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← Little Barry Meets An American Idol – Open Thread
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BrightSource Energy Lights the Way to More Obama Scandals
Posted on September 28, 2011 by Bridgette | 76 Comments
Posted by Bridgette
More Solar Scams for the Obama Administration!
Solar Power Panels Source: solarpowersecrets.net
In the following article by WND, “Thought it couldn’t get any worse than Solyndra?” there are just too many connections to radical organizations and people we have discussed in the last three years to ignore. So it is being printed in full. Knowing where your tax monies from Obama’s failed Stimulus Plan have gone and to whom is important.
The communist linked Apollo Alliance inspired Stimulus Plan was never meant to increase jobs, it was meant to pay back the Democratic pay-to-play cronies for their support. It matters not that these “green” companies will not survive, the money was given as a “freebie” from Obama off the backs of hard-working, tax paying Americans. It was their idea of redistributing the wealth of the country to the chosen few associated with the radical and corrupt Left for their visions of how our world should be. The “old-fashioned” ethical way of doing the work and letting it pay off by following rules and laws is not their way. Their way is devious, conniving, cunning, and corrupt.
The “World According to the Obama Marxists” is played by taking your money without asking, and giving it to their chosen recipients with few or no strings attached. They will take what isn’t theirs and say it belongs to them, and dare you or anyone else to do anything about it. It is a few in power deciding where monies should be spent, and to whom the monies should be given. It is theft, plain and simple. Theft is a crime. But the Left wants it to sound good to the uninformed, deluded masses they control with their rhetoric; so they redefine THEFT as “redistributing the wealth.” Either way you look at it, they are thieves and are committing crimes.
Their stealing isn’t for the good of the country, quite the opposite. They believe their vision is what is best for the country, and they shouldn’t be hindered from producing what they “know” is best. The fact that these companies who received government handouts needed to take taxpayer monies instead of applying for normal scrutinized bank loans or by enticing investors into their venture is a good indicator of the risk involved in their undertaking. The banks weren’t buying their business plans, so they chose to dupe the public instead. Since when did our government get into the investment business that is primarily a public sector business?
Some things that occur in the Obama administration pass our notice and are just a blip on our scale of importance, but Obama’s nominations should always be investigated.
John E. Bryson
One man, John E. Bryson, was nominated in June, 2011 as the Commerce Secretary. He sits on the boards of Boeing, Disney and a Santa Monica electric car start-up company (clean technology)
called Coda Automotive. He is also an adviser to New York private equity and buyout giant Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
While lauded by the Left for his vision, Oklahoma’s Republican Senator James Inhofe, the senior Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, released a statement where “he declared his intention to trounce Bryson’s nomination because of his environmental background” and support of cap-and-trade. Inhofe said,
“It is understandable that President Obama would select John Bryson as his nominee: he is a founder of a radical environmental organization and a member of a United Nations advisory group on climate change.”
That was a pretty good indicator of what was to come with Bryson in charge of a governmental agency.
Not until we get an Attorney General worth his salt and who abides by the law, will we be able to prosecute all of these criminals involved in the various scams concocted by the Democratic Party, associated communist/socialist/Marxist organizations, and their allies. Attorney General Holder and his Department of Injustice are the most corrupt in the history of the United States, and their days are numbered. Count on that!
Let’s take a look at the latest company, BrightSource Energy, that is coming under the microscope of We the People and note its connections to Obama and the corrupt Left. The Tangled Web of Criminality and Corruption will be evident. Hey, what’s another billion or two given away to Obama’s radical supporters?
Thought it couldn’t get any worse than Solyndra?
Obama Commerce pick awarded $1.37 Billion in ‘stimulus funds’ for another risky solar plant!
President Obama’s nominee for Commerce secretary served as chairman of the board of a solar energy company that recently received a $1.37 billion federal loan guarantee – the largest the Department of Energy has ever given for a solar power project.
Now that company, BrightSource Energy, is attempting to build the world’s largest solar power plant amid concerns such ventures may be too risky an investment for the federal government.
In June, BrightSource Chairman John Bryson was nominated by Obama to head the Commerce Department.
WND reported in June that Bryson co-founded an environmental activist group that is a member and funder of the controversial Apollo Alliance.
Apollo is run by a slew of socialists and radicals, including Jeff Jones, a founder of the Weather Underground domestic terrorist organization. Jones himself boasts of doing work for the environmental group founded by Bryson, the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Bryson served until June as co-chairman of the Pacific Council on International Policy, a globalist organization whose members can be found throughout the Obama administration.
The massive loan guarantee to BrightSource is meant to build an expensive California desert solar plant known as the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System.
The system will feature mirrors that reflect sun toward a massive central tower that is in turn heated to produce steam meant to spin turbines to produce electricity. The size of the BrightSource plant is thought to produce enough power to meet the needs of hundreds of thousands of Californians.
During a national address last October, Obama mentioned the possible benefits of BrightSource Energy’s “revolutionary new type of solar power plant.”
However, some have doubted that the massive solar plant will actually work.
The Bay Citizen quoted Michael Boyd, president of the nonprofit Californians for Renewable Energy, as saying there is “no evidence” BrightSource’s project will succeed. Boyd complained most of the equipment used at the plant would be manufactured in China and Germany. “Stimulus money isn’t going to jobs here in the U.S. It’s going to jobs overseas,” he said.
Boyd’s group last year reportedly filed an administrative complaint seeking to block the U.S. loan guarantee, alleging in the complaint the solar project “could have the unintended consequences of killing innovation if these projects fail.”
In a briefing last month, BrightSource CEO John Woolard was confident his plant would significantly lower the costs of energy. “We were able to drop costs down significantly,” he said. “Ivanpah is the culmination of two and a half decades of work and thinking around solar.”
However, the entire solar energy enterprise is now being questioned as overseas manufacturers, particularly China and Taiwan, have produced similar products and services at much lower prices. Already, the cost of generating power with panels plunged about 37 percent in the past year, Bloomberg reported yesterday, as Chinese factories cut prices. The price slashes pushed three U.S. makers, including Solyndra, into bankruptcy protection in the past quarter.
The news media and lawmaker focus on the Obama administration’s use of funds for solar energy could draw focus to Bryson himself, since he chaired the company that received the largest amount of funds.
Globalist, CO2 activist
Besides his position at BrightSource, which he vacated when he was selected as Obama’s Commerce pick, Bryson is the former chairman, chief executive officer and president of Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison.
He serves on the U.N. secretary-general’s advisory group on energy and climate change and as co-chairman of the globalist PCIP, a partner of the Council on Foreign Relations.
In 1970, Bryson co-founded the Natural Resources Defense Council, or NRDC, with a $400,000 seed grant from the Ford Foundation.
The group is also funded by the Tides Foundation, to which philanthropist George Soros has donated more than $7 million over the years. Tides itself is a major funder of leftist causes, including ACORN, whose founder and former chief organizer, Wade Rathke, is a Tides board member.
The NRDC is a major proponent of fighting so-called global warming. It recently endorsed a document called the Earth Charter, which, Discover the Networks notes, blames capitalism for many of the world’s environmental, social and economic problems.
The charter maintains that “the dominant patterns of production and consumption are causing environmental devastation, the depletion of resources, and a massive extinction of species. The benefits of development are not shared equitably and the gap between rich and poor is widening.”
The NRDC is a member of the Apollo Alliance. NRDC’s president, Frances Beinecke, is on Apollo’s board. The NRDC is also listed by Apollo as a funder of the group, having donated between $1,200 to $2,999 to become an Apollo “clean energy benefactor.” The NRDC endorses many Apollo initiatives.
Apollo’s New York office is run by Jeff Jones, who founded the Weather Underground with terrorists Bill Ayers and radical Mark Rudd when the three signed an infamous statement calling for a revolution against the American government inside and outside the country to fight and defeat what the group called U.S. imperialism. Jones currently boasts on his personal website that he has done consulting work for the NRDC.
Apollo has been credited by the Obama administration with helping craft portions of the $787-billion “stimulus” bill signed into law.
The Apollo Alliance has boasted in promotional material that it was behind several of the Obama administration’s “green” initiatives, in addition to crafting “green” sections of the stimulus bill.
Among Apollo’s board members are a group of Leftist extremists including:
Van Jones, President Obama’s controversial former “green jobs czar”who resigned in September 2009 after it was exposed he founded a communist revolutionary organization and signed a statement that accused the Bush administration of possible involvement in the 9/11 attacks. Jones also called for “resistance” against the U.S. Jones himself described the Apollo Alliance’s mission as “sort of a grand unified field theory for progressive left causes.”
Joel Rogers, a founder of the Socialist New Party. WND reported evidence indicating Obama was a New Party member. In an interview with WND, New Party co-founder and Marxist activist Carl Davidson previously recounted Obama’s participation with the New Party.
Following publicity of Apollo’s radicalism, including scores of articles by WND and investigations by the Fox News Channel, Apollo announced it will merge with the BlueGreen Alliance, a collaboration of large environmental groups and unions.
Meanwhile, Bryson is co-chairman of the PCIP, which was founded in 1995 in partnership with the Council on Foreign Relations.
The group says it is the “premier international affairs organization focused on policy issues of special resonance to the West Coast.” Its goals include “building our network of globally oriented business, civic, and government leaders.” Also, the group aims to convene exchanges with global policy makers and opinion leaders while partnering with organizations around the world to “promote mutual understanding and coordinated action.”
The PCIP is funded by the Ford Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Rockefeller Foundation.
Obama’s ambassador to France, Charles Rivkin, is a member of the PCIP. Last October, he invited a 29-member delegation from the PCIP to a conference in France for the stated purpose of discussing Arab and Islamic relations in the country.
Rivkin was at the center of a scandal when WikiLeaks released a cable in which he proposed the U.S. Embassy in France initiate a multipronged effort to “engage” and help to “empower” France’s Muslim minorities. Rivkin called the effort a “Minority Engagement Strategy,” which was largely directed at Muslims in France.
Other PCIP members abound through the Obama administration, WND has learned.
James B. Steinberg, deputy secretary of state, serves on the PICP board of directors. He also serves on the science and security board of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, a journal that argued during the Cold War for the U.S. to hand its nuclear weapons to an international organization.
The Bulletin, as WND reported, was founded by scientists who were long accused of spying for the Soviets and passing along vital nuclear secrets.
Vilma S. Martinez, U.S. ambassador to Argentina, is the chairman of the PCIP’s Mexico Study Group.
Former Utah Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr., a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, was appointed by Obama as ambassador to China in August 2009. He is a PCIP founding director.
Jeffrey L. Bleich, Obama’s appointment for U.S. ambassador to Australia, is a PCIP member.
Diana Farrell, deputy director of the National Economic Council, is a member of the PCIP as well as the Council on Foreign Relations and the Bretton Woods Committee. She is a frequent speaker on U.S. global engagement.
Byron Auguste, a member of Obama’s White House Council for Community Solutions, serves on the PCIP board. He is also on the board of trustees of the Center for American Progress, which is funded by Soros and led by John Podesta, who served as co-chairman of Obama’s transition team.
Last year, PCIP member Steven Myers joined the State Department’s advisory committee on international economic policy.
John B. Emerson, appointee for Obama’s advisory committee for trade policy and negotiations, is a member of both the PCIP and CFR.
In April, Obama nominated PCIP member Janet Yellen to serve as vice chairman of the Federal Reserve.
PCIP member Alan D. Bersin was appointed commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Last March, Obama appointed PCIP member Michael Camuñez to the position of assistant secretary for market access and compliance in the Department of Commerce.
Ernest James Wilson, a member of the PCIP board, was elected chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in September 2009. He served as a policy advisor on Obama’s presidential transition team on matters of communication technology and public diplomacy.
Also on Obama’s transition team was Jonathan Greenblat, chairman of the PCIP’s energy and environment committee.
The PCIP has some ties to billionaire activist George Soros. Among PCIP fellows is Ahmed Rashid, a Pakistani journalist and writer who is a member of the advisory board of Eurasia Net of the Soros Foundation. He is also a scholar of the Davos World Economic Forum and a consultant for Human Rights Watch. At the invitation of the then-U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, he became the first journalist to address the U.N. General Assembly in New York in September 2002 and the first journalist to address NATO ambassadors in Brussels in September 2003.
Don’t you wish we could round-up all of these criminals at one time? Would you ever have believed that so many corrupt individuals were operating in full sight and are all associated with one another? The same people are involved over and over again. We’d have enough of their vision, and we aren’t buying it! Well, I should say, “We aren’t buying it, ANYMORE.”
If there is any money left in the Stimulus Bill, Defund it! Make those who were reckless with our money pay from their own estates. When the elections come, let’s get these radicals out of our government and prosecute each and every one. Locate those responsible and prosecute them. Get them before they go overseas to spread their wealth they’ve made by scamming the public.
We are using natural, bright, sunlight to expose these corrupt organizations, their many criminals, and associations. We will be the Bright Lights shining down on them until they are all brought to JUSTICE!
This entry was posted in Corruption, Environment, Global warming, Radical Groups and tagged Ahmed Rashid, Alan D. Bersin, Apollo Alliance, Barack Obama, BlueGreen Alliance, BrightSource Energy, Bulletin, Byron Auguste, Californians for Renewable Energy, Carl Davidson, Center for American Progress, Charles Rivkin, Council on Foreign Relations, Demicrats, Diana Farrell, Eath Charter, Erick Holder, Ernest James Wilson, Federal loan guarantee, Ford Foundation, George Soros, Global warming, globalist organizations, Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, James B. Steinberg, Janet Yellen, Jeff Jones, Jeffrey L. Bleich, Joel Rogers, John B. Emerson, John Bryson, John Woolard, Jon M. Huntsman Jr., Jonathan Greenblat, Michael Boyd, Michael Camunez, Minority Engagement Strategy, Natural Resources Defense Council, NRDC, Pacific Council on International Policy, pay-to-play, PCIP, redistributing wealth, Socialist New Party, Solar power, Solyndra, Steven Myers, Stimulus Bill, Stimulus Grants, Stimulus loan guarantees, Tides Foundation, Vilma S. martinez, Wade Rathke, Weather Underground. Bookmark the permalink.
76 responses to “BrightSource Energy Lights the Way to More Obama Scandals”
Miri | September 28, 2011 at 10:52 am | Reply
Great post, Bridgette! Thanks for adding context and insight, which help people realize how far this corruption goes. Obama’s administration raises “conflict of interest” to such a higher level that we need a new phrase to define it. Words fail!
How long will the media and Congress allow this rape and pillage of our country to continue? Why do they allow it? Political correctness? Fear? Are they that afraid to “cause” the failure of the “first African-American POTUS”? Are they so politically correct, so afraid of the race card, that they will allow corruption so severe that it makes Watergate look nickel-and-dime?
What did Watergate cost We the People other than the price of the PROLONGED hearings? When will we see even ONE Congressional hearing into this outrageous corruption that’s televised live, simultaneously on EVERY broadcast and cable network? You think there’s bias in the media? Nah! Who’d think that?
The media and Congress are complicit in EVERYTHING that’s afflicting our country and our economy by NOT DOING THEIR JOBS. The media pretend to be watchdogs for the People. They’re poodles when we need pit bulls. Congress pretends to represent us. They’re only out for power and reelection.
Standing by, complicit, while this unconstitutional POTUS wreaks his Marxist/communist will upon America. Redistributing revenues (read: TAXES) from the American people to his selected peeps. You’re so correct when you say that it doesn’t matter if these businesses succeed or not because THAT’S NOT THE MAIN GOAL.
The GOAL, as we’ve written about many times, is to USE the false theory of “MAN-CAUSED” global warming as AN EXCUSE to “level” the USA in a communist sense–to bring her down to the level of every other nation on Earth, because these global communists have a warped idea of “fairness.” In their minds, it means everybody (with the exception of themselves–the elites) should be EQUAL. If that means everybody on Earth (with noted exceptions) is EQUALLY POOR, then so be it, so long as it’s “equal”. “Fair”.
Not only are they communists, they’re also elitists. They believe in the caste system. A system with two castes: Caste One–The Elites, the chosen ones, those who by RIGHT SHOULD RULE EVERYONE ELSE, BECAUSE THEY’RE SMARTER. Who should HAVE and ENJOY WEALTH. Caste Two: Everybody else, those intellectually inferior beings. The worker bees. These are the people who MUST have income equality. But NEVER wealth.
This isn’t communism, exactly. But that’s how they sell it. This is pseudo-neo-communism. Or maybe it’s not that “neo”. It’s what has resulted everywhere true communism has been tried, because IT’S AGAINST HUMAN NATURE. They tried it when they got off the Mayflower. They soon learned better.
When WILL they ever learn that the reason America is a shining beacon on that hill is FREEDOM?
MERIT-BASED upward mobility. With help VOLUNTARILY given to those who, for whatever reason BEYOND THEIR CONTROL, need help, but not a handout!
Bridgette | September 28, 2011 at 12:40 pm | Reply
When you think you can’t be astounded anymore by what you read about this administration, a piece like WND’s article comes out to show more connections and organizations founded and funded by the same people. That so many have been given positions of power over our money and how it is spent is unbelievable. “Crony communism” is now in full view. Raping our country is their goal.
The Tides Foundation is the one that takes funder’s money in secret so they won’t be associated with the programs meant to bring down capitalism. If they were so proud of their ideology, why hide? Is it because they don’t want their names sullied or their positions in society ruined?
Miri | September 28, 2011 at 2:27 pm | Reply
It reminds me of that connected media organization that I found yesterday. They say twice on their “about us” page that they have been working behind the scenes for over 70 years. It’s frightening to realize the extent of their infiltration into every facet of our society. More so when you consider their infiltration in academia, where they can (AND DO) propagandize and brainwash our children. They have created a tangled web but we have one new thing on our side that’s helping to shine light into the dark corners of their web–THE WEB! Without the Internet, how hard would it be to connect these dots? That’s what’s great about FREEDOM. And the 21st century version of the public square. What they use to community organize their flash mobs, we can use to show the world who they are and what they’re up to and how they do it. How they LIE. How they HIDE their lies. Sneaking deceivers. Like Thuggees. Deceivers. Crony Communism. Good term!
Huns and Vandals. Raping and pillaging. STEALING what is not theirs. Make no mistake, either. They’re no Robin Hoods. They’re thieves. Stealing for themselves, to enrich themselves. What they do give, to fund their so-called philanthropy, is all designed to MAKE THEM MORE MONEY AND BRING THEM MORE POWER.
Does anyone REALLY think Soros is a philanthropist? He doesn’t think so. He thinks he’s a god. And he plays with people’s lives like Greek gods. Remember how, in the old Hercules movies, Zeus and cohorts moved people around like pawns on a chessboard. That’s George and company.
I guess we don’t need to ask Jon Huntsman if he will defund the UN if he became the presidential nominee! He is a full participant in the world global warming scam. His taking a job as the Ambassador to China under the Obama regime is telling now that we see his other connections to the PCIP and realize he is a globalist as well. How he passes himself off as a Republican is amazing.
His father, a true patriot, has a totally different view than his son, and has made his money and been a real philanthropist for our country.
Speaking of the UN, energy, and the usual suspects: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_b900f91c-e2b6-11e0-b469-001a4bcf6878.html
“Congressman Russ Carnahan has been selected by the president to attend the meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
President Barack Obama named Carnahan and a Republican congresswoman from New York to be representatives for the U.S. The appointment is not a job that would require either of the lawmakers to leave their positions in the U.S. House.
Carnahan was to attend the U.N. General Assembly meeting Monday and Tuesday. He planned to meet with various countries’ delegations about the Middle East peace process, energy and women’s rights.”
And his brother Tom owns a stimulus-funded “wind farm”. And Russ’s district is being re-districted away. And Tom is hosting a $25,000 a plate fundraiser for the POTUS soon.
Jonah | October 1, 2011 at 6:23 pm | Reply
St. Louis Tea Party to Greet Obama at His Crony Socialist Mega-Fundraiser
Tom Carnahan, brother of MO SOS Robin and MO U.S. Rep Russ Carnahan, was awarded $107 million of stimulus dollars for his Missouri windfarm. To show his appreciation, Carnahan will host a $25,000-per-person fundraiser for Obama next week.
We’ll be there.
Jim Hoft (The Gateway Pundit) leads St. Louis Tea Party Coalition as it joins Americans for Prosperity, United for Missouri, and other organizations on Tuesday, October 4 to protest Stimulus Waste. Yes, the President will be here.
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/09/resist-we-much-st-louis-tea-party-to-greet-obama-at-his-crony-socialist-mega-fundraiser/
BLUE GREEN ALLIANCE (BGA)
* Progressive alliance between labor and environmentalism
* Partner of Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection
Established in 2006, the Blue Green Alliance (BGA) was created by the Sierra Club and the United Steelworkers union. It quickly grew to include also the Natural Resources Defense Council; the SEIU; the American Federation of Teachers;the Laborers’ International Union of North America; the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association; and three AFL-CIO unions — the Communications Workers of America, the Amalgamated Transit Union, and the Utility Workers Union of America.
The political nature of BGA’s endeavor is reflected in the organization’s name: “Blue” refers to the Democratic Party; “Green” refers to environmentalism.
With its national offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota and additional offices in Washington DC, BGA has expanded its operations into 7 other states — Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. With 1.3 million members, BGA aims to “transform” the American economy through greater reliance on renewable energy (wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass); increased energy efficiency; an expansion of mass transit and rail transportation; a new smart grid; residential weatherization and commercial retrofitting of buildings; and other “green” solutions to what it characterizes as the climate crisis. BGA’s four principal goals reflect its labor/environmental origins:
* “Pass comprehensive clean energy and climate change legislation [most notably, Cap and Trade]
BGA is home to the Blue Green Alliance Foundation (BGAF), which works in partnership with Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection (ACP) on the Labor Climate Project to expand anti-global warming initiatives through the new labor movement. BGAF also works with cities and states throughout America to implement green-jobs strategies.
BGA champions a “fundamental transformation of the [American] economy.” According to David Foster, combating global warning means rebuilding America’s manufacturing sector: “If we’re talking about this massive rebuilding of American cities around the adoption of energy-efficient technologies,
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=7570
Rebuilding American cities and forcing everyone into them. Making us all live in energy-efficient high-rises so we don’t have to commute and burn that horrible fossil fuel. They want to run EVERYBODY’S life because they know better. They HATE FREEDOM. They want to RULE.
Man-caused global warming is the MYTH they’re using to brainwash our kids and as THE rationale for why we MUST do what they say. It’s a faux generated crisis. A SCHEME to STEAL AMERICA’S WEALTH AND FREEDOM.
It’s only FAIR, you see.
Leza | September 28, 2011 at 5:19 pm | Reply
Did You Forget to Pay the Google Bill? We Got Another Disconnection Notice.
January 8, 2010 at 5:00 am PT
Google has a long and storied history of insisting it has no plans whatsoever to do something that it ultimately ends up doing. So the company’s claims this week that it doesn’t plan to enter the speculative energy trading business even though it has established a new Google Energy LLC subsidiary that would allow it to do just that, are certainly an eyebrow raiser.
You see, Google (GOOG), through Google Energy LLC, applied last month to the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for approval to buy and sell power much as utilities do.
“In addition to engaging in sales of electricity that are unregulated by the commission, applicant proposes to act as a power marketer, purchasing electricity and reselling it to wholesale customers,” Google’s Google Energy LLC subsidiary said in its application.
http://www.digitaldaily.allthingsd.com/20100108/google-energy/
Google Invests $168 Million in Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System
Tiffany Kaiser
Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System will be world’s largest solar power tower plant
Google announced yesterday that it has invested a large sum of money into a new solar energy power tower plant that will be located in the Mojave Desert in California.
Google is catching a lot of heat lately between the FTC’s possible antitrust investigation into the web search giant’s internet dominance and Microsoft’s problem with Google’s “misleading security claims to the government.” But with this latest project, Google is investing in a project that is sure to have some positive reviews.
The project is the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS), and Google has invested $168 million toward the cause. The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, which is being developed by BrightSource Energy, is 450 feet tall and began construction in October 2010 by the engineering firm Bechtel. It will be the world’s largest solar power tower plant.
“We need smart capital to transform our energy sector and build a clean energy future,” said The Official Google Blog. “This is our largest investment to date, and we’ve now invested over $250 million in the clean energy sector [total]. We’re excited about Ivanpah because our investment will help deploy a compelling solar energy technology that provides reliable clean energy, with the potential to significantly reduce costs on future projects.”
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=21356
The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System project is expected to be completed in 2013, and will be funded by clean energy technology guarantees offered by the U.S. Department of Energy and by NRG.
The government gives Google the money to invest, If there are any profits, or if they go bankrupt, Google wins, and if not, Google still wins.
Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is being built on federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, free land courtesy of the U.S. taxpayer.
Bridgette | September 28, 2011 at 5:29 pm | Reply
Oh my gosh…the hole gets deeper and deeper. This would explain a lot about the Federal government buying up all of the land in the west too. Now we see another arm of influence by Google…and who was the leftist guy from Google that was in bed with Obama..Eric Schmidt? He refused to be a Obama’s Tech Czar. He has now left the administration, but was he there to put this into place?
It boggles the mind. Google. We should have known and expected it. No crony communism there. Nope. Amazing, Leza.
Remind me–Isn’t Barry the one who hates big business, fat cats, the rich, capitalists like GOOGLE?
Bechtel. That rings a bell. http://www.muckety.com/Bechtel-Corporation/5020541.muckety With its subsidiary, the Bechtel Group, it has ties to Akin, Gump et al, Vernon Jordan’s lawfirm, which if you recall, did once employ the lovely Savannah Guthrie–sole visitor to the Obama LFCOLB.
How many golden eagles, hawks, owls, hummingbirds, migratory birds will be FRIED by this thing? Have you read how they IMAGINE this thing is going to work? What is wrong with these people?
BLM land. All there for Barry to steal and give (redistribute) to his peeps. SURELY, SURELY there’s a megaton of “minority” hind teat in here somewhere. What Native American tribe is/was in the Mojave? Aren’t deserts delicate ecosystems? Where’s PETA? Where’re the environmental whackos, as Rush likes to call them?
Larry Page: Google Is Its Own Biggest Threat
By Adario Strange
Just one week after Google’s Chairman Eric Schmidt faced a barrage of difficult questions related to antitrust concerns in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the company’s co-founder and new CEO Larry Page joined Schmidt on stage of Google Zeitgeist to talk about the search giant’s future.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2393755,00.asp#fbid=1zTw-CMl0VC
He is also a member of the Bilderberg Group and attended the Swiss 2011 Bilderberg conference in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Schmidt “was a campaign advisor and major donor to Barack Obama...
After Obama won, Schmidt was a member of President Obama’s transition advisory board. He proposed that the easiest way to solve all of the problems of the United States at once, at least in the domestic policy, is by a stimulus program that rewards renewable energy and, over time, attempts to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy.
He has since become a new member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology PCAST.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Schmidt
I’m thinking if all this stuff is such a good idea and will be so profitable, then Google should be willing to fund it all by itself, without a dime from the taxpayers and PAYING US ROYALTIES FOR USING OUR LAND. Let’s redistribute GOOGLE’S wealth and Schmidt’s wealth. I know PLENTY of more deserving people.
Leza | September 28, 2011 at 10:27 pm | Reply
Good memory Bridgette, I’d forgotten about Eric Schmidt.
Miri | September 29, 2011 at 9:57 am | Reply
Obama admin approves 2 solar loans worth $1B
By MATTHEW DALY
The Energy Department on Wednesday approved two loan guarantees worth more than $1 billion for solar energy projects in Nevada and Arizona, two days before the expiration date of a program that has become a rallying cry for Republican critics of the Obama administration’s green energy program.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu said the department has completed a $737 million loan guarantee to Tonopah Solar Energy for a 110 megawatt solar tower on federal land near Tonopah, Nev., and a $337 million guarantee for Mesquite Solar 1 to develop a 150 megawatt solar plant near Phoenix.
The loans were approved under the same program that paid for a $528 million loan to Solyndra Inc., a California solar panel maker that went bankrupt after receiving the money and laid off 1,100 workers. Solyndra is under investigation by the FBI and is the focal point of House hearings on the program.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gKlTIKog7Q1c-5vRxhheCgrNT4rw?docId=3fe5894a84a14b4fac8d5a495fcbf683
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2785126/posts
Bridgette | September 29, 2011 at 12:31 am | Reply
Is Tonapah in Harry Reid’s district? Who are the investors? Or is the USA taking all of the risk?
Tonopah Solar Energy, LLC, (TSE) a wholly owned subsidiary of SolarReserve, LLC, proposes to construct, own, and operate the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project.
Up to 450 construction jobs over 30-month construction period.
The BLM must provide authorization to allow the project to be constructed on public land. In order to grant authorization, the BLM, in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, requires preparation of a detailed environmental impact statement (EIS). The EIS will assess the environmental impacts of the project and all associated linear facilities and/or connected facilities (such as new access roads, new transmission lines and/or upgraded utility transmission lines).
A solar project such as this with a large area of disturbance will require preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (“EIS”) in which all potential project impacts to land, water, air, and biological species will be evaluated as well as alternatives, social, cultural, and economic factors.
http://www.tonopahsolar.com/
Kevin Smith, CEO of SolarReserve, speaks at National Clean Energy Summit 3.0, hosted by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. High-level industry leaders, policy experts, investors, and public officials, along with citizens and the media gather at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to discuss our nation’s clean energy future.
http://www.tonopahsolar.com/news.html
SolarReserve, backed by a strong portfolio of top tier financial firms and supported by an exclusive worldwide license from United Technologies, builds utility-scale solar power plants to deliver clean and renewable energy.
United Technologies’ subsidiary, Rocketdyne, demonstrated the technology at the Solar One and Solar Two power plants in Southern California. United Technologies has granted SolarReserve the proprietary technology know-how and an exclusive worldwide license to develop power plants using this proven technology.
SolarReserve’s other founding partner is US Renewables Group, a $575 million private equity firm exclusively focused on renewable power and clean fuel projects.
http://www.solarreserve.com/
http://social.csptoday.com/qa/its-rocket-science-how-solarreserve-conquering-new-frontiers
SOLARRESERVE GETS $20 MILLION IN THIRD VENTURE FUNDING ROUND
08 Apr 2011 / Solar / VC / PRIVATE EQUITY / United States / Alert: organisation – US Renewables Group LLC
SolarReserve Inc., a closely held developer of solar-thermal power plants, received $20 million in a sale of Series C preferred stock. The funding was provided by all eight of SolarReserve’s existing investors, according to Kevin Smith, the company’s chief executive officer.
The Santa Monica, California-based company disclosed the investments in a filing Thursday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
SolarReserve is backed by U.S. Renewables Group LLC, Good Energies Inc., Citigroup Inc., PCG Clean Energy & Technology Fund LLC, Nazarian Enterprises, CalPERS Clean Energy and Technology Fund, Argonaut Private Equity and Credit Suisse Group AG.
Click to access press_release_040811.pdf
Miri | October 26, 2011 at 8:40 am | Reply
“It’s great that banksters Credit Suisse have been fined for their wrongdoings – but why has no-one gone to jail? A bank is a financial institution so fining them means nothing; they can get the fine back in many ways from their clients. Imprison them and it’ll actually cause them genuine grief. We need to see punishment that means something to the banks, for all our sakes.”
Above is a comment from someone whose message was sent to spam. Might be from a spammer, but since the comment is on point, I’m copying it here for her/him.
Bridgette | September 29, 2011 at 1:17 am | Reply
Nazarian Enterprises
Los Angeles-based sbe continues to raise the bar in the worlds of luxury hospitality and real estate development. As a privately-held company established in 2002 and led by CEO and Founder Sam Nazarian, sbe acquires, develops and manages relevant projects through its specialized operating groups—Hotels, Restaurants, Nightlife and Real Estate.
David Nazarian is the Chief Executive Officer of Nazarian Enterprises, a family office that concentrates in the fields of private equity, real estate and venture capital and leverages the operational expertise and capital of its principals.
http://www.sbe.com/execs_main/david_nazarian
Sam Nazarian (Persian: born 1975 in Tehran, Iran) is an Iranian-American entrepreneur. Nazarian is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SBE, a Los Angeles based luxury hospitality, real estate development and lifestyle company which includes hotel, restaurant, nightlife, and real estate divisions
Born in Tehran, Iran to Iranian Jewish parents, Nazarian’s family immigrated to the United States following the Iranian Revolution. Son of wealthy Qualcomm co-founder Younes Nazarian, Sam was raised in Los Angeles, California. Sam attended Beverly Hills High School and later studied at New York University and the University of Southern California.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Nazarian
Think he’s a pal of Valerie Jarrett? Also Iranian born. He’s much younger, though, and Jewish.
“Nazarian is one of those people who inspire a certain amount of awe. He is CEO of SBE, the Los Angeles-based restaurant-hotel-nightclub-and-film company he created that is fast becoming a real-estate empire. He also comes from one of the most prominent Persian Jewish families in the world — his father, Younes Nazarian, is a co-founder of Qualcomm, making Sam one of the heirs to a fortune estimated at as much as $2 billion. … You might say he’s poised to become the next Conrad Hilton. … Crisis, notably the economic one, is something Nazarian has deftly avoided. In the past year, as pretty much everyone — wealthy or working class — has been pinching their pennies, Nazarian has been snatching up a variety of new properties. For him, the lousy economy presents opportunities for profit, and sure enough, his business is booming beautifully while less resilient, or less talented, businessmen crash and burn beside him. [Story is from 2 years ago!] … Nazarian was born in 1975 in Tehran, the youngest of four siblings. With the eruption of the revolution in Iran, his family moved briefly to Israel, then came to Los Angeles when Sam was 3. Younes had grown up poor in Tehran’s Jewish ghetto, worked in Israel in the 1950s, and then returned to Iran, where he and his brother, Parvis, made a fortune importing construction equipment. In Los Angeles, using money from their savings accounts in Israel, the Nazarian brothers purchased Standard Tool & Die. But their big break came when they invested in a communications company called Omninet, which later merged with the technology outfit Qualcomm. When Qualcomm went public in 1991, the Nazarian brothers, Qualcomm’s fifth and sixth largest shareholders, became billionaires. … His mother, Soraya, is a sculptor who studied art at the University of Judaism and in Italy. She is the family matriarch, beloved by her children — David, who works in private equity, Shulamit, an art gallery owner, and Sharon, a political science professor at UCLA as well as the president of the Y&S Nazarian Family Foundation. Sam is close with his siblings and feels a particular pride in mentoring his eight nieces and nephews, though he is the only sibling without children of his own. … In May [2009] he was invited by the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) to speak at their annual leadership training conference at UCLA, in front of thousands of young Iranian Americans. He was in good company: Omid Kordestani, a vice president of Google, was there, along with Hamid Biglari, the Princeton nuclear physicist turned vice chairman of Citicorp and Parisa Khosravi, a vice president at CNN, among others. Backstage, Nazarian sat nervously in a corner, dressed impeccably in his custom-made Italian threads. It was a rare moment of humility; he was the “nightclub king” in a room full of the most well-educated and powerful Iranian Americans in the world. He was also the only Jewish speaker, yet, even here, the crowd belonged to him.”
http://www.jewishjournal.com/articles/print/the_brew_that_makes_sam_nazarian_tick_20090902/
Very well connected. Seems to identify more with the “Persian community” than with the Jewish one. Seems very much like Barry’s kind of guy. Drives a Bugatti.
Leza | September 29, 2011 at 12:55 am | Reply
SolarReserve’s other founding partner is US Renewables Group, a $575 million private equity firm exclusively focused on renewable power and clean fuel projects. US Renewables Group has extensive experience developing successful renewable power projects, such as the Bottle Rock geothermal power plant and the Niagara biomass power plant. US Renewables Group will provide SolarReserve with the financing and
development expertise to successfully implement this revolutionary technology worldwide.
http://www.solarreserve.com/aboutUs.html
US Renewables Group
Jim McDermott is CEO of US Renewables Group, a developer and investor in renewable energy and clean fuel technology, including methane energy systems and biomass
http://www.socaltech.com/interview_with_jim_mcdermott__us_renewables_group/s-0003658.html
James Adelbert “Jim” McDermott (born December 28, 1936) is the U.S. Representative for Washington’s 7th congressional district, serving since 1989. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The 7th District includes most of Seattle and Vashon Island, and portions of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Tukwila, SeaTac, and Burien.
He serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and is a member of the House Progressive Caucus. He was formerly the committee chairman, then in 1995, ranking minority member on the House Ethics Committee.
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_McDermott
I never would have guessed a Dem Rep. and member of the PROGRESSIVE caucus (commies!) would be involved. 🙂 Good work, Leza. Finding the spiders, one creepy crawley at a time.
You know what? They’re touting this new technology so much that I suspect that We the People paid for the research and development of that, too, somehow. And then turned over to these crony communists, along with OUR LAND (probably rent/lease FREE) to further redistribution and maybe even (who wouldn’t suspect?) reparations of some kind or another.
Why is there always this nexus: California, Washington state, Barry?
Is he the father of this Jim McDermott? Because the one I found is not with the US House of Reps. He works full time at US Renewable Group.
Jim McDermott is CEO of US Renewables Group
Mr. McDermott is a Managing Director based in Los Angeles and one of the firm’s two Managing Partners. Mr. McDermott has operational control of the firm’s day-to-day activities. Prior to forming USRG, Mr. McDermott started his career as a public power banker with First Boston’s Municipal Finance Group in New York.
Mr. McDermott is active in the management of Fulcrum BioEnergy, General Compression, Novo Development Company, Oski Energy and SolarReserve. Mr. McDermott holds an MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA and a BA in Philosophy from Colorado College.
http://www.usregroup.com/james-mcdermott.html
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/09/more-crony-socialism-obama-gives-737-million-to-pelosis-brother-in-laws-solar-firm/
I swear, you can’t make this stuff up! “It’s as if Solyndra never happened. The Obama Administration is giving $737 million to a Tonopah Solar, a subsidiary of California-based SolarReserve. PCG is an investment partner with SolarReserve. Nancy Pelosi’s brother-in-law happens to be the number two man at PCG.“
Leza September 28, 2011 at 10:24 pm already reported it. The EPA had only a couple days to approve these loans so they are moving them out quickly. I have a chart I found showing the companies that requested loans, but having a computer problem, so I can’t post it.
One of these solar loans is connected to Nancy Pelosi…I was walking though the room, so missed it.
$1.1 BILLION for 45 permanent jopssss. That’s what I call STIMULUS!
“However, the government is blocking the proposed Keystone XL pipeline to carry crude oil from Western Canada to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast would create some 13,000 union jobs and around 118,000 “spin-off” jobs and taxpayers wouldn’t have to risk a dime.
The “green” jobs may end up like the one’s created but not saved at Solyndra. Keystone XL is making money, creating jobs in Canada and the US indirectly and the projections are that Keystone is viable, making profits and is waiting for the US government to approve movement into the US project.
Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) chairman of a House energy subcommittee that is investigating Solyndra, said the impending deadline was no reason to complete loans before they are ready. …Tonopah Solar, a subsidiary of California-based SolarReserve and Pacific Corporate Group is an investment partner with SolarReserve. Nancy Pelosi’s brother-in-law, Ronald Pelosi, happens to be the number two man at PCG. Analyzing Mr. Pelosi’s qualifications, how he came to PCG and the history of PCG is a mystery in connecting the dots.
It doesn’t stop here. A Daily Caller investigation has found that in addition to the failed company Solyndra, at least four other solar panel manufacturing companies receiving in excess of $500 million in loan guarantees from the Obama administration employ executives or board members who have donated large sums of money to Democratic campaigns. Questions were being deflected by the White House to the Democratic National Committee.
This could end up being the Watergate for Barack Obama and possibly the whole Democrat party. While funding these “green” job companies with federal tax dollars the Obama Department of Justice and US Attorney for North Dakota hauled seven oil and natural gas companies into federal court for killing 28 migratory birds that were found dead near oil waste lagoons. You may not be surprised to learn that the Administration isn’t prosecuting wind companies for similar offenses. Unemployment is 3-percent in North Dakota and business is booming.
Corruption for green jobs and prosecution for companies producing jobs and creating economy. This is the anti-business, anti-job growth Obama way.”
http://www.liberallyconservative.com/obamas-green-corruption/
It’s the crony communist, destroy America, redistribute their wealth, subjugate the oppressors way.
It is being held up because the way the pipeline is planned it is to go right through an aqua-fir that serves about 8 states. They are afraid if the pipeline breaks all the water would be contaminated thus affecting or harming millions of people’s water supply. I don’t know why they can’t go around it instead of straight through it.
Will birds be blinded by these mirrored solar panels? Just wondering how many blind birds will be attributed to solar panel companies and how much they will pay in fines.
I wouldn’t put it past those environmental whack jobs to kill a bird and put it near an oil puddle and then accuse the oil company of killing the bird. Big fines!
Nice to see what Holder considers important..going after oil companies for a bird death. How are they supposed to keep birds away from a dangerous area? Loss of common sense? Perhaps it was the natural time for the bird to pass on. Perhaps they chose that area to join their other departed winged pals.
Seems like they’ll inevitably make the desert HOTTER.
Map of some of the pipelines already in existence. The aquifer is actually running out of water AND it’s huge, so probably impossible to go around. Already lots of pipelines that potentially could contaminate it. Look at all the ground water at risk already.
The government maps that show all pipelines, obviously, have controlled access, so it’s nearly impossible to know where all the pipelines are and how many there are. A LOT, surely.
We already know that the environmentalists pick and choose what they’ll complain about because mostly they have another agenda besides being “stewards of Creation.” Windmills kill thousands of migratory birds, especially endangered eagles, as well as endangered bats. I don’t see them protesting wind farms.
“SOLYNDRA WENT ON A SPENDING SPREE AFTER GETTING LOAN”
http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2011/09/22/WP-Solyndra-went-on-a-spending-spree-after-getting-loan.aspx#page1
DOE Trying to Use $6.5 Billion in Loans to Create 283 Jobs
Repeatedly throughout the 2008 presidential campaign, Barack Obama made the claim that he would “create 5 million ‘green jobs; will invest $150 billion over ten years to deploy clean technologies, protect our existing manufacturing base and create millions of new jobs.”
The growing Solyndra scandal focused renewed attention on Obama’s go-green obsession, and has sparked at least five high-profile investigations, including the FBI.
If there is any good news, it would be that thus far Obama hasn’t blown through $150 billion – yet. But, he’s also well short of creating 5 million green jobs.
According to Investor’s Business Daily, about $10 billion has been committed. The Department of Energy says just over 2300 permanent jobs are or will be created as a result. That amounts to about $4.3 million per job. In fairness, a number of construction jobs also benefitted from the funding, but are temporary, rather than permanent funding.
The program that has funded green loans like Solyndra and others expires on September 30, so the DOE is scrambling to get billions more out the door. As the following graphic represents, the DOE is busy processing nine more applications totaling $6.5 billion. Estimated numbers of permanent jobs to be created are required from applicants as part of the application program. As the chart shows, just 283 permanent jobs would result – at an average of nearly $23 million per job.
Gang Green Chart – List of companies on the dole! See at URL
Source: http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/586155/201109271759/DOE-Mulls-Loans-For-Green-Projects-At-23-Mil-Per-Job.htm
http://finance.townhall.com/columnists/bobbeauprez/2011/09/29/doe_trying_to_use_$65_billion_in_loans_to_create_283_job
http://news.yahoo.com/solyndra-executive-responsibility-clam-says-attorney-201400961.html
That person has a good take on Solyndra execs taking the Fifth.
“Thugs in suits, I was thinking. What did they do with over half a billion bucks of taxpayer money?
With that kind of score, why would some dumb criminal even think of robbing a liquor store, a drug store, or even a bank? The real money is in white-collar capers, with special treatment and little chance of arrest.
All you’ve got to do is send a team of grifters to the offices of Obama administration adviser Valerie Jarrett and the bucks will be delivered to your bank account with thanks from a grateful administration. … Doesn’t the RICO Act apply to federal agencies?
Criminal charges have not followed from the FBI raid that hauled boxes of documents from Solyndra’s California headquarters. So why won’t the Solyndra executives explain?”
That’s why they won’t explain. They don’t have to. Like the gun that killed Agent Terry on the border, the evidence has disappeared. Hasn’t it?
Miri | September 29, 2011 at 11:34 pm | Reply
“On September 14, 2011, Jonathan Silver, Executive Director Loan Programs Office, U.S. Department of Energy warned the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Committee on Energy and Commerce that we cannot allow China to dominate the solar industry. This came after US company Solyndra went bankrupt despite blowing $537 million in US stimulus cash. … Suntech, the Chinese solar giant, has won a contract to supply photovoltaic panels for a 150-megawatt project in Arizona, marking China’s entry into a lucrative United States power-plant market dominated by American companies.
The project is the first phase of a planned 700-megawatt project called Mesquite Solar to be built about 40 miles west of Phoenix and operated by Sempra Generation, a subsidiary of Sempra Energy. A California utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, will buy the electricity produced by the power plant’s first phase, called Mesquite Solar 1.
… While Chinese companies like Suntech, Yingli Green Energy and Trina Solar have grabbed a significant percentage of the American residential solar market — supplying nearly 40 percent of panels in California — they had shied away from huge utility-scale projects.
And this week the Obama Administration awarded a $337 million loan guarantee to Sempra Energy’s Mesquite Solar I project in Arizona, about 45 miles west of Phoenix.
That 150-megawatt facility will use solar panels made in Arizona by Suntech Power, which is based in China.”
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/09/obama-warns-we-cant-let-china-dominate-solar-industry-after-they-awarded-a-chinese-firm-with-major-az-solar-contract/
Starla | September 30, 2011 at 4:40 pm | Reply
“SOLYNDRA LATEST: OBAMA SILENT AS MORE SORDID DETAILS EMERGE”
By Guy Benson
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2011/09/29/solyndra_latest_obama_silent_as_more_sordid_details_emerge
Bridgette | October 2, 2011 at 3:50 pm | Reply
Obama administration filled with activists for globalism
Seeking ‘climate change adaption,’ crackdown on firearms, gun sellers
October 01, 2011 Snips
The newly appointed chief of President Obama’s Social Innovation and Civic Participation Council is a member of a globalist organization whose activists can be found throughout the Obama administration. Jonathan Greenblatt was appointed the new head of Obama’s Social Innovation Unit earlier this month.
Greenblatt is the founder of a civic service company that works in partnership with Google and the Huffington Post. He has several ties to Google.…until his appointment to the Obama administration, Greenblatt served as the director of a social justice group funded by George Soros. The organization, the Aspen Institute, works closely with Soros and even was reportedly used by the billionaire in a failed attempt to engineer the defeat of President Bush in the 2004 elections.
Now it has emerged that Greenblatt is a member of the globalist group Pacific Council on International Policy, or PCIP. He previously chaired PCIP’s energy and environment committee and served on its globalization committee. PCIP last year released a major report on U.S.-Mexico border security that recommended the U.S. government crackdown on gun sellers.
The report says: “The United States should intensify efforts to curtail the smuggling of firearms, ammunition and bulk cash into Mexico by aggressively investigating gun sellers, regulating gun shows, reinstituting the Clinton-era ban on assault weapons, conducting targeted inspections of southbound traffic and providing leads to a more robust Mexican Customs authority.”
http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=350049#ixzz1ZfBG2qnL
Miri | October 4, 2011 at 12:36 pm | Reply
Another bellyup “green” recipient of our money:
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/10/another-98-5-million-down-the-drain-nevada-geothermal-about-to-go-bust-after-hefty-obama-loan/
“In a remote desert spot in northern Nevada, there is a geothermal plant run by a politically connected clean energy start-up that has relied heavily on an Obama administration loan guarantee and is now facing financial turmoil.
The company is Nevada Geothermal Power, which like Solyndra, the now-famous California solar company, is struggling with debt after encountering problems at its only operating plant.
After a series of technical missteps that are draining Nevada Geothermal’s cash reserves, its own auditor concluded in a filing released last week that there was “significant doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern.”
It is a description that echoes the warning issued in 2010 by auditors hired by Solyndra, which benefited from the same Energy Department loan guarantee before its collapse in August caused the Obama administration great embarrassment.”
Another story about Obama being WARNED:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/donor-officials-warned-obama-not-to-visit-solyndra-due-to-financial-warnings/2011/10/03/gIQA5M2MIL_story.html?wpisrc=al_comboPNE
““A number of us are concerned that the president is visiting Solyndra,” California investor and Obama fundraiser Steve Westly wrote to Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett in May 2010. “Many of us believe the company’s cost structure will make it difficult for them to survive long term. . . . I just want to help protect the president from anything that could result in negative or unfair press.” The warning, which did not convince the White House to drop the Obama factory visit, was detailed in e-mails released Monday by the Democratic minority on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The panel is investigating a $535 million government-backed loan to the now-shuttered company.
Democrats said the e-mails demonstrate that there was no political favoritism for Solyndra or for the Obama fundraiser whose family foundation held an interest in the company. But the internal messages revealed for the first time the high level of White House interest in the startup and its faltering finances after the Energy Department backed it with $535 million in loans.”
Yesterday, Barry blew off the loss of half a billion of our dollars via Solyndra, saying there will be successes and failures. What’s it to him, so long as our economy is hurt and wealth is redistributed to his peeps?
It figures that today there’s a front page story about Solyndra. In the story, they repeat the Dem lies that there’s nothing to see here, folks. Move on.
These memos prove Republicans are just on a witchhunt, you see. It’s simply an “embarrassment” for Obama, nothing criminal. Of course not! Embarrassment. That’s the talking point word of the day. Like “sloppy” when Sandy Burglar raided the National Archives. Like “gravitas” whenever they want to smear any non-Dem for lacking substance, in their partisan opinion. And the robots in the lamestream willingly and giddily take up the chant.
Asshats in the media, like Dana Milbank and pundits on MSNBC (aka American Pravda), are spinning it to blame Bush! Seriously. They say the program began under Bush. True, as with Fast and Furious. But left out of the story is that GWB’s administration TURNED DOWN Solyndra because of its shaky situation AND that Obama has used it to promote his crony communism/capitalism/corruption, as he’s done with EVERYTHING he finds at his disposal now that he’s stolen the presidency, illegally, because he’s ineligible. To the victor (no matter how he “won”) go the spoils. SPOILS. LOOTING. RAIDING. VANDALIZING. That’s it in a nutshell.
The Post-Dispatch also declined to mention that the loan was restructured just in time to put Obama’s cronies ahead of We the People as creditors, so we’re left holding the bag. And they’re made whole.
But it’s only an “embarrassment.” You see how the lamestream waits until the Dems send them the talking points, then like parrots, they repeat the lie, repeat the lie, repeat the lie.
Miri | October 4, 2011 at 1:05 pm | Reply
Fast and furiously, the green jopsssss disappear, taking our “stimulus” money with them: http://dailycaller.com/2011/10/04/green-jobs-farm-in-colorado-sheds-jobs-after-receiving-200m-in-stimulus-funds/
“President Barack Obama’s “green jobs” initiatives suffered another major blow late Monday, as the nonprofit National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden, Colorado, announced a plan to lay off roughly 10 percent of its staff through a voluntary buy-out plan.
According to the Denver Post, the lab plans to eliminate between 100 and 150 of its 1,350 jobs. The Obama administration supported the NREL in 2009 with roughly $200 million in stimulus grants. Energy Secretary Stephen Chu visited Golden in May 2009 to promote the NREL as a beneficiary of those funds. … NREL spokesman Bob Noun blames Congress for the organization’s failures. The Denver Post reports that he believes the gridlocked U.S. Congress forced the NREL to find $8 million in new budgetary savings.”
You have learned well, Grasshopper Bob Noun. If you can’t blame BUSH, blame CONGRESS.
Starla | October 12, 2011 at 4:48 pm | Reply
“SUNPOWER: TWICE AS BAD AS SOLYNDRA, TWICE AS BAD FOR OBAMA: CONGRESSMAN’S SON LOBBIED FOR FAILING SOLAR PANEL COMPANY”
By Neil W. McCabe
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=46761
Bridgetteb | October 12, 2011 at 10:05 pm | Reply
Solyndra had a $2.4 million attorney bill that they paid using taxpayer money. Greta tried to get a copy of the bill believing it to be excessive, and they refused.
She has a problem with the charges and wondered what the attorneys did to have a bill of that amount in such a short time.
Solyndra paid the attorneys from the loan they got from the U.S. Government, yet we don’t know what they did with the money to have lost all of it and needed to claim bankruptcy..
Perhaps the FBI will find out. Who works in the firm that represents Solyndra? I didn’t catch the name of the firm, but perhaps it is mentioned in another article.
Papoose | October 12, 2011 at 10:20 pm | Reply
Perhaps Solyndra is a piece of fly poop in a scoop of pepper.
That’s what I think. the proverbial tip of the iceberg.
Taxpayer’s earnings funneled deliberately, calculated and cold and down to the last RED cent.
The jopps bill is essentially critical because they’ve fallen short on their indebtedness and need it quick to make good. or else.
So you think a little more money laundering might help them?
Sun Power is another Solyndra green energy company – solar power company – they got $1.2 BILLION in guaranteed loans. Sun Power only has 15 employees! They are located in S. California and they make solar panels like Solyndra. Their stock was over $100 per share in 2007 and went down to $8.00 and yet our government gave them a loan. How fast can Sun Power go through and launder $1.2 billion?
In comparison, Solyndra received a measly $537 MILLION.
The head of the EPA, Stephen Chu, an academic…pretended he was a hedge fund manager and was picking and choosing Alternative energy companies to fund with taxpayer cash. Instead of picking winners in the proven fossil fuel industries, he made some major errors, and I hope he goes to jail along with the other guys that were pushing the winners. (I think Spinner or a name like that was also responsible.) The Green Buck stops there!
Papoose | October 13, 2011 at 6:46 am | Reply
rumor has it that jopps went to Mexico in this case
Miri | October 13, 2011 at 10:06 am | Reply
It makes the measly $5.5 million that I read they’re giving to some scientists to develop a biofuel (from some plant related to canola) look like chicken feed. But when I read about that grant, I thought: Even IF from plants, doesn’t it produce CO2? If so, then WHY are they funding “evil” biofuels? The only difference between fossil fuels and biofuels is time.
It’s time for ALL this to STOP. All of it. Free market. NO government subsidies from money STOLEN out of the wallets of the middle class. Taken by the elites and handed off to be wasted by them on their ridiculous schemes.
In the Obamanation, it was always meant to be wasted. Alternative energy is like global warming. Just an EXCUSE to bankrupt the USA and redistribute her wealth to others.
It’s all good for Obama. He doesn’t care what they do with the money. So long as it goes out of the federal coffers and helps sink our government. Alinsky all the way.
Miri | October 13, 2011 at 2:09 pm | Reply
Another payout to another connected person. Relative of PODESTA. Also a connection to the site of Poopstock and the mayor of NYC:
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=354433
“The sister-in-law of John Podesta, President Obama’s influential White House transition director, served as the lobbyist for a wind power firm that was just awarded a $135.8 million loan guarantee from the Department of Energy.
The company is Brookfield Asset Management. It boasts a board of nine directors, including New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s long-term girlfriend.
The Energy Department’s promise to Brookfield marks the latest in controversial massive alternative energy loans to companies with strong ties to the Obama White House and to top Democrat lawmakers. … Heather Podesta and her husband this past July topped the FEC’s lobbyist bundler database, raising more money in the six months prior than any other lobbyist by far. Their fund raising was largely for Democrats.
According to White House visitor logs, Heather Podesta visited the White House eight times in Obama’s first six months alone.
Brookfield, meanwhile, is a Toronto, Ontario-based asset management company that manages a global portfolio of assets valued at over $120 billion. The firm’s assets include not only renewable power generation but also real estate, including some of Manhattan’s most famous skyline buildings.
Brookfield also happens to own Zuccotti Park, the park where the Occupy Wall Street protesters are currently holed up. The protesters have reportedly been making a mess of the park, which is named after Brookfield’s co-chairman, John Zuccotti.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Brookfield wanted the protesters removed, but Bloomberg’s New York Police Department urged the private company to allow the protests to stay in the park. … Earlier this week, WND was first to report that Mayor Bloomberg’s long-term girlfriend, Dianna L. Taylor, serves as one of nine members of Brookfield’s board of directors.”
http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/article/solyndra-funder-kaiser-paid-zero-taxes-years
Solyndra’s Kaiser is a tax scofflaw, too, just like Buffet.
Miri | October 14, 2011 at 12:51 pm | Reply
Solyndra news. Now they report that they were in line to get a NAVY contract, too. Reminds me of Ndesandjo’s connections. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203914304576629480955162792.html
“A major investor in Solyndra LLC was instrumental in helping the troubled solar-power firm compete for a potentially lucrative U.S. Navy deal, a previously unreported connection that will likely fuel controversy surrounding the company.
WSJ’s Peter Landers has exclusive details of one of Solyndra’s investors assisting the solar-power company land a lucrative U.S. Navy contract. Solyndra was promoted to the Navy by RockPort Capital, one of the firm’s largest investors and board members, which has a seat on a Pentagon panel that helps the government find emerging technologies.
