments connected with the unlawful use of alien labor (including, in particular, the amount of a fine of twenty times the minimum wage).
Our company is ready to provide customer services at all stages up to the receipt of the work permit an alien , in particular:
provide advice on obtaining permits for the employment of foreigners
prepare and submit documents to the relevant employment center
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We are, without exaggeration, have considerable experience in providing this type of service and can guarantee you a successful result with a minimum of your time and effort.
required to obtain a permit for a foreigner to work in Ukraine
1 An application for a work permit
2 Copies of education and qualification documents, notarized translation into Ukrainian
3 Copies of the pages of the passport of an alien or a stateless person with personal data together with translation into Ukrainian language, certified by a notary
4 Color photographs size 3,5x4,5 cm (2 pcs.)
5 A document issued by the medical institution that the person does not suffer from chronic alcoholism, substance abuse, drug addiction, or other infectious diseases, the list of which is determined by Ministry of Health
6 Help with the seal and signature of the employer that the position at which the work will be applied foreigner or stateless person in accordance with the law is not associated with belonging to the citizenship of Ukraine and does not require the provision of access to state secret
7 Certificate of no criminal record from a foreigner on the territory of Ukraine, a foreigner or a stateless person at the moment of authorization within the territory of Ukraine
8 Help the authorized body of the country of origin (residence) of no criminal record, if an alien or a stateless person at the moment of resolution is outside of Ukraine (notarized translation into Ukrainian language)
9 The report (3-PN), filed in the district center of employment, on job vacancies (filed in the employment center at least 15 days before filing for a permit documents)
10 Receipt of payment for the consideration of the application - is paid after the decision on the design of a work permit
11 A copy of the employment contract with the company stamp and signature of
The documents may be amended / supplemented, depending on the place of work / office to which the foreigner will be issued.
The cost of a full range of services 2890 UAH
Period of execution 7 - 15 days
The cost of an accelerated procedure for obtaining a permit for a foreigner to work in Ukraine - under the arrangement.
The list of documents required for the extension of a foreigner work permit in Ukraine
1 Application form
The cost of an accelerated procedure for renewing a temporary residence permit - under the arrangement.
Specialist in registration permit in Ukraine
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Ex-Freeborn Co. Commissioner Pleads Guilty to Federal Wire Fraud
A former Freeborn County Commissioner from Southeastern Minnesota has pleaded guilty to a federal felony of federal wire fraud in federal court in Minneapolis. The former County Commissioner, Lida Kae Tuttle-Olson, aged 60 from Albert Lea, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and admitted stealing almost $1 Million from real estate escrow accounts. Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s office said that Olson transferred over $920,000 from escrow accounts to her own company bank accounts and wrote checks to herself. Through her attorney, Olson claimed that the federal wire fraud and embezzlement had occurred because she had a compulsive gambling habit. As a result, Olson faces several years in federal prison for this “white-collar” crime. If you or a loved one needs help with a federal fraud, federal wire fraud, federal embezzlement or theft, or similar crimes, contact experienced federal criminal defense attorney Max A. Keller NOW by calling 952-466-6926 or 866-929-7597.
As a result of her guilty plea, Olson now faces a possible sentence of several years in federal prison and restitution of almost one million dollars.
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Lees, Greater Manchester facts for kids
Lees village centre
Lees is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, Greater Manchester, England, which lies amongst the Pennines east of the River Medlock, 1.8 miles (2.9 km) east of Oldham, and 8.2 miles (13.2 km) east-northeast of Manchester. Historically on the Lancashire side of the ancient county boundary with the West Riding of Yorkshire, part of Lees is known locally as County End.
Lees is believed to have obtained its name in the 14th century from John de Leghes, a retainer of the local Lord of the Manor. For centuries, Lees was a conglomeration of hamlets, ecclesiastically linked with the township of Ashton-under-Lyne. Farming was the main industry of this rural area, with locals supplementing their incomes by hand-loom weaving in the domestic system. At the beginning of the 19th century, Lees had obtained a reputation for its mineral springs; ambitions to develop a spa town were thwarted by an unplanned process of urbanisation caused by the rise of textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution.
Lees expanded into a mill town in the late-19th century, on the back of neighbouring Oldham's booming cotton spinning. The former Lees Urban District, an area of 0.4 square miles (1 km2), had eleven cotton mills at its manufacturing zenith. People from Lees include Helen Bradley, a 20th-century oil painter.
The Industrial Revolution brought cotton spinning to Lees in the form of eleven textile mills, changing the character of the village completely.
The settlement dates back to the 14th century and is thought to have been named after former retainer of the manor, John de Leghes.
Lees was one of the localities which, on 16 August 1819, sent a contingent of parishioners to the mass public demonstration at Manchester, now known as the Peterloo massacre. In the week before Peterloo (an assembly demanding the reform of parliamentary representation), weavers in Lees had paraded through the village with a large black flag adorned with the slogans "no Borough Mongering, Taxation Without Representation is Unject and Tyrannical," and "Unite and be Free, Equal Representation or Death". The growing unrest in the village prompted one alarmed inhabitant to write to the Home Office.
In the late-18th century, a natural chalybeate spring was discovered in the locality, and by the-early 19th century the village gained a reputation for these "fashionable" mineral springs. In the early 19th century, water from Lees Spa, had become fashionable to drink, so much so, that it was bottled and sold around the country. In the month of August 1821, 60,000 people visited Lees Spa. Ambitions to develop Lees into a spa town – "Lancashire's very own Harrogate" – were thwarted by an unplanned process of urbanisation caused by introduction and profitability of textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution brought cotton spinning to Lees in the form of eleven mills, which by the late-19th century, had changed the character of the village completely.
Lees has grown in size recently in terms of both amenities and residential population, in its role as a commuter village for people working in Oldham and West Yorkshire. It is home to commercial and distribution companies. The main street is notable for the number of public houses in close proximity.
St Thomas the Apostle church
The parish church of St Thomas the Apostle, in West Street, Leesfield, lies in the Archdeaconry of Rochdale, the Deanery of Oldham East and the benefice of Leesfield, St Thomas. The Priest in Charge is Revd Edith Disley, assisted by Revd Ruth Farrar. It was founded in 1846.
The church has a Sunday School and hosts meetings of the Mothers Union, Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Beavers and Scouts. It has an active group of bell ringers. The church a seating capacity of 600 and a three manual organ. Four of the numerous stained glass windows are by the Belgian stained glass artist, Jean-Baptiste Capronnier.
The Roman Catholic church is St Edward's, on Spring Lane. The parish priest is Canon Eugene Dolan. The parish was founded on 1 April 1872.
The parish also has a Christian Brethren Congregation and a Zion Methodist Chapel.
Greenacres Waterhead Austerlands
Clarksfield Springhead
Alt Holts Village Grotton
The village consists of a small cluster of shops and businesses on either side of the A669 Lees Road, surrounded by some terraced houses and some small estates. Lees is separated from the main conurbation of Oldham by a small amount of green belt land in the valley of Leesbrook, on either bank of the River Medlock.
A part of Lees is known locally as County End; Springhead in Saddleworth forms a contiguous urban area with Lees, though the border between the two forms part of the ancient county boundary between Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire. Crossbank is an area of Lees.
Lees is accessed on the roads on the A669 from Saddleworth and Oldham. Along this road, there are frequent buses running towards Oldham and Manchester on First Greater Manchester's 180 and 184 services. Other destinations which can be reached from Lees on the bus are Huddersfield, Hyde, Middleton, Mossley, Saddleworth and Stalybridge.
Lees railway station closed in 1955, followed by the complete closure of the line in 1964. There was also a small engine shed east of the station.
Lees, Greater Manchester Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.
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“ They blended religion and art and science because, at base, science is no more than an investigation of a miracle we can never explain, and art is an interpretation of that miracle. ”
Ray Bradbury, The Martian Chronicles (1950). copy citation
religion art science miracle
“The genuine realist, if he is an unbeliever, will always find strength and ability to disbelieve in the miraculous, and if he is confronted with a miracle as an irrefutable fact he would rather disbelieve his own senses than admit the fact.” Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“I see no good reasons why the views given in this volume should shock the religious feelings of any one.” Charles Darwin, On The Origin of Species
“It isn't only art that's incompatible with happiness; it's also science. Science is dangerous; we have to keep it most carefully chained and muzzled.” Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
“How can cosmic religious feeling be communicated from one person to another, if it can give rise to no definite notion of a God and no theology? In my view, it is the most important function of art and science to awaken this feeling and keep it...” Albert Einstein, The world as I see it
“Humans! They lived in a world where the grass continued to be green and the sun rose every day and flowers regularly turned into fruit, and what impressed them? Weeping statues. And wine made out of water!” Terry Pratchett, Small Gods
“cosmic religious feeling is the strongest and noblest incitement to scientific research.” Albert Einstein, The world as I see it
“This world, after all our science and sciences, is still a miracle; wonderful, inscrutable, magical and more, to whosoever will think of it.” Thomas Carlyle, On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and The Heroic in History
“They seemed to forget that the increase of known truths stimulates the investigation, establishment, and growth of the arts.” Carl Sagan, Cosmos
https://kwize.com/Ray-Bradbury-quotes
https://kwize.com/religion-quotes
"They blended religion and art and science because, at base, science is no more than an investigation of a miracle we can never explain, and art is an interpretation of that miracle." Ray Bradbury, The Martian Chronicles (1950). Quote from Kwize
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A briefcase of a census taker is seen as she knocks on the door of a residence Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020, in Winter Park, Fla. A half-million census takers head out en mass this week to knock on the doors of households that haven't yet responded to the 2020 census. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Manager Ordered Census Layoffs Despite Judge's Ruling
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Two weeks after a federal judge prohibited the U.S. Census Bureau from winding down the 2020 census, a manager in Illinois instructed employees to get started with layoffs, according to an audio of the conversation obtained by The Associated Press.
During a conference call Thursday, the Chicago area manager told supervisors who report to him that they should track down census takers who don't currently have any cases, collect the iPhones they use to record information, and bid them goodbye. The manager did not respond to an email from the AP.
“I would really like to get a head start on terminating these people," he said. “All of these inactives that we have, we need to get rid of them. So hunt down your inactives, collect their devices, get them terminated and off of our lists."
It was unclear whether such actions would violate U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh's temporary restraining order prohibiting the Census Bureau from winding down field operations while she considers a request to extend the head count by a month.
Earlier this week, the judge, who is in San Jose, California, held a hearing on other possible violations of the order, but no action was taken after a Census Bureau official said in a declaration that they were unsubstantiated or the result of miscommunication. The judge extended the order for another week on Thursday.
Government attorneys told the judge earlier this month that the Census Bureau would refrain from laying off workers who were in the later stages of door knocking at the homes of residents who hadn't yet answered the census questionnaire. They said workers could still be terminated for performance reasons, however.
While the Chicago area manager told his supervisors they couldn't lay people off for lack of work, he suggested they could encourage census takers who haven't had an assignment in a while to resign or fire them for poor performance.
“It doesn’t have to be their performance is poor. It just means it’s not good enough," he said. “If you are going to terminate someone for performance, I want you to consult me first. But I'm pretty much going to be on your side, no matter what."
The census manager also suggested that supervisors should unofficially plan on wrapping up their work by Saturday, 11 days short of the Sept. 30 deadline for ending the 2020 census.
Census Bureau spokesman Michael Cook said in a statement Friday that the agency was investigating.
“In the meantime, the U.S. Census Bureau continues to focus on conducting a complete 2020 Census count while instructing field personnel of their continuing obligation to comply with court orders,” Cook said.
The once-a-decade head count of every U.S. resident helps determine how $1.5 trillion in federal funding is distributed annually and how many congressional seats each state gets — a process known as apportionment. The census takers are sent out to knock on the doors of homes that have not yet responded to the census on their own, either online, by phone or by mail.
Before the coronavirus pandemic hit in March, the bureau had planned to complete the 2020 census by the end of July. In response to the pandemic, it extended the deadline to the end of October. That changed to the end of September after the Republican-controlled Senate failed to take up a request from the Census Bureau to extend the deadline for turning over the numbers used for apportionment. As a result, government attorneys told the judge, the Census Bureau has no choice but to finish the count by Sept. 30.
The temporary restraining order was requested by a coalition of cities, counties and civil rights groups that had sued the Census Bureau, demanding it restore the October deadline. The coalition had argued the earlier deadline would cause the Census Bureau to overlook minority communities in the census, leading to an inaccurate count.
“The idea is, if you have less time and less people, there’s going to be less counting," Melissa Sherry, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said during a virtual hearing Friday.
Attorneys for the coalition said Friday that they didn't want to comment on the Chicago case.
Meanwhile, the state of Louisiana on Friday said it was being harmed by the judge's order preventing the Census Bureau from winding down operations. In a court filing asking to intervene in the coalition's lawsuit, the state said if census officials were allowed to shutter operations in places where they had completed their work, they could redirect resources to states like Louisiana that are lagging behind in the count.
“That status quo has been upended," the filing said.
This story has been edited to clarify that it was the census manager, not census taker, who suggested supervisors should wrap up by Saturday.
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Article - 'Triggering Anger' by Xanqui
An article about giving your characters motivation to get revenge.
NOTE: This article contains some spoilers to games. The game will be clearly labeled, so if you are currently/planning on playing any of these games or seeing any of these movies, please don’t read that section. Or at least, don’t blame me for ruining it for you. Don’t worry though, because all of the secrets that I mention are revealed near the beginnings of these games.
Would it really bother you if you turned out to be a clone of a great warrior who died a thousand years ago? Would it cause you to randomly kill everyone in sight, form a massive army, and take over the world? I sure would, but would anyone really care all that much? Of course not. The idea of someone with a depressing history turning evil on a whim makes no sense.
“But Xanqui, Hitler turned evil!” Not really. He was pretty much evil from the start. Raised by people who didn’t like others all that much, then dealing with those he hated for some time would surely drive someone towards evilness.
But surely, there’s not enough time in your book or your game to give an entire background of the villain to show exactly why they’re evil. So how can we solve this problem quickly and efficiently? We must trigger anger by breaking the rules of reality. Your storyline is not reality. You have control over it, so you choose what happens.
My previous article got bad reviews because I used Final Fantasy as an example, so for those of you who want to hear examples that AREN’T related to Final Fantasy, scroll down. For those of you who couldn’t care less, continue reading.
I based that first paragraph on Sephiroth. In Final Fantasy VII, Sephiroth appears to change from good to evil within a span of about five minutes of game time. Upon learning about himself being a clone, he freaked out, locked himself up, and didn’t leave the Shinra Mansion until he was certain that he was out of place among everyone else. So what did he decide to do? He decided to KILL EVERYONE! Right?
Wrong. Sephiroth had hidden motivation. The game didn’t go into great detail about this, but gave just enough information to let the player know that Hojo specifically designed him to search for the Promised Land. It was Sephiroth’s DESTINY to summon his clones to the crater, where he would create meteor to destroy the world, and thus, find the Promised Land…and kill everyone in the process. Instead of focusing on these details, the game made it appear that Sephiroth’s only motivation to kill was because he was a clone.
But let’s focus on some other types of motivations.
NON-FINAL FANTASY SECTION
The IUF Chronicles
I’ve decided to use my storyline as an example. The primary villain of the series is a species known as the Zukians, who seem to want to kill everything in sight. But as the story progresses, the characters begin to realize that the Zukians had a horrible past, and the gods of their universe tortured the species by depriving them of food and natural resources. The Zukians evolved to adapt to harsh environments, but the gods kept making it worse and worse, until finally, the Zukians destroyed their gods, and learned to live without them. Of course, with all of this power and now evolved into viscous beasts, the Zukians decided to spread across the realm to use their abilities.
Of course, this wasn’t on a whim. This took trillions of years for the Zukians to finally change. But the reader learns all of this in a single chapter.
Ah, does it make sense now? Anger is triggered on a whim to the audience, but to the characters, it can take years and years before anything changes.
But not all anger comes from villains. What about the heroes?
I tried to play this game all the way through, but the controls annoyed me. I finally got sick of it and uninstalled it from my computer. But the main character of that story, Max Payne, gets really super pissed when gangsters kill his wife and child/ren. Now, I’m not entirely sure what this had to do with the story, but this affected his personality greatly. Once a cop with morals and dignity, now a depressed near-maniac, Max has pretty much lost all reason to live. All he wants to do is get through life as best he can, and end the crime ring in New York City.
Max narrates the story throughout the game, occasionally dropping hints with a subtle tone that expressed his anger towards the villains. If you ever get a chance, read Woman’s parodies of Max Payne’s soliloquies.
The (Ani)Matrix
You’d probably expect me to mention Agent Smith, but he’s not the important one here. It’s the machines. Long before the Matrix takes place (apparently 100 years before), the robots tried to make peace with the humans. But the humans were jerks, and beat the crap out of them because they were robots, and humans didn't want robots to have power. So the robots created their own colony and left the humans alone. All was right, until the robots finally decided to join the United Nations, where they were again, beat up.
The humans then launched a full-scale invasion of the robots, and killed pretty much all of them. The survivors, now really super-pissed-off, fought back. Since humans provided a great power source, the robots created the Matrix by learning how to manipulate the human mind.
It took a hell of a lot for the robots to finally fight back. They did everything they could to maintain peace with the humans, but even a robot can only take so much. There comes a time for just about anyone when, after so much torment, they snap. It’s like the little kid being picked on for years, and one day he comes into school with a heavy bat and finally wins a fight.
So there’s your answer. How do you trigger anger? You torment the crap out of the person until they reach their breaking point. But by the time a character reaches that breaking point, you can’t really blame them for hating their enemy, or even hating the world. They forget their purpose in life, and focus on destruction, because they want to get revenge on the world.
It works just like energy. Energy can be neither created nor destroyed. So let’s overflow an object with energy, such as heat, which will cause the object to explode. Now, fill a human being with anger by beating the crap out of it every day, and one day, what’s that person going to do? EXPLODE!
I can’t get into any more detail without getting anymore redundant. I will suggest, however, that you pay attention to stories with villains. The whole obsession with power doesn’t really have to do with anger, but if you’d like to read about that, I have a series of articles titled: Cruel Intentions, which goes into detail about villains. Anyway, pay attention to the ways these poor bastards are tortured, and if you’re interested in creating a character that is based around anger, use the ideas.
Geez…if I put the Cruel Intentions title on all of my articles relating to villains…this would be like…number eight.
Read Part Two of this Article: Balancing Good and Evil
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Wind storm caused back-to-back power outaages
LETHBRIDGE HERALDtkalinowski@lethbridgeherald.com Lethbridge experienced winds up to 125 km/h […]
SHARP ADZE
MICHAEL THERON SHARP ADZE, of the Piikani Nation, passed away at the Edith Cavell Care Centre, on Thursday, June 16, 2016 at the age of 57 years.
A Celebration of Life will be held at CORNERSTONE FUNERAL HOME, on Friday, June 24, 2016 at 2:00 P.M.
Interment to follow at Brocket Cemetery.
Janina Borecki
It is with great sadness that the family of Janina Borecki announce her passing in Lethbridge on Thursday, June 9, 2016 at the age of 87 years.
A private family funeral service will be held at Southland Funeral Chapel. Burial to follow at the Taber Memorial Garden. Condolences may be forwarded by visiting our website at http://www.southlandfuneral.com.
Janina is survived by her two daughters, Chris (Bill) Reamsbottom of Taber and Terry MacLellan (Dennis Cebuliak) of Leduc; grandchildren Cory Purvis (Colin Nahnybida), Brad (Sara) Reamsbottom, Kelsey (Paul) Theriault and Taylor MacLellan; great grandchildren Nick, Bella, Kyle, Mackenzie, Madison, Anna, Isabella and Owen. She also leaves to mourn her passing, her sister Teresa (Walter) Senko, her two brothers Zygmunt (Kazia) Sikora, Henry (Sophie) Sikora and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her loving husband Tony, her parents Jozef and Jozefa Sikora, sister-in-law Rose Sikora and nephews Joe Sikora, Richard Sikora and Richard Brennan.
Janina was born in Bugaji, Poland on June 25, 1928. In 1941, following the onset of World War II, Janina and her family were deported to Germany where she was forced to work as a farm labourer. It was towards the end of the war that Janina met her future husband Tony. The two were wed as part of a communal marriage ceremony at a German work camp on July 7, 1946. In 1949 they immigrated to Canada, eventually settling in Taber. Janina initially worked alongside her husband as a farm laborer. She also worked at Cap’s Java and seasonally at the local cannery and potato plant.
Janina was a loving wife and the mother of two daughters, Chris and Terry. She enjoyed gardening, canning, baking, knitting, crocheting and sewing new outfits for her two girls. Taking care of her home and family was foremost in her life.
Grandma Borecki devoted her life to spoiling her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She never missed a birthday. She may not have remembered their name but she sure remembered their birthdate.
In February 2016, Janina moved from the home that she lived in for fifty eight years, into Clearview Lodge. Although her stay was short, she enjoyed time spent with residents and staff and appreciated the care she received.
If friends so desire, memorial tributes in Janina’s name may be made directly to the charity of one’s personal choosing.
JOSEPH CHIEF BODY, passed away in Lethbridge on June 18, 2016 at the age of 80 years.
A Wake Service will be at Legacy Funeral Home in Cardston on Tuesday, June 28th from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The Funeral Mass will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Blood Reserve on Wednesday, June 29th at 11:00 a.m. Interment in St. Catherine’s Cemetery.
Elsie First Rider
Elsie “Na’aminnima†First Rider, passed away on June 21, 2016 at the age of 87 Years.
EDNA “GRACE” GILLETT, beloved wife of Joseph Gillett Sr. of Lethbridge, AB, passed away peacefully at the Chinook Regional Hospital, surrounded by her family on Sunday, June 19, 2016 at the age of 86 years.
A Celebration of Life will be held at CORNERSTONE FUNERAL HOME, 2800 Mayor Magrath Drive South, Lethbridge, AB., on Friday, June 24, 2016 at 11:00 A.M. with Reverend Bob Wallace officiating.
A Private Family Interment will be held prior to the Celebration of Life at Mountain View Cemetery.
RONALD MARSHALL HILL (Big Ron), an amazing husband to Lynn and the bestest father to: Lyndsey (Dustin), Kristen (Dustin), Carson (Liz), and Kaitland, passed away on Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Friends may meet with the family ONLY on Friday, June 24 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, TAYLOR STREET CHAPEL, Raymond, Alberta. The Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, June 25, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at LDS – Taylor Street Chapel, with Bishop Jim Steed officiating. Interment to follow in the Temple Hill Cemetery.