RockPort recommended Solyndra to the military, along with four other companies. In the end, the negotiations for Solyndra’s inclusion in a $1 million pilot program fell apart when the Navy learned about the company’s pending bankruptcy filing.
The role of RockPort Capital is a new twist in the Solyndra tale, which has focused largely on whether another Solyndra investor, the family foundation of billionaire George Kaiser, helped the firm secure a $535 million loan guarantee from the Department of Energy.”
Apparently they didn’t disclose their conflict of interest, although apparently they weren’t technically required to, if I read this correctly.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2011-10-14/solyndra-loan-restructuring/50769058/1
“WASHINGTON (AP) – A House hearing on a solar panel manufacturer that went broke after receiving a half-billion dollar federal loan erupted in a partisan skirmish before any witnesses had testified Friday. Rep. Henry Waxman called the hearing “a rigged proceeding.” Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee criticized Republicans for not allowing the Energy Department to testify and for blocking the release of an Energy Department memo that outlined the legal basis for its decision to restructure the $535 million loan to Solyndra.
“We are going to get only one side of the story. That’s no way to run an investigation,” said Waxman, D-Calif., a former chairman of the energy committee.
Democrats’ protests temporarily stopped the hearing. But Republicans quieted the complaints by agreeing to enter the Energy Department memo into the record and to allow the department’s officials to testify at a later hearing.
Democrats say they want “to get the facts on the table,” Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, said. “That’s what we’re trying to do.”
The hearing Friday was focused on newly released emails that show that the Treasury Department was concerned that the loan restructuring, approved earlier this year, could violate federal law.”… “Today we’re here to talk to the Treasury Department because they’re the department that actually financed the loan,” Barton said. “It’s not really a loan guarantee. And apparently they’re the department that raised a lot of red flags about it that nobody at DOE or the White House paid any attention to.”
The lawmakers cite emails showing that Mary Miller, an assistant treasury secretary, said the deal could violate the law because it put investors’ interests ahead of taxpayers. Miller told a top White House budget official that she had advised that any proposed restructuring be reviewed by the Justice Department before it was approved.
“To our knowledge that has never happened,” Miller wrote in an Aug. 17 memo to the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., called Miller’s memo “startling” and said it appears that DOE violated “the plain letter of the law” in approving the restructuring.”
Reading the rest, it appears that the Obamadministration is going to play the Clintonesque word game: It all depends upon what the meanings of “loan guarantee” and “loan compromise” are.
http://nation.foxnews.com/solyndra/2011/10/14/another-inside-man-solyndra-white-house
““I thought the White House might want to take advantage of this event to highlight a highly successful public/private partnership.”
— Obama adviser David Prend in an email to a White House aide encouraging the president to publicly embrace Solyndra, a solar-panel manufacturer that Prend’s investment firm partly owned.
The latest figure to emerge in Solyndra green-jobs scandal is David Prend, a co-founder of the Boston-based venture capital firm Rockport Capital, who used his role as a green energy adviser to the Obama administration to push for a half-billion-dollar subsidized loan for Solyndra even though his company was a major investor in the solar-panel manufacturer.
Emails obtained by congressional investigators show that Prend was perhaps the first to push for Solyndra inside the administration, touting the company in a February 2009 meeting with Carol Browner, President Obama’s former global warming and energy czar. At the time, Prend’s firm held a 7.5 percent stake in Solyndra.
Prend also pushed for Solyndra to be included in a Navy contract as part of the administration’s plan to switch the military to green energy. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Navy effort came in the spring of this year, long after it was clear that the company was kaput. The Navy seemed to be on the cusp of including Solyndra in the $1 million pilot project, but had to drop the well-connected firm as bankruptcy approached in September.
The Navy deal came after Rockport and other investors agreed to a $75 million rescue loan package to keep Solyndra afloat after the firm’s initial violation of the federal loan agreement at the end of last year.
The other inside man on the Solyndra loan was Steve Spinner, a former NBC executive who became a green energy guru who helped steer energy and environmental policy for the administration starting in the 2008 transition team. Spinner pushed for Solyndra to get the loan even though his wife was the lawyer for the now defunct solar firm.
But the best friend Solyndra had was George Kaiser, whose family foundation was the largest investor in the firm. Kaiser made 16 trips to the White House between March 2009 and April 2011 to consult with officials. Kaiser, a billionaire devoted to liberal causes who donated $53,500 to Obama’s 2008 campaign and raised may times more, has said that he didn’t lobby for the government loan. But the frequent presence of such an important patron who was visibly attached to Solyndra would have been an encouragement of its own.”
Too many connected guys to keep track of. Are these wise guys or made men, do you think? They all sound like mob members, whatever the case. Or Chicago thugs. Is there a difference?
Will Obama’s BLACKberry bring him down? The sucker is refusing to turn over his blackberry messages regarding Solyndra. They are Claiming his blackberry is covered by Executive Privilege. Did he seal these communications too? No suspicion here. Is there a backup of his blackberry in case it gets accidentally stomped upon or tossed into the nearest river or ocean? He is as clean and pure as his white side. Can he along with his Blackberry be subpoened? Gosh, don’t you love the level of transparency in this corrupt government?
White House Refuses To Hand Over Obama BlackBerry Messages On Solyndra…
.. Obama won’t be sharing his BlackBerry messages with House investigators seeking communications about Solyndra, the White House told Hill Republicans on Friday.
White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler …said the investigators’ request for all internal White House communications about Solyndra — dating back to the first day of the Obama administration — “implicates long-standing and significant institutional Executive Branch confidentiality interests.”
Speaking to CNBC earlier Friday, White House chief of staff Bill Daley signaled that the GOP probably wouldn’t succeed in its request for Obama’s BlackBerry messages.
Leza | October 15, 2011 at 3:28 am | Reply
If I remember right didn’t Obama have to fight to keep his blackberry when he was selected into office?
They probably will succeed about as well as we’ve succeeded in getting his birth certificate. He will run out the clock. He will NEVER give up anything. He thinks his revolution will happen to save him and then he will be a tyrant answerable to NO ONE. (Except Soros and Michelle and Valerie.)
He has no respect for the Constitution and the LAW. He has NEVER had respect for the Constitution or the LAW. This is what happens when idiots allow a unvetted usurper with no loyalty to the USA into power. He has a Blackberry SO he never would have to let the American people know what he’s doing and so it can’t be subpoenaed. I have no idea whether any records are kept anywhere of what’s said or done via his Blackberry. They should never have allowed him to have it.
Look at how Europe is burning again. Following the “peaceful Occupy Wall Street movement,” according to the lamestream news tonight. This is what he hopes comes to the USA. This is what Al Gore LONGED FOR months ago. Even his artist is helping the Poopstockers, drawing their invitation to today’s riots. http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2011/10/shepard_fairey_occupy_wall_street.php
Don’t you love it that Al Sharpton made an appearance? I hope the idiots in the “center” who put Obama over the top in 2008 take notice. All we need now is Farrakhan and the Black Panthers.
NOW we have to be treated to the lying results of so-called polls saying that a majority of Americans AGREE with the Poopstockers. Well, if they do, it’s ONLY because the lamestream hasn’t covered the pooping on cop cars, the arrests, the riots, the drugs, the anti-semitism, the racism, the misogyny, or the bare breasts and public sex acts. Or the trash.
Obama doesn’t care what these people do; he WANTS CHAOS. They’re giving it to him.
What’s ridiculous is that in Europe, the people are rioting BECAUSE their SOCIALIST economies are collapsing because COMMUNISM AND SOCIALISM DO NOT WORK. (And neither do their people, which is the problem.)
But here, the idiots in the Poopstock “movement”, seeing the collapse of socialism in Europe, are trying to implement a SOCIALIST SYSTEM HERE! Talk about going through the looking glass.
“Ruemmler, however, argued in her letter that any GOP charges of political cronyism related to Solyndra don’t stick.
“There is nothing in the documents produced by DOE, OMB, Treasury or the White House that indicates the White House intervened in the Solyndra loan guarantee to benefit a campaign contributor,” she wrote.”
Clintonesque. OF COURSE there’s nothing in the DOCUMENTS produced because (1) they don’t hand over documents that prove what Issa knows and what WE know and (2) that’s WHY he uses the Blackberry–no trail. NOTICE she doesn’t say that the WH DIDN’T intervene. She just says there’s nothing in the documents to prove it. This is like when Hillary said there’s no “EVIDENCE” that Bill had a thing with Monica (until there WAS evidence. But she didn’t deny it; she just said there’s no EVIDENCE. So she thought.)
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/66018.html#ixzz1atUW2iWD
bridgetteb | October 15, 2011 at 1:08 am | Reply
Treasury Department officials were grilled before the US Congress. One official was asked if a loan was ever given out that put the Investors ahead of the federal government in case of default of the loan. A loan like this was never made that he knows about in his 26-27 years. None, zero.
Leza | October 19, 2011 at 6:53 pm | Reply
Busted: DOE Altered Solyndra-Related Documents
Andrew Stiles
It appears as though the Obama administration has been caught red-handed trying to cover up evidence in relation to the “green” loans programs that helped finance Solyndra. CNBC reports that a number of press releases posted by the Department of Energy have been retroactively altered to remove the name a solar company thought by many to be the next “green” failure:
The changes occurred in two press releases from the Department of Energy’s loan guarantee program — the same program that has been the center of controversy surrounding the failed solar company Solyndra.
Both were changed to remove the name of a company that has received negative press attention in recent days, SunPower, and replace it with the name of another company, NRG Energy.
In the April case, the Department of Energy loan programs office announced in a press release on April 12 “conditional commitment” to a $1.187 billion loan guarantee to support the California Valley Solar Ranch project, which it said was “sponsored by SunPower Corporation.”
But that release was later changed on one website to say the project was “sponsored by NRG Energy.” The date on the release remained “April 12, 2011.”
The name substitution is not completely random. NRG recently finalized its acquisition of the California Valley Solar Ranch project from SunPower in September. However, at the time of the press release in April, SunPower still controlled the project.
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/280715/busted-doe-altered-solyndra-related-documents-andrew-stiles
Conveniently, the clever scrubbers appear to have opted out of being archived in the WayBack Machine. That’s what I call transparency.
LightSquared refuses to release communications with White House
Brendan Sasso
Wireless company LightSquared has refused a request from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to release its communications with the White House and the Federal Communications Commission.
Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, requested the documents earlier this month to probe whether the company benefited from improper influence in its effort to secure regulatory approval. LightSquared told Grassley it would “respectfully decline” his request in a letter Wednesday night.
LightSquared plans to launch a wholesale wireless broadband service, but tests earlier this year revealed its network interferes with Global Positioning System (GPS) devices. The company is currently undergoing a new round of testing to determine if technical modifications have addressed the interference problem.
FCC officials have said they will not allow the company to move forward until the GPS issues are resolved.
Republican lawmakers began calling for an investigation of the company’s lobbying efforts after emails revealed LightSquared had communicated with senior White House aides. The administration also reportedly asked an Air Force general to change his testimony in a congressional briefing to make it more supportive of the company.
The White House and LightSquared deny any improper influence.
Cont’s @ Link
http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/188891-lightsquared-refuses-to-release-communications-with-white-house
Controversy and Congressional committee investigation
Following the collapse of Solyndra, a solar-cell company which was the beneficiary of a large government loan, Republicans in the U.S. House began looking for evidence of political malfeasance on the part of the Obama Administration related to Solyndra and other companies.
In this process they raised questions about the treatment of LightSquared. On September 20, 2011, Rep. Darrell Issa(R-California) , chair of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, announced plans to investigate government loan guarantees for private industry in light of allegations surrounding Solyndra and LightSquared.[41] Among the issues being raised is if political contributors received favorable treatment by the Obama administration. A key investor in LightSquared, Phil Falcone, is also a substantive contributor to the Democratic Party. President Barack Obama has also been identified as an early investor in LightSquared[42] Additionally, multiple media sources have reported that an Air Force General claimed that he had received political pressure to change his testimony regarding the negative effects of LightSquared technology. [43] [44]
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), ranking minority member on the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary has also asked Falcone and Sanjiv Ahuja, CEO of LightSquared, to disclose their contacts with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), White House, and other government agencies.[45]
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LightSquared
So they’re against shining LIGHT on what they do with our money. Is the next step subpoenas, either for the documents or testimony? It should be.
Did you catch this part –
President Barack Obama has also been identified as an early investor in LightSquared
Obama – making MILLIONS/BILLIONS? off American poor folk’s. pos/
I missed it! Seriously?
http://www.iwatchnews.org/2011/07/19/5253/politically-connected-lightsquared-pushes-wireless-internet-plan-despite-gps
“•Several major Democratic campaign contributors and longtime Obama supporters have held investments in the company and its affiliates during its tangled decade of existence. They include Obama’s good friend and political donor Donald Gips, his former White House personnel chief, who now serves as U.S. ambassador to South Africa. Records show that Gips maintained an interest, worth as much as $500,000, as the FCC was weighing LightSquared’s request.
•Obama himself was an early investor and came to the presidency a firm believer in expanding broadband. He remains close to other early investors, like Gips and investment manager George W. Haywood, inviting some to luxe social events at the White House and more intimate gatherings like a night of poker and beer.
•Obama installed one of his biggest fundraisers, Julius Genachowski, a campaign “bundler” and broadband cheerleader, as chairman of the FCC, whose staff granted LightSquared a special waiver to operate.
•LightSquared’s current majority owner, hedge fund manager Philip Falcone, made large donations to the Democratic Party while his broadband request was pending before the FCC. He and LightSquared executives met with White House officials. Neither Falcone nor the White House would comment on what was discussed.
•LightSquared employs lobbying firms that wield formidable Democratic firepower: Ed Rendell, former governor of Pennsylvania and onetime chair of the Democratic National Committee, as well as the firm of former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt.
•Jeffrey J. Carlisle, the company’s vice president for regulatory affairs, served with Genachowski and Gips on Obama’s transition team.”
Four pages to that story. It’s damning.
Here’s another failed energy company that we funded. I’m beginning to think that none of these were ever expected to work. That they are merely fronts for a way to swipe money from the taxpayers. To spirit it away, like happened with Gaddafi and other tinpot dictators. http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/10/another-obama-backed-green-energy-company-goes-bust/
“Another green energy company that was awarded stimulus cash for its survival went belly up this past week. The Obama Administration awarded $43 million in conditional loan guarantees from the Department of Energy to Beacon Power in June 2009. Now it’s bankrupt.
Yahoo Finance reported, via Free Republic:
Beacon Power Corp filed for bankruptcy on Sunday, just a year after the energy storage company received a $43 million loan guarantee from a controversial Department of Energy program.
The bankruptcy comes about two months after Solyndra — a solar panel maker with a $535 million loan guarantee — also filed for Chapter 11, creating a political embarrassment for the administration of President Barack Obama, which has championed the loans as a way to create “green energy” jobs.
Beacon Power drew down $39 million of its government-guaranteed loan to fund a portion of a $69 million, 20-megawatt flywheel energy storage plant in Stephentown, New York.”
Miri | November 16, 2011 at 4:44 pm | Reply
This one just figures. Who’ve thought the Kennedys were feeding at the “green energy” trough, especially with their opposition to that wind farm in sight of their posh compound? http://biggovernment.com/whall/2011/11/16/robert-kennedy-jr-s-green-company-scored-1-4-billion-taxpayer-bailout/
“President John F. Kennedy’s nephew, Robert Kennedy, Jr., netted a $1.4 billion bailout for his company, BrightSource, through a loan guarantee issued by a former employee-turned Department of Energy official.
It’s just one more in a string of eye-opening revelations by investigative journalist and Breitbart editor Peter Schweizer in his explosive new book, Throw Them All Out. The details of how BrightSource managed to land its ten-figure taxpayer bailout have yet to emerge fully. However, one clue might be found in the person of Sanjay Wagle.
Wagle was one of the principals in Kennedy’s firm who raised money for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. When Obama won the White House, Wagle was installed at the Department of Energy (DOE), advising on energy grants.
From an objective vantage point, investing taxpayer monies in BrightSource was a risky proposition at the time. In 2010, BrightSource, whose largest shareholder is Kennedy’s VantagePoint Partners, was up to its eyes in $1.8 billion of debt obligations and had lost $71.6 million on its paltry $13.5 million of revenue.
Even before BrightSource rattled its tin cup in front of Obama’s DOE, the company made it known publicly that its survival hinged on successfully completing the Ivanpah Solar Electrical System, which would become the largest solar plant in the world, on federal lands in California.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/solyndra-tried-to-influence-energy-department-e-mails-show/2011/11/16/gIQAJBDZSN_story.html?wprss=rss_homepage
A bunch of emails. AND the WH persuaded Solyndra to hold off on announcing a layoff until after the November 2010 elections! http://swampland.time.com/2011/11/16/amid-endless-solyndra-smoke-some-new-signs-of-fire/?xid=rss-topstories
Renee | January 10, 2012 at 11:34 pm | Reply
http://theulstermanreport.com/2012/01/10/bill-daley-ordered-investigation-into-obama-green-energy-loans-two-months-later-hes-gone/
An interesting tidbit found within the various media reports regarding former White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley’s rather sudden departure from the Obama White House – just two months earlier Daley had ordered a comprehensive review of all Department of Energy loan guarantees following the Solyndra scandal. Coincidence?
alfy | January 10, 2012 at 11:55 pm | Reply
One of yu has said he ordered a review, which wouldn’t mean an actual investigation. You know the Rooster guarding the hen house trick. Maybe that’s what that was.
Bridgette | January 10, 2012 at 11:51 pm | Reply
I didn’t know that he had that power to order an investigation. I thought it would be Congress or the AG’s office, but not the Chief of Staff’s responsibility.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/farmers-sue-jon-corzine-missing-millions/story?id=15321298#.Tw3Rpm9SSw4
Bridgette | January 15, 2012 at 5:46 pm | Reply
Friday night doc dump: WH knew before Solyndra workers flew
January 14, 2012 by Ed Morrissey
Two months ago, Congressional investigators discovered that the Department of Energy urged the now-defunct Solyndra in late October 2010 to delay the announcement of hundreds of layoffs to just after the midterm elections. Last night, the Obama administration conducted a Friday-night document dump in a long-awaited response to a demand for documentation on communications related to Solyndra, and it turns out that the White House knew about the layoffs in advance, too:
The Obama administration knew before the 2010 election that Solyndra LLC, a solar-panel maker that received a $535 million U.S. loan guarantee, planned to fire workers, according to e-mails released today. The messages don’t indicate that anyone from the White House directed Solyndra to delay announcing the layoffs until after the vote. Previously released e-mails, indicating the Energy Department urged Solyndra to postpone the cuts, have been cited by House Republicans who say politics influenced Solyndra’s award and last-ditch rescue bid that put taxpayers behind $75 million in private investment.
Perhaps the messages don’t indicate direction from the White House to Solyndra, but the dates on those messages certainly suggest it. This is what — and more importantly, when — an Obama adviser on climate change wrote on October 27, 2010:
“Here’s the deal — Solyndra is going to announce they are laying off 200 of their 1200 workers,”Heather Zichal, a White House adviser, wrote to Carol Browner, then director of the office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, and other officials on Oct. 27, 2010. “No es bueno.”
Here’s what transpired on the DoE/Solyndra end:
Solyndra’s chief executive warned the Energy Department on Oct. 25, 2010, that he intended to announce worker layoffs Oct. 28. He said he was spurred by numerous calls from reporters and potential investors about rumors the firm was in financial trouble and was planning to lay off workers and close one of its two plants.
But in an Oct. 30, 2010, e-mail, advisers to Solyndra’s primary investor, Argonaut Equity, explain that the Energy Department had strongly urged the company to put off the layoff announcement until Nov. 3. The midterm elections were held Nov. 2, and led to Republicans taking control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
“DOE continues to be cooperative and have indicated that they will fund the November draw on our loan (app. $40 million) but have not committed to December yet,” a Solyndra investor adviser wrote Oct. 30. “They did push very hard for us to hold our announcement of the consolidation to employees and vendors to Nov. 3rd – oddly they didn’t give a reason for that date.”
Let’s straighten out that timeline and connect a couple of dots, shall we?
1. 10/25/2010 — Solyndra CEO writes to the DoE that he will announce worker layoffs on 10/28.
2. 10/27/2010 — In the White House, climate change adviser Zichal sent out an e-mail to Obama adviser Browner and several other officials warning of a layoff announcement in very specific terms — “200 of their 1200 workers” — and added, “No es bueno,” which is Spanish for “not good.”
3. 10/28/2010 — No announcement comes forth from Solyndra on layoffs.
4. 10/30/2010 — Solyndra investor explains that the DoE “push[ed] very hard” for a delay on the announcement until November 3rd, the day after the election, even remarking that the DoE “oddly they didn’t give a reason for that date.”
One does not have to be Sherlock Holmes to see the game afoot in this sequence. The DoE alerted the White House to the “no es bueno” situation at Solyndra, which would have undermined Democratic arguments that their spending spree in 2009 created real jobs rather than unbearable risk for borrowed taxpayer funds. After the White House got alerted to the situation, suddenly the Solyndra announcement never takes place, and two days later the primary investor has to explain internally that the DoE pressured them to delay the announcement.
Something smells very badly. It’s clear that the Obama administration at some level used taxpayer funds as leverage to manipulate a private enterprise for purely electoral benefit to the President, and it seems clear that the direction to do this came from the White House. I’ll bet we have a few more Friday night document dumps to go in this scandal.
http://hotair.com/archives/2012/01/14/friday-night-doc-dump-wh-k
new-before-solyndra-workers-flew/
Greta reported this while interviewing Rep. Issa on Friday. I posted the document dump information then. In total this equals about $6.5 Billion of taxpayer funds that Obama and company have “invested” in 11 or 12 Green companies. Were they intentionally supposed to fail? Where is all of the money and can these companies account for it going out the door? Why a Friday dump? SLOW news days over the weekend and plus Monday is a holiday! Issa said his people were pouring over the documents.
Greta kept saying she couldn’t believe the incompetence! Incompetence Greta? Criminals! 11 or 12 Companies going bankrupt within 3 years??? Call in the FBI and get these thieves both at the companies and in the White House! Follow the money or lack thereof! Can we be more than outraged?
Harry Reid was the push behind Geo Thermal!
BOMBSHELL CBS REPORT: 11 More Solyndras In Obama Energy Program, 5 Going Bankrupt
Obama’s energy department didn’t stop with the failed crony company Solyndra. In total; the failing/failed ‘clean energy’ companies were collectively approved for $6.5 BILLION in federal (taxpayer) assistance.
Five have filed for bankruptcy. The junk bond rated Beacon Power, Evergreen Solar, Spectra Watt, AES (a subsidiary of ‘Eastern Energy) and of course Solyndra.
The others are not far behind; Nevada Geo Thermo (NGP) personally endorsed by Harry Reid, the recipient of $98.5 MILLION in loan guarantees, warns of multiple potential defaults, Sun Power received a $1.5 BILLION loan guarantee after a French oil company took it over, now owes more than it is worth, First Solar (the biggest S&P 500 loser in 2011) even though the CEO was forced out, taxpayers were forced to pony up $3 BILLION in loans.
CBS News takes a look at 11 more Solyndras that were part of Obama’s Energy Program (January 13, 2012).
http://libertynews.com/2012/01/15/bombshell-cbs-report-11-more-solyndras-in-obama-energy-program-5-going-bankrupt/
Bridgette | June 2, 2012 at 7:17 pm | Reply
GREEN SCAM: 80% of Green Energy Loans Went to Obama Donors – 19 Companies Went Bust (Video)
The FOX News analyst says 70% in the video but actually 80% of DOE dollars went to Obama backers. 19 of these green energy companies went bust.
And, it’s expensive. Solar power is 35¢ per kilowatt compared to coal, gas and oil that costs 5¢ per kilowatt.
Here’s a list of the green companies that have gone belly-up since receiving Obama dollars.
Heritage reported:
http://heritageaction.com/2012/05/can-president-obama-name-one-clean-energy-success/
For those who only hear about these failing companies one by one, the following is a list of all the clean energy companies supported by President Obama’s stimulus that are now failing or have filed for bankruptcy. The liberal media hopes you’ve forgotten about all of them except Solyndra, but we haven’t.
Evergreen Solar
SpectraWatt
Solyndra (received $535 million)
Beacon Power (received $43 million)
AES’ subsidiary Eastern Energy
Nevada Geothermal (received $98.5 million)
SunPower (received $1.5 billion)
First Solar (received $1.46 billion)
Babcock & Brown (an Australian company which received $178 million)
Ener1 (subsidiary EnerDel received $118.5 million)
Amonix (received 5.9 million)
The National Renewable Energy Lab
Fisker Automotive
Abound Solar (received $400 million)
Chevy Volt (taxpayers basically own GM)
Solar Trust of America
A123 Systems (received $279 million)
Willard & Kelsey Solar Group (received $6 million)
Johnson Controls (received $299 million)
Schneider Electric (received $86 million)
That’s 19 (that we know of so far). We also know that loans went to foreign clean energy companies (Fisker sent money to their overseas plant to develop an electric car), and that 80% of these loans went to President Obama’s campaign donors.
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/06/green-scam-80-of-green-energy-loans-went-to-obama-donors-19-companies-went-bust-video/
19 and counting! I can’t imagine why the press isn’t talking about these, can you? Money to burn thanks to Obama! I wonder how many jobs were created with the billions spent, and then how many were lost. Not worth reporting by the mainstream media.
Anyone with a calculator to add up the monies shown? 7 aren’t showing how much they received.
How many are being investigated?
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United States of America - Gulf of Maine Whale watching contributes to long-term monitoring of whales
History and context
The Gulf of Maine has been a popular whale watching destination since 1975 when a fishing charter company (the Dolphin Fleet) first took passengers from Provincetown, Massachusetts to the whale feeding grounds on the Stellwagen Bank. This marked the inauguration of commercial whale watching on the U.S. East Coast. Today, whale watching in the sanctuary is among New England’s most notable recreational industries1,2.
Dedicated research on whales in the Gulf of Maine also started in the 1970’s. The Center for Coastal Studies (CCS), also based in Provincetown, Massachusetts was one of the first organizations to begin researching whales in the Gulf of Maine. The Center’s whale research had its foundation in commercial whale watching, when CCS scientist, Dr. Charles “Stormy” Mayo, joined the first trips by the Dolphin Fleet. CCS placed staff on the whale watching vessels to collect data for its research and to simultaneously serve as naturalist guides, enriching tourists’ experiences1. Other groups followed suit, resulting in a rich partnership of research, education and industry throughout the region. A data collection methodology was distributed in the 1980s, and a multi-decade community whale-naming process was established to ensure consistent and effective communication about individual whales.
Many NGOs and whale researchers in the Gulf of Maine have since depended on whale watching data to conduct their work over the past four decades, with some strong, collaborative relationships supporting whale research and conservation. While many different methods are used by researchers to study whales, photo-identification of individual whales is one of the cornerstones that underpins many other aspects of research. Individual humpback whales are recognizable over time by the unique colouration on the underside of their tail flukes as well as the serrations on the trailing edges of their flukes and permanent scarring and notches on their dorsal fins3. The Gulf of Maine Humpback Whale Catalog contains photos documenting each time that an individual whale was encountered, accompanied by detailed information for each individual, including age, sex, relatedness to other whales, number of offspring, observed behavior, distribution of sighting locations and evidence for human impacts (e.g. scarring or entanglement events). Today the catalog includes photographs of approximately 3,000 individuals seen at least once since the 1970s. An estimated 25% of photographs in the catalogue have been contributed by whale watch collaborators. The North Atlantic Humpback Whale Catalog (NAHWC), curated by Allied Whale, College of the Atlantic, facilitates studies of humpback whales across all of the feeding and breeding grounds in the North Atlantic. It also receives significant contributions from whale watching effort in the Gulf of Maine, often through collaborating NGOs. For example, the NGO Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) contributes photos to both catalogs from its activities and its partnerships with whale watch operators in the Gulf of Maine.
Over the years, whale watching data shared with scientists have contributed to over 75 peer-reviewed papers on aspects of their biology and life history4, including some of the first information on frequency of calving and reproduction5,6; site fidelity and timing of annual arrival on the feeding grounds7; distribution and habitat choice8,9; and stock identity and movements between feeding and breeding grounds10-12. Sightings data from whale watching platforms helped to identify Stellwagen Bank as an important area for whales and served as a foundation for its designation as a National Marine Sanctuary. Whale watch data were also among those used by managers of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary to justify the re-routing of shipping traffic away from the highest areas of whale density13 in an effort to better protect endangered right whales. Whale watching data have provided insights into human impacts from aboriginal whaling14, entanglement in fishing gear15-17 and ship strikes16,18. Whale watching vessels have often also been the first to alert researchers and authorities to whale entanglements or carcasses, allowing research and response teams to be mobilized for action19. Data contributed from whale watching were also used in a study by the Whale Center of New England that examined whether whale watching has had a negative impact on calving and survival rates of humpback whales in the Gulf of Maine (the authors concluded that it had not)20. Even directed field studies, including those that use more ‘sophisticated’ methods to understand whale biology and movements, such as genetic analysis21-23 and molecular aging24,25 have benefited from contributions from whale watching platforms that provide insight into the life history and sighting locations of individual whales. The more complete the sighting histories are for each individual (e.g. the more photographs there are showing where that individual was at various times in its life), the more meaningful results from other studies become.
Whale watching vessel in the Gulf of Maine with humpback whale tail fluke in the foreground. Photo courtesy Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC).
Examples of humpback whale tail fluke photographs used to identify and recognise individual whales over time. (photos courtesy of the Center for Coastal Studies)
A guide shows passengers a piece of baleen during a whale watching tour in the Gulf of Maine. Photo courtesy of Whale and Dolphin Conservation.
Management and facilitation of research contributions
The growth of the whale watching industry in partnership with research and conservation efforts in the Gulf of Maine has led a high proportion of tours to host naturalist guides to ensure that they include an educational element, and data collection programs in support of science and conservation. However, as one of the most popular whale watching sites in the world, the sheer volume of tours taking place during the busy summer season can lead to crowding and calls for robust management measures.
The US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued guidelines for whale watching in the Greater Atlantic Region. These voluntary guidelines include approach guidelines and diagrams. They apply to all large whales except Endangered North Atlantic right whales, for which separate Right Whale Approach Regulations have been designed with a legally enforced minimum approach distance of 500 yards (approx. 450 m).
To supplement these measures, in 2009, NOAA Fisheries Service Protected Resources Division, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) and the Studds-Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary launched “Whale Sense” to promote responsible whale watching. Whale SENSE is a voluntary education and recognition program offered to commercial whale watching companies in the U.S. Atlantic and Alaska Regions.
Participating companies agree to:
Stick to the regional whale watching guidelines.
Educate naturalists, captains, and passengers to have SENSE while watching whales.
Notify appropriate networks of whales in distress.
Set an example for other boaters.
Encourage ocean stewardship.
Upon successful completion of training and evaluation, Whale SENSE businesses receive materials identifying them as active Whale SENSE participants featuring the Whale SENSE logo and the calendar year in which they have been certified. This label helps tourists to select responsible tour operators, and gives participating businesses a way to help market their tours.
Approach diagram taken from the NOAA Greater Atlantic Region whale watching guidelines: https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/protected/mmp/viewing/approaching/index.html
NOAA regulations for North Atlantic right whales
NOAA regulatinos for the Greater Atlantic Region
Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Whale Sense
Whale and Dolphin Conservation
The Center for Coastal Studies
The development of whale watching in the Gulf of Maine has served as a positive model for many whale watching industries around the world1 and has been featured in many global reviews of whale watching2,26. Indeed it has many positive lessons to be shared, but also a few caveats related to different aspects of the industry:
Contributions to science and conservation: The experience in the Gulf of Maine (as well as other Whale watching locations like the Antarctic and The Canary Islands) has shown that data collected from whale watching platforms can make significant contributions to the understanding and conservation of whale populations4,27. Most types of whale research are more effectively conducted from dedicated research vessels that can design field research to address questions in a methodical manner. In dedicated efforts, research questions, rather than the pressure to please tourists, determine which whales they will approach and how long they will spend with them. Many types of research, such as biopsy sampling, satellite tagging, or prey sampling are not suitable to combine with whale watching operations, as they require research permits from NOAA, precise and tailored vessel approaches, bulky specialist equipment, and/or extended time following individual whales27. However, running dedicated research vessels is expensive and time consuming. Whale watching vessels collectively spend more time on the water and run trips with greater frequency than any research vessel could hope to over a particular season. With training, a GPS, and suitable cameras with good zoom lenses, guides and (in some parts of the world) tourists on whale watching vessels can collect data that can be shared with scientists to make valuable contributions to photo-identification studies and the long-term monitoring of whale populations.
Whale watching as an opportunity for education: The intertwined development of whale research and conservation organisations and whale watching operators in the Gulf of Maine has led to some of the best examples of on-board education available in the industry. Most of the whale watching operators in the Gulf of Maine have naturalists guiding boats and lecturing whale watchers1, and naturalists working in this area have developed comprehensive guides to on-board education28 that can serve as a resource to others.
Regulation of whale watching: The NOAA approach guidelines as well as those promoted through the Whale SENSE programme are voluntary (with the exception of the legally enforced approach limits for Endangered North Atlantic right whales). A study conducted in 2003-2004 (five years before Whale SENSE was launched) documented high levels of non-compliance with these guidelines, with most operators violating speed and/or approach guidelines during an average of 78% of observed encounters29. The authors concluded that voluntary guidelines were not effective for protecting whales from potential impacts of whale watching activities in the Gulf of Maine. This is a sobering conclusion, as the authors point out that many factors - including the operators’ long history of collaboration with research and conservation efforts and their positive attitude toward protection of the whales – would have led one to believe that voluntary regulations should be effective in this setting29.
Whale Sense website
Guide on a whale watching tour in the Gulf of Maine talking to passengers about conservation issues. Photo courtesy of Whale and Dolphin Conservation
Hoyt, E. in Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals (eds W. Perrin, B. Wursig, & J.G.M. Thewissen) 1223-1227 (Elsevier, 2009).
O’Connor, S., Campbell, R., Cortez, H. & Knowles, T. Whale Watching Worldwide: tourism numbers, expenditures and expanding economic benefits. 1-295 (International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth MA, USA, 2009).
Katona, S. K. & Whitehead, H. Identifying Humpback Whales Using their Natural Markings. Polar Record 20, 439-444 (1981).
Robbins, J. A review of scientific contributions from commercial whale watching platforms. Report presented to the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission SC/52/WW9, 10 (2000).
Clapham, P. J. Age at attainment of sexual maturity in humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae. Canadian Journal of Zoology 70, 1470-1472 (1992).
Clapham, P. J. & Mayo, C. A. Reproduction of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) observed in the Gulf of Maine 171-175 (1990).
Clapham, P. J. et al. Seasonal occurrence and annual return of humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, in the southern Gulf of Maine Canadian Journal of Zoology 71 440-443 (1992).
Weinrich, M. Early experience in habitat choice by humpback Wales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Journal of Mammology 79, 163-170 (1998).
Weinrich, M., Martin, M., Griffiths, R., Bove, J. & Schilling, M. A shift in distribution of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in response to prey in the southern Gulf of Maine. Fishery Bulletin 95, 826-836 (1997).
Clapham, P. et al. Abundance and demographic parameters of humpback whales from the Gulf of Maine, and stock definition relative to the Scotian Shelf. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 5, 13-22 (2003).
Barco, S. G. et al. Population identity of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the waters of the US mid-Atlantic states. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 4, 135-142 (2002).
Katona, S. K. & Beard, J. A. Population size, migrations and feeding aggregations of the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the western North Atlantic Ocean. Report of the International Whaling Commission (Special Issue 12), 295-306 (1990).
Sanctuary, S. B. N. M. Shifting the Boston Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS), 2017).
Robbins, J., Allen, J., Clapham, P. & Mattila, D. Stock identity of a humpback whale taken in a southeastern Caribbean hunt. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 8, 29 (2006).
Knowlton, A. R. et al. Effects of fishing rope strength on the severity of large whale entanglements. Conservation Biology, n/a-n/a, doi:10.1111/cobi.12590 (2015).
Henry, A. G. et al. Serious Injury and Mortality Determinations for Baleen Whale Stocks along the Gulf of Mexico, United States East Coast, and Atlantic Canadian Provinces, 2010-2014. Northeast Fisheries Science Center Reference Documents https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/pub..., 1-57 (2016).
Robbins, J. Scar-based inference into Gulf of Maine humpback whale entanglement: 2010. Report to the National Marine Fisheries Service. Order number EA133F09CN0253 (2012).
Hill, A. N. et al. Vessel collision injuries on live humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, in the southern Gulf of Maine. Marine Mammal Science 33, 558-573, doi:10.1111/mms.12386 (2017).
Robbins, J., Kenney, J., Landry, S., Lyman, E. & Mattila, D. in Report to the Scientific Committee of the 59th meeting of the International Whaling Commission Anchorage Alaska, USA. Report number SC/59/BC2.
Weinrich, M. & Corbelli, C. Does whale watching in Southern New England impact humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) calf production or calf survival. Biological Conservation 142, 2931–2940 (2009).
Clapham, P. J. & Palsboll, P. J. Molecular analysis of paternity shows promiscuous mating in female humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae, Borowski). Proceedings: Biological Sciences 264 (1997).
Rosenbaum, H. C. The effect of differential reproductive success on population genetic structure: correlations of life history with matrilines in Humpback Whales of the Gulf of Maine The Journal of Heredity 93 389-399 (2002).
Rew, M. B., Robbins, J., Mattila, D., Palsbøll, P. J. & Bérubé, M. How many genetic markers to tag an individual? An empirical assessment of false matching rates among close relatives. Ecological Applications 21, 877-887, doi:10.1890/10-0348.1 (2011).
Herman, D. P. et al. Age determination of humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae through blubber fatty acid compositions of biopsy samples. Marine Ecology Progress Series 192, 277–293 (2009).
Polanowski, A. M., Robbins, J., Chandler, D. & Jarman, S. N. Epigenetic estimation of age in humpback whales. Molecular Ecology Resources 14, 976-987, doi:10.1111/1755-0998.12247 (2014).
Hoyt, E. Whale Watching 2001: Worldwide tourism numbers, expenditures and expanding socioeconomic benefits. 1-256 (International Fund For Animal Welfare, London, 2001).
Robbins, J. & Mattila, D. The use of commercial whalewatching platforms in the study of cetaceans: benefits and limitations. . Report presented to the meeting of the Conservation Committee of the International Whaling Commission SC/52/WW8, 7 (2000).
Johnson, G. & McInnis, C. in Whale-watching: Sustainable tourism and ecological management (eds James Higham, Lars Bejder, & Rob Williams) Ch. 10, 128-145 (Cambridge University Press, 2014).
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Robert Reich: Why America's Economy Is an Utter Disaster /
Robert Reich: Why America's Economy Is an Utter Disaster
For the past quarter-century—at least since Bob Kuttner, Paul Starr, and I founded The American Prospect—I’ve offered in articles, books, and lectures an explanation for why average working people in advanced nations like the United States have failed to gain ground and are under increasing economic stress: Put simply, globalization and technological change have made most of us less competitive. The tasks we used to do can now be done more cheaply by lower-paid workers abroad or by computer-driven machines.
My solution—and I’m hardly alone in suggesting this—has been an activist government that raises taxes on the wealthy, invests the proceeds in excellent schools and other means people need to become more productive, and redistributes to the needy. These recommendations have been vigorously opposed by those who believe the economy will function better for everyone if government is smaller and if taxes and redistributions are curtailed.
While the explanation I offered a quarter-century ago for what has happened is still relevant—indeed, it has become the standard, widely accepted explanation—I’ve come to believe it overlooks a critically important phenomenon: the increasing concentration of political power in a corporate and financial elite that has been able to influence the rules by which the economy runs. And the governmental solutions I have propounded, while I believe them still useful, are in some ways beside the point because they take insufficient account of the government’s more basic role in setting the rules of the economic game.
Worse yet, the ensuing debate over the merits of the “free market” versus an activist government has diverted attention from how the market has come to be organized differently from the way it was a half-century ago, why its current organization is failing to deliver the widely shared prosperity it delivered then, and what the basic rules of the market should be. It has allowed America to cling to the meritocratic tautology that individuals are paid what they’re “worth” in the market, without examining the legal and political institutions that define the market. The tautology is easily confused for a moral claim that people deserve what they are paid. Yet this claim has meaning only if the legal and political institutions defining the market are morally justifiable.
Most fundamentally, the standard explanation for what has happened ignores power. As such, it lures the unsuspecting into thinking nothing can or should be done to alter what people are paid because the market has decreed it.
The standard explanation has allowed some to argue, for example, that the median wage of the bottom 90 percent—which for the first 30 years after World War II rose in tandem with productivity—has stagnated for the last 30 years, even as productivity has continued to rise, because middle-income workers are worth less than they were before new software technologies and globalization made many of their old jobs redundant. They therefore have to settle for lower wages and less security. If they want better jobs, they need more education and better skills. So hath the market decreed.
Yet this market view cannot be the whole story because it fails to account for much of what we have experienced. For one thing, it doesn’t clarify why the transformation occurred so suddenly. The divergence between productivity gains and the median wage began in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and then took off. Yet globalization and technological change did not suddenly arrive at America’s doorstep in those years. What else began happening then?
Nor can the standard explanation account for why other advanced economies facing similar forces of globalization and technological change did not succumb to them as readily as the United States. By 2011, the median income in Germany, for example, was rising faster than it was in the United States, and Germany’s richest 1 percent took home about 11 percent of total income, before taxes, while America’s richest 1 percent took home more than 17 percent. Why have globalization and technological change widened inequality in the United States to a much greater degree?
Nor can the standard explanation account for why the compensation packages of the top executives of big companies soared from an average of 20 times that of the typical worker 40 years ago to almost 300 times. Or why the denizens of Wall Street, who in the 1950s and 1960s earned comparatively modest sums, are now paid tens or hundreds of millions annually. Are they really “worth” that much more now than they were worth then?
Finally and perhaps most significantly, the market explanation cannot account for the decline in wages of recent college graduates. If the market explanation were accurate, college graduates would command higher wages in line with their greater productivity. After all, a college education was supposed to boost personal incomes and maintain American prosperity.
To be sure, young people with college degrees have continued to do better than people without them. In 2013, Americans with four-year college degrees earned 98 percent more per hour on average than people without a college degree. That was a bigger advantage than the 89 percent premium that college graduates earned relative to non-graduates five years before, and the 64 percent advantage they held in the early 1980s.
But since 2000, the real average hourly wages of young college graduates have dropped. (See chart below.) The entry-level wages of female college graduates have dropped by more than 8 percent, and male graduates by more than 6.5 percent. To state it another way, while a college education has become a prerequisite for joining the middle class, it is no longer a sure means for gaining ground once admitted to it. That’s largely because the middle class’s share of the total economic pie continues to shrink, while the share going to the top continues to grow.
Data are for college graduates ages 21-24 who do not have an advanced degree and are not enrolled in further schooling. Shaded areas denote recessions. Data for 2014 represent 12-month average from April 2013-March 2014.
A deeper understanding of what has happened to American incomes over the last 25 years requires an examination of changes in the organization of the market. These changes stem from a dramatic increase in the political power of large corporations and Wall Street to change the rules of the market in ways that have enhanced their profitability, while reducing the share of economic gains going to the majority of Americans.
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This transformation has amounted to a redistribution upward, but not as “redistribution” is normally defined. The government did not tax the middle class and poor and transfer a portion of their incomes to the rich. The government undertook the upward redistribution by altering the rules of the game.
Intellectual property rights—patents, trademarks, and copyrights—have been enlarged and extended, for example. This has created windfalls for pharmaceuticals, high tech, biotechnology, and many entertainment companies, which now preserve their monopolies longer than ever. It has also meant high prices for average consumers, including the highest pharmaceutical costs of any advanced nation.
At the same time, antitrust laws have been relaxed for corporations with significant market power. This has meant large profits for Monsanto, which sets the prices for most of the nation’s seed corn; for a handful of companies with significant market power over network portals and platforms (Amazon, Facebook, and Google); for cable companies facing little or no broadband competition (Comcast, Time Warner, AT&T, Verizon); and for the largest Wall Street banks, among others. And as with intellectual property rights, this market power has simultaneously raised prices and reduced services available to average Americans. (Americans have the most expensive and slowest broadband of any industrialized nation, for example.)
Financial laws and regulations instituted in the wake of the Great Crash of 1929 and the consequential Great Depression have been abandoned—restrictions on interstate banking, on the intermingling of investment and commercial banking, and on banks becoming publicly held corporations, for example—thereby allowing the largest Wall Street banks to acquire unprecedented influence over the economy. The growth of the financial sector, in turn, spawned junk-bond financing, unfriendly takeovers, private equity and “activist” investing, and the notion that corporations exist solely to maximize shareholder value.
Bankruptcy laws have been loosened for large corporations—notably airlines and automobile manufacturers—allowing them to abrogate labor contracts, threaten closures unless they receive wage concessions, and leave workers and communities stranded. Notably, bankruptcy has not been extended to homeowners who are burdened by mortgage debt and owe more on their homes than the homes are worth, or to graduates laden with student debt. Meanwhile, the largest banks and auto manufacturers were bailed out in the downturn of 2008–2009. The result has been to shift the risks of economic failure onto the backs of average working people and taxpayers.
Contract laws have been altered to require mandatory arbitration before private judges selected by big corporations. Securities laws have been relaxed to allow insider trading of confidential information. CEOs have used stock buybacks to boost share prices when they cash in their own stock options. Tax laws have created loopholes for the partners of hedge funds and private-equity funds, special favors for the oil and gas industry, lower marginal income-tax rates on the highest incomes, and reduced estate taxes on great wealth.
All these instances represent distributions upward—toward big corporations and financial firms, and their executives and shareholders—and away from average working people.
Meanwhile, corporate executives and Wall Street managers and traders have done everything possible to prevent the wages of most workers from rising in tandem with productivity gains, in order that more of the gains go instead toward corporate profits. Higher corporate profits have meant higher returns for shareholders and, directly and indirectly, for the executives and bankers themselves.
Workers worried about keeping their jobs have been compelled to accept this transformation without fully understanding its political roots. For example, some of their economic insecurity has been the direct consequence of trade agreements that have encouraged American companies to outsource jobs abroad. Since all nations’ markets reflect political decisions about how they are organized, so-called “free trade” agreements entail complex negotiations about how different market systems are to be integrated. The most important aspects of such negotiations concern intellectual property, financial assets, and labor. The first two of these interests have gained stronger protection in such agreements, at the insistence of big U.S. corporations and Wall Street. The latter—the interests of average working Americans in protecting the value of their labor—have gained less protection, because the voices of working people have been muted.
Rising job insecurity can also be traced to high levels of unemployment. Here, too, government policies have played a significant role. The Great Recession, whose proximate causes were the bursting of housing and debt bubbles brought on by the deregulation of Wall Street, hurled millions of Americans out of work. Then, starting in 2010, Congress opted for austerity because it was more interested in reducing budget deficits than in stimulating the economy and reducing unemployment. The resulting joblessness undermined the bargaining power of average workers and translated into stagnant or declining wages.
Some insecurity has been the result of shredded safety nets and disappearing labor protections. Public policies that emerged during the New Deal and World War II had placed most economic risks squarely on large corporations through strong employment contracts, along with Social Security, workers’ compensation, 40-hour workweeks with time-and-a-half for overtime, and employer-provided health benefits (wartime price controls encouraged such tax-free benefits as substitutes for wage increases). But in the wake of the junk-bond and takeover mania of the 1980s, economic risks were shifted to workers. Corporate executives did whatever they could to reduce payrolls—outsource abroad, install labor-replacing technologies, and utilize part-time and contract workers. A new set of laws and regulations facilitated this transformation.
As a result, economic insecurity became baked into employment. Full-time workers who had put in decades with a company often found themselves without a job overnight—with no severance pay, no help finding another job, and no health insurance. Even before the crash of 2008, the Panel Study of Income Dynamics at the University of Michigan found that over any given two-year stretch in the two preceding decades, about half of all families experienced some decline in income.
Today, nearly one out of every five working Americans is in a part-time job. Many are consultants, freelancers, and independent contractors. Two-thirds are living paycheck to paycheck. And employment benefits have shriveled. The portion of workers with any pension connected to their job has fallen from just over half in 1979 to under 35 percent today. In MetLife’s 2014 survey of employees, 40 percent anticipated that their employers would reduce benefits even further.
The prevailing insecurity is also a consequence of the demise of labor unions. Fifty years ago, when General Motors was the largest employer in America, the typical GM worker earned $35 an hour in today’s dollars. By 2014, America’s largest employer was Walmart, and the typical entry-level Walmart worker earned about $9 an hour.
This does not mean the typical GM employee a half-century ago was “worth” four times what the typical Walmart employee in 2014 was worth. The GM worker was not better educated or motivated than the Walmart worker. The real difference was that GM workers a half-century ago had a strong union behind them that summoned the collective bargaining power of all autoworkers to get a substantial share of company revenues for its members. And because more than a third of workers across America belonged to a labor union, the bargains those unions struck with employers raised the wages and benefits of non-unionized workers as well. Non-union firms knew they would be unionized if they did not come close to matching the union contracts.
Today’s Walmart workers do not have a union to negotiate a better deal. They are on their own. And because less than 7 percent of today’s private-sector workers are unionized, most employers across America do not have to match union contracts. This puts unionized firms at a competitive disadvantage. Public policies have enabled and encouraged this fundamental change. More states have adopted so-called “right-to-work” laws. The National Labor Relations Board, understaffed and overburdened, has barely enforced collective bargaining. When workers have been harassed or fired for seeking to start a union, the board rewards them back pay—a mere slap on the wrist of corporations that have violated the law. The result has been a race to the bottom.
Given these changes in the organization of the market, it is not surprising that corporate profits have increased as a portion of the total economy, while wages have declined. (See charts above.) Those whose income derives directly or indirectly from profits—corporate executives, Wall Street traders, and shareholders—have done exceedingly well. Those dependent primarily on wages have not.
The underlying problem, then, is not that most Americans are “worth” less in the market than they had been, or that they have been living beyond their means. Nor is it that they lack enough education to be sufficiently productive. The more basic problem is that the market itself has become tilted ever more in the direction of moneyed interests that have exerted disproportionate influence over it, while average workers have steadily lost bargaining power—both economic and political—to receive as large a portion of the economy’s gains as they commanded in the first three decades after World War II. As a result, their means have not kept up with what the economy could otherwise provide them. To attribute this to the impersonal workings of the “free market” is to disregard the power of large corporations and the financial sector, which have received a steadily larger share of economic gains as a result of that power. As their gains have continued to accumulate, so has their power to accumulate even more.
Under these circumstances, education is no panacea. Reversing the scourge of widening inequality requires reversing the upward distributions within the rules of the market, and giving workers the bargaining leverage they need to get a larger share of the gains from growth. Yet neither will be possible as long as large corporations and Wall Street have the power to prevent such a restructuring. And as they, and the executives and managers who run them, continue to collect the lion’s share of the income and wealth generated by the economy, their influence over the politicians, administrators, and judges who determine the rules of the game may be expected to grow.
The answer to this conundrum is not found in economics. It is found in politics. The changes in the organization of the economy have been reinforcing and cumulative: As more of the nation’s income flows to large corporations and Wall Street and to those whose earnings and wealth derive directly from them, the greater is their political influence over the rules of the market, which in turn enlarges their share of total income. The more dependent politicians become on their financial favors, the greater is the willingness of such politicians and their appointees to reorganize the market to the benefit of these moneyed interests. The weaker unions and other traditional sources of countervailing power become economically, the less able they are to exert political influence over the rules of the market, which causes the playing field to tilt even further against average workers and the poor.
Ultimately, the trend toward widening inequality in America, as elsewhere, can be reversed only if the vast majority, whose incomes have stagnated and whose wealth has failed to increase, join together to demand fundamental change. The most important political competition over the next decades will not be between the right and left, or between Republicans and Democrats. It will be between a majority of Americans who have been losing ground, and an economic elite that refuses to recognize or respond to its growing distress.
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Huge Number of Suicide Attempts Force Canadian Indigenous Community to Declare State of Emergency /
Huge Number of Suicide Attempts Force Canadian Indigenous Community to Declare State of Emergency
Marlena Fitzpatrick GarcÃa
The chief and council for the Attawapiskat First Nation—"People of the parting of the rocks" from the Swampy Cree (Omushkegowuk) language on remote James Bay, Canada—have declared a state of emergency due to the overwhelming number of attempted suicides in the community of only 2,000 indigenous people. The Cree community has been experiencing a spike of suicide attempts over the past eight months -- over 100 members, of all ages, have tried to take their own lives. 28 attempts were in March alone.
The Candian Broadcasting Company reports that amongst the dozens of suicide attempts, the youngest person was 11 years old, while the oldest was 71. One person died last September. Many First Nation people struggle with depression, high unemployment and drug abuse.
"We don't have access to what everyone else has in the rest of the country," Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson said. "Whether it be access to jobs, access to good education, access to ... the nicer things in life. We feel left out."
Attawapiskat First Nation's Chief Bruce Shisheesh told the CBC, "I have relatives that have attempted to take their own lives ... cousins, friends." He believes the attempts are linked to issues including overcrowding, bullying, addiction and the continuing impact of residential schools. "These people are feeling the pain," he says.
Crisis mental health workers stationed within the community are "burned out," the community council's Deputy Grand Chief Rebecca Friday added.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reacted to the news Sunday, calling the announcement "heartbreaking."
He promised to, "improve living conditions for all Indigenous peoples" in a tweet.
The news from Attawapiskat is heartbreaking. We'll continue to work to improve living conditions for all Indigenous peoples.
— Justin Trudeau (@Justin Trudeau)1460331418.0
Les nouvelles d'Attawapiskat me brisent le cœur. Nous continuerons de chercher à améliorer les conditions de vie de tous les Autochtones.
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The COVID-19 Pandemic Is Forcing Millennial Mothers Out of the Workforce
By Rasheed Malik and Taryn Morrissey August 12, 2020, 5:00 am
Millennials—the generational cohort born between 1981 and 1996—are now the largest generation in the U.S. labor force. Yet they have also earned the dubious distinction of experiencing two once-in-a-lifetime economic catastrophes before the oldest have even turned 40 years old. Consequently, the coronavirus pandemic is stretching Millennial parents to the breaking point and may set maternal labor force participation back decades.*
A new Center for American Progress analysis of the Household Pulse Survey finds that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Millennial mothers are nearly three times more likely than Millennial fathers to report being unable to work due to a school or child care closure. Indeed, Millennial men have largely embraced gender equality when it comes to paid work, but research has found that these attitudes rarely extend to child care responsibilities. Today’s heterosexual couples may aspire to more egalitarian parenting and housework, as evidenced by women becoming a majority of the paid labor force for the first time in nearly a decade in December 2019. The data, however, tell a different story, as women are often responsible for a much greater share of child care and household labor. Meanwhile, 80 percent of the 11 million single-parent families are headed by women.
The relatively meager work-family policies in the United States translate to an underresourced child care system and no guaranteed federal paid family and medical leave. While the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided funding for businesses to extend paid sick and caregiving leave to their workers, lobbyists for big business inserted exemptions that, among other things, excluded all workers in businesses with more than 500 employees from such paid leave provisions. As they have for generations, women have shouldered most of the unpaid domestic work, even as their roles as financial breadwinners have grown. Indeed, more than 60 percent of mothers are now the sole or co-breadwinners of their household.
Decades of federal inaction have resulted in a market-based approach to the problem, placing the burden on families to finance a child care system. This has merely resulted in greater gender, economic, and racial inequities. Meanwhile, early childhood educators—who are disproportionately women and specifically women of color—have been systematically underpaid and undervalued in the accounting of economic productivity, perpetuating a history of misogyny and racism that has long characterized U.S. domestic economic policy.
Unfortunately, as a result, Americans have internalized the notion that child care is a personal problem—or even a personal failure on the part of working mothers. In truth, however, the lack of affordable child care is a structural macroeconomic problem that policymakers have ignored for far too long; their choices and priorities may now push millions of working mothers into unemployment as the child care system faces a pandemic-induced existential threat.
The pandemic is exacerbating gender disparities in child care and employment
In March 2020, when schools and child care programs were forced to close amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Millennial parents braced for what many thought would be a few weeks of home quarantine. Several months into the pandemic, however, some parents must continue to balance working from home while also caring for and home-schooling their children. Many others have been forced to cut back on expenses due to unemployment and fewer job openings. Meanwhile, essential workers—who are disproportionately women of color—are struggling to find child care that is safe for their children and families.
In the new reality of the coronavirus pandemic, a growing body of evidence shows that mothers are assuming the lion’s share of housework, child care, and home schooling responsibilities. This analysis uses data from the Household Pulse Survey, which was rapidly developed and implemented by the U.S. Census Bureau to track the social and economic effects of COVID-19 on households. This weekly survey, covering the months of April through July 2020, asks respondents to identify the main reason they did not work the previous week. As seen in Figure 1, more than one-third of nonworking Millennial mothers reported “caring for children not in school or [child] care” as their main reason for not working. In contrast, Millennial fathers were nearly three times less likely to cite child care as their main reason for not working.