Colleen Gayle Jones
With profound sadness and much gratitude for the wonderful memories she created with her family, friends and community, we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother, and daughter on Sunday, June 19, 2016 at the age of 62 years. Colleen was born the only daughter to Marjorie Eleanor Renwick and the late William George Renwick in Carberry Manitoba. She attended School in Carberry, did her nursing diploma and became a registered nurse at Brandon General Hospital. Colleen then went on to get her nursing degree from the University of Lethbridge completing with Honors with great distinction in the year 2000. Colleen’s main interests were reading, cooking, travelling, nursing, shopping, movies, and spending time with family and friends. Colleen worked at a number of hospitals throughout her long nursing career and made many lifelong friends and colleagues through those years. Her family was her biggest priority in life and she dedicated herself to her children and then to her grandchildren. Colleen’s first thoughts were always the well-being of others. She will be lovingly remembered by all for her generosity and caring spirit. Mother, Grandmother, Aunt, Sister-in law, Friend and Mentor, Colleen left us after a three-year battle with Cortico-basal-ganglionic Degeneration. A special thanks to all of Colleens nursing friends and close lifelong friends who continued to be by her side until the end. A thanks also to all of Colleen’s doctor’s, and nurses who looked after her during her care and diagnosis. Thank you to the caregivers at Good Samaritans West Highlands. With their support she passed away peacefully on the morning of June 19, 2016. Colleen will be dearly missed by her son Kim and her daughter in law Melanie Jones and their 3 children Reese, Brookelynn, and Crue of Lethbridge, son Terry and her daughter in law Lana Jones and their 2 children Sawyer and Will of Pincher Creek. Colleen is also survived by her mother Marjorie Renwick of Lethbridge. She is also survived by the father of her children Vernon Jones, as well as numerous nieces’ nephews, brother and sister in laws. Colleen was predeceased by her father William George Renwick. A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00pm on Monday June 27, 2016 at MARTIN BROTHERS RIVERVIEW CHAPEL, 610-4 Street.S., Lethbridge, AB. A private family and close friend inurnment will be held at a later date in Carberry Manitoba at the Carberry Plains Cemetery. In memory of Colleen, donations may be made to the Make-A-Wish® Southern Alberta, Suite 4-2308 24 Street SW, Calgary, AB, T2T 5H8.
REVEREND PATRICK (PADDY) LITTLE BEAR (71), beloved husband of Reverend Christine Little Bear (Hoof), left on June 16, 2016 to continue his journey. He left peacefully while surrounded by family.
Patrick was born March 16, 1946 to Edward and Ruth (Beebe), the seventh child of ten; William, Leo, Gilbert, Morris, Evelyn, Leroy, Patrick, Leonard, Beverly and Gary. Raised at Dead Man’s Corner on the Blood reserve, he attended St. Mary’s Residential school and after completion, he left and worked many years in Yakima, Washington where he lived with his Yakima nation family, that of Louis So Happy.
After Paddy’s return, he soon began his employment with Blood Tribe Recreation and Parks as Maintenance worker, where he worked for many years until his Retirement. He prided himself on hardly ever missing work. He lived with his parents into their elderly years caring for them and travelling throughout Indian country to Shane’s Rodeos or visiting family in Montana, Washington, Oregon and New Mexico.
Fifteen years ago, Paddy met Christine the love of his life, although he never had children of his own, he gained a big family from Christine, he was Grandpa. They were very active in their church. They got ordained as Pastors in 2011. Together they travelled throughout northern Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana and Washington attending camp meetings and visiting their many brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Throughout his lifetime, Paddy loved to sing and play guitar, care for his cats, help his sister at her many ceremonies and be a kind uncle to his nieces and nephews. He will be forever missed by Christine and family.
Wake service will be held at Christine and Paddy’s residence on Friday, June 24, 2016 beginning at 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Funeral service will be held at the same venue Saturday, June 25, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be at the Little Bear family cemetery.
Email condolences to: http://www.legacycardston@gmail.com
IRENE ISOBEL MCLACHLAN, passed away with her family at her side at the Milk River Health Center on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at the age of 95 years.
A Service of Remembrance will be held at the COUTTS COMMUNITY CENTRE on Saturday, June 25th, 2016 at 2 P.M. with Pastor Keith Dangerfield officiating. Irene will be laid to rest beside her husband at a later date.
Due to a change in Provincial Regulations governing all funeral homes in Alberta, cremated remains can no longer be stored past 5 years, within the funeral home’s premises.
We have attempted to contact all families that have cremated remains stored at Cornerstone Funeral Home that have been here over 5 years. We wish to respectfully return, or with their permission, inter their loved one’s cremated remains.
Unfortunately we were unable to contact the next of kin of the following individuals:
Joseph Kazokas, Oct. 5, 1998
Ervin Wade, Sept. 12, 2001
Gerald Yvon Beaulieu, Feb. 9, 2008
Peter Hoffman, Dec. 20, 2005
We are asking for any family of the above named deceased individuals to contact Cornerstone Funeral Home within the next 30 days. Should no legal next of kin give consent, we will with respect and care properly inter the cremated remains according to the Funeral Services Act.
Cornerstone Funeral Home
2800 Mayor Magrath Drive South,
Lethbridge, AB T1K 7B1 Tel. 403 381-7777
funeral@telus.net
JUSTINE “JESSIE†SERA
JUST-ANK HARMONY
Our loving mother and wife, JUSTINE SERA, 77, of Lethbridge, Alberta, passed away suddenly on March 17th, 2016.
She will be dearly missed by her husband, Frank Sera of 17 years, as well as her ten children: Beverly (Wayne) Johnson, Sandi (Todd) Williamson, Pat (Kerry) Grzech, Brenda (Mike) Bateman, Mike (Lucille) Penner, Polly (Chris) Andrews, Carmen (Wayne) Trockstad, Kevin (Carole) Sera, Randy Sera and Leigh-Ann Sera.
Also left to cherish her memory are her 23 grandchildren, 14 great-granchildren, and three great-great grandchildren and many friends.
Justine was predeceased by her parents Franz and Maria Miller, nine older siblings and first husband George Penner.
Justine was born on June 24th, 1938 in Winkler, Manitoba. She enjoyed singing, fishing, camping, spending time with family and entertaining. Along with Frank, they loved to spend time with friends and various activities.
Justine and Frank enjoyed spending time with family and friends and camping and fishing, especially when she caught the first and largest fish. She loved to sing alone or with others. After Justine and Frank married (17 very happy years) they started to sing duets and dress up in different costumes they made for various occasions. They were called the goofie couple. Most of their costumes were homemade from old drapes and bean bags. Their reward was seeing all the smiles and laughter from those around them, while tapping their feet to the songs. They entertained many at Senior Lodge and old folk’s homes.
Justine was active in several clubs. She was Honoured Royal Lady in the Elks Royal Purple Ladies, both Seniors Centres, Hungarian Old Timers Club, Readymade 50+ Club, and she loved to sing in different choirs. Justine also traveled to many parts of the U.S.A., as well as Cuba, Mexico, and United Arab Emirates. She was kind hearted and ready to help anybody, especially those with special needs.
Upon Justine’s request, cremation has taken place.
A Memorial Service will be held MCKILLOP UNITED CHURCH, 2329 – 15th Avenue South, Lethbridge, Alberta on Wednesday, June 29th, 2016 at 11:00 A.M. with Reverend Trevor Potter officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made in her name to the Alberta Cancer Foundation, 1620 – 29 Street N.W., Calgary, AB., T2N 4L7 in support of breast cancer research or to a charity of your choice.
WALBURGER
AUDREY WALBURGER, passed away on June 19, 2016 in Cardston, Alberta at the age of 91 years.
The Funeral Service will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Leavitt, Alberta on Saturday, June 25th, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. Friends may meet the family at the Church from 10:00-10:45 prior to the Service. Interment to follow at the Leavitt Cemetery.
Leonard Philip (Linc)
Apr. 11, 1952 – June 22, 2016
It is with very heavy hearts that his family announces the passing of a very special Father, Brother and Friend.
Linc has left us with many wonderful memories that will be cherished forever by his dear son Paul, sisters: MaryAnne (Dieter) Fehlberg, Kay (Terry) Wilford and Louise Deal, brothers: John (Debbie) and Peter and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and great friends.
Linc was the youngest of eight children and was raised in the Blackie area where his family farmed.
With his brother Peter, Linc owned and operated Leader Earthmoving in the High River area for many years and he earned the respect of everyone for his integrity and for his talent operating the equipment. Chess was a favorite pastime of Linc’s and he was a formidable opponent as his buddies will all agree.
Linc was predeceased by his parents Paul and Georgina, brothers Ray and Jim and niece Ina Fehlberg.
Cremation has taken place and at Linc’s request there will not be a funeral service but instead a “Celebration of Life” will be held for family and friends on Sun. June 26 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Heritage Inn in High River.
The family wish to thank Dr. Jensen and the nurses and staff at High River Hospital for the compassionate care to Linc.
If desired, donations in his memory may be made to the High River Hospital Palliative Unit or to the Canadian Cancer Society. To express condolences please visit http://www.snodgrassfuneralhomes.com
Snodgrass Funeral Homes Ltd. (High River) 403 652 2222
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This page is intended to be a brief introduction to the general concepts of chemistry. It does not go into any deep detail, nor does it talk much about specific chemicals, what you can do with them, or how you mix them. As such, it may not be terribly interesting to people who just want to mix things together, but for people who actually want to study and understand chemistry, an understanding of boring general concepts is unfortunately necessary before you can start engineering your own chemicals.
Let's start by covering the smallest category of matter currently known to mankind: Particles. In most mainstream chemistry, there are three types of important particles: Protons, neutrons, and electrons. There are several other types of particles including photons, muons, and kaons; However, although much new research is being done regarding them, these particles are still not well understood, and so most of today's chemistry theory stems from understanding the three classic particle types.
Protons have a positive electrical charge. They are found in all atoms; The number of protons in the atom is the atomic number of the atom.
Neutrons exist in most, but not all, atoms. Unlike the other two main types of particles, they do not have an electrical charge. Like protons, neutrons are found at the nucleus of the atom. Neutrons have slightly more mass than protons.
Electrons have a negative electrical charge. Unlike protons and neutrons, which form a compact nucleus at the center of the atom, electrons instead orbit the atom; They circle around the nucleus in a never-ending orbit. Electrons are much smaller than protons and neutrons; They have a considerably lower mass.
Particles, by themselves, are quite simple. (At least as far as we understand them so far.) To form useful materials, particles are grouped together into atoms. Atoms form the fundamental building blocks of most modern chemistry; Little chemistry work is done at the particle level. Rather, most chemistry is concerned with the structure of atoms, so it is important to understand the composition of them.
An atom has two important sections: The nucleus and the electron cloud. The nucleus is the center of the atom, where a compact gathering of protons and (usually) neutrons exists. The electron cloud is a halo of electrons that orbit the nucleus. If you consider the overall volume of an atom, most of it is empty space; The nucleus is very dense, but outside of the nucleus is nothing but emptiness until you reach the electrons.
Because the nucleus only contains protons and neutrons (and recall that protons have a positive charge while neutrons have no charge), the nucleus itself has a positive charge. The atom's overall electrical charge is balanced out by the negatively-charged electrons around it. An atom with an equal number of protons and electrons has a neutral electrical charge. An atom with differing numbers of protons and electrons is not electrically neutral, and is usually called an ion. There are two types of ions: Anions and cations. An anion is an ion with a negative charge (that is, an atom with more electrons than protons). A cation is an ion with a positive charge (that is, an atom with more protons than electrons).
Now that you know the basic structure of an atom, it's time to learn about elements. Elements are chemicals which cannot be simplified or broken into smaller pieces without changing their basic chemical behaviour. Everything that we see in the world is made of elements, and what's amazing is how few elements exist. There are actually only slightly over 100 known elements, and the vast majority of them do not exist around us much in everyday life. There are only a few elements that occur commonly in nature and the typical human environment. Some of the most common elements are nitrogen (which is believed to constitute about four-fifths of the volume of the Earth's atmosphere), carbon (which charcoal is a form of), oxygen (which, as you probably know, is the stuff that our bodies need in the air we breathe), and hydrogen. Hydrogen is the simplest element of all: A hydrogen atom is simply one proton with one electron orbiting around it. Other elements get more complicated, but in general, an atom can be mostly defined by simply how many protons, neutrons, and electrons it has.
An element is defined by how many protons its atoms have. As just mentioned, hydrogen has one proton. That means that for something to be hydrogen, its atoms must have exactly one proton; If there is a different number of protons in the atoms, the chemical is not hydrogen. The number of protons a chemical has is called its atomic number. Generally speaking, the number of neutrons in an atom does not make that much difference to the chemistry of basic elements, but the number of protons is crucial, because from the number of protons you can tell exactly what element the atom makes.
If you want to start doing chemistry with specific chemicals, you should get a copy of the periodic table of elements, which is a table that specifically lists every known element by atomic number. Atomic number 1 is hydrogen, number 2 is helium, number 3 is lithium, and so on. It is beyond the scope of this general introduction to chemistry to list all the known elements, but the periodic table is readily available in all kinds of references, since it is a very important reference for virtually all chemists.
Where the number of neutrons in an atom does start to make a difference is when you start considering isotopes. Because an element is defined by its number of protons, it is possible to have two atoms which are the same element, but which have somewhat different chemical properties because of how many neutrons they have. Because neutrons have mass, an atom with more neutrons will be heavier than one with less neutrons, even though both atoms may be the same element. In this case, the two different types of atoms are said to be different isotopes of the same element. A relatively common example is carbon-12 and carbon-14. Carbon atoms have six protons (if they didn't, they wouldn't be carbon, of course) but carbon-12 has six neutrons, while carbon-14 has eight neutrons. These are two different isotopes of the same element. The isotope number, as you may have guessed, is simply the number of protons plus the number of neutrons. If you want to know how many neutrons a particular isotope has, just take the number of protons (which you can look up in the periodic table) and subtract it from the isotope number; The result is the number of neutrons. In the example of carbon-14, subtract the number of protons (which is six, because carbon is atomic number six) from the isotope number of 14. 14 - 6 = 8, meaning carbon-14 has eight neutrons.
Although all matter can be simplified into elements (as far as we know, anyway), obviously there are several thousand different chemicals that exist in our world. These are made by mixing different elements together. When you make a chemical that's a mixture of several elements, the result is called a compound. Compounds cannot be split into atoms without changing their chemical nature; Instead, the fundamental unit of a compound is the molecule.
A molecule is simply a collection of atoms grouped together. Molecules are usually expressed in terms of what atomic elements they have, and how many atoms of each element. Perhaps the best-known compound symbol in the world is that of water, which is simply two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom united into a single unit. The resulting unit is a water molecule, with a chemical symbol of H2O. This formula signifies that there are two hydrogen atoms (hydrogen's chemical symbol is H), and one oxygen atom (oxygen's chemical symbol is O). Note that the number 2 should be rendered in a subscript font (meaning it should be made small and dropped slightly below the H and the O), but since there is no way to do so if you are viewing this as a plain ASCII text file, I have rendered it as it is.
A slightly simpler chemical symbol is O2, which is a molecule containing two atoms of oxygen bound to each other. This molecule is somewhat confusing, because it is often also called "oxygen", even though oxygen is, properly speaking, the element, and O2 is actually two oxygen atoms together. (Many scientists, and also doctors and nurses in hospitals, usually say "Oh two" when speaking of O2, to avoid confusion with pure elemental oxygen.) O2 is the kind of oxygen that we breathe in the air; Elemental oxygen does not occur often in nature. O3 is another molecule made of oxygen atoms; It is simply three of them made into a molecule. However, O3, which is ozone, is poisonous to breathe, although it is the same ozone that constitutes the Earth's famous depleting "ozone layer" that blocks the sun's ultraviolet radiation. So we see that even though O2 and O3 are made of the same element, they have very different chemical effects: One is needed for human life, the other is poisonous to human life.
This concludes the main knowledge of basic atomic theory. The field of chemistry certainly gets much more complicated than this, but what you've read here should at least get you through most of high school chemistry, at least until the last couple of grades.
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Home Missouri Jefferson County Hillsboro Michael D. Lowry
DUI & DWI, Criminal Law, Personal Injury
Michael D. Lowry is a lifelong resident of Jefferson County, Missouri, and a graduate of DeSoto High School. Mike attended the University of Missouri-Columbia–where he graduated cum laude–earning the degrees of Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Bachelor of Arts in Economics. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. After graduation from Mizzou, Mike completed an internship with United States Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond in Washington, D.C. Mike attended Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, earning his law degree in 1994. Immediately following graduation, he served as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Jefferson County until 1997, when he founded The Lowry Law Firm. Since that time, Mike has represented thousands of clients locally. Mike, one of our Jefferson County attorneys, served as Municipal Judge for the City of Festus from 1999-2004. In addition, he has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the DeSoto Chamber of Commerce, Secretary of DeSoto Rotary Club, and Director of the Board for COMTREA. He is currently active as a member of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Layers, DeSoto Elks Lodge, as an AMVETS booster. He also serves as a member of the Hillsboro Civic Club, Missouri University Jefferson Club, Missouri University Alumni Association, and Board of Directors for Jefferson County YMCA. Mike and his family live in DeSoto, and he attends church at Our Lady in Festus where his children attend the parish school. He is active in the parish and the school and serves as a member of the Our Lady School Board. Mike has participated in a number of the local schools by participating in Career Days and coaching high school students for Mock Trial competitions.
The Missouri Bar # 43136
The Lowry Law FIrm
The Lowry Law Firm's Blog
Civil Contempt in Divorce
Washington County Drug Charge Lawyer
St. Louis County Drug Charge Lawyer
The Lowry Law Firm - Hillsboro
4633 Yeager Road
The Lowry Law Firm - Festus
615 Collins Drive
Brian D. Klar
Brandon J. Klar
Michael P. Singer III
Jaclyn Zimmermann
Brent C. Claricoates
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Previous New Single from Australia’s “Hockey Dad”
Next Look Forward to – Never Look Back
Loud (Mouth) Scoop! · April 16, 2020
Take Cover on April 17!!
Take Cover (Via Pit Viper Records) is a collection of the Orange County band’s hard to find cover songs recorded over the years that have never been available in a single collection. “Becoming” (Pantera), “Propaganda” (Sepultura), “London Dungeon” (Misfits), “Planets Collide” (Crowbar), and “Baby Got Back” (Sir Mix-A-Lot) are featured on this 5-song EP, which arrives on digital and streaming platforms on Friday.
Throwdown recently regained control of the master recordings of three of their albums: Haymaker (2003), Vendetta (2005), and Venom & Tears (2007), all of which are now available on Apple Music, Spotify, and elsewhere via their own, newly-founded Pit Viper Records. Venom & Tears features the group’s most-streamed song, “Holy Roller,” which has been played 1.4M times on Spotify. Six of the band’s Top 10 all-time most streamed songs appear on Deathless (2009), released via eOne. The Intolerance (2014) track “Fight Or Die,” on 2014’s Intolerance, makes an appearance at No. 14.
Detailed explanations about each cover song choice, from frontman Dave Peters, are below.
Metal Hammer declared, “Throwdown kick out the heaviest and most stomping metal… Proudly and defiantly keeping the memory (and sound) of Pantera alive and kicking.” Part of Revolver’s “Future of Metal” issue, Throwdown are veterans of Ozzfest and Warped Tour. They spent the early 2000s traveling the world with Lamb Of God, Killswitch Engage, Machine Head, Korn, and In Flames, as well as headlining runs like their own “Scum of the Earth” tour, with Soilwork as support.
“BECOMING” was first released as part of a tribute to late Pantera guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott, available only via Metal Hammer magazine in the UK, back in 2009. “PROPAGANDA” was an iTunes-only bonus track with Venom & Tears, outside North America. “LONDON DUNGEON” was part of a label sampler compilation in 2006. “PLANETS COLLIDE” was the B-side to the “Americana” single from Venom & Tears. “London Dungeon” and “Planets Collide” were also released together as a limited 7” single, Covered in Venom.
“BABY GOT BACK” is nearly 20 years old, from an early incarnation of Throwdown, featuring Peters on guitar instead of vocals.
Like every Throwdown release stretching back to their 2003 breakthrough Haymaker, the cover art for Take Cover was handled by Grammy-nominated artist Ryan Clark of Invisible Creature.
A preorder is live at the band’s official Bandcamp page, with an immediate download of “Planets Collide.” TAKE COVER will be available on all digital services for streaming and download on Friday.
THROWDOWN’S DAVE PETERS on TAKE COVER…
01. BECOMING (Pantera) – “Becoming” is one of the hardest Pantera tracks ever and one we were glad we could call dibs on early before any other bands (for the Dimebag tribute comp). We were honored to be a part of the tribute. It was 5 years after Dime’s death but I remember it still feeling really fresh for everyone. Needless to say, Dime and Pantera were a huge influence on me and the band’s music, and are even still. I listen to Pantera records like they came out this year and probably more than a lot of other records that did. I’ve been a fan for about 30 years, but not the one I wish I’d been, as I never got to see them live. I’m not big on regrets but that is one. There will never be another band like them.
02. PROPAGANDA (Sepultura) – Arise and Chaos AD were instrumental in shaping how I played guitar. “Dead Embryonic Cells” was one of the first songs I ever jammed with an actual drummer in 1992. It was fucking horrible. I sort of wanted to go for it again 25 years later, but Chaos AD and “Propaganda” were more the band’s speed, and the song was one we were unanimously stoked to cover. That session was sandwiched in between tours with both Soulfly (2005) and Cavalera Conspiracy (2008).
03. LONDON DUNGEON (The Misfits) – I was a Danzig fan before going back and getting into the Misfits maybe only 5 to 7 years before recording this cover. It was during the same session as Venom & Tears. It was a no-brainer as far as tweaking it to our own style and one that sounded cool in drop B. I couldn’t tell you why we landed on a Misfits cover specifically, but I know we didn’t want to give any original songs to our label at the time, beyond what was being recorded for the upcoming and last record with them. I’m pretty sure ours was the only cover on the comp. It got buried somewhere toward the end of the tracklisting.
04. PLANETS COLLIDE (Crowbar) – “Planets Collide” always seems to be a staple of a Crowbar set, and it more or less opens that album, so it’s not exactly a deep cut. But it was a little more toward the outer limits of what their general style was up to that record, and it’s one that resonated with a lot of people in spite of that too I think. Since Throwdown’s style was evolving and changing a lot at that time from Vendetta to Venom & Tears, I’d say that song resonated with us for that reason. We didn’t do a lot to try and make it our own if anything. I think there is a subtle guitar overlay with an e-bow over the main riff and a couple of different vocal inflections added, but that’s it. A lot like the Pantera cover that would come later, it was more about accuracy than anything else. I met Kirk the same year that we recorded it and mentioned to him that we had. He said “Oh I heard it” in a Nola accent and approving tone. I like to think he approved anyway, but he seems very nice too so he could’ve just been trying to avoid hurting my feelings.
05. BABY GOT BACK (Sir Mix-A-Lot) – We almost did House of Pain “Jump Around” and even learned and rehearsed it I think. I can’t remember why we opted for “Baby Got Back” instead, probably just because it was more ridiculous and we wanted to make sure no one took it seriously. I wouldn’t say anyone now who was in the band back then, including me, regrets having done this cover. But bands don’t really want to be known for a cover. A lot of people knew and know us for this cover, though, and it’s kind of fun really. I think 2 or 3 people at a fest in Belgium as recently as 2015 shouted it out between songs. Never fails. We played the song live probably less than ten times— once was at Hellfest in Upstate NY. A six-foot inflatable penis was passed around the crowd. And I feel like, as a band, that’s one of those things that you should aspire to achieve.
Posted by Bill Meis @billmeis
Tagged: Throwdown
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History | October 28, 2019
Top 10 Real-life Captain Marvels
One of the most successful films in the last year has been the superhero film Captain Marvel, staring Brie Larson. Captain Marvel, whose real name is Carol Danvers, is one of the latest to take the stage in the Marvel Universe. [Name] started out her career as an Air Force pilot before uncovering her true mission: saving the planet from an alien invasion.
SEE ALSO: 10 Insane Facts About Marvel Comics
Early in 2019, right around the release of the film in theaters on International Women’s Day, the United States Air Force, with their advertising agency of record GSD&M, ran an award-winning campaign highlighting this parallel by letting Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers be a face for female fighter pilots serving in the Air Force. A relationship between the military branch and filmmakers already existed, as they worked closer together to ensure that Carol Danvers accurately represented the female pilots that serve in the military.
All of this happened behind-the-scenes, however, so I felt inspired to take it a step further and introduce 10 women of the U.S. Military who actually could have been Captain Marvel. It’s interesting to think that something so out-of-this-world as the sci-fi world of Marvel could have such powerful ties to our own world.
10 Marie Rossi
Number 10 on this list is Major Marie Rossi. She served as a pilot in the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army. While she wasn’t in the Air Force necessarily, she was a hero of the skies. She served during Operation Desert Storm in the early nineties as a helicopter pilot. Her mission was to transport fuel and ammunition as support for a ground attack.
She made the ultimate sacrifice on March 1, 1991 when her helicopter crashed. Despite the tragedy, she left behind a legacy as being one of the first female soldiers to actively be a part of an air assault in enemy territory. She now rests in Arlington Cemetery, Virginia.
Though she may not have had supernatural abilities, she was as super as one can be, and her sacrifice and services are revered and remembered.[1]
9 Dora Strother
Lieutenant Colonel Dora Daugherty Strother earned a spot on this list for her successes during her time as a WASP: Woman Airforce Service Pilot. The WASPs were a group of female pilots serving during World War II—a time when women were not supposed to be in the Armed Forces at all, really, let alone flying these planes.
But that’s what Lt. Colonel Strother did—she was the first to fly the B-29 Superfortress, a massive, cutting-edge bomber that was designed to drop atomic bombs on the enemy. Men refused to fly it, saying it was too dangerous, but she didn’t let the aircraft (or the patriarchy) intimidate her. She went on to fly this beast, proving that it wasn’t dangerous and “even a woman could fly it.”. She spent a significant portion of her career training pilots after that.
She was a little before Captain Marvel’s time, but nevertheless, she was making waves.[2]
8 Elaine Harmon
Elaine Harmon was also before Captain Marvel’s time and also a WASP. What’s remarkable about her is not so much her service during World War II—which is without question worth our respect—but more so what she did in death. She, or rather he family, made it possible for female World War II pilots to be buried in Arlington Cemetery, something they were denied for decades.
Harmon passed away in 2015 at the age of 95. As a veteran and pioneer for both women and for the advancement of the war effort, she deserved a place in Arlington Cemetery. It’s worth noting that this isn’t the only fight for recognition and honor the WASPs have had. It took thirty years to even be recognized as veterans, with that posthumously being declared in 1977.
Now they and their families were fighting again, and Elaine Harmon was the face of that change. In May of 2016, then-President Barack Obama allowed WASPs to be buried in Arlington Cemetery, and it was then that Elaine Harmon accomplished her final mission. Carol would probably be proud.[3]
7 Martha McSally
Martha McSally is a name all of us in the U.S. would probably do well to learn. She is currently serving as a Republican Senator in Congress representing Arizona, but before that, she served as a Colonel in the United States Air Force for 26 years, and definitely would have made a great Captain Marvel.
While military and Congressional service alone is remarkable, she did even more than that. Senator McSally holds a spot in history as the first female fighter pilot to fly in combat and to command a squadron in combat.
She paved the way for women during her military service, but her fight went beyond the battlefield in what she calls “the burka battle.” Its official name is actually McSally v. Rumsfeld. Donald Rumsfeld was the Secretary of Defense in the early 2000s when McSally filed a suit against him for the military’s policies regarding female servicemembers’ dress code and treatment in Saudi Arabia. They were required to dress head-to-toe, ride in the backseat, etc. and she argued that it “abandons our American values that we all raised our right hand to die for.” She ultimately got the policy changed.
Just like the fictional superhero, the very-real McSally is leading the fight on and off the battlefield, in the air and on Capitol Hill.[4]
6 Janet Wolfenbarger
Talk about firsts. General Janet Wolfenbarger served in the United States Air Force for over thirty years before retiring in 2015. Before she left, though, she definitely left her mark.
Gen. Wolfenbarger was a member of the first United States Air Force Academy class to include women when she enrolled in 1976. After years of service, including as Command of Materiel, a very, for lack of a better word, badass position, she was promoted to Four-Star General—the first woman in history to do so.
I can’t help but think if Carol hadn’t gotten her crazy powers, her grit might have gotten her to this position.[5]
5 Jacquelyn S. Parker
Major Jacquelyn S. “Jackie” Parker went down in history as the first female pilot to fly an F-16. She was a pilot during the 1980s, so women had been piloting aircraft for some time now, but what makes this so outstanding is that the aircraft in question is an F-16. Any unit beginning with the letter “F” is a fighter jet. All aircraft have these designations, so “B-52” is a bomber, the C-35 is a cargo jet, and the A-10 is an attack aircraft.
When Major Parker flew that fighter jet in 1988, she might not have been in combat, but she took a major step in the fight for female equality in the military. It’s because of her that just a handful of years later, some of the other women on this list—fighter pilots—got to man the cockpit themselves in battle.[6]
4 Jacquelyn Cochran
This woman is a record-breaker. As much as we all love to love the heroes on the silver screen, we can’t ignore the feats accomplished by Jacquelyn Cochran of the Women Air Force Service Pilots. This WASP earned her wings in 1932 and went on to break 73 records before she passed in 1980.
Her most remarkable feats include, but are certainly not limited to: being the first woman to break the sound barrier in 1953, breaking Mach 2 (twice the speed of sound) in 1964, being the first female to fly a bomber across the Atlantic Ocean, and as a consequence of that latter feat, helped found the WASPs in the first place.
Without her, Carol Danvers may have never been able to fly at all, and never would have gotten her crazy powers, and never would have saved the planet. Remarkable how this all comes together.[7]
3 Heather Penney
Lieutenant Heather “Lucky” Penney is probably one of the greatest heroes on this list, if not in the United States. Her story comes from September 11, 2001. She was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base where she served as a fighter pilot in the Air National Guard. Women had only recently been granted the right to train for and join Combat Aviation, and she jumped at the chance.
During a typical morning briefing, the attack on the World Trade Center happened, and she was called to duty. They had no time to prepare their F-16s, so they embarked unarmed. The plan was essentially to locate Flight 93—whose target is assumed to have been the White House, the Capitol, or maybe a second hit on the Pentagon—and ram into it, bringing it down. It was nothing less than a suicide mission, and Lt. Penney didn’t let it stop her.
Whether fortunately or unfortunately, Penney and her team didn’t have to fulfill the mission, as the plane crashed in Pennsylvania, thanks to the unbelievable heroism of passengers on that Boeing 747.
Regardless of the tie to some blockbuster, or even a lack thereof, her story needs to be told and remembered. Every story from that day should not be forgotten. [8]
2 Nicole Malachowski
Kind of like actress Brie Larson, Nicole Malachowski is a performer, but she didn’t perform on a Hollywood set. She performed in the air as the nation’s first female Thunderbird. The Thunderbirds are the Air Force’s team of pilots who put the branch’s remarkable, groundbreaking aviation technology on display through air shows across the country. For decades, women merely worked behind the scenes as mechanics, until fighter pilot and United States Air Force Academy graduate Nicole Malachowski came to the cockpit.
Her talent speaks for itself. She earned her pilots license before she earned her drivers license. She went to the Academy and earned a place as an instructor and flight commander, serving in three F-15E Strike Eagle fighter squadrons.
If anyone knows how to fly a plane, it’s her.[9]
1 Jeanne Leavitt
One of the most famous—if not the most famous pilot on this list—is Brigadier General Jeanne Leavitt. As the role model for Brie Larson as she prepared to play Captain Marvel, as well as the creators of the film, Jeanne Leavitt knows a little something about being an Air Force pilot.
In 1993, she became the first female fighter pilot. She had hundreds of flying hours, but in 1992 when she was given the choice of aircraft, she was denied any combat aircraft (bombers, fighters etc.). In 1993, the ban was lifted, and she was the first woman to jump in, flying an F-15.
She has now accumulated over 3,000 hours of flight time and serves as the commander of the Air Force Recruiting Services in San Antonio, TX.
This woman literally was Captain Marvel’s idol.[10]
For more lists just like this one, check out 10 Ways The Marvel Cinematic Universe Screwed Their Continuity, and 10 Reasons Why Thanos May Be The Scariest Marvel Villain
Top 10 Real-Life Giants From History
Top 10 Real Life Forrest Gumps
Top 10 Blockbuster Movie Scenes Reviewed By Real-Life Spies
Top 10 Fantasy Places That Would Suck In Real Life
10 Real-Life Kisses Of Death
10 Movie Concepts You Won't Believe Exist In Real Life
Famous People Who Are Nothing Like You Imagined In Real Life
10 Strange Attempts To Create A Real-Life Gaydar
10 Foreign Fighters Who Helped America Win Its Independence
10 Mysterious Prehistoric Sites In the British Isles
10 Of The Most Absurd Modern Maritime Voyages
10 Famous People Who Did Great Things In Other Fields
10 Lesser-Known Iconic Photos of WWII
10 Risque Stories From Merry Old England
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Books | March 2, 2020
Top 10 Modern Horror Novels More Terrifying Than A Stephen King Book
B. Kristen Kelly
Have you tried to find a good horror novel lately? It is impossible to search any site for recommendations without seeing Stephen King’s books popping up left and right. King’s books are undoubtedly what comes to mind when we think of horror, but there’s so many new great authors out there penning their own brand of supernatural terror.
The great thing about horror novels is there’s so many different subgenres to choose from. Whether you’re looking for ghosts, crazy cults, psychopaths or dystopian dread, these ten tales will have something for everyone. Many of the authors listed have written several books so be sure to check out their other works. Now, here’s ten spine-tingling horrors you’ll want to read with the lights on!
10Last Days by Adam Nevill
You may have heard of Ritual which is arguably Nevill’s most popular novel, but the prolific British writer has written many books of the supernatural. Last Days is one of his most terrifying works. The novel follows a reporter named Kyle who is sent to investigate a creepy cult. The last few remaining members of the cult have been dying in mysterious ways and Kyle is in a race against time to get their stories and solve the mystery of what happened during their time with the cult. The story takes us from England, to France and finally a desert in the United States, where we learn the cult spent their last days trying to conjure something that has been long dead. The reporter begins to lose his sanity as the rotten dread creeps closer.
This book will appeal to those interested in cults and the character Sister Katherine, the creepy enigmatic spiritual leader, will revive memories of notorious figures from the past. The supernatural element adds a deeper level of terror.
9A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
Paul Tremblay will have a couple of offerings on this list. A Head Full of Ghosts was published in 2015 and received the Bram Stoker Award for Novel.
The story begins with an adult character named Merry relating the strange story of her childhood to a reporter. Merry’s sister Marjorie began to exhibit strange demonic symptoms when they were children. Her parents allowed a TV film crew to document their daughter’s scary transformation, and her recently converted catholic father wanted her exorcism to be filmed. The story goes back and forth between past and present as we see the family torn apart and Merry confused and frightened by the chaos surrounding her.
This novel has some scenes reminiscent of The Exorcist, and Merry is an unreliable narrator which throws the reader of balance in a frightening way. A Head Full of Ghosts feels like a supernatural mystery more than an all-out terror fest.
8The Troop by Nick Cutter
Fans of body/gross-out horror will love this one.
The Troop is a gorefest about a group of scouts stranded on an island after their leader succumbs to some sort of terrifying parasite after trying to save an extremely thin, terribly ill and incredibly HUNGRY stranger. The boys find themselves in a fight for survival that unlocks the heroism of one and the psychopathy of another. The story unfolds through various retellings, from one boy, letters and transcripts including scenes from an animal laboratory that may cause some readers to lose their lunch.
The Troop is what you would get if David Cronenberg wrote Lord of the Flies, but much, much worse. You’ve been warned!
7The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond
The Marriage Pact is a novel of psychological suspense and another novel that takes you into the world of creepy cults, but in a more modern and realistic way.
Jake and Alice are a newly married, seemingly happy couple until an acquaintance of Alice introduces them to The Pact. The couple joins The Pact on a lark without realizing what they’re joining is basically a cult that was created to protect the sanctity of marriage, at any cost. The Pact is real and there are severe penalties for anyone who disobeys the rules. Jake and Alice soon begin to realize there’s no escape from The Pact and if they want to live, they will have to at least pretend to be the perfect couple.
If you’ve ever seen the movie The Game (1997) you’ll have a good idea what kind of suspense to expect from The Marriage Pact. Feeling that someone is watching and controlling our lives from the outside is a terror many readers will find disturbingly familiar.
6The Dead Lands by Benjamin Percy
The Dead Lands is a dystopian retelling of the Lewis and Clark expedition, a perilous journey through a post-apocalyptic American wasteland. Lewis Meriwether and Mina Clark lead a group of survivors away from The Sanctuary and its megalomaniac leader towards a new hope in the east. Along the way they battle monsters and mutants and find strengths and actual powers they never knew they possessed. But are they heading to a better world, or something much worse?
The Dead Lands was a page turner. With adventure, scrappy underdog heroes, reformed villains and giant albino bats, what’s not to love?
10 Absolutely Bizarre Books And Their Histories
5Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt
Hex is about a town called Black Spring which is cursed by an ancient witch. The witch walks around town among the living but does not interact with the townspeople. Her eyes and mouth are sewn shut, and legend says her stitches must never be removed. She is an open secret among Black Spring but her existence must be protected from the outside world. No one can leave Black Spring, and newcomers must be driven away. These strange rules have been obeyed by the townspeople for centuries, until a group of young people decide to record video of the witch and her presence goes viral, causing a catastrophic chain of events.
Hex begins with some shiver-inducing imagery of that witch, with her eyes and mouth sewn shut, just randomly appearing in people’s houses in the middle of the night. The story is a frightening juxtaposition of folkloric nightmare vs. modern day malevolence. It’s a novel that will scare you and make you think.
4Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
You’ve probably heard of Annihilation because of the movie, but you may not know that it’s the first novel in a series, called the Southern Reach Trilogy. Annihilation won the 2014 Shirley Jackson award for best novel, and the 2015 Nebula Award.
Eleven expeditions have gone into Area X, which has been a restricted zone for three decades. The last known team died of cancer after returning, the team before them turned on each other, and one team committed suicide. The novel takes us into Area X with the twelfth team, which consists of four women, a biologist, a psychiatrist, an anthropologist and a surveyor. The women are ill equipped to deal with what they may find within Area X, and they are being controlled by hypnotic suggestion by the psychologist. They do not know when they arrived in Area X, and they do not know if they will ever be able to leave.
Even if you’ve seen the movie you should read Annihilation. It is a novel of existential horror which is very different from the film. The book raises many questions and will leave you eager to read the next installment in the trilogy.
3The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay
The Cabin at the End of the World is the second novel by Paul Tremblay included in this list. It won the Horror Writers Association’s Bram Stoker Award for Novel in 2019.
The novel has few characters and a seemingly simple plot: a gay couple and their daughter are staying at their lakeside cabin when their weekend is interrupted by a menacing group of people arriving with homemade weapons. Violence ensues as the visitors insist a sacrifice must be made to save the world from an apocalypse. Are they telling the truth, or are they just crazy?
The Cabin at the End of the World is not a typical home invasion novel. The mysterious motivations of the antagonists leave you in suspense and turning pages late into the night. If you like psychological horror with plenty of blood and violence this is a book you don’t want to miss.
2Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris
Grace and Jack are the perfect couple. Jack is a handsome lawyer who defends battered women, grace is an elegant homemaker and beautiful dinner hostess. Jack gives Grace a beautiful home, exotic trips abroad, a new puppy to celebrate their engagement, and most importantly a room in their home for Grace’s disabled sister.
It doesn’t give anything away to tell you Jack is a raging psychopath. The reader is made aware from the very beginning. What appears to the world as a beautiful marriage is a prison and Hell on earth that Grace must somehow escape. The author is adept at ratcheting the suspense and Jack is a truly despicable and terrifying villain. This novel is a frightening reminder that we truly don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors and in our neighbors’ lives.
1The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
Carolyn and her siblings were raised by Father. Father took them in after killing and enslaving their parents. Father is a mysterious and God-like figure who has taught his children the secrets of the universe but also punished them in horrifying ways. Now Father is missing, and Carolyn recruits her friend Steve to help her in her quest to find him.
Wow, what a book! It’s difficult to write a synopsis for this novel because it’s really unlike anything out there and there’s quite a lot going on in the plot. The story, however, manages to remain fast paced and humorous along with being darkly frightening and violent at times. If you like your horror with elements of fantasy and moments of pure hilarity you will enjoy The Library at Mount Char.
+ Competition
At midnight Pacific Standard Time tonight (twenty-four hours from now), ten commenters will be selected at random to win one book off this list. Each winner will be able to choose which of the ten books they want to receive. The competition is open to all contributors from all countries. Comments must be related to the list and not be clearly aimed at simply winning (such as repeating the same comment over and over). So get commenting: tell us what your favorite non-Stephen King horror story is, or even tell us what you think of the books on this list if you’ve read them!
The competition is over! Congratulations to the winners: Juds, Josh Hawes, TheAnnoyedElephant, Hillyard, ??????????, Jo-anne Tapfield, Paper Cuts, Mackenzie Moore, Killjoy McGiggles, and abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz1234. Please see the featured comment below for details on how to claim your prize.
Top 10 Real-Life Horror Stories That Played Out Online
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Top 10 True Stories More Interesting Than The Myths…
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10 Wild West Lawmen Who Were More Dangerous Than The Outlaws
Top 10 Favorite Books of JFrater
Ten Saddest Moments in the Life of Poe
10 Surprising Facts About America’s First Book
Top 10 Most Controversial Non-Fiction Books
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North Carolina's Eastern Region Pioneers Medical Advances
Medical care continues to advance in North Carolina's Eastern Region.
Kevin Litwin
On Thursday, August 20, 2015 - 13:56
Todd Bennett
In North Carolina's Eastern Region, the health-care industry is continually progressing. Advances range from major building expansions to breakthroughs for groundbreaking treatments. Greenville-based Vidant Medical Center recently opened a new children's emergency department and will open a new $48 million Children's Hospital later this year. It also added new robotic technology for patients recovering from neurological injuries. Its cardiac center, the East Carolina Heart Institute, received the maximum three-star rating for cardiovascular surgery by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and its Chest Pain Center earned full accreditation with the American College of Cardiology. "We perform 1,000 open heart surgeries annually and recently had a $3 million upgrade to our operating room with the addition of advanced imaging and robotic surgery equipment for cardiac procedures," says Dr. W. Randolph Chitwood Jr., director of the East Carolina Heart Institute. "The institute has also been perfecting a new method for replacing worn-out heart valves that uses a mini-incision into the tip of the heart through the left chest. This procedure promises less pain and faster recovery times."
Veteran-Focused Care
Another top medical facility in the Eastern Region is Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, which broke ground in late 2012 on a $78 million construction and renovation project. It is the first major renovation since the hospital was built in 1983 to provide medical services to Marines, sailors, family members and retirees. Construction will include a new outpatient wing in the hospital and expansions of six clinics – Dermatology, Family Medicine, Ophthalmology and Refractive Surgery, Orthopedic, Physical and Occupational Therapy, and Ear, Nose and Throat. The emergency department will also increase from 10 to 16 beds, with all phases of construction scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014. A new 100,000-square-foot U.S. Veteran's Administration health-care center is also under construction in Greenville. Set to open in 2014, the clinic will provide primary and specialty care to area veterans.
Expansions, Accolades
Other hospitals in the region known for their excellence include Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, which has earned accolades for its stroke program; and Nash Health Care Systems, whose Nash Breast Care Center has been designated a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology. Rocky Mount's Nash General Hospital recently added a 9-bed neonatal unit and is nearing completion of a $57 million expansion that will unveil a new emergency department and heart care center.