Starting in April, the share of mothers and fathers citing child care closures as the main reason for not working began to increase, reaching a peak of 38 percent for Millennial mothers in late June and early July before declining slightly in mid-to-late July. Nonetheless, there are still far more Millennial mothers not working due to child care and school closures than there were in April.
These data show that child care responsibilities are having a negative impact on Millennial mothers’ attachment to the labor force—and this problem seems to have only gotten worse with the pandemic stretching into summer. Over the long term, these impacts are likely to compound. Research has shown that women’s lifetime earnings are significantly affected when they leave the workforce for even a couple of years, exacerbating the gender earnings gap.
Betsey Stevenson, the former chief economist for the U.S. Department of Labor, recently stated: “The impact of the child care crisis on women’s outcomes is going to be felt over the next decade.” While this is undoubtedly true, federal policymakers can mitigate the crisis by investing in the child care industry and providing workers with access to paid leave in order to support working families and maternal employment. For example, a significant stabilization fund would prevent the United States from permanently losing as many as 4.5 million licensed child care slots over the next several months. Working parents also need access to paid sick days and paid family and medical leave so that they are able to take time off work to care for a child, care for a sick loved one, or recover their own health without losing a paycheck or their job.
Without robust child care infrastructure or comprehensive paid leave for all, the gender gaps in employment, domestic caregiving, and lifetime wages will widen to levels last seen decades ago. Congress must act swiftly to ensure that thousands of child care businesses do not close permanently over the coming weeks and months. Millennial mothers are the backbone of the U.S. economy, but they are weathering more economic turmoil than they have in previous generations. Failing them now in their hour of need would have devastating effects on the economy for generations to come.
Rasheed Malik is a senior policy analyst for Early Childhood Policy at the Center for American Progress. Taryn Morrissey is a senior fellow at the Center.
*Authors’ note: Millennial parents are defined as survey respondents born between 1981 and 1996 that share a household with a child under the age of 18. The Household Pulse Survey does not ask about household relationships or parental status.
Government Affairs Contact
Brent Woolfork
gro.ssergorpnacirema@krofloowb
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ANSI Seeks Feedback on a Proposed Technical Committee on Biodiversity
Submit Feedback by April 17
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the U.S. member body to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), requests feedback on a proposed new ISO technical committee (TC) on biodiversity. ANSI requests stakeholder feedback by April 17, 2020.
AFNOR, the ISO national body for France, submitted the proposal, which explains that as the preservation of biodiversity has become an ethical, economic, and global issue, there is a need to develop standardized and co-constructed tools and methodologies in order to support actions and progress to share definitions and good practices.
The scope of the technical committee would encompass developing requirements, principles, framework, guidance, and supporting tools in a holistic and global approach for all relevant organizations, to enhance their contribution to sustainable development. The document also explains how the technical committee will contribute to the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in a coherent and integrated way.
Based on input received from U.S. stakeholders, a recommended ANSI position and any comments will be developed and presented at the ANSI ISO Committee (AIC) for approval before ISO's voting deadline of May 19, 2020.
ANSI has published an explanatory information document outlining the process used to develop U.S. positions in issues and activities under consideration by ISO and IEC.
Attention: ANSI Announces Precautionary Measures Regarding COVID-19
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Thursday, May 31st, 2007
Magical 'Once' Is Pitch-Perfect Rock Love Story
Wall Street Journal Thirteen Eloquent Songs And a Battered Guitar
It takes all of 10 seconds for John Carney's "Once" to announce itself as something special. A handsome young street musician in Dublin raises his voice in song, then raises it higher with heart-stopping fervor. When a mysteriously endearing young woman stops to interrogate the busker about his music -- she turns out to be a musician too -- the movie reveals itself as something magical. When they sing their first duet, it's a song of such transporting passion that you wonder where the drama can possibly go, since they're obviously made for each other and should instantly leave the screen to live the rest of their lives in private bliss. The lovers are played by Glen Hansard, the lead singer of the Irish rock group The Frames, and Marketa Irglova, a musician from the Czech Republic. (Amazingly, given her gifts as a singer, pianist and actress, Ms. Irglova was only 17 years old when the movie was shot.) Both performances give new meaning to the timeworn phrase "pitch-perfect," while both characters do nicely without names; they're listed in the credits only as the Guy and the Girl. Coy appellations of this sort often serve as warning labels for faux-simple fables that are fatuous or downright cloying, but that's hardly the case here. "Once" proves to be as smart and funny as it is sweet; it swirls with ambiguity and conflict beneath a simple surface. In all of 88 minutes, Mr. Carney's singular fable follows its guy and girl through a week of musical and emotional growth that could suffice for a lifetime. Music is intrinsic to the filmmaker's plan. The love story can be seen -- and felt and heard -- as a succession of chord changes, and the exquisite resolution amounts to a mutual musical offering. At a time when movie musicals have come to be synonymous with emotional and visual extravagance -- the super-mega-over-the-topness of "Chicago" or "Dreamgirls" -- Mr. Carney has dared to take everything down to its essence. What's left is two intensely likable people trying urgently, through very few words and a baker's dozen of eloquent songs, to come to terms with love they've lost and collaborate on the future. As Guys go, this one seems like the answer to a Girl's prayer. He sings like an angel -- a loud angel who's no stranger to anger. He summons sumptuous sounds from his battered guitar, and writes brilliant songs when he isn't fixing Hoover vacuums in his father's Dickensian shop. As Girls go, this one is irresistible from the first moment she opens her mouth: When was the last time you couldn't wait to find out what a movie character was all about? She's got spunk to spare, speaks with a slightly extra-terrestrial accent, sings with no accent at all, writes her own powerful songs and, miracle of miracles, has a Hoover that needs repair. (In one of the many memorable sequences in the film, which was shot by Tim Fleming, she trails her ailing vacuum cleaner, like a blue dog on a hose, as she and her Guy stroll through Dublin's streets.) In 1991, the year that Glen Hansard started The Frames, he also played Outspan, the baby-faced Dublin guitar player in "The Commitments," a feature that has gained a global following. (It's one of my favorite films ever.) What makes "The Commitments" so widely loved is, among other pleasures, its use of a working-class rock band's rise and fall as an armature for individual drama. "Once" may earn the same special status by doing something similar, albeit on a more intimate scale -- using pop-rock songs to shape its characters' ecstatic feelings. And very much like "The Commitments," this remarkable new Irish film grounds its Guy and Girl in the rock-solid specifics of musicianship. When she plays Mendelssohn on a piano in a music store, he listens with enchanted intensity. When they finally get to singing lyrics she has written to his melody, the sense of their intimacy transcends physicality. (It's worth noting that the story neither needs nor bothers with conventional sexual interludes.) My own feeling is that I should say something negative here; how else will anyone trust all this praise? In fact, the film presents inevitable language problems -- not bad language, of which there is more than a soupçon, but the authentic and sometimes impenetrable language of a guy from Ireland and a girl from Moravia who don't speak in mid-Atlantic tones. Another problem could be more substantial, or may have been confined to the projection at my screening, where the audio quality of some of the music tracks left a lot to be desired. Enough of that, though. The title of one of those tracks is "You Must Have Fallen From the Sky." That's the way I came to feel about "Once."
Porter Wagoner & Marty Stuart on Sirius Satellite Radio » « Mavis Staples Joins the Fight Back to News
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APFA > Press > 2005 Press Releases > 09.29.05 – ‘Please Recognize Our Efforts’
09.29.05 – ‘Please Recognize Our Efforts’
LABOR GROUPS AT AMERICAN AIRLINES TO CONGRESS ON PENSION REFORM:
‘PLEASE RECOGNIZE OUR EFFORTS’
Fort Worth, Texas (September 29, 2005)-As the U.S. Senate moves forward with comprehensive pension reform, the three unions at American Airlines (NYSE: AMR) urged Congress to ensure companies that continue to fulfill their pension funding obligations are not disadvantaged by the final legislation. Congress has been considering a special airline-specific provision that would permit carriers that have frozen their defined-benefit plans to extend the amortization period for full funding to 14 years, and it also includes the ability to use a "reasonable interest rate" while doing so.
"As contemplated, this provision would withhold amortization and interest-rate relief from companies such as American Airlines that have continued to fund their defined-benefit plans and remained solvent both as a result of employees’ sacrifices and the collaborative implementation of an effective business strategy," said Captain Ralph Hunter, Allied Pilots Association (APA) President. "We believe our efforts at pension preservation should be recognized, not punished. American Airlines should be accorded at least the same consideration as companies that have determined they cannot meet their funding obligations."
"American’s defined-benefit plans are the best funded in the airline industry," said Tommie L. Hutto-Blake, Association of Professional Flight Attendants President. "They have been managed prudently over the years and have earned an average of well over 10 percent. We need legislation that does not force us to freeze our plans."
"There should be a responsible alternative to a freeze for companies and their employees that focused on maintaining their plans’ viability," said James C. Little, International Executive Vice President & Director Air Transport Division, Transport Workers Union. "It makes no sense to penalize us for taking a path dedicated to maintaining our historically sound plans."
INFORMATION ABOUT APA
Founded in 1963 and representing the 13,000 pilots of American Airlines, APA is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. There are currently 2,890 American Airlines pilots on furlough. The furloughs began shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Also, several hundred American Airlines pilots are on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union’s Web site address is www.alliedpilots.org
INFORMATION ABOUT APFA
Founded in 1977, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) is the largest independent flight attendant union in the nation. It represents more than 23,000 flight attendants at American Airlines, including more than 4,000 flight attendants who have been on furlough following the events of 9/11. Visit online at www.www.apfa.org.
INFORMATION ABOUT TWU
Founded in 1934, the TWU represents nearly 125,000 workers in the nation’s transportation industries, including 55,000 workers in the airline and government service industry in virtually all Class and Crafts. The Airlines Division represents 42 Locals with 59 labor contracts. The Airline Division Web site is www.twuatd.org.
INFORMATION ABOUT AA
American Airlines is the world’s largest airline, with a fleet of more than 700 aircraft serving more than 250 cities in over 40 countries with more than 3,888 daily flights. American employs more than 85,000 people worldwide.
Posted in 2005 Press Releases
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0 Created: Saturday, 01 August 2015 01:17 Created: Saturday, 01 August 2015 01:17
Hospitals In Indore | Multispeciality Hospital In Indore
The Apollo Hospitals, Indore is a joint venture between Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited (AHEL) & Rajshree Hospital & Research Centre Pvt. Ltd. (RHRL). It offers high-end tertiary care across various medical disciplines, with special focus on Cardiology & Cardiothoracic surgery, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Nephrology and Urology, Orthopaedics, Gastroenterology, Emergency & Trauma.
The 180 bedded hospital's strength lies in the perfect balance of excellent infrastructure, latest technology and dedicated manpower, all orchestrated to provide patient services of the highest standards.
Apollo Hospitals, Indore has established Centres of Excellence across various key specialities. The goal of each Centre of Excellence is to ensure that care of the highest possible standards is offered whilst also forging ahead in research, meeting and surpassing benchmarks set by the world's best healthcare providers, tracking and standardizing best practices, and achieving excellence in academics.
1.5 T MRI, Digital X-Ray, modern blood bank, laboratory (Haematology Biochemistry Microbiology Histopathology) and upgraded CT Scan are some facilities offered at the hospital.
This facility with state-of-the art 180 bedded hospital also has a Cath lab and Cardiothoracic surgery OT. It has three state of the art operation theatres & two minor operation theatres with cutting-edge technologies. This is to enable surgeons to perform a range of complex procedures as well as minimally invasive and endoscopic surgeries.
Apart from all this, the Apollo Hospitals at Indore also has facilities proposed to deal with any kind of medical emergency including road trauma, cardiac emergencies, stroke and neonatal emergencies.
Apollo Hospitals, Indore
Scheme No. 74 C, Sector D, Vijay Nagar,
Indore 452 010 (Madhya Pradesh).
+91-0731-244-55-44
Hospitals in Karimnagar
Hospitals in Karaikudi
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Showing results by author "George Mentz" in Relationships, Parenting & Personal Development
Relationships, Parenting & Personal Development
The Greatest Success Book to Think and Grow Rich with the Power of Your Subconscious Mind
By: George Mentz
Narrated by: Gene Blake
The wisdom in this document is based on conversations with some of the world's richest and most influential people. Over a 25 year period, we have met with billionaires, princes, kings, CEOs, sheikhs, potentates, Navy SEALs, ambassadors, rock stars, judges, cabinet members, pro-MVPs, bishops, TV celebrities, Hollywood producers, world famous musicians, luminary professors, artists, presidents, and some of the most successful authors in the world.
How to Get What You Want - by Wallace D. Wattles with Bonus VIP Summary of the SOGR Science of Getting Rich
By: Wallace Wattles, George Mentz - summary
Narrated by: Bob Sterry
This is the little famous book called How To Get What You Want - by Wallace D. Wattles. This book also includes a Bonus VIP Summary of the blockbuster book: The Science of Getting Rich, otherwise known as Financial Success Through Creative Thought. You will learn many of the hidden secrets of Prof. Wattles and the art and science of success. The first part of the book was written by Wallace Wattles and the summary was written by Dr. Mentz in 2003.
Source of Life
Summary and Analysis of Thomas Troward and the Secrets of Manifesting in the Dore Lectures & Edinburgh Lectures
Narrated by: Matyas J.
Judge Troward worked in India in the 1800s. His codification or world teachings influenced many of the greatest thinkers of the 20th-century American self-help movement. Troward believed that world was Universal Mind, and the seed of all things is thought in conjunction with the universal source. To materialize anything, one must think it and develop sufficient desire for the goal coupled with a clear mental image of the outcome.
The Science of Getting Rich Summary
The Prosperity Manifesto of Wallace Wattles
By: George Mentz, Wallace Wattles, Napoleon Hill
Narrated by: Clay Lomakayu
This summary of Wallace Wattles' teachings is a metaphysical bombshell. This manuscript brings it all together. If you want to develop a holistic view of Wattles' teachings, then listen to this digest carefully. Go to this book when you catch your confidence ebbing, so you can make a full shift of consciousness to the world of prosperity and richness of life, which includes health, love, relationships, wealth, greatness, and more. This is the grand slam of prosperity teachings.
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Tag: Hot Retail Cities
Madrid & Barcelona Enter Top 40 Most Attractive Global Cities for Retail
19 October 2018 – Eje Prime
Madrid and Barcelona are two of the most attractive cities in the world for retail. The two Spanish cities rank amongst the forty most attractive places for commercial activity, according to the Hot Retail Cities report, compiled by Modaes.es, with the support of Tendam and in collaboration with Instituto de Empresa.
The top 3 of the ranking features New York, Los Angeles and Singapore. Madrid and Barcelona are ranked ahead of metropolises such as Milan and Moscow, boosted by factors such as economic openness, the socio-economic environment and the presence of international operators. Moreover, in the fashion category, the two cities are also cradles of some of the world’s retail titans, such as Inditex, Mango and Tendam, and they are home to one of the largest European department store groups, El Corte Inglés.
Barcelona is ranked at number 29 on the list, scoring 425 points out of a possible total of 1,000. Tourism, the presence of fashion operators in the city, the commercial streets and their structure and geographical location are the key factors that place Barcelona within the top thirty hottest cities on the planet. In recent years, the city has become a gateway for major international retailers, such as Uniqlo, which chose the city for its debut in Spain.
Meanwhile, the Spanish capital is positioned at number 36 in the Hot Retail Cities ranking with 410 points. In the case of Madrid, factors that work in its favour include commercial openness, economic stability and recovery, and the multiplicity of prime thoroughfares such as Calle Serrano, Gran Vía, Fuencarral and Calle Preciados.
The criteria for compiling the ranking are grouped together under eight general points that companies assess when it comes to studying the city: demographics, economy, politics, socio-economic environment, tourism, retail, fashion and trendy cities. In addition, analysis criteria are included about the more or less optimal conditions of each city for international retailers.
Original story: Eje Prime
Author Carmel DrakePosted on October 22, 2018 Categories Real Estate News, Retail & Shopping CentersTags barcelona, Calle Preciados, Calle Serrano, El Corte Inglés, fuencarral, gran via, Hot Retail Cities, Inditex, Instituto de Empresa, Madrid, Mango, modaes.es, retail, Tendam, Uniqlo
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Austracks
Touring Australia Holiday Experiences
Porepunkah and the High Country
By Austracks on January 25, 2012 in
Current weather conditions in Porepunkah
Porepunkah General Store
visit here we chose to stay at the Porepunkah Bridge Caravan Park ([star][star][star][star]) and it was the best decision we’d ever made. On the banks of the Ovens River, this large, spacious park has a lot to offer. There is a track that runs alongside the river for quite a distance and we were told that there are several excellent fishing spots along here. Our campsite was right on the riverbank and we were to be lulled to sleep each night of our stay by the soft sound of the water flowing over the rocky riverbed.
Porepunkah, the gateway to the goldfields
Porepunkah has a population of approximately 450 permanent residents and quite a bit of history dating back to 1824 when the explorers Hume and Hovell first scouted this area. By 1850 significant gold deposits had been discovered in the Buckland Valley and those with dreams of making their fortune flocked to the area. To get to the gold fields, miners had to use Ovens Crossing, the site of modern-day Porepunkah. The township was surveyed in 1860 and from there, as they say, the rest is history. We had travelled down the Great Alpine Road from New South Wales, passing through the towns of Beechworth, the home of Emma George, Olympic gold medal winning pole vaulter, Myrtleford, Ovens, and Eurobin, before finally arriving in Porepunkah. Our riverbank campsite was as close to perfect as it was possible to be. The river is quite shallow at this point and the water is so clear and clean; it flows over the rocks on the riverbed like a “babbling brook”, that’s the only way to describe it. It was extremely peaceful sitting there during the evening, listening to that sound, watching the fish jumping in the water, and just relaxing after a long day in the car.
The road into Bright
Bright, a town of trees
The next morning we headed for Bright, the main town in this particular area and a mere 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) from Porepunkah. What spectacular streets they have in this town! Huge trees, including oaks, elms, poplars, and maples, line each side of the road and the branches are so long and thick with leaves that they form a canopy. In some places it’s almost like driving through a tunnel or an arch. The Great Alpine Road coming into and going out of Bright is bordered in this way and quite a few of the streets in town as well. These trees with their leafy canopies are also abundant throughout the parks; Bright must be stunning in the winter when everything is blanketed in a light dusting of snow!
Bright is an area of sub-alpine valleys, surrounding high plains, and pine forests. The first pine forest was planted during the First World War and today forestry is still a significant industry. The wind had died down when we arrived in town so we left our jackets in the car. Big mistake! This is mountain country, after all. I can’t remember the last time I had been so cold in the summer! The main street in town is divided by a median strip with a garden down the centre, the two sides of the road converging at an intersection with a big roundabout. Parking was easy and we left the car for a wander around the shops. We found the local IGA store (there’s one in every town) and bought a few groceries and some fresh fruit and vegetables and then wandered up to the tourist information centre for a few brochures on the area.
The Ovens River
So much to see and do around Porepunkah
When I thought that there was a lot to see and do around here I didn’t realise just how much there was. We’ll be lucky to see one-tenth of everything they have to offer. One of the things I really wanted to do was to go for a walk beside the river and later that afternoon we set off to follow the track beside the Ovens River. It’s a well-travelled track but some places were very narrow and one wrong step could have put any one of us in the river. Other places were overgrown with blackberries and brambles so we really had to pay attention to where we were walking. Along the track we passed several people fishing at various points. I don’t know if they were having any luck but it was enough for John to mention that he might get some bait! Oh joy!
Two children?
The banks of the river are literally covered with smooth stones and for a while my boys had a great time skipping rocks across the river. Young son, Sean, is very good at it but John said he needed more practise; he couldn’t quite manage to skip his rocks as far as Sean did. If anyone had asked that day how many children I had I would have said two! I really enjoyed our walk beside the river and didn’t feel like returning to camp too soon but as the sun started to set the mosquitos came out so it was time to go. So, we settled down for the evening with a barbecue, a glass of wine, fish jumping in the river, and the soft calling of the birds in the trees. No traffic sounds, no noisy neighbours. Paradise.
The caravan park slowly awakes
The next day dawned to cloudless skies but I wasn’t sure if this was a good thing; it was absolutely freezing! But, then again, we are sleeping in a tent in the mountains. And as the sun climbed higher, we thawed out; it would be a beautiful day. Slowly, the campground was coming to life for another day; children, some still in pyjamas, rode their bicycles along the road at the back of our tent, the smell of bacon and eggs cooking wafted on the breeze, and the “plop” of the odd sinker hitting the water as a line was thrown in sounded softly in the early morn.
Eurobin Falls
A visit to Mt Buffalo
But Mt Buffalo beckoned and we set off just after 10:00. We entered the Mt Buffalo National Park only a few minutes after leaving camp and climbed upward on a narrow and winding road, stopping briefly at Eurobin Falls. The icy, clear water flowed over huge smooth rocks, went under the road, and crashed onwards towards the Ovens River. Mt Buffalo, one of Australia’s oldest national parks, was proclaimed a national park in 1898 and is renowned for its magnificent granite tors and spectacular views.
A Chalet at the top
We continued our climb to the top and our next stop was the Mt Buffalo Chalet where we discovered that one does not jump out of the car without so much as a sweater at that altitude; the wind was bitter but the views were outstanding! We walked around the Chalet, through the landscaped gardens and around the back to the swimming pool. Yes, swimming pool! Even looking at it made me shiver. The gardens were beautiful; how do those plants survive up here in the extreme winter conditions of snow and ice? The Chalet was opened in 1910 and it still has its old world charm and top of the world appeal. Through the window we could see the interior still decorated in the style of the era although I believe that it has been modernised in all areas. Still, it must be like taking a step back in time.
A BIG Rock
On the other side of the Chalet is an absolutely huge rock, almost butting up against the building. How it came to be there, at the back of the Chalet, I don’t know; what I do know is that it’s a big rock, a very big rock! A car was parked beside it and that gives a good idea of the actual size of it but when John and Sean sat in front of it they were totally dwarfed!
A very BIG rock at the back of the Mt Buffalo Chalet
Crystal Brook Falls
There are several walking trails around the Chalet and we went down to the Gorge Heritage Trail, following it along to Crystal Brook Falls. From the viewing platform at the falls you can see the valley far below. There is a small footbridge that passes over the water before it goes over the falls. A photographer had been commissioned over 100 years ago by the Bright Alpine Club to photograph the plateau as part of a fund raising campaign to build a track from the valley below. The footbridge was built in the exact spot where the photograph was taken.
The view of the Ovens Valley from Crystal Brook Falls
An outstanding view
The track to Crystal Brook Falls continues further along for another few kilometres but we re-traced our steps and climbed up to Bents Lookout. Mt Buffalo Gorge and the Buckland Valley can be seen from the viewing platform at this lookout. And what a most spectacular view; totally unobstructed and simply amazing.
Onward to the very top
Continuing our upward journey we passed several interesting places but our goal, now, was the summit so we decided to stop at these spots on the way down. At the very top of Mt Buffalo, The Horn at 1723 metres (5653 feet) has another viewing platform but the road ends 3 kilometres (1.8 miles) below it. It was much too windy and cold for me to make the trek up but John and Sean did give it some thought before deciding against it this time.
Bicycles along the road
We’d passed several bicycle riders on our way up the mountain and as we began our trek down a few of them were just reaching the top. The road up was steep enough in the car and these people were riding bikes! Just watching them had me out of breath! The road down the mountain had an eerie look to it; all the dead trees above the snow line looked like ghost trees.
The Cathedral (and, yes, there are climbers on the rockface and at the top)
Climbers on The Cathedral
The Cathedral is a granite tor that rises abruptly from the plain and as we approached it we could see climbers on the sides. We stopped for a while to watch them. There were quite a few at various places and we could see someone had already made it to the top, some 1600 metres (5250 feet) above sea level. How elated he must have felt! Just below, under the overhanging rock, there were a couple climbers having a rest. We were absolutely fascinated by these climbers; we counted about 12 but there could have been more on the other side.
A little further down the mountain we came across a uniquely balanced rock. It was almost too perfect to be natural and we wondered if it had been put there to attract tourists. We were to learn later at the Park Office and Information Centre that it is natural. Amazing! Still travelling down the mountain, we made a brief stop
This balancing act IS natural
at Lake Catani, the only campground inside the National Park. This is a very popular place for campers with swimming, kayaking, and canoeing just some of the activities on offer. The fishing looked good, too. We had intended to go to the Reservoir picnic area for lunch but the gate across the road was closed and locked. At our visit to the information centre later on we enquired about this and were told that recent heavy rain had made the road impassable for now. A pity, because I would have liked to have seen it and I think that John would have enjoyed a little off-road excursion in the mud!
A swim in the Ovens River at Porepunkah
On our return to camp Sean decided that he wanted to go swimming in the river. Now, it was somewhat warmer down there than up on the mountain but it wasn’t THAT warm. It wasn’t until we noticed some girls swimming in the river that we put 2 and 2 together! They were roughly the same age as Sean and when they invited him to join them wild horses couldn’t have held him back! So while Sean went swimming we went for a drive up to the weir under Hoppers Bridge at Porepunkah. The sun was glinting off the water as it crashed over the weir and the spray was like a shower of sparkles with a myriad of rainbow colours. It was really quite beautiful.
Trails through the pine forests
We left the weir and drove up to one of the pine forests. The pine forests quite literally blanket the hills. Their deep green needles reaching skyward in such abundance that from a distance it looks like the hills are carpeted in green, and the air is delicately scented with pine. We drove deep into the forest, following along a logging road. As beautiful as the pine forests are, they are grown for logging. It is quite an
Porepunkah Airport and the road
intricate maze of tracks throughout the whole place and someone had, very thoughtfully, erected signs with street names on them. I imagine it would be very easy to get lost in there.
Porepunkah has an airport with a difference
We exited the forest just across the road from Porepunkah Airport. I kid you not! Porepunkah Airport. But we both gave a little chuckle when we realised that the road actually crossed the runway; there is a sign stating that aircraft landing and taking off have right of way! You think?! They may not land 747’s here but I, for one, would not care to play chicken with an aeroplane!
Fishing in Porepunkah
Returning to camp, Sean had finished his swim and he and John decided to throw a line in. But after two evenings of watching the fish jumping out of the water right in front of us, tonight there wasn’t even so much as a nibble! Can you believe it! At least I didn’t hear the famous “fish dinner tonight” cry!
Beauty by name and nature
We awoke the next morning to icy conditions and a news report that snow was falling on Mt Buffalo. It was cold in the tent but not as bad as I expected. Even so, I was glad to see that Sean had a fire going when we finally emerged into the early morning chill. Our travels today took us to the mountain town of Mt Beauty and, as the publicity goes, the name says it all. A lovely little town nestled in the foothills of Mt Bogong,
Mt Beauty
Victoria’s highest peak, and with all the mountains around; it would be picture perfect in the snow. We stopped at the lookout for a photograph and then continued on into town. And after a brief stop at the information centre we set about exploring.
Exploring Mt Beauty
The Kiewa River runs through Mt Beauty and the Kiewa Hydro Scheme was built to meet Victoria’s growing electricity demands. Mt Beauty was built to house the 4000-odd workers involved in the construction from the late 1930’s to 1961. Set in the Bogong High Plains, the area is well suited to hydro electricity. Mt Beauty sits at the base of Victoria’s highest mountain, Mt Bogong (1987 metres – 6519 feet) and not far from Mt Beauty is the Bogong Alpine Village, nestled beside Lake Guy. This village was established in 1940 and its magnificent gardens are surrounded on all sides by a forest rich in native wildlife.
The welcoming snowman at Falls Creek
Victoria’s largest alpine resort
We left Mt Beauty and began our trek up the mountains to the ski resort of Falls Creek. I’d never been to this ski resort before so it was totally new for me. I was really looking forward to it and I wasn’t disappointed. Definitely a year-round destination, Falls Creek is Victoria’s largest alpine resort and covers over 450 hectares (1112 acres). I can’t really imagine how beautiful it all must look covered in snow; I mentioned to John that we’ll just have to come back in the winter! We took the Bogong High Plains Road out to the Rocky Valley Dam and actually drove across the dam wall to the other side. There was a canoe on the water and its occupant was paddling at a leisurely pace. He was certainly either very keen or very brave; the temperature was a chilly 13°C and the wind very strong.
The highest lakes in Australia
Back across the dam we continued up the road as far as the rocky outcrop called The Ruined Castle; at this point we were more than 1700 metres (5577 feet) above sea level and looking down at Rocky Valley Lake. Rocky Valley Lake is the highest significant body of water in Australia however it is not the highest lake. At a slightly higher altitude is the secluded Pretty Valley Lake. We didn’t try to get to that one; the wind was howling at Rocky Valley and I’m sure there was ice in it. It was while we were looking for a sheltered spot to have lunch that we came to a lookout and from there we could look down on Falls Creek village. At this lookout we were overlooking a ski run that is aptly named “Adrenalin”. Only for the very brave, I think.
Rocky Valley Dam
Lunch on the mountain
Sheltered spots were virtually non-existent so we made our way back down to the village. But again we had no luck finding anywhere sheltered from this wind and so, reluctantly, we bid farewell to Falls Creek and started to make our way down the mountain. Along the way we found a lay-by in the road that was reasonably sheltered and we stopped there for lunch. Cars driving past tooted their horns and we waved back but no one else stopped.
Dining in Porepunkah
Back in Mt Beauty we wandered around some of the souvenir shops for a short while but before too long it was time to head back to Porepunkah. We had made plans to visit the bistro at the Porepunkah Hotel for dinner that night but the caravan park was hosting a barbecue with a fancy dress contest. The park was supplying all the meat and those attending had to provide their own salad. We had deliberately used up almost all of our supplies knowing that this was our last night here so the bistro won out over the barbecue. Porepunkah Hotel bistro is the place to go if you’re either extremely hungry or just have a huge appetite. To say that the meals were big would be an understatement; John and I could have shared one and still have some left over! The food was very good and we certainly got value for money and it’s obvious that the folks around here, residents and tourists alike, agree; the place was really jumping and there was not one spare table.
A fancy dress contest
We returned to camp to find that the fancy dress contest was in full swing. The theme for those dressing up was the letter “F”. There was an abundance of “fairies”, several “freaks”, a “frog” or two, someone in a “fat suit”, but the ones that had us giggling were our neighbours who went wearing plastic raincoats. Yes, they were “flashers”! The music and laughter, cheers and applause was loud and everyone was having a terrific time but it all ended at about 9:30 and folks started drifting back to their various campsites and vans. By 10:00 the park was almost silent and we took ourselves off to bed with the prospect of a busy morning ahead of us.
The view from Danny’s Lookout at Mt Hotham
A stop in Mt Hotham
The next morning we said goodbye to Porepunkah. It was sunny and warm and we set sail, so to speak, for Mt Hotham some 63 kilometres (39 miles) down the road. Traffic was busy in Bright but we were soon through town and moving along at an easy pace. We stopped briefly in the village of Harrietville in the foothills of Mt Feathertop. Settled in 1852, Harrietville, an old goldmining town, is the last town before Mt Hotham. After Harrietville the road began a steep upward climb in a series of tight curves and sharp corners and the higher we climbed the colder it became. We finally reached the very top of Mt Hotham in a little village called Hotham Heights and stopped at Danny’s Lookout for a photograph of the jaw-dropping view. This is why they call it “The High Country”! There is no photo that can do justice to it. I couldn’t even hazard a guess as to how far we could see. The wind was
Coming into Mt Hotham Village
quite strong and bitterly cold but even that didn’t put us off. It was totally awesome; I felt like I was at the top of the world.
An eye-catching bridge
The road coming in to Mt Hotham village, one of Australia’s highest ski resorts, passes under a bridge or archway that has been decorated in an eye-catching manner. We passed under the bridge and the resort was spread out in front of us, the chair lifts coming almost to the edge of the road. It must be quite unnerving to drive along here when the lifts are operating, especially at dusk. The area was explored in 1854 and today is known as a skier’s paradise. It has more natural snowfalls than any other Victorian mountain. This is also the highest point on the Great Alpine Road and Mount Hotham’s summit rises to an altitude of 1,861 metres (6,106 feet) above sea level. The village stands at a height of 1,750 metres (5,740 feet), making it the second highest resort village in Australia. There are several hiking trails here and you can actually hike all the way to Mt Feathertop, some 11 kilometres (7 miles) from Mt Hotham village, depending on how keen or energetic you are! Mt Feathertop is the state’s second-highest mountain at 1922 metres (6305 feet). We didn’t plan to stop in Mt Hotham and I was disappointed that time didn’t permit even a short visit but you can bet it’s high on the list for our next trip this way. From its history that dates back to goldrush and bushranger days to its stunning scenery, all year round and in all kinds of weather, Victoria’s High Country, the roof of Australia, is an experience you will never forget.
The information contained in this journal is derived from our personal recollections of our visit to this town or region and is correct as at the time of publication. austracks accepts no responsibility should any of this information be incorrect or misleading due to changes, improvements, or upgrades that may have occurred to places and/or attractions since our visit.
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E Pluribus Unum
E Pluribus Unum:New Mexico Southeast
an Axle Contemporary project
Western Heritage Museum, Hobbs
August 22 – November 3, 2019
opening reception and artist talk: 5:30 pm, August 22
Artesia, 510 Gallery
(Artesia portraits only)
opens August, 24, 2019
510 Main Street, Artesia, New Mexico
part of the Red Dirt Black Gold Festival
Roswell Museum & Art Center
November 16 – April 22, 2020
Reception and artist talk, December 7
The portraits from our 2018 E Pluribus Unum project will exhibited in museum exhibitions this year.
E Pluribus Unum is Axle’s free mobile photo portrait studio. People sit for a portrait while holding a small personally significant object. Prints are distributed to the participants and wheat-pasted to the exterior of the studio-gallery. For each project, an image is created by overlaying all the portraits to create one face that includes equal portions of all the participants. Each project is published in its entirety as a book.
In October 2018, we spent the month on the road to create E Pluribus Unum: New Mexico Southeast in Roswell, Lovinton, Hobbs, Alamogordo, Tularosa, Carrizozo, Ruidoso, Mescalero, Artesia, Carlsbad, Portales, and Clovis.
The E Pluribus Unum: New Mexico Southeast book with all 950 portraits and one image on the cover blending all off the hundreds of portraits into one face, represents the entirety of the community of participants. The book is $20 and is now available at the exhibition venues and through Amazon here.
More information on this project here.
E Pluribus Unum: New Mexico Southeast
In 2012, the Axle artist-collaborators, Jerry Wellman and Matthew Chase-Daniel, began a photographic portrait project, E Pluribus Unum. This ongoing biennial project enlivens and documents communities throughout the state of New Mexico, with a mobile photographic portrait studio built inside the vintage aluminum Axle vehicle.
Participation is free to all. Participants bring a small object of personal significance, and enter the mobile studio and sit for a black and white photo portrait while holding the object. The objects brought are as diverse as the participants. Objects have included car keys, photos of loved ones on cell phones, artworks, tools, books, food, toys, and vintage collectibles.
Two copies of each portrait are immediately printed with the gallery’s solar-powered printer. One is given to the participant, another is pasted to the exterior of the vehicle, creating a mobile and growing exhibition throughout the span of each regional project. At the close of each project Axle Contemporary Press publishes a book containing all of the portraits, and one image on the cover blending all off the hundreds of portraits into one face, representing the entirety of the community of participants. After each project the portraits are also exhibited in regional exhibitions.
In October 2018, E Pluribus Unum: New Mexico Southeast, took place in the communities of Roswell, Lovington, Hobbs, Alamogordo, Tularosa, Carrizozo, Ruidoso, Mescalero, Carlsbad, Artesia, Portales, and Clovis.
The portraits from the 2018 E Pluribus Unum: New Mexico Southeast project will exhibited in regional exhibitions this year.
Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame, Hobbs
November 16, 2019 – April 22, 2020
Artesia, downtown
Exterior wheatpate exhibition of the Artesia portraits, August, 2019
The book, E Pluribus Unum: New Mexico Southeast will be published in August 2019. It contains all of the 950 portraits, photos of the activities of the project, an essay by the artists, a foreword by Joshua Wheeler, and a cover blending all of the portraits into one face.
OCTOBER 2018 SCHEDULE
Mon. October 1
10 am - noon Eastern New Mexico State Fair Parade, Main Street, Roswell
Noon - 10 pm Eastern New Mexico State Fair, Roswell, (either near Arts & Crafts or Commercial Bldg.)
Tues. October 2
Noon - 10 pm
Eastern New Mexico State Fair, Roswell, (either near Arts & Crafts or Commercial Bldg.)
Wed. October 3
9 am - 12pm Stellar Coffee, 315 N Main St, Roswell
1:30 - 3:00pm Pioneer Bank, Main Branch, 3000 N Main St, Roswell
4pm - 7pm Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art, 409 E College Blvd, Roswell
Thurs. October 4
10am - 8pm Bob's Supermarket, 906 W. Ave. D, Lovington
Fri. October 5
10 am -1pm New Mexico Junior College Cafeteria/bookstore, 5317 N Lovington Hwy, Hobbs
3pm - 7pm Pool at the CORE Center of Recreational Excellence, 4827 N Lovington Hwy, Hobbs
Sat. October 6
10 am - 4pm Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame, 1 Thunderbird Cir., Hobbs
Sun. October 14
10am - 4pm Tularosa Basin Museum of History, 1004 N White Sands Blvd, Alamogordo
Mon. October 15
10am - 12:30pm New Mexico State University, 2400 N Scenic Dr, Alamogordo
2pm - 5pm Twice Blest, 2920 North White Sands Blvd., Alamogordo
Tues. October 16
11am - 2pm Tulie Freeze, 419 St Francis Dr, Tularosa
3pm - 7pm MoMAZoZo, 503 12th St, Carrizozo
Wed. October 17
10am- 1pm Sacred Grounds Coffee and Tea House, 2704 Sudderth Dr, Ruidoso
2:00-3:30 Mescalro Tribal Store
Thurs. October 18
9:30am - noon New Mexico State University, 1500 University Dr, Carlsbad
1pm - 5pm Carlsbad Museum and Art Center, 418 W. Fox St., Carlsbad,
Fri. October 19
9:30am - 6pm Artesia Public Library, 205 W. Quay Ave., W Richardson Ave, Artesia
Sat. October 20
9am - 4pm Art in the Park, Central Park, S. 7th St & W. Quay Ave, Artesia
11am - 5pm Peanut Festival, Portales
9am - 12pm Eastern New Mexico University
1pm - 5pm Courthouse Square, Downtown Portales
10am - 2:30pm Red Arrow, 320 W 21st St, Clovis
5:00pm - 7:30pm Eula Mae Edwards Museum, 417 Schepps Blvd, Clovis
Wed.. October 24
9:00am - 2:00pm Clovis Carver Public Library, 701 N.Main, Clovis
Axle Contemporary has created three E Pluribus Unum projects to date.
E Pluribus Unum: Santa Fe (2012) includes over 550 portraits and was exhibited as a video in SITE Santa Fe’s Time/Lapse: March 2012 exhibition.
E Pluribus Unum: Albuquerque (2014) includes over 650 participants and was exhibited at 516 ARTS in Albuquerque as part of the Heart of the City exhibition.
E Pluribus Unum: Dinétah (2016) took place on and near the Navajo Nation in New Mexico and Arizona, with over 800 participants. The exhibition took place at the Navajo Nation Museum, in Window Rock Arizona in 2017 and 2018.
We are working with partners throughout the region. Our heartfelt thanks to all: Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art, Roswell Artist-in-Residence Foundation, Roswell Museum and Arts Center, Lovington Mainstreet, New Mexico Junior College, Western Heritage Museum & Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame, NMSU Alamogordo, Alamogordo Mainstreet, MoMAZoZo, Donna Stern at Mescalero, Carlsbad Creative Arts Council, NMSU Carlsbad, Artesia Arts and Cultural District, Artesia Mainstreet, Artesia Arts Council, Artesia Historical Museum and Art Center, Artesia Public Library, Portales Mainstreet, ENMU Portales, and Clovis Mainstreet.
This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, This project is made possible in part by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Support also provided by the FUNd of the Albuquerque Community Foundation, and the PY Foundation.
Food for the artists generously provided in part by Lowe's Signature Market in Alamogordo, Alamogordo Mainstreet, Lovington Mainstreet, MoMAZoZo, Sacred Grounds in Ruidoso, Larry Bob Phillips and Tamara Zibners, Stellar Coffee in Roswell, David Morgan at the Carlsbad Museum and Art Center, Red Arrow in Clovis, Clovis Mainstreet, and Lina & Ally's Tea Shoppe in Clovis.
Lodging provided in part by by The Roswell Artist-in-Residence Foundation, Lovington Mainstreet, The Western Heritage Museum & Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame in Hobbs, Country Inn and Suites in Hobbs, Alamogordo Mainstreet, MoMAZoZo, Holiday Inn Portales, Comfort Inn Clovis, and Clovis Mainstreet.
Special thanks to towing services provided by The City of Lovington, Crystal Ball, New Mexico Junior College, and The Western Heritage Museum & Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame.
E Pluribus Unum: New Mexico Southeast is open to all to participate. Accomodations are available to those people with disabilities. Please come by or phone or write for information.
Matthew (505) 670-5854
Jerry (505) 670-7612
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The Master’s plan: $2.5M gift to Falls Creek will build new lodge
Posted by Bob Nigh | Apr 9, 2013 | Feature | 1 |
The former site of the Falls Creek maintenance barn is projected to be the future home of the new 50-room lodge/welcome center/events center complex.
DAVIS—When the Master Plan for improvements at Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center was drawn up several years ago, it included the construction of a multi-room hotel or lodge.
Now, years later, the Master’s Plan has provided the impetus for that man-made dream to become a reality, thanks to the generosity of a faithful Oklahoma Baptist family, who have given $2.5 million to build a 50-room lodge at Falls Creek.
“In our long range master plan we, from the very beginning, had a lodge on the plan,” said Anthony L. Jordan, executive director-treasurer of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. “We have known all along that you have to have a lodge and dining facility to accommodate the activities you have outside of the 12 weeks of youth camps in the summer.
“And while our non-summer events have grown significantly, we have always had the issue of adults not wanting to stay in
dormitories.”
The recent $7 million gift by another donor family for what BGCO officials are calling an “events center,” provided the impetus for the most recent gift, Jordan said.
“The events center is a dining hall/multi-purpose structure of around 30,000 square feet which will allow us to stage events accommodating almost 2,000 people,” Jordan explained. “The family which made this $2.5 million commitment recognized the need for a lodge to support our non-summer month ministry.
“So, it will be a 50-room lodge. Our plans are for it to be on the level of a Holiday Inn Express as far as the accommodations go. That’s what we and the family hope to be able to provide.”
Jordan said the goal is to connect the lodge with the events center by a welcome center in the middle.
“We already have $500,000 pledged for the welcome center, and we think it will take around $1 million to build it.”
The welcome center will be designed so it serves as the lobby for the lodge and also as the entrance to the events center. So, it serves as a gathering place for both facilities.
As to the donors for the lodge and events center, Jordan said both families will be recognized and honored at the next BGCO Board of Directors meeting on May 21 at Falls Creek.
The lodge gift’s donors are multi-generational.
“This family has been a faithful supporter of Falls Creek throughout the years,” Jordan said. “They were involved in giving toward the building of the Tabernacle. It is a family as in grandparents, parents and children; all of them are contributing. It is a family gift.”
Once built, the lodge/welcome center/events center complex will make Falls Creek a prime location to host many large events, Jordan said.
“We envision Sunday School training events, along with marriage retreats. With the closing of Glorieta, we hope to host large gatherings of Southern Baptists,” he stressed. “Our location—basically 90 minutes from Dallas-Ft. Worth and 90 minutes from Oklahoma city—puts us in a very good location to host many more major events in the non-summer months.
“This also will give opportunities for parents to come and visit during the youth weeks in the summer. But, the non-summer months can be a vital part of our growth in ministry for the future and impacting people with the Gospel. It will allow us, again, to better accommodate the men’s and women’s retreats, but it will not change the fact that the youth weeks remain the crown jewel of Falls Creek.”
The addition of the lodge will negate previously announced changes for the Falls Creek amphitheater.
“Our original intent was to enclose the amphitheater, but now, with the lodge coming into play, this gives us the ability to build a brand new facility that is designed to meet our needs, and makes the lodge and the events center complement one another,” Jordan pointed out.
Preliminary projections call for the new complex to be located south of the Wynn Center for World Missions, west of the cafeteria, and north of the new Ada, First, cabin. The old Falls Creek maintenance barn and caretaker’s cabin occupied the area previously.
Jordan said he is beyond grateful at how God continues to bless Oklahoma Baptists.
“It has been a phenomenal period of time over these last few months as God affirms the work He does at Falls Creek through moving on the hearts of generous people to give to improve and expand our ministry,” he said. “I give Him the glory for what has happened and with deepest appreciation to these families who have stepped forward to give so generously.
“In the last six months, we have seen a total of $14.5 million given to CrossTimbers, expansion at Falls Creek and debt retirement at Falls Creek.”
Preliminary plans call for construction on the lodge, events center and welcome center to begin in the Fall of 2014, with completion expected in the Summer of 2015.
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Bob Nigh
Bob Nigh is historical secretary for Oklahoma Baptists' Historical Commission
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Johnny Mizell on April 11, 2013 at 7:43 am
As I grow older, it seems more clear that we are getting further each day from what Christ taught.
Would he approve of the glamorous buildings we erect, the comforts we avail ourselves not just at
home but ever more at our “worship” facilities? I fear that our religion has lost touch with our mission.
The good intentions of our leaders, and those who donate large funds for specified actions-Does it
help or hurt the cause for Christ? What does it tell the lost, that if you come and play with us, you
can take advantage of all the goodies we have to offer? Christ never spoke kindly of earthly comforts
or pleasures-Reading the scriptures, he was very clear about our mission-To seek and save the lost.
We are the ones who muddy the waters, and try to justify and rationalize what he “really” meant-
I love the Lord, and His Son-I’m just afraid that our minds and hearts are so distant from the true teachings that we wouldn’t know Christ if he came to one of these mega-building groundbreakings.
Yours in Christian love,
The Master’s plan: $2.5M gift to Falls Creek will build new lodge | Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center - [...] Continue Reading >> [...]
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Home › Entertainment › Movies ›
28th Annual African Diaspora International Film Festival
The African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) will celebrate its 28th anniversary virtually nationwide for the first time from Nov. 27 to Dec. 13 with 75 narratives and documentaries from 31 countries including 26 World, US and New York premieres.
For 28 years, ADIFF has spotlighted culturally and socially meaningful feature and documentary films about the human experience of people of color all over the world. The films in ADIFF 2020 explore the full humanity and range of the Black and Indigenous experience, giving a multidimensional voice to often misrepresented and misunderstood realities and peoples. Titles in ADIFF 2020 come directly from important domestic and international film festivals such as Tribeca, Venice, Toronto, Cannes, Berlinale, Durban, the Pan African Film Festival, The Trinidad and Tobago film festival and the International Havana Film Festival of the New Latin American Cinema in Cuba. Others are independent productions made by filmmakers eager to share their message with an audience.
The selection in ADIFF 2020 of African narratives totals eleven films including seven US and NY premieres. These films present a wide range of themes from commenting on current events to looking back at African history.
Premieres in ADIFF 2020 include Myopia by Sanae Akroud (Marocco), Nafi’s Father by Mamadou Dia (Senegal) and A Taste of Land by Yuhi Amuli (Rwanda) that have in common strong political commentaries; the love stories Back of the Moon by Angus Gibson (South Africa) and Forgiveness for Whom? by Ariam Weldeab Araya (Eritrea), and the powerful social commentaries Buried by Françoise Ellong (Cameroon) and A Son by Mehdi Barsaoui (Tunisia).
Myopia starts when the imam of a remote village needs a new pair of glasses. He is the only one who can read in the village. So Fatem, who is six months pregnant, volunteers to go to the city to get a new pair of glasses for him. Myopia is built around the inability to see the other with or without glasses. The metaphor is rich in nuances. As Fatem gets to the city, she is surrounded by men and women incapable to see her in the simple and direct manner she presents herself. Very well acted and directed, Myopia is one of those films that remains in your system long after the screening. The manipulative journalist, the so-called social activists are characters who give this film a very strong reading.
A fight between an Imam and his powerful brother over their children’s marriage is the basic story of Nafi’s Father. At stake: how a small community slowly drifts towards extremism. Nafi’s Father offers a realistic portrayal of how money and guns can destabilize social structures – be they familial or religious – when the leaders of these structures are blind to inner conflicts. Winner of multiple awards at Locarno, Namur and Vues d’Afrique film festivals, Nafi’s Father - the first film by NYU trained Senegalese director Mamadou Dia - is described by Variety as “an engrossing feature debut”.
There is a generation of Africans who know little about the colonial years. However, the colonial adventure has not left the continent. In A Taste of Our Land by Yuhi Amuli, we experience a story about the new colonialism in Africa and its repercussions in people’s lives. This fiction tells the story of a mine worker who finds a gold nugget in a mine owned by a Chinese entrepreneur and thinks that this nugget is the solution to his problems. His wife needs medical assistance and he is short on cash to pay the bills. That gold nugget is indeed a solution. A Taste of Our Land is the portray of a desperate man in a desperate situation. We are exposed to issues of land ownership, health services in a low wage nation and most of all, the new colonial structure in which China participates today. Films like Budha in Africa, The Big Banana (ArtMattan Films), and now A Taste of Our Land, illustrate the evolution of colonialism on the African continent.
Back of the Moon is set during the last days of Sophiatown, the Johannesburg ghetto. In an atmosphere of music, violence, love and apartheid, we meet Badman (Richard Lukuuku) and Eve (Moneoe Mosshesh). He is a ruthless intellectual gangster who reads and recites poetry in French. She is a lovely and beautiful singer who illuminates every room she walks into. The imminent destruction of Sophiatown brings an urgency to the lives of the characters in Back of the Moon that hits the audience in the face. The love story between Eve and Badman infuses the film with a sublime flavor. This South African film winner of the 2019 Durban International Film festival is the Centerpiece film of ADIFF-NY 2020.
Forgiveness For Whom? is a captivating film about the clash of cultures and customs. A couple in an arranged marriage must face the reality of what true love is and is not when a love interest from the outside world threatens the very foundation of their lives. The film explores the norms of traditional behavior for men and women within the context of a modern Eritrean society and the repercussions – both positive and negative - when one decides to push the boundaries of those social norms.
Buried by Françoise Ellong, a US premiere from Cameroon, is about four childhood friends. The film starts at the end of the funeral of the priest who ran their orphanage. One of the friends, Ndewa, takes the group to a remote corner where they will rekindle their memories and share their discomfort. “This psychological thriller only slowly distills the keys to this past, with many dramatic confrontations, misunderstandings and twists, but we quickly understand that this deceased priest, who was called "Daddy", was anything but a protector. Sexual harassment in religious institutions is therefore the theme chosen by Françoise Ellong to call for an awakening of consciousness in the face of the law of silence and impunity within the Church (and by extension of any institution claiming to be Divine). As the final song suggests, "let's not let suffering bury hope." It is by ceasing to bury the truth that trauma is allowed to re-emerge and be healed. […] In the end, it is the question of forgiveness that is asked and the answer is not unanimous, so that this ending opens up even more the debate that the film is sure to trigger after its viewing.” Olivier Barlet
A Son (Bik Eneich), to have its NY premiere in ADIFF, is an intense family drama starring French-Tunisian actor Sami Bouajila, winner of the Orizzonti Award for Best Actor, Venice Film Festival 2019. This film is about an 11-year-old who needs a liver transplant after being seriously injured during a terrorist attack. At the hospital, a family secret is revealed. A Son “is a drama that expertly captures complex human emotions within their socio-cultural, historical and political context.“ ~ Hollywood Reporter
For more information about the 28th Annual African Diaspora International Film Festival, to receive the complete line up, screeners and high-resolution images please contact Diarah N’Daw-Spech at (212) 864-1760/ fax (212) 316-6020 or e-mail pr@nyadiff.org. Festival web site: www.nyadiff.org.
The African Diaspora International Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization.
ADIFF 2020 FACT SHEET
WHAT: 28th Annual African Diaspora International Film Festival
WHERE: Going 100% online nationwide for the first time
WHEN: From November 27, 2020 until December 13, 2020. • SLATE 1 Friday, Nov. 27 9:00 AM –Wed, Dec. 2 11:59 PM
• SLATE 2 Thursday, Dec. 3 12:01 AM –Tue, Dec. 8 11:59 PM
• SLATE 3 Wed, Dec. 9 12:01 AM –Sunday, Dec. 13 11:59 PM
TICKETS: From $2 to $15 depending on screening/event. Festival passes available.
4 SPECIAL EVENTS: Opening, Gala, Centerpiece, Closing
6 PROGRAMS: Spotlight on Afro-Colombian Cinema; Juano Hernandez: An Afro-Latino in Hollywood: the First Nation program; Art, Resistance and Activism Program; Public Award for the Best Film Directed by a Woman of Color; ADIFF School Program.
75 FILMS IN 31 COUNTRIES:
Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Curacao, Ecuador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Mali, Kenya, Morocco, Mexico, Netherland, New Zealand, Peru, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Senegal, Switzerland, South Africa, Germany, Spain, Equatorial Guinea, Tunisia, Trinidad & Tobago, UK, USA.
26 PREMIERES
16 SPECIAL GUESTS
17 DAYS
www.NYADIFF.org
Described by film critic Armond White as “a festival that symbolizes diaspora as more than just anthropology,” ADIFF has managed to increase the presence of independent Afrocentric films from all over the world in the general American specialty movie scene by launching films such as The Tracker by Rolf de Heer (Australia), Kirikou and the Sorceress by Michel Ocelot (France), Gospel Hill by Giancarlo Esposito (USA), Darrat/Dry Season by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun (Chad), Scheherazade, Tell Me a Story by Yousry Nasrallah (Egypt), The Pirogue by Moussa Touré (Senegal), White Lies by Dana Rotberg (New Zealand), and The Citizen by Roland Vranik (Hongary), among others.
ADIFF attracts a wide cross-section of cinephiles and audiences of African-American, Caribbean, African, Latino and European ethnic backgrounds who share a common interest for thought provoking, well crafted, intelligent and entertaining stories about the human experience of people of color, ADIFF is now a national and international event with festivals held in New York City, Chicago, Washington DC, and Paris, France.
Commenting on the line up of ADIFF Chicago 2019, film critic Kathleen Sachs of the Chicago Readers wrote: “The films in the 17th Annual African Diaspora International Film Festival – Chicago do what much media and even the public school system fail to do: educate. Through robust programming that gives meaning to the word "diverse," the selections in this year's festival illuminate the experiences of those living in the African diaspora around the world. The New York-based husband-and-wife programmers, Reinaldo Barroso-Spech and Diarah N'Daw-Spech, have chosen more than a dozen films that, through a variety of modes and genres, further dimensionalize already complex issues specific to those living in these communities. Naturally, documentary lends itself to this mission, though several narrative features and a short fiction add to the plenitude of information.”
The 28th Annual New York African Diaspora International Film Festival is made possible thanks to the support of the following institutions and individuals: ArtMattan Productions; the Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Community Affairs, Teachers College, Columbia University; The Harlem Community Development Corporation, the New York City Council in the Arts; The International Organization Of La Francophonie New York, New York City Council Member Bill Perkins; the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation and administered by LMCC, The Délégation générale du Québec à New York / Québec Government Office in New York, Columbia University Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures, and Manhattan Cultural Tourism Grant.
NYADIFF.org
Diarah N’Daw-Spech
ANNUAL AFRICAN DIASPORA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
ADIFF 2020
Pan African Film Festival
Havana Film Festival
Sanae Akroud
Nafi’s Father
Mamadou Dia
A Taste of Land
Yuhi Amuli
Budha in Africa
The Big Banana
Afro-Colombian
Juano Hernandez
Armond White
Diarah N'Daw-Spech
Luna Angel’s Music Rising
Courtnee: Pride Of North Carolina
The O’Jays Riding the Love Train at Lehman Center
AILEY II CELEBRATES 40th ANNIVERSARY WITH TWO-WEEK NEW YORK SEASON
Seu Jorge At The BLUE NOTE: July 20,21,23 And 24
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“His superior asks him to come to work even when he is sick”
The conflicts that fuel the prud’hommes reflect, every day, our social history. The trial is public. Regularly, a journalist for The Express purpose of attending the debates.
Paris (conseil des prud’hommes trade section, on 15 January 2019 15: 40
The president, surrounded by three advisors, called the lawyers for Youssef and her ex-employer, a small supermarket in paris.
The president : Mr. is entered in the company on 18 August 2014, it worked until 23 may 2016, so he has less than two years of seniority. You know the average of his salary ?
The lawyer for Youssef : 1 531,33 euros on average.
The president (counsel for the employer) : do You agree ?
The counsel for the employer : Yes.
The president (the lawyer, Youssef) : Your requests ?
The lawyer for Youssef : I want 18 375,96 euros for unfair dismissal, 1 531,33 euros to pay in lieu of notice, 153,13 euros of paid leave related and 2 500 euros to article 700.
The president : We are listening to you.
The lawyer for Youssef : The collective agreement that is applicable to my client is one of the trade. He performs his contract of employment as normally as possible. But the April 10, 2016, he informed his employer that he has problems with his superior.
He tells of specific facts, such as mood swings. For example, she asks him to come to work even when he is off work. It calls for a yes or a no. It must take him and bring him back to the airport, deliver cardboard boxes in his home. It therefore sends an e-mail on its strange working conditions to the employer, co-signed by other employees, which is quite rare.
On may 12, the employer responds to this letter, indicates that an investigation has been made and that there was nothing wrong with the superior in question. For him, there would be difficulties in a relationship.
The president : Ah !
STORY >> “It is sick, it is discovered radiant on Facebook, in Deauville”
The lawyer for Youssef : The problem is that one speaks to me of a survey, but on what basis ? Who has been interviewed ? When ? It’s still a fair bit of stick to a statement of the hierarchy, especially that there is a particular context : my client is convened on April 15, 2016 to a preliminary interview to be held on April 26.
He is dismissed for serious misconduct on the 23rd of may. He is accused, a fact which would place the 12 march to 16 h. He was talking with two of his superior who asked him to show himself more understanding to the place of another employee who was difficult to understand the French. “You said : “his mother the whore” in Arabic to your superior that you made this remark and then asked you to resume your position,” said the letter of dismissal. My client denies having insulted his superior in Arabic or in French. He knows how to hold it, it is a serious accusation and unfounded.
The counsel for the employer : Mr. has been about a particularly virulent and threatening towards members of the frame. Its N+1 asked to have a tone more appropriate vis-à-vis another employee.
The lawyer for Youssef : My client does not speak either French easy, fluid. I don’t see why he would have told off another employee in this pattern language ! Besides, the colleague supposedly humiliated has not even testified against my client. Oddly, it does not say that he was the victim of name-calling and you know why ? Because my client was never cursed, he never ill-treated. My client wants to keep his job, he does not want to fight with anyone, he does not want to be discourteous.
The counsel for the employer : The two managers present on the day explained to him that he should not humiliate the colleague, but to accompany it. The employee is nervous. Its N+2, as it asks two times to resume his work. Mr. pare then fist on the table and leaves, saying, “his mother, the whore” in Arabic.
The lawyer for Youssef : Which proves that he has used the Arabic language ? I am of north african origin and I do not speak Arabic. We are close to something foul-smelling is attributing it to my client about outrageous in Arabic, while this is a simple employee of a convenience store, who was perfectly aware of the relationship of subordination that it has vis-à-vis his employer and the respectful attitude that it strives to have its N+1 and N+2. My client has mainly said to his superior that he was going to alert the employer on these accusations and on the work he had to accomplish for one of them outside of work hours. They told him that they would avenge themselves !
TESTIMONY >> “She dares to play it: I’m a poor little victim of racism”
The counsel for the employer : they Are trying to hijack this incident for problems between his hierarchy and this gentleman. It is a little easy. It does not give us any item on the harassment to which the employee would have been victim. Wear insults and bang one’s fist on the table, for a subordinate, it is unacceptable.
An advisor : This would be more acceptable on the part of a N+1 ?
The counsel for the employer : I did not say that.
The same counsellor : And what evidence do you have of the incident ?
The counsel for the employer : there is no camera that has filmed the scene if this is the answer you want to hear. But this employee had an attitude particularly virulent. Customers were able to attend the scene, which only worsens the problem as it raises the problem of the image of the company and shall constitute a nuisance for it. The materiality of the facts is attested by two managers, under oath, they tell the facts of abuse and violence that they have experienced and which they have been the victims.
The lawyer for Youssef : You have only the version of the two managers and only their certificates. What are its N+1 and N+2. There is something that is not going to. It is in a supermarket, there are a lot of staff, customers, but what are these frameworks and only those who testify.
The counsel for the employer : Why would there be more credibility to this man who had not two years of age and had already had a warning ? Be punished for what he did, the rest, not in dispute.
The president : On what ground ?
The lawyer of the employer : On of expired products.
The lawyer for Youssef : It has been criticised for having left the shelf of the soft drinks out of date. He has blamed him alone, not to the other employees that used to supply the shelf also.
The counsel for the employer : This is not the debate and he did not dispute this warning.
The president : The problem occurs on the 12th of march, and the fire on 23 may…
The counsel for the employer : We have not had another choice.
The president : will You put the time !
The lawyer for Youssef : On several occasions, during the period between the notice of the interview and in the termination, it has prevented my client from working. “You go home,” he has told. It has not the letter of dismissal, so he stays and calls the police to prove that he was good at his job. The second time, he again calls the police but has to start at home because the employer proves that he has sent him a letter by registered mail.
The president : What is his situation today ?
The lawyer for Youssef : He is still unemployed, but it looks to work. He wants to leave in Spain where he has obtained the map to be a truck driver.
16.10. The chair : The debate is closed. Delivered on February 13.
Verdict : The dismissal is recharacterized in the case of dismissal for cause real and serious. The employer must pay 1 531,13 euros of compensation for notice and 153,11 € of paid leave pertaining to 1, 000 euros to article 700.
Slander in the workplace : what the law says
The insult or the defamation by an employee often justify a dismissal for gross misconduct. But the circumstances, the context in which the events took place, the hierarchical relationship between the one who utters the insult and the one who receives them (superior, colleague, subordinate or third party when there is a customer) are all elements left to the discretion of the judge to mitigate or aggravate the fault. In fact, the insults and name-calling and defamation by an employee can be sanctioned in the labour law, such as criminal law.
In 2017, the firm Eléas has done a study showing that 42% of employees say they are exposed to antisocial behaviour, with 53 % of employees in the commerce sector who say they are victims of this phenomenon in constant rise.
In the case of Youssef, the serious misconduct is justified, according to the employer, for three reasons : Youssef allegedly denigrated one employee, and then rebutted a crop by its hierarchy in hurling, name-calling and aggravating them by violence, that is to say, a fist on the table. But the employee denies to block all charges, is supported by his colleagues who testified that he was at the disposal of his superior.
In addition, on three facts, no person outside the scene cannot confirm the claims of its hierarchy, no single customer no more, and this diminishes the character of harm to the image of the company.
The insult to the public is a crime. But in this case, if insult there has been, it has been non-public. To the Court of cassation (June 17, 2009, appeal 08-41. 663), to say to his superior, “I have nothing to wax you have to make you cum “, and then, a few days later, “I love you, fuck you and your letter and here is what I’m doing”, followed by insult and death threat from his hierarchical superior does not render impossible the maintenance of employee in the company and does not constitute a serious fault. The judges were of the opinion that the violent behaviour of the employee was to be put to the account of the state of exasperation and psychological fragility in which it was because he was under pressure at his place of work.
Read our complete file
Carnets de prud’hommes
“Dismissed for abuse on a child” “The security agent is party while a man was lying on the ground “part has no choice : the burn-out or the prison,”
In the case of Youssef, it is yet in its hierarchy that doubt has enjoyed since the termination for cause real and serious has been retained.
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In the Hot Seat
After a tumultuous year on and off the bike, he leads BMC in California
After 10 years with the Garmin program, 27-year-old Peter Stetina looks to new opportunities with BMC. (BMC/Graham Watson)
Sometimes, you choose change; sometimes, it chooses you. It’s cliché to say it, but true, that what matters most is how you handle it. Peter Stetina is getting a lot of practice.
He’s leading his BMC Racing team at the Amgen Tour of California, a new role on a new team. He’s dealing with the ups and downs of the race, the novel pressure of leading a squad, and the attention that comes with it. And perhaps most of all, he’s faced with the challenge of his own expectations and hopes.
Although this is his fifth professional season, the Tour of California marks the first time in his pro career that Stetina has truly been a protected rider. He spent his four previous seasons with Garmin-Sharp. There, he grew to become a valued team player, but rarely a leader.
“Garmin always raced with a very open base plan,” Stetina says. The team would go to a race with as many as four or five possible top riders: guys like Ryder Hesjedal, Dan Martin, Christian Vande Velde and Tom Danielson. Stetina would be in the mix, but one thing or another would take him out.
“I had opportunities at Garmin but never the outright lead,” he said. “It’s partly my fault, because I’d sell out for a teammate first.” Look back, and there are several near-miss chances in the recent past—last year at the Volta Catalunya, for example, a hilly WorldTour race that is ideally suited to Stetina’s abilities. There, he was running eighth overall when Martin won a stage and took the overall lead. “So I switched over to helping him win the overall,” said Stetina. He eventually finished 21st.
He decided to change teams, to look for a fresh start. It was not, at first, an easy decision. Stetina had not only spent his entire pro career with Garmin, he had raced for its development team for six seasons before that. He almost literally grew up in the program.
“There was a lot of back and forth,” he said of his decision to leave. Would he really find what he was looking for at BMC, or would he better off with a team he knew so well they were like family?
He knew literally nothing else. “I had to ask [BMC] if they would have rice on the team bus after the race,” he recalled with a wry laugh. “I mean, I’m sure that they would, because it’s common sense, but I did not know; I had to ask.”
Choosing change is hard; it’s scary precisely because it is unknown. But once he made the decision, Stetina says, he was almost instantly at peace with it. “It’s been refreshing,” he said of the switch, “and it’s been a really fun year.”
It’s fun in part because it offers that first chance to really lead a team. BMC’s head director, Allan Peiper, worked with Stetina for a year at Garmin and, when it came time last off-season to bolster BMC’s roster of climbers, his former charge came to mind.
“I saw him develop at Garmin and I thought he’d be a great helper, or someone to use as an alternate leader when Tejay [van Garderen] or Cadel [Evans] wasn’t there,” said Peiper.
Stetina’s primary job is to ride support in the mountains for those riders, but Peiper said the leadership role in California was “evident as a goal,” since neither of BMC’s top GC contenders had the race on their schedules.
It was for exactly this kind of opportunity that Stetina chose to change. But along the way, change also chose him.
Just two weeks after his decision to switch teams, Stetina was asleep the night before the Grand Prix Plouay when he got a terrible midnight phone call: his father, Dale, had been badly injured in a bike accident.
Dale Stetina and his brother Wayne were two of the top cyclists in the US 30 years ago. Dale won the Coors Classic twice; Wayne is currently a vice president at component maker Shimano.
Dale was on a ride with friends, descending Lefthand Canyon near Boulder, Colorado, when a Jeep pulled into the road from a shoulder pullout on a blind curve, just as the cyclists rounded the corner. Dale swerved and braked so hard he flipped, landing on his head. He was airlifted out.
Four hours after getting the call, Peter Stetina was driving to the airport for the worst flight of his life. “I got on the plane knowing that he probably wasn’t going to be alive when I got off,” said Stetina. But the hardest part was not knowing, 10 hours on the plane without any updates. He landed and checked his phone: His father was still alive.
The symmetry is eerie: Dale was injured only because he was riding. But it was only because he was riding, training for an event with friends that would take him to the Dolomites to ride the same climbs Peter had done in the Giro d’Italia the past three years, that he was able to survive the aftermath of the crash.
“It saved his life,” said Peter, “because he was the fittest he’d been since he retired [from racing].”
Dale spent weeks at Denver’s Craig Hospital, a renowned center for spinal and head injury treatment. He spent months more in Omaha at an intensive rehabilitation center. By February, he was finally home, but still working hard to recover.
This week, he will fly for the first time since before his crash. He’s coming here, to the Tour of California, to see his son race. He’s been riding a tandem at home, piloted by trusted friends. It’s an integral part of his recovery, but a risky one; a fall at this point could undo all of his work.
After the race, Dale will travel up to Santa Rosa, where his tandem pilot will be Peter. Then, Dale will travel to Washington, DC for the Ride 2 Recovery. Peter will go back to his support role. His next major target: riding support for van Garderen at the Tour de France.
Add up the stakes here for Peter: a leading role on a new team, backed by riders like Thor Hushovd and Greg van Avermaet, stars in their own right. A crucial opportunity that, if successful, could lead to more. And an emotional reunion with his father after a near-death experience.
In truth, last year’s TOC would have been a better shot for Stetina. The course was more suited to him, and he was on better form overall. Or maybe a hilly race for climbers like Pais Vasco or Catalunya would have been a better option.
But this is BMC, and when you’re mostly a support rider, you take the opportunity where you get it. So far, it’s been a bit rough. There have been as many down moments than up. He lost 2:30 to Wiggins in the time trial but rebounded with a strong ride on Mount Diablo and sits sixth overall. Lightly built, he should improve on Mountain High.
He’s still 2:24 down; overall victory is almost assuredly out of reach. Before the race, Stetina acknowledged victory was a tall order, especially with a rider like Wiggins on the start list: “But you can’t say that the goal is not to win the race.” All he could do, he said, was train his hardest and be ready for opportunity. Maybe, he said, that’s a podium finish. Maybe it’s a stage win.
The Disney version of this tale is probably not going to happen. Peter won’t ride into Los Angeles in the leader’s jersey and ride a victory lap with his suddenly, miraculously recovered father as credits roll. That’s not how it works.
But a stage win is still possible, as is a podium. Showing enough promise to warrant another leadership opportunity is possible. A progression is certainly still possible.
Stetina will be 27 in August. He is under no illusions that he will transform into the next Tour de France champion by July, or next July, or the one after that. “Right now,” he says, “I am known as a solid climbing domestique. And that is a very good place to be.”
He’s right, and he’s a smart, perceptive young man who knows very well to appreciate what he has. And there is great respect for his abilities as a climbing support rider, the kind of essential team player who helped Ryder Hesjedal win the 2012 Giro d’Italia.
But it’s natural for him to wonder if maybe there is something more. When you start racing, you don’t dream of being the guy who sets up the guy who leads the team. You dream of being the leader.
Nobody knows what that future holds for Stetina, over the next stages or even months and years; just as no one can really know what Dale’s future will bring. How much will each of them progress? What will be the new normal?
Whatever that may be, if the past year is any indication, Stetina is ready.
Watch Stetina explain his climbing strategy on Mount Diablo.
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Top Management Colleges in Karnataka
Karnataka is one of the top education destinations in the country for many Management aspirants. There are varied specializations offered by institutions and admission is mostly on the basis of national tests like CAT, MAT KMAT, etc.
Listed below are the top 10 MBA Colleges in Karnataka:
Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore: IIM- B is a public business school that offers Post Graduate, Doctoral and executive training programs in management. With over 1000 students, it is consistently ranked as one of the best business schools in India and the Asia Pacific region.
Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore: DoMS is one of the oldest management schools in the country. With limited intake of only 15 students of engineering background, this college offers Master of Management program.
TA Pai Management Institute, Manipal: Located in the university town of Manipal in Karnataka, it is the second B-School in India to get accreditation to the Association of Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). It was ranked at 18th number among top B-Schools in India and is known for its student and faculty exchange programs with renowned universities.
Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, Bangalore: XIME, offering a 2 year fully residential PGDM course, is ranked 12th in India in a worldwide study of B-Schools by Ed Universal, Paris. It also offers Management Development Programmes, Executive / Entrepreneurship Development Programmes.
Institute of Finance and International Management, Bangalore: It is one of the top ranking institutions in India and has a distinct advantage of being a premier college in Bangalore, the IT hub of the country. Business India magazine ranked this institute as 28th Best Business School in India in the year 2016
Alliance School of Business, Bangalore: Located on an extensive 45+ acres campus in Bengaluru, this university offers a variety of courses. Ranked 1st in infrastructure and facilities and 8th in placements by Education World Magazine, it is also ranked third best in South India and stands 10th in India.
Christ University Institute of Management: Christ University is a UGC recognized deemed Private university in Bangalore with over 16,000 students and more than 1000 faculty members. The university offers nationally and internationally recognized programs and has over 2000+ foreign students on its roll.
MS Ramaiah Institute of Management, Bangalore: MSRIT is an autonomous private engineering college located in Bangalore and is affiliated to the Visvesvaraya Technological University. The college is autonomous and has academic alliances with various multinationals and excellent placement records. .
AIMS Institutes, Bangalore: Formerly known as Acharya Institute of Management and Sciences, it is a private, self-financed institution affiliated to the Bangalore University. Established in 1994, programmes offered by its School of Business, namely, MBA, PGPIB, BBM and B.Com, have been accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE), USA.
Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM Bengaluru) : A constituent of Symbiosis International University, SIMB is a private coeducational university located in Bangalore. It is known for its faculty and placements.
This list has been complied taking into consideration multiple metrics, rankings from respected publication houses and views from experts in the field of education. However, if you have any feedback about this list or you wish to suggest some other college that deserves to be in this list, please feel free to mention it in the comment section below.
Search For the Best Colleges In India at Brainbuxa - https://www.brainbuxa.com/institute
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Management is a much needed degree in today's times with the world economy developing at great pace. Based on QS World University Rankings by Subject for 2016-17, the worldâs top 10 colleges for busin...
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Glitterbug
Infection prevention, Measles outbreak
How an Amish missionary & an amusement park visitor started measles hysteria
January 30, 2015 brevis-admin
We considered opening with “an Amish missionary and an amusement park patron walk into a bar…” but the measles outbreak is most definitely not a joke.
Last year, there were 23 outbreaks of measles in the United States and 644 confirmed cases—the most since the disease was declared all but eliminated back in 2000. The 2014 outbreak was reportedly caused by an Amish missionary who’d traveled to the Philippines where he caught the measles, then returned to his community where many friends and family had refused the measles vaccine—and continued to pass along the disease.
Yesterday, new data released by the CDC shows that 288 cases of measles have been reported in the US since the beginning of the year and over 2,000 people are being monitored in Arizona after someone was exposed to an infected guest at Disneyland in December. And it may be far from over.
Measles is the one of the most infectious diseases known to man
A person with measles can cough in a room and then leave—and hours later (if you are unvaccinated) you could catch the virus from the droplets in the air that they left behind. No other virus can do that.
Measles is an entirely preventable illness
Nearly everyone who gets the proper vaccine will never get sick with measles, even if they’re exposed.
“The current increase in measles cases is being driven by unvaccinated people, primarily U.S. residents, who got measles in other countries, brought the virus back to the United States and spread to others in communities where many people are not vaccinated, says one assistant surgeon general, Dr. Anne Schuchat.
The measles and anti-vaxxers
It’s not just about “anti-vaxxers” (the people refuse vaccinations for a variety of reasons). It’s also about people who CAN’T be vaccinated.
Only about two percent of the U.S. population outright refuses vaccines. But every person counts. Vaccinations don’t just protect you or your children it protects everyone around you. People who are already ill and weakened immune systems, not to mention people who are unable to be vaccinated. The measles vaccine, for instance, is not licensed for use on babies younger than 12 months. That means that, for the first year of life, babies depend on the fact that everybody else around them gets vaccinated.
In most cases, measles isn’t deadly, but it’s almost always debilitating, bringing on a weeks-long fever, rash, and painful, watery eyes. According to an article from Vox, Up to forty percent of people experience serious complications, such as pneumonia and encephalitis (or swelling of the brain). One or two children in 1,000 die. Worldwide, measles kills 400 people a day, says Disease Daily. Yet it costs less than a buck to avoid.
The extremely high cost of a measles outbreak
The economic toll of measles is also astounding. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calculated that outbreaks in 2011—a total of just 107 cases—cost state and local taxpayers up to $5.3 million. And USA Today reports that a 2008 outbreak in San Diego cost taxpayers $10,376 per case to trace contacts and administer vaccinations. Why? Due to its high infectiousness and the potential severity of complications, a measles outbreak often constitutes a serious public health event entailing a vigorous response from local public health departments and can involve multiple states and counties. The World Health Organization (WHO) says during 2000-2013, measles vaccination prevented an estimated 15.6 million deaths making measles vaccine one of the best buys in public health.
Before the measles vaccine was introduced in 1963, there were four million cases (with 48,000 hospitalizations and 500 deaths every year). By 2000, the virus was declared eliminated in the U.S. because enough people were immunized so that outbreaks were uncommon—and deaths from measles were scarcely heard of. Take that, anti-vaxxers.
Do you have questions about measles and vaccines? Read this article by Julia Belluz: 9 things everybody should know about measles.
CDCCenters for Disease Control and PreventionMeaslesSaralynn WhiteVaccinationsWorld Health Organization (WHO)
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Maintaining the Gift of Unity
This morning we are going to focus our time together on the first three verses of the fourth chapter of Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. As I have studied these three verses this past week I have been
Mike Hays 20 May, 2012 1 August, 2017 Ephesians, New Testament, Sermons Read more
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For kids and the young at heart
With over a dozen theme parks, the city is a top destination for those who love to have fun. One of the theme parks at the famous Walt Disney World Resort, Epcot features entertaining attractions, award-winning fireworks, special events around the year and international pavilions. At this one theme park, you can travel around the world, experience life under the sea and venture into outer space on one of the park’s incredible themed rides and attractions including Mission Space and Reflections of China.
For lovers of nature
There are few places on earth you can come face-to-face with adorable bottlenose dolphins, hear the loud shrill cries of tropical birds or laugh at the mischievous of otters all in one day, but Discovery Cove is one of them. With a haven of rocky lagoons and green landscapes, snaking rivers and waterfalls and white sandy beaches, this resort is a little slice of heaven that offers unforgettable experiences meeting your favourite marine creatures. As you make your way around the attractions, you’ll be able to take advantage of unlimited access to a great choice of food and drink.
For muggles
One of the more recent and most popular theme parks, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, opened in 2010 and has been enchanting fans of the popular J.K Rowling novels ever since. Whether you’re a fan of the books and movies or not, this delightful theme park makes an entertaining day out that showcases family-friendly roller coasters, intricately crafted recreations of attractions featured in the films and books and numerous opportunities to buy Harry Potter themed merchandise. The park’s standout attraction is Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, a thrilling 3d simulator based on Gringotts Bank from the Harry Potter world.
For movie buffs
If you think you know your Anna from Elsa and Darth Vader from Kylo Ren, take a trip to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. With attractions and live-action shows based on movies including Star Wars, Frozen and Indiana Jones, there’s something for everybody. There are plenty of opportunities for making great memories here, including the The Great Movie Ride, a tram ride that puts you right at the centre of the action. You’ll get the chance to be part of classic film titles including Alien, Fantasia, The Wizard of Oz and Singin’ in the Rain.
For cinema and music lovers
The Beacham Theatre is a historic cinema which was built in 1921 and now acts as a venue for concerts and theatre performances. The intimate and artistic atmosphere of the theatre makes it a must-visit for music lovers who like to appreciate live music in authentic surroundings.
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Buxton Contact Case - Abduction, Nordics, Hybrid, UFO Sightings, Body Markings, Protection
Birmingham UFO Group Case Report Author: Dave Hodrien Release Date: 07/07/2010
Carol lives with her husband Matt in Buxton, a small town in Derbyshire, England. Since an early age she has experienced strange occurrences. These occurrences suggest that she has experienced contact, which may or may not be ongoing. She may also have been protected from harm on numerous occasions. Her clearly UFO-related experiences began when, at 12 years old, she and her friend had a close encounter with a saucer-shaped craft and appear to have been taken aboard it. Later in her life she would go on to have other stunning UFO sightings, and experience something which suggests she may be involved with the ET hybrid breeding program.
This report covers Carol’s experiences in rough order of when they took place. It includes a full transcript of her hypnotic regression, and is interspersed with drawings she has done of her experiences.
I first met Carol and her husband Matt at the Lancashire Anomalous Phenomena Investigation Society (LAPIS) UFO Conference on Sunday 22nd May 2010. We had a brief chat about her experiences. It was here that I first heard about her stunning close encounter with a UFO, which led to recurring flashbacks and dreams. She also spoke of an incident involving a baby which appeared to be of both human and extraterrestrial origin. This was clearly quite emotional for her.
I informed her I would be happy to look into her experiences, and over the next two weeks discussed these in detail via E-Mail and phone. I was soon aware that this would prove to be one of the most stunning cases I have yet investigated.
On Saturday 5th June, I and Rob Tudge, the hypnotherapist who assists me with cases involving contact, drove up to Derbyshire to meet up with Carol and Matt at their home in Buxton. After an initial catch up, Rob regressed Carol back to her two most interesting experiences – the saucer UFO sighting and the incident with the baby. I feel everyone involved got a lot out of it. You can read the full transcript of this regression later in this report.
After the regression, Carol and Matt then took us out to the locations where various incidents had taken place for some photographs. Fortunately it was a bright sunny day, and it was an absolute pleasure exploring Buxton and the surrounding moorland. We then decided to stop at The Winking Man pub for a meal and discussion about UFOs. It was a truly fascinating day, and we were very thankful to Carol and Matt for their time.
Soon after our visit to Buxton, Carol filled in the Contactee Questionnaire I often utilise. The questionnaire covers many of the signs and feelings that are associated with contact. This led to further potentially related incidents being uncovered. We have remained in touch via E-Mail and through the BUFOG Contactee Support meetings, and Carol has already informed me of further incidents which have happened since.
The events that Carol, her friend and husband have experienced over the years are truly incredible, and thanks to Carol can now be revealed within this report.
An Unknown Protector
Even though most people do not remember anything at all from the first few years of their life, Carol remembers an incident which took place in August 1963 when she was only 18 months old. She was down the beach at Christ Church with her family – her parents Paul and Claire, sister Jane and grandmother Elizabeth. Her mum and grandmother had gone to buy ice creams, leaving her with her dad and sister. They were making sandcastles, and she was jealous because Paul had made a moat around her sister’s sandcastle which had filled with water. She had been told to stay away from the sea, but she decided to walk to the water’s edge with a bucket to get some water for herself.
Carol bent down, and a wave came in and took her off her feet and swept her away. She was spinning face down in the water, which felt like she was in a tunnel. She has no memories at all about how she was saved or who gave her back to her parents.
In 2003 she spoke with her parents about the incident. Her dad said he owed the person a debt of gratitude, and it played on his mind that he never got the chance to thank them. Her mum said she had showed up coughing and obviously soaking wet, but they did not see who had rescued her or taken her back to them.
It is possible that Carol managed to get out of the water and find her way back to her dad and sister, and due to the shock completely forgot this taking place. However she was only 18 months at the time, and it seems unlikely that she would have been able to do this without any assistance. Could it be that she was aided by an unknown protector? Taken on it’s own this incident is far from conclusive, however this would not be the only time when she has been apparently protected from harm. There would be further events later in her life, some of which were much harder to explain, as you will see later in this report.
Contactees often mention incidents such as this one, where they appear to be protected by the beings who they are in contact with, sometimes through psychic abilities they have gained as a result. This protection may be for the benefit of the individual or the benefit of the ETs, it is not currently known for sure either way.
Invisible Assailant
When she was 7 years old, Carol used to live with her family on Queens Road, Buxton. Carol’s bedroom used to be up in the attic of the house, which her dad had specially converted for her.
Aerial map of Queens Road:
One morning after she had woken up but still lying on the bed, Carol lent over to get a book off a low shelf. Suddenly she felt a heavy impact in the middle of her back, like someone had thumped her hard. There was nothing that was above the bed which could have fallen onto her, and she was terrified.
She stayed completely still for what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only a few minutes. In the end she finally decided to move, and ran straight out of the room. She ran downstairs and told her mum, but she would not believe her and told her to go and get the bobbles for her hair!
This is an odd incident, and one which could appear hostile in intention. Contactees often report feeling the sensation of being touched, but it is possible this incident was nothing to do with ET contact. Perhaps when she leant down to get the book, it stretched a muscle which led to the feeling of being hit. Or perhaps there was a totally different paranormal explanation, such as ghostly activity.
Saucer UFO & Contact Incident
In 1974, when Carol was 12 years old and at secondary school, her and her friend Janet would have an experience which would impact greatly on their lives. On the day of the incident, Carol had gone round to Janet’s house. It was between 4pm and 6pm in the afternoon. While Janet’s mum made dinner, the girls decided to go out and post some envelopes for the blind around the local neighbourhood. Carol cannot remember whether this was something the school had arranged for them to do or whether this was organised by Janet’s mum.
It was a clear and dry day and the sun was shining brightly. They had been out for about 20-30 minutes. As they walked along Ecclesbourne Drive, Carol suddenly noticed a strange object hovering over the housing on their right further down the road. She pointed it out to Janet and asked if she could see it too, to which she replied that she could. The object was about four houses away from their position. It was almost Saturn-shaped, with a dome on top, a dome underneath and a rim protruding around the centre, although the lower dome was flattened off. It was about the size of a caravan. The object was a dull silver colour, like the textured side of tin foil, and had a completely smooth surface. Around the rim were numerous multi-coloured flashing lights. On the base were what appeared to be flattened circular shapes. Carol compares these to the shapes on the top of some types of electrical shavers. At first these markings were not very visible, but the object was due to get a lot closer to the girls than it was when they first sighted it.
Aerial map of Ecclesbourne Drive showing the location the girls were at when the incident began:
Drawing of the UFO:
Drawing of the markings on the base of the UFO:
Photograph in the direction the UFO was first sighted:
Carol was absolutely fascinated and awestruck by what she and Janet were looking at. However she was not frightened. She immediately felt certain that the object was an advanced craft of some kind – a genuine UFO! She knew that it was something many would find hard to believe if she were to talk about it.
The craft appeared to be about 40 feet high when they first spotted it. It was also moving in their direction but off to the side of the road over the housing. It approached slowly, and appeared almost clumsy in motion. Carol does not remember it making any sound at all. As it approached, it also began to descend. The girls were standing next to a bungalow, and as it reached this bungalow it was so low it was almost touching the roof. At this point it must have been less than 25 feet in the air. The craft encircled the girls, and came to rest about 20-30 feet away in front of them in the road behind where they were standing. It did not fully land; it appeared to be hovering about 12-18 inches off the road surface.
Photograph of the bungalow over which the craft hovered:
Photograph of me standing at the spot where the craft ”landed” in the road:
Janet stood slightly behind Carol and to her side. Carol does not remember talking to her. The girls stared at the craft for an amount of time, Carol is not sure exactly how long because of the strangeness of the situation. Then suddenly without warning, a doorway started to open in the side of the lower half of the craft. Carol feels that the door must have come down to form a ramp to the ground. Inside the open doorway it was very dark.
Drawing of the craft with open doorway:
Carol is not sure of exactly what happened next. She certainly feels that a lot more took place, which she cannot currently fully remember. She believes that beings must have come out of the craft. She has vague recollections of this, and knows that “they weren’t green”. These recollections have haunted her for many years.
Her next clear memory was of the craft being back over the roof of the bungalow. It lifted straight upwards by about 10 feet, slightly swayed and then suddenly dramatically increased in speed and shot away. The girls began to walk back to Janet’s house, discussing what they had just witnessed. They agreed not to tell Janet’s mum as they felt she would not believe them. Later they talked more about the incident in Janet’s room. They were afraid that if they told anyone the government would take them away from their parents and lock them up, so they decided not to tell anyone about what had occurred.
Carol remembers a time when she and Janet were told off for being late back home from somewhere. She is not absolutely sure that this took place after the encounter with the craft, but feels that it probably was.
The incident became a secret between the girls. Carol found out later that Janet did not remember the craft coming down into the road at all; she only remembered it hovering over the housing. So it seems that, for whatever reason, she has less recall of what took place.
For a while they would still discuss what they had seen, but then Janet no longer wanted to talk about the incident at all. Many years later she admitted to Carol that it was because it went against everything they had been taught. She didn’t know how to handle it, so preferred just to forget it happened.
Carol is not sure when the flashbacks began. They come to her as dream-like memories, where she cannot be certain that they took place but she innately feels that they did. In these flashbacks, she sees herself standing to the right of Janet. They are in a place that appears larger than the size of the craft, and are leaning against something. To her right some distance away stands a dark haired boy. The boy is naked and looks like he is in a lulled confused state of mind. Neither she nor Janet speak to this boy.
Carol then walks past a clear cylinder filled with a pink liquid. Suspended in this liquid is a naked woman who looks like she is asleep. She has long dark hair, is just over 5 feet tall and looks to be in her 40s. Carol can see her hair moving around in the liquid.
Drawing of the woman in the cylinder:
She then meets a number of beings and is shown something, but she does not remember exactly what. At this point Janet is no longer with her. After an amount of time with these beings, it is then time for their meeting to come to an end. Carol doesn’t want them to leave her. They then assure her that they will see her again, but only when she dies.
Carol is not sure whether or not Janet has experienced flashbacks too. Janet no longer wishes to discuss the incident with her so she has not been able to ask her about this aspect. Carol no longer regularly stays in touch with Janet.
About ten years ago, Carol decided to be hypnotically regressed, to see if she could remember any further details about the incident. The hypnotherapist was named Mel Grant, and she was passed his details by BUFORA. He appeared to be experienced in regressing contactees, and asked her many questions prior to the regression. Under hypnosis she remembered the craft clearly, but could not remember anything which took place on board, she could only see the colour pink. When Rob regressed Carol, the link between the UFO sighting and the flashbacks was made clear, and additional details she was not aware of before were also uncovered.
In 2001, Carol’s parents were looking to move house, and had gone to see a property for sale on Ecclesbourne Drive. For an unknown reason, the man at the house told her dad that he had seen an alien. Her father mentioned this to her because he was aware of her previous sighting.
A number of years ago, Carol’s step father and his friend had been out drinking and were walking home along Ecclesbourne Drive when they too saw something. He told Carol whatever it was, it was so low in the air that it made them lie down to avoid hitting it. Sadly Carol informs me that he does not wish to speak further about this incident.
Early in 2010, Carol went to visit her ex-neighbour Ernie, who now lives in Sheffield. She decided to tell him about her close encounter with the UFO. He mentioned to her that he used to know someone who lived in the vicinity of the sighting, and who claimed to have seen UFOs in the area on multiple occasions. She hopes to get the contact details for this man and get in touch some point in the near future.
When Rob regressed her on 5th June 2010, Carol remembered further details including what the beings looked like (see regression transcript later).
Within a year after her UFO encounter, Carol went to the dentist. She was sitting in the dentist chair, and he swung around the hydraulic arm with the light on the end. Carol felt a sense of familiarity about it, and for an unknown reason it reminded her of something off a flying saucer. It is possible this experience triggered a memory of something which had occurred previously.
On another occasion years later when her and Matt went to the cinema, the lights down the edge of the aisles reminded her of something which would be aboard a flying saucer. It brought back a memory that she had seen something similar, which helped to strengthen her belief that she had been aboard the craft back when she was 12.
Unexplained Scar
Also within a year of the UFO incident, Carol discovered an unexplained scar on the ball of her right foot, which is still visible today. She only discovered it when she jumped down off the stage at school. She is certain that it wasn’t this action which actually caused the wound, and could not think of how it may have happened.
Recent photograph of the scar:
Obviously it is not possible to say whether or not this scar was in any way linked to her contact experience. Carol may have just accidentally cut her foot on something without being aware of it. Often wounds such as this will only hurt when pressure is applied to them, and may be completely painless until noticed. Usually markings caused through contact experiences only show up for a short time before vanishing completely, but this was obviously a deep cut as it is still visible today. However it still has the possibility of being related, which is why I have included it here.
The School Trip
On one school trip to France, Carol remembers an unusual incident taking place. She was sitting with a group of her friends on a long padded bench in the lounge of the hotel where they were staying, watching TV and talking. The next thing she remembers is waking up in the lounge surrounded by German school children. This was a very bizarre situation for her. She did not remember falling asleep, and could not understand why her friends would have left her there on her own. She went to find them, and found them back in their hotel rooms. When she asked them about what happened they told her that they'd tried to wake her up but she would not.
The whole incident felt very unusual to Carol. She says it felt very different to when you simply doze off and then wake back up a short while later. Perhaps she was just tired and while relaxing had dropped off. There is no way of knowing how hard her friends tried to wake her up. But considering how she felt about the incident, perhaps there is a more unusual explanation.
A Narrow Escape
In 1975 Carol was out in Buxton with her mum during stormy weather. They had been out visiting former neighbours, and were on their way back home. They were walking along the pavement by the roundabout that joins Fairfield Road with Spring Gardens.
Suddenly she felt her mum pull her backwards and sideways towards a shop doorway by the shoulders. She regained her balance and was about to ask her why she had done that, when she felt a force pulling her head back by a few inches. A moment later a slate fell off the roof right in front of her face and landed right where she was standing only seconds before.
Aerial map of the location where the incident took place:
Photograph of the incident location. The slate fell off the roof of one of the buildings seen on the right:
Carol is adamant that it was an actual physical force and not just intuition that something was about to happen. She has always felt that it was her granddad looking out for her. But could it have been the ETs? It certainly seems that someone or something was protecting her from harm.
Handbag Incident
In 1982 when she was 19, Carol went on a holiday to the Lake District with Janet. They set off in the early hours of the morning in Carol’s Mini Metro. It was a clear and sunny morning, and visibility was good.
When they arrived, they stopped at a car park to see if some nearby shops were open. They soon discovered they were not, so pulled out of the car park. Carol had pushed her large handbag between the head restraint and the door frame. It fell out and landed on the back seat of the car. She wound her window down, which is something she would very rarely do. She has no idea why she felt the need to do so at this time.
They set off along the road away from the car park. Suddenly something flew right past her head, causing her to duck and slam the brakes on. She looked around and noticed that her handbag was lying in the road about 15-20 feet behind the car! It had somehow jumped up off the back seat of its own accord and flown out past her head and out of the open window.
Carol got out of the car and walked back along the road to pick up the handbag. As she bent down to get it, she watched as a gold-coloured Allegro came screeching round a corner out of control further down on their side of the road. The driver managed to regain control of the vehicle. He got back onto the right side and drove past them.
The girls realised that if they hadn’t stopped the car to get the handbag, the other car would have crashed into them. They were both convinced that something had thrown out the handbag on purpose to stop this event from taking place and save their lives. At the time they put it down to either Carol’s granddad or Janet’s mother.
In 1982-83, when Carol was 19-20 years old, she became very ill with glandular fever, hepatitis and jaundice. During this time she would spend long periods of time sleeping on the settee at her parent’s house near to the former Devonshire Hospital. People would come and go all day but she would rarely wake up as she was so unwell.
Carol has memories of something which took place around this time. She was very ill, so cannot be absolutely certain that it happened, but it feels very real to her. She remembers that one night; she was brought a baby at her parent’s home. She does not remember who brought her this baby; she just remembers being given it.
When she looked at the baby she could see it was female but realised it was not human. The baby looked advanced in development for its size. She had very pale skin, large coal black eyes, a small mouth and black hair. Carol describes her as looking “most peculiar, and yet beautiful”. Out of all the features, it was the eyes which were most abnormal. Carol felt instinctively that this baby was her own. She was surprised and filled with love for her, and then got the chance to bond with her for a while. She talked and played with the baby and she responded in the same way a human baby would and appeared to be happy. Carol does not remember her making any noises. She believes that this went on from between 30 minutes to a few hours.
Modified photograph which Carol found online which reminds her of how the baby looked:
She then remembers that after this time, the baby was taken away from her. Again she cannot remember who took it. This was very upsetting for her, but she feels that she was then comforted in some way. Once the baby was gone, she remembers feeling heartbroken but going off to sleep.
Carol still finds this particular incident hard to deal with, and it stirs up strong emotions when she thinks back to it. Years later she would share the details of this incident with her husband Matt, who was already aware of her UFO encounter.
When Rob regressed Carol on 5th June 2010, she recalled some of the details of this incident, which was very emotional for her (see regression transcript later).
This incident is fascinating, and suggests that Carol is part of the ongoing breeding program. This appears to be one of the agendas of the Greys. They seem to be mixing our DNA with their own to create hybrid children. The reason behind this is not fully known, though some contactees claim to have been informed. The fact that the baby showed traits of the Greys suggests that Carol has at some point been in contact with this species, although she has no memories of this.
Obviously some would say that this experience could have been a vivid dream brought on by Carol’s illness at the time, combined with a wish or need to be a mother. However if this were the case, surely she would have dreamt of a normal human baby, not one which showed clearly extraterrestrial traits? Many female contactees have reported similar experiences, where they have been shown babies which are not fully human, but which they recognise as their own. Some have also seen these hybrids at later stages of development as children, and even fully grown adults.
Perhaps linked with this experience, on a couple of occasions Carol has felt like she is pregnant even though she knew she should not be. In 1987, when she was 24 years old, Carol was 6 weeks overdue and was experiencing signs of pregnancy, but then all of a sudden these feelings went away. A similar experience occurred in 2005. This could be down to false pregnancy syndrome or medical conditions, but on the other hand these incidents could be further signs that she is part of the hybrid breeding program.
Electrical Disturbances
Carol has experienced electrical disturbance in her home and elsewhere on numerous occasions. These experiences have not just occurred in one property, but have apparently only taken place after her first UFO encounter.
About 6 times the TV or radio has come on of its own accord when she is near to it. Also on more than one occasion while watching TV, the channel has changed by itself when she has been thinking of changing it.
In May 1984 when she was 22, Carol went on holiday to Las Vegas she kept getting electrical shocks off metallic things which she touched, such as car doors and shopping trolleys. It was like strong static had built up inside her for some reason. This can of course occur naturally, but seemed to be especially prevalent at this particular time. Of course this could have been down to the high amount of electrical lighting in the area, but then again perhaps not.
Carol has experienced poltergeist-like activity in her home for many years, although it is possible that these incidents are just down to accidents and do not have a supernatural explanation at all. On a number of occasions she has witnessed objects fall off shelves or surfaces of their own accord. Also objects regularly go missing, sometimes they turn up, other times they have vanished and never been found again.
Carol’s sister has also had a strange experience. She was at her parent’s house when they used to live in Leek, and was putting the children to bed. She tucked in Paul, who was 2 years old, and then went through to another room to put the baby to bed. Paul suddenly called out, asking who the man in his room was, and saying that he wouldn’t tell him. Then the airing cupboard doors flew open of their own accord, pushing over the safety gate at the top of the stairs. Also a baby drinking mug which had been on the chest of drawers was found downstairs. Individually these events could have a rational explanation but it was the fact that they all happened around the same time which was disturbing.
A Presence In The Room
In 1987 Carol had moved into her first place on her own. She was living in a flat in Buxton, directly above a pub known as The Horseshoe Inn on Fairfield Road. The building still exists but is no longer a pub.
Aerial map showing the location of the building which used to be The Horseshoe Inn:
On one evening she went out on a date. When she returned home, she sat up reading in her room. Her pet cat was also present, sitting on the bed. Suddenly there was a bright white flash of light and the light fitting came crashing down and stopped just before it hit the floor, hanging on the wire. It was a rise and fall fitting, so Carol assumed the elastic had broken on it. She put it on a chair to ensure it would not fall further and break, and then went to bed.
She was lying down, with the cat curled up on her thigh, and just about to drop off to sleep. Suddenly she felt the bed move, like someone had sat down on it. She thought it had just been her imagination, but then it moved a second time even more prominently. She was really upset and un-nerved by this, and ended up leaving the flat and sleeping at her sister’s house.
The Sphere & The Policeman
In 1988 when Carol was 25 a bizarre series of events took place, events which puzzle Carol to this day. On one evening, she and her friend Sharon had been out somewhere together, and then returned to her flat above The Horseshoe Inn. The cat was curled up in front of the fireplace.
The end of the living room is semi-circular in shape and had a large window. Carol had drawn the curtains earlier in the evening. Suddenly about 6 foot off the floor, the curtains pushed out as if there was a spherical shape coming forward from behind. The cat immediately noticed and ran out of the room. Carol assumed it was someone climbing in through the window. She ran into the kitchen and got a carving knife. When she came back in the room there was no longer any shape behind the curtains. She handed the knife to Sharon, and slowly walked up to the curtains. When she checked behind them there was nothing there at all. Both witnesses were convinced that it had been something unusual, not just a draught blowing the curtain.
Photograph of the building which used to be The Horseshoe Inn, indicating the window where the spherical shape appeared:
The girls remained at the flat and chatted about what had occurred. At 1.33am Carol walked into the bedroom and the radio switched itself on (See Electrical Disturbances section for more examples of this). This un-nerved Carol, and her and Sharon decided to walk back to Sharon’s place instead, as she felt uncomfortable remaining in the flat.
Once they arrived at Sharon’s house, Carol lay down in the front room to go to sleep and Sharon went to her room. But Carol then began to see shadows moving around the room. By this time she was very spooked out and could not get to sleep. After a while Sharon popped her head around the door, and told Carol that she could not sleep either. So the girls decided to get into the car and sleep there instead!
At about 2.30am, a policeman turned up and knocked on the window. They wound down the window and he asked “What are you girls doing?” Carol replied that they were just out. He then asked “Haven’t you got a home to go to?” Carol then told him that something had frightened them. He asked what, and she related to him the story of the shape coming through the curtain at her flat. The policeman asked “Would you like me to come and have a look behind the curtains?” Carol informed him that she had already checked and there was no-one there. Soon after, the policeman departed.
After a short while he returned to the car. He knocked on the window again. When Carol wound the window down, he said “I’m not surprised you were frightened”. Carol asked “What makes you say that?” and he replied “I know who you are”. Carol was a funeral director at the time, and she wondered if he had found this out, and assumed that she felt she had seen a ghost.
The odd aspect of this particular event was that Carol knew most of the policemen of Buxton as it is only a small town. But she had never seen this particular man before, nor recognised his car. Also she does not remember anything after speaking with him this second time. Till this day she has never seen the man again. Carol wonders if he really was a normal police officer or whether he was someone else entirely. There is even the possibility he was not even human, although considering the evidence this seems too great an assumption to make. Either way it was certainly a strange series of incidents.
Glowing UFO Sighting
One night in 1994/95, Carol and Janet were to experience their second UFO sighting. They had been out shopping in Hanley. They were driving back to Buxton along the A53. They were about 10 miles out of Buxton. As they started to drive up a slope in the road, they suddenly noticed a huge bright white glowing sphere in the sky. They were certain it wasn’t the moon (it actually appeared even bigger) and looked like it was at low altitude, at most 100 feet. It was off to the right of the car and appeared to be over a farm a bit further along the road. It was also moving slowly in their direction. Carol didn’t know what to make of the object, but Janet immediately assumed it was another sighting of an extraterrestrial craft and said out loud “Bloody hell not again!”
Drawing of the UFO based on witness description:
Aerial map indicating the stretch of road along which the sighting took place:
Photograph from the sighting location in the direction which the UFO was first seen:
For some reason, Carol felt that if she could get around the corner at the top of the hill everything would be alright. She has no idea what lead her to think this. They drove up the slope, and reached the corner. When they looked back they could no longer see the object, it appeared to have gone.
Photograph of the farm buildings just before the corner in the road:
After dropping off Janet, Carol returned home. When her husband Matt saw her he said it looked like she had seen a ghost. She told him about what she and Janet had seen. Matt suggested it may have been a helicopter coming from the nearby army training camp. However Carol was certain it had not just been a white light coming from an object, but that it was spherical in shape and had been self-illuminated.
Sightings of large glowing spheres have been reported many times before, and there are some other cases I have investigated where UFOs of this type have been witnessed. It certainly appeared to be a self illuminated sphere, rather than just a bright white light attached to an object. Its appearance combined with the fact that no noise was heard coming from it suggests that it was not a helicopter. It is hard to think of a mundane explanation which could explain what was seen. The object seemed much too large to be an internally lit balloon of some kind, such as an LED blimp. Also the location where it took place is quite remote with not many buildings around, so it is unlikely someone would have been out there and flying such an object. It is also unlikely to have been naturally occurring phenomena such as an earth light/ball lightning due to its size and appearance, although this cannot be fully ruled out.
The object did appear to be moving in the direction of the witnesses’ car. There is the possibility that it was there to observe either both Carol and Janet, or just one of them in particular. Due to their previous experiences this is something which should certainly be considered.
Flying Triangle Sighting
In 1996/97, Carol and her husband Matt were out in their car. They were on the A6 between Buxton and Taddington, and had stopped for a drink of coffee in a lay-by. It was a clear and still night, and was about 10pm.
Photograph of the A6 lay-by:
Photograph of myself and Rob at the lay-by:
Carol suddenly noticed three red lights in the night sky in a triangular formation. They were at quite low altitude, and over the top of some trees to the South East. Carol is used to seeing planes flying into Manchester, and these lights looked lower in the sky. They appeared to be at least a couple of miles away from their position and off to the right of their vehicle over some trees.
Drawing of how the UFO appeared at a distance:
Photograph from the sighting location, showing the patch of trees over which the UFO first appeared:
She pointed the lights out to Matt, and they got out of the car to get a better look. The lights were heading in their direction. As they got nearer, the couple realised that the lights were on the corners of a black coloured triangular-shaped craft. It looked to be quite thin in height, but was large in size, at least 100 feet from corner to corner. They could also now see a larger central light on the underside of the object. Carol remembers this light as also being red in colour, where as Matt remembers it being white. They had read about Flying Triangle UFO sightings, and assumed that it must be one of these.
Drawing of the craft viewed from underneath:
The craft continued towards their position at a slow speed, and flew almost overhead but off to the right a short way. When it was near they could hear a droning sound coming from it. They continued to watch as it flew away into the distance to the North West towards a nearby quarry.
Aerial map showing the location where the witnesses were parked and the path of the craft:
Photograph in the direction which the craft was heading:
It was a quiet night and Carol does not remember seeing any other cars on the road, so is unaware if anyone else saw the craft. Because of her previous UFO encounter, Carol checked to ensure that there was no missing time. She and Matt discussed what they had just witnessed. Matt thought that it was certainly unusual, but felt it was built by the military rather than aliens.
This is an absolutely stunning close encounter with what appears to be a genuine Flying Triangle craft. The craft was close enough to them that they could make out its shape and lighting configuration and it did not appear to be a conventional aircraft of any kind. It was much too large to have been a remote controlled model. Although it did not perform any clearly intelligent manoeuvres, its constant flight path and the noise coming from it suggests it was powered. The craft did not seem to interact with either of the witnesses, so there is a chance that they were just at the right place at the right time. But considering Carol’s previous experiences, it may have been there for observation purposes.
Some people believe that Flying Triangles are military-built rather than extraterrestrial. However due to the advanced characteristics and manoeuvring capabilities of these craft, the sometimes massive size of them, and the fact that they are sometimes seen over areas of high population, I believe that at least some of them are ET.
Identical Markings!
At some point prior to November 2002 (exact date unknown), Carol remembers an incident where both her and Matt awoke to find identical markings on them. She woke up and looking down at herself, she noticed a strange marking on her upper right side. It was a circular patch about 1cm across that looked more pronounced, almost blistered in appearance as the morning light hit it. Carol says it looked similar to a healed scar from a childhood injection, but of course she was certain that this is not what it was and this was the first time she had seen it. It was not raised off the skin, and was not painful in any way even when she touched it.
Soon afterwards she noticed that Matt too had a marking in the same area. When she checked closely, she saw that the marking on him was exactly the same, in both size, shape and appearance! Neither her nor Matt could explain the markings, and felt certain that they were not simply insect bites. Carol is aware that the markings lasted for quite a while, but does not remember when they disappeared.
At the time she did not attribute them to anything related to her other experiences, but now feels that they may be relevant. Were these markings a sign that both her and Matt had been abducted at some point and had an instrument used upon them? Neither Carol or Matt can remember anything unusual happening prior to their discovery. However it is very interesting that the markings were not only identical, but apparently appeared on the same night.
Unidentified Lump
A number of years ago (she is not sure of the exact year), Carol discovered a small solid lump on the outside of her left forearm. It felt like a small object underneath the skin. She would occasionally press on it and could feel it, but it would not move at all. Recently she looked for it again, and found that it was no longer there. Sadly she did not take any photographs of this lump, nor did she speak to her doctor about it.
Contactees have sometimes discovered metallic implants which show up as small lumps under the skin. It is far from definite that Carol had one of these present in her arm for an amount of time, but is an interesting possibility to consider.
Badly Dressed
Carol usually wears a nightie to bed. On a number of occasions she has woken up in the morning to find that it is on inside out or no longer on her. Of course there is the possibility that this was through her own error – perhaps she thought she’d put it on but hadn’t, or accidentally put it on inside out.
The reason this is mentioned is that is yet another sign that contact may have taken place. During most abduction experiences, the contactee is undressed so that the ETs can conduct examinations on them. Usually if they are clothed when they are taken they are dressed back up before being returned. However sometimes the ETs can get this wrong and put the clothing on the wrong way round or inside out. Some people question why such intelligent beings would make such a simple mistake, but perhaps they do not care whether clothing is on correctly, just that it is returned with the individual.
Occasionally just before she drops off to sleep, Carol feels rhythmic pulsing going through her body. When this occurs she does not panic and does not experience anything else unusual, so it may have nothing to do with her ET-related experiences. However contactees often report experiencing pulsing vibrations such as this, and some believe that it is a warning sign that contact is going to take place.
Hypnotic Regression
Rob Tudge, the hypnotherapist who conducted Carol’s regression on Saturday 5th June 2010, is experienced in regressing contactees and very knowledgeable on the subject. We decided prior to the regression that we would focus on two events – the saucer-shaped UFO incident when Carol was 12, and the incident with the baby which occurred 7-8 years later.
Below is the complete transcript of the regression, including a picture that Carol drew directly following it. Note that prior to the regression Rob asked Carol what colour she finds most calming, to which she replied pink. He references this colour towards the start of the regression process.