CarolinaEast Medical Center has received accreditation for cardiac and cancer programs as well as recognition for infant care, while Carteret General Hospital recently welcomed a new wound care center and a cancer care partnership. It also has embarked upon a $53 million expansion project. "The expansion will strengthen the hospital's ability to attract patients as well as qualified physicians and other health-care professionals," says Dick Brvenik, Carteret General Hospital CEO. The 30-month construction project will result in a new three-story specialty pavilion housing a cancer center, women's health center and enlarged emergency department. Other project plans include the expansion, relocation or remodeling of departments specializing in behavioral health, cardiac rehab, sleep lab, surgery, central sterile processing and imaging.
Kevin Litwin is the author of Crazy Lucky Dead and a freelance feature writer with a career spanning more than 20 years.
Eastern North Carolina is a Locality with Vitality
Revitalization efforts are energizing communities throughout Eastern North Carolina.
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The November 29. Referendum Results
Yesterday the Swiss went to the urns to decide on a series of issues on the national, cantonal and local levels. We wrote about the various topics recently and you can read about them here.
Für verantwortungsvolle Unternehmen – zum Schutz von Mensch und Umwelt – For responsible companies – to protect human rights and the environment.
This initiative wanted to force companies headquartered in Switzerland to take responsibility for crimes committed by their companies or subsidiaries or partners against people and the environment worldwide. This topic got more people voting in favour of it than against it (50.7% yes) but what counts is how many cantons voted in favour of the initiative. Only 8.5 cantons voted in favour so it was rejected. Showing that the rösti graben does exist, the French speaking cantons were heavily in favour whilst the German speaking cantons were against it.
Für ein Verbot der Finanzierung von Kriegsmaterialproduzenten – For a ban on the financing of producers of war materials.
57.5% of the voters voted against the initiative aimed at forbidding funds and governmental organisations to invest in companies that are manufacturing weapons of war.
Luzerner Kulturlandschaft Initiatives – Lucerne’s cultural landscape initiatives
On a cantonal levels voters were asked to vote on the two initiativesd aimed at restricting the growth of urbanisation in the canton. Both initiatives were rejected (67.7% and 67.6%) and the canton’s counter suggestion was accepted (50.4%)
Teilrevision der Bau- und Zonenordnung Stadtteil Luzern – Partial revision of the building and zoning regulations for the district of Lucerne
Locally 63% of voters were in favour of the revisions to the building and zoning regulations, including allowing the reformed church to build in Würzenbach.
In Kriens the Pilatus Arena project was accepted (51.3% yes) but the project to build 45 appartments on the Sonnenberghang was rejected (50.4%).
Nationally 47% of Swiss turned out to vote, which was much lower than last time (60%). It was the first time since 1955 that an initiative got more votes in favour of it and, yet, lost out because more cantons voted against it.
The next round of initiatives will be voted on March 7th 2021, one of the initiatives aims to forbid the wearing of a burka in public spaces. I am sure that there will be a lot of debate around this one in the new year.
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On December 11, 2020 October 29, 2020 By Madelynn OrionIn Christian Life, Editing, Novels by Me, Our Company of Fools, OYAN, Publishing, Student Affairs, The Writing Life
Reminiscing about the past often points me to the work the Lord has done in my life and all the good that has happened, often in spite of (or even because of) the bad. As I thought back on the history of how Our Company of Fools came to be—which was full of highs and lows along the way—I was surprised to find how much it mirrored much of the highs and lows of my own young adult life over the past few years.
In anticipation of its release, I thought I’d share a brief, non-spoiler account of my writing relationship with this book since its beginning. This account won’t have any details on how the drafts evolved and the story changed over time (those details might be shared after its release, if there’s any interest). Instead, this account will focus on how I loved and hated this book and how it succeeded and struggled across five major seasons of its existence to date.
The First Writing: Let me set the stage. It was barely January 2016. I sat in the airport, about to leave the writer’s conference I’d participated in over the past few days, trying not to cry at the good-byes I’d just said. I was about to head back to Baylor to start my second semester of freshman year. College still held uncertainty for me, though I was excited about a couple of the opportunities that waited for me back on campus that Spring. Still, it was hard to leave the community of my writer’s group (the One Year Adventure Novel, or OYAN, community), especially since I did not know when I’d see those friends again. I’d been a part of OYAN for a few years, and felt close with a few of the people I’d met along the way. I needed to process this grief. Even as a military brat, saying good-bye and leaving people behind was never easy for me. (Still isn’t, to this day.)
So I opened the notebook my friend had gifted me at the conference, and I began to write. I wrote what became the last scene of Fools first, inspired by that present moment. When I returned to Baylor’s campus, I had my dorm to myself for a few days. Feverishly, I sketched out some plot ideas, characters, themes, and flung them together in a haphazard outline. I began to type, using my roughest of rough outlines as a template. It was as close to “pantsing” as this “plotting” author had been, up to that point. I wrote, wrote, and wrote more, any spare moment I had between classes and homework. Over MLK weekend, I hit almost 10,000 words in a single day. Here’s the crazy thing: I’ve never been inspired by a story and started writing a full draft immediately. I usually mull over ideas for at least months, if not years, before committing them to paper. And yet this book was immediately different.
I finished the first draft of the book in Moody Library on January 23rd, 19 days after I had penned that first scene in the airport. This is the fastest I’ve ever written a book of that length, and I don’t think I’ll ever write a book that quickly again.
At the time, I didn’t plan to share it. I had needed to write Fools for me, to process the lessons the Lord was trying to teach me about friendship and community. Those lessons would be very important for the rest of my college years. They are still important to me today.
The Early Days: 2016 was the glory year of Our Company of Fools. I was obsessed with this book after I had written it. I only let it sit for a couple of weeks before I picked it up for its first round of edits. At that point, I decided it was worth sharing, so I let others from the OYAN community read it. Many were touched. I received helpful feedback. I revised it again. Got more feedback.
When I couldn’t make the OYAN summer conference, several friends mailed me critiques of the first few pages of Fools. I still have those particular critiques. They are some of the most precious I’ve ever received, and still bring me joy to look over from time to time, even though those first pages have changed a lot since that summer.
In August, after my intense summer job at Baylor, I revised the book again, bringing Fools to its fourth draft. I entered that draft into the OYAN Student Novel Contest. It was the first time I had entered it and the last year I would be eligible. It earned semifinalist.
Then that fourth draft sat untouched, despite the work that still needed to be done. Fools, and the rest of my writing, fell by the wayside for a time, swept aside by my budding love for college student affairs and my involvement on Baylor’s campus. Fools still remained a big piece of my heart, but it started to become a challenging project. The early glory days of Fools passed with its first birthday.
Slumps and Sequels: Part of the struggle with Fools began with my stuttering attempts at a sequel, starting in late 2016. Those attempts at a sequel—which never came as smoothly as Fools—essentially put my writing in a chokehold. My life at college, too, didn’t help with that. My love for student leadership and desire to pursue a career in higher education overtook my identity as a writer during most of that time as well. In mid-2018, I finally finished that terrible sequel, which was the roughest rough draft I’ve ever written, even worse than some of the earliest stuff I wrote, and that’s not an exaggeration. It was a victory for me, though, as it was the first new book I’d completed since I had written Fools two and half years earlier. That two and a half year span was my longest writing drought since I had started to take my writing seriously. To be fair, not all of that drought was because of my sequel struggles; during my later years at Baylor, I struggled to figure out my own identity and find the path God was calling me to walk.
Why did I struggle so much with the sequel to Fools? Well, whereas Fools was a project of passion, its sequels were attempts at audience appeal. I think that’s why they never took off. The rest of the Fools sequel saga is short: I continued to dabble in sequel ideas and revisions off and on until earlier in 2020, when I finally determined that Fools needed to be a standalone novel. While I don’t want to say the coffin’s closed on Fools sequels, at this present moment, I don’t feel called to write Fools a second story. If a sequel is to come, it will be at the right time, when the Lord has something more to teach me through Leah, her friends, and this world they experience.
As for Fools itself, it spent a lot of time on the shelf following its glory year. I edited it to fifth draft at some point during the rest of my Baylor years. I can’t remember exactly when that happened, to be honest, but it happened before my final semester in Spring 2018. During my final semester, I workshopped the first three chapters of the book in my advanced creative writing class. My classmates gave me plenty of ideas I went on to implement. Some of these ideas truly helped. Others actually ruined the book—but more on that in the next stage.
The Big Overhaul: Taking the advice of my Baylor creative writing classmates, during my gap year (2018-2019), I returned to Fools and gave it a major overhaul. I changed big plot threads. I rewrote entire chapters and added new ones. I changed some pretty significant details about characters. In the spring of my gap year, I intended to make it ready to pitch to publishers; I printed out the sixth draft, did some scene rewrites by hand, and did line-by-line edits to fine-tune the wording and grammar. It was a massive undertaking that I spent a lot of hours on. The seventh draft was polished and ready to go by mid-March of 2019. I sent a couple of query letters to possible publishers, but received no response.
But that was okay. I stopped pursuing publication not long after those initial queries. Something didn’t sit right about the book, after all. I just didn’t know what.
So I let it sit for a year. Grad school, which I started in August 2019, didn’t leave much room for writing at first anyways. Then, in the midst of quarantine earlier this year, I tried to pick it back up, determined to fix it. With fresh eyes, I discovered why Fools felt off to me. Some of the changes I had adopted based off of feedback had actually killed the heart and soul of the book and of Leah, the main character. I as the author no longer loved the book or my protagonist. Maybe the changes I made helped the book become more “marketable,” but I hated the story now. It was no longer that precious projection of my passion and pain that I’d first written four and a half years before. It was no longer Our Company of Fools.
So, I decided to give up on it for good.
The Re-Overhaul: A thought occurred to me over the summer of 2020. It came to me suddenly, much like when I was first inspired to write Fools. What if I used the updated prose I’d labored over in that line-by-line edit and infused it with the older version of the story, the one with the heart and soul still in it?
And that’s exactly what I did. During my sliver of a school break in August, I took my polished but soulless seventh draft and merged it with the story and characters preserved in the fifth draft. (Save all your drafts, young writers.) This fusion created the eight draft that will be published in January 2021.
The result? I loved the book again. It had the soul of the story. It had the characters as I intended them. And it was sharp, prose-wise. It was the final version of the book.
And as I worked on it, a small, quiet question that I had never considered occurred to me: What if you self-published Fools?
And that’s where we are today. A path of joy, of frustration, of growth personally and professionally, of wrestling. Fools was born in a time of new adventures and growth for me, the year of 2016. As I wrestled with depression and fear of the future, Fools struggled to find its own path. And now, in a season of life where I am again about to step into newness and where I now understand the deepest sense of myself (rooted in Christ and who He has made me to be), Fools has sprouted its own wings and is ready to step into the unknown, too.
Our Company of Fools has meant a lot to me. It still means a lot to me. I’m so thankful it’s a part of my story as a writer. I’m so thankful the Lord struck me with the sudden inspiration and need to first write it. And I’m thankful that He nagged me to not give it up when I nearly walked away for good. I think it would’ve been foolish (get it? haha) of me to walk away from the book. I’m grateful that the story of Fools did not end back in May, with a disheartening dismissal of what it had become. Instead, its story, its history, is just beginning, and I can’t wait for you all to be a part of its story come January.
By the way, the release date of January 4, 2021 is significant too. Our Company of Fools will be published five years to the day since I started writing it in the airport on January 4, 2016. To publish it any other day didn’t feel quite right, and I saw the symmetry a fitting way to start the next chapter of Fools’ history.
authordebut novelfoolsfools fridayhistoryindie authorleah poolnovelsOur Company of Foolswritingwriting process
Our Company of Fools: Sneak Peak!
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Molecules and Radicals
Magnetic properties of copper(II) complex of 4,5-dicyanoimidazole and 2,2′-bipyridine
Effective magnetic moment and Weiss constant of 2, 2'- bipyridine-bis(4,5-dicyanoimidazole)copper(II) trihydrate measured using SQUID is given in this chapter.
Magnetic Properties of Paramagnetic Compounds
A. Gupta (3)
3 Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
R. T. Pardasani (10)
P. Pardasani (20)
10 Department of Chemistry, School of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandar Sindri, Ajmer, India
20 Department of Chemistry, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India
R. T. Pardasani, P. Pardasani (2017) A. Gupta (ed.) SpringerMaterials
Magnetic properties of copper(II) complex of 4,5-dicyanoimidazole and 2,2′-bipyridine Molecules and Radicals 31E (Magnetic Properties of Paramagnetic Compounds)
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Math 112 Calculus Learning Goals
Revision as of 23:25, 21 August 2009 by AAEmpty (Talk | contribs) (→Section 5.5)
1 Section 1.1
3 Trig to know, including problems to skim for practice.
9 Section 2.3a
10 Section 2.3b
11 Section 2.4
12 Section 2.5a
25 Section 3.10
35 Appendix E
36 Section 5.1/5.2a
39 Section 5.3b Need to match written HW to goals
41 Section 5.5a Needs to be updated.
42 Section 5.5b Needs to be updated.
Written: 25, 31, 40, 43, 44, 56, 64, 65
Online: o1 - o10
Given a function described algebraically, find the
- domain 31, o4, o5
- range,
- value at a given number o2, o7
- value when we plug in another function, e.g. difference quotient 25, o2, o3.
Convert one representation of a function to another.
- verbal to/from graphical. o1
-algebraic to/from graphical. o6
-verbal to/from algebraic 55, 56, o9, o10
Piecewise functions: Given an algebraic description of a piecewise function, find its domain and sketch its graph. 43.
Be able to write the absolute value as a piecewise function, and use this to sketch its graph. 40, o6.
Use the definition of an even/odd function to decide whether a function described algebraically is even or odd. 65, o8
Use symmetry to decide whether a graph is an even or odd function. 64
Written: 4, 5, 7, 9, 12 and Appdx D: 24, 37*, 46
Online: o1 - o7
Write down a linear function given a set of information. 5, 12, o3, o4.
Recognize what the graph of linear, polynomial, power, trig, exponential, and log functions graph should look like. 4,7,o1
Given roots of a polynomial and one other point, write down its equation. 9, o2.
Know trig goals below. Appdx D:24, 37, 46, o5, o6, o7.
Trig to know, including problems to skim for practice.
Given angles in degrees and radians, draw the angle, convert from radians to degrees and vice versa. (See appendix D: 1-12)
Write down sin, cos, tan, sec, scs, cot of any angle 0, pi/6, pi/4, pi/3, pi/2, and all angles obtained from these angles by adding a multiple of pi/2. (appendix D:23-28)
Given a right triangle with side measurements, write sin, cos, tan, sec, csc, cot of any of the angles of the triangle in terms of the side lengths. (Appendix D: 35-38)
Similarly, given one trig ratio, find the others. (Appendix D: 29-34)
Graph trig functions. (app D: 77-82)
Use trig identities to simplify expressions (appendix D: 43-57 odd, 59-63), and to solve equations and inequalities involving trig functions (app D: 65-76).
Most important identities:
sin^2(x) + cos^2(x) = 1
sin(-x) = -sin(x), cos(-x) = cos(x)
sin(x+y) = sin(x)cos(y) + cos(x)sin(y), cos(x+y) = cos(x)cos(y) - sin(x)sin(y)
Using the above, derive other identities:
1+tan^2(x)=sec^2(x); 1+cot^2(x) = csc^2(x)
sin(x-y), cos(x-y)
cos(2x)
Written: 1, 7, 13, 17, 22, 39, 46, 60, 65
Apply and recognize transformations of functions:
- Given a graph, find an algebraic function. 1, 7, o1, o5, o9
- Given a formula, find a graph. 13, 14, 22, o6, o7
Given functions f and g, find: f+g, f-g, fg, f/g, and their domains. o2, o8.
Understand and apply compositions of functions:
- Given functions f and g, find g o f and f o g. 28, 39, 60, o3, o10
- Given f o g, find functions f and g. 46, 65, o4
Written: 11, 15, 18, 19, 21, 25, 29
Graph exponential functions a^x for a<1, a>1, as well as transformations of exponential functions from section 1.3. Find domains. 11, 15, 21, o1, o2
Given two points that an exponential function passes through, find the equation of the exponential function. 18, o3.
Use laws of exponents to simplify exponential expressions, to show various facts about exponential functions. 19, 29.
Convert a word problem involving population change into an algebraic expression involving exponential functions. Use this to find sizes of populations at given times, and to graph. 25, o4, o5.
Written: 12,16,18,19,23,35,45,48,54,60,67,71,73
Tell if a function is one-to-one when it is described
-algebraically 12
-graphically o1
Know the definition of an inverse function, and use it to find the value of the inverse function at a point 16, 18, o2, o6
Given a function, find its inverse
-algebraically 19,23,54,o3,o4,o5
-graphically 45,73,o7
Know the laws of logarithms and be able to solve and simplify logarithmic and exponential expressions. 35,48,o6,o8,o9,o10,o11
Know the inverses of the trigonometric functions
- domain and range 71
- values at a point 60, o12, o13
- simplify a trig function composed with an inverse trig function 67, o14
Written: 4*, 5* (require calculator)
Know definitions of tangent and secant line. Compute the slope of a secant line. 4
Know definition of average velocity and the idea of instantaneous velocity. Compute an average velocity. 5
Explain how average velocity is equivalent to slope of a secant line, same for instantaneous velocity and slope of tangent line.
Written: 6, 7, 9, 16, 27, 32, 34a, 40
Idea of a limit: (Note: the "definition" of a limit in this section is sloppy and is not a real definition of a limit. See section 2.4)
Find the limit of a function at a point from its graph, including when the limit does not exist. 6,7, o1, o2, o3
Recognize the difference between the limit of a function at a point and the value of the function at a point. 6, 7, o1
Give examples of functions that have prescribed limits at certain points. 16
Understand that calculators and tables can entice you to guess a wrong limit. Give examples of functions whose limit is not what you would guess from plugging in values to your calculator. (no problems)
Idea (and notation) for one-sided limit: Do the same things for one-sided limits as done before for regular limits. 6, 7, o1, o2, o3, o4, o5, o6
Explain how one-sided and two-sided limits are connected. Use this to compute limits. 6, 7, o1, o2, o3
Infinite limits:
Explain why infinity is not a number and how the definition of an infinite limit gets around this.
Find all vertical asymptotes for a function. 9, 34a
For rational functions, find when a limit is infinity and when it is negative infinity. 27, 32, 40, o4, o5, o6
Written: 10,15,19,20,21,22,28,29
Apply limit laws to simplify limits
- algebraically o1
- graphically o2
Recognize when you can directly substitute to compute a limit and when you cannot. 10, o3, o4, o5, o6
Use algebra to simply and find limits.
- for polynomials over polynomials. 15, 19, 20, o4, o5, o6, o7, o8, o9
- expressions with square roots. 21, 22, 29, o10
- expressions with multiple fractions. 28, 29, o11
Section 2.3b
Written: 36-39, 42, 55, 56, 58
Use the Squeeze Theorem to find limits. 36, 37, 38, o4, o5, o6
Evaluate limits that involve absolute values and other piecewise functions. 39, 42, o1, o2, o3
Use limit laws to find lim f(x) given that lim g(f(x)) = L. 55, 56, 58
Use substitution to rewrite lim g(f(x)) as lim g(u). o7, o8
Written: 2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 23, 24
Use a graph showing a function and lines y=L+epsilon, y=L-epsilon to find the largest value of delta so that if 0<|x-a|<delta, then |f(x)-L|<epsilon. 2
Know the epsilon-delta definition of a limit. Given a limit and a value for epsilon, be able to find the largest value of delta corresponding to that epsilon. 14, o1, o2, o3, o4, o5
Use the epsilon-delta definition of a limit to prove a statement about the limit of a linear function. 15, 16, 19, 20, 23, 24
Written: 4, 6, 15, 18, 22, 23, 43ab, 58
Know the definition of continuity. Use it to determine why a given function is discontinuous, or limits and values of continuous functions. o1, o2, o3, o4
Given the graph of a function, be able to tell:
-where it is continuous. 4, o8
-where it is discontinuous, and the type of discontinuity. 6, o9
Given a function described algebraically, be able to tell:
-where it is continuous. 22, 23, o5, o6, o7
-where it is discontinuous and types of discontinuities. 15, 18, 43(a,b)
Use limit laws and the definition of continuity to prove facts about continuity (e.g. Theorem 4). 58
Written: 28, 31, 32, 36, 37, 39, 41, 45, 47, 49, 65
Use continuity to evaluate limits 31, 32, o7
Continuity of piecewise functions
-determine if a piecewise function is continuous (or continuous from the right/left) 36,37,39
-determine parameters to make a piecewise function continuous 41,o1,o2,o3
Given a composition of functions, tell where it is continuous/discontinuous. 28
Use the Intermediate Value Theorem to prove the existence of solutions to equations. 45,47,49,65
Find intervals where a continuous function is positive/negative. o4, o5, o6
Written: 4, 5, 7, 13, 23, 24, 33, 43, 48
Online: o1 - o 14
Find the limit as x approaches +/-infinity, and equations of any horizontal asymptotes
-For a rational function, 13, 43, o1, o2, o6, o9, o11, o12, o13
-For a function described graphically, 4, o14
-For a function with exponentials in the numerator and denominator, 33, o7, o8
-For a function with square roots in the numerator and denominator. Be able to approach both infinity and negative infinity correctly in this case. 23, 24, o3, o4, o12
-Using the squeeze theorem. o10
Give examples of functions with prescribed horizontal and vertical asymptotes. 5, 7, 48
Written: 5, 9, 19, 20, 43, 44, 46
Given an algebraic function, take the derivative (using the definition of the derivative). Write down an equation for a tangent line through a point on a graph. 5, o4, o5, o8, o9
Given a word problem, interpret instantaneous or average rate of change. 43, 44, 46
Given a position function, find average and instantaneous velocity. o1, o2, o3
Sketch the graph of a function with prescribed derivatives. 19, 20
Given a limit expression, write down the point and function whose derivative it represents. o6, o7
Write both formal definitions of a derivative. Explain how the derivative can be interpreted as slope of a line, velocity, instantaneous change.
Written: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 19, 20, 25, 35, 36, 37, 38, 44, Prove that if a function f is differentiable at a, then f is continuous at a.