R: Just breathe, and breathe with your tummy if you can, breathe with your tummy, because we hold all our stress and tension in our chest, and if you are able to breathe with your tummy you get round that. Just breathe...that’s it. Nice and comfortable. And what I want you to do is imagine yourself at the top of 10 steps, you’re at the top of ten steps. And at the bottom of the steps you see a huge wooden door. You’re standing at the top of the ten steps, calm, comfortable, relaxed. And I want you to imagine a bubble of pink light around you. It’s above your head, and below your feet. If you stretched out your arms to the right and left you would be able to touch the inside of the bubble. And this bubble is there for your protection. And also imagine little tendrils, little roots growing out from your heels. They just grow out, they turn, go down into the structure below your feet, into the subsoil, right down into the rocks of the earth, and lock in the rocks of the earth. And those little tendrils, those little roots are there to ground you. So you’re standing at the top of ten steps, protected and grounded, calm, comfortable and relaxed. And I’ll ask you to take the first step down into peace and tranquillity. And step number two. And step number three. Calm, comfortable, relaxed, protected and grounded. And take another step down. And another step, down into peace and tranquillity. Half way down the steps now towards the huge wooden door. Step number six. And seven. And eight, almost there now. Nine. And ten. So you’re in front of this huge wooden door, you’re protected by a bubble of pink light, and grounded. Before you go through the door, I’m going to tell you what you’ll find on the other side. It’s just a simple room. Neutrally lit, with a door at the opposite end. That’s all it is. And when you’re ready, I’ll ask you to go through the door, close it behind you. Close it behind you and tell me when you’re in there. C: I’m in. R: Yeah. Excellent, thank you very much Carol. Very shortly I’m going to ask you to do some counting for me. I’m going to ask you to count backwards from 100 downward. And after counting each number I want you to say the words “deeper and deeper”. And each time you say the words “deeper and deeper” you get deeper and deeper relaxed, and deeper and deeper asleep. Before you say each number I want you to envisage that number in your minds eye. And you’ll notice something very interesting, because each number will become smaller and fainter than the number before it. And about the number 95 or 94 the number will become so small and so faint you’ll stop counting because you won’t be able to find it. So, start counting backwards from 100 out loud, saying the words “deeper and deeper”. C: 100, deeper and deeper. 99, deeper and deeper. 98, deeper and deeper. 97, deeper and deeper. 96, deeper and deeper. 95, dah...deeper and deeper, 95 deeper and deeper. 94, deeper and deeper, 93, deeper and deeper. 92, deeper and deeper. R: That’s great. C: 91... R: That’s wonderful. That’s fine. And now I’ll ask to put those numbers above your head. I’m going to count to three and snap my fingers, and as I snap my fingers you’re going to clear those numbers. And as you clear those numbers, so you clear your mind. One, two, three. Have those numbers cleared from memory? Have those numbers cleared from above your head? C: No. R: Still there? Ok let’s do it again. I’ll count to three, snap my fingers and as I snap my fingers so those numbers will clear from above you, and you’ll also clear your mind. One, two, three. Have they gone? C: Mmm. R: Thank you, ok. Very shortly I’m going to be talking to Carol’s subconscious mind, and I’ll be talking to her subconscious mind as if I’m speaking to another person. I don’t want you to think about my questions or consider your answers, but just give them as quickly as they come. I’ll count to three and snap my fingers, and when I snap my fingers your subconscious mind will present itself as a shape, a colour, a picture or a symbol. One, two, three. Tell me what you have. C: Triangle. R: Triangle, thank you. Triangle are you Carol’s subconscious mind, yes or no? C: Don’t think so. R: I’ll ask again. Triangle are you Carol’s subconscious mind, yes or no? C: Yes. R: Thank you subconscious mind, for appearing in that way. Subconscious mind, would it be appropriate to go back in safety and comfort to two incidents that we mentioned earlier? C: Yes. R: Thank you subconscious mind. Carol I want you to go back now in that room, in that neutral coloured room, right there. The triangle has now dissipated, we’re back facing the door at the far end of the room. C: Yeah. R: Good. Just breathe. Just breathe, and relax. We’re standing in front of that door, protected and grounded. And on the other side of that door is the incident that occurred when you were about 12 years old, Ecclesbourne Drive. You were with your friend Janet, that’s on the other side of the door. Just give yourself a moment, get your breath back. And I want you to be aware if at any time I am unhappy for any reason, or you are unhappy for any reason, just shout out the word “freeze” and in front of you things will freeze, they will just stay as they are, do you understand? C: Yeah, I do. R: So when you’re ready, open the door, and go through to the incident that occurred 1974, when you were about 12 years old in Buxton, in Ecclesbourne Drive, when you with your friend Janet. Open the door, go through and tell me what you see. C: There’s something, the domed object, I know it’s a flying saucer. R: You’re there already? C: Yeah. R: Where are you standing? C: On the footpath. R: You’re on the footpath. Is anybody with you? C: Janet. R: Janet’s with you, is she to your right or to your left? C: She’s in front of me. R: She’s in front of you. C: To the right. R: And tell me what you see. C: It’s a flying saucer, over the top of the house. R: There’s a flying saucer over the top of the house. What shape is it? C: It’s domed, and it’s got a dome underneath. R: Yes. Is there anything else on it? Besides the dome? C: A flange. R: Flange, ok. What else do you notice about it? C: I don’t know why it’s there. R: You don’t know why it’s there. What does Janet think about it? C: She’s silent. R: She’s silent? Is she looking at it? C: Yes. R: You’re looking at it? C: Yeah. R: Is there anybody else about? C: No. R: Ok. What happens next? C: It’s moving towards us. R: It’s moving towards you. C: Yeah. I want to have a good look at it. R: You want to have a good look at it. What happens next? C: It’s spinning. R: It’s spinning. Is it still coming towards you? C: No it’s stationary. R: Stationary now. How far away from you would you guess? C: It’s not far. R: It’s not far. Can you see any more details now it’s closer? C: There’s coloured lights. R: Coloured lights? C: Going round and round. R: Uh-huh. And how far off the ground is it, can you tell? C: About as high as two houses. R: Ok it’s about as high as two houses. C: Yeah. R: And what about Janet, what’s she doing? C: Nothing, we’re just looking. R: You’re just looking. You’re just looking at this flying saucer, it’s about the height of two houses, it’s got a dome on top... C: It’s going round. R: It’s going round? So it’s altering position? C: I’m looking at it. R: You’re looking at it. It’s moved, and you’re looking at it. C: It’s coming lower. R: It’s coming lower. Can you see more details? C: Yes, I can see all of it. R: You can see all of it? Tell me about all of it would you. C: It’s silver. R: Silver, ok. C: It’s only small. R: Uh-huh. C: It looks like it should be a lid on the roof. R: Ok. C: It’s going to hit the roof. R: It’s going to hit the roof you think? C: So close. R: Uh-huh. What colour would you say it is now it’s got a little closer. C: It’s still silver. R: It’s still silver, are the lights still exactly the same? C: No, no, the lights have stopped. R: The lights have stopped. C: There’s no lights left. R: No lights. And it’s come a little closer you say? C: Yeah, it’s over the bungalow. R: It’s over the bungalow now? How close is it to the top of the bungalow, can you tell me? C: Only a few inches. R: Only a few inches, so it has come down from the height of two houses to just over the bungalow? C: Yes it came down as it came round. R: Ok I understand. C: It’s moving. R: It’s moving. Which direction is it moving? C: It’s gone into the road. R: It’s gone into the road. So it fits in, are there buildings on both sides of the road? C: Yeah. R: And it fits in. C: It’s just...it’s just sitting there. R: It’s just sitting there. In front of you? C: Yeah. R: Is Janet closer to it or are you? C: I’m closer. R: You’re closer. You said before it was spinning, is it still spinning? C: No. The door’s opened. R: The door’s opened. C: Funny how it opened. R: Do you see anything in the opening? C: It’s dark. R: What else do you see? C: Nothing, it’s just dark. R: It’d dark. C: They’re going to come out. R: Did you say they’re going to come out? C: Yeah. R: Uh-huh. How do you know that? C: It’s there and they’re going to come out. R: It’s there and they’re going to come out. Ok. What happens next? C: It’s dark. R: It’s dark? C: Mmm. R: Dark around you? C: Yeah. R: How did that happen? C: I don’t know. R: Ok. C: Must not go near the right. R: Mustn’t go near the? C: Near the right. R: Who told you that? C: I just know. R: You just know, you shouldn’t go near the... C: Near the right. R: I understand, ok. Where’s Janet? C: She’s with me. R: She’s with you. Tell me what you see around you. C: It’s huge. It’s white light from...behind. R: White light from behind? C: Yeah. R: Behind what? C: Behind the edges. R: Behind the edges there’s a white light? C: Mmm. R: And how far are the edges from you do you think? C: A long way, it’s a big room. R: It’s a big room? C: Mhmm. R: Tell me are the walls vertical, are they curved? C: They’re curved. R: They’re curved, right. Can you see what’s above you? C: No. R: How long have you been there, do you know? C: I’ve only just got here. R: You’ve only just got here, ok. Are you still looking round? C: I’m in this...room. R: You’re just looking round. It’s dark. C: Mmm. R: And there’s white light coming from beyond the edges... C: Not too dark. R: Oh you have got a good view. Do you see anything that’s familiar here? C: No. R: You don’t recognise this at all? C: No. R: How would you describe the inside of this wide space? C: Just different. R: It’s just different. How did you get here? C: Oh...I don’t know. R: You’re just inside this large space? C: Mmm. R: Could I ask can you see any walls, any doors? Any doors or any openings? C: No. I know the opening where we came in? R: Mhmm. C: It’s behind me. R: You know the opening where you came in is behind you. Did you walk? C: I think so. Yeah. R: How do you feel now you’re in this space? C: I’m alright. R: Good, excellent. So you recognise the opening where you came in, and you’re just here. C: Mmm. I know I came into it, I can’t see it at the moment. R: Ok you know you came in that way, but you can’t see it? C: Yeah. R: That’s fine. And what happens next? C: There’s a boy. R: A boy? C: Mmm. R: How old is the boy would you guess? How old is he? C: He’s older than us. R: Ok. C: Probably nearly a lad. R: Ok, and is he near from you, or away from you, or where is he? C: Just over there. R: Just over there, ok. And what’s he doing? C: Nothing. He’s naked. (chuckles) R: He’s naked. Is that a bit embarrassing for you? C: Mmm. R: Ok. Do you recognise the boy? C: No. R: Is his hair fair or dark? C: It’s dark. R: Is it. Ok. As he’s naked, what’s his expression? C: It’s like he’s asleep. R: It’s like he’s asleep. Well I forgot to ask you, is he standing up? C: Yeah. R: He’s standing up and you think he’s asleep? C: Yeah. R: And what about Janet, is she looking at the boy? C: Yeah, we’re both kind of giggling. R: You’re both giggling. C: I don’t know why ‘cause our clothes are with us. R: Ah-ha, ok. So you’re clothed and he’s naked. He appears to be asleep, and you’re giggling. C: Our clothes are with us, we’re not wearing them. R: Your clothes are with you but you’re not wearing them? C: Mmm. R: Where are they? Are you hiding your clothes, are they on the floor, can you tell me? C: They’re resting, on...I don’t know what it is, but it’s pink. R: So you’re wearing something else? C: No. R: What have you got on that’s pink then? C: Nothing. R: So what happens next? C: I’m going out of the room. R: You’re going out. How do you know you’re going out of the room, did somebody... C: We’re moving. R: Say that again please. C: We’re moving. R: You’re moving. Have you been asked to move? C: We’re led somewhere. There’s a woman. R: Yes, tell me about the woman. C: It’s not right that she’s naked. She’s in, she’s in a cylinder. R: There’s a naked woman in a... C: She’s floating. R: There’s a naked woman in a cylinder. C: Yeah. R: Where is the woman in relation to you? C: She’s just here. R: Ok. C: I’ve never seen anything like it. R: You’ve never seen anything like it? C: No. R: There’s a woman in a cylinder, she’s naked? C: Yeah. R: What’s happening to her? C: I don’t know. R: Is she asleep? C: I don’t know. She might be dead. R: She might be dyed? C: Dead. R: You get the impression she’s dead? C: She might be. Her hair’s moving. But she’s not. R: Hair moving, but she’s not. And how do you feel as you look at this woman? C: I don’t really know really. R: Ok. Who told you to move, from where you were? C: I don’t know. R: Would you look round and see if there’s anybody else with you? Is Janet still with you? C: Thought she was behind me, but I don’t know where. R: Is the boy with you? C: No. R: He’s staying where he was? C: Yeah. R: Are you passing the lady in the cylinder. C: Yeah I’m past her now. R: You’ve past her now. C: It’s dark. R: It’s just dark. Can you see anything at all? Are you still in that big room or have you moved, have you moved away... C: No it’s smaller. R: Say that again. C: It’s small. R: It’s small, ok. It’s a smaller area. Could I ask if it’s a smaller room or a passageway? C: I’m not sure. R: That’s fine. What detail do you see? C: Some. R: You see? C: It’s like a screen. R: It’s like a screen? C: Mmm. I don’t understand it. R: What sorry what? C: What’s on it. I don’t. R: Just have a good look and try to describe what’s on it. C: I don’t understand it, it’s all lights. R: It’s all lights. So there are lights on the screen, is that to your right, or left or ahead of you? C: It’s ahead of me. R: Just ahead of you. Are you walking towards that screen? C: No, I’m stood near it. R: You’re stood near it. Are there any sounds in this place at all? C: No. R: It’s quiet. These lights on the screen, are they familiar to you at all? C: No. R: In no way familiar. So there’s a screen covered in lights, would I be correct in thinking that? C: Mmm. R: Difficult to understand. Would that be correct? C: Mmm. R: What happens next? Do you stay in front of the screen or do you move again? C: There’s a man. R: A man? C: He’s looking at me. R: Tell me about the man. C: He’s kind. R: He’s kind? Is he a tall man? C: Yeah. R: Can you tell me the colour of his hair? C: Blond. R: Blond. Could you tell me the colour of his eyes? C: Blue. R: Blue. What is he wearing? C: Green. R: He’s wearing green. Could you describe his clothing to me? C: It’s like a jumpsuit. R: It’s like a jumpsuit, ok. Is the chap who you’re looking at in the jumpsuit, does he appear to be skinny? Or well built? Or muscular? C: He’s a nice man. R: He’s a nice man, ok. Tell me how you know he’s a nice man. C: I just know. R: You just know. Generally we judge people by the way they look at us, sometimes we feel if someone smiles at us we feel a little better about them. Is this gentleman smiling at you? C: No. R: But you just know he’s kind? C: He’s nice. (Smiles) R: He’s a nice chap. I can see you smiling, you feel...you feel... C: Special. R: Excellent, yes. He’s making you feel special, is that correct? C: I know so. R: If you were to look at Janet, what would you say Janet saw? C: I don’t think she’s with me. R: Oh ok. So you’re looking at this gentleman with blond hair, with blue eyes, and a green jumpsuit. C: Mhmm. R: And he’s making you feel special. C: Uh-huh. R: Can you tell me what happens next? C: There’s other people. R: Other people. Have they come into your space or have you had to move again? C: No they’ve come. R: They’ve come. When you say there are other people... C: They’re all beautiful. R: They’re all beautiful. C: Mmm. R: In what way would you describe all these other people’s beauty? C: Just beautiful. R: Are they similar to the man in the green jumpsuit? C: They’re blond, but they haven’t got beards. R: Ok. Are they talking with the man that you first saw? C: No. R: Why have they come, have they come to see you? C: Mmm. R: What do you think? You’ve told you’re quite special. C: They’re going to leave me now. R: They’re going to leave you. C: Mmm. I don’t want them to go. R: You don’t want them to go. C: No, I want to stay with them. R: You want to stay with them. For what reason do you want to stay with them? C: Feel safe. R: You feel safe. C: I like them, they’re all nice. R: They’re all nice. How many of them are there, would you say? C: About four. R: They’re all blond. They’re all very nice. C: Mhmm. R: You want to stay with them because they make you feel safe. Is that correct? C: Mhmm. R: They’ve told you that you have to go. C: Mhmm. R: Have they all got green jumpsuits? C: No. R: No. So what have they got on, if they’re not wearing green jumpsuits? C: It’s like powder blue glittery coloured suit. R: Ok. I wonder if there might be any emblems, or badges, or anything on any of these err jumpsuits? C: No. R: No. And what happens next? C: They give me a drink. R: They’ve given you a drink. C: Mmm. R: What’s the drink held in? And what does the drink taste of? C: Can’t remember. R: That’s ok, that’s fine. Did they hand you the drink? C: Mhmm. R: So you have your drink, and then what happens? C: It’s (inaudible) R: Say that again please. C: The bottom of it, it looks familiar. R: The bottom of it looks familiar? C: Mmm. R: What does it remind you of? C: Shaver. R: A shaver, ok. C: It’s all wheels. R: It’s all wheels. So the bottom of it looks familiar, it’s all wheels. C: They’re going. R: They’re going. C: It’s back above the bungalow. R: Ah-hah, ok. Has it gone from sight now? C: (Shakes head) R: It’s still there? Tell me what you’re thinking as you look at it. C: It’s gone up. R: It’s gone straight up. C: It’s still there. R: It’s still there. Higher than it was? C: Ah yeah. R: But you can still see it? C: Oh yeah! It’s swaying. R: It’s swaying. C: It’s gone. R: It’s gone. Just like that it’s gone? C: Mhmm. R: Is Janet with you? C: Yeah. She’s back where we were. R: She’s with you and you’re back where you were. But the sky is now clear? C: Uh-huh. R: What does Janet say to you? C: We’re laughing. R: You’re laughing? C: (Chuckles) R: You’re looking at each other? C: Nobody’s going to believe us. (Laughs) R: Well you know what happened. C: Uh-huh. R: You’re looking at each other, and you’re laughing. Then what do you two do then? C: We’ve got to go back. R: So you’re walking back? C: Mhmm. R: And discussing what happened? C: Mmm. R: And you’re still laughing and giggling? C: No. R: Not now? C: No. Not giggling. R: Not giggling. C: I think she’s frightened. R: You think she’s frightened. So she’s not giggling because she’s frightened. C: She says we can’t tell anyone. R: Ahh. I wonder why she would say that? C: It’s just that they’ll lock us up. R: Did Janet say they’d lock you up if you told. C: Mmm. They’d take us away from our families. R: Ok. Well that’s her opinion. You know what you experienced. You know how you felt. You know what happened. C: I don’t know what happened. R: Was there something more? Was there something more you felt? C: Mmm. R: Could you...could you give yourself permission to remember something else? Give yourself permission to remember. What else? C: I want to remember. R: You don’t want to remember. C: No I want to, but I can’t. R: You want to. Ok, that’s fine. That’s fine. You’ve done very very well. Are you still with Janet? C: Yeah we’re in the bedroom now. R: Is Janet frightened? Mmm not any more. C: Mmm not any more. R: Not any more, ok. C: It’s our secret. R: It’s your secret. Just keep talking with Janet. Just keep speaking. Slowly, very gently come out of the image of you speaking to Janet. It’s slowly fading, just go very slowly to blackness. Just fade away. I want you to just relax and breathe. Just relax and breathe for me, in the darkness, protected and grounded. Calm, comfortable and totally relaxed and at ease. I’ll just give you a moment or two, to clear your mind. That’s good, that’s it. If you remember we had permission from your subconscious mind to go back to an incident at your parents house. C: Mmm. R: 1982 or 1983. C: Mhmm. R: Could you go back to that time back at your parents house, 1982 or 1983? C: Mmm. R: Tell me what’s around you and what you see. Just tell me what you see and what’s around you. C: I’m on the settee. R: You’re on the settee. What time is it? C: It’s late. R: It’s late? C: Dark out. R: It’s dark out. Are you alone in the house? C: No. R: Who’s in the house with you? C: My mum and dad are upstairs. R: They’re upstairs? C: Yeah. R: Ok. So you’re downstairs by yourself, it’s dark outside and it’s late. What happens next? C: (Chuckles) Beautiful. R: Could you tell me what’s beautiful? C: My little girl. She’s gorgeous (Starts to cry) R: Tell me where you are. C: I’m on the floor. R: You’re on the floor? C: She’s beautiful. R: You’re looking at her? Tell me about your beautiful little girl. C: She’s just beautiful. R: She’s beautiful. C: She’s so tiny. R: She’s so tiny? Who bought her to you? C: I don’t care. R: You don’t care who bought her, she’s just here. Is she looking at you? C: Yes. R: What’s she doing? C: Oh she’s so responsive. R: She’s so responsive. C: She’s very and she’s so so clever. R: How old would you say she was? C: Oh she’s not old. R: She’s not old? C: But she’s clever. She’s so brilliant. R: She’s brilliant. C: Yes. (Chuckles) R: Does she know you? C: Yes. R: And you obviously know her... C: Oh. R: Your reaction. Is it just a knowing, or have you been told? C: No, I know. R: You just know. C: Yes. R: Did she put her arms out to you? C: Yes. R: She did that first? C: Cuddling. R: You’re cuddling. How does that feel cuddling that little girl? C: It’s everything. R: It’s everything. And is she cuddling you? C: Yes. She’s so beautiful. R: Does she have a name? C: No. R: Can she speak? C: No. R: What are you saying to her then? C: I’m just talking to her. R: You’re just talking to her. C: It’s silly talk. R: Silly talk. Of course. That’s what we do to babies when we cuddle and hold them. How is she reacting to you? C: (Chuckles) R: What features do you recognise of yours? C: She’s got my hair. R: She’s got your hair? C: She’s giggling.. R: And she’s giggling. Ok. Are you holding her close to you or are you holding her at arms length? C: She’s just sat playing. R: You’re just sat playing. C: (Chuckles) R: What game do you play? C: We’re playing alphabetical on her feet.. R: That’s a good game. Babies love that, love that game. Does she laugh? C: Yeah. R: Does she laugh out loud? Can she do that? C: She’s laughing but I can’t hear it. R: She’s laughing but you can’t hear it? C: No. R: Is she having an about laugh? C: Yes. R: Ok. C: (Laughs) R: That must be wonderful to see. Tell me about her eyes would you? C: They’re very big, huge. R: They’re huge eyes? C: Yeah, and so dark. R: What colour would you say her eyes are? C: They’re black. R: They’re black. Ok. Are they black in their entirety? C: Mhmm. R: Can she hear you speaking to her? C: She’s got to go. (Crying) R: She’s got to go. You’ve seen her, you’ve held her, and you’ve loved her and interacted with her. And now she’s got to go. C: (Crying). R: Will you see her again? C: No. R: Did somebody tell you? C: I just know. R: You just know. Have you asked to see her again? C: I want to see her. R: You want to see her. Of course you want to see her again...She’s gone? C: Yeah. R: Where are you now? C: I’m on the settee. R: As you sit there on the settee, who would you think had the little girl who you just saw and held and interacted with? C: Don’t know. It’s all like a dream. R: It’s like a dream. C: (Crying). R: That’s a good girl. Slowly and surely the light where you are fades, and slowly and surely fades to darkness. And then an illuminated light comes on behind you. Just enough to illuminate a door. And it’s the door to the neutral coloured room. Open the door and go into that entrance, go into that neutral coloured area, whenever you’re ready. Got a huge wooden door at the other end of the room. And while you’re in this neutral coloured room I’ll ask you to thank your subconcious mind from the bottom of your heart for what it’s shared with us here today. C: Don’t want to. R: Did you say you don’t want to? C: Mmm. R: Could I ask why you don’t want to? C: It doesn’t share too much. R: Did you say... C: Doesn’t share too much. R: Doesn’t share too much. It’s worked very hard for you today to give you what you can deal with today, and we thank, I thank your subconscious mind for that. Perhaps in future it will allow you a bit more. This is the place to thank your subconcious mind for what it has given us today. The information that we’ve been given, and that we can work with. We’re going across to that big wooden door, that huge wooden door. Go through it and stand at the bottom of the steps, and perhaps you’ll tell me when you’ve done that. C: Yeah. R: Ok. You’re through the big door, excellent ok. Ok, step ten to nine, and eight and seven, and bringing all those thoughts, and all those feelings back with you, six, five, four. Almost at the top now, three, two, one. And in your own time, come back to this room, revived, refreshed and wide awake please.
Everyone was very pleased with how the regression turned out, although Carol was upset that even more details did not become apparent from it, as you can see by what she said towards the end. However she still brought back many details about the two incidents which were covered in it.
She recalled in vivid detail the landing of the saucer-shaped craft, although she was already fully aware of this prior to the regression. The regression provided a clear link between the door opening in the craft, and her flashbacks of the darkened place. It seems logical that at least the initial room where she found herself was on board the craft, although she could still not remember who came out of the craft or actually being taken aboard it. Carol actually mentioned in the regression that the entrance to the craft lay behind her and Janet. The boy that they saw could well have been someone else who was taken prior to them, although this will never be known for certain unless he happens to read this report and gets in touch.
It is unknown what happened after this initial memory. It is possible that someone (perhaps one of the beings seen later) came and got them. Or perhaps Carol just started to explore the craft on her own. It is unknown if Janet was still with her at this point or not, but from what Carol said it seems like she may have been elsewhere.
The woman floating in the cylinder is a very interesting aspect, with many outstanding questions. Was she human, ET or even both? Alive or dead? What was she doing in the cylinder? Perhaps she was being cloned. Perhaps the cylinder was some sort of container to keep her in an unconscious state or to even keep her in stasis and stop her from ageing. Perhaps she was in the cylinder for medical reasons and it was healing or protecting her in some way.
Many contactees have reported seeing beings, both human and alien, inside clear cylinders. However usually these are babies rather than fully grown adults, and are believed to be linked to the hybrid breeding program. Some people have actually reported being placed inside a cylinder for an unknown purpose, for example Garry Wood from the famous A70 abduction case which took place in Scotland in August 1992 (For full details of this case see Malcolm Robinson’s superb book “UFO Case Files Of Scotland”).
Cylinders filled with pink fluid are less often discussed, but once again I do know of an example where this has been reported. The controversial witness Phil Schneider, who died under mysterious circumstances, reported on Dulce, a secret underground facility where he claimed Grey beings were being cloned in clear containers filled with pink liquid. The link below leads to a short reconstruction video showing these containers:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/video/video.php?v=1445368024781
Many people find Phil’s claims to be too farfetched, but what if they are true? If so, then this would suggest the woman that Carol saw had been cloned or grown from an embryo. I am very interested in this particular aspect of this incident. If you have seen something similar or know of any cases which mention this, please get in touch with BUFOG.
After seeing the woman in the cylinder, Carol recalled seeing a screen covered in flashing lights which apparently made no sense to her. This was something new which she had not recalled before. It is possible that this screen was showing her things that she would take in subconsciously without being aware of what they meant. Or perhaps the lights seen on this screen had no meaning to them and were just something operational.
Carol then met a number of beings, and was at last able to recall what they looked like. Prior to the regression she just remembered that they looked “beautiful”. The beings that she met are referred to as Nordics. These are one of the most widely reported species from contact experiences (One of the most famous abductions of all time, the Travis Walton case of 1975, included these beings) The Nordics are extremely human-like, with long blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Just as Carol reported, they are usually seen wearing one piece bodysuits. The fact that they look almost the same as our race is very intriguing and suggests that they are related to us in some way, or perhaps have even influenced our own evolution. Often Nordics are seen at the same time as the Grey-type beings, although Carol does not recall seeing any Greys during her experience.
Drawing done by Carol directly after her regression of the face of the initial Nordic being:
Photograph that Carol found online which reminded her of the being. She has modified to appear similar to the initial Nordic:
Carol does not remember the Nordics speaking to her, although she did discuss them giving her a drink, another part of the experience she could not remember prior to the regression. She did discuss the fact that she felt they were all nice, and she got a feeling of kindness from them, something which has been talked of before by other contactees when referring to the Nordic race. Also Carol mentioned that they made her feel “special” – this perhaps means that she herself has been enhanced in some way by this or other experiences.
She still could not recall actually leaving the craft and returning to the road. Perhaps the method this occurred by meant that she would be shut down and unable to recall the process. Or perhaps she was not on the craft; perhaps she had been taken somewhere else entirely.
It is a shame that I am unable to discuss the experience with Janet, as she may also be getting flashbacks which match what Carol remembers. However I am not surprised that she may wish to block out what took place, and am grateful that Carol is more open to discussing it.
The second event which Rob took Carol back to was visibly upsetting for her. Carol burst into tears when she recalled holding the baby. It was very emotional for everyone present, including her husband Matt who also witnessed the regression. Everything which Carol discussed she was already aware of, there were no additional details uncovered. The baby she held for a while appeared to be a hybrid, half human, half extraterrestrial. The ET traits it showed were those of the species known as the Greys. However she recognised it as her own baby.
Unfortunately even under hypnosis Carol could not remember who brought her the baby or took it back away from her. These memories appear to be buried down deeply and at this time she is not able to recall them. Maybe this will change over time. Carol’s regression allowed her to come to terms with her experience, and a lot of bottled up emotions came spilling out. I hope that going forward she is more able to accept what took place.
It seems very unlikely that such strong emotions would be brought on by nothing more than a dream. It was clear that she was experiencing and portraying very real feelings, which help confirm that this incident actually took place as she remembers. After the regression was over, Rob discussed what had taken place with Carol and ensured that she was ok.
Black UFO Sighting
On the evening Friday 25th June 2010, Carol was to have another sighting of an interesting aerial object. She was sitting out in the back garden of her house as it was very nice clear and still weather. Matt was inside watching TV. Carol was reading a book. She randomly glanced up at the sky and noticed something to her right. At first she thought it was a black coloured balloon. It was oval shaped, and was too far away to notice any markings on it. The object was completely silent. It was moving on a straight course across the sky in the direction of Goyt Valley to the North West West, at a lower altitude than planes/helicopters would usually fly at. It’s exact height was hard to judge.
Photograph of sighting location, showing path of the object:
Carol banged on the window to try and get Matt to come and take a look at the object, but he did not come outside. She watched the object for a couple of minutes. As it got further away from the area it approached some trees and appeared to also be slowly descending in altitude. It was now that Carol realised that it must have been much larger than a balloon, a small object would not have been visible at that distance. She estimates it was about the size of a car. The object disappeared behind the trees and was lost from sight.
Aerial map showing the known path of the UFO:
Aerial map showing the nearby Errwood Reservoir, and the predicted path of the UFO:
Carol was sure that the object she had witnessed was something out of the ordinary. It was too large for a balloon, did not look like a hot air balloon or conventional aircraft. During the sighting she did not feel like the object was observing her or that it was there on her behalf. She was a little upset that Matt had not also seen the object.
It is certain that what Carol saw was a definate object of some kind. But the question is, what was it? It certainly sounds too big to have been a standard balloon. I also agree with Carol that it did not look like a conventional aircraft. And even at a great distance it is easy to spot a hot air balloon by its distinctive shape, I do not believe that she would have been fooled by this.
However I do wonder if it was a larger blimp or inflatable of some kind that was drifting in an air current, or even under remote control. Even if the weather conditions were still at ground level, at higher altitude it could have been breezy. The object did not display any manoeuvres that would suggest it was under intelligent control.
Considering Carol’s previous experiences, there is still the possibility that it was something much more unusual. If it was an ET craft of some kind, could it have been interested in the nearby Goyt reservoirs? UFOs have often been reported around the area of reservoirs. Some people theorise that they drain water from them for their own usage. The UFO Carol saw was moving in the direction of the reservoirs. Obviously this could be just coincidence, but is another point to take into account.
As you can see, Carol has experienced some fascinating things over the years. I certainly believe that she is a contactee, and that there are other experiences she is currently not aware of. It is interesting to wonder whether she has always been a contactee, or whether this contact began with the close encounter with the craft when she was 12. There is no clear indication that her experiences prior to this were ET-related, but this is still a possibility. Although she has no further memories of being taken aboard craft, the incident with the hybrid baby, her other UFO sightings, the body markings and the many other unusual incidents she has experienced all point towards the possibility that her contact is ongoing.
I am convinced that the experiences she has shared with me took place, and that Carol is completely trustworthy. There would be reason for her to have elaborated or made up any of these incidents, she has nothing to gain from doing so and is not trying to make any money out of what she has discussed. She is just an everyday person who has experienced incredible events. Many of these events have been witnessed by other people as well, which provides further verification that they took place.
Carol may well have further experiences, and she has agreed to stay in touch and keep me informed. If any more information becomes available it will be added to this report.
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Theme releases 2018
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JessicaEby 2 yrs ago
RE: First Nations/Natural Feature Theme
This was caught a little while ago. The finder didn't seem particularly impressed, but it's a kids' book and it sounds like it wasn't their kid's type of storybook. To each his own. Hopefully they'll pass it on and it will eventually make its way to someone who enjoys it more :)
Complete Thread
goldenwattle 3 yrs ago
1. The Christmas Belles (Rosabelle and Annabelle), by Sylvia Andrew. (Photograph)
https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14822972
Released on a Christmas tree with bells. (Late, at New Year, so the tree is dying.)
Bascula 3 yrs ago
Purple!
I released The Color Purple in a bin of purple yarn at the craft store.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14584546
BOOKWORMINUSALL 3 yrs ago
Release #1...released in "Hot Food Zone" in grocery store Deli ; )
1. Hot Property (Hot Zone) by Carly Phillips...Themed, Multiple Challenges
2. The Bronze Horseman, by Paullina Simons. (Photographs)
Released with bronze horsemen. This is the Boer War Memorial, Anzac Parade, Canberra, ACT.
solittletime 3 yrs ago
RE: Release 2
What a great themed release!
hyphen8 3 yrs ago
2018 themed release 1
with release photo
1. Shanghai Girls - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14862330
Left under a banner featuring an Asian woman.
3. Between the Sheets, by Mallory Rush.
Released 'Between the Sheets', as the title says :)
RE: RE: Release 3
4. Blood Oath (Nathaniel Cade), by Christopher Farnsworth.
Released at the Blood Bank.
Caught & Journalled.
5. Monkey Grip, by Helen Garner.
Released opposite a pub called the '3 Wise Monkeys'. It has 3 large monkeys over the door.
6. The Day Of The Gecko (Les Norton #9), by Robert G. Barrett.
Set in Bondi; released in Bondi.
7. Inspector Singh Investigates: A Calamitous Chinese Killing, by Shamini Flint.
Released in Chinatown, Sydney, by a Chinese lion, with photographs. There is a lion on the cover.
Superman at the movie theatre
1. The True Story of Superman, by Louise Simonson http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14823004
Released at a cinema which was showing the Justice League movie. (photo)
RE: Superman at the movie theatre
This book was journalled by an AF this morning. It has become my first catch on a book released in 2018.
RE: RE: Superman at the movie theatre
Love the JE. "the idea of a BOOK traveling."
RE: RE: RE: Superman at the movie theatre
Yes, I felt the same way when I found the book that introduced me to BC. I am not a romance reader, and I found a Danielle Steel novel. I had no interest in the book whatsoever, but the idea, on the other hand... :)
A man's autobiography released a a building named after him, on his day
2. "Go to School, You're a Little Black Boy" The Honourable Lincoln M. Alexander: A Memoir, by Lincoln Alexander http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14348865
Released statesman Lincoln Alexander's autobiography at Alexander Hall, a University of Guelph building named in his honour. Release was done on 21 January, which is Lincoln Alexander Day in Canada. (photo-- book is on the corner of the bench near the sign, it's a bit hard to see in the picture)
8. The Cat Watchers (Linford Mystery), by John Newton Chance .
Released beside a memorial to a cat, with statue.
GoryDetails 2 yrs ago
RE: Theme releases 2018
Obadiah Comes Fourteen ( https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14813407/ ), a book set in my area in pre-Revolutionary times, released at a local burying ground from the same era - the burying ground was even referenced in the book!
A Choose-Your-Own-Adventure at The Adventurers Guild
I think this would count as a themed release... Tonight I bookcrossed a book from the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure series called The Third Planet From Altair. I left it in a book exchange area at a games cafe called The Adventurers Guild. I thought it was fitting as the book itself is a sort of game, and the name of the establishment fits with the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure series.
There are several books in the photo, but mine is the one that is a little out of place-- propped on the ledge at the right side of the fireplace rather than on the mantle used as a bookshelf or in one of the piles on the hearth.
RE: A Choose-Your-Own-Adventure at The Adventurers Guild
Nice themed release. : )
RE: RE: A Choose-Your-Own-Adventure at The Adventurers Guild
Thanks :) Hopefully another cafe patron will enjoy it too and catch it! lol
2018 Themed release # 1 - 21
Released in the "DOG waiting room" at the animal HOSPITAL:
1 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14717216/ The Comic Adventures of Old Mother Hubbard and Her DOG
2 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14897455/ DR. DOG
3 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14674851/ The Complete DOG Book
4 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14697706/ SICK PUPPY
5 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14799338/ A Nose for Justice: A Novel [dog on the cover and in the story]
6 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14690549/ A New Owner's Guide to COLLIES
7 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14691950/ Wearable Arf: 16 Fabulous Fashions for Your Darling DOG
8 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14744897/ Paulette the Pinkest PUPPY in the World
9 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14722392/ Lulu Walks the DOGS
10 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14782872/ Good DOG. Stay.
11 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14782914/ The Intelligence of DOGS: CANINE Consciousness and Capabilities
12 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14833775/ DOG Heroes: Sled DOGS
13 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14684013/ If DOGS Could Talk: Tongues Unleashed!
14 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14874128/ DOG Talk: Training Your DOG Through A CANINE Point Of View
15 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14739624/ Sheep [dog on the cover and subject of the story]
16 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14820863/ Old English SheepDOGS
17 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14751611/ Oogy: The DOG Only a Family Could Love
18 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14871338/ Hipster PUPPIES
19 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14875588/ DOG Diaries # 4: Togo
20 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14731708/ Bad DOGS Have More Fun
21 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14787339/ A Wedding TAIL: A Rescue DOG Romance
RE: 2018 Themed release # 1 - 21
Well done. So many dog books. I hope they enjoy them :)
Another One! (Olympic/Curling Theme this time)
I like my releases to have a theme, I do it that way whenever possible, but I didn't count my last one as it's only themed in a personal way (I left "Tales from the Secret Annex" in a LFL across from the backstage entrance to the theatre where I played Anne Frank... but our Secret Annex has been gone from that theatre for a few years and only exists in our memories and photos now). I did another one today that I think will count for this, as the theme is more concrete/apparent.
Today, in the middle of the 2018 Winter Olympics, I left "Ice Hockey and Curling (Winter Olympic Sports)" at a Curling Club in a nearby town (my grandpa's old club). The book is geared to kids, but it's Family Day here and there were a lot of kids at the club trying out the sport, so I'm hoping one of them will take the book home :) To make the release even more apropos, they were showing Olympic hockey on the TV in the curling club lounge, lol :)
http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14917471 (the picture's not very interesting, but there is a picture)
RE: Another One! (Olympic/Curling Theme this time)
I got a JE on this release yesterday. The finder joined, and their profile tells me they're from Woodstock, which is about 35km on the other side of the place where I left the book. They're planning to pass the book along to their grandson who plays hockey and curls.
RE: RE: Another One! (Olympic/Curling Theme this time)
Good catch.
6of8 2 yrs ago
I have one
In the Teeth of the Evidence http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14675059/
released today at the dentist's office -- the most fun thing about this visit
2018 themed releases 2-12
Year of the Dog releases on February 16 (lunar new year)
2. Animal Madness - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14911662
3. A Dog's Life - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14916742
4. Finding Zasha - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14918232
5. Inside of a Dog - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14917502
6. Merle's Door - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14834657
7. Old Yeller - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14918202
8. Oops, Clifford! - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14915054
9. Stickeen - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14917957
10. Swindle - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14910719
11. The Summer of Riley - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14910714
with release photo:
12. Manhunt - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/12922354
Presidents' Day release about the hunt for a presidential assassin.
2018 Themed release # 22 - 39
22 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14741127/ Chicken Soup for the Cat & DOG Lover's Soul: Celebrating Pets as Family with Stories About Cats, DOGS and Other Critters
23 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14742815/ Wiener DOG Art: A Far Side Collection
24 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14729716/ Choose Your Own Adventure: Space PUP
25 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14781042/ Sprout and the DOGsitter
26 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14919090/ Clifford's Loose Tooth [dog on the cover]
27 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14907136/ Last DOG on the Hill: The Extraordinary Life of Lou
28 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14744898/ DOGMan
29 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14772815/ DOG to the Rescue: Seventeen True Tales of DOG Heroism
30 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14754063/ The Adventures of Goliath: Goliath's Easter Parade [dog on the cover]
31 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14781241/ DOGS
32 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14783446/ A Step by Step Book About Housebreaking Your PUPPY
33 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14708540/ The PUPPY Place: Buddy
34 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14742816/ The PUPPY Place: Snowball
35 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14843363/ Wish Upon A Star [dog on the front and back covers]
36 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14875354/ The PUPPY Place: Flash
37 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14601817/ Dot and the DOG
38 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14907109/ Jack Russell: DOG Detective: The Sausage Situation
39 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14753366/ A Fish in His Pocket [dog on the cover]
2018 Themed release # 40
Released at a NURSING station at the hospital:
40 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14785198/ Chicken Soup for the NURSES's Soul: 101 Stories to Celebrate, Honor and Inspire the NURSING Profession
Maple Mayhem ( https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14871013/ ), wild release (at a maple-sugar shack), photo.
9. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.
Left outside a fire station.
Andrea99 2 yrs ago
Obscure themed release....
Metropolitan Murder http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14406996 left at the Clink Prison Museum in London. (The logic being murderers end up in prison......!)
Released at the vet:
41 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14930238/ Bob Books First!: The VET
Released in the "dog waiting room" at the vet:
42 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14723303/ The Book of the DOG
43 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14897457 Lets Get Talking: Animals [dog on the cover]
44 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14770337/ The Blessing of the Animals: True Stories of Ginny, the DOG Who Rescues Cats
45 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14775272/ DOGS Never Lie About Love: Reflections on the Emotional World of DOGS
46 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14738055 Paws for Thought: How Animals Enrich Our Lives--And How We Can Better Care for Them [dog on the cover]
47 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14764578 The DOGfather
48 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14684014/ My DOG Skip
49 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14820864/ Isle of DOGS
Released at a dentist's office:
50 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14916484/ Just Going to the Dentist
Another Cineplex Release
I released another book at a cinema this afternoon-- A Wrinkle in Time left at a cineplex showing the new film version of the story. I left it sitting on a counter next to a large poster for the movie. There were lots of kids about as it's March Break here (a week off school in the middle of March) and the book had been taken by the time I left the multiplex after the movie. No JE yet, but I'm hoping... and if not, hopefully it's found a new reader anyway!
http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14900528 (photo)
2018 themed releases 13-15 + 1 catch
13. Bat Boy - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14930336
Released at the baseball stadium during a game, even though I bungled the release notes; with release photo.
release photo. Caught. :D
14. The Closer - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14941946
Released at the baseball stadium during a game; with release photo.
15. Babe Ruth - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14959486
10. Work a Little Less, Live a Lot More
https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/3461964
The cover has a clock face, so I released this book under a clock tower.
An Easter Alphabet ( http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14964141/ ), released on Easter day! Wild release, with photo.
RE: RE: Theme releases 2018
Nice photograph.
2018 themed releases 16-17
with release photos
16. Door of No Return - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14980071
Book about one of the departure points for slaves being sent to America released next to a statue of a successful and influential African American.
17. My Little Sister Ate One Hare - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14980544
Released on Easter Sunday
Post Themed Release
Recently, I released a book in a tiny little place called Kippen, Ontario. The book was set in Kippen and was about the family who ran the Kippen post office in the early 1900s. I was planning to leave the book at that post office, but when I got there it did not have a Canada Post sign anymore and seemed to be in private hands now. Instead, I kept with the postal theme and released the book in an area across the street from the old post office where there is a bank of PO boxes which seem to be the place where Kippen residents send/receive their mail these days.
As the PO Boxes themselves did not have a practical location for releasing a book (there are no publicly accissible parts and the tops were too high for me to reach), I left the book in a community newspaper box nestled amongst the PO Boxes. The old post office itself is visible in the background of the release photo-- it's the building with the green roof.
Kind of Themed?
I have a hard time determining which releases are themed enough to count, so if I am off and something really doesn't belong here, I'm sorry!
On the night of the Paralympic hockey final, I released a children's book about paralympic sports (specifically hockey and alpine skiing). I released it in Wallacetown, which is a tiny hamlet near the town where my husband grew up. Wallacetown is the hometown of the youngest member of Canada's 2018 paralympic team, hockey player 17-year-old James Dunn. I left the book at a little cafe that had Dunn's autographed hockey card on display above the cash register.
msrubble 2 yrs ago
Release #1 (dual challenge)
The Bridges of Madison County
Near two bridges, with photo.
Left near a reminder of other days. ;)
18. The Light of Other Days - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15017938
Baseball releases at the UH stadium:
19. Last Days of Summer - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14321113
20. Flat Stanley at Bat - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15032380
One Gallant Rush ( https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14564463 ), wild release, themed, photo. [It's about Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, and I left it near the Saint-Gaudens memorial to Shaw and his men.]
Area 7, by Matthew Reilly.
Released at Woomera, SA. Woomera Village initially operated as a "closed town" between 1947 and 1982, when the facility supported the operations of the Woomera Rocket Range during the Anglo-Australia Project. Ordinary people couldn't get access. So I thought this was a good fit to leave 'Area 7' here. As well as the display area where I left the book, driving around the town I saw several rockets decorating the place. There was even a dumped rocket with other rubbish. Not something seen every day :)
2018 themed release 21
21. The Book of Sorrows - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15041055
Orange is the New Black, by Piper Kerman.
Released in front of a painting with lots of orange paint.
RE: Release 12
And black, too. :)
13. Great Australian Outback Teaching Stories, by Bill 'Swamp' Marsh.
Released in the entrance to the 'School of the Air' in Alice Springs.
Release Location + Title Theme
The story is really not themed with the release location for this one, but the title is. I left a copy of Wuthering Heights very high up on a rugged and windswept outcrop of the Niagara Escarpment called the Lion's Head Lookout.
RE: Release Location + Title Theme
Seems a suitable location :)
Release 14 & 15
Two Star Wars books left where I thought they looked 'spacey'.
Released on MOTHER'S DAY:
51 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14781244/ MOTHER'S DAY Murder: A Lucy Stone Mystery
BURR, by Gore Vidal.
Left with a sheep. Sheep get burrs in their wool.
Released in a theater where Avengers: Infinity War was playing.
https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14913431/ Captain America The First Avenger: America's Secret Weapon
Released on TOWEL day [see JE for link]:
53 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14875596/ Jurassic TOWEL Origami
Released at BLACK CAT COFFEE:
54 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14782919/ The BLACK CAT: A Richard Jury Mystery
All released for World Blood Donor Day. The first 13 were also released at the American Red Cross Blood Donor Center. The 14th was a duplicate so I released it elsewhere.
55- https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14920326/ The BLOOD of an Englishman: An Agatha Raisin Mystery
56 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14917431/ BLOOD of the Fold
57 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15085285/ BLOOD Legacy
58 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14897464/ BLOODline: A Repairman Jack Novel
59 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15048647/ Much Fall of BLOOD
60 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15072775/ BLOOD Bound
61 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14789097/ The BLOOD Seed
62 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14879505/ Hot BLOODed
63 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14910685/ Dragonlance: The Minotaur Wars Volume One: Night of BLOOD
64 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15019144/ Bad BLOOD: a Virgil Flowers Novel
65 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15074201/ The Very BLOODy History of Britain Part 2: 1945 To Now
66 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14941942/ A Fountain Filled With BLOOD: A Reverend Clare Fergusson Mystery
67 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15071349/ Any Known BLOOD: A Novel
RE: 2018 Themed release # 55 - 68
All released for World Blood Donor Day.
Good collection :)
22. Red Azalea - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15097878
In the flower department at the supermarket
23. A Rose-Red City - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15098926
In front of a flowery mural
Afghanistan themed
Tonight I released Deborah Ellis's "The Breadwinner"-- about a young girl growing up in Afghanistan under the Taliban-- at an Afghanistan War memorial. I thought it was a fitting reminder of why our soldiers were there/what they aimed to improve by ousting the Taliban.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14695615 (release photo)
24. The Polished Hoe - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/8178524
In the hardware store, next to the hoes.
25. Ship Out of Luck - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/12423068
Outside a seafood restaurant
I released several books by or about LGBT people at my city's Pride Festival:
Wandering Son ( https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14684897/ ), a manga about transgender kids
Hero ( https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15036342/ ), about a gay superhero
Don't Get Too Comfortable ( https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15100263/ ), by gay author David Rakoff
As the Crow Flies ( https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14891327/ ), a graphic novel with gay and transgender characters
The Naked Civil Servant ( https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14891354/ ), memoirs by gay author and actor Quentin Crisp
For some reason our Pride isn't until October...
Emily Stowe Theme
I released a book of biographies called Famous Dead Canadians 2, and chose one of the featured people around whom to theme my release.
I picked Emily Stowe, the first female physician to practice in Canada and an early activists for women's rights around here. She was born and raised about 45 minutes' drive from my city, so I visited her little town and released the book on a bench outside of their local Museum and Archives. It's not visible because of angles in the photo, but in the same yard outside of the museum and archives there is a Government of Ontario historical plaque dedicated to Emily Stowe.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14695608/ (photo)
Rachel Zimmerman Theme
Again, I released a book of short biographies and chose one of the featured people around whom to theme my release. This time, the book was "Canadian Inventors" and I chose Rachel Zimmerman. She was born and raised about an hour away from here in the city of London, ON and she began her career as an inventor at the age of 11. I left this book at St. George's Public School, the school she was attending when she got her start.
Canadian History Theme
I released a book that had sort of an over-arching theme and a slightly more specific theme.
I left the book "150 Years of Canada: Year-by-Year Fascinating Facts" at a place called Prime Ministers Path-- a garden dedicated to preserving the history of our political leaders from Confederation on (which, to this point, is the title '150 Years') with a statue of each one. For the more specific theme, I left the book in the hand of the newest statue, Kim Campbell. She is specifically mentioned in the Fascinating Facts as she was Canada's first female PM. The date was also a bit of a theme, as I released the book on the day before Canada turned 151.
RE: Canadian History Theme
It seems I have neglected to update this, but this book was journalled by an AF right away. They said they planned to take it travelling with them, and recently it checked in again from Tennessee USA.
Multiculturalism/Food Theme
On Canada Day (July 1), I released a book written by a woman who came to Canada as a refugee. I left it at a restaurant dedicated to bringing together and showcasing flavours and foods from around the world. I thought it was especially fitting because the book I left was called "The Bite of the Mango," so it had a foody connection as well.
First Nations/Natural Feature Theme
I released a book called "The Dream Catcher Pool," which is about a grandmotherly First Nations woman who enlists the help of a few young boys to build a reflecting pool for her dream catcher. In the process, she teaches them a bit of their own culture-- the legend of the Dream Catcher.
For this book's release location, I chose a place called Crawford Lake Conservation Area. CLCA is home to a meromictic lake, renowned for its reflective quality, as well as a reconstructed First Nations village-- so I thought it was a good fit for "The Dream Catcher Pool" I left the book by the shore of the lake.
During my travels over the Canada Day long weekend, I released a children's book called "Canadian ABC Adventures."
Newspaper Theme
I left a book on a bench near the office of a small town newspaper called the Shelburne Free Press. There are a few connections for this book and the Free Press. First, it was written by a man from the area who was, at one time, Editor of the Shelburne Free Press. Second, the book was originally published as a serial in the Free Press. Third, the book itself is a series of fictional letters to the editor of the Shelburne Free Press.
Black History Theme
I released a book called "Follow the Drinking Gourd" (about American slaves escaping to Canada via The Underground Railroad) in a park in a small town called Glen Allan, ON. Glen Allan was at one time on the edge of a region known as the Queen's Bush which was settled largely by American slaves who had escaped to Canada via the Underground Railroad. There is a Government of Ontario historical plaque in the park about the Queen's Bush, and that's where I left the book.
Nova Scotian Theme
I left a book about a Nova Scotian family (which was chosen as "Atlantic Canada's greatest book of all-time") in a Nova Scotian restaurant.
RE: Nova Scotian Theme
This book was journalled by an AF recently. They didn't say where they found it so I don't know if it travelled in between or not, but now it's in a small town a couple of hours northeast of the place where I left it.
Otters in Otterville
I had a kids' book called "Slip the Otter Finds a Home," and I thought a good place for Slip to look for her next home would be in the small town of Otterville. I left the book in a park called Otterville Park, which has a swimming pool, baseball diamond, play structure, and more. I left it at the bottom of a ramp leading to the swimming pool, across from the baseball diamond, along a path that leads to the play structure.
Wow! Nice bunch of themed releases recently. Well done.
RE: Wow! Nice bunch of themed releases recently. Well done.
2018 Themed release # 69 -77
All released on Father's Day:
69 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14930245/ Ramona and Her FATHER
70 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14762569/ The Bill from My FATHER: A Memoir
71 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15078821/ Shotgun DADDY
72 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14901344/ A DAD's Guide to Babycare
73 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15033273/ FATHERS and Sons: An Anthology
74 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15050990/ Dreams from My FATHER
75 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15089315/ Say Goodbye to DADDY
76 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14833780/ Promise Me, DAD: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose [CONTROLLED RELEASE]
77 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14897848/ Wisdom of Our FATHERS: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons [CONTROLLED RELEASE]
26. 15소년 표류기 - http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15041059
Outside a Korean restaurant.
Ukrainian Theme
I released a book about Ukrainian immigration and the early days of the Ukrainian community in Western Canada, and I left it at a Ukrainian Cultural Centre
War of 1812 Theme
I released a book called "Canada Under Siege," which is about the War of 1812. I left it in a park called Battlefield Park, where the Battle of Stoney Creek (part of the War of 1812) was fought.
Naval Theme
I did a naval themed release on Saturday (I did several themed releases on Saturday)! I left "Unsung Heroes of the Royal Canadian Navy: Incredible Tales of Courage and Daring During WWII" at the HMCS Haida National Historic Site. HMCS Haida features in more than one story in this book, so I thought this was a logical release spot.
Haida is a World War Two destroyer that is moored in my husband's original hometown of Hamilton, ON. The area where she's moored is the HMCS Haida National Historic Site. There is a small museum and gift shop, there are info boards and various armaments displayed near the ship, and she's open to the public for tours. We didn't go aboard the ship this time, but I left my book suspended from a mine that is displayed in front of the ship, and someone caught it!
Released at The Cat Doctor
78 - https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/14410470/ The Craggy Hole in My Heart and the Cat Who Fixed It
If you ever come to southern Ontario, Canada-- or if you have in the last 20 years-- and you visit the Niagara region, if you drive into/out of the region on the Queen Elizabeth Way (the main highway leading to/from Niagara), you might notice what looks like a ghostly pirate ship at the edge of the lake alongside the highway-- and I left a book there!
It's not a real pirate ship, of course. It's not even a fake pirate ship, but everyone calls it The Pirate Ship. It was originally a ferry on the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, then it became a cargo ship. After that it had a makeover and name change to turn it into a replica of one of Jacques Cartier's (1491-1557) ships to become a restaurant. Eventually (in the 1990s) its owners moved it to Ontario and abandoned it in Lake Ontario by the side of the highway. After a few years of sitting there it was gutted by fire... and its remains have been there, looking like a ghostly pirate ship, since then. Nowadays you can get pretty close to it via a small trail from a parking lot for some businesses (a hotel, a restaurant...) and someone has put up a sign bearing the ship's name, La Grande Hermine. I left my book on the sign, propped up between the 'L' and the 'a.' The book was "Pirates and Privateers: Swashbuckling Stories from the East Coast." It was caught too, and is now on its way out to the prairies!
Nice themed release and I really like the photo.
RE: Pirate Theme
I always enjoy your detailed explanations. :)
I released a children's book at a carousel. The book was called "There Are No Polar Bears Here!" and the carousel is one of only a few antique, hand-carved carousels in Canada. It features various other animals in addition to horses... but no polar bears!
HBC Theme
The Hudson's Bay Company-- HBC-- was pretty important to the establishment/settlement/early days of Canada, because of the fur trade. It's a sort of iconicly Canadian thing. I left a book about those early days ("Hudson's Bay Company Adventures: The Rollicking Saga of Canada's Fur Traders") outside of an HBC store at a big mall called The Pen Centre, in a stand with the current HBC flyers.
RE: HBC Theme
I got sort of a weird JE on this today. The JE itself is very short, but not weird... what's weird is that it was posted 4 times by the same finder, but with a different town in the Niagara region as the place for each entry. I don't know what's happening there. But anyway.... here's the link:
http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/15091846/
I got sort of a weird JE on this today. The JE itself is very short, but not weird... what's weird is that it was posted 4 times by the same finder, but with a different town in the Niagara region as the place for each entry. I don't know what's happening there.
Odd indeed. But, hey...your book got caught. :)
"The world of books is the most remarkable creation of man. Nothing else that he builds ever lasts. Monuments fall; nations perish; civilizations grow old and die out; and, after an era of darkness, new races build others."
- Clarence Day
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Trentino-Alto Adige|South Tyrol
Province of Trento
Sèn Jan di Fassa
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Apartment house "Deluca Renzo", 1'390 m a.s.l.. 9 apartments in the property. 1.1 km from the centre of Vigo di Fassa, on the outskirts, 1.9 km from the centre of Pozza di Fassa, 38 km from the centre
Comfortable 2-family house "Casa Ghetta". 2 apartments in the residence. In the centre 20 m from the centre of Vigo, 2.4 km from the centre of Pozza, 39 km from the centre of Bolzano, 100 m from the s
Apartment house "Fabio Deluca", 1'390 m a.s.l.. In the resort 300 m from the centre of Vigo di Fassa, 2.9 km from the centre of Pozza di Fassa, 38 km from the centre of Bolzano, 100 m from the skiing
$ 809 - 1284 / week
Apartment house "Davarda", detached, surrounded by meadows. 5 apartments in the property. 800 m from the centre of Vigo di Fassa, 3.1 km from the centre of Pozza di Fassa, 38 km from the centre of Bol
2-family house "Villetta Clara", 3 storeys. In the resort 300 m from the centre of Vigo di Fassa, 2.5 km from the centre of Pozza di Fassa, 71 km from the centre of Bolzano, on a slope.
Feature:Property in a multi-family housing (6 units in total).Situation:Hillside location. Access/parking: parking near the house.
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Home > Blog > The Major Inventions Of 1984
The Major Inventions Of 1984
We all know that 1984 was the year that saw the launch of Cass Art in London. But it was also the year that brought us Prince Harry, the inaugural flight of Virgin Atlantic, and the arrival of GCSEs as they replaced O-Levels. 30 years ago the Olympics took place in Los Angeles, and the English pound note was taken out of circulation.
To celebrate 30 Years of our first art shop, we wanted to look back at a few other initial introductions from 1984.
1. The Apple Macintosh
The first mass-marketed personal computer featured a graphical user interface and mouse - something we take for granted now. But back then it was the start of a computer revolution. Launched with the iconic Ridley Scott 1984 advert, the computer featured a beige case containing a 23cm monitor, with a handle built into the top of the case to make it more portable. Ah, simpler times...
2. The CD-ROM
The name is an acronym which stands for "Compact Disc Read-Only Memory", and whilst it was first invented in '84, it had it’s real heyday during the '90s and early 2000s.
A Soviet tile-matching puzzle video game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov, Tetris is a memorable game for many growing up in the '80s or early '90s. The Guinness World Records has even recognised the most ported game in the history of video gaming, appearing on 65 different platforms by 2011. And we can see why - colour, bricks, and battling the clock? It's just computerised, block-building fun at it's best.
4. DNA Fingerprinting
In 1984 Professor Alec Jeffreys discovered the variations in DNA, unique to each individual. These exist in blood, bone, hair follicles, saliva, skin, sweat and are the same in every cell and retain their distinctiveness throughout a person’s life. Thirty years on, we now have fingerprint recognition phones and databases - so keep those fingers clean of paint when you're handling your iPhone.
We've arranged lots of other things so you can celebrate 30 years of Cass Art in style.
Enter our Prize Draw and win £5000 worth of prizes - there are 30 prizes for 30 years, so enter here with a chance to win.
Every weekend throughout June and July there will be a Back To 1984 Prices offer - sign up to our newsletter here to receive the different discounts.
Shop online to stock up on your art materials and take advantage of our 30th Anniversary sale, or shop the sale at all six of our London shops in Islington, Charing Cross, Soho, High Street Kensington, Hampstead and Kingston.