Given a function f, find a formula for the derivative of f using f'(x) = lim (h->0) [f(x+h)-f(x)]/h, and be able to state the domain of f'(x). 19, 20, 25, o7, o8
Given a graph of a function f, be able to find the graph of the first and second derivatives of f. Given a graph of the first and second derivatives of f, be able to find the graph of f. 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, o1, o4, o5, o6
Recognize when and why a function fails to be differentiable: 35, 36, 37, 38
a) corner
b) discontinuity (Theorem 4)
c) vertical tangent line
Be able to compute and apply higher derivatives: 44
- (f')'=f
- position [s(t)], velocity [v(t)=s'(t)], acceleration [a(t)=v'(t)=s''(t)]
Prove that if f is differentiable at a, then f is continuous at a. [Written homework]
Written: 2, 13, 17, 20, 25, 28, 29, 33, 55, 61, 77
Compute derivatives using:
The power rule. Especially, be able to rewrite functions so the power rule can be applied. 13, 17, 20, 25, 28, 29, all online problems.
The derivative of e^x. 2, 17, 28, o12
Sums, differences, and scalar multiples of functions you can differentiate with these rules. (almost all problems)
Use the definition of the derivative and limit laws to:
Prove simple rules, including the power rule for n=-2, -1, -1/2, 1/2, 1, 2, as well as sum and difference rules. 61
Compute certain limits. 77
Find a tangent line to the graph of a function at a given point. 33, 55, o2, o4, o5
Written: 2,11,13,23,24,32,33,47,49,55,57
Apply the product rule to find the derivative of functions. 11,24,33,47,49,55,57, o2,o4,o5,o6,o7
Apply the quotient rule to find the derivative of functions. 2,13,23,24,32,47,49 ,o3,o8,o10,o11
Be able to prove the product and quotient rules and variations. 55,57*
Know derivatives for the 6 basic trig functions. Combine these with other differentiation rules to take derivatives. 9, 10, 18, 35, 49, o1, o2, o4, o8, o9, o10, o11, o12, o13, o14, o15
Know limits [2] and [3] in the book. Be able to use these to solve other limits involving trig functions. 42, 45, o5, o6, o7
Know the "periodicity" of differentiation of trig functions--i.e. the fourth derivative of the sine function is again the sine function. o3
Use the definition of the derivative plus the limits [2] and [3] to prove that the derivative of sin(x) is cos(x), and to prove that the derivative of cos(x) is sin(x). 20
Fluency in chain rule: Given a composition of functions, use the chain rule and other rules to compute its derivative quickly. 7, 25, 37, 47, o1, o2, o3, o4, o5, o6, o7, o8, o9, o10, o11
Given values of two functions and their derivatives at certain points, use the formal statement of the chain rule to compute the derivative of compositions of these functions. 63, 65, 71, o12, o13
Given a word problem involving the composition of functions, compute rates of change. Interpret the meaning of the derivative as a particular rate of change. 84, o14
Use the chain rule and definition of even/odd functions to prove properties of derivatives of even/odd functions. 89
Compute the derivative of a^x. 24, 31
Written: 3, 11, 12, 15, 18, 21, 23, 34, 41, 43, 57, 67
For an implicitly defined equation, use implicit differentiation to find
- dy/dx. 3, 11, 12, 15, 18, 21, o1, o2, o8, o10, o12
- dx/dy. 23
- d^2y/dx^2. 34, o7
Find the tangent line to an implicitly defined function. 41, 43, o3, o9, o11, o13
Use implicit differentiation to prove formulas for inverse functions, including inverse trig functions. 57, 67
Use formulas for derivatives of inverse trig functions, as well as other differentiation rules, to compute derivatives. o4, o5, o6
Written: 15, 17, 24, 27, 33, 39, 44, 48, 51, 54
Use formulas for the derivative of log_a(x) and ln(x), along with other differentiation rules, to compute derivatives. 15, 17, 24, 27, 33, 51, o1, o2, o3, o7, o8, o12, o14
Use logarithmic differentiation and/or properties of logs to simplify and then differentiate. Recognize which functions require logarithmic differentiation, and which derivatives become more convenient using logarithmic differentiation. 39, 44, 48, o4, o5, o6, o9, o10, o13
Know the formula for the number e as a limit. Use it to compute other limits involving e. 54
Written: 14, 15
Use exponential functions to model each of the following:
Population growth. o1, o3, o4
Radioactive decay. Especially, know how to find half-life, or given half-life, find an equation. o5, o6
Cooling. 14, 15
Interest. o2, o7
- Derive the formula for compounding interest in n periods (see section 1.3, number 60)
- Use expression of e as a limit to find formula for continuously compounded interest. (In text, p 239)
Written: 5, 22, 33, 35, 37, 42
Solve related rates problems. (all homework problems)
a) Draw picture
b) Recognize variables from the problem, and rates of change as their derivatives.
c) Write equations relating variables (using geometry, trigonometry).
d) Differentiate, remembering to use the chain rule.
e) Plug in specific values to determine the requested answer.
Written: 1,2,3,5,23,28,43,44
(Merge both written and online with 3.11)
Compute the linearization of a function at a point. 1, 2, 3, 5, o1, o2
- Explain the relationship between the linearization and the tangent line. 5, o2
- Explain how linearization is useful. 23, 28, o4
Use the linearization at a point x=a to approximate the value of a function f(a+epsilon). 23, 28, o2, o3, o4
Written: 3, 7, 9, 15, 23, 29a, 33
Online: o5 - o7 (with section 3.10)
Know and be able to apply definitions of cosh and sinh to:
- Evaluate hyperbolic expressions at a point 3
- Prove cosh and sinh identities 7, 9, 15
- Find limits 23
- Prove the formulas for derivatives of hyperbolic functions. 24
Prove the formulas for the derivatives of cosh^-1, and sinh^-1. 29a.
Use the formulas for derivatives of sinh, cosh, sinh^-1, cosh^-1 to compute derivatives. 33, o5, o6, o7
Written: 3, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 35, 40, 57, 60, 74, 76, 77
Given a graph, identify locations of absolute and local max's and min's, and absolute and local max/min values. Conversely, given information about absolute and local max/min, sketch an example of a graph. 3, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13
Find all critical numbers of a given function. 35, 40, o7, o8
Find absolute max/min values, and the points at which they occur, for a given function on a given interval. 57, 60, o1, o2, o3, o4, o5, o6,
Using the definition of local max/min, prove various statements about max/min's. 74, 76, 77
Written: 7, 15, 17, 28, 29, 30, 35
Know the statement of Rolle's theorem. In particular, given a function, show that it satisfies (or does not satisfy) all conditions of Rolle's theorem, then find the numbers that satisfy the conclusion of Rolle's theorem. o3, o4, o5
Know the statement of the Mean Value theorem. Given a function, show that it satisfies (or does not satisfy) all conditions of the Mean Value theorem, and then find the numbers that satisfy the conclusion of the Mean Value Theorem. 7, 15, o1, o2, o6
Use Rolle's theorem and the Mean Value theorem to show various facts:
- Show that an equation has at least one/ exactly one root. 17
- Given particular functions, prove there exist points where the derivative satisfies required properties. 28, 35
- Given restrictions on the derivative of a function, prove the function satisfies certain properties. 29, o7, proof of Theorem 5 page 284, proof of Corollary 7 page 284
Use corollary 7 to prove certain functions differ by a constant. 30
Know and apply the increasing/decreasing test to determine where a function f is increasing/decreasing
- Given a graph of f, f', or f. 1, 6, 31, o4
- Given an algebraic expression for f. o1, o3
Find local maxima and minima using first and second derivative tests
- Given a graph for f'. 6, 31, o4
- Given an algebraic expression for f. 21
- Given information about values of f' and f at a point. 23
Know the definition of concavity and how to determine concavity (the concavity test). 31, 72, o2, o3, o4
Know the definition of a point of inflection and how to find it. 7, 31, o4
Know how the above information affects the graph of a function. Given intervals where first and second derivatives are positive and negative, sketch a graph. 25, 28
Written: 4, 7, 15, 31, 33, 39, 47, 49, 57, 70, 71, 81
Know when to use L'Hospital's rule to solve a limit. (All problems, particularly 4, 71, others)
Use L'Hospital's rule to find limits of functions of the following indeterminate forms:
- infinity/infinity or 0/0. 7, 15, 33, 70, 81, o1, o3, o6
- Indeterminate products. 39, 08
- Indeterminate differences. 47, 49, o4, o7
- Indeterminate powers. 57, o9, o10
Written: 5, 12, 32, 47, 49
Use all of the following to draw graphs of functions: (all problems)
* Algebraic Properties (Domain, intercepts, even/odd/periodic)
* Limit Properties (Asymptotes, singularities, discontinuities)
* Derivative Properties (Increasing/decreasing, extrema, concavity/inflection)
Convert word problems into formulas, and use methods for finding extreme values to solve optimization problems. Interpret your answer in terms of the original problem. Types of problems:
Given a formula relating two quantities. 7, 41, o2
2-dimensional geometric objects, including rectangles, triangles, circles. (Know areas, similar triangle facts) 31, 47, 66, o1, o3, o5
3-dimensional geometric objects, including rectangular boxes, cylinders, spheres, cones. (Know volume, surface area) 14, 35, o4, o6
Written: 1, 2, 3, 4, 29
Use Newton's Method to approximate roots/solutions of equations. 1, 2, 3, 4, 29, o1, o2, o3
Derive the formula for Newton's Method from the tangent line equation.
Give an example of a function 'f' and a starting point 'x_1' that makes Newton's Method fail. 4, o3
Use the Mean value Theorem to prove Theorem 1.
Memorize the table of anti-differentiation formulas on page 341 and relate it to the table of derivatives on the inside back cover of the book.
Use these formulas and Theorem 1 to find *all* antiderivatives of various functions. 12, 15, 20, 27, o5, o6, o7
Use these formulas and Theorem 1 to find a unique anti-derivative with given values at specified points. 33, 51, 53, 67, 69, 70, 74, o1, o2, o3, o4, o8, o9, o10
Use anti-differentiation to solve physical and economic problems, especially problems of motion. 67, 69, 70, 74, o3, o4
Written: 1, 3, 5, 10, 11, 15, 17, 20, 23, 41, 43
Write expanded sums in sigma notation, 1, 3, 5, 10
and expand sums written in sigma notation. 11, 15, 17, 20).
Numerically evaluate sums. 23
Apply appropriate rules to distribute constants or expand sums of sums. o3, o4, o6.
Explicitly evaluate $\sigma_{i=1}^n f(i)$ in terms of 'n', where 'f(x)' is a polynomial in x of degree at most 3. Degree 0: o5; degree 1: o1, o2; degree 2: o3, o4; degree 3: o5
Evaluate telescoping sums. 41
Evaluate limits of sums. 43, 06
Change the index of summation. o7, o8, o9
Section 5.1/5.2a
Written: 5.1: 1a, 12, 18, 21, 26; 5.2: 5ab, 17, 29, 30, 70
Use left and right sums to approximate area under a continuous function. 5.1: 1a, o1
Use the definitions of area under the curve to write the area as a limit. Use the definition of integral to write the integral as a limit. Conversely, given a limit that represents the area under a curve or an integral, find the region whose area is given, or write the integral. 5.1: 18, 21; 5.2: 17, 29, 30, 70; o4, o5.
Approximate integrals by left and right sums. 5.2: 5ab, o3.
Calculate a net change. Interpret total change problems as area problems. 5.1: 12, o2
Evaluate a given integral by interpreting it in terms of area. 34, 37, o1, o2, o3, o4
Use properties of the definite integral to
- Rewrite integrals 47, 50, o5
- Evaluate integrals 43, 49, o6
- Estimate integrals 55, o7, o8
Use the definition of the definite integral to prove properties of the definite integral. 63
Understand and explain the relationship between area and derivative described by the Fundamental Theorem.
Describe properties of functions defined by integrals, including their values at particular points, intervals where they are increasing/decreasing, maxima and minima, etc. 3, o7, 63, 64
Differentiate functions defined by integrals 9, 15, 56, 57, o1, o2, o3, o4, o5, o6, o8
Section 5.3b Need to match written HW to goals
Written: 22, 31, 36, 41, 43, 59, 65, 66, 74
Given a function and limits of integration verify that the hypotheses of the Fundamental Theorem hold.
Use the Fundamental Theorem to evaluate the definite integral of a function. o1 - o10
Apply the Fundamental Theorem to interpret the meaning of a definite integral and its derivative in physical, economic, and other applications.
Written: 4, 9, 23, 32, 43, 49, 54, 59, 61, 65
Evaluate definite and indefinite integrals for all standard functions (polynomials 9, o1a, o3, o6a, o6c, rational functions 4, o1b, o1c, o4, o6b, o7, o8, trigonometric functions and inverses 32, o5, o8, o9abc, o10, exponentials 23, 32 and logarithms o8, absolute value 43, etc.)
Multiply, divide, substitute, or otherwise change the form of a function to make it easier to integrate.
Solve problems about net change by setting up and evaluating appropriate integrals of rates of change (density 61, marginal cost 65, displacement/distance o2, water flow o10, etc).
Section 5.5a Needs to be updated.
Section 5.5b Needs to be updated.
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Shaun Parker
Canberra Critics’ Circle Awards (Dance)
The Canberra Critics’ Circle Awards for 2019 were announced on 19 November at the Canberra Museum and Gallery. Four dance awards were given, as follows:
Australian Dance Party for the company’s production of From the Vault, choreographed and directed by Alison Plevey in collaboration with dancers, Olivia Fyfe, Stephen Gow, Eliza Sanders, Alana Stenning, and Ryan Stone. With live music and sound by Alex Voorhoeve and Andy McMillan, along with evocative lighting by Mark Dyson, costumes designed by Imogen Keen, and dramaturgy by Karla Conway, From the Vault was an outstanding collaborative endeavour. Brilliantly conceived and executed, it was the [Canberra] dance highlight of the year.
Zara Bartley and Daniel Convery of Bravissimo Productions for their initiative in attracting outstanding national and international dancers to Canberra for a gala production, World Stars of Ballet. The enterprise demonstrated courage and resourcefulness, along with a determination to put Canberra forward as a venue for world-class ballet productions.
Ryan Stone for his committed performance in Australian Dance Party’s From the Vault. His outstanding dancing, with its freedom and fluidity within the set choreography, displayed a remarkable mastery of how the body moves through and in space, which is at the heart of all dancing.
Nathan Rutup for his high-energy choreography for the musical Heathers directed by Kelly Roberts and Grant Pegg for Dramatic Productions. Rutup’s dance numbers were so polished and in-tune with the material that it is difficult to imagine these songs done any other way.
Shaun Parker & Company
Shaun Parker & Company has recently announced its program for 2020, the company’s 10th anniversary year. Some of the works for the season focus on Parker’s interest in social issues affecting young people. They include The Yard with its anti-bullying message, which will be restaged and will tour areas across Sydney and regional New South Wales beginning on 9 March 2020.
Also during 2020 the company will present In the Zone, which had its premiere earlier this year, and which will be performed at the York Theatre, Seymour Centre, Sydney, from 16–19 September 2020. Developed in collaboration with musician Alon Ilsar, who co-designed the AirSticks that are pivotal to the work, In The Zone combines hip-hop dance with gaming technology to showcase the importance of stepping away from our screens and experiencing the real world. In The Zone will feature Western Sydney hip-hop dancer Libby Montilla.
Study for Bubble, Shaun Parker & Company, 2019.
The company will also develop three new works in 2020 including one with the working title of Bubble. It is a collaboration with Taiwanese bubble performance artist, Mr Su Chung Tai, and will explore such issues as global warming.
More about Shaun Parker & Company is on the company’s website at this link.
As the end of the year approaches I am always interested in which post has received the most views over the year. Although we are not quite at the end of the year yet, I checked the January–November stats to find that the review of Liam Scarlett’s Dangerous Liaisons, as danced by Queensland Ballet, topped the list by a very big margin. Deservedly so. It was a brilliant production and performance. It was so far ahead of everything else in terms of statistics that I can’t imagine it will be knocked out of first place once December stats are added. In case you missed the post here is the link.
Laura Hidalgo and Alexander Idaszak in Dangerous Liaisons. Queensland Ballet, 2019. Photo: © David Kelly
‘A pleasingly old-school Cinderella.’ Review of Queensland Ballet’s Cinderella on tour to Canberra. The Canberra Times, 7 November 2019, p. 16. My expanded review is at this link.
Please consider supporting my Australian Cultural Fund project to help Melbourne Books publish Kristian Fredrikson. Designer in a high quality format. Donations are tax deductible. See this link to the project, which closes on 31 December 2019.
Featured image: Ryan Stone in Australia Dance Party’s From the Vault, 2019. Photo: © Lorna Sim
Australian Dance Party Canberra Critics' Circle Canberra dance Dance diary Liam Scarlett Queensland Ballet Ryan Stone Shaun Parker
Shaun Parker. The epic journey continues
When I interviewed Shaun Parker in 2017 for the National Library of Australia’s oral history program, his concluding remark was that it had been such a pleasure to be able to talk about ‘the epic journey of past, present and future.’ It was a wonderful way to finish the interview and it gave me the opportunity to write a story, largely about the past and in particular about the origins of Parker’s iconic work Blue Love, for The Canberra Times. Follow this link to read that story.
But Parker has not stood still since that interview. He is currently in Taipei with dancer Libby Montilla. Montilla will be performing Parker’s 20 minute solo work, ReMOTE, at the Kuandu Arts Festival as part of a triple bill program called Vis a Vis. In addition to ReMOTE, the program will feature works by choreographers from Canada and Taiwan.
‘It is wonderful to be performing our work alongside such incredible international artists’, Parker says. ‘And it really helps develop our connections with audiences and festivals across Asia. While we are in Taipei, Libby and I will also be researching new ideas with a Taiwanese bubble artist for a new show. It is going to be a jam-packed time, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.’
Parker has spent a lot of his time outside of Australia touring the works he has made over the 9 years since he founded Shaun Parker & Company in 2010. The company has toured to 19 countries across four continents and shown its work to a quarter of a million people globally. And to help with the development of this global reach, Parker has just recently secured a generous three-year sponsorship from the New York-based Denise and Michael Kellen Foundation. The Foundation, Parker says, has become the company’s ‘Global Partner’ and the sponsorship will help facilitate many programs that Parker believes are anchored in education, social change, and community engagement through the arts. In particular the sponsorship will help Shaun Parker & Company enter the US market.
But in the meantime Parker is working towards a program to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Shaun Parker & Company in 2020. He is planning to return to the stage himself in a revival of Blue Love. After a break from performing he is relishing getting back into training.
‘As a dancer you will always have a desire to dance for an audience again,’ he says. ‘As a choreographer, it is also really important to keep in touch with your body, but also with the energetic relationship between performer and audience.’
In the revival of Blue Love Parker will be performing with his original co-creator and performer, Jo Stone. ‘Jo is an actress who can dance,’ Parker says. ‘And I am a dancer who can act. Sparks fly when we’re on stage together.’
It is a pleasure too to be able to report that Shaun Parker & Company has been nominated as a finalist in the Premier’s NSW Export Awards. The awards ceremony is in Sydney on 16 October.
Featured image: Portrait of Shaun Parker (supplied)
Read my review of Blue Love from its Canberra performance in 2017 at this link.
The Australian Ballet 2020
The Australian Ballet’s 2020 season, announced earlier this month, looks to be the most interesting the company has offered for years. I was thrilled to see that Yuri Possokhov’s Anna Karenina was on the list. Although I haven’t seen this particular work I was lucky enough to see San Francisco Ballet perform Possokhov’s Rite of Spring back in 2013. It was totally mesmerising and I can’t wait to see Anna Karenina.
Another work I have seen elsewhere, which I am also anticipating with pleasure, is Frederick Ashton’s A Month in the Country, which dates back to 1976. Seeing it just a few years ago I wrote, ‘I found myself swept along by a strong performance from Zenaida Yanowsky as Natalia Petrovna and by Ashton’s ability to define characters through movement. The young, the old, different levels of society, everything was there in the choreography’.
The Australian Ballet’s 2020 season includes A Month in the Country as part of a triple bill, Molto, which also comprises Tim Harbour’s Squander and Glory, one of his best works I think, and a revival of Stephen Baynes’ crowd pleasing Molto Vivace. A Month in the Country needs strong acting (as no doubt Anna Karenina does too), so fingers crossed that the company’s coaching is good.
For other good things on the 2020 program, including Graeme Murphy’s delayed Happy Prince and a new work, Logos, from Alice Topp, see the Australian Ballet’s website.
Two stories that were meant to be posted in September were held up for various reasons. One is a profile of Shaun Parker who is currently in Taiwan performing at the Kuandu Arts festival in Taipei. The other is Jennifer Shennan’s account of a tribute held recently in Wellington to celebrate 40 years of teaching by Christine Gunn at the New Zealand School of Dance. Jennifer’s story is reflective and personal without ignoring the stellar input from Gunn over 40 years.
The issues that delayed these two posts have been sorted and the stories will appear shortly.
Portrait of Shaun Parker.
None! I am reminded of Martin Portus’ comment to me in a recent email ‘Ah! The death of the [print] outlet!’
Featured image: Kevin Jackson, Robyn Hendricks and Nathan Brook in a study for Anna Karenina. Photo: © Justin Ridler
ANNA KARENINA Dance diary Frederick Ashton Kevin Jackson Robyn Hendricks Shaun Parker The Australian Ballet Tim Harbour Yuri Possokhov
David McAllister to retire
The news for May is headlined by the announcement that David McAllister, artistic director of the Australian Ballet since 2002, will retire at the end of 2020. McAllister has always been generous in situations that are about dance but fall outside performances. He launched, for example, two of my books, A Collector’s Book of Australian Dance and Dame Maggie Scott. A Life in Dance. In this month’s featured image (above) he is seen in the Chunky Move studios in Melbourne launching A Collector’s Book. The banner on the left shows an image that appears in the book and that was taken by Greg Barrett.
I have also enjoyed seeing McAllister at various conferences, including the first BOLD Festival held in Canberra in 2017.
Who will be the next director? The names that have been mentioned in the press so far (I have arranged them alphabetically by family name) include Leanne Benjamin, David Hallberg, Li Cunxin, Graeme Murphy, and Stanton Welch. One or two of them have declared they are not interested (not sure if I necessarily believe that). I have one or two others in my mind but I won’t mention them here! I do hope, however, that whoever survives the selection process and becomes McAllister’s successor will be someone who will be audacious in repertoire choices.
Shaun Parker and Company
In September 2010, dancer (and singer in the counter tenor mode) Shaun Parker registered a name: Shaun Parker and Company. Next year the company that bears that name will celebrate its 10th anniversary with, I believe, a special program.
The company has just recently returned from the Middle East and Austria where Parker’s most recent production, KING, was performed. In the meantime, Parker is now working on a new show for young people, IN THE ZONE, which will premiere in Sydney this coming September. It will feature street dancer Libby Montilla and the technology of AirSticks.
Scene from KING, Shaun Parker and Company, 2019. Photo: © Prudence Upton
Archibald Prize 2019
Among the finalists for the 2019 Archibald Prize, Australia’s well-known portrait prize hosted by the Art Gallery of New South Wales, was a portrait entitled Mao’s Last Dancer by Chinese-born artist Jun Chen. Chen, who is currently based in Brisbane, was commissioned last year by the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra to paint a portrait of Li Cunxin, artistic director of Queensland Ballet. It was one of twenty portraits commissioned to celebrate the Gallery’s twentieth anniversary. Chen followed up with a second portrait of Li and entered it for the Archibald Prize. While it didn’t take first place it was good to see a portrait of a dancer among the 2019 finalists. See all the finalists here.
Mao’s Last Dancer: Jun Chen’s portrait of Li Cunxin
Following new posts
I have had a number of requests recently asking how to join up to receive notification of new posts. Here’s how to do it:
1, Make a comment by going to the ‘Leave a reply’ form, which you will find at the end of every post.
2. Before hitting the ‘Post comment’ field, check the box that says ‘Notify me of new posts by email’. (Make sure you have also filled out your name and email address. A website address is not necessary).
3. After you have submitted the comment you will receive a follow-up email asking you to confirm. It will say ‘Confirm follow’. Once you have clicked on this field you should begin to receive notifications of new posts.
Featured image: David McAllister launching A Collector’s Book of Australian Dance, Melbourne 2003. Photo: © Lynkushka
Dance and art Dance diary David McAllister Li Cunxin Shaun Parker
Blue Love. Shaun Parker & Lucia Mastrantone
17 August 2017. Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre
I have to admit to being curious as to what Blue Love would be like. The last time I saw Shaun Parker he was a dancer with Meryl Tankard Australian Dance Theatre and, for a whole variety of reasons, I had not seen the works he had performed in or made after leaving the company and taking on his own, independent career. Well, I have to say I loved what he presented in Blue Love. It was outrageous at times, very clever at others, sometimes hilarious, and always entertaining.
Much of the pre-show media mentioned that it was a multi-media experience, which it was, especially as a result of the three short films that were screened during the evening. Parker had made these films close to 20 years ago and they showed him and his original co-performer, Jo Stone, engaged in various social activities, occasionally of a somewhat dubious nature. But, as interesting as these films were as a look-back at a certain lifestyle from the 1970s, I was more taken with other aspects of the show.
The way in which Parker involved the audience was a bit like a children’s pantomime for grown-ups, beginning as we entered the auditorium and were welcomed as guests at an intimate party in the home of Glenn Flune (Parker) and his wife Rhonda (Lucia Mastrantone). And you wouldn’t believe the people who were there! As people walked in and settled into their seats, Parker kept spotting (imaginary) celebrities—from Cate Blanchett to Pauline Hanson! Warming up to the laughter all this caused, Parker continued throughout the piece to ask questions of and make comments to the audience. Perhaps the most startlingly hilarious was ‘Would you like a grape?’ during a near nude scene between the Flunes. Glenn Flune’s only covering (apart from shoes and socks) was a strategically placed bunch of grapes. He faced the audience displaying his grapes and asked the question.
Shaun Parker and Lucia Mastrantone in Blue Love, Canberra 2017. Photo: © David James McCarthy
I also loved the dance moves that peppered the piece. In fact the dancing in Blue Love was often quite physically demanding. There were many times when Parker lifted Mastrantone and flung her this way and that—not easy by any means. And both performers just took those moves in their stride. Then there were the costumes, so redolent of the 1970s. Mastrantone wore a blue mini-length dress and boots, Parker a brown suit. Then there were the flowers in the hair, the fox fur wrap, the hairstyles, and so on.
But in the end Blue Love set out to examine human relationships, or those between a man and a woman, in a search for perfect love. There were the cosy bits and the not so cosy, and the unfolding of the ups and downs of the couple led to the finale when the dialogue was composed pretty much entirely of lines from popular songs, mainly from the 1970s with some a little earlier and some a little later. Much laughter here too—laughter that we recognised the sentences, laughter at how smart it all was? And with the final exhortation to love the one you love the Flunes retired to their bedroom.
Blue Love was just a wonderfully entertaining show, behind which there was a clever mind at work focusing the show in a certain direction. I occasionally could hear Meryl Tankard’s voice behind it all, which is not surprising given Parker’s long association with Tankard. This is not to say that Parker does not a have a voice of his own. But there was a wonderful association with what Tankard was able to do—present a larrikin show, wonderfully Australian on the surface but with a more serious subtext. More please.
My preview story for Blue Love is at this link.
Shaun Parker and Lucia Mastrantone in Blue Love, Canberra 2017. Photo © David James McCarthy
Blue Love. Shaun Parker & Company
Recently I spoke to Shaun Parker about his work Blue Love, which will have a short season at the Canberra Theatre Centre later in August. I was somewhat taken aback (to put it mildly) when I saw the byline for the article that appeared in the print version, and its digital copy, of the The Canberra Times (Panorama) this morning (Saturday 5 August 2017). Apparently someone thought Karen Hardy wrote it. She didn’t. I did. Here is the unchangeable byline I saw this morning.
Here is my text.
Dancer and choreographer Shaun Parker always enjoyed taking dance classes as a young boy in Mildura, Victoria, where he was born. But he went on after he’d finished school to study science at Monash University, and it was there that dance re-entered his life. He discovered a dance society at Monash and found himself dancing every night. Dance, with its wide range of collaborative elements, became an all-consuming passion for him and he enrolled at the Victorian College of the Arts with the aim of eventually pursuing a professional career as a dancer.
Not long after graduating from his tertiary dance training he was selected by Meryl Tankard to join her company, Meryl Tankard Australian Dance Theatre, which was just starting up in Adelaide. He stayed with Tankard for seven years, touring across Australia and around the world with her company.
‘It was a wonderful time with Meryl,’ he says. ‘They were formative years for me and it was such a great experience to learn from her and to be exposed to her knowledge. I was heartbroken when Meryl was removed from her role as artistic director. We were leading the world when she was dismissed. It was brutal and a very traumatic time. All the dancers resigned in protest.’
Parker worked as an independent dancer for the next six years with companies in Australia and overseas, including with leading choreographers and directors such as Kate Champion in Australia, Meredith Monk in New York, and Sasha Waltz in Berlin. But eventually the lure of choreography took over and he began working as a freelance choreographer. It was not long, however, before he realised how difficult it was to work in that way, self-producing, writing grants alone, under-taking all the administrative tasks single-handedly, and so on. It was time, he thought, to set up his own company. It took a year or two of organisation, but Shaun Parker & Company came into being in 2010.
‘I needed someone to help me with the day to day aspects of working independently,’ he explains. ‘Now I have that, and I have a group of dancers that I call on from project to project. I make mainstage dance-theatre works with a humanistic element. And, now that I have a daughter—she’s 11, I have begun making works for families and children. This latter part of my work gives me a lot of joy.’
For Canberra, Parker is restaging Blue Love, a work that began back in 1999 when Parker and fellow performer, Jo Stone, were working in Vienna. They went to a karaoke bar one night and started singing along for fun. Parker says they were ‘daggy pop songs’, but they were all about love and it struck him that sometimes a one-liner from a pop song could be intense and meaningful. It set off a chain of events that culminated with Parker and Stone making three short films, shot in North Bondi. The films were screened around the world—Athens, Berlin, Krakow, London, Melbourne, San Francisco, Verona.
Blue Love, the stage show incorporating the films, premiered in 2005. It examines the idea of perfect love and takes the audience on a multi-media expedition in search of the perfect relationship through the experiences of a couple, Glenn Flune played by Parker and his wife Rhonda performed by Lucia Mastrantone. It is a work that Parker describes as part lecture, part operatic theatre, and part group night, and the films are projected onto the wall of the room that forms the set. They become the home movies of Glenn and Rhonda, which they share with the audience.
But Parker also remarks that Blue Love is a highly physical work and he is only too aware of its demands on his body, especially as he has not performed himself for a while now. So he has been taking ballet classes, doing yoga, doing push-ups, running along the beach, and engaging in other physical activities to get back his former strength. But he says he keeps thinking about what he has to offer audiences who come to see Blue Love now.
‘Bringing Blue Love back after several years allows me to dance for a little longer. It’s wonderful to feel that I haven’t yet been put out to pasture. I think it’s a shame that, after all those years of training, dancers are often cast aside when they are quite young. It’s possible to celebrate maturity. When audiences look at the films we are screening, which were made 18 years ago now, they can see young people. But on stage they see an older couple clearly looking back at a former version of themselves. To me that’s quite poetic.’
Featured image: Shaun Parker and Lucia Mastrantone in Blue Love. Photo: Simon Wachter
Canberra dance Shaun Parker
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Freehold, Monmouth County, Ocean August 14, 2020
*Clenbuterol according to Wikipedia is a bronchodilator and in some countries used for asthma. The drug also known by street name “bute” is used by bodybuilders in their “cutting” cycles for weight loss. As of 2011, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) listed Clenbuterol as an anabolic agent*
FREEHOLD, NJ (MONMOUTH)–A suspended Ocean Township police officer pleaded guilty Thursday admitting he unlawfully possessed Clenbuterol, a drug not approved for human use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration but popular among human consumers as a weight loss supplement, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Ryan Vaccaro, 38, of Ocean Township, pleaded guilty to fourth-degree Possession of a Prescription Legend Drug (Clenbuterol), before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Lourdes Lucas, as part of a plea agreement with this Office. During his plea, Vaccaro acknowledged that between May 1, 2018 and Feb. 19, 2019, he was knowingly in possession of five or more dosage units of Clenbuterol and that he did not have a lawful prescription for that substance.
Vaccaro was charged on February 19, 2019 with fourth degree Possession of a Prescription Legend Drug, second degree Possession with Intent to Distribute a Prescription Legend Drug, and second degree Distribution of a Prescription Legend Drug, as a result of an investigation connected to former Deal Police Officer Joseph Ammaturo, who entered a guilty plea last month. The investigation revealed that Ammaturo obtained three boxes of Astralean Clenbuterol containing approximately 150 pills from Vaccaro and that Ammaturo distributed two of those boxes to other individuals. The third box was ultimately recovered from Ammaturo’s residence. Additional Clenbuterol pills were found in Vaccaro’s residence during the execution of a search warrant.
Clenbuterol is a drug used to treat breathing disorders in animals and is not approved for human use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is popular among human consumers as a weight loss supplement despite its banned status.
As part of his plea agreement, an order permanently barring Vaccaro from holding public office in New Jersey was entered and signed by Judge Lucas today. The plea agreement also permits Vaccaro to apply to the pre-trial intervention program.
“We will continue to prosecute law enforcement officers who fail to respect their responsibilities to the community and to their colleagues who put their lives on the line each and every day,” Gramiccioni said.
“I am pleased that this case has finally concluded and we as an organization can put this behind us. The Ocean Township Police Department is a highly professional and community-minded organization and we will not let the actions of a former police officer overshadow the great work and dedication by the men and women of this department,” said Ocean Township Police Chief Steven R. Peters.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 9, 2020, at which time Vacarro faces a probationary sentence.
The case has been assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Melanie Falco, Director of the office’s Professional Responsibility and Bias Crimes Unit.
Vaccaro is represented by Richard E. Incremona, Esq., of Freehold.
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Two New Chrome 0-Days Under Active Attacks – Update Your Browser
Google has patched two more zero-day flaws in the Chrome web browser for desktop, making it the fourth and fifth actively exploited vulnerabilities addressed by the search giant in recent weeks.
The company released 86.0.4240.198 for Windows, Mac, and Linux, which it said will be rolling out over the coming days/weeks to all users.
Tracked as CVE-2020-16013 and CVE-2020-16017, the flaws were discovered and reported to Google by “anonymous” sources, unlike previous cases, which were uncovered by the company’s Project Zero elite security team.
Google acknowledged that exploits for both the vulnerabilities exist in the wild but stopped short of sharing more specifics to allow a majority of users to install the fixes.
According to the release notes, the two flaws are:
CVE-2020-16013: An “inappropriate implementation” of its V8 JavaScript rendering engine was reported on November 9.
CVE-2020-16017: An use-after-free memory corruption issue in Chrome’s site isolation feature was reported on November 7.
It’s worth noting that the zero-day it patched last week, CVE-2020-16009, also concerned an inappropriate implementation of V8, leading to remote code execution. It’s not immediately clear if the two flaws are related.
Over the last week, Google disclosed a number of actively exploited zero-day flaws targeting Chrome, Windows, and Apple’s iOS and macOS, and while it appears that some of these issues were strung together to form an exploit chain, the company is yet to reveal key details about who may have been using them and who were the intended targets.
It’s advised that users update their devices to the latest Chrome version to mitigate the risk associated with the two flaws.
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Emotional Once Tony Winner Steve Kazee Thanks His ‘Beautiful Leading Lady’ and Late Mother
Once leading man Steve Kazee won his first Tony Award in the category of Best Leading Actor in a Musical at the 2012 Tony Awards.
When he reached the stage, Kazee quoted poet Arthur O'Shaughnessy's "Ode": "We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams."
He went on to thank his Once creative team and cast ("the most talented and wonderful I've ever worked with in my life"), and "my beautiful leading lady" Cristin Milioti, adding that the whole company has "carried him around" since the passing of his mother on Easter Sunday to cancer.
"My mother always told me to stand up there and show them whose little boy you are," a teary Kazee concluded, before addressing his mother: "I miss you every day and thank you."
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U.S. Supreme Court Refuses To Hear Case Seeking To Overturn Feres Doctrine
On May 20, 2019, the United States Supreme Court refused to grant certiorari in a medical malpractice case involving a Navy nurse who was 33 when she died on March 9, 2014 following a massive postpartum hemorrhage at the Naval Hospital Bremerton, within hours of the birth, after military doctors allegedly failed to halt massive bleeding following childbirth. The case sought to reconsider and overturn the Feres doctrine, which was established in a U.S. Supreme Court case from 1950 that bars active-duty military members from suing the federal government for injuries, including medical malpractice.
Justice Thomas, in a dissenting opinion from the denial of certiorari, wrote, in part: “Petitioner Walter Daniel filed this tort suit against the United States after his wife, Navy Lieutenant Rebekah Daniel, died at a naval hospital due to a complication following childbirth. The District Court determined that the suit was barred by Feres v. United States, 340 U. S. 135 (1950), which held that military personnel injured by the negligence of a federal employee cannot sue the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act. The Court of Appeals “regretfully” reached the same conclusion and affirmed. 889 F. 3d 978, 980 (CA9 2018). Petitioner now asks the Court to reconsider Feres. I have explained before that “‘Feres was wrongly decided and heartily deserves the widespread, almost universal criticism it has received.’” Lanus v. United States, 570 U. S. 932, 933 (2013) (quoting United States v. Johnson, 481 U. S. 681, 700 (1987) (Scalia, J., dissenting)). I write again to point out the unintended consequences of this Court’s refusal to revisit Feres … Such unfortunate repercussions—denial of relief to military personnel and distortions of other areas of law to compensate—will continue to ripple through our jurisprudence as long as the Court refuses to reconsider Feres. Had Congress itself determined that servicemembers cannot recover for the negligence of the country they serve, the dismissal of their suits “would (insofar as we are permitted to inquire into such things) be just.” Johnson, supra, at 703 (Scalia, J., dissenting). But it did not. Accordingly, I respectfully dissent from the Court’s decision to deny this petition.”
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg stated that she would have granted the petition for a writ of certiorari.
The United States Supreme Court last addressed a challenge to the Feres doctrine more than 30 years ago at which time the justices voted 5-4 to uphold it. Justice Antonin Scalia vehemently dissented from that decision.
The United States Congress considered amending the Feres doctrine in the past but never changed it. In April 2019, Representative Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) introduced H.R. 2422, which would allow active-duty service members to sue the government for damages caused by medical malpractice. The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
If you or a loved one may have been injured as a result of medical negligence in the United States, you should promptly find a medical malpractice lawyer in your state who may investigate your medical malpractice claim for you and represent you or your loved one in a medical malpractice case, if appropriate.
Click here to visit our website or call us toll-free in the United States at 800-295-3959 to find medical malpractice attorneys in your U.S. state who may assist you.
Categories: Birth Injury Claims, Federal Medical Malpractice Claims, and Medical Malpractice Laws | Tags: challenge to Feres doctrine, Feres doctrine, medical malpractice lawyers, and military medical malpractice
This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 5th, 2019 at 5:27 am. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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The Practices Of Selective Justice And Governance In Canada
Jul 12, 2020 canada, governance, justice, practices, selective
There is a little known laboratory experiment being conducted in the United States pitting two economic systems against one another. Freeholder: Person who owns freehold property rights. You rightly say that confusion socialism with communism same is applicable to democracy to capitalism Capitalist is not a product of democracy but it came out from industrial revolution in England and British empire. The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies. See also information. Evidence: Testimony of witnesses at a trial, or the production of documents or other materials to prove or disprove a set of facts. Evidence may be direct or circumstantial (that is evidence from which a fact may be presumed). The best evidence available – such as original, rather than copy, documents – must generally be presented to a court. As common law systems are adversarial, the judge is understood to be a neutral party, taking a position on a factual matter only when no jury is present — and then, only at the conclusion of a case. With other office stores closing locations and distribution centers, Office Max understands its local small business clientele and has opened yet another store in the Coachella Valley (Riverside County, CA). The new Office Max in La Quinta, CA is a beautiful store and anchor tenant in the high-class center. As Office Max grows its presence in the Valley, small business owners have a local place to buy their business furniture, make copies, and buy office supplies, computers, and high tech personal items. An attack on the source of black money can stop its generation. The demonetization should have been executed by closing the Indian economy from all sides. The open boundaries allowed the black money to escape out of the country. The best option is to reduce the taxes, control the corruption of government machinery, regulate financial boundaries and stop the presence of black money in politics. 38. It seems to me clear that the facts alleged against Mr Rimmington, assuming them to be true, did not cause common injury to a section of the public and so lacked the essential ingredient of common nuisance, whatever other offence they may have constituted. The Crown contended that, if persistent and vexatious telephone calls were a public nuisance, it was a small and foreseeable step to embrace persistent and vexatious postal communications within that crime also. I would agree that if the telephone calls were properly covered it would be a small and foreseeable development, involving no change in the essential constituent elements of the offence, to embrace postal communications also. But, for reasons already given, the crime of public nuisance does not extend to separate and individual telephone calls, however persistent and vexatious, and the extension of the crime to cover postal communications would be a further illegitimate extension. The judge and the Court of Appeal, bound by R v Johnson 1997 1 WLR 367, reached a different conclusion. I am of opinion that for all the reasons given above, and those given by my noble and learned friends, this appeal must be allowed.
Brief: A written document prepared by a lawyer or party on each side of a dispute and filed with the court in support of their arguments. INDIA: Indira Gandhi was one of the greatest politicians of the history. She served as Prime Minister of India from 1966 to 1977 and from 1980 to 1984. In the 1970s her government was marked by corruption, human rights abuses and pro-Soviet politics. In 1984, Mrs Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards. During her government, she was an anti-Apartheid leader. Many people loved her and others hated her. Currently, she is a symbol of the India. If the Defendant wishes to settle the claim and not dispute it, he can contact the Plaintiff or the Plaintiff’s lawyer for an out-of-court settlement. The government shutdown that was imposed onto the people of the United states has brought along with it a myriad of disturbing anomalies which affect the majority of the unemployed and poor Americans. Since one can see the needless exercise and farce this has been, it fid not quietly die off. Instead, the Republicans have hit the poor where it matters most: jobs and foodstamps. The president, who has executive power and is chosen by the National Assembly right after national elections are held, heads the government in Botswana. The president?s cabinet is chosen directly from the National Assembly. The cabinet consists of a vice president, 12 ministers for government agencies and three assistant ministers. All states have juvenile courts, which are separate from criminal courts. Juveniles who are accused of a crime are tried in these courts as delinquent children, rather than as criminal defendants. This alternative prevents children from invoking the defense of infancy. In juvenile courts, criminal charges lead to an adjudication rather than prosecution, because the aim of juvenile courts is to rehabilitate, rather than to punish. In the 1990s, some state legislatures passed laws to make it easier to prosecute juveniles in adult courts, especially in cases involving violent crimes.Insane persons cannot, in a legal sense, form the intent necessary to commit a crime. They are not, therefore, criminally responsible for their actions. Courts have applied a variety of legal tests to determine the mental state of a criminal defendant who claims that he or she was insane at the time of the alleged crime. One test is the M’Naghten Rule , which was originally used by an English court in the criminal prosecution of Daniel M’Naghten. Cuba is an example of a socialist nation. Its economy is state run and it lacks a stock exchange. Healthcare and education are all completely managed and administered by the government.
Criminal Law Issues
Save Money On Your Office Supplies
Labour Movements And Strikes, Social Conflict And Control, Protest And Repression (France)
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Establishment of the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority
"Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA)" was established as a separate and independent legal entity under the Tax Administration Act which was ratified on 18 March 2010.
Objectives of MIRA
Enforce the Taxation Acts and implement taxation policies.
Carry out all work in respect of receiving all tax imposed by the State pursuant to the law.
Ascertain whether the amount of tax payable has been calculated in accordance with the law and regulations and that any tax, fees or other monies payable are being paid in full as and when they fall due.
Have regard for the rights of Taxpayers whilst exercising the authority of the MIRA.
Give full and complete information to Taxpayers on the Taxation Acts and regulations, and make efforts to minimize the costs involved for Taxpayers in making tax payments.
Plan a system, whereby the costs of administering tax will be minimized.
Prescribe the content and prepare tax returns, claims, statements, notices and other such forms required under the Taxation Acts and make any amendments, if required.
Establish a convenient mechanism for the administration of tax by means of modern technology.
Give technical advice in determining tax policies if required by the Government.