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Tag Archives: CMA
Charley Pride to Be Honored With CMA 2020 Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award
After more than 50 years as a recording artist, Charley Pride can add another feather to the cap of his Hall of Fame career: CMA’s 2020 Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. Charley will accept the honor during the 54th CMA Awards on Nov. 11 in Nashville. The Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award was established to…… MORE
Country Music Association Pledges $1 Million to COVID-19 Relief Fund
The Country Music Association—through its philanthropic arm, the CMA Foundation—has pledged $1 million to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund, which was created by The Recording Academy to help people in the music industry affected by the coronavirus disease outbreak and subsequent cancellation of music events. The funds will be used to provide support to those…… MORE
CMA Announces International Tour With Abby Anderson, Niko Moon, Cassadee Pope & Mitchell Tenpenny
The Country Music Association will visit the Pacific Rim in March with an international showcase featuring Abby Anderson, Niko Moon, Cassadee Pope and Mitchell Tenpenny. The five-date tour, dubbed Introducing Nashville, will visit Australia, New Zealand and Japan. As part of CMA’s mission to support the expansion of country music around the globe, Introducing Nashville…… MORE
CMA’s “Introducing Nashville Tour” Headed to Europe With Chris Lane, Devin Dawson, Danielle Bradbery, Rachel Wammack & More
The Country Music Association launched its international touring series, Introducing Nashville, in March with a bevy of artists—Brandy Clark, Devin Dawson, Lindsay Ell, Lauren Jenkins, Logan Mize and Tenille Townes—performing in the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The series is coming to Norway, Sweden, England and more this fall with a lineup that…… MORE
Country Music Association Creates New Scholarship in Honor of Kix Brooks
The Country Music Association has announced the launch of the inaugural CMA KixStart Artist Scholarship, a year-long program designed to provide emerging artists with unique professional and educational opportunities in the country music industry. The CMA KixStart Artist Scholarship is named after country music legend Kix Brooks, the former chairman of the CMA Board and…… MORE
CMA Awards: The Winners List
The list will be updated throughout the night (Nov. 8), beginning at 7 p.m. CT. ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR (Award goes to the artist) Garth Brooks WINNER Luke Bryan Eric Church Chris Stapleton Keith Urban SINGLE OF THE YEAR (Award goes to the artist, producer, and mix engineer) “Blue Ain’t Your Color” – Keith Urban;…… MORE
Vegas Strong: CMA Awards Co-Host Brad Paisley Speaks Out Regarding “Ridiculous & Unfair Press Guidelines” at This Year’s Show
CMA Awards co-host Brad Paisley is speaking out via Twitter regarding suggested media guidelines from the Country Music Association for their upcoming show on Nov. 8. The CMA requested media members refrain from talking about the Las Vegas shooting tragedy on Oct. 1 that killed 58 people and injured more than 500 during Jason Aldean’s…… MORE
CMA Fest Announces Forever Country Stage, Featuring Tracy Lawrence, Darryl Worley, Mark Chesnutt, Lonestar and Many More
If you’re one of those country fans that have been longing for a return of ’80s, ’90s and ’00’s country music, you’re in luck. The CMA has announced a brand new stage at CMA Music Festival, on June 8 -11 in Nashville, called the Budweiser Forever Country Park Stage. Located in the park behind Ascend…… MORE
Jennifer Nettles Shares Her Love of Performing In New Episode of “Front and Center”
With public television’s Front and Center now in it’s seventh season, the live music series has teamed up with the CMA to feature country’s consummate performer, Jennifer Nettles, as part of their CMA Songwriter’s Series for a new episode. Jennifer is no stranger to performing. The Georgia native performed as one half of the super…… MORE
Watch New “Forever Country” Music Video With George Strait, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Carrie Underwood & More
By now you’ve probably heard that 30 of country music’s biggest stars—both past and present—have come together to record a new song and video, “Forever Country,” for the CMA Awards’ 50-year anniversary. The star-studded mashup features a fresh take on three of country’s most classic songs: John Denver’s “Take Me Home,” Willie Nelson’s “On the…… MORE
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Intel CEO Explains Why They Gave Up On Web TV
Ryan Bushey
IntelIntel CEO Brian Krzanich
Last February,Intel announcedit would be launching its own Internet TV service. This was one of numerous services the company had planned to offer in 2013, including a possible set-top box.
Unfortunately, none of it came true and Intel was rumoured to be selling this project to Verizon.
Intel CEO Brian Krzanich talked with Re/code’s Ina Fried about the situation. Essentially, he grew very sceptical of the project’s chances for success.
While the exec wouldn’t discuss any negotiations with Verizon, Fried’s article mentions that he said this deal could be announced very soon.
Krzanich’s reasoning for getting out of the media business was that while Intel had the technology to support these endeavours, it was lacking in the quality content arena.
He elaborates that, “When you go and play with the content guys, it’s all about volume. And we come at it with no background, no experience, no volume.”
His full comments on the project are below:
It’s actually a very good product, if you take a look at the hardware and the technology. We’ve said pretty repeatedly that the technology is quite good. I could get into the “hows” but it really does have a great user interface. This concept of having three days of everything that is on TV at your instantaneous access is really unique.
But at the end of the day, just like when you go home and watch TV, it’s all about content.
You could have the biggest screen, you could have the clearest screen. But if there is not great content on this thing, that big-screen TV is not a huge value to you, even though it has the best picture on the planet.
This device has the same set of issues. It is a great device and has great technology, but at the end of the day it’s about the content you get on there.
When you go and play with the content guys, it’s all about volume. And we come at it with no background, no experience, no volume. We were ramping from virtually zero and so what we’ve said is we are out looking for a partner that can help us scale that volume at a much quicker rate.
To read the rest of the interview, click here.
enterprise sai-us
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MFS Announces Closed-End Fund Distributions
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MFS Investment Management® (MFS®) announced today monthly distributions of the following closed-end funds, all with declaration dates of January 4, 2021, ex-dividend dates of January 19, 2021, record dates of January 20, 2021, and payable dates of January 29, 2021:
Fund (ticker)
Income/
Other Sources/
Share*
Total Amount/
MFS® Charter Income Trust
(NYSE: MCR)^
MFS® Government Markets Income Trust
(NYSE: MGF)^
MFS® High Income Municipal Trust
(NYSE: CXE)
MFS® High Yield Municipal Trust
(NYSE: CMU)
MFS® Intermediate High Income Fund
(NYSE: CIF)^
MFS® Intermediate Income Trust
(NYSE: MIN)^
MFS® Investment Grade Municipal Trust
(NYSE: CXH)
MFS® Multimarket Income Trust
(NYSE: MMT)^
MFS® Municipal Income Trust
(NYSE: MFM)
MFS® Special Value Trust
(NYSE: MFV)^
^The fund has adopted a managed distribution plan. Under a managed distribution plan, to the extent that sufficient investment income is not available on a monthly basis, the fund will distribute long-term capital gains and/or return of capital in order to maintain its managed distribution level. You should not draw any conclusions about the fund’s investment performance from the amount of the fund’s distributions or from the terms of the fund’s managed distribution plan. The Board of the fund may amend the terms of the plan or terminate the plan at any time without prior notice to the fund's shareholders. The amendment or termination of a plan could have an adverse effect on the market price of the fund’s common shares. The plan will be subject to periodic review by the Board. With each distribution that does not consist solely of net investment income, the fund will issue a notice to shareholders and an accompanying press release which will provide detailed information regarding the amount and composition of the distribution and other related information. The amounts and sources of distributions reported in the notice to shareholders are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the fund’s investment experience during its full fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The fund will send shareholders a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell them how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. The fund may at times distribute more than its net investment income and net realized capital gains; therefore, a portion of the distribution may result in a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the money that shareholders invested in the fund is paid back to them. A return of capital does not necessarily reflect a fund’s investment performance and should not be confused with ‘yield’ or ‘income’. Any such returns of capital will decrease the fund's total assets and, therefore, could have the effect of increasing the fund's expense ratio. In addition, in order to make the level of distributions called for under its plan, the fund may have to sell portfolio securities at a less than opportune time. For estimated source information for distributions paid in prior periods, please see MFS.com and click on the following links: Products & Strategies, Closed-End Funds, Dividend Source Information.
*Distribution from "Other Sources" may contain sources of income other than ordinary income, such as short term capital gains, long term capital gains, or return of capital, which can not be determined until the close of the fund's fiscal year end. Distributions that are treated for federal income tax purposes as a return of capital will reduce a shareholder's tax basis in his or her shares and, to the extent the distribution exceeds a shareholder's adjusted tax basis, will be treated as a gain to the shareholder from a sale of shares. Please see the fund's most recent dividend source information available from payable date at MFS.com for the breakdown of the distribution.
Investors who want to make changes to their accounts should contact their financial advisor, brokerage firm, or other nominee with whom the shares are registered. If shares are registered with the funds’ transfer agent, Computershare, the transfer agent may be contacted directly at 800-637-2304, or www.computershare.com.
About MFS Investment Management
In 1924, MFS launched the first US open-end mutual fund, opening the door to the markets for millions of everyday investors. Today, as a full-service global investment manager serving financial advisors, intermediaries and institutional clients, MFS still serves a single purpose: to create long-term value for clients by allocating capital responsibly. That takes our powerful investment approach combining collective expertise, thoughtful risk management and long-term discipline. Supported by our culture of shared values and collaboration, our teams of diverse thinkers actively debate ideas and assess material risks to uncover what we believe are the best investment opportunities in the market. As of November 30, 2020, MFS manages US$586.7 billion in assets on behalf of individual and institutional investors worldwide. Please visit mfs.com for more information.
The funds are closed-end investment products. Common shares of the funds are only available for purchase/sale on the NYSE at the current market price. Shares may trade at a discount to NAV.
111 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02199
MFS Shareholders or Advisors (investment product information):
Jeffrey Schwarz, 800-343-2829, ext. 55872
Media Only:
Dan Flaherty, 617-954-4256
Release Summary
MFS announces closed-end fund distributions for January 2021.
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President Trump’s Occupational Licensing EO Will Create Jobs Across the Country
December 15, 2020 — Frances Floresca
The coronavirus pandemic has led states to review and reform their occupational licensing laws temporarily and permanently. While some states had been undergoing this process before the pandemic, nearly all states took some steps to reduce regulations and suspend or eliminate statutory requirements for licensing.
On December 14, 2020, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on “Increasing Economic and Geographic Mobility” that built on his February 24, 2017 EO 13777 to alleviate regulatory burdens on occupational licensing The EO would require a state, territorial, or tribal government to issue a license to those who are in good standing and hold a license for their area of discipline. The EO cited reforms recently enacted in Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Missouri, and South Dakota's examples that should be followed in other states.
The EO stated, “The purpose of this order is to reduce the burden of occupational regulations in order to promote the free practice of commerce, lower consumer costs, and increase economic and geographic mobility, including for military spouses.”
The EO listed six principles for state, local, and tribal governments, including accommodations for applicants who are spouses of active-duty members who are relocating; “active supervision of a designated governmental agency or office;” overseeing the qualifications and adopting regulations that protect consumers but are also the least restrictive; and issuing licenses to those who hold a license elsewhere in the United States have met the government’s requirements, and paid the fees.
The EO also reflects the recommendations made in Citizens Against Government Waste’s November 2020 report, “Reducing Licensing Barriers Will Get Millions Back to Work,” which noted, “the need for new licenses as Americans move to new states has long had a significant economic impact on military families in which a non-military spouse has a professional license. In far too many cases, the time it would take to obtain a license when the family moves to a new state is longer than the time the post will last.
The CAGW report also cited a May 26, 2020 University of Minnesota (UM) report that found, “According to the Department of Defense (DoD), the military spouse unemployment rate is at 24 percent and frequent military moves can make it more difficult for spouses to hold down a career.” The department began in 2011 to increase portability for the 35 percent of military spouses who require a license or certification to work. The EO takes this concept much further.
The CAGW report noted, “Military families move more than civilian families, therefore military spouses are far more likely to have to be relicensed each time the service member is reassigned to another state. This creates an unusual hardship on military families, particularly in states like Hawaii, Nevada, and California which require 988, 860, and 827 days in education on average, respectively, for licensed positions. Military families move every two to three years on average which, given the time required in these states for licensing, often prevents a military spouse from obtaining gainful employment.”
The EO is will be beneficial to both military spouses and civilians. The reforms will help create jobs and enable workers to maximize their potential for personal and economic growth. More work still needs to be done, but the Trump administration and the states that have been active in reducing regulations and eliminating statutory barriers deserve credit for the occupational licensing reforms they have achieved to date.
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Published: August 4, 2020, 7:55 pm
Tags: politics, Stephon Clark, Roger Goodell, Business, Government, Sports
Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office warning public after occupied home invasion in Salem Township
California prosecutors ask NFL to take down shooting video
FILE - In this March 5, 2019, file photo, Sequette Clark, left, leaves the Calvary Christian Center after meeting with California Attorney General Xavier Becerra in Sacramento, Calif. California prosecutors on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, asked the NFL to remove a video produced as part of the league's Inspire Change campaign, saying it misrepresents the circumstances leading to the fatal shooting of an unarmed Black man in 2018. The video shows Sequette Clark speaking about the death of her son, Stephon Clark, a vandalism suspect who was killed in the backyard of his grandparents' home after a chase by Sacramento police. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California prosecutors on Tuesday asked the NFL to remove a video produced as part of the league's Inspire Change campaign, saying it misrepresents the circumstances leading to the fatal shooting of a Black man in 2018.
The video shows Sequette Clark speaking about the death of her son, Stephon Clark, who was killed in the backyard of his grandparents’ home. The shooting led to weeks of protests in Sacramento and across the nation, sometimes disrupting games by the NBA's Sacramento Kings.
“Though well-intentioned, the video performs a disservice instead of a public service by omitting the crucial facts which preceded Mr. Clark’s tragic death,” California District Attorneys Association president Vern Pierson said in a statement.
Among other things, the video doesn't mention that he was suspected of vandalism and was running from police, he noted. Clark turned toward them holding what the two officers said they thought was a gun, but it was a cellphone.
NFL officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Attorney Brian Panish, who represented Sequette Clark and other family members in a lawsuit against the city, also did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“My family will never be the same without Stephon,” she says in the video.
But she applauded a new California law that attempts to deter shootings by police by setting a higher standard for when officers can use lethal force.
“That’s the ultimate goal, to make change,” she says.
The association said in a letter Tuesday to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell that it applauds the league's Inspire Change initiative, which provides grants to nonprofit organizations and showcases players' community involvement. The grants focus in part on promoting police and community relations and criminal justice reform, according to the league.
The video entitled Stephon Clark’s Legacy ' #EveryonesChild poignantly shows his mother's loss and pride in her son, Pierson wrote on behalf of the association.
But he said it omits some of the background and crucial context, including that both the Sacramento County district attorney and state attorney general ultimately determined that the two officers broke no laws during the confrontation.
The letter asks Goodell to “reexamine the factual findings of Stephon Clark’s death and produce a video that accurately depicts the conduct of all concerned in an officer involved shooting.”
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Home ›Resources ›Press Releases ›OPIC, the Government of India and Leading Foundations Announce New US-India Clean Energy Finance Initiative
OPIC, the Government of India and Leading Foundations Announce New US-India Clean Energy Finance Initiative
Delhi, India, 16 December 2016—Today, during a signing ceremony at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Delhi, US-India Clean Energy Finance (USICEF) announced its formal launch. The launch of USICEF marks a critical milestone on the commitment made between the United States and Indian Governments to mobilize finance for Indian distributed clean energy projects.
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Good Energies Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the David and Lucille Packard Foundation have committed funding to USICEF to begin operations, and Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) in Delhi has been selected as secretariat for the initiative. The USICEF program helps promising distributed solar projects develop into viable candidates for financing from The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government’s development finance institution, as well other finance institutions.
USICEF will deploy up to $20 million in project preparation support, sourced equally from leading foundations and the Government of India, to distributed solar power projects under consideration for long-term financing from OPIC. This support will lay the foundation for project developers to access much-needed capital to scale up their businesses. By developing a framework for leveraging funding from development finance institutions, USICEF will also set the scene for a broader catalytic impact.
USICEF will target India’s distributed solar markets, where falling technology costs and government initiatives have created opportunities for rapid expansion, provided that renewable energy companies can overcome financing hurdles.
Santosh Vaidya, Joint Secretary at Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India said, “India plans to deliver 100 GW of solar power by 2022. ICEF can help meet this goal, while also growing India’s economy by supporting the renewable energy industry from the ground up.”
“This initiative is a critical step towards increasing access to energy in underserved regions in India. The India Clean Energy Finance Initiative will support small projects with seed capital and assistance to help them grow as they then look to OPIC to work with,” said Elizabeth L. Littlefield, OPIC’s President and CEO. “This public-private partnership presents the opportunity for OPIC to finance and deploy high-impact development projects that support underserved communities throughout India to help the country meet its energy goals.”
USICEF will build on the success of the United States-Africa Clean Energy Finance Initiative (ACEF), which has deployed $20 million in grants and is on track to catalyze over $1 billion in project investment in Africa from a combination of private capital providers and OPIC.
Dr. Gireesh Shrimali, Director of CPI India, USICEF Secretariat, said: “Our analysis has shown huge potential for renewable energy companies to scale-up in India, but many lack much-needed debt capital. We are pleased to be part of this initiative that will help overcome this barrier, help this industry achieve scale, and help ensure India stays on track to realize its clean energy ambitions.”
As USICEF moves forward, interested parties can get in touch with icef@cpiclimatefinance.org for further information.
Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) works to improve the most important energy and land use policies around the world, with a particular focus on finance. CPI has offices and programs in Brazil, Europe, India, Indonesia, and the United States.
About OPIC
OPIC is the U.S. Government’s development finance institution. It mobilizes private capital to help address critical development challenges and in doing so, advances U.S. foreign policy and national security priorities. Because OPIC works with the U.S. private sector, it helps U.S. businesses gain footholds in emerging markets, catalyzing revenues, jobs and growth opportunities both at home and abroad. OPIC achieves its mission by providing investors with financing, political risk insurance, and support for private equity investment funds, when commercial funding cannot be obtained elsewhere. Established as an agency of the U.S. Government in 1971, OPIC operates on a self-sustaining basis at no net cost to American taxpayers.
All OPIC projects adhere to high environmental and social standards and respect human rights, including worker’s rights. By mandating high standards, OPIC aims to raise the industry and regional standards of the countries where it funds projects. OPIC services are available for new and expanding business enterprises in more than 160 countries worldwide. For more information, visit website: www.opic.gov
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The Four Major Phases of the Product Lifecycle[ Edit ]
From Learn Product Management course
For a product manager, it’s important to understand the various stages that products go through during their lifecycle. The following four broadly-defined stages constitute the product life-cycle:
This article will introduce you to each of these stages as well as examples of products in each to help you better identify them moving forward.
The introduction phase of a product’s life-cycle is defined by the following:
There have only been a few iterations of the product thus far
The product’s direct competitors are few and far between
The product is currently losing money for the organization
The only people currently purchasing the product are early-adopters.
An example of a product at this stage of its life-cycle is a product called Halo Sport — a product that uses electric signals to stimulate the part of your brain responsible for muscle movement. The product fits the bill for the following reasons:
Currently in its first iteration
Little to no competition at the moment
Primarily used by early adopters — it has only 106 reviews on the Amazon page.
The growth phase of a product’s life-cycle is defined by the following:
Product has been accepted by the marketplace and sales have started to rise
The offering has been through various iterations and the product is starting to mature
Marketplace for the solution is relatively more crowded
A company in the growth stage of its life-cycle is Square for the following reasons:
The company has progressed from its first ad-hoc Point-of-Sale (POS) offering — one requiring an iPad — to an all-in-one POS
Sales have been rising and the their stock price has almost tripled through 2017
The offerings are starting to become mainstream and the competitive landscape is starting to heat up
The maturity phase of a product’s life-cycle is defined by the following:
Sales are starting to slow down — it is hard to know this in the moment and therefore this factor is only evident in hindsight
Competition becomes even tougher than it was in the growth phase since competitors are starting to enter this category en-masse as the market opportunity is becoming widely recognised as one that is lucrative and/or strategically important.
An example of a company at the maturity stage of its life-cycle is Snapchat for the following reasons:
The number of new users joining the platform is starting to slow
A number of competing offerings — Instagram Stories, Instagram Direct, Messenger Days, among others — have flooded the marketplace as the product is seen as key to reaching a younger demographic and the advertising revenue that comes from entities looking to target said demographic.
Products or companies in their decline phase are defined by the following characteristics:
Sales begin to diminish
Products are being phased out.
When various key metrics — daily active users, monthly active users, install base, etc. — are plotted over time, the resulting graphs come to resemble stretched out ‘S’s. These graphs are known as S-curves. During the introduction phase, the metric just starts to pick up and forms the base of the curve. In the following phase — the growth phase — the numbers skyrocket and we see the formation of the trunk of the shape. During the following phases — maturity and decline — we see the slope come back towards zero, become flat, and form the final part of our stretched out ‘S’.
A great example of a product during whose life the four stages — introduction, growth, maturity, and decline — are discernible is the personal computer. As is evident in the S-curve graphic above, the PC was introduced in the early-1980s and was slow to gain traction. This was the phase during which there had only been a few iterations and product-market fit was yet to be determined. Following this phase, sales started to pick up and there are two discernible phases of growth — a few years following 1995-2000 and 2005-2010. The former time-period saw the maturation and subsequent domination of the Windows ecosystem and the latter saw increased global adoption of the PC. Between 2010 and 2012 we can start to see the PC installed base slowly amble towards the 1 billion mark and plateau. Thereafter, the industry enters into its phase of decline as more and more computational tasks — those that were previously best-handled by PCs — can be performed just as well, if not better, on devices such as smartphones that are still solidly in their growth phase.
Category: Product Management
Project: Make a list of all the products within Instagram
The Product Development Process
Rohan NagpalCommonlounge Content Team
Anant JainCo-Founder, CommonLounge
Prabhav JainCo-founder, Commonlounge. MIT EECS.
View Discussion (2)
Part of course:
Learn Product Management
The Four Major Phases of the Product Lifecycle
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Eyes shut to social care
February 10, 2005 in Children, Social care leaders
The familiar refrain of “breaking down barriers between health
and social care” echoes throughout the government’s recently
published NHS and social care model to support people with
long-term conditions.(1)
In the document’s foreword, national clinical director for
primary care David Colin-ThomŽ declares that the strategy will
encourage health and social care communities to “work across
boundaries” and to “adopt case management approaches… as a means
of ensuring these patients get fully joined-up health and social
But you only have to look at Dr Colin-Thome’s job title and his
use of the word “patient” to figure out on which side of the health
and social care fence the report sits.
Its five chapters, three annexes and 48 pages contain no mention
of direct payments and no reference to transport, housing, benefits
or employment. None of its good practice examples focus on social
work, and people with long-term conditions are referred to as
patients throughout. There is only one specific target in the whole
document – to reduce the use of hospital emergency bed days by 5
per cent by March 2008.
But the most obvious snub to social workers is the report’s most
radical proposal – the introduction of 3,000 community matrons by
March 2007.
Community matrons will be a “new type of health professional”
who will take on caseloads of around 50 to 80 people whose
long-term conditions require clinical intervention as well as care
co-ordination.
“They will work across health and social care services and the
voluntary sector, so that this group of patients receives services
that are integrated and complementary,” says the report.
They will, however, be nurses.
Despite the wealth of experience among social workers who have
similar case management roles, only those with a nursing
qualification will be eligible for the new community matron
role.
It is an exclusion that rankles with Ray Jones, director of
adult and community services at Wiltshire Council.
“It totally ignores the skills and experience that social
workers have as care managers, working and engaging with disabled
people,” he says.
“And at a time when nurses are considered to be a scarce
resource, you have to question whether this is the best use of
their skills. Do nurses have the knowledge to advise people within
the broader social context, on their housing options for instance,
on transport or how to claim benefits?”
Jones believes that, despite the inclusion of the term social
care in the subtitle of the government’s report, it is essentially
a medical strategy, targeted at the high-risk end of the long-term
disability spectrum. Its principal aim is to keep potentially
expensive patients out of hospital, he says.
“This is not a social care model,” says Jones. “It’s a clinical
model, it’s disease focused and it doesn’t take into account the
social model of disease. Social care is an afterthought. It’s all
to do with resources.”
The Long-Term Medical Conditions Alliance, which last year
published a manifesto for improving long-term care, has also
sounded a note of caution. It says that the approach laid out in
the government’s new model could “result in attention and resources
being disproportionately focused on the small minority of people
with the most complex conditions”.
A warning echoed by the King’s Fund, whose chief executive Niall
Dickson has stressed the need for a wide range of services “not
least to ensure that those with less severe needs are not left
In fact, the government’s new model outlines three levels of
care that should be made available to people with long-term
conditions. Level three is aimed at the most vulnerable and at
those with highly complex multiple long-term conditions. For these
people, community matrons are to use a case management approach to
“anticipate, co-ordinate and join up health and social care”. Level
two is aimed at those with a complex single need or multiple
conditions, and involves disease-specific care management by
multidisciplinary teams.
Level one is based around supported self-care, in which
individuals and their carers are helped to develop the knowledge,
skills and confidence to look after themselves.
But this pyramid of care could be used to “focus resources only
on people with complex conditions”, warns LMCA chair Elizabeth
Wincott.
“People shouldn’t be put into rigid categories, and co-ordinated
care plans should be the right of everyone diagnosed with a
long-term condition,” she says. “Long-term conditions impact on
every area of life – it’s not just about keeping people out of
Nevertheless, Wincott welcomes the recognition of the value of
self-care.
“We are pleased that the role of patients as partners in their
treatment and care has been acknowledged, along with the importance
of self-management as a means of helping people live with their
Patient groups have, by and large, welcomed the report, which
many see as a taster of what may be included in the National
Service Framework for Long-Term Conditions, which is due to be
published later this year.
Diabetes UK has applauded the proposal for community matrons
although, like the LMCA, the charity has warned “against the
temptation of just focusing on keeping people out of hospital
rather than tackling the problems which have made some people so
vulnerable”. Its director of care, Simon O’Neill, adds: “The new
model of care is a well overdue and much welcomed initiative. We
must look at the most vulnerable people and do all we can to avoid
them having to end up in hospital.
“But the most effective way to do that in the long term is to
prevent them from becoming so vulnerable in the first place. It is
about effective education and support.”
The Parkinson’s Disease Society has also welcomed the idea of
community matrons and the recognition of self-management.
However, the society has stressed that the model must retain
enough flexibility to respond to the particular individual needs of
people with Parkinson’s and their carers. It says that while it is
a good objective to keep more people out of hospital, those
affected by Parkinson’s disease need to be able to move between
services and have access to a variety of health and social care
services at all times.
There are 17.5 million people in the UK estimated to have
long-term incurable conditions, such as diabetes, asthma and
arthritis. Although the forthcoming NSF on long-term conditions is
expected to focus primarily on neurological conditions, health
secretary John Reid has already made it clear that this recently
published model will provide the blueprint for how long-term
conditions are dealt with in the future. As to whether the desired
levels of integrated care can be achieved without significant input
from social care professionals, many have their doubts.
(1) Supporting People with Long Term Conditions: An NHS and
Social Care Model to Support Local Innovation and Integration
available at DoH website: www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/09/98/68/04099868.pdf
Thousands inside prison are ‘at least as dangerous’ as Mubarek’s killer
A problem shared
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Let Me Spin You a yarn
Actually, I don't spin. I've dabbled in it—and weaving—during my days as a Lincolnshire farmer's wife, but I much prefer to knit the finished yarn. I admire those who shear the sheep, card the wool, then spin it, and make beautiful fiber. Life is short, and yarn is beautiful, and there aren't enough hours in the day to do everything, so I learned to prioritize.
My mother taught me to knit while I was still in grade school. I used to knit clothes for my dolls. My friend Penny taught me to crochet granny squares. I love crocheted lace and doilies, but it's knitting that holds my passion. I still use my mother's knitting needles when I work. Sometimes I feel her holding my hands as I get into the zone, rhythmically slipping the stitches from one needle and onto the other.
Every Stitch Tells a Tale
Once I got heavily into knitting I started exploring the cables and patterns of the traditional fisherman's sweaters, and while I do knit all sorts of things, these patterns have to be my favorites. The way that the stitches were combined told a story, The cultural references of nets, rocks and ropes that were the heart of the industry were woven into the knitting patterns, creating warmth, and a reminder of life for those who wore the garments. How could a knitter and storyteller like me refuse that calling?
Each fishing family had its own design, often with a young bride taking the established patterns and adding to them, creating something unique for her family. The initials of the wearer were frequently monogrammed into the welt of the design. The ownership of the sweater could then be easily identified, in the unlikely case of theft, or the unfortunate case that a fisherman be washed overboard. There's a reference to this in a 1904 play by J. M Synge, which features a dead fisherman being identified by the stitch pattern in his clothing.
There are different types of traditional fisherman's sweaters, from the knit and purl designs that hail from the shores of Scotland, to the more elaborate cables that adorn the traditional Aran sweaters. In fact, the Aran sweaters are so called because many of the patterns are believed to have come from the Aran Isles off the west coast of Ireland. The cable stitches can be found on other traditional designs, though, for ropes played a popular part in both the fishing trade, and the knitting designs.
Much has changed in the fishing industry over the last century, but the stitch patterns are enduring. You'll find them echoed in the gift shops of popular British seaside attractions, and in many of the knitting patterns designed by such yarn companies as Rowan or Vogue. When you know what you're looking for, you'll even see them on the sweaters that department stores offer for sale in the winter. I've taken that one step farther, and added the patterns to my pottery forms and tiles. The stories all have value and deserve to be told, even though they may belong to a culture that is rapidly being overtaken by modern 'progress,'
When Mum was first teaching me to knit well over 50 years ago, she told me that if I could master knitting and purling, then I could master any knitting stitch. She was right! The beautiful ropes, the elegant cables, the intricate lace, it's all a variation on a theme. Walk with me, and meet some of my companions on this journey.
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Mars in the 'hood
The red planet will be closer than it's been in 73,000 years
By Jim Bencivenga Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
Yes, it's likely to be cold. Definitely dark. But you should still get up an hour before sunrise next Monday, Jan. 27, and look southeast about 20 to 30 degrees above the horizon.
A lovely gathering will take place: Center on Venus (the brightest object in the sky). Look to the left and below Venus, and you'll see sparkling Mercury. Look to the right of Venus at the dark oval of a new moon. And a rare treat for those who live in the Eastern two-thirds of the United States: Mars just to the left and so close to the silhouette of the new moon as to suggest a ladybug perched on it.
If you live on the West coast, sorry. The moon's counterclockwise orbit is much shorter than that of Mars, so that by the time the Moon appears over San Francisco, it will be in front of Mars until after sunrise.
But should you not get up, or should your view be blocked by clouds, no matter. Something special is taking place. The third and fourth rocks from the sun are moving toward the center of the galactic dance floor. Tremendous views of Mars await for many nights throughout spring and summer.
From now until Aug. 27, the two planets will draw closer - closer than they have in the last 73,000 years, "since the time when Neanderthals looked skyward," writes Joe Rao on Space.com.
How will this come about? Start with Mars' orbit. Compared with the other nine planets, only Mercury and Pluto have more eccentric orbits than Mars. To astronomers, eccentric means a greatly elongated, or elliptical, orbit resulting in a significantly measurable spread in distance when it is closest (perihelion) to the sun, from when it is farthest (aphelion) - more than 25 million miles difference.
Such orbital swinging results in Mars experiencing a large variation in the amount of sunlight striking it over the course of its year (which is 1.9 times Earth's solar year). When it is nearest the sun, 45 percent more sunlight reflects off it. The more sunlight bouncing off Mars, the more visible it is to us on Earth.
A second astronomical occurrence this summer adds to our Martian spectacular. Besides Mars being as close to the sun as it gets in a given Martian year, Earth will be in opposition to Mars simultaneously. Earth will be between Mars and the Sun. This coincidence of Mars' perihelion with the Sun and Earth's opposition to Mars on Aug. 27, is what gives us this rare visual treat.
Combine increased visibility from sunlight with the fact that the closer one gets to an object the bigger it looks, and the red planet is going to appear much larger as summer approaches.
An anthropomorphic take on this elliptical waltz around the same sun, one that has been going on for more than 4 billion years, might be two commuters sharing the same train to Manhattan. Every now and then they find themselves together in the same car, even side-by-side seats. In time, because of proximity, they come to know each other better than they know other passengers. Given more than 400 billion stars in the Milky Way, if Mars and Earth were commuters on a train, this summer they'd be sitting in each other's laps.
The chart from Space.com shows how the two planets will close on each other. It indicates in two-week intervals how far Mars will be, and how bright it will appear, from Earth.
According to the folks at Space.com, at 5:51 a.m. EDT on Aug 27 this year, Mars will be a "mere" 34,646,418 miles away, about a third of the distance of the earth to the sun. For best viewing, always start by looking south-southeast, starting from 20-40 degrees above the horizon.
Venus to have its final day in the sun for the 21st century
What a mission to Venus could tell us about Earth's moon
Supermoon: Why it's the best lunar show in the solar system
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Bush's bold agenda, soaring stakes
Wednesday's unveiling of a $400 billion prescription-drug plan is latest move for an administration bent on shaping history.
By Linda Feldmann Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
@linda_feldmann
To some, President Bush has taken on an appropriately ambitious agenda - from a war that aims to remake the map of the Middle East to a domestic plan that includes big new tax cuts and a $400 billion prescription-drug plan for senior citizens. Routing Saddam Hussein, a popular goal with Americans, would add a fresh infusion of optimism to the US economy.
To others, Bush is more than proactive: He is taking policy risks that go well beyond what events dictate. The result, skeptics warn, could be a disastrous entanglement in a part of the world most inhospitable to Americans - and a ballooning deficit that could hobble the economy for years to come.
In his relatively short political life, Bush has gone far by being bold, while playing down expectations. In his first race for Texas governor, in 1994, he took on a titan, incumbent Democratic Gov. Ann Richards, and won. In his 2000 presidential race, he defied the odds again by beating the incumbent party amid peace and prosperity.
Last fall, he put his political prestige on the line in an unprecedented campaigning spree - and helped the Republican Party sweep control of Congress.
But nothing in Bush's prologue compares with his current to-do list, the mother of all presidential agendas. And expectations for what Bush can achieve have never been higher.
'High-wire acts' in Washington
"He's engaged in high-wire acts all across the policy field," says Bruce Buchanan, a political scientist at the University of Texas, Austin, and a longtime Bush-watcher. "To have so much on the plate at the same time is contrary to the received wisdom, in terms of what presidents should do to minimize political vulnerability. There are too many ways to fail."
The word "failure" is not in the White House's vocabulary. Neither is the word "risk," except when framed against what Bush's advisers see as the larger risk of inaction. Events have dictated the president's course, in the White House's view. In public, there is no sense that, in the face of a war against terrorism and a flagging economy, the president could be contemplating any other course of action but the one he has embarked upon.
"From the president's point of view, the worst risk is to do nothing in the face of the threat of Saddam Hussein, post-Sept. 11," says Ari Fleischer, Bush's spokesman. "The president has to weigh at what point does the balance tip between the risk of action, which could lead to fatalities, versus the risk of inaction, which could leave us open and vulnerable to another attack like 9/11."
The economy and tax cuts figure into the same equation. "Just because we may go to war, should we not support policies that make the economy grow?" Mr. Fleischer says. "There have to be jobs for the military to come home to. That requires economic growth. For that, we need tax relief."
Tuesday, Bush focused on Medicare, unveiling his administration's plan to offer prescription drug benefits to seniors. The proposal would provide incentives for seniors to sign up with private insurers, but also give modest drug benefits to those who stick with Medicare. It's a step back from the more ambitious proposal the administration was considering - to require Medicare recipients to sign up with a managed-care plan for drug coverage - but Bush's advisers still peg the cost at $400 billion over 10 years. By any measure, it's a big outlay of federal funds.
Bush is not the first president to attempt war and a major domestic initiative simultaneously. But history has shown that when war intervenes, domestic agendas move to the back burner. By 1943, President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal programs, aimed at pulling the nation out of the Great Depression, had given way to World War II. In the 1960s, President Johnson's Great Society agenda was subsumed by the Vietnam War.
A bolder Ronald Reagan
Many Republicans compare Bush's agenda and style to that of President Reagan, who cut taxes and pushed the cold war to conclusion at the same time.
"President Bush has the courage of his convictions," says Whit Ayres, a Republican strategist based in Atlanta. "It takes a real leader to take actions that he truly believes are in the best interest of the country, then convince the country that he's on the right course."
Mr. Ayres then raises the Reagan analogy: "His statement 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall' was not the pronouncement of a timid man," says Ayres, citing Mr. Reagan's address to the former president of the Soviet Union and his reference to the Berlin Wall.
Professor Buchanan, at the University of Texas, sees Bush as bolder than Reagan. Ronald Reagan's risk-taking was "primarily rhetorical," he says, while Bush is "putting 200,000 troops on the ground in a distant corner without provocation."
In addition, analysts note, while Reagan did cut taxes while building up the military, he also raised taxes later. No one is predicting Bush will do the same - in part because a tax increase helped deal a mortal blow to his father's presidency. By all accounts, the subtext for the current President Bush's ambitious plans is the failure of the first President Bush to put forth a bold agenda after his Gulf War triumph. This president's advisers are seeing to it that the public perceives the son differently.
The problem now, says presidential historian Robert Dallek, is that the American public isn't paying attention. It's just seeing "bold" without seeing the details.
"He's going to fight a war in Iraq, turn it into a democracy, remake the Middle East, and solve the Palestinian-Israeli problem," says Mr. Dallek. "This is a fantasy."
'Bush' is Jean Edward Smith’s portrait of the presidency of George W. Bush
Former President George H. W. Bush expected to recover
Think you know the Reagan and Bush era? Think again.
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US finds new love of fusion
By Robert C. Cowen
At a time when the United States is widely condemned as being unilateralist, there's good news in its foreign affairs. America is rejoining the international project to control thermonuclear fusion - the power source of the stars - to make electricity here on Earth.
By 1998, Canada, the European Union, Japan, and the US had each spent several hundred million dollars on plans for a project in which, working along with Russia, they would build an International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The US considered the projected $10 billion cost and the project construction plan unrealistic. Congress forced the US team to pick up its marbles and go home.
Since then, the other ITER partners have redesigned the machine and cut its projected cost in half. A US Department of Energy study has called that estimate "credible" and the projected 10-year construction schedule "generally reasonable." ITER has become what President Bush now calls "an incredibly important project to be part of." China, which has reached the same conclusion, is also joining the project at this time.
The US reconciliation comes at a crucial time for ITER. The partners are ready to pick a site and start machine construction. Canada, Japan, and Spain each want to host the facility. If the US is to benefit from this research, it must get back into the game now.
This also is a critical time for the long - and sometimes quixotic - quest to harness fusion power. Energy is released when hydrogen atoms are crushed together strongly enough for the nuclei to fuse. Stars do this easily, thanks to the enormous pressures and temperatures in their cores. On Earth, some fusion scientists use laser beams to crush hydrogen fuel pellets. ITER takes another tack: Its machine will use magnetic fields to confine low pressure hydrogen fuel in a doughnut-shaped tube while heating the fuel to many tens of millions of degrees.
Scientists have pursued magnetic fusion for half a century with many frustrating results. Its hot electrically charged particles refuse to stay put while the gas writhes like a recalcitrant snake or otherwise escapes magnetic confinement. This has made magnetic fusion a receding goal. That situation has changed. As Richard Hazeltine at the University of Texas in Austin and Stewart Prager at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, have explained in an overview article in Physics Today that progress in understanding many of these confinement problems has been substantial and, in some cases, "revolutionary." They conclude that magnetic fusion is poised for significant progress and ITER is a machine well suited to do the job.
The US now spends some $250 million a year on fusion research. It is ready to commit around $50 million annually to the $5 billion ITER project - down from $80 million a year before its 1998 walkout. Bush calls it an "opportunity to blaze new paths," which "makes sense for America."
How Germany took big step toward nuclear fusion
Fusion’s future gets real in France
Is nuclear fusion power now possible?
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Mark Delaney . . . Wales' Forgotten Coach, But Maybe Not For Long
The third round of the FA Cup can relied upon for jogging a few memories. So, it was comforting to see a familiar face in charge of Aston Villa the other night, a Welsh coach who Fraser Watson argues could still be destined for more regular appearances in the spotlight. Who is Mark Delaney? If you’ve followed Welsh football, or indeed, Aston Villa in the 21st century, it’s not a question that prior to last week, you would have needed to ask. Having captained his country and made 158 Premier League appearances, with an FA Cup final thrown in to boot, a succession of knee injuries curtailed his playing days aged just 31. Coaching badges followed, and his work in developing the club’s youngsters since 2007 has been rightly lauded by those within Villa Park.
You Can't Stop Players Showing Their Emotions Insists Cardiff City's Neil Harris...Apart From Stopping Games
Cardiff City manager Neil Harris insists you cannot stop players from celebrating goals - and will be hoping there are plenty to get excited about against Norwich City. The Bluebirds boss says the only way FA chiefs can stop players hugging each other to meet COVID-19 stipulations is to stop playing altogether.
"There's A Good Player In There" . . . Says Swansea City's Steve Cooper As Brighton's Viktor Gyokeres Goes Home
Steve Cooper has said “there’s a good player in there” about striker Viktor Gyokeres – but fans won’t be seeing him at Swansea City. The on-loan striker has been recalled by parent club Brighton after 12 appearances for the Swans in which he scored only once, in last week’s 2-0 FA Cup third round win at Stevenage. It was a modest return for a Premier League striker who joined Swansea last September, having scored seven goals in 19 starts the previous season, playing for St. Pauli in Bundesliga 2.
Ospreys' Swoop Shows We're On The Way Back, Says Dan Lydiate
Dan Lydiate has heralded the resurgence of the Ospreys and the region’s signing of Wales prop Tomas Francis. Under the guidance of head coach Toby Booth, the Swansea-based region have improved steadily over the course of a season hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Over Christmas the Ospreys won two of their three festive derby clashes by beating Cardiff Blues and Dragons after a narrow loss to the Scarlets.
Natalie Powell Believes In Best Shape Of Her Life After Finally Returning To Judo Mat
Natalie Powell reckons she is in the best shape of her career after returning to the judo mat for the first time in nearly 12 months. The Beulah judoka finished fifth at the World Masters in Doha as the countdown to the Tokyo Olympics resumed in earnest.
Callum McKenzie
Cardiff & Met hockey midfield star Jacob Draper has once again been included in the Great Britain Under 21 squad for the Johor Cup in Malaysia. The 20-year-old Swansea University student helped the British team finish as runners-up in the prestigious tournament last year and will be hoping to go... Read More
25/9/2018Ian GordonNo commentsDai Games, Dai Hock
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From NYC's High Line to Miami's Underline: How Linear Parks Are Changing Cities
The Bests
Women Who Travel
New York's High Line is world-famous, but it's not the only project seeking to transform abandoned locales into beautiful green spaces.
By Molly Elizalde
Courtesy MVRDV
In 1981, what is now New York’s High Line—the railway-turned-linear park that runs down the west side of downtown Manhattan—almost became an inventive residential complex called the Bridge of Houses. The project, which was proposed by architect Steven Holl to transform the elevated tracks into a series of “villas” and courtyards, never came to light and the eyesore sat unused for almost three decades.
Ahead of his time, Holl foresaw how our cities would constantly reinvent themselves: When the High Line opened its first phase in 2009, it arguably became one of the most influential examples of how an increasingly dense area can become more livable by reclaiming abandoned infrastructure and adapting it into much-needed park space for city dwellers. This concept, known as adaptive reuse, is now one of the most popular methods for transforming urban landscapes.
These greenways, popular among locals and tourists alike, are attractions that are becoming as ubiquitous as traditional parks like Paris’s Jardin des Tuileries or New York’s Central Park. Seamlessly transporting visitors from one neighborhood to the next, landscaped promenades make for well-rounded excursions suited to wayfarers, design aficionados, aspiring horticulturists, and those just in need of a break from the surrounding city.
From Miami to New York to Seoul, the latest iterations of the adaptive reuse phenomenon present creative ways to transform existing infrastructure with new technology, art initiatives, and green spaces. Here, we detail the three projects to watch.
The Underline is being built on the unused land under Miami's Metrorail.
Courtesy Underline
The Underline, Miami
Today, the area underneath Miami’s Metrorail is winding, barren, and irregularly paved. But the city has plans for a dramatic transformation. The Underline is a project set to reimagine the 10-mile stretch between the Brickell and Dadeland South stations with bike and pedestrian trails, sport courts, and innovative landscaping. Designed by James Corner Field Operations, the same urban planning firm behind the High Line, the first phase is a one-mile area starting at the Miami River. Construction won’t begin until this fall and is slated for completion in 2018 (the entire project will take seven years), but the Underline is already gearing up its programming.
On January 14, the Underline kicked off its arts initiative, drumming up excitement for the park’s forthcoming makeover. Four participatory projects by Miami-based artists Nicolas Lobo, Naomi Fisher, Bhakti Baxter, and Agustina Woodgate set the program’s precedent: “These are artists that are really invested in Miami developing into a more metropolitan city,” says Amanda Sanfilippo, the curator for Art and Public Places, which oversaw the commissions. “They have local knowledge that’s really special in celebrating this transformative moment.”
The works are meant to engage the public through their performative aspects: Expect to see calisthenics experts working out on Lobo’s aestheticized steel gym, "Brutalist Workout," and ballerinas dancing with Fisher’s “#PUZZLED” sculpture and its built-in ballet barre. Or tune into Woodgate’s podcast at radioee.net, which she created while riding a 16-person bike through the park. Conversely, Baxter’s piece is slightly more permanent. Creating floral arrangements and sculptural planters, the artist responds to the Art Deco and industrial Metrorail stations along the Underline; the native tropical plants on display will later be sowed into the park’s landscape.
The works will be up through April 1, but expect more commissions like these in the years to come.
Seoul Skygarden
Inspired by New York’s High Line, Seoul’s own Skygarden takes the idea of urban “greenification” to a new level. Coming off the successful revitalization of the once-polluted Cheonggyecheon Stream, now a popular destination for both tourists and locals, the city decided to transform a 1970s-era overpass that had been deemed unsafe for traffic into park space, a shortfall in the concrete-heavy city.
The new pedestrian walkway has been modeled after an arboretum and serves as a library of Korean plants with 254 species planted in alphabetical order. Architect Winy Maas of MVRDV, the Dutch firm that won the 2015 design competition for the project, describes the Skygarden as a “vegetal village,” likening it to an inhabited bridge such as Florence’s Ponte Vecchio; he notes the cafes, tea houses, and education centers that have been built into the design, each building modeled after the planters on the bridge.
The half-mile long Skygarden, just months from its April opening, also extends into the local community, both structurally and ecologically: It will act as a nursery, rearing trees for the surrounding district, while newly built side bridges connect the project to adjacent department stores and housing complexes.
“We are working to make the whole neighborhood more green,” Maas says. “It’s a starting point for a full discovery of the area’s beauty.”
The Lowline's biggest challenge? Figuring out how to grow plants underground.
Courtesy Lowline
The Lowline
“No one asked for this,” says James Ramsey when asked how the idea to build a subterranean garden adjacent to the Essex Street JMZ subway station on Manhattan’s Lower East Side first came to him. The former NASA engineer had been tinkering with solar technology when he first learned about the abandoned railroad tracks (they were last used in 1948 as the Williamsburg Bridge Trolley Terminal), and somehow he landed on the idea of the Lowline.
Ramsey, also an architectural designer, then managed to get the city to put out a call for proposals for the site. Luckily, he was the only one to submit a project.
The plan revolves around the idea of a “remote skylight,” which redirects sunlight underground, enabling plants to grow. Ramsey and his team have been testing the technology at a demonstration lab since last year, where they have successfully grown a range of fruits, vegetables, and greenery (his favorite were the “delicious” strawberries).
A few blocks from the proposed site, the lab, open through February 26, has been free to the public and available for private gatherings, including yoga classes, dance performances, and education initiatives. And even though the Lowline won’t be complete until 2021 at the earliest, the lab has served as a study for how to shape the final space. “We want to craft an experience that allows us to appreciate the historical, weird qualities of this forgotten space,” says Ramsey, “but also have this completely new experience of wandering around a subterranean garden.”
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Will Cries for Justice and Healing Be Heard?
Posted Wednesday, June 3, 2020 6:01 am
What’s happening to us, America?
The outrageous killing of George Floyd, a black man, at the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer, and the resulting violent protests that swept cities across the country dealt another heavy blow to a nation already reeling from a raging coronavirus pandemic and a shattered economy.
The Floyd killing, which shocked and horrified the nation, brought together Americans of all races and political ideologies in a unified cry for justice and reform.
We hope and pray that the violent and destructive reaction from a nation on edge—like the widespread mayhem and looting that devastated shopping districts in parts of Manhattan and the Bronx Monday night—will not deter us from addressing the systemic racism and inequality that came into sharp focus with Floyd’s needless death.
Cardinal Dolan, in televised Pentecost Sunday remarks from St. Patrick’s Cathedral—which was marred by protesters’ graffiti the day before —called on the Holy Spirit for “the gifts of reconciliation and peace and justice upon our city here in New York and upon our beloved nation in the midst of the strife and turmoil that we so sadly experience.”
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are surely needed here in New York, and we may have already experienced that gift in the Bronx.
Early Tuesday morning, awakening to ransacked stores, overturned and burned trash cans and piles of broken glass on their streets, residents of the hard-hit Fordham and Burnside neighborhoods were out early, masked and gloved against the pandemic, cleaning up the streets of their shattered communities.
Meanwhile, we further New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s call to community leaders, and especially clergy and religious leaders, to “stand up for peace” and to prayerfully guide the city toward healing and reconciliation on every level in the wake of the George Floyd killing and its aftermath.
The May 25 incident, in which an officer held his knee to the handcuffed Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes while fellow officers stood by, was carried out in full public view on a city street and seen by millions in a video posted online by a bystander.
Floyd, 46, was picked up on suspicion of forgery and pinned down on the street while repeatedly saying, “I can’t breathe.” The officer who pinned him down was immediately fired, along with the three others involved, and has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter; the other officers also may face charges in the ongoing investigation.
The Minneapolis tragedy came within weeks after Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed 25-year-old black man, was chased down and fatally shot while jogging on a Georgia street; three white men are facing murder charges in the incident, which was also captured on video. In March, EMT worker and aspiring nurse Breonna Taylor, 26, was shot eight times and killed in Louisville, Ky., by police who barged into her home in the middle of the night searching for a drug suspect.
The chairmen of eight committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a May 29 statement after the Floyd death that they are “broken-hearted, sickened and outraged to watch another video of an African American man being killed before our very eyes.”
We are too.
We also agree with the bishops that “indifference is not an option” in battling racism, which they called “a real and present danger that must be met head on.”
Violent protests that escalate into riots, with looting, arson and destruction of property are not, however, the way to achieve that goal.
Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, president of the USCCB, called the nationwide violence “self-destructive and self-defeating,” calling instead for renewed focus on “the prize of true and lasting change.”
Peaceful protests, demonstrations and other forms of activism, including political activism, are approaches that can take us toward the equitable society that remains the American ideal.
Community involvement is another approach, as is prayer and a recommitment to the pro-life cause that respects all human life.
“As members of the Church, we must stand for the more difficult right and just actions instead of the easy wrongs of indifference,” the bishops’ committee chairmen said. “We cannot turn a blind eye to these atrocities and yet still try to profess to respect every human life. We serve a God of love, mercy and justice.”
Americans must never forget that.
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Murray L. Bristoladmin2020-03-20T19:35:59-05:00
Murray L. Bristol graduated from Baylor University with a degree in finance and entrepreneurship where he was named to the Dean’s List. He obtained his law degree from the University of Tulsa in 1993 and was a contributing member of the Energy Law Journal, member of Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity and named to the Dean’s Honor Roll. Mr. Bristol also attended law at the SMU Dedman School of Law and the University of Oxford in England.
After law school graduation, Mr. Bristol served as an assistant district attorney in El Paso, Texas, trying to verdict over 40 cases. Mr. Bristol then entered private practice working for a law firm with offices in Dallas and Oklahoma. Murray has tried a total of over 150 cases to verdict and litigated hundreds of civil lawsuits. His 26 years of trial law experience allows him to understand what it takes to win in litigation or if necessary in the courtroom. Murray has successfully represented companies and individuals throughout Oklahoma and Texas in the collection of commercial debt, oil and gas disputes, general breach of contract issues, misrepresentation and fraud as well as post judgment collections.
Mr. Bristol knows how to handle businesses that have not fulfilled their agreement with you or your company. As an experienced lawyer, he knows the best course of action to recover for your losses in the most efficient and effective manner under the law.
Murray has been a member of the Texas State Bar since 1993, the Oklahoma Bar since 1995 and a member of the US District Court, Northern and Western District of Texas and Northern, Eastern and Western District of Oklahoma. Murray practices in the fields of Creditors’ Rights, Commercial Litigation, Mechanics Liens, Breach of Contract and Post-Judgment Enforcement throughout Oklahoma and Texas.
Murray is available to discuss any legal issues you may have regarding your business and any potential litigation issues that may be on the horizon. Contact him at 214.880.9988 for a free consultation or you can email him at: mlb@bristoldubiel.com.
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Part of Parkmuseerne
David's Bazaar
Mostly for kids
Muhammad and the First Four Caliphs
The Meeting with Other Cultures
The Umayyads
The Abbasids
The Tulunids and the Fatimids
The Samanids
The Ghaznavids and the Ghurids
The Seljuks
The Il-Khanids
The Late Abbasids, Atabegs, and Ayyubids
The Mamluks
The Seljuks of Rum
The Ottomans
The Timurids and the Turkmen
The Safavids and their Successors
The Indian Sultanates
Mughal India
India, 1707-c. 1850
The David Collection/The collections/Islamic Art/Islamic dynasties/The Ottomans
The Prophet Muhammad
Anatolia, the Balkans, Syria, Egypt, c. 1300-1850
When the empire of the Seljuks of Rum collapsed, the situation was exploited by a local Turkic ruling family in northwestern Anatolia whose ancestor was named Osman (Othman /Uthman). Invoking jihad (“holy war”), the Ottomans expanded their holdings into Byzantine Anatolia and soon also occupied large parts of the Balkans. Only the Byzantine capital of Constantinople held out until Mehmed II the Conqueror took the city in 1453 and put an end to the Byzantine Empire. Constantinople became the capital of the Ottoman Empire under the name of Istanbul. Conquests continued at the beginning of the 16th century, when Iraq was soon taken, along with Mamluk Syria and Egypt and the Mediterranean ports in North Africa. The Ottomans now dominated most of the Mediterranean with their fleet, and after the conquest of Hungary, they posed a serious threat to the rest of Christian Central Europe. The empire’s political and economic peak coincided more or less with the long rule of Suleyman the Magnificent (1520-1566). The Ottoman Empire was one of the world’s great powers and the strongest Muslim realm, which also ruled over the holy cities of Arabia.
In the course of the 17th century, however, the empire began to lose its position, and a final attempt at expansion in Central Europe failed in 1683, when the Ottomans were rebuffed before Vienna and then abandoned Hungary. The lack of booty from new, conquered lands combined with weak state government increasingly drained the empire’s finances throughout the 17th and 18th century. Although the Ottoman Empire remained very large, it developed in the 19th century into the “sick man of Europe,” which tried in vain to keep pace with the European powers’ reforms in administration, military matters, and trade.
The Ottoman Empire was controlled through a centralized system of government, with power concentrated in the sultans’ capital of Istanbul. Most of the administration’s leading officials and the awe-inspiring Janissaries had been taken as boys from Christian regions, converted to Islam, and undergone careful schooling.
A special design workshop was founded in the Topkapi Palace complex to produce patterns for tiles, woodwork, metalwork, and textiles used for the court’s many construction and decoration projects. The patterns spread to the rest of the empire with the artists who had been trained in the workshop and through the many monumental building projects in the provinces that were commissioned from Istanbul. From having a close kinship with Timurid art, Ottoman art soon developed a number of new and unique forms of decoration, with both more abstract patterns and naturalistic decorations based on local flora.
Radio in Danish
The David Collection ·
Kronprinsessegade 30-32,
museum@davidmus.dk
© The David Collection
The Ottomans: Anatolia, the Balkans, Syria, Egypt, c. 1300-1850
Coin no. 7 of 23
Obverse Reverse
Legend and design
The Ottoman (‘Uthmanid) Rulers of Anatolia, Rumelia and the Southern Balkans, 699-1340 H/1299-1922 AD
Ruler and dates
Muhammad II ibn Murad II, (second reign, 855-886 H/1451-1481 AD)
Mint name
Qustantaniyya – Constantinople, today’s Istanbul
883 H (1478 AD) (actual date of striking)
Metal and denomination
Gold sultani
Weight and measurement
3.49 g / 19.5 mm
Inv. no.
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GET ON THE VIP LIST
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Things to Do in Artesia
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Southern CA Theme Parks
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Southern California Theme Parks
Disneyland & Disney’s California Adventure
HOTEL NEAR DISNEYLAND RESORT (11 miles)
Celebrating its 60th year anniversary, Disneyland has been making people of all ages happy since 1955. One of the most popular landmarks in Southern California, Disneyland features over 60 rides, 50 shops, and 30 restaurants divided up amongst eight themed lands, such as Tomorrowland, Adventureland, and of course, Fantasyland. Recently, Disneyland announced that they will be expanding and adding a Star Wars-themed land based on the blockbuster film.
buy discount tickets
HOTEL NEAR KNOTT’S BERRY FARM (6.3 miles)
Knott’s Berry Farm is a 160-acre amusement park that features a wide range of thrilling roller coasters, themed villages, and exciting shows. With over 165 rides, shows, and attractions Knott’s is the go to place for families and people of all ages. With five themed areas, including Ghost Town, Fiesta Village, and Camp Snoopy, there’s something for everyone at Knott’s Berry Farm. Experience world-class thrill rides like Silver Bullet, Boomerang, Xcelerator, and Montezooma’s Revenge. Each year during October, Knott’s Berry Farm becomes Knott’s Scary Farm, an annual haunting adventure that takes over the park. Opening in 1920, Knott’s Berry Farm is the oldest amusement park in Southern California and is just about six miles away from the Days Inn & Suites Artesia.
10 MILES AWAY ONLY
Located adjacent to the original Disneyland, Disney California Adventure is a 72-acre park that is home to such popular attractions like the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, California Screamin’ Roller Coaster, Soarin’ Over California, and Cars Land – the latest addition to the park. Cars Land is a 12-acre area that is a replica of Radiator Springs, the fictional town in the hit animated Pixar film, Cars. Cars Land’s main ride is the thrilling Radiator Spring Racers, a slot car ride that races through the winding mountain roads of Radiator Springs. Disney California Adventure is also home to the wildly popular light extravaganza, the World of Color.
HOTEL NEAR UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD (27.5 miles)
Go behind the scenes on the world-famous Studio Tour to explore where Hollywood movies are made. Visit the sets of some of your favorite shows and movies, like ABC’s hit series Desperate Housewives or the incredible airline crash from the blockbuster The War of the Worlds. And, survive firsthand the world’s largest 3-D experience, King Kong 360 3-D, created by Peter Jackson. Then, face action head-on in heart-pounding rides, shows and attractions that put you inside some of the world’s biggest movies, including the greatest battle you’ll ever ride in Transformers: The Ride-3D. Plus, join the mischievous Minions on an epic adventure you’ll never forget in the all-new 3-D ride, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem. The Days Inn & Suites Artesia is less than 30 miles from Universal Studios Hollywood.
HOTEL NEAR HOLLYWOOD
Attracting visitors from all over the globe, Hollywood offers something for everyone. Take a stroll along Hollywood Blvd and explore the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame, or see how a real Hollywood film is made and tour Universal Studios Hollywood, Paramount, or Warner Brothers. Take a hike up to the Hollywood sign, or a leisurely drive on Sunset Blvd. If you’re looking for a bit more culture, Hollywood has that in spades. The Los Angeles Museum of Art features more than 150,000 works from all over the world, including masterpieces by artists such as Rembrandt and Monet. The iconic Getty Center features works by Michelangelo, da Vinci, and Van Gogh; or explore the Miracle Mile, which features other popular museums like the Petersen Automotive Museum and the Museum of Tolerance. Feel like doing some shopping? Head over to the legendary Rodeo Drive for a high-end shopping experience, or swing by Melrose Avenue for unique boutiques. From nightlife, tourist attractions, fine dining, and world-class shopping, Hollywood is truly a traveler’s haven.
© 2021 Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Artesia
17510 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, CA 90701
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Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall
Jonathan Griffith, DCINY Artistic Director and Principal Conductor
Penelope Shumate, Soprano
Claudia Chapa, Mezzo-Soprano
John Pickle, Tenor
Christopher Job, Bass
Jonathan Griffith
Penelope Shumate
Claudia Chapa
John Pickle
Christopher Job
The Cecilia Choir of Aarhus University
Bemidji Chorale
Camerata Singers
Canterbury Choral Society
Huntsville Community Chorus
The Newman Singers
Southland Singers
Stuyvesant High School Concert Choir
Sutton Valence Choral Society
Vocal Spotlight (OH)
The Wellington High School Chorus
West Torrance High School Aristocracy
Sune Aaes-Jørgensen is studying musicology at the University of Aarhus, Denmark.
The Cecilia Choir of Aarhus University uses one week per year to master a musical masterpiece to honor Saint Cecilia. It consists of musicology students from Aarhus University and it has been a tradition at the University for many years now.
Patricia Mason
Patricia Mason is a semi-retired music teacher and create Bemidji Chorale in 1979. She earned her Master’s degree in Music Education at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota. Pat is active in national and state music associations, including the Minnesota Music Educators Association and the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota, in which she has held the position of Northwest Chair. She is also active in various community music endeavors, and is a very active Minnesota State High School Music League Adjudicator and Clinician. Pat was the 2012 recipient of the Bemidji "Friend of the Arts" award, for her longstanding support of the arts in Bemidji.
The Chorale began rehearsing in 1979. It was the brainchild of Lyle Jewel and a small group of area music educators who wanted to provide an opportunity for area vocalists to come together to sing challenging choral literature, and also provide another quality concert venue for the Bemidji area. The Chorale rehearses from September to May, presenting concerts the first week in December and on Mother’s Day in a wide variety of styles from different music periods, and a larger classical work with the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra and Bemidji State University Choir.
Scott E. Anderson
Scott Eric Anderson conducts the ISU Chamber & Concert Choirs, the Camerata Singers, and teaches Choral Conducting, Choral Methods, and voice. Dr. Anderson has received Idaho State University’s Master Teacher and Outstanding Public Service awards on three occasions. He was awarded the Idaho State University Alumni Association’s Faculty Achievement Award in 2011, and Idaho State University’s Distinguished Public Service Award in 2013.
Anderson received the Bachelor of Arts in Music from Whitworth College, the Master of Music from Westminster Choir College, and the Doctor of Musical Arts from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He has studied conducting with such eminent teachers as Eph Ehly, Joseph Flummerfelt, Allen Crowell, Frauke Hassemann and many others.
Choirs under Dr. Anderson’s direction have traveled throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and South America. As Director of Choral Activities at Idaho State University, Anderson has led the Idaho State University Chamber Choir or Camerata Singers on performance tours of more than 22 countries over the past two decades. He led the Camerata Singers on a performance tour of Spain and Portugal in July, 2013. Dr. Anderson conducted the ISU Chamber Choir (one of six invited University choirs) in performance at the Northwest Division Conference of the American Choral Directors Association in Seattle, Washington in March, 2014. Anderson conducted the Idaho State Civic-Symphony, the Camerata Singers, and the ISU Concert Choir in performances of the Verdi REQUIEM in April 2014.
Anderson serves as the Artistic Director of the Idaho International Choral Festival where choral groups from around the world join together in Pocatello, Idaho for a week of choral performances, conducting master classes and artistic and cultural exchange. He has conducted more than 100 choral festivals, including All State Festivals, Regional MENC or ACDA Honor Choirs in 16 states and Canada. He has served the American Choral Directors Association in state, divisional, and national offices, and has been featured as guest conductor, lecturer and teacher throughout the United States and abroad.
The 100-voice Camerata Singers of Pocatello, Idaho, USA is a symphonic choir under the direction of Dr. Scott E. Anderson, Director of Choral Activities at Idaho State University. Founded in 1968 by Chilton Phoenix and Ferris Edgley, the choir has performed almost every major choral work in its thirty-five-year history as well as numerous shorter pieces including motets, carols, and opera choruses. Two of the original sixteen voices still sing in the choir today.
In recent years the choir has performed the Mozart, Brahms and Verdi Requiems; masses including Mozart’s Mass in C major, Schubert’s Mass in G, Puccini’s Messa di Gloria, and Ramirez’ Misa Criolla; Handel’s Messiah; Mendelssohn’s Elijah; Haydn’s The Seasons; the Bach Magnificat; Vivaldi’s Gloria, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms; Poulenc’s Gloria; Kodaly’s Te Deum; Orff’s Carmina Burana, Mahler’s 8th Symphony and numerous shorter pieces.
The Camerata Singers touring choir is composed of a combination of community members from Southeast Idaho, in the northern Rocky Mountains, and students from Idaho State University. They are accompanied by Adonna Drake. Camerata Singers have previously toured in the British Isles, Austria, Denmark, Italy, Slovenia, Sweden, and Germany. Dr. Anderson led Camerata Singers most recently on a two week concert tour of Spain and Portugal in the summer of 2013.
Randi Von Ellefson
Randi Von Ellefson is Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Music at Oklahoma City University (OCU) and serves as Artistic Director of Canterbury Choral Society. He began his work in Oklahoma City in 2004 after working at the University of Chicago, (IL), Whitworth University, (WA) and Bethany Lutheran College, (MN.)
He holds degrees from Texas Lutheran University, the University of Minnesota and the D.M.A. from Arizona State University. He is a founding member of the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO) and has served as its President as well as Treasurer. He has also been President of the American Choral Directors Association’s Northwestern and Central Divisions.
Dr. Ellefson has conducted a wide variety of university choruses as well as the Spokane Symphony Chorale and the Elgin Choral Union. He has worked at Lutheran and Presbyterian Churches and currently is the adult choir director at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City.
In 2011, he led an ensemble from Canterbury Choral Society on a tour in China. In the summer of 2014, he and seventy singers from Canterbury will join other choirs for concerts in Paris and at Normandy commemorating the 70th Anniversary of D-Day.
Founded in 1969 at All Souls Episcopal Church with 60 singers, Canterbury’s mission now extends all over the state of Oklahoma and into national and international locations. The 145-member Adult Chorus is the largest of its kind in the state of Oklahoma. All singers are auditioned volunteers, most with extensive musical and stage experience, coming from all over the state of Oklahoma and representing a wide variety of professions. The Adult Chorus routinely collaborates with sister arts agencies like the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and Oklahoma City Ballet. The Adult Chorus has made many public appearances aside from its concert season. It was featured prominently during the National Prayer Service, A Time of Healing, memorializing the victims of the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. In the summer of 2002, it embarked on its first international tour performing in three of England’s most famous cathedrals. In celebration of Oklahoma’s Centennial, Canterbury was invited to perform on the opening and closing Centennial Spectacular concerts held at the Civic Center and then Ford Center with notable stars that come from Oklahoma. Also in honor of the Centennial, a new work for chorus and orchestra was commissioned for Canterbury’s concert season from internationally renowned composer Stephen Paulus. Dedicated to a wide array of choral music from the great masterworks to jazz and Broadway music, collaborations have included a season concert featuring the Dave Brubeck Quartet, World Harmonies concert with World Neighbors and their bazaar in the lobby, 10% of all ticket sales from a season concert going to the American Red Cross after Hurricane Katrina, and Music of Comfort: Haitian Relief Concert with all donations going to the American Red Cross for help in earthquake relief efforts in Haiti .
Canterbury Choral Society and the Oklahoma City University Bass School of Music share a unique partnership through the creation of two joint artistic positions and through their vision of forming a Center for Choral Excellence. Other collaborations include a shared choral music library, students performing with the Adult Chorus on selected concerts and student participation in Canterbury adult and youth programs as conducting and staff assistants.
Canterbury Youth Choruses (CYC), is the youth choral program of the Canterbury Choral Society. Through its diverse curriculum, CYC enhances the singing skills and musical literacy of children who love to sing with vocal music training and performance opportunities, while striving to deepen each child’s understanding of life and culture through ensemble singing. In Fall 2014, CYC has expanded into two satellites in Moore, OK: Moore East Chorus and Moore West Chorus.
Billy Orton
Billy Orton has brought great energy and creativity to HCCA since 2002. He conducts the 150-voice Symphonic Chorus and the select 30-voice Chamber Chorale, which he founded in 2004. Under Billy’s direction TheChorus has grown in numbers as well as artistic impact. Billy’s convivial approach to music has brought a wide range of collaborators onto HCCA stages, adding exciting flavors to the repertoire. His gift for creating powerful concert experiences has made him known as a musical leader who brings people together. Billy is also minister of music and worship at Huntsville’s First Baptist Church.
The Huntsville Community Chorus Association (HCCA), established in 1946 and incorporated as a non-profit all-volunteer community choral organization, is Huntsville Alabama's longest-continuing performing arts group. HCCA strives to offer the best in choral music and musical theater through various groups: The Symphonic Chorus, The Chamber Chorale, Children’s Chorale, Youth Chorale, and other ensembles that perform throughout the year. Our community outreach includes mentoring relationships with experienced performers and craftsmen in all aspects of musical performance and production. HCCA provides learning opportunities for children and young adults through member scholarships and sponsorships of the Children’s Chorale and Youth Chorale.
Sally Mears
Sally Mears read Music at Merton College, Oxford, UK, and studied conducting part-time at the Guildhall, London. She teaches piano and singing in Abingdon, near Oxford, and sings with Fiori Musicali in Northamptonshire. In 2013 she wrote the Abingdon Passion Play and was co-MD. She plays the cello and has accompanied James Bowman the countertenor on two occasions as his continuo cellist for African charities. Her latest triumph was conducting Carmina Burana in Oxford Town Hall in November 2014.
The Newman Singers were founded in 2010 by their conductor Sally Mears. They are a large ad hoc chorus who only come togetehr for special events such as charity concerts for the Kianda Foundation. They performed Edward Elgar's 'The Dream of Gerontius' in Dorchester Abbey, and Benjamin Britten's War Requiem in Oxford Town Hall. Recently they provided the piccolo coro (semichorus) in Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. Members are appointed by personal recommendation and we sing for pleasure, as well as to raise money for charitable causes.
Elizabeth Turner became the director of the South High School, Torrance, CA. choirs in 2005. Prior to that she was one of the elementary music teachers in Torrance, traveling between four schools. Liz was born and raised in Mississippi, and attended college in Houston, Texas. At Houston Baptist University she received a BA in Music Education and Organ. After teaching for a year in Houston, she came to California where she directed church choirs and taught piano for more than 30 years. In the 1998-1999 school year, she began teaching in Torrance.
The Southland Singers are known throughout the Southern California South Bay region. They are called on to perform at area events during the holidays and throughout the school year, including the Mu Phi Epsilon “Musical Mosaic” concert. They have participated seven times in the Los Angeles Master Chorale High School Choral Festival directed by Grant Gershon. At Southern California Vocal Association festivals they usually win Superior ratings. This is their first trip to Carnegie Hall.
Holly Hall
A dramatic soprano, Holly Hall has had a distinguished career as an opera singer, concert performer, conductor, and music educator. She has performed with various opera companies including the Vienna State Opera, New York City Opera, Seattle Opera, and Opera Tampa. She has appeared in concert/recital at Carnegie Hall, the Cleveland Museum of Art, Trinity Church, Bruno Walter Auditorium, NYCO’s VOX Series, the New York Symphonic Arts Ensemble, and the Rochester Philharmonic. Her roles include Tosca, Gutrune and the Third Norn (Götterdämmerung), Freia (Das Rheingold), Helmwige and Gerhilde (Die Walkure), Giulietta (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Chrysothemis (Electra), Female Chorus (The Rape of Lucretia), and Minnie (La Fanciulla de West). Ms. Hall holds a Master of Music degree in Voice from the Manhattan School of Music, in addition to degrees from Cleveland State University and Randolph-Macon Woman’s College. She has been a recipient of awards from the Wagner Society of New York and the Musicians Club of New York. She is also the recipient of outstanding teaching awards from the Stuyvesant High School Alumni & Friends Endowment Fund, University of Chicago, and Dartmouth College. Previously, Ms. Hall has directed the NYU Chorale and is currently in her 23rd year as the Choral Director of The Stuyvesant High School Choruses. Liliya Shamazov is a conductor, pianist, and a music educator. She holds degrees in piano performance (Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College), music history (MA), and school administration (M.S.). She is the recipient of multiple awards, including Conservatory of Music (Brooklyn College) Scholarship, Harvey Lichtenstein Prize in Performing Arts, Laurence Dilsner Memorial Award for choir directors and music educators, Choral Award (Brooklyn College), and John Challener Award in Piano. She performs regularly at St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral (NYC). Mrs. Shamazov has worked with choruses for over 15 years, singing, accompanying, and conducting. Last year, she was the assistant conductor and pianist of the NYU Chorale and has been the assistant conductor of choruses at Stuyvesant High School (NYC) since 2005.
Stuyvesant High School’s Choruses number approximately 300 singers drawn from the international community of Stuyvesant, encompassing grades 9 through 12. Students accepted into Concert Chorus and/or Concert Choir commit themselves through senior year. Repertoire is varied, representative of masterworks and pieces from the popular canon. The choruses frequently perform with the orchestra. In recent years, the choruses have sung selections from Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy and Mass in C, Mozart’s Requiem and Coronation Mass in C, Handel’s Messiah, Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, Borodin’s Polovetsian Dances, Vasks’ Dona Nobis Pacem, Five Mystical Songs of Vaughan Williams, Haydn’s Creation, ?” Rutter’s Requiem, Orff’s Carmina Burana, as well as other works. Under the direction of Ms. Holly Hall, the choruses were invited to perform in multiple venues: Federal Hall for the opening session of the U.S. Congress (2002), Central Park for the 9/11 commemorative concert (2002), Yankee Stadium, a special Citizenship Ceremony with U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao, and for Governor Pataki on the Intrepid. Last year, the Stuyvesant Concert Choir received a Gold Award (Level VI) at the NYSSMA Festival.
Bryan Gipps started conducting at a very early age and twice won places on the prestigious conducting course at the Royal Academy of Music, London, which enabled him to study under Maurice Miles. Bryan had already come under the influence of Sir Malcolm Sargent and conducted a different work each week whilst in his final year as an Exhibitioner at The King’s School Canterbury. Bryan has been the conductor of Sutton Valence Choral Society for eleven years, and, apart from increasing the membership from under 40 to over 100, he has taken his Choral Society to Rochester Cathedral to present a sell-out performance of Beethoven’s Choral Symphony, and, in 2014, a sell-out performance of Verdi’s Requiem in Canterbury Cathedral. Bryan is also conductor of The Old Barn Orchestra, an orchestra which has grown in confidence with him at the helm, and it now performs with flair and great musicality.
Before taking up the freelance lifestyle he enjoys now, Bryan worked in Public Schools (USA=Private Schools) for many years, mainly as Director of Music. Now, along with his commitment to OBOS and SVCS, Bryan is Director of Music at St Dunstan’s Church, Cranbrook, founder and leader of the Beresford Ensemble, Head of Strings at The King’s School, Rochester, Artistic Director of the Egerton Music Festival, and a Lay Clerk at Rochester Cathedral, with which choir he has toured Germany, Holland and America, and sung with the choir for the BBC; he is also Artistic Director of the Egerton Music Festival.
As a professional violinist, he has performed in London venues such as the Royal Festival Hall and the Royal Albert Hall and led for the major orchestral, musical and oratorio repertoire. Awarded the Sir John Goss Exhibition by the Royal College of Organists he studied the organ under Dr Douglas Hopkins at the Royal Academy of Music. Bryan was a chorister under Dr Lumsden (later Sir David) at New College, Oxford.
As well as supporting local hostelries and following architectural and bibliographic interests, Bryan’s spare time is dedicated to music and his impressive music room at home is often the setting for concerts and recitals.
Sutton Valence Choral Society was founded in 1990 by the Director of Music at Sutton Valence School, an independent private school in Kent which was itself founded in 1576. The choir now has separate charitable status but retains strong links with the school and local community both in our home village of Sutton Valence and in the nearby county town of Maidstone.
The choir has nearly 100 singers of all ages and with a wide variety of musical experience. Three concerts a year are focussed mainly on standard classical choral repertoire, with a summer concert of lighter music and, of course, Christmas Carols.
During its 25 years, the choir has grown steadily in size and musical prowess. Recent highlights include performances of Beethoven’s Choral Symphony in Rochester Cathedral and, in 2013, a performance of Verdi’s Requiem in Canterbury Cathedral to a sell-out audience of nearly 1000.
On Sunday 9 November 2014, Remembrance Sunday, we commemorated the 100th anniversary of the First World War, with a performance of Karl Jenkins The Armed Man in our local town centre church, in collaboration with German choir Ars Nova from Hamburg.
After the Carnegie Hall performance, we return to England to prepare for the choir’s 25th birthday party - a concert in the Old Royal Naval College Chapel, Greenwich, London. The date for that celebration – July 4th!
Donnalynn Laver
Vocal Spotlight, under the direction of Donnalynn Laver, is a dynamic choral ensemble. Their passionate performances are comprised of diverse genres...a cappella to Big Band, classical to Broadway classics and today's most contemporary hits. Committed to serving their community, Vocal Spotlight has been successful in raising thousands of dollars for charity through their annual Christmas concert series. Their unique sound is derived from the diverse musical backgrounds of its members, the individual talents possessed by each, and the zest which exceptional music brings to each singers life. Members bring decades of professional experience and lifelong dedication as they entertain audiences young and old.
A zealous advocate of the performing arts, Donnalynn Laver serves as Musical and Artistic Director for Vocal Spotlight. Classically trained in voice, piano, organ and woodwinds, she received undergraduate degrees from Nyack College and Southern Adventist University. Career highlights include singing under the direction of Derric Johnson in Walt Disney World Productions, "Voices of
Liberty," the world famous eight part harmony a cappella group. In and out of the Director's role, Donnalynn is a vibrant ambassador for music and an inspiring leader, drawing singers and audiences into music with an approach that is compelling and uniquely her own.
A native of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, Chase is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music and the University of Connecticut. He has conducted ensembles of all ages and experience levels, from elementary schools to professionals, including multiple youth orchestras, magnet arts schools, and various ensembles at Harvard University. Equally at home in both orchestral and choral music, his ensembles have performed extensively throughout both the United States and Europe.
The Wellington High School Chorus has a long history of excellence in South Florida. The program has performed both nationally and internationally, most recently at Carnegie Hall in 2011 and Ponce, Puerto Rico in 2013. In their hometown of Wellington (Florida) they keep an active performing schedule and regularly earn superior rating at choral festivals around the region.
Kathleen R. Jensen
Kathleen Jensen has taught choir at West H.S. in Torrance, CA for 29 years. The advanced choir (Aristocracy) has performed at Carnegie Hall (NYC), Lincoln Center (NYC), Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (LA), and TV’s “Good Day L.A.” Kathleen teaches three choirs, Music Theory AP, and Piano/Guitar. She also directs a community choir, L.A. Vocal Core. Kathleen holds a B.A.-Music Education (Trinity College, D.C.) and a M.A.-Humanities (CSU-Dominguez Hills). Her awards include: Outstanding Young Educator (City of Torrance), Teacher of the Year (West H.S.), Arnold Plank Teacher of the Year (Rotary Club) and Excellence in the Arts Award (City of Torrance).
Aristocracy (the advanced choir at West H.S.) and has a tradition of excellence. Entrance into this group is through rigorous audition. The group performs styles from classical to jazz which is an education and a joy to the students and their audiences. Under the direction of Kathleen Jensen they have performed five times at Carnegie Hall and three times at Lincoln Center. The Aristocracy also does a great deal of performing in the local community, appearing on TV’s, "Good Day, L.A." and at the Disney Concert Hall. Aristocracy is proud to represent their school and to spread the joy of music in this, their sixth appearance at Carnegie Hall.
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Durbin Backs Measure to Increase Transparency for Oil-By-Rail Transportation
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) to introduce an amendment to a broad energy bill to provide more transparent information about shipments of flammable liquids transported by railroads, including crude oil, ethanol and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The amendment would require the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to collect and publish monthly data about flammable liquids transported by railroad. The senators introduced the amendment to the Energy Policy Modernization Act, which the Senate is considering this week.
“This kind of transparency will help prevent and mitigate the potentially catastrophic effects of a train derailment,” said Durbin. “Having access to timely and reliable information on flammable liquids moving through our country by rail will help improve both the safety of our rail systems and public safety as well.”
The amendment would put into law an initiative the EIA began in March, when it started publishing crude oil-by-rail shipments. The amendment also expands this initiative to provide the same information for ethanol, and LNG. The Federal Railroad Administration recently approved the first application to transport LNG by railroad, and other railroads are following suit.
Shipments of crude oil-by-rail and ethanol increased dramatically over the last decade, and have been involved in numerous accidents across the country, raising serious concerns about safety of transporting crude oil, ethanol and LNG by rail.
In response to those concerns, Senator Durbin cosponsored the Hazardous Materials Rail Transportation Safety Improvement Act (S. 1175), introduced by Wyden, Casey, and Merkley last spring. The bill creates a market-based incentive for companies to make the transition from outdated, dangerous tank cars to newer, safer ones.
The bill also provides funding for safety training for first responders, and provides transparent information about flammable liquids moved by rail through local communities.
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Laser, light devices useful for clearing acne, scars recalcitrant to standard treatments
Ilya Petrou, M.D.
While topical and oral therapies remain the gold standard approach for treating acne, laser and light sources are effective for acne lesions and scarring, and can be particularly useful in cases recalcitrant to standard therapeutic approaches.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates - While topical and oral therapies remain the gold standard approach for treating acne, laser and light sources are effective for acne lesions and scarring, and can be particularly useful in cases recalcitrant to standard therapeutic approaches.
“Laser and light sources have come of age and are proving to be very useful in the treatment of numerous medical and cosmetic conditions in dermatology including acne and acne scarring,” says Andreas D. Katsambas, M.D., professor, department of dermatology, Andreas Sygros Hospital for Skin and Venereal Diseases, Athens, Greece. Dr. Katsambas spoke at the Dubai World Dermatology & Laser Conference & Exhibition.
Gentler treatment
Ablative, nonablative and fractional lasers sources can be used to effectively treat acne scars, but of these modalities, Dr. Katsambas says nonablative fractional laser sources are often the preferred choice. Compared to ablative laser sources, nonablative and fractional lasers are typically associated with much less downtime, he says, and are more tolerable for the patient.
“There is a very mild, cosmetically acceptable erythema following nonablative fractional laser treatment and after five to six treatment sessions, most patients will see about 70-80 percent improvement in their lesions,” Dr. Katsambas says.
While ablative laser treatments will usually have a more dramatic impact and are ultimately more effective in improving the cosmesis of acne scars, patients can expect as much as two weeks of downtime with ablative lasers, while the downtime typically associated with nonablative fractional lasers can be as little as one to two days, he says.
Avoiding PIH
Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is a potential side effect following laser therapy, which can be more of an issue in patients with darker Fitzpatrick skin types. According to Dr. Katsambas, the risk of PIH can be as high as 90 percent after ablative laser therapy, which is in stark contrast to the only 13 percent risk in patients following nonablative fractional laser treatment. Although PIH is typically a transient side effect, Dr. Katsambas says it can last for as much as six months in patients treated with ablative lasers, compared to a maximum of one week following nonablative fractional laser treatment.
“This difference in downtime can be crucial to the patient who has a very busy work and social life and cannot afford weeks or months of persistent erythema and the other side effects typically associated with the more intense ablative laser therapy,” Dr. Katsambas says.
Depending on the severity of acne scarring, Dr. Katsambas will typically perform four to six nonablative fractional laser treatments spaced one month apart. Dr. Katsambas also advises his patients to avoid sun exposure at least two weeks following acne scar laser treatments. He prefers to perform these treatments in the winter months in order to help minimize the overall risk of PIH.
Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) is one of the major causes of acne and produces different porphyrin types such as coproporphyrin and protoporphyrin. According to Dr. Katsambas, light therapy using blue or red light as well as photodynamic therapy (PDT) are ideally suited for the treatment of acne because the porphyrins synthesized by P. acnes in the sebaceous follicles act as photosensitizers and attract the therapeutic light.
Combination treatments
The choice of blue or red light or PDT to treat acne depends on several factors, including the type and severity of the acne lesions the patient has, the age of the patient and the downtime the patient is willing to endure.
“Photodynamic therapy can achieve excellent outcomes; however, the approach is often associated with pain, and the subsequent inflammation following treatment could last for a week or longer,” Dr. Katsambas says. “As a result, some patients may shy away from PDT and choose other treatments such as blue or red light, which may be less effective, but are much better tolerated by patients and have minimal downtime.”
Dr. Katsambas says he still uses topical and oral therapies in his acne patients, and only if there are contraindications to these will he move ahead with laser and light sources. Due to the unsettling increase in antibiotic resistances seen in acne, Dr. Katsambas prefers to refrain from prescribing oral and topical antibiotics in his acne patients. Except for isotretinoin, he says he will often combine laser and light therapy with other acne treatments including contraceptives, retinoids, benzoyl peroxide or azelaic acid.
“We are very fortunate to have an ever-expanding armamentarium to treat every form of acne of all severities. If for one or another reason a therapy proves ineffective, we can easily choose another proven approach and often achieve good to excellent clinical outcomes in our patients,” Dr. Katsambas says.
Disclosures: Dr. Katsambas reports no relevant financial interests.
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We face a 'critical path' gap
After more than a year of almost nonstop claptrap about there being "too many" new drugs comes a sobering fact ? even as pharmaceutical companies poured a record amount of money into drug development in 2005, statistics from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) show that the agency approved only 20 new drugs, down from 36 in 2004. Only once in the last 10 years has the number of newly approved drugs been lower than last year's figure.
Which begs the question - are the 21st century drug development tools that would make possible a swifter path from bench to bedside withering? More importantly, where's the outrage? Where's the outcry from the halls of Congress about "who lost the critical path"? Where are the scathing articles about the critical path gap?
Success of failing
Currently, 50 percent of drugs that undergo large-scale phase 3 trials turn out to be too unsafe or not effective enough for marketing. That is not a sustainable model for the 21st century.
The FDA has the technical expertise that can draw together stakeholders and help prioritize research that is most needed, and to partner with others to conduct this research. Obviously, solutions will have to come from sources with the greatest expertise. This could entail contracting with academic organizations, private industry and other global translational research groups.
The FDA's critical path initiative will enable innovative growth companies to better and more efficiently attack the steep hurdles facing them, allowing them to compete more effectively against the bigger, better-funded players in the market on a more level playing field. That means a real change in the risk/benefit equation for both emerging growth companies and the public health.
But more needs to be done.
A family has been described as "a parliament of habits." The FDA is a 10,000-person family. And while its habits may seem arcane from the outside, there is an internal logic that moves things forward. That logic is its mission - to protect the public health. But as the agency enters its second hundred years, that mission must change to both protecting and advancing the public health. And in order to do that, the agency that regulates upwards of 25 percent of the U.S. economy needs new tools, new expertise and more funding.
Internal bickering
As with any large family there is internal bickering - but when the family is attacked, the wagons circle. That is the circumstance today.
The current unpleasantness has created an FDA that, instead of searching for ways to be more relevant in the 21st century, is scrambling for quick-fix solutions, responding to ad hoc attacks from politicians and pundits with clumsy measures that, in many cases, are based on the precautionary principle - the very antithesis of a science-driven FDA. And that certainly is change - dangerous change. And unless we want it to become a permanent sea of change, we must replace it with something else, something more positive, more future-oriented and science-based, change that allows the agency to move down the critical path more directly and rapidly and both protect and advance the public health.
Pediatric Dermatology | Anti-Aging | News
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Pesticide active substances that do not require a review of the existing maximum residue levels under Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005
Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 establishes the rules governing the setting and the review of pesticide maximum residue levels (MRLs) at European level. According to Article 12(1) of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, EFSA shall provide within 12 months from the da ...
Statement on the translocation potential by Pseudomonas chlororaphis MA342 in plants after seed treatment of cereals and peas and assessment of the risk to humans
The European Commission requested EFSA to provide scientific advice on the translocation potential by Pseudomonas chlororaphis MA342 in plants after seed treatment of cereals and peas and, if applicable, for a revision of the assessment of the risk to hum ...
Statement on the dietary exposure assessment for the temporary maximum residue levels for chlordecone in certain products of animal origin
In accordance with Article 43 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the European Commission requested EFSA to carry out a consumer exposure assessment in relation to the maximum residue levels (MRLs) for chlordecone in products of animal origin recommended by t ...
Updated statement on the available outcomes of the human health assessment in the context of the pesticides peer review of the active substance chlorpyrifos‐methyl
In July 2019, the European Commission asked EFSA to provide a statement on the available outcomes of the human health assessment in the context of the pesticides peer review for the renewal of approval of the active substance chlorpyrifos‐methyl conducted ...
Updated peer review concerning the risk to mammals and bees for the active substance indoxacarb
Following the completion of the pesticides peer review process in the context of the renewal of the approval of indoxacarb in accordance with Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 844/2012, EFSA identified critical areas of concern in the area of eco ...
Statement on risk mitigation measures on cypermethrin
In August 2018, EFSA published its conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance cypermethrin on the basis of the evaluation of the representative uses of cypermethrin as proposed by the applicant and following the ...
Statement on the available outcomes of the human health assessment in the context of the pesticides peer review of the active substance chlorpyrifos
In July 2019, the European Commission asked EFSA to provide a statement on the available outcomes of the human health assessment in the context of the pesticides peer review for the renewal of approval of the active substance chlorpyrifos conducted in acc ...
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Prevalence and Current Management of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Korean Adults Based on Fact Sheets
Eun-Jung Rhee (Rhee EJ)
DOI : https://doi.org/10.3803/EnM.2020.35.1.85
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Endocrinol Metab > Volume 35(1); 2020 > Article
Rhee: Prevalence and Current Management of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Korean Adults Based on Fact Sheets
Endocrinology and Metabolism 2020;35(1):85-94.
Published online: March 19, 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3803/EnM.2020.35.1.85
Eun-Jung Rhee
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Corresponding author: Eun-Jung Rhee. Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 29 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03181, Korea.
Tel: +82-2-2001-2485, Fax: +82-2-2001-1588, hongsiri@hanmail.net
Received February 12, 2020 Revised February 20, 2020 Accepted February 27, 2020
Copyright © 2020 Korean Endocrine Society
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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Korea is currently an aged society and is on the cusp of becoming a superaged society in a few years. The health burden of cardiovascular diseases increases with age, and the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia, may be linked to increased population-level cardiovascular risk. In 2018, the prevalence of obesity in Korea was 35.7% (men, 45.4%; women, 26.5%) according to the Obesity Fact Sheet 2019, based on National Health Insurance Corporation medical checkup data. In 2016, the prevalence of diabetes was 14.4% in Koreans older than 30 years according to the Diabetes Fact Sheet published by the Korean Diabetes Association, based on data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The prevalence of hypertension in the total population of Korea in 2018 was 28.3% according to the Korean Hypertension Fact Sheet produced by the Korean Society of Hypertension. Lastly, the prevalence of dyslipidemia in 2018 was 40.5% according to the Dyslipidemia Fact Sheet published by the Korean Society of Lipid and Atherosclerosis. In this article, I would like to review the prevalence and current management of cardiovascular risk factors in Korea according to the fact sheets released by various associations.
Keywords: Risk factors; Diabetes mellitus; Dyslipidemias; Hypertension; Obesity; Fact sheet
According to the Statistics Korea, Koreans 65 years or older accounted for 14.2% of the population in 2017, indicating that Korea has become an aged society, and the proportion of people aged 65 years or older is expected to exceed 20% by 2026, at which point Korea will become a superaged society [1]. The increasing number of elderly people will be accompanied by a greater burden of mortality and morbidity related to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. This point is underscored by the importance of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases as causes of death; for instance, in 2018, heart disease, cerebral hemorrhage, diabetes, and hypertension were the second, fourth, sixth, and 10th most common causes of death in Korea, respectively [1]. Therefore, interventions to prevent and/or reduce cardiovascular risk factors are warranted.
In Korea, numerous associations annually release fact sheets with information on the prevalence and current management of their diseases of interest based on analyses of national databases. Every year since 2015, the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity (KSSO) has released the Obesity Fact Sheet, which is based on an analysis of National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) and Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) data [2]. Almost every year since 2012, the Korean Diabetes Association (KDA) has released the Diabetes Fact Sheet, which is based on an analysis of KNHANES data and supplemented by NHIS data [3]. Furthermore, the Korean Society of Hypertension (KSH) released the first Hypertension Fact Sheet in 2018 using KNHANES and NHIS data [4]. Lastly, since 2015, the Korean Society of Lipid and Atherosclerosis (KSoLA) has released the Dyslipidemia Fact Sheet, which is based on an analysis of KNHANES and NHIS data [5]. Although these fact sheets differ in terms of the years of data that are included, they help clinicians and the public to recognize the current status of these diseases in Korea and to implement better strategies to promote health.
The NHIS and KNHANES provide two national-scale datasets, which are the main sources used to generate these fact sheets. The NHIS provides claims data for almost all beneficiaries of the NHIS, which covers the entire population of Korea, as well as data from a nationwide medical checkup program, in which biennial examinations are provided to all Koreans older than 20 years [6]. This database contains laboratory data for metabolic parameters, and claims codes for diseases and medications are also available. The KNHANES dataset is constructed as part of an ongoing cross-sectional study conducted by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that has been assessing the health and nutritional status of Koreans since 1998 [7]. This nationally representative cross-sectional survey includes approximately 10,000 individuals each year as a survey sample and collects information on socioeconomic status, health-related behaviors, quality of life, healthcare utilization, anthropometric measures, biochemical and clinical profiles for non-communicable diseases, and dietary intake. It has three components: a health interview, a health examination, and a nutrition survey. The NHIS dataset has the advantage of containing data from the entire Korean population, while the KNHANES dataset furnishes well-sampled data representing the entire Korean population.
In this review, I would like to summarize the information contained in the four above mentioned fact sheets, focusing on the prevalence and current management of each disease in Korea to provide insights into the current status and management of cardiovascular risk factors in Korea.
OBESITY FACT SHEET 2019
The KSSO has released the Obesity Fact Sheet since 2015. The fact sheets released over the course of the last 4 years have presented cross-sectional data on obesity and its comorbidities. Distinct from the previous Obesity Fact Sheets, the Obesity Fact Sheet 2019 focused on changes in the prevalence of obesity over the past 10 years, from 2009 to 2018, primarily on the basis of an analysis of the NHIS database [2,8].
Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) equal to or higher than 25 kg/m2, according to the Asia-Pacific Region definition and the KSSO obesity guideline [9,10]. Over the past 10 years, the prevalence of obesity in Korea markedly increased (Fig. 1). In 2009, the prevalence of obesity in the total population was 29.7%, which increased to 35.7% in 2018. This trend was similar in both sexes. In 2018, the prevalence of obesity was 45.4% in men and 26.5% in women, showing a higher prevalence in men than in women, as expected (Fig. 2).
Trends in the obesity rate by age and sex over the past 10 years
When the prevalence of obesity was analyzed by age group, it was found that the prevalence of obesity gradually increased in all age groups over the past 10 years [2,8]. The highest prevalence of obesity was found in adults in their 30s (40.5%), followed by those in their 60s (40.1%), those in their 70s (39.8%), and those in their 40s (38.3%). The prevalence of obesity in adults in their 20s, 30s, and 80s showed a significantly steeper increasing trend over the past 10 years than was observed in other age groups.
In men, the prevalence of obesity gradually increased over the past 10 years in all age groups, with the highest prevalence of obesity found in men in their 30s (51% in 2018). Men in their 20s and 30s showed steeper increases in the prevalence of obesity than were found in other age groups. This increase in the prevalence of obesity in young men reflects a worrisome metabolic health threat facing young Korean men.
In women, an increasing trend in the prevalence of obesity was not found in all age groups. Of note, women in their 20s, 30s, 70s, and 80s showed a markedly increasing trend in the prevalence of obesity, while paradoxically, those in their 50s and 60s showed a decreasing trend (32.7% to 30.6% in 50s, 41.4% to 38.7% in 60s) [2,8]. The decrease in the prevalence of obesity in post-menopausal women (50s and 60s) was unexpected, but a potential explanation is that these are age groups in which women tend to be relatively economically stable and can therefore take steps to care for their own health through lifestyle modifications.
Trends in the prevalence of abdominal obesity
Abdominal obesity was defined by a waist circumference of at least 90 cm in men and 85cm in women according to the KSSO criteria [10]. The prevalence of abdominal obesity significantly increased over the past 10 years in Korean adults [2,8], with prevalence rates of 23.8% in the total population, 28.1% in men, and 18.2% in women recorded in 2018. Similar to the prevalence of general obesity assessed by BMI, the prevalence of abdominal obesity increased most steeply in adults in their 30s. In contrast, the prevalence of abdominal obesity decreased in those in their 60s. A significant difference from general obesity is that the absolute rate of abdominal obesity was higher in older age groups, with a prevalence of 29.6% in adults in their 60s and 36.1% in those in their 80s; in contrast, the prevalence of abdominal obesity was 22.4% in adults in their 30s and 23.4% in those in their 50s. However, the highest rate of increase was found for adults in their 30s (15.8% to 24.5%), overwhelming the rate of increase for adults in their 40s and 50s (16.2% to 22.3% in 40s, 22.2% to 23.4% in 50s).
In men, the prevalence of abdominal obesity gradually increased over the past 10 years in all age groups, but the trend was somewhat different from that of the total population. Men in their 70s showed the highest prevalence of abdominal obesity in 2018 (32.5%), followed in order by those in their 30s, 80s, and 60s (30.8%, 30.4%, and 30.0%). In contrast, in the total population, the top-tier prevalence of abdominal obesity was found in older age groups (36.1% in 70s, 35.1% in 80s, 29.6% in 60s). Of note, men in their 30s and 40s were the most severely threatened age groups in terms of the rate of increase in the prevalence of abdominal obesity (18.9% to 30.8% in 30s, 20.7% to 29.1% in 40s). As with general obesity, lifestyle interventions for men in these age groups are warranted.
In women, the highest prevalence of obesity was observed in those in their 70s (39.4%). Similar to the trends observed for general obesity, the prevalence of abdominal obesity decreased in women in their 50s and 60s (19.9% to 19.0% in 50s, 32.8% to 29.2% in 60s). The prevalence of abdominal obesity in women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s showed an increasing trend (4.4% to 8.1% in 20s, 7.3% to 11.9% in 30s, and 11.0% to 14.1% in 40s). However, the absolute prevalence was higher in older age groups than in younger age groups.
DIABETES FACT SHEET 2018
The KDA has released the Diabetes Fact Sheet at intervals of 1 to 2 years since 2012. The aims of this fact sheet are to provide accurate statistics on the number of patients with diabetes in Korea and their management status, and to show the severity of the comorbidities and complications of diabetes. In the Diabetes Fact Sheet 2018, information on the prevalence of diabetes, level of management, comorbidities, and health behaviors was extracted from KNHANES data from 2011 to 2016, and the current status of diabetes treatment was analyzed using health insurance data from the NHIS [3,11]. The cross-sectional prevalence of diabetes was analyzed using KNHANES 2016 data, and trends in the prevalence of diabetes over time were assessed using data from 2011 to 2016 [3]. Individuals were classified as having diabetes if they satisfied any of the following four criteria: (1) having been diagnosed with diabetes by a doctor, (2) currently taking anti-diabetic medications, (3) having a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≥126 mg/dL, or (4) having a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level ≥6.5% [10].
The prevalence of diabetes among adults 30 years or older was 14.4% (15.8% in men and 13.0% in women) when the HbA1c criterion was included in the definition of diabetes (Fig. 2). The prevalence of diabetes was even higher (29.8%) when the analysis was limited to adults older than 65 years, meaning that one in three Koreans 65 years or older had diabetes. When separate analyses were conducted by age group and sex, the prevalence of diabetes exceeded 10% for men in their 40s (10.9%) and 10% for women in their 50s (12.4%) (Fig. 3). The prevalence of diabetes was higher in women in their 70s than in men in their 70s (33.6% vs. 29.1%).
When the prevalence of diabetes was analyzed serially from 2011 to 2016, it was found to have increased from 12.4% in 2011 to 14.4% in 2016. The increasing trend was similar in men and women.
Prevalence of impaired fasting glucose
Prediabetes refers to glycemic abnormalities that precede diabetes [12]. The Diabetes Epidemiology: Collaborative analysis of Diagnostic criteria in Europe (DECODE) study and the Funagata study found that prediabetes was a strong predictor of cardiovascular mortality in comparison to normoglycemic individuals [13,14]. Therefore, interventions to lower blood glucose levels should be started in the stage of prediabetes to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is defined by an FPG of 100 to 125 mg/dL and an HbA1c level <6.5% in people who have not been diagnosed with diabetes [12]. In 2016, the prevalence of IFG among Korean adults 30 years or older was 25.3% in the total population (31% in men and 19.7% in women). In an analysis by age group, the prevalence of IFG steadily increased with age in both sexes, except for individuals in their 70s. The estimated number of Korean adults with IFG was 1.73 times that of those with diabetes, corresponding to 5.02 million patients with diabetes and 8.71 million patients with IFG. In total, 13.72 million Korean adults were estimated to suffer from IFG or diabetes.
Management of diabetes
The current status of diabetes management was analyzed. The awareness rate of diabetes was 62.6%, and the treatment rate was 56.7%, which were relatively high compared to other diseases (Fig. 4). However, the control rate, defined by an HbA1c level <6.5%, was only 25.1%, which was relatively low considering the high awareness and treatment rates. When the target HbA1c level was defined as <7.0%, the control rate increased to 52.6%. Nonetheless, 20.9% of people with diabetes had an HbA1c level ≥8.0%, indicating that they still had a long way to go to reach a reasonable target.
Comorbidities of diabetes
When the comorbidities of diabetes were analyzed, it was found that 50.4% of people with diabetes were obese, as defined by a BMI ≥25 kg/m2. Class II obesity (BMI 30 to 34.9 kg/m2) was present in 8.4% of people with diabetes, and class III obesity (BMI ≥35.0 kg/m2) was present in 1.8% of people with diabetes.
When abdominal obesity was defined by a waist circumference ≥90 cm in men and ≥85 cm in women, it was found that 52.2% of people with diabetes had abdominal obesity, a higher proportion than was observed in the general population [10]. Men with diabetes showed a higher prevalence of abdominal obesity than women with diabetes (55.8% vs. 47.9%).
Hypertension was defined by a blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg and/or taking anti-hypertensive medications; according to this definition, 55.3% of patients with diabetes had hypertension. Surprisingly, more than seven out of 10 (74.6%) of people 65 years or older with diabetes had hypertension. Controlled hypertension was defined by a blood pressure <140/85 mm Hg according to KDA Treatment Guideline for Diabetes 2015, and roughly seven out of 10 (73.1%) people with diabetes had reached their target blood pressure goal according to this definition [12].
When hypercholesterolemia was defined by a total cholesterol (TC) level ≥240 mg/dL and/or the use of lipid-lowering medications, the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in people with diabetes was found to be 34.9%. Moreover, only four out of 10 people with diabetes had reached the target goal of a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level <100 mg/dL according to the KDA Treatment Guideline for Diabetes 2015 [12].
The proportion of people with comprehensive management of diabetes, defined by satisfying all three target of an HbA1c level <6.5%, blood pressure <140/85 mm Hg, and a LDL-C level <100 mg/dL, was 8.4% in people with diabetes, which seems rather low. Comprehensive management of diabetes should be implemented in patients with diabetes to reduce CVD risk, as suggested by findings of the Steno-2 trial [13].
HYPERTENSION FACT SHEET 2018
The KSH released its first fact sheet for hypertension epidemiology in 2018, based on an analysis of NHIS and KNHANES data through 2016 [4,15]. Hypertension was defined as a blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg and/or taking anti-hypertensive medication [16].
According to this fact sheet, 11 million Koreans were estimated to have hypertension, approximately 29% of Korean adults older than 30 years. Men showed a higher prevalence of hypertension than women (35% vs. 22.9%) (Fig. 2).
Prevalence of hypertension by age
When the prevalence of hypertension was analyzed by age group and sex, men showed a higher prevalence than women until their 60s, after which women showed a higher prevalence than men, similar to the other diseases discussed above. Since 1998, the prevalence of hypertension has increased in both sexes, except for women in their 40s to 60s. In general, the prevalence of hypertension showed a decreasing trend in middle-aged women, as was observed for obesity (Fig. 5).
Management of hypertension
The status of hypertension management was assessed in terms of control, awareness, and treatment rates. The target of blood pressure control was <140/90 mm Hg, according to the KSH guideline for hypertension management [17]. In 2016, the rate of hypertension control was 43.7% among patients diagnosed with hypertension and 70.8% among those who had been treated for hypertension (Fig. 4). In addition, the awareness and treatment rates of hypertension were 65% and 61%, respectively, in 2016. When these indices were analyzed over the past 10 years, the awareness, treatment, and control rates of hypertension steadily increased from 1998 to 2007. However, starting in 2007, the rates remained stagnant for 10 years. Further efforts should be made to improve the management of hypertension.
DYSLIPIDEMIA FACT SHEET 2018
Since 2015, the KSoLA has regularly released the Dyslipidemia Fact Sheet based on national survey data to uphold its mission of preventing and treating atherosclerosis and to improve public awareness of atherosclerosis and its risk factors. The Dyslipidemia Fact Sheet 2018 was based on KNHANES and NHIS data through 2016 [5].
Prevalence and management of hypercholesterolemia
Hypercholesterolemia was defined by a TC level ≥240 mg/dL, previously diagnosed hypercholesterolemia, or the use of any anti-dyslipidemic drugs. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in adults 30 years or older was found to be 19.9% in 2016, meaning that nearly one out of five adults had hypercholesterolemia. The prevalence increased from 14.4% in 2012 to 19.9% in 2016. Men and women showed a similar increase in the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia during this period.
Regarding the management of hypercholesterolemia, the awareness rate of hypercholesterolemia was 58.5% in 2016, meaning that four out of 10 adults with hypercholesterolemia were not aware of their condition (Fig. 4). However, the awareness rate steadily increased from 38.8% in the KNHANES IV data (2007 to 2009) to 58.4% in the KNHANES VII data (2016). The treatment rate of hypercholesterolemia was 49.1% according to the KNHANES VII data from 2016, meaning half of hypercholesterolemic patients took lipid-lowering medications. Lastly, the control rate of hypercholesterolemia was 41.3%, based on a target goal of TC <200 mg/dL. The control rate was much higher (82.7%) in patients taking lipid-lowering drugs, implying that taking lipid-lowering drugs may be an effective way for patients to reach their target cholesterol levels.
Prevalence and management of dyslipidemia
Dyslipidemia was diagnosed in individuals who satisfied one of the three following criteria: an LDL-C level ≥160 mg/dL, a high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level <40 mg/dL, or a triglyceride (TG) level ≥200 mg/dL. Individuals taking any medications for dyslipidemia or who were previously diagnosed with dyslipidemia were also classified as having dyslipidemia.
The mean serum TC level in adults aged 30 years or older was 192.8 mg/dL in men and 193.4 mg/dL in women. The mean levels of TG, HDL-C, and LDL-C were 169.7, 47.0, and 113.8 mg/dL, respectively, in men, and 118.4, 54.0, and 116.2 mg/dL, respectively, in women.
The prevalence of dyslipidemia was 40.5% in the total population (47.9% in men and 34.3% in women) (Fig. 2). When the prevalence was analyzed by age group, it was found that the prevalence of dyslipidemia gradually increased with age, and that adults in their 60s showed the highest prevalence of dyslipidemia (55.8%) (Fig. 6).
The prevalence of high LDL-C was 17.6%, and it increased with age, from 5.6% in adults in their 30s to 32.3% in those in their 60s. Although the prevalence of high LDL-C in men in their 30s and 40swas higher than that in women belonging to the corresponding age groups, women showed a markedly increased prevalence in their 50s. Specifically, the prevalence of high LDL-C was six times higher in women in their 50s than in those in their 30s, which implies that the influence of postmenopausal status on LDL-C levels is tremendous. The prevalence of high LDL-C in women in their 60s (39.9%) was higher both than that of women in any other age group and the prevalence among men in the same age group.
In contrast, hypertriglyceridemia showed somewhat different features. The prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia was 17.5% in the total population, with a much higher prevalence in men than in women (24.8% vs. 11.0%). The highest prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia was observed in men in their 40s (30.5%), and this rate was four times higher than that of women in the same age group. As high TG levels are considered to be a marker of insulin resistance and are one of the components of metabolic syndrome, high TG levels in men in their 40s mean that they are at an increased risk for diabetes and metabolic syndrome [17]. Lifestyle interventions and education about weight control are warranted for men in this age group.
Insulin resistance causes shrinkage and degradation of HDL particle via the kidney, and low HDL-C levels are considered to be one of the components of metabolic syndrome [18]. HDL-C has anti-atherogenic effects, but HDL-C levels are not easily affected by lipid-lowering agents; instead, there is evidence suggesting that HDL-C levels are more strongly affected by genetic factors [19]. The prevalence of low HDL-C was found to be 19.4%, and the prevalence of low HDL-C was relatively weakly affected by age in men, as shown by a slight increase from 24.6% in men in their 30s to 30.9% in men after 70 years of age. However, in women, the prevalence steeply increased with age, from 6.8% in women in their 30s to 22.4% in women after 70 years of age. Although the absolute rate of low HDL-C is lower in women than in men, HDL-C levels seem to be more strongly affected by aging in women than in men.
To summarize, prevalence of all risk factors significantly increased in Korea for the last 10 years. Among the risk factors, the increase in obesity was most noticeable, and this increase was accompanied by other risk factors related with insulin resistance, such as diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia. Of note, steady deterioration of metabolic risk factors in men in their 30s and 40s was so prominent that life style intervention and weight reduction in these working age groups are nationally warranted. Unexpectedly, women in their 50s and 60s showed relatively decreasing trend for obesity compared to other age groups, and men in the same age group. These finding could be partly attributed to economic growth of Korea in that women in these age can have spare time and money to take care of their health. Decreasing trend of prevalence of hypertension in women in these age groups support this hypothesis. Prevalence of diabetes show increasing trend and one in 7 Korean adults suffer from diabetes. Surprisingly, one in three Koreans in their 60s have diabetes, an alarm for healthcare burden in superaged Korean society. Fortunately, awareness and treatment rate steadily improved over the past 10 years for hypertension and hypercholesterolemia in Korean adults, although control rates are still low, especially for diabetes (Table 1).
The interactions between cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia and the events themselves cannot be separated in any circumstances. There is a tremendous amount of evidence proving the effectiveness of optimal control of risk factors on the prevention of CVD and resultant mortality. According to NHIS data, 2.6 million Koreans have both hypertension and dyslipidemia, 0.72 million have both diabetes and dyslipidemia, 0.64 million have both hypertension and diabetes, and 1.4 million have all three diseases (Fig. 7). Simultaneously having multiple of these risk factors exponentially increases cardiovascular risk compared to having only a single risk factor [13,20].
As discussed in this review, hypertension and dyslipidemia can be relatively easily controlled by medications. However, despite a large number of novel anti-diabetic drugs, glycemic targets are still difficult to reach. Similarly, reducing body weight to combat obesity is an extremely difficult task for an obese person. However, if one were to ask about the best way to prevent or treat all these risk factors, I would recommend weight reduction above all other interventions. Education and the provision of accurate information on lifestyle modifications as early as possible in the life course may be the most effective way to prevent people from proceeding down the pathway that leads to CVD.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.
1. Korean Statistical Information Service. Population in old ages [Internet]. Daejeon: Statistics Korea; 2020. cited 2020 Feb 24. Available from: https://kosis.kr/eng/.
2. Korean Society for the Study of Obesity. Obesity Fact Sheet [Internet]. Seoul: KOSSO; 2020. cited 2020 Feb 24. Available from: http://www.kosso.or.kr/popup/obesity_fact_sheet.html.
3. Korean Diabetes Association. Diabetes Fact Sheet in Korea [Internet]. Seoul: KDA; 2020. cited 2020 Feb 24. Available from: https://www.diabetes.or.kr/pro/news/admin.php?mode=list&category=A.
4. The Korean Society of Hypertension. 2018 Fact Sheet [Internet]. Seoul: KDA; 2020. cited 2020 Feb 24. Available from: http://www.koreanhypertension.org/reference/guide?mode=read&idno=4166.
5. The Korean Society of Lipid and Atherosclerosis. Dyslipidemia Fact Sheet 2018 [Internet]. Seoul: KDA; 2020. cited 2020 Feb 24. Available from: https://www.lipid.or.kr/bbs/?code=fact_sheet.
6. Lee YH, Han K, Ko SH, Ko KS, Lee KU. Taskforce Team of Diabetes Fact Sheet of the Korean Diabetes Association. Data analytic process of a nationwide population-based study using national health information database established by National Health Insurance Service. Diabetes Metab J 2016;40:79-82.
7. Kweon S, Kim Y, Jang MJ, Kim Y, Kim K, Choi S, et al. Data resource profile: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Int J Epidemiol 2014;43:69-77.
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8. Nam GE, Kim YH, Han K, Jung JH, Park YG, Lee KW, et al. Obesity fact sheet in Korea, 2018: data focusing on waist circumference and obesity-related comorbidities. J Obes Metab Syndr 2019;28:236-245.
9. WHO Expert Consultation. Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet 2004;363:157-163.
10. Seo MH, Lee WY, Kim SS, Kang JH, Kang JH, Kim KK, et al. 2018 Korean Society for the Study of Obesity guideline for the management of obesity in Korea. J Obes Metab Syndr 2019;28:40-45.