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Frijns confirmed at Andretti for third Formula E season
LONDON, UK – MS Amlin Andretti has confirmed that Robin Frijns has signed a new contract for the third FIA Formula E season, due to start in Hong Kong on October 9.
Frijns made his Formula E debut in Beijing last fall after joining Andretti, racing alongside IndyCar driver Simona de Silvestro.
The Dutchman has led the American team’s charge throughout season two, scoring 45 of its 49 points and picking up a podium finish in Putrajaya.
“I’m a loyal person if I feel comfortable and happy where I am at,” Frijns said.
“I stayed with the same karting team for 10 years. I enjoy all the people I work with at Andretti and I am comfortable with the team, so why change.
“With Season 3 coming, you never know where you’re team is going to be compared to other teams. I guess we’ll find out in qualifying at Hong Kong.
“But I think if you enjoy the people you work with that’s most important.”
“Robin showed great consistency and talent during his time with us this last season,” added team owner Michael Andretti.
“As dedicated as he is to our Formula E program, we are happy to continue the development of his careers. We look forward to having him back for Season 3 and continuing to build on the competitive foundation we have set.”
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A Woman's Health is Her Primary Wealth [2]
One hundred years ago on March 8, a handful of countries celebrated the first International Women’s Day [6]. Today it is celebrated around the world as an opportunity to look back on women’s accomplishments and look forward to the realization of their full economic, political, and social rights. The United Nations theme for International Women’s Day 2011 [7] is centered on women’s access to education, technology, and decent work.
For 40 years, MSH has promoted equal access to health care for women by strengthening health systems and building the capacity of women as leaders and managers, technical experts, clinicians, and community health workers. We interviewed Dr. Belkis Giorgis, our NGO Capacity Building/Gender Advisor in Ethiopia about women and development.
Why is International Women’s Day important?
Saving Children’s Lives by Recognizing and Treating Pneumonia in Afghanistan [9]
Fragile States [10]
Afghanistan’s mountain ranges are beautiful to the eye. Rugged peaks and ridges are separated by valleys, carved out over the centuries by streams and rivers supporting the green web of vegetation along their banks.
But many of the small villages that cling to the walls of these valleys are often cut off for months by heavy snow or the floods that follow the spring melt. The cold wet climate, together with smoke from household stoves, increases the risk of pneumonia, particularly among babies and children. One in five deaths of young Afghan children is caused by pneumonia, an infection easily treated with antibiotics if diagnosed early enough.
Spotlight on Global Health Initiative Plus Countries: Malawi [12]
Mexon Elia Nyirongo [13]
The Global Health Initiative (GHI) and its approach of integrating health programs with HIV & AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, maternal, newborn, and child health, nutrition, and family planning and reproductive health is in line with the current approaches and health priorities of the Government of Malawi.
Malawi, with a population of slightly over 13 million people, has 83% of its people living in the rural hard to reach, underserved areas. The biggest health challenge facing the country is access to basic health services by the rural population. The problem of access to health services is multifaceted. For instance, family planning services are mostly facility-based, contributing to a low Contraceptive Prevalence Rate of 28% and high unmet family planning need of 28% (Malawi Demographic and Health Survey, 2004).
However, there is also a critical shortage of trained health service providers and availability of contraceptives is a logistical nightmare in Malawi. Making a routine mix of all contraceptives accessible to women of reproductive age regularly in rural communities can avert unwanted pregnancies and maternal deaths, and reduce high total fertility rate and infant mortality rate. Rural people walk long distances to seek health services, sometimes only to return without a service due to shortage of health personnel and stock-out of supplies.
Celebrating 25 Years of Community Partnerships in Bolivia [15]
Jonathan D. Quick, MD, MPH [16]
At a time when many are looking for examples of lasting local success in international development and sustainable approaches to healthcare for low income populations, PROSALUD [17], Bolivia’s largest health nongovernmental organization (NGO), embodies this success. PROSALUD just celebrated its 25th anniversary last week – and MSH was there to help celebrate. [18] For over two decades, PROSALUD has contributed to the unmet health needs of low-income populations in Bolivia, working with the active participation of the communities it serves.
PROSALUD Celebrates 25th Anniversary [20]
[21]It is always very special to witness an idea blossom, a theory carried out in practice, a vision becoming a reality. Such occasions are all too rare and when you’re in one, you really feel like you are living a special moment in history.
Ron O’Connor, Founder of Management Sciences for Health (MSH) and I had this very distinct opportunity two weeks ago in Santa Cruz, Bolivia as we were honored to attend the 25th Anniversary Celebration of PROSALUD [17]. Over the last 25 years, MSH has been privileged to accompany PROSALUD [22]in its successful journey from one small clinic dependent on outside donations to become one of Bolivia’s primer health care providers with 23 health centers and 5 clinics in 9 cities across the country. And, PROSALUD is financially independent and governed by its own Bolivian Board of Directors.
« first [23]
‹ previous [23]
Source URL: https://msh.org/blog-tags/community?page=1
[1] https://msh.org/blog/2011/03/07/a-womans-health-is-her-primary-wealth#comments
[2] https://msh.org/blog/2011/03/07/a-womans-health-is-her-primary-wealth
[6] http://www.internationalwomensday.com/
[7] http://www.un.org/womenwatch/feature/iwd/
[8] https://msh.org/blog/2011/03/01/saving-children%E2%80%99s-lives-by-recognizing-and-treating-pneumonia-in-afghanistan#comments
[9] https://msh.org/blog/2011/03/01/saving-children%E2%80%99s-lives-by-recognizing-and-treating-pneumonia-in-afghanistan
[10] https://msh.org/blog-categories/fragile-states
[11] https://msh.org/blog/2011/01/24/spotlight-on-global-health-initiative-plus-countries-malawi#comments
[12] https://msh.org/blog/2011/01/24/spotlight-on-global-health-initiative-plus-countries-malawi
[13] https://msh.org/users/mexon-elia-nyirongo
[14] https://msh.org/blog/2010/09/01/celebrating-25-years-of-community-partnerships-in-bolivia#comments
[15] https://msh.org/blog/2010/09/01/celebrating-25-years-of-community-partnerships-in-bolivia
[16] https://msh.org/users/jonathan-d-quick-md-mph
[17] http://www.prosalud.org/
[18] http://blog.msh.org/index.php/2010/08/31/prosalud-celebrates-25th-anniversary/
[19] https://msh.org/blog/2010/08/31/prosalud-celebrates-25th-anniversary#comments
[20] https://msh.org/blog/2010/08/31/prosalud-celebrates-25th-anniversary
[21] https://msh.org/sites/msh.org/files/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/PROSALUD-Anniversary.jpg
[22] http://www.msh.org/projects/mandl/4.8.html
[23] https://msh.org/blog-tags/community
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Facts tell, but stories sell. There is a story going around that Juja has been named a global cybercrime hotspot by Interpol. The story is not true as confirmed here, but it sells. Looking at it, one can get some very good lessons on how our society perceives cybercrime. I would also want to explore the cost of cybercrime on a society in general, with Nigeria as an example.
The reaction to the story is weird. Some are afraid and worried about this new form of crime which they do not understand. I understand that for someone who is not very informed or knowledgeable about such matters, the mention of cyber-crime would make one cringe. It is like when walking out in an open and dark place, you are told that there is a sniper with some very good night vision and he is shooting anything he sees for fun. You do not know how to protect yourself.
I understand the concern, and this is good. People need to be continually educated on the cyber-threats that the society is facing so that they can keep themselves safe.
Elite Crime
But for many people, the story of Juja being a cybercrime is something to be happy about. It is a trophy that Juja has earned, and hopefully, the skills will be used against people who are thousands of miles away in developed countries. It is a cool thing to be a cybercriminal because that shows that you have a brain that is still functional, and even above average.
It is considered a game of wits and not a crime. But what is the cost?
Cybercrime didn’t Pay in Nigeria
What is the cost of cybercrime to the innocent bystanders who are neither perpetrators nor the direct victims of the same?
In Nigeria, the so called ‘Yahoo scammers’ have been around for long. They are the people who send you emails claiming to be a rich Arabian Prince with a treasure to share. They scammed the world before the world got to know about it.
In many places, they are celebrated as heroes. People want to be a Yahoo-Yahoo, scam people and make a lot of money. Those who have done it before are not regarded as criminals, but people who know how to survive. It is justified by the fact that it is the poor who are stealing from their colonial masters and other wealthy countries.
Read Building a Cyber-Resilient Kenya
But what is the implication to the country in general? These scammers are partly the reason why Nigerians has a bad reputation and the cost for this is high. It is the reason why Nigerians find it hard to get Visas to many countries, why they pay more for those Visas if they get them, and why they are scrutinized more than anybody else.
It is also the reason why many payment companies do not accept cards issued in Nigeria and some International businesses do not want to do business in/with Nigerians. Nigerians are also not allowed to receive money on PayPal, while the extra paperwork required for Nigerians when traveling is just too much.
While very few Nigerians are involved in Cyber crime, all of them pay for it.
‘Normal’ crime costs individuals because they have to build fortresses instead of houses. There many other costs of crime such as the chains on side mirrors, or filling road signage posts with concrete.
For cybercrime, the cost is also there and you may not realize it until it is too late. Nigeria is paying hard.
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Cardinals find their left-handed reliever in Randy Choate
By Aaron GleemanDec 5, 2012, 4:50 PM EST
St. Louis was initially targeting Sean Burnett as a left-handed bullpen addition, but after finding his price tag too high the Cardinals have moved on to Randy Choate.
Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reports that Choate and the Cardinals have agreed to a deal and Jon Morosi of FOXSports.com says it’s for three years, which is very surprising for a 37-year-old.
Choate, unlike Burnett, is strictly a left-handed specialist rather than a left-handed setup man. In fact, in leading the league with 80 appearances this year he threw a grand total of just 36 innings.
He’s basically only good for a batter or two every other game and right-handed hitters tee off on him, but during the past three seasons Choate has limited left-handed hitters to a .173 batting average.
UPDATE: Choate is getting $7.5 million for three years, which is … well, more money and a longer commitment than anyone could have expected.
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Neuromyelitis optica and the evolving spectrum of autoimmune aquaporin-4 channelopathies
Raffaele Iorio, Sean J. Pittock
Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi Onlus
Water channels are a recognized "novel" target for central nervous system, inflammatory, autoimmune, demyelinating diseases, and represent an evolving spectrum of disorders termed neuromyelitis optica (NMO) spectrum disorders (SD). These disorders should now be considered under the umbrella term "autoimmune aquaporin-4 channelopathy". NMOSD represent the first multiple sclerosis (MS)-like disease for which a specific antigen has been identified - the astrocytic water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4). MS lacks a distinguishing biomarker. This discovery represents a seismic shift from historic emphasis on the oligodendrocyte and myelin to the astrocyte. The NMO of today represents a relapsing spectrum of disease, not necessarily restricted to the optic nerves and spinal cord, that is different from the monophasic disorder in which near simultaneous bilateral optic neuritis and transverse myelitis occur, as was originally described by Devic. Recent clinical, radiological and pathological findings have documented brain involvement in NMO spectrum disorders, particularly in children. Most patients with NMOSD have brain abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging, and these are consistent with MS in up to 10% of patients. Others have lesions in areas that highly express AQP4 including the circumventricular organs accounting for intractable nausea and vomiting, and the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis as presenting symptoms or heralds of relapse. Diencephalic involvement might explain recently recognized sleep disorders and endocrinopathies. Continued progress in our understanding of the immunobiology of AQP4 autoimmunity necessitates continuing revision of the clinical diagnostic criteria for NMO spectrum disorders. As the clinical spectrum broadens, the importance of highly specific assays that detect pathogenic AQP4-immunoglobulin G targeting extracellular epitopes of AQP4 cannot be overemphasized.
Clinical and Experimental Neuroimmunology
https://doi.org/10.1111/cen3.12103
10.1111/cen3.12103
Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'Neuromyelitis optica and the evolving spectrum of autoimmune aquaporin-4 channelopathies'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Channelopathies Medicine & Life Sciences
Neuromyelitis Optica Medicine & Life Sciences
CNS Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases Medicine & Life Sciences
Circumventricular Organs Medicine & Life Sciences
Transverse Myelitis Medicine & Life Sciences
Iorio, R., & Pittock, S. J. (2014). Neuromyelitis optica and the evolving spectrum of autoimmune aquaporin-4 channelopathies. Clinical and Experimental Neuroimmunology, 5(2), 175-187. https://doi.org/10.1111/cen3.12103
Neuromyelitis optica and the evolving spectrum of autoimmune aquaporin-4 channelopathies. / Iorio, Raffaele; Pittock, Sean J.
In: Clinical and Experimental Neuroimmunology, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2014, p. 175-187.
Iorio, R & Pittock, SJ 2014, 'Neuromyelitis optica and the evolving spectrum of autoimmune aquaporin-4 channelopathies', Clinical and Experimental Neuroimmunology, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 175-187. https://doi.org/10.1111/cen3.12103
Iorio R, Pittock SJ. Neuromyelitis optica and the evolving spectrum of autoimmune aquaporin-4 channelopathies. Clinical and Experimental Neuroimmunology. 2014;5(2):175-187. https://doi.org/10.1111/cen3.12103
Iorio, Raffaele ; Pittock, Sean J. / Neuromyelitis optica and the evolving spectrum of autoimmune aquaporin-4 channelopathies. In: Clinical and Experimental Neuroimmunology. 2014 ; Vol. 5, No. 2. pp. 175-187.
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AU - Iorio, Raffaele
AU - Pittock, Sean J.
N2 - Water channels are a recognized "novel" target for central nervous system, inflammatory, autoimmune, demyelinating diseases, and represent an evolving spectrum of disorders termed neuromyelitis optica (NMO) spectrum disorders (SD). These disorders should now be considered under the umbrella term "autoimmune aquaporin-4 channelopathy". NMOSD represent the first multiple sclerosis (MS)-like disease for which a specific antigen has been identified - the astrocytic water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4). MS lacks a distinguishing biomarker. This discovery represents a seismic shift from historic emphasis on the oligodendrocyte and myelin to the astrocyte. The NMO of today represents a relapsing spectrum of disease, not necessarily restricted to the optic nerves and spinal cord, that is different from the monophasic disorder in which near simultaneous bilateral optic neuritis and transverse myelitis occur, as was originally described by Devic. Recent clinical, radiological and pathological findings have documented brain involvement in NMO spectrum disorders, particularly in children. Most patients with NMOSD have brain abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging, and these are consistent with MS in up to 10% of patients. Others have lesions in areas that highly express AQP4 including the circumventricular organs accounting for intractable nausea and vomiting, and the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis as presenting symptoms or heralds of relapse. Diencephalic involvement might explain recently recognized sleep disorders and endocrinopathies. Continued progress in our understanding of the immunobiology of AQP4 autoimmunity necessitates continuing revision of the clinical diagnostic criteria for NMO spectrum disorders. As the clinical spectrum broadens, the importance of highly specific assays that detect pathogenic AQP4-immunoglobulin G targeting extracellular epitopes of AQP4 cannot be overemphasized.
AB - Water channels are a recognized "novel" target for central nervous system, inflammatory, autoimmune, demyelinating diseases, and represent an evolving spectrum of disorders termed neuromyelitis optica (NMO) spectrum disorders (SD). These disorders should now be considered under the umbrella term "autoimmune aquaporin-4 channelopathy". NMOSD represent the first multiple sclerosis (MS)-like disease for which a specific antigen has been identified - the astrocytic water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4). MS lacks a distinguishing biomarker. This discovery represents a seismic shift from historic emphasis on the oligodendrocyte and myelin to the astrocyte. The NMO of today represents a relapsing spectrum of disease, not necessarily restricted to the optic nerves and spinal cord, that is different from the monophasic disorder in which near simultaneous bilateral optic neuritis and transverse myelitis occur, as was originally described by Devic. Recent clinical, radiological and pathological findings have documented brain involvement in NMO spectrum disorders, particularly in children. Most patients with NMOSD have brain abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging, and these are consistent with MS in up to 10% of patients. Others have lesions in areas that highly express AQP4 including the circumventricular organs accounting for intractable nausea and vomiting, and the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis as presenting symptoms or heralds of relapse. Diencephalic involvement might explain recently recognized sleep disorders and endocrinopathies. Continued progress in our understanding of the immunobiology of AQP4 autoimmunity necessitates continuing revision of the clinical diagnostic criteria for NMO spectrum disorders. As the clinical spectrum broadens, the importance of highly specific assays that detect pathogenic AQP4-immunoglobulin G targeting extracellular epitopes of AQP4 cannot be overemphasized.
KW - aquaporin
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Fairy-folk singer-songwriter, SHIRA, announces upcoming EP,
BIRDS OF A FEATHER, with the release of the new single,
“GO UNCHARTED”
Photo by Shirin Tinati
“A winning [and] beguiling voice.”
“Epic songs, heaven-sent vocals and intricate playing.”
– Brokelyn
“[Shira] will stop you dead in your tracks.”
– Philadelphia Weekly
“[‘Go Uncharted’] presents an authentic narrative of longing for places we call home, as we head toward new frontiers — a metaphor we can all relate to right now.”
– Americana Highways
(New York, NY) The self-described “fairy-folk” singer-songwriter, Shira, has announced her upcoming EP, Birds of a Feather, with the release of the new single, “Go Uncharted,” via a premiere on Americana Highways. The first half of a two-part release, fully called The Birds of a Feather Flock Together, the EP will be released on September 18, 2020, with the full album to follow in 2021.
The songs on Birds of a Feather dive deep into fate, longing, and the idea of belonging. “I’ve been living in New York City for the past 11 years. It’s the best long-term-relationship I’ve ever had,” Shira says of “Go Uncharted.” “I wrote this song on the first day of my US tour last year. I was so excited to go, but somehow as I was looking in my rearview mirror and seeing my favorite skyline, I was missing her already.”
Born in Rochester, NY, to Israeli parents, Shira split her time growing up between Israel and the States. She and her family moved back to the US when she was 10; she knew three words of English at the time. She learned the language while listening to Beatles records, which also inspired her to start singing. Eventually, her brother introduced her to Ella Fitzerald, and Shira felt she “was healing me with her voice. I wanted to do that too, I wanted to heal through music.”
About ten years ago, that drive became even more prevalent. Serving in the Israeli Army band (similar to a USO tour), Shira was sent to perform for soldiers and citizens living in war zones. One performance was at an underground bomb shelter where families, including small children, were staying. After the performance, a six-year-old girl approached Shira. “She was wearing a summer dress covered in butterflies, and she ran up to me and held on to my leg asking me not to leave because I made her feel safe again. I knew this was my calling.”
Birds of a Feather was recorded live in one day at The Diamond Mine Studios in Queens, NY, where artists like Lady Gaga, Adele and the Black Lips have recently recorded. It was produced by Paul Carbonara, of Blondie, who also played guitar, and features drummer Dan Pugach. In addition to vocals and guitar, Shira plays ukulele and is endorsed by Kala Ukuleles.
Like many, Shira is currently living in a time of uncertainty. When COVID hit the US, she made the decision to return to Israel to be with her family. Her fiancé, however, is in Barcelona, and their wedding has been postponed. As she’s done her whole life, she is looking to music for hope and strength, themes that are evident in many of her songs. She explains, “Birds of a Feather is about finding yourself first, exploring, not being afraid to ask for what you want, struggling with the fear of never being seen, listening to your inner voice over outside noise, letting go and trusting.”
SHIRA ONLINE
WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | SPOTIFY
BIRDS OF A FEATHER TRACKLISTING
1. Usually
2. Go Uncharted
4. Birds of a Feather
Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist, and Viral Creator Payton Moormeier Has Released His Anticipated Second Single “Habits.”
KANSAS, AMERICA’S LEGENDARY PROGRESSIVE ROCK BAND HAS RELEASED THEIR LONG AWAITED NEW STUDIO ALBUM “ABSENCE OF PRESENCE”
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Interview With Up and Coming Artist Camlann
Camlann’s own name comes from the Arthurian legend, The Battle of Camlann. It was King Arthur’s final battle. We’re all a fan of the mythology.
It was around early 2019 when four of us decided to form the band. Our Bassist/Singer, Vinyl Godfrey, has always wanted to form a Post-Punk/Goth band since a few years ago. But it was in 2019 when we all finally formed this family we never knew we needed. We just want to show our music to the world and bring more goth/post-punk music to the music industry.
Musically, we all really influenced by a lot of traditional Post-Punk and Shoegaze artists such as Joy Division, The Smiths, The Cure, Siouxsie, and the Banshees, Bauhaus, Cocteau Twins, and Slowdive. While on visual, we’re very influenced by Siouxsie Sioux and Robert Smith.
We’re going to go into a more Shoegazy sound in our upcoming full-length debut album. We’re mixing Dark Post-Punk with Shoegaze this time. Expect a shimmering and ethereal guitar and vocal with a heavy dark Post-Punk Bassline and Industrial drum sound. Imagine Joy Division mixed with Cocteau Twins.
We came up with our upcoming album concept a few months ago when we’ve decided to mix Post-Punk with Shoegaze. Something which is very different from our previous materials. We’re trying something new.
We’re still high school students and we’re still 15-16 years old. So the challenges we have to face are usually time since we have to go to school and have a lot of school works to do. So it’s extra homework for us to do time management.
We don’t think so. We’re still teenagers and still quite new to these kinds of stuff. We’re still learning and need to learn a lot of stuff too. But we surely enjoy what we’re doing and we’re sure that we keep improving day by day!
We’ll be releasing a single by December 2019, it’s our 1st single from our upcoming LP. we hope people will like it.
Yes, definitely. Special thanks to our beloved manager and record label owner, Anida Bajumi, for the undying love and support she has given to us these past few months since working with her. Also special thanks to our parents for the support and encouragement they give to us.
You can find our music in Spotify, apple music, and iTunes by the name “Camlann”. We also have Bandcamp, camlannmusic.bandcamp.com
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Related Topics:Camlann, Featured, Good News Network, google news, indie artist, Indie Magazine, indie music, Miami Music, Muzique Magazine, post-punk with shoegaze, Punk
Celebrity Music Producer Richard Robson Talks About Love For His Craft, UpComing Projects and More.
Interview with Up and Coming Pop Artist Ramoné
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gvc pens integrity partnership with professional players federation
GVC Holdings has secured a new partnership with the Professional Players Federation (PPF) which will work towards the promotion, protection, and development of integrity in UK betting.