11. Kim BY, Won JC, Lee JH, Kim HS, Park JH, Ha KH, et al. Diabetes fact sheets in Korea, 2018: an appraisal of current status. Diabetes Metab J 2019;43:487-494.
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12. Kim MK, Ko SH, Kim BY, Kang ES, Noh J, Kim SK, et al. 2019 Clinical practice guidelines for type 2 diabetes mellitus in Korea. Diabetes Metab J 2019;43:398-406.
13. Zhang L, Qiao Q, Tuomilehto J, Hammar N, Ruotolo G, Stehouwer CD, et al. The impact of dyslipidaemia on cardiovascular mortality in individuals without a prior history of diabetes in the DECODE Study. Atherosclerosis 2009;206:298-302.
14. Tominaga M, Eguchi H, Manaka H, Igarashi K, Kato T, Sekikawa A. Impaired glucose tolerance is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but not impaired fasting glucose: the Funagata Diabetes Study. Diabetes Care 1999;22:920-924.
15. Korean Society Hypertension (KSH). Hypertension Epidemiology Research Working Group. Kim HC, Cho MC. Korea hypertension fact sheet 2018. Clin Hypertens 2018;24:13.
16. Gaede P, Lund-Andersen H, Parving HH, Pedersen O. Effect of a multifactorial intervention on mortality in type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med 2008;358:580-591.
17. Kwon YH, Kim SK, Cho JH, Kwon H, Park SE, Oh HG, et al. The association between persistent hypertriglyceridemia and the risk of diabetes development: the Kangbuk Samsung Health Study. Endocrinol Metab (Seoul) 2018;33:55-61.
18. Wu L, Parhofer KG. Diabetic dyslipidemia. Metabolism 2014;63:1469-1479.
19. Parhofer KG. Increasing HDL-cholesterol and prevention of atherosclerosis: a critical perspective. Atheroscler Suppl 2015;18:109-111.
20. Rawshani A, Rawshani A, Franzen S, Sattar N, Eliasson B, Svensson AM, et al. Risk factors, mortality, and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med 2018;379:633-644.
Prevalence of obesity in the last 10 years (2009 to 2018). Obesity was defined as a body mass index equal to or higher than 25 kg/m2. Modified from the guidelines of Korean Society for the Study of Obesity [2].
Prevalence of risk factors in Korean adults.
Prevalence of diabetes by age and sex (2016). Diabetes was defined if they satisfied any of the following four criteria: (1) having been diagnosed with diabetes by a doctor, (2) currently taking anti-diabetic medications, (3) having a fasting plasma glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL, or (4) having a hemoglobin A1c level ≥6.5%. Modified from the guidelines of Korean Diabetes Association [3].
Management of risk factors in Korean adults.
Changes in the prevalence of hypertension by age and sex over time. Hypertension was defined as a blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg and/or taking anti-hypertensive medication. Modified from the guidelines of Korean Society of Hypertension [4].
Prevalence of dyslipidemia by age group in Korean adults. Dyslipidemia diagnosed in individuals who satisfied one of the three following criteria: a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥160 mg/dL, a high-density lipoprotein cholesterol <40 mg/dL, or a triglyceride ≥200 mg/dL. Individuals taking any medications for dyslipidemia or who were previously diagnosed with dyslipidemia were also classified as having dyslipidemia. Modified from the guidelines of Korean Society of Lipid and Atherosclerosis [5].
Concurrent treatment of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia in Korean adults. Modified from the guidelines of Korean Diabetes Association [3].
Take Home Message from the Fact Sheets of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Korea
IFG, impaired fasting glucose.
1. The prevalence of obesity gradually increased in all age groups over the past 10 years and overall prevalence was 35.7% in 2018.
2. The prevalence of obesity in adults in their 20s, 30s, and 80s showed a significantly steeper increasing trend over the past 10 years than was observed in other age groups; the prevalence of obesity in their 50s and 60s was decreased.
3. The prevalence of abdominal obesity significantly increased over the past 10 years in Korean adults, with prevalence rates of 23.8% in the total pop- ulation.
4. Men in their 30s and 40s were the most severely threatened age groups in terms of the rate of increase in the prevalence of abdominal obesity.
5. The prevalence of diabetes among adults 30 years or older was 14.4%; one in three (29.8%) Koreans 65 years or older had diabetes.
6. The control rate of diabetes, defined by a hemoglobin A1c level <6.5%, was 25.1%.
7. The prevalence of IFG among Korean adults 30 years or older was 25.3% in the total population.
8. Eleven million Koreans were estimated to have hypertension, approximately 29% of Korean adults older than 30 years.
9. The awareness, treatment, and control rates of hypertension steadily increased from 1998 to 2007; however, starting from 2007, the rates remained stagnant for 10 years.
10. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in adults 30 years or older was found to be 19.9% in 2016; the prevalence increased from 14.4% in 2012 to 19.9% in 2016.
11. The prevalence of dyslipidemia was 40.5% in the total population; the prevalence of high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in women in their 60s (39.9%) was higher both than that of women in any other age group and the prevalence among men in the same age group; the prevalence of hyper- triglyceridemia was 17.5% in the total population, with a much higher prevalence in men than in women (24.8% vs. 11.0%).
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Home » #ISDS » featured » TTIP » Historic European Union Court of Justice judgment breaks wall of silence around USA- EU Transatlantic Trade Agreement
Historic European Union Court of Justice judgment breaks wall of silence around USA- EU Transatlantic Trade Agreement
Text translated by Mary Jo Barber
On 3 July, the Court of Justice of the European Union (First Chamber) passed a historic judgment, in response to an appeal filed by the Council seeking to refuse access to international negotiation documents to European citizens and to their representatives in the European Parliament.
While Judgment C 350/12 P does not refer specifically to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, it does have a direct impact on it, establishing – and in the process establishing case law to oppose the Commission’s habitual secrecy – the obligation of allowing total or partial access to international negotiation documents to European Union citizens and their elected political representatives in the European Parliament, annulling the stratagems most commonly used to deny access to such information, usually based on hypothetical damages or by simply claiming that talks are already underway.
As is becoming increasingly habitual in the TTIP talks, the European Council and the European Commission are systematically blocking access to documents, based on the hypothetical damage that would be caused by making EU negotiation strategies public, with the Commission maintaining that this would give a sizeable advantage to the other side to the talks – the USA.
The ECJ judgment accurately balances the interests of the institutions, which must on the one hand ensure access to all information concerning their management, as an effective example of guaranteeing the citizens’ right to transparency, and on the other must employ the necessary level of discretion required for international negotiation processes, to avoid revealing basic negotiation strategies to other parties to the talks.
While transparency ought to be an intrinsic quality of the European institutions – particularly in the case of the barely-democratic European Commission – the ECJ has been obliged to remind the Executive Power of a series of self-evident truths regarding transparency, access to documents produced or received by European institutions, and basic citizen’s rights, all enshrined under Article 6 of the Treaty of the European Union and in the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights.
The Court recognises that there are exceptions to full access to documents, including personal information and the exceptions established in Regulation (EC) 1049/2001, Articles 4.1.a) third dash,4.2 second dash, and 6.
At the same time, being exceptions, by definition they are to be used only in exceptional circumstances. Accordingly, when they are wielded to refuse access to documents, this must be for objective, non-hypothetical grounds. In no case either may they impede access to the non-exempt parts of the documentation. In other words, while either the Commission or the Council may censure aspects objectively covered by the exception, they may not block public access to the remainder of the documentation.
The first conclusion to be reached regarding the judgment is that, unlike the European Commission, where the exception has become the rule, the ECJ has once more confirmed the original meaning of the concept, ensuring that exceptions may be applied only where there are specific facts based on objective grounds, not on hypothetical cases.
Accordingly, from now onwards Treaty negotiators must allow the general public broad access to all TTIP documents, censuring only those paragraphs which could affect important negotiation strategies and which are not already known to the other party to the talks.
A second interesting point concerning the judgment is that, while the Commission and the Council contended that the documentation could reveal discrepancies which could possibly weaken a negotiating position, the Court found that the mere existence of inconsistencies was not in itself sufficient to conclude that allowing access to the documentation could be detrimental.
This point, which in any democracy would seem to be self-evident, is one about which the European Union and its least democratic institutions (the Council and the Commission) had to be reminded.
The third point to be noted about the judgment is that it annuls the supernatural status granted by the European Commission to international talks, whereby they remain inaccessible to the broader public while they are still underway. The excuse of their still being active has allowed the negotiating group to deny citizen petitions for access to the documents.
In this line, the European Union Court of Justice reminds us that Whereas (1) and Article One of Regulation 1049/2001 (which also regulates exceptions) ensure the widest possible access to the documents of the institutions and establish that exceptions must be interpreted and applied strictly.
I transcribe here Articles 52 and 53 of the judgment:
52. Indeed, if the institution concerned decides to refuse access to a document which it has been asked to disclose, it must, in principle, first explain how disclosure of that document could specifically and actually undermine the interest protected by the exception — among those provided for in Article 4 of Regulation No 1049/2001 — upon which it is relying. In addition, the risk of the interest being undermined must be reasonably foreseeable and must not be purely hypothetical (Council v Access Info Europe, EU:C:2013:671, paragraph 31 and the case-law cited).
53. Moreover, if the institution applies one of the exceptions provided for in Article 4(2) and (3) of Regulation No 1049/2001, it is for that institution to weigh the particular interest to be protected through non-disclosure of the document concerned against, inter alia, the public interest in the document being made accessible, having regard to the advantages of increased openness, as described in recital 2 to Regulation No 1049/2001, in that it enables citizens to participate more closely in the decision-making process and guarantees that the administration enjoys greater legitimacy and is more effective and more accountable to the
citizen in a democratic system ( Council v Access Info Europe , EU:C:2013:671, paragraph 32 and the case-law cited).
A fourth point worthy of consideration contained in the judgment is that it refers to the role of the European Commission in international talks, where it acts not only in its executive capacity but also in its legislative capacity. Accordingly, there is a need for transparency as an intrinsic element in the fundamental guidelines laid down by European negotiators.
As a matter of fact, Article 76 of the judgment demolishes the Commission’s pretension that all talks should be kept secret until the deal has been signed by the parties and that the European Parliament’s role should be restricted to approving or rejecting the TTIP as a whole.
El Tribunal dicta: “public interest in the transparency of the decision-making process would become meaningless if, as the Commission proposes, it were to be taken into account only in those cases where the decision-making process has come to an end.”
This finding by the High Court annuls the antidemocratic posture of concealing the contents of the TTIP in order to avoid public debate and to show the discrepancies that exist with regard to the agreement, though in this case not based on leaks or hypotheses, but on the documents themselves.
The ECJ judgment provides the necessary arguments for a formal petition for the documents, based on:
1. Consolidated documents are already known to both parties. Therefore, it cannot be held that giving access to them would damage strategic negotiation lines.
2. The fact that TTIP talks are currently underway is not sufficient reason to refuse access to documents. So argues the judgment, backed by earlier judgments and laying down case law.
3. According to the judgment, citizens have access not only to documents produced by EU negotiators but also to any produced by the USA side and now in the hands of Trade Commission negotiators.
4. Although the Court recognises certain exceptions to transparency in the negotiation of sections where no agreement has yet been reached, it also recognises that these exceptions cannot be conveniently applied to refuse access to other non-exempted parts of the documents.
5. The ECJ reminds the Commission that when talks have an impact on legislation, the requirements for transparency are greater than others.
6. Citizens have full access to all TTIP documents. Exceptions applied to partially block access to documents must be justified objectively, not hypothetically and not contrary to the Treaty of the European Union and the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
From this point of view, the ECJ judgment allows direct action in the fight against the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the EU and the USA, as we can now request the negotiation documents and demand that they be made public, shedding light on the real intentions of the European negotiators and the corporations who lay down the aims of the TTIP with no respect for human, social, labour or environmental rights.
In short, they wish to destroy our Democracy, turning citizens into mere consumers, replacing citizen sovereignty with corporate sovereignty. We will not allow them to do it.
If you want to follow the formal request made by Economy Citizen (Economía Ciudadana) of the documentation of the TTIP in AsktheEU.org and thus increase the pressure on the European Commission, you can do so by clicking here.
The original article was written in Spanish under the title "Histórica sentencia del Tribunal de Justicia de la Unión Europea rompe el muro de secretismo en las negociaciones del Acuerdo Transatlántico de Comercio entre EEUU y UE"
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Note: Although they have collaborated but by his modesty they do not want to be named.
In coordinating translation P.Y. and correction of style in the text in Spanish who calls himself "the treasure island parrot"
To all of them my deepest gratitude.
JUDGMENT OF THE COURT (First Chamber)
3 July 2014 *
(Appeal — Access to documents of the institutions — Regulation (EC)
No 1049/2001 — Third indent of Article 4(1)(a), second indent of Article 4(2), and Article 4(6) — Opinion of the Council’s Legal Service concerning the opening of negotiations for the conclusion of an international agreement — Exceptions to the right of access — Protection of the public interest as regards international relations — Protection of legal advice — Decision partially refusing access)
In Case C-350/12 P,
APPEAL under Article 56 of the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Union, brought on 17 July 2012,
Council of the European Union, represented by P. Berman, B. Driessen and
C. Fekete, acting as Agents,
applicant, the other parties to the proceedings being:
Sophie in’t Veld, represented by O. Brouwer, E. Raedts and J. Blockx, advocaten,
applicant at first instance, supported by:
European Parliament, represented by N. Lorenz and N. Görlitz, acting as Agents,
intervener in the appeal,
European Commission, represented by B. Smulders and P. Costa de Oliveira, acting as Agents, with an address for service in Luxembourg,
intervener at first instance, THE COURT (First Chamber),
composed of A. Tizzano (Rapporteur), President of the Chamber, A. Borg Barthet,
E. Levits, M. Berger and S. Rodin, Judges, Advocate General: E. Sharpston,
Registrar: M. Aleksejev, Administrator,
having regard to the written procedure and further to the hearing on 17 October 2013,
after hearing the Opinion of the Advocate General at the sitting on 13 February 2014,
gives the following
1 By its appeal, the Council of the European Union seeks to have set aside the judgment of the General Court of the European Union in In’t Veld v Council, T-529/09, EU:T:2012:215 (‘the judgment under appeal’), by which the General Court annulled in part the decision of the Council of 29 October 2009 refusing Ms in’t Veld full access to a document containing the opinion of the Council’s Legal Service concerning a recommendation from the European Commission to the Council to authorise the opening of negotiations between the European Union and the United States of America for the conclusion of an international agreement to make available to the United States Treasury Department financial messaging data (‘the decision at issue’).
Legal context
2 Recitals 2, 4 and 11 in the preamble to Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents (OJ 2001 L 145,
p. 43) read as follows:
‘(2) Openness enables citizens to participate more closely in the decision-making process and guarantees that the administration enjoys greater legitimacy and is more effective and more accountable to the citizen in a democratic
system. Openness contributes to strengthening the principles of democracy and respect for fundamental rights as laid down in Article 6 of the EU Treaty and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
(4) The purpose of this Regulation is to give the fullest possible effect to the right of public access to documents and to lay down the general principles and limits on such access in accordance with Article 255(2) of the EC Treaty.
(11) In principle, all documents of the institutions should be accessible to the public. However, certain public and private interests should be protected by way of exceptions. The institutions should be entitled to protect their internal consultations and deliberations where necessary to safeguard their ability to carry out their tasks. In assessing the exceptions, the institutions should take account of the principles in Community legislation concerning the protection of personal data, in all areas of Union activities.’
3 Article 1 of Regulation No 1049/2001 provides: ‘The purpose of this Regulation is:
(a) to define the principles, conditions and limits on grounds of public or private interest governing the right of access to European Parliament, Council and Commission (hereinafter referred to as “the institutions”) documents provided for in Article 255 of the EC Treaty in such a way as to ensure the widest possible access to documents,
4 Article 2(3) of that regulation is worded as follows:
‘This Regulation shall apply to all documents held by an institution, that is to say, documents drawn up or received by it and in its possession, in all areas of activity of the European Union.’
5 Article 4(1), (2) and (6) of that same regulation provides:
‘1. The institutions shall refuse access to a document where disclosure would undermine the protection of:
(a) the public interest as regards:
– international relations,
2. The institutions shall refuse access to a document where disclosure would undermine the protection of:
– ... legal advice,
unless there is an overriding public interest in disclosure.
6. If only parts of the requested document are covered by any of the exceptions, the remaining parts of the document shall be released.’
Background to the dispute
6 On 28 July 2009, Ms in’t Veld, a Member of the European Parliament, requested access, under Regulation No 1049/2001, to document 11897/09 of 9 July 2009, containing an opinion of the Council’s Legal Service on the ‘recommendation from the Commission to the Council to authorise the opening of negotiations between the European Union and the United States of America for an international agreement to make available to the United States Treasury Department financial messaging data to prevent and combat terrorism and terrorist financing’ (‘the proposed agreement’).
7 By the decision at issue, the Council authorised only partial access to the document, full access being refused on the basis of the exceptions laid down in the third indent of Article 4(1)(a) and the second indent of Article 4(2) of Regulation No 1049/2001, relating to the protection, respectively, of the public interest as regards international relations and of legal advice.
8 In that decision, the Council stated, first, that ‘disclosure of [document 11897/09] would reveal to the public information relating to certain provisions in the [proposed agreement] … and consequently, would negatively impact on the [European Union]’s negotiating position and would also damage the climate of confidence in the ongoing negotiations’. The Council added that ‘disclosure of the document would also reveal to the … counterpart elements pertaining to the position to be taken by the [European Union] in the negotiations which — in the case [where] the legal advice was critical — could be exploited so as to weaken the [European Union]’s negotiating position’.
9 Secondly, the Council stated that document 11897/09 contained ‘legal advice, where the Legal Service analyses the legal basis and the respective competences of the [European Union] and the European Community to conclude the [proposed agreement]’, and that this ‘sensitive issue, which has an impact on the powers of the European Parliament in the conclusion of the [proposed agreement], has been [the] subject of divergent positions between the institutions’. In those circumstances, according to the Council, ‘[d]ivulgation of the contents of [document 11897/09] would undermine the protection of legal advice, since it would make known to the public an internal opinion of the Legal Service, intended only for the members of the Council within the context of the Council’s preliminary discussions on the [proposed agreement]’. In addition, the Council considered ‘that the protection of its internal legal advice relating to a draft international agreement ... outweighs the public interest in disclosure’.
The judgment under appeal and the forms of order sought
10 On 31 December 2009, Ms in’t Veld brought an action for annulment of the decision at issue, relying on four pleas in law in support of the action.
11 The first two pleas in that action alleged infringement of the third indent of Article 4(1)(a) and the second indent of Article 4(2) of Regulation No 1049/2001. The third plea in support of that action was based on the infringement of Article 4(6) of that regulation, relating to partial access to documents of the institutions. The fourth plea alleged breach of the obligation to state reasons.
12 By the judgment under appeal, the General Court upheld, in part, the first plea of Ms in’t Veld, and the second plea in its entirety. Since those first two pleas were considered well founded, the General Court also upheld the third plea. The fourth plea was rejected. On that basis, the General Court partially annulled the decision at issue.
13 On 24 July 2012, the Council brought the present appeal, by which, supported by the Commission, it asks the Court to set aside the judgment under appeal, give final judgment on the matters raised in the appeal and order Ms in’t Veld to pay the costs of both sets of proceedings.
14 Ms in’t Veld, supported by the European Parliament, asks the Court of Justice to dismiss the appeal and to order the Council to pay the costs.
15 By its appeal, the Council claims that the General Court infringed two provisions of Regulation No 1049/2001 restricting the right of access to documents of the institutions. The first plea is thus based on an infringement of the third indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation No 1049/2001, relating to the protection of the
public interest as regards international relations, and the second alleges infringement of the second indent of Article 4(2) of the regulation, which provides for an exception in respect of legal advice.
The first plea, alleging infringement of the third indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation No 1049/2001
The judgment under appeal
16 In order to respond to the first plea in law put forward by Ms in’t Veld in support of her action for annulment, alleging infringement of the third indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation No 1049/2001, the General Court noted, in paragraphs 24 and 25 of the judgment under appeal, that the decision to be adopted by an institution pursuant to that provision is of a complex and delicate nature and calls for the exercise of particular care, having regard in particular to the singularly sensitive and essential nature of the protected interest, and that, therefore, the adoption of such a decision calls for the institution concerned to have a wide margin of discretion for that purpose; the General Court’s review of the legality of that decision must be limited to verifying whether the procedural rules and the duty to state reasons have been complied with, whether the facts have been accurately stated, and whether there has been a manifest error of assessment of the facts or a misuse of powers.
17 In paragraph 26 of the judgment under appeal, the General Court found that the opinion to which access had been requested in the present case was, in essence, concerned with the legal basis of the Council decision authorising the opening of negotiations, on behalf of the European Union, for the conclusion of the proposed agreement. The General Court therefore considered, in paragraph 30 of the judgment under appeal, that it had to be ascertained whether the Council had shown that access to the undisclosed elements of document 11897/09 could have specifically and actually undermined the public interest concerned.
18 To that end, the General Court examined the two grounds on which the Council relied in order to establish that there was a risk of such a threat. As regards the ground that disclosure would have revealed to the public information relating to certain provisions in the proposed agreement, which would have damaged the climate of confidence in the ongoing negotiations, the General Court held, in paragraphs 35 to 39 of the judgment under appeal, that the Council had, on the basis of that ground, lawfully refused access to those passages in document 11897/09 containing the analysis of the specific content of that agreement which could have revealed the strategic objectives pursued by the European Union in the negotiations on the conclusion of that agreement.
19 As regards the ground that disclosure of document 11897/09 would have revealed to the counterpart elements pertaining to the position to be taken by the European Union in the negotiations (in particular as regards the choice of legal basis for the
proposed agreement), elements which, where the legal advice had been critical, could have been exploited so as to weaken the European Union’s negotiating position, the General Court noted in paragraph 46 of the judgment under appeal that the risk involved in the disclosure of positions taken within the institutions regarding the legal basis for concluding a future international agreement was not liable in itself to establish the existence of a threat to the European Union’s interest in the field of international relations.
20 In that regard, in paragraphs 47 to 50 of the judgment under appeal, the General Court noted, first of all, that the choice of the appropriate legal basis, both for internal and international European Union activity, has constitutional significance and that such a choice does not follow merely from the conviction of its author, but must rest on objective factors which are amenable to judicial review, such as, in particular, the aim and the content of the measure. As a consequence, since that choice does not fall within the discretion of the institution, any divergence of opinions on that subject cannot be equated with a difference of opinion between the institutions as to matters which relate to the substance of the agreement. Accordingly, the mere fear of disclosing a disagreement within the institutions regarding the legal basis of a decision authorising the opening of negotiations on behalf of the European Union is not a sufficient basis for concluding that the protected public interest in the field of international relations may be undermined.
21 Furthermore, in response to the argument put forward by the Commission in that respect, the General Court, in paragraphs 52 and 53 of the judgment under appeal, held that the disclosure of a document establishing the existence of doubts regarding the choice of the legal basis in relation to the conclusion of the proposed agreement was not liable to give rise, in itself, to a threat to the European Union’s credibility as a negotiating partner in respect of that agreement. Indeed, any confusion as to the nature of the powers of the European Union could only be made worse in the absence of a prior objective debate between the institutions concerned regarding the legal basis of the action envisaged.
22 Next, in paragraph 54 of the judgment under appeal, the General Court noted that, at the material time, there was a procedure under EU law, in Article 300(6) EC, that was specifically designed to prevent complications, both at EU level and in international law, resulting from an incorrect choice of legal basis in relation to the conclusion of an international agreement binding the European Union.
23 In that regard, the General Court, in paragraphs 55 and 56 of the judgment under appeal, underlined the fact that, at the time of the adoption of the decision at issue, the existence of different views concerning the legal basis of the proposed agreement was within the public domain, owing, inter alia, to the fact that a Parliament resolution of 17 September 2009 relating to the proposed agreement established the existence of such different views.
24 Lastly, in paragraph 57 of the judgment under appeal, the General Court noted that, in invoking the exception based on the protection of the public interest as regards international relations, the Council also made reference to the fact that the opinion of its Legal Service touched on certain points of the draft negotiating directives, knowledge of which could have been exploited by the other party to those negotiations. The General Court held that that consideration did indeed establish a risk that the European Union’s interest in the field of international relations might be undermined, but that it justified the exception in question only with respect to those elements of document 11897/09 that related to the content of the negotiating directives.
25 In paragraphs 58 to 60 of the judgment under appeal, the General Court concluded from the foregoing considerations that, with the exception of those elements of document 11897/09 concerning the specific content of the proposed agreement or the negotiating directives which could reveal the strategic objectives pursued by the European Union in the negotiations on that agreement, the Council had not shown that the disclosure of other aspects of that document would specifically and actually have undermined the public interest in the field of international relations.
26 Consequently, the General Court upheld in part the first plea in law put forward by Ms in’t Veld in support of her action for annulment.
Arguments of the parties
27 The first ground of appeal raised by the Council alleges infringement, by the judgment under appeal, of the third indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation No 1049/2001, and is in two parts.
28 By the first part of this plea, the Council, supported by the Commission, submits that the General Court misinterpreted that provision by considering that a disagreement as to the choice of the legal basis of the EU act regarding the conclusion of an international agreement is not capable of undermining the European Union’s interest in the field of international relations.
29 According to the Council, since the legal basis of an EU act determines the decision-making procedure that applies, it necessarily affects the balance of powers between the institutions as well. Disputes concerning the applicable legal basis therefore remain, by their very nature, of very great political significance and are potentially highly contentious.
30 Referring to Commission v Council, 22/70 (EU:C:1971:32) and to Opinion 1/75 (EU:C:1975:145) and Opinion 2/00 (EU:C:2001:664), the Council maintains that the issue of the legal basis of an EU act concerning the conclusion of an international agreement is vitally important for the European Union’s position in the negotiations on such an agreement, since uncertainty as to the determination of the legal basis of such an agreement has a negative impact on those negotiations.
31 The European Union’s negotiating partners could exploit the differences of opinion between the institutions to the European Union’s disadvantage. Moreover, any doubts as to the legal capacity of an institution to conduct negotiations would also have an impact on the European Union’s credibility and effectiveness in international negotiations, and would adversely affect its ability to bring them to a successful conclusion.
32 As regards the reference to Article 300(6) EC, in the Council’s submission this is wholly irrelevant. First, no institution had availed itself of this possibility in the present case. Secondly, the availability of that procedure does not in any way mitigate the harm caused by disclosing legal advice relating to a dispute about a legal basis.
33 In addition, the Parliament resolution of 17 September 2009 referred to by the General Court, which was adopted a few months after document 11897/09 was drawn up, had revealed the substance of divergent opinions unlawfully, since that information had never been disclosed by the Council under Regulation No 1049/2001. In those circumstances, the General Court was wrong to justify its decision on the basis, in particular, that the information had been made public by the European Parliament; to conclude otherwise would condone the disclosure of information in contravention of Articles 6 to 8 of that regulation. In any event, that resolution merely noted the existence of a difference of views between the institutions, which did not imply that the full content of the opinion in question had been put in the public domain.
34 By contrast, Ms in’t Veld, supported by the European Parliament, submits that the Council’s arguments are based on a misreading of the judgment under appeal, in so far as the General Court did not consider that disagreement as to the legal basis of an international agreement could never undermine the public interest in the field of international relations. In fact the General Court merely stated that such a disagreement is not, in itself, a sufficient basis for concluding that there is a threat to that interest.
35 That error in the premiss of the Council’s reasoning rendered its arguments in support of the first part of the first plea ineffective.
36 In any event, according to Ms in’t Veld, those arguments are unfounded. Whilst the decision of an institution to proceed on an incorrect basis could actually undermine the European Union’s international relations, the fact remains that the disclosure of an opinion of that institution as to the legal basis of negotiations does not affect this.
37 Ms in’t Veld adds that the choice of legal basis is a purely internal issue, so that it is doubtful that the European Union’s negotiating partners could use uncertainties as to its choice in order to obtain a better deal. On the contrary, the negotiating partners of the European Union in principle have an interest in ensuring that the
proposed international agreement is concluded on a lawful basis, so as to reduce to a minimum the risk of any future challenge to that agreement, including on the grounds of lack of competence of the institutions to represent the parties to it. Likewise, the European Union’s credibility in negotiations can be undermined only by the choice of a wrong legal basis and not by the debate on that choice.
38 Lastly, as regards the Parliament resolution of 17 September 2009, the General Court had referred to it only in so far as it confirmed not the content but the existence of differences of opinion between the Council and the European Parliament on the choice of an adequate legal basis for the purpose of conducting such negotiations, which was public knowledge and which also appeared in the decision at issue itself.
39 By the second part of its first ground of appeal, the Council, supported by the Commission, submits that where the institutions rely on one of the exceptions laid down in Article 4(1) of Regulation No 1049/2001 in order to justify a decision relating to access to a document, they have a wide margin of discretion; therefore the Court’s review of the legality of such a decision should be limited.
40 However, in the present case, the General Court had undertaken a full review of the decision at issue. In particular, in paragraph 58 of the judgment under appeal, it had explicitly concluded that ‘the Council has not shown how, specifically and actually, wider access to [document 11897/09] would have undermined the public interest in the field of international relations’. According to the Council, that phrase, and in particular the words ‘specifically and actually’, demonstrate that the General Court did not just check whether the facts had been accurately stated and whether there had been a manifest error of assessment of the facts, but rather required the Council to prove that the disclosure of that document would lead to harm.
41 Ms in’t Veld, supported by the European Parliament, contends, in opposition to that argument, that it is the case-law of the Court of Justice that requires the institution concerned to provide proof that the disclosure of a document to which access has been refused would specifically and actually undermine one of the interests protected by Article 4 of Regulation No 1049/2001. The General Court had confined itself to examining the two arguments raised by the Council and by the Commission to justify the non-disclosure of document 11897/09 without infringing the Council’s discretion, given that the arguments of those institutions referred to manifest errors of assessment which the General Court is empowered to review in the context of a limited review. The General Court had not, therefore, assessed the specific content of the proposed agreement or the negotiating directives, and therefore did not replace the Council’s assessment with its own.
Findings of the Court
42 As regards the first part of the first plea put forward by the Council in support of its appeal, it must be held that that part of the plea is based on a misreading of the judgment under appeal.
43 Contrary to what may be inferred from the Council’s and the Commission’s reasoning, the General Court did not in any way rule out the possibility that the disclosure of a disagreement between institutions as to the choice of legal basis empowering an institution to conclude an international agreement on behalf of the European Union might undermine the protection of the interest protected by the third indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation No 1049/2001.
44 On the contrary, the General Court merely stated, in paragraph 46 of the judgment under appeal, first of all, that the risk involved in disclosing positions taken within the institutions with regard to that choice does not in itself establish the existence of a threat to the European Union’s interest in the field of international relations. It went on to point out, in paragraph 50 of that judgment, that the mere fear of disclosure of the existence of divergent opinions within the institutions regarding the appropriate legal basis on which to adopt a decision authorising the opening of negotiations on behalf of the European Union is not a sufficient basis for concluding that the public interest in the field of international relations may be undermined. Lastly, in paragraph 52 of that judgment, it ruled out the possibility that the existence of a legal debate as to the extent of the powers of the institutions with regard to the international activity of the European Union might give rise to a presumption of the existence of a threat to the credibility of the European Union in the negotiations for an international agreement.
45 Such an interpretation of the third indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation No 1049/2001 is not incorrect in law.
46 It must be noted in that regard that Regulation No 1049/2001 is designed — as is stated in recital 4 and reflected in Article 1 — to confer on the public as wide a right of access as possible to documents of the institutions (Council v Access Info Europe, C-280/11 P, EU:C:2013:671, paragraph 28 and the case-law cited).
47 However, that right is none the less subject to certain limitations based on grounds of public or private interest. More specifically, and in reflection of recital 11, Article 4 of Regulation No 1049/2001 provides for a number of exceptions enabling the institutions to refuse access to a document where its disclosure would undermine the protection of one of the interests protected by that provision (Council v Access Info Europe, EU:C:2013:671, paragraph 29 and the case-law cited).
48 Nevertheless, as such exceptions derogate from the principle of the widest possible public access to documents, they must be interpreted and applied strictly
(Council v Access Info Europe, EU:C:2013:671, paragraph 30 and the case-law cited).
49 As is apparent from the judgment under appeal, document 11897/09 contains an opinion of the Council’s Legal Service, issued in the context of the adoption of the Council’s decision authorising the opening of negotiations, on behalf of the European Union, in respect of the proposed agreement.
50 Ms in’t Veld does not dispute, moreover, that the exception to the right of access linked to the protection of the public interest as regards the European Union’s international relations is capable of applying to such a document.
51 However, the mere fact that a document concerns an interest protected by an exception to the right of access laid down in Article 4 of Regulation No 1049/2001 is not sufficient to justify the application of that provision (see, to that effect, Commission v Éditions Odile Jacob, C-404/10 P, EU:C:2012:393, paragraph 116).
52 Indeed, if the institution concerned decides to refuse access to a document which it has been asked to disclose, it must, in principle, first explain how disclosure of that document could specifically and actually undermine the interest protected by the exception — among those provided for in Article 4 of Regulation No 1049/2001 — upon which it is relying. In addition, the risk of the interest being undermined must be reasonably foreseeable and must not be purely hypothetical (Council v Access Info Europe, EU:C:2013:671, paragraph 31 and the case-law cited).
53 Moreover, if the institution applies one of the exceptions provided for in Article 4(2) and (3) of Regulation No 1049/2001, it is for that institution to weigh the particular interest to be protected through non-disclosure of the document concerned against, inter alia, the public interest in the document being made accessible, having regard to the advantages of increased openness, as described in recital 2 to Regulation No 1049/2001, in that it enables citizens to participate more closely in the decision-making process and guarantees that the administration enjoys greater legitimacy and is more effective and more accountable to the citizen in a democratic system (Council v Access Info Europe, EU:C:2013:671, paragraph 32 and the case-law cited).
54 However, as is evident from paragraph 7 of the judgment under appeal, the Council did not provide anything in the decision at issue to demonstrate how disclosure of document 11897/09 would risk specifically and actually undermining the interest protected by the third indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation No 1049/2001.
55 Furthermore, the arguments put forward by the Council do not establish that the General Court’s reasoning in relation to the interpretation of that provision is incorrect in law.
56 In the first place, the case-law invoked by the Council does not reveal any general rule under which disclosure of the existence of a divergence of views among the institutions as to the legal basis on which one of them is empowered to open negotiations to conclude an international agreement and, therefore, the determination of the appropriate EU act for that purpose, would in itself undermine the public interest as regards the European Union’s international relations.
57 First of all, in Commission v Council (EU:C:1971:32, paragraph 86), the Court held that to have suggested to third countries, at an advanced stage of the negotiations in respect of an international agreement, that there was now a new distribution of powers within the European Union could jeopardise the successful outcome of those negotiations. That does not correspond at all to the situation in which there is disclosure, at most, of a divergence of opinion between institutions as to the legal basis of a decision authorising the negotiation of an international agreement. Nor does it mean that the decision in question could, on that basis, be invalidated.
58 Next, in Opinion 1/75 (EU:C:1975:145), the Court referred to the negative international repercussions that might flow from a possible decision of the Court to the effect that an agreement is, either by reason of its content or of the procedure adopted for its conclusion, incompatible with the provisions of the Treaty. Lastly, in Opinion 2/00 (EU:C:2001:664, paragraphs 5 and 6), the Court emphasised that to proceed on an incorrect legal basis is liable to invalidate the act concluding the agreement, and that that is liable to create complications both at EU level and in international law. The Court’s considerations in the context of those Opinions are set in the context of an examination of the objective of the procedure laid down in Article 300(6) EC (now Article 218(11) TFEU). In the present case, not only did the parties not avail themselves of that procedure for prior referral to the Court of Justice before the conclusion of the proposed agreement, but in any case the risk that the Council’s decision on the opening of negotiations might be the subject of a judicial decision declaring it to be incompatible with the Treaties was not contemplated.
59 In the second place, the General Court’s reference in paragraph 54 of the judgment under appeal to the procedure laid down under Article 300(6) EC is merely descriptive. Such a reference must clearly be understood as an indication that it is the Treaty itself which lays down a judicial procedure concerning the legal issues that may be linked to the legal basis of a decision concerning the conclusion of an international agreement, a procedure which precedes the signing of the agreement and which is public, thereby ruling out any presumption that a discussion that is made public, concerning the correct legal basis for such a decision, can automatically specifically and actually undermine the public interest as regards international relations.
60 Lastly, in third place, in its assessment of the existence of a risk of a threat to that interest, the General Court was fully entitled, in paragraph 55 of the judgment under appeal, to take into consideration the fact that the main content of document 11897/09 had been made public in a Parliament resolution. In the context of that assessment, which concerns the risk that disclosure of a document would lead to harm to the interest protected under Article 4 of Regulation No 1049/2001, the fact that the earlier disclosure was not in accordance with that regulation is not relevant; the inferences to be drawn from such unlawfulness may have to be drawn in the context of other legal remedies provided for by the Treaties.
61 Having regard to the foregoing, it must be concluded that the first part of the first plea put forward by the Council in support of its appeal is unfounded.
62 By the second part of that plea, the Council submits that the General Court wrongly carried out a full review of the legality of the decision at issue, when it should have confined itself to a limited review, as is clear from the case-law of the Court of Justice.
63 It must be noted in that regard that while it is true that, as regards the scope of the judicial review of the legality of a decision of an institution refusing public access to a document on the basis of one of the exceptions relating to the public interest provided for in Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation No 1049/2001, that institution must be recognised as enjoying a wide discretion for the purpose of determining whether the disclosure of documents relating to the fields covered by those exceptions could undermine the public interest. The review by the Courts of the European Union of the legality of such a decision must therefore be limited to verifying whether the procedural rules and the duty to state reasons have been complied with, whether the facts have been accurately stated, and whether there has been a manifest error of assessment or a misuse of powers (Sison v Council, C-266/05 P, EU:C:2007:75, paragraph 34).
64 However, where the institution concerned refuses access to a document the disclosure of which would undermine one of the interests protected by Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation No 1049/2001, that institution remains obliged, as noted in paragraph 52 of the present judgment, to explain how disclosure of that document could specifically and actually undermine the interest protected by an exception provided for in that provision, and the risk of the interest being undermined must be reasonably foreseeable and must not be purely hypothetical.
65 In paragraph 58 of the judgment under appeal, the General Court found that, with the exception of those elements of document 11897/09 which concern the specific content of the proposed agreement or the negotiating directives, which could reveal the strategic objectives pursued by the European Union in the negotiations concerning that agreement, the Council had not shown how, specifically and actually, wider access to that document would have undermined the public interest in the field of international relations.
66 To that end, the General Court confined itself to verifying the statement of reasons for the decision at issue in that regard. After having pointed out, in paragraph 41 of the judgment under appeal, that the Council was maintaining that that decision referred to the risk associated with the disclosure of those elements of the analysis relating to the legal basis of the proposed agreement, even if that was not explicitly apparent from that decision, the General Court, on the basis of that consideration, then confined itself to declaring, in paragraphs 46 to 50 of that judgment, that that statement of reasons for the decision at issue was insufficient in law, since merely noting the existence of that risk did not in itself satisfy the requirement whereby the institution concerned must establish, specifically and actually, the existence of a threat to the European Union’s interest in the field of international relations. The General Court ruled in that regard that, since the choice of the legal basis rests on objective factors and does not fall within the discretion of the institution, any divergence of opinion on that subject cannot be equated with a difference of opinion between the institutions as to matters which relate to the substance of the agreement, and which might have been liable to damage the interests of the European Union in the field of international relations.
67 By contrast, in paragraphs 57 and 58 of the judgment under appeal, the General Court considered that the statement of reasons put forward by the Council in support of the decision at issue was sufficient in itself as regards the elements of document 11897/09 concerning the specific content of the proposed agreement or the negotiating directives, and concluded in paragraph 59 of that judgment that the Council had established the risk of a threat to the public interest in the field of international relations with regard to those elements only.
68 It follows from the foregoing that the General Court confined itself to reviewing the statement of reasons underpinning the decision at issue and did not, therefore, infringe the Council’s discretion.
69 In the light of those considerations, the second part of the first plea put forward by the Council in support of its appeal is also unfounded; accordingly this plea must be rejected in its entirety.
The second plea, alleging infringement of the second indent of Article 4(2) of Regulation No 1049/2001
70 In the light of its finding following examination of the first plea in law put forward by Ms in’t Veld in support of her action for annulment, the General Court limited its examination of the second plea, alleging infringement of the second indent of Article 4(2) of Regulation No 1049/2001, to the undisclosed parts of document 11897/09 only, and excluded those dealing with the specific content of the proposed agreement or the negotiating directives.
71 In paragraphs 69 and 70 of the judgment under appeal, first of all, the General Court held that the grounds of the decision at issue, according to which the Council and its Legal Service could be deterred from asking for and providing written opinions relating to sensitive issues if those opinions subsequently had to be disclosed, were not substantiated by any specific, detailed evidence which could establish in the present case the existence of a reasonably foreseeable and not purely hypothetical threat to the Council’s interest in receiving frank, objective and comprehensive legal advice.
72 In paragraph 71 of the judgment under appeal, the General Court also held that, since the possibility that the public interest in the field of international relations could be undermined was provided for by a separate exception, covered by the third indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation No 1049/2001, the mere fact that the legal advice contained in document 11897/09 concerned the field of the international relations of the European Union was not in itself sufficient for the application of the exception laid down in the second indent of Article 4(2) of that regulation.
73 In paragraphs 72 to 74 of the judgment under appeal, the General Court went on to note that, although it may be conceded that where international negotiations are still ongoing, enhanced protection is necessary in respect of the documents of the institution involved in those negotiations, in order to rule out any threat to the interests of the European Union during the process of those negotiations, that consideration has already been taken into account by the recognition of the wide discretion given to the institutions in applying the exception under the third indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation No 1049/2001. In the context of the exception provided for in the second indent of Article 4(2) of that regulation, the Council cannot legitimately rely on the general consideration that a threat to a protected public interest may be presumed in a sensitive area, in particular concerning legal advice given during the negotiation process for an international agreement. Nor may a specific and foreseeable threat to the interest in question be established by a mere fear of disclosing to EU citizens differences of opinion between the institutions regarding the legal basis for the international activity of the European Union and, thus, of creating doubts as to the lawfulness of that activity.
74 Regarding the Council’s argument concerning the risk of a threat to the ability of its Legal Service to defend, in court proceedings, a position on which it had issued a negative opinion, the General Court considered, in paragraph 78 of the judgment under appeal, that an argument of such a general nature could not justify an exception to the transparency required by Regulation No 1049/2001.
75 Lastly, according to the General Court, it was for the Council to balance the particular interest to be protected by non-disclosure of document 11897/09 against any overriding public interest justifying disclosure.
76 In that regard, the General Court, in paragraphs 81 to 95 of the judgment under appeal, noted that the requirements for transparency are greater where the Council is acting in its legislative capacity. Yet, initiating and conducting negotiations in order to conclude an international agreement fall, in principle, within the domain of the executive. However, the General Court also added that application of the principle of the transparency of the decision-making process of the European Union could not be ruled out in international affairs, especially where a decision authorising the opening of negotiations involves an international agreement which may have an impact on an area of the European Union’s legislative activity, such as the proposed agreement which concerns, in essence, the processing and exchange of information in the context of police cooperation, which may also affect the protection of personal data. In that regard, the fact that document 11897/09 concerns an area potentially covered by the exception referred to in the third indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation No 1049/2001, relating to the protection of the public interest in the field of international relations, is irrelevant for the purposes of an assessment of the application of the separate exception, relating to the protection of legal advice, provided for in the second indent of Article 4(2) of that regulation. Moreover, the fact that the procedure for concluding the proposed agreement was still ongoing at the time of the adoption of the decision at issue is not conclusive in ascertaining whether, despite that risk, there exists any overriding public interest justifying disclosure. Indeed, the public interest in the transparency of the decision-making process would become meaningless if, as the Commission proposes, it were to be taken into account only in those cases where the decision-making process has come to an end.
77 On the basis of those considerations, the General Court upheld the second plea in law put forward by Ms in’t Veld in support of her action for annulment.
78 The second ground of appeal raised by the Council alleges infringement of the second indent of Article 4(2) of Regulation No 1049/2001, and is in two parts.
79 By the first part of this plea, the Council, supported by the Commission, claims that the General Court failed to consider the specific nature of the subject-matter dealt with in the legal opinion contained in document 11897/09 and erroneously applied the ‘specific and actual harm’ standard.
80 In particular, the General Court had overlooked the specific circumstances of the present case, in particular the fact that the international negotiations on a sensitive matter relating to cooperation in the fight against terrorism were ongoing at the material time, and that the institutions were in disagreement regarding the choice of the legal basis of the proposed agreement. The fact that the General Court failed to take into consideration, for the purposes of the exception in the second indent of Article 4(2) of Regulation No 1049/2001, the subject-matter dealt with in the legal opinion was inconsistent with the case-law of the Court of Justice,
according to which the area of activity to which a document relates and its sensitive nature are relevant for the purposes of applying the relative exceptions provided for in Article 4(2) and (3) of that regulation.
81 According to the Council, the General Court’s insistence, in paragraph 73 of the judgment under appeal, on the fact that the interests related to the negotiation of the international agreement had already been taken into account ‘by the recognition of the wide discretion given to the institutions in applying the exception under the third indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation No 1049/2001’ is based on the false premiss that an institution cannot rely on the same factual elements in order to justify the application of different exceptions under Article 4 of that regulation, since that premiss is supported neither by the wording of the regulation itself nor by the relevant case-law, the Council citing in support of its view Commission v Agrofert Holding, C-477/10 P, EU:C:2012:394, paragraph 55, and Commission v Éditions Odile Jacob EU:C:2012:393, paragraphs 113 to 115.
82 The Council adds in that regard that the General Court committed an error of law by requiring it to establish the existence of specific and actual harm to the protection of legal advice and to submit specific, detailed evidence proving the existence of that harm.
83 In any event, the Council had explained, in the decision at issue, how, in the present case, public access to document 11897/09 was likely to undermine the interest protected by the exception in the second indent of Article 4(2) of Regulation No 1049/2001. In particular, there was a real risk that the European Parliament might seek to use elements in the legal opinion in the political exchanges between the institutions in order to influence the pending negotiations. Moreover, the negotiations had still been pending at the material time, while the Court of Justice had never ruled in favour of disclosure of a legal opinion in such circumstances.
84 Lastly, the Council submits that the General Court’s view, in paragraph 101 of the judgment under appeal, that ‘the public interest in the transparency of the decision-making process would become meaningless if, as the Commission proposes, it were to be taken into account only in those cases where the decision- making process has come to an end’, is inconsistent with the case-law of the Court of Justice, which admits that internal documents including legal opinions benefit from a higher level of protection while the relevant procedure is pending. It is also contrary to the wording of the second subparagraph of Article 4(3) of Regulation No 1049/2001, which provides for a specific exception regarding the protection of internal documents relating to a matter where the decision has not been taken by the institution.
85 According to Ms in’t Veld, supported by the European Parliament, the General Court in fact confined itself to considering whether the fact that the legal advice related to the European Union’s international relations should have changed its
analysis, and concluded in paragraph 71 of the judgment under appeal that this circumstance was not ‘in itself’ sufficient to justify a refusal based on the protection of legal advice.
86 In addition, the General Court’s statement in paragraph 88 of the judgment under appeal that ‘public participation in the procedure relating to the negotiation and the conclusion of an international agreement is necessarily restricted, in view of the legitimate interest in not revealing strategic elements of the negotiations’ did not mean that legal advice in relation to the legal basis of those negotiations is ‘particularly sensitive’. In fact, the judgment under appeal already allowed the Council to redact information from the opinion containing ‘strategic elements of the negotiations’ because it allowed the Council to redact ‘those passages in the requested document containing the analysis of the specific content of the [proposed] agreement which could have revealed the strategic objectives pursued by the European Union in the negotiations’. The part of the judgment which concerns the exception relating to legal advice therefore discussed only the remainder of document 11897/09. The Council’s arguments are therefore unfounded.
87 As to the General Court’s alleged error in the application of the ‘specific and actual harm’ standard, Ms in’t Veld refers back to her arguments in that regard which were set out in the second part of the first plea.
88 Lastly, with regard to the alleged existence of exceptional circumstances in the present case, Ms in’t Veld maintains, in response to the Council’s arguments, that, first, as regards the fact that disclosure should be refused on the ground that the legal advice related to an internal discussion in the Council on the commencement of the negotiations, that is not relevant, since all legal advice constitutes internal discussions on the topic on which they are prepared. Secondly, as regards the fact that the advice relates to the ‘sensitive matter’ of terrorism and terrorist-financing, the Council had not explained why this would be relevant for the purposes of justifying the restriction of access to an opinion concerning the legal basis for concluding an international agreement such as the proposed agreement. To the extent that the opinion describes the content of that agreement and the strategic objectives of the European Union, the General Court had decided that the Council was not obliged to disclose them. As to the other parts of the opinion — that is those concerning the legal basis on which to conclude the proposed agreement — their possibly sensitive nature would not depend on the subject-matter of the agreement itself. Thirdly, as regards the fact that the negotiations on that agreement were still ongoing, the General Court had rightly explained that if citizens were precluded from gaining access to internal documents of the institutions on the ground that the decision-making process had not been concluded, they would never be able to participate in that process. Furthermore, the Council’s reference in that context to Article 4(3) of Regulation No 1049/2001 was irrelevant, since that exception had not been invoked in the decision at issue. Fourthly, in the light of the argument that disclosure of the document would
increase the chances that the European Parliament ‘might seek to use elements in the legal opinion in the political exchanges between the institutions in order to influence the pending negotiations’, Ms in’t Veld notes that, as a Member of that Parliament, she had already been able to take cognisance of the content of document 11897/09 even before the decision at issue was adopted, and therefore, if she had wanted to use those elements in the negotiations with the Council, she could already have done so.
89 By the second part of its second plea, the Council, supported by the Commission, claims that the General Court made an error of law in applying, in the context of the present case, case-law of the Court of Justice according to which it is necessary, in the balancing exercise required by the last phrase of Article 4(2) of Regulation No 1049/2001, to take account of the fact that a legal opinion has been issued in the context of a legislative procedure (Sweden and Turco v Council, C-39/05 P and C-52/05 P, EU:C:2008:374). The General Court’s reasoning was based on the premiss that the same level of transparency should apply to the European Union’s decision-making process during the negotiation of an international agreement affecting the European Union’s legislative activity as applies to the legislative process of the European Union itself, which would amount to an unwarranted extension of the judgment in Sweden and Turco v Council (EU:C:2008:374) beyond the legislative sphere.
90 In fact, there is an important distinction between cases where the European Union is acting in its legislative capacity and those where it is acting in its executive capacity in conducting international relations. Regulation No 1049/2001 itself recognised the special protection to be accorded to international relations, the confidentiality of which is protected by an exception set out in the third indent of Article 4(1)(a), a provision in respect of which the legislator had not, however, foreseen a balancing of the competing interests.
91 Although issues of democratic accountability and EU citizens’ participation do arise in relation to the conclusion of an international agreement and its subsequent implementation by means of EU legislative acts, the Council maintains that that cannot be the case during the preceding negotiation phase, in so far as it is impossible to inform EU citizens at large without simultaneously informing the international partners with whom the European Union is negotiating.
92 Against that argument, Ms in’t Veld notes that the General Court allowed the Council to redact the passages in document 11897/09 discussing the specific content of the proposed agreement which could have revealed the strategic objectives of the European Union; therefore those arguments could not be relevant for the discussion of the legal basis of the agreement, as no ‘strategic elements’ derived from that.
93 In addition, the fact that the legal advice related to international relations and that Article 4(1) of Regulation No 1049/2001 contains a special ‘mandatory’ exception
protecting the European Union’s international relations does not remove the need to take into account the possibility of an overriding public interest in the context of Article 4(2) of that regulation. It is precisely because of the impact of the proposed agreement on the legislative activity of the European Union — that is the impact it has on rules that are binding on all EU citizens — that the need to confer greater legitimacy on the institutions and the increased confidence of citizens in them constitute an overriding interest.
94 Lastly, as regards the point raised by the Council that, in the context of ongoing negotiations, it is impossible to inform citizens at large without simultaneously informing the international partners with whom the European Union is negotiating, Ms in’t Veld states that, while that may be a relevant consideration for the refusal of public access to that part of document 11897/09 concerning the strategic objectives and negotiating tactics, that would not be the case as regards the remainder of that document, which concerns only the question of the legal basis.
95 As a preliminary point, it should be borne in mind that, according to the case-law of the Court, as regards the exception relating to legal advice laid down in the second indent of Article 4(2) of Regulation No 1049/2001, the examination to be undertaken by the Council when it is asked to disclose a document must necessarily be carried out in three stages, corresponding to the three criteria in that provision (Sweden and Turco v Council, EU:C:2008:374, paragraph 37).
96 Accordingly, the Council must first satisfy itself that the document which it is asked to disclose does indeed relate to legal advice. Secondly, it must examine whether disclosure of the parts of the document in question which have been identified as relating to legal advice would undermine the protection which must be afforded to that advice, in the sense that it would be harmful to an institution’s interest in seeking legal advice and receiving frank, objective and comprehensive advice. The risk of that interest being undermined must, in order to be capable of being relied on, be reasonably foreseeable and not purely hypothetical. Thirdly and lastly, if the Council takes the view that disclosure of a document would undermine the protection of legal advice as defined above, it is incumbent on the Council to ascertain whether there is any overriding public interest justifying disclosure despite the fact that its ability to seek legal advice and receive frank, objective and comprehensive advice would thereby be undermined (see, to that effect, Sweden and Turco v Council, EU:C:2008:374, paragraphs 38 to 44).
97 By the first part of its second ground of appeal, the Council, in the first place, claims that the General Court failed to take account, when assessing the risk that the disclosure of document 11897/09 would undermine the interest protected by the second indent of Article 4(2) of Regulation No 1049/2001, of the fact that the content of that document was particularly sensitive, since it concerned ongoing
international negotiations on a matter relating to cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
98 It is sufficient to note in that regard that the General Court did in fact take that point into consideration in paragraph 71 of the judgment under appeal, but ruled that that fact, in itself, was not sufficient for the application of the relevant exception to the right of access, since the possibility that the public interest in the field of international relations could be undermined is provided for by a separate exception.
99 That interpretation is not wrong in law.
100 First, it is true that an EU institution, when assessing a request for access to documents which it holds, may take into account more than one of the grounds for refusal set out in Article 4 of Regulation No 1049/2001 (see, to that effect, Commission v Éditions Odile Jacob EU:C:2012:393, paragraph 113, and Commission v Agrofert Holding EU:C:2012:394, paragraph 55).
101 However, by its arguments, the Council is really seeking to justify the application of a single ground for refusal — the protection of the public interest as regards international relations — by invoking to that end two different exceptions set out in Article 4 of Regulation No 1049/2001. Yet even on the assumption that identical facts could justify the application of two different exceptions, where — as in the present case — an applicant has unsuccessfully relied on the exception expressly laid down for the protection of international relations, that applicant cannot then be justified in referring to the same facts in order to establish a presumption that an exception protecting another interest — such as legal advice — should apply, without explaining how the disclosure of those documents could specifically and actually undermine that other interest.
102 Secondly, the General Court itself acknowledged in paragraph 88 of the judgment under appeal that public participation in the procedure relating to the negotiation and the conclusion of an international agreement is necessarily restricted, in view of the legitimate interest in not revealing strategic elements of the negotiations. In that regard, the Council’s complaint that the General Court failed to draw the appropriate conclusions from that consideration has no basis in fact, since it is precisely on the basis of that consideration that the General Court, in paragraphs 35 to 39 of the judgment under appeal, considered that access to that part of document 11897/09 which contained the strategic elements of the negotiations could legitimately be refused on the basis of the exception set out in the third indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation No 1049/2001.
103 In the second place, the Council claims that the General Court erroneously applied the ‘specific and actual harm’ standard.
104 In that regard, it is sufficient to note that, in the light of the case-law mentioned in paragraph 52 of the present judgment, the General Court correctly observed in
paragraph 69 of the judgment under appeal that the risk that the disclosure of document 11897/09 could specifically and actually undermine an institution’s interest in seeking and receiving frank, objective and comprehensive advice must be reasonably foreseeable and not purely hypothetical.
105 In order to provide the necessary explanations to establish the existence of such a risk, it is necessary, contrary to the Council’s and Commission’s assertions, to carry out the examination described in paragraph 96 of the present judgment, even if the document to which access is sought does not concern a legislative procedure.
106 Admittedly the Court emphasised, in paragraph 46 of the judgment in Sweden and Turco v Council (EU:C:2008:374), that the considerations, whereby it is for the Council to balance the particular interest to be protected by non-disclosure of the document concerned