As part of the new agreement, GVC will support the PPF in delivering sports betting integrity educational initiatives to the 17,500 professional athletes across the UK.
David Foster, GVC’s Head of Regulatory Affairs commented: “British sport is amongst the most respected in the world and is intrinsically linked to our business. That is why we believe it is important that we play our part to guard against the dangers and temptations that young professional sportspeople may face.
“We are therefore delighted to partner with the Professional Players Federation and look forward to supporting the vital work they carry out. Sportsmen and women in the UK are watched throughout the world and GVC is delighted to support the PPF’s work protecting sporting integrity.”
It is hoped that GVC’s support of the PPF will help fund tutor training, team educational visits and e-learning programmes in a range of different sports which will be tailored towards young players and senior professionals.
PPF Chairman Brendon Batson OBE added: “We are thrilled to welcome GVC to the partnership to promote sports betting integrity in the UK. Education is one of the best defences against the threat of match-fixing and it’s great to see another leading betting company supporting this important work.
“GVC’s support will enable us to expand our education to include more sports and reach more athletes with a special emphasis on young players.
“The partnership is a great example of how sport and the betting industry are working together to protect British sport and its reputation for integrity.”
manchester proves big winner fantasy managers
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Singh is a professor at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
Previously, he's said women's fertility ends in midlife because men have long preferred younger mates. Over thousands of years, older women who were no longer having children accumulated infertility-related genetic mutations that led to menopause, he has contended.
In the new paper, Singh's team noted that changing social values and improvements in science, medical testing and health care have led women worldwide to delay childbirth.
For example, the average age a woman in Canada gives birth rose from 23 to 30 in the last 50 years.
Evolution is sure to respond to women having children later in life, according to Singh and his colleagues.
"This massive change has to be reflected in the reproductive age of women. We are doing in 50 years what would have taken nature thousands of years," Singh said in a university news release. "It is going to happen. It is happening because of social change. Women have control now."
For the study, the researchers analyzed data gathered from 747 U.S. women who were part of a 12-year health study. There were significant variations in the start of menopause among them.
"The fact that there is variation between individuals, and within and between populations and ethnic groups, tells us that menopause is a changing, evolving trait that is still very dynamic and that it can change," Singh said.
Evolution will select genetic variations that favor longer fertility in women, delaying the onset of menopause from the current range of 45 to 60 years of age to later in life, according to the researchers. That's likely to occur within the span of a generation, the study authors said.
Eventually, menopause may no longer occur, the study authors suggested.
The U.S. Office on Women's Health has more about menopause.
SOURCE: McMaster University, news release, April 17, 2020
Home Page - Gynecological Health
Life After Cancer: Menopause After Treatment
‘Are My Menstrual Cycles Normal?’
Belladonna Alkaloids; Ergotamine; Phenobarbital tablets
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Jerry Jones Expects to Play Games in Front of Fans this Season
Attention Dallas Cowboys fans: Jerry Jones has spoken.
According to The New York Post, Jerry Jones plans to have his Dallas Cowboys play in front of fans this season.
Turns out some NFL teams are planning to play the 2020 season in front of empty stadiums. That move is directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the safety measures put in place by cities and states to keep the spread of the coronavirus in check. That will not be the case for the Dallas Cowboys.
Jerry Jones told reporters on Wednesday,
“The Dallas Cowboys plan on playing all of our football games, and we plan on playing them in front of our fans.”
Jones went on to address safety protocols,
“We’ll adhere to all protocols and we will adapt to the uniqueness of our stadium and that’s within the protocol, We have a real unique situation, and I think that we’re going to be able to really have a great experience. I think that our safety precautions that we’re doing won’t be unfamiliar to a lot of people when we look at the general protocol of the country or we look at how you get together numbers of people."
AT&T Stadium seats 80,000 people and currently in Texas there's a 50% capacity limit for sporting events. If my math is correct, that's 40,000 fans allowed at "Jerry's World."
According to ESPN, Jones also addressed the 2020 anthem policy saying,
"We're going to show grace. I'm going to show grace. And I'd like to show that kind of grace on a sensitive matter."
Filed Under: Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones, NFL
Categories: Articles, Local News, News, Sports, Video
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Home Technology/Modernization Russian Navy to Procure Four New Submarines at 2020
Russian Navy to Procure Four New Submarines at 2020
According to Sevmash shipyard Director General Mikhail Budnichenko, the Russian Navy will get one nuclear submarine by the end of 2019 and four more in 2020.
“We will deliver one nuclear sub this year and four more – next year, strictly in line with the contract,” he said.
Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko also said that next year, Sevmash is to deliver the special-purpose Belgorod nuclear-powered submarine, Project-955A (Borei-A class) Knyaz Vladimir strategic submarine and two Project 885M (Yasen-M class) nuclear-powered cruise missile submarines, the Kazan and the Novosibirsk.
In July, Budnichenko said that the Knyaz Vladimir strategic submarine will be delivered to the Russian Navy by the end of 2019.
As mentioned at previous news concerning Russian Navy’s procurement program, in 2020, for the first time since 1992, the Russian Navy would get six submarines: the four nuclear submarines mentioned by Krivoruchko plus two diesel electric subs: the Volkhov submarine of Project 636.3 (improved Kilo-class) and Project 677 (Lada-class) diesel-powered attack submarine, the Kronshtadt.
Besides, the Russian Defense Ministry plans additional deliveries of two Project 885M (Yasen-M class) nuclear-powered cruise missile submarines and two Project 955A (Borei-A class) Knyaz Vladimir strategic submarines for the Russian Navy, Krivoruchko said.
“During the Army-2010 forum, we signed a contract for an additional delivery of two Yasen-M and – the decision in principle has already been made on that – will sign a contract for two Borei-A class subs,” he said.
In total, 10 Project 885M (Yasen-M class) and Project 955A (Borei-A class) nuclear-powered submarines will be delivered to the Russian Navy by 2024 in line with the state defense procurement program.
“A decision has been made to increase the number of nuclear submarines to be delivered to the Russian Navy. We expect to get ten nuclear-powered submarines of Projects 955A and 885M by 2024,” Krivoruchko said.
Borey Class
Nuclear Powered Submarine
Yasen Class
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Cross-Border Terrorism: Operation Condor
J. Patrice McSherry
Baltasar Garzón, the Spanish judge who requested the arrest of Pinochet while he was visiting a London clinic, is spearheading an investigation of a shadowy Latin American military network created in the 1970s called Operation Condor.[1] Through Condor, associated Southern Cone militaries shared intelligence on political opponents—and seized, tortured and executed them—in cooperation with one another. Refugees fleeing military coups and repression in their own countries were hunted down in these transnational operations. The militaries defied international law and traditions of political sanctuary to carry out their shared anti-Communist crusade.
Condor allowed the militaries of the Southern Cone to put into practice a key strategic concept of Cold War national security doctrine: hemispheric defense defined by "ideological frontiers." The more limited concept of territorial defense was superseded. To many U.S. national security officials as well as Latin American officers, the Cold War represented World War III—the war of ideologies. Security forces in the region classified and targeted individuals on the basis of their political ideas rather than illegal acts. The regimes pursued dissidents and leftists, union and peasant leaders, priests and nuns, intellectuals, and students and teachers as well as guerrillas.
The Chilean state security agency, the National Directorate of Intelligence (DINA), formally organized Condor in 1975, after having carried out cross-border operations earlier. The constitutionalist, anti-coup Chilean general Carlos Prats, for example, was murdered, along with his wife, in a 1974 DINA car- bombing in Buenos Aires. In 1975, Colonel Manuel Contreras, the head of DINA, established Condor in a secret meeting with military intelligence chiefs from Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. They institutionalized intelligence sharing and coordination of covert repressive operations across borders. Condor represented a new and sophisticated level of collaboration and functioning in a nationalist region.
Intelligence organizations within Condor had free rein to track suspects and plan and implement disappearances, torture and transfers across borders in member countries. There was no semblance of due process for the prisoners—and there were many thousands of prisoners. In Argentina, where Condor operations were extensive, a former garage called Orletti Motors became a central clandestine detention center for Condor, holding prisoners from Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia and elsewhere.
The most secret aspect of Condor was its campaign to assassinate political leaders especially feared for their potential to mobilize world opinion or organize broad opposition to the military states. The 1976 car- bomb assassination in Washington D.C. of Allende's foreign minister and ambassador to the United States Orlando Letelier—a fierce foe of the Pinochet regime—and his U.S. colleague Ronni Moffitt was a Condor operation. Another took place in 1975, when Chilean Christian Democrat leader Bernardo Leighton and his wife were ambushed and wounded in an assassination attempt in Rome. DINA agents contracted Cuban exiles in the United States and fascist terrorists in Italy to assist in carrying out the respective crimes.[2] A U.S. expatriate and DINA assassin named Michael Townley played a central role in the Prats, Letelier and Leighton operations.
Other assassinations that bore Condor's mark included the 1976 murders in Buenos Aires of Bolivian ex-president Juan José Torres and of two Uruguayan legislators known for their opposition to the Uruguayan military regime, Zelmar Michelini and Héctor Gutiérrez Ruiz. Clearly Condor was an anti-Communist international that went far beyond targeting "Communists."
New evidence about Operation Condor emerged in 1992 and 1993 when extensive police and military files were discovered in a Paraguayan police garrison and in an office of Paraguay's Interior Ministry called the Technical Department for the Repression of Communism (La Técnica). La Técnica, originally organized with U.S. support, was the nerve center of dictator General Alfredo Stroessner's repressive apparatus. The "Archives of Terror," as they are known in Latin America, document the systematized nature of state terror operations. The archives, which I examined in 1996, include thousands of surveillance and intelligence reports on the activities of Paraguayan political parties, unions and social organizations; 10,000 police surveillance photographs; and official communications among military regimes regarding the activities of Latin Americans of many nationalities as well as some Europeans suspected of antigovernment attitudes or activities. The files prove that the coordination across borders of extrajudicial abductions—the system known as Condor—operated through official government channels. Yet to this day there has been no official acknowledgement of Condor in these countries.
Materials in the Paraguayan archives actually have solved some cases of the disappeared. One involved two Argentine members of the Peronist Youth, Dora Marta Landi and Alejandro Logoluso, who went to Paraguay after the 1976 coup in Argentina. They were arrested in Asunción in March 1977, but the authorities told their parents they were later freed. The Argentine junta consistently denied any knowledge of their whereabouts. Official documents found in the Archives show, however, that the two had been detained by the Paraguayan police and then delivered on May 16, 1977 to an Argentine military unit. They were flown in an Argentine navy plane to Buenos Aires, where the trail ends. The Paraguayan police report includes their photos and fingerprints and the names of the Argentine officers who took them.
Also in the archives were 1960s military training manuals of USARCARIB (U.S. Army Carribean School, the previous name of the U.S. Army School of the Americas), with lessons in methods of surveillance and infiltration of legal organizations such as political parties, unions, church and student groups, sabotage, population control and setting up interrogation centers. These manuals were similar to those released here in 1996 and 1997 by the Pentagon and the CIA. Latin American officers ruthlessly applied the methods taught by U.S. instructors.
U.S. government agencies worked closely with DINA and with the other intelligence organizations that were part of Operation Condor. In the Paraguayan archives there were official requests to—and from—the U.S. Embassy, the CIA and the FBI, to track suspects. The FBI searched for individuals wanted by DINA in the United States in 1975.[3] In 1976 an FBI officer stationed in Argentina reported Operation Condor to his superiors and linked it to the Letelier murder.[4] According to the FBI operative's Argentine military source, the CIA had played a key role in setting up computerized links among the intelligence and operations units of the six Condor regimes.[5]
Many analysts have emphasized the role of the Nixon Administration in promoting, via a secret plan code-named Track II, the coup against Allende that brought Pinochet to power. But this policy must be understood within the larger context of inter-American counterinsurgency coordination and operations, led by U.S. military and intelligence agencies, during the 45 years of the Cold War.
Garzón's investigation has thrown new light upon the issue of systematic human rights violations and crimes against humanity on the Western side of the Cold War, essentially demanding glasnost for the West. Operation Condor was a supranational structure of organized state terror whose reach was truly global and whose consequences are still reverberating in Latin America.
J. Patrice McSherry teaches politics at Long Island University-Brooklyn and is author of Incomplete Transition: Military Power and Democracy in Argentina (St. Martin's Press, 1997). This piece is drawn from a longer article-in-progress on Condor. Her article, "The Emergence of Guardian Democracy," appeared in NACLA's November/December 1998 issue.
1. The author is grateful to Ariel Armony for his comments; to the LIU-Brooklyn administration for travel funds to Chile and Argentina in 1998; to SUNY-New Paltz for research conducted in 1996; and to the Research Released Time Committee and the Trustees of Long Island University.
2. For more background in English see John Dinges and Saul Landau, Assassination on Embassy Row (New York: Pantheon Books, 1980); Taylor Branch and Eugene M. Propper, Labyrinth (New York: Viking Press, 1982); Stella Calloni, "The Horror Archives of Operation Condor," Covert Action Bulletin, No. 50 (Fall 1994): and Ariel C. Armony, Argentina, the United States, and the Anti-Communist Crusade in Central America, 1977-1984 (Athens: Center for International Studies, Ohio University, 1997).
3. Tim Weiner, "FBI Helped Chile Search for Leftists, Files Show," New York Times, February 10, 1999.
4. This incident was first discussed, to my knowledge, in Dinges and Landau, Assassination on Embassy Row, pp. 237-240, and was confirmed by recently declassified FBI documents, which can be viewed on the Web site of the National Security Archive.
5. Saul Landau, The Dangerous Doctrine: National Security and U.S. Foreign Policy (Boulder: Westview Press, 1988), p. 119; personal correspondence with Landau, February 13, 1999.
Tags: Chile, Augusto Pinochet, repression, Operation Condor, Southern Cone
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Jonathan Hykawy, Phd
President & Director | Stormcrow Capital Limited
About the Panelist
Jon began his career on Bay Street in 2000 as a technology and special situations analyst, covering such diverse areas as solar power and related technology, fuel cells and electronics. One of the obvious questions impacting many new areas of technology comes from a reliance on particular critical materials, so Jon began building models to derive price projections for these critical materials as demand is impacted by new technology. Jon began industry and company-specific coverage of critical materials such as lithium, cobalt, the rare earths, vanadium and tin in 2009 while with a prior firm and became a globally recognized expert on the junction between business, technology and the capital markets in such areas as the global markets for rare earths and for lithium. He co-founded Stormcrow in early 2014, and has expanded his critical materials coverage since, becoming a widely recognized thought-leader in the analysis of critical materials markets and firms. Jon has spoken at nearly every Lithium Supply and Markets conference globally since 2009, and has been a keynote speaker at a variety of critical materials conferences in both the West as well as China. He has also done work on alternative energy, battery and mechanical energy storage and neutrinos, the latter of which doesn’t contribute much to an expertise in critical materials. Jon holds a PhD in physics (from the University of Manitoba) and a MBA (from Queen’s University) and is a co-recipient of the 2016 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics (along with the other members of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory collaboration).
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Hon Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis and Minister of Finance at his monthly press conference in the Cabinet Room at Pinney’s Estate on August 27, 2020
NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (August 27, 2020) — Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis and Minister of Finance, is encouraging local businesses and individuals to consider investing in the housing market on Nevis.
The premier made the appeal while responding to questions from the media, at his monthly press conference held in Cabinet Room at Pinney’s Estate on August 27, 2020.
“There’s a high demand for housing. Just to put it into context, I believe the small development in Hamilton will only be about 13 or 14 homes in that development, and I’m told they [Nevis Housing and Land Development Corporation] had well over 100 applications.
“So, I appeal again to the private sector, the big companies like TDC and Horsfords and all those, that they consider the housing market in Nevis as an option for them to invest.
“TDC for example has done quite a few developments on St. Kitts. Well, Nevis people want housing too, and the people in Nevis can afford to pay for housing as well,” he said.
Premier Brantley also urged local developers to capitalize on the niche market, suggesting that they are pursuing the CBI (Citizenship By Investment) clientele while Nevisians are seeking more access to housing and are able to pay.
The premier advised that the NIA is willing to partner with local investors who are willing to construct housing developments.
“We are prepared as a government 100 per cent, to support by way of partnership, in terms of concessions, to make that viable, and so, I continue to encourage others to enter the market and provide housing for our people,” he said.
Citizenship by Investment)
GSS student Ms. Nikelsia Kelly receives inaugural Pearletta Lanns Scholarship
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Yoshi Switch might be titled Yoshi’s Crafted World
Posted on September 6, 2018 by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch
A new Yoshi game was Switch was announced at last year’s E3. After it missed E3 2018, Nintendo said that the title had been delayed out of 2018 and would be showing up again a bit later.
We could be receiving an update on the project during the next Nintendo Direct. We’ll have to wait a bit longer for the presentation after it was pushed back following the earthquake in Hokkaido, but we’re hearing reports that folks are seeing a new name “Yoshi’s Crafted World” on Nintendo’s North American website.
The game page itself still lists the original name “Yoshi for Nintendo Switch (Working Title)”. But in other listings on the site, such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the “You might also like…” section is showing “Yoshi’s Crafted World” for some.
Here’s a look:
Multiple people have reported seeing the new name. Note that you’re not guaranteed to see it on your first try on any particular game page – it seems to be a bit random. In any case, we should be getting an official update from Nintendo on Yoshi soon.
More: Good Feel, top, Yoshi
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Two suspects accused of pouring gasoline in Sault residence, then trying to ignite it
Published Wednesday, November 25, 2020 12:56PM EST
A 24-year-old woman and a 26-year-old man are facing charges following a disturbing incident in Sault Ste. Marie on Tuesday. (File)
SUDBURY -- A 24-year-old woman and a 26-year-old man are facing charges following a disturbing incident in Sault Ste. Marie on Tuesday.
"It’s alleged the two accused entered a residence in the 0-100 block of Manila Terrace, poured what is believed to be gasoline inside the residence and attempted to ignite it," Sault police said in a news release Wednesday.
"At this time, residents forced the two out of the residence and an altercation ensued."
During the altercation, the male suspect is accused of threatening victims, swinging a bat in their direction. The female suspect got into a scuffle with another victim, cutting the victim's hand.
The two fled the scene before police arrived, but were arrested later on Sussex Road.
The woman is charged with assault with a weapon, arson, break and enter and breach of probation. The man is charged with assault with a weapon, arson, break and enter and uttering threats.
Both of the accused were held for bail court.
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Types of Press Freedom and Limitations
Freedom of the press is one thing that is increasingly difficult to find in Indonesia. How come? The press today is mostly not the press that is voicing the minds of the people anymore, but the press which is a political media for certain parties. What is the real meaning of press freedom?
Definition of Press Freedom
In Wikipedia, press freedom is said to be “the right granted by the constitutional or legal protection relating to the media and published material, such as spreading, printing, and publishing newspapers, books, magazines, or in other material without interference. or censorship from the government “
Freedom of the press is universal and does not apply to just one country. This is stated in Article 19 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights which states that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion. This includes freedom to have opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and convey information and ideas through any media regardless of regional boundaries.
Whereas in Indonesia, freedom of the press itself has also been regulated in legislation as below:
Law No. 29 of 2000 Article 14 Paragraphs 1 and 2 concerning Human Rights. (1) “Everyone has the right to communicate and obtain information needed to develop his personal and social environment.” (2) ” Everyone has the right to search, obtain, own, store, process and deliver information using all types of available facilities.”
Article 28 of the 1945 Constitution, ” Freedom of association and assembly, expressing thoughts verbally and in writing and so forth shall be determined by law.”
Article 28 F of the 1945 Constitution, “Everyone has the right to communicate and obtain information to develop his personal and social environment, and has the right to seek to obtain, own, store, process, and convey information using all types of available channels.”
Tap MPR No. XVII / MPR / 1998 concerning Human Rights, Chapter VI, Articles 20 and 21, the contents of which are as follows. (20) “Everyone has the right to communicate and obtain information to develop their personal and social environment.” (21) “Everyone has the right to seek, obtain, possess, store, process and deliver information using all available channels.”
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Types of Press Freedom
Based on the notion of press freedom above, it can be concluded that freedom of the press includes several things. Here are some types of press freedom.
Freedom of the press ( freedom of press )
In the Press, Law and Human Rights , Bagir Manan divides freedom of press or freedom of the press into two main categories.
Freedom of the press itself.
The press as a means or forum for public freedom.
Freedom (independence) to form and direct public opinion in the public interest
Freedom (independence) issues opinions and thoughts of the press.
Freedom of the press itself includes:
Freedom (freedom) to find, obtain, process and disseminate information.
Freedom (independence) to exercise control, and give criticism in the political, social, or economic life.
Freedom (independence) to form and direct public opinion in the public interest.
The press as a means or forum for public freedom
The purpose of the press as a means or forum for public freedom is where the press is free to voice the public’s mind without being hindered by anything. This is because the function of the press is indeed to voice everyone’s thoughts.
Contemporary issues in communication
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An objective approach in communication theory
The press is a public forum to obtain information, a forum to convey or exchange opinions and or thoughts, a forum to convey criticism, a forum to channel creativity, and others.
Rights in Press Freedom
With the freedom of the press, many rights can be realized in society, namely:
The right to freedom of expression includes freedom of the press, freedom of thought ( freedom of thought), freedom of opinion, freedom of choice ( freedom of religion ), freedom of art (creating or doing an art), freedom of inquiry ( freedom of research ).
The right to freedom of information which includes the right to obtain, disseminate, process or withhold information and encourage dialogue, establish harmony and progress.
The right to freedom of opinion in which each person is free to give his opinion on a variety of things. With the press, many people can exchange opinions.
The right to freedom of communication where everyone has the right to communicate both verbally, in writing, and through pictures or codes.
The right to control. The press can also play an important role in giving control to the government. Abuses can be monitored by the public through the press.
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Limitation of Press Freedom
Even though the press has freedom, it does not mean that it has no boundaries. There are still many restrictions that must be obeyed in exercising press freedom, as below:
National security ( national security), for example state or military secrets.
Still guaranteeing political and social harmony.
The obligation to respect privacy ( privacy).
Criminal provisions, civil provisions, and administrative law, or other legal provisions.
That is a brief explanation of the types of freedom of the press. Thus this short article. Hope it is useful for all of us thanks.
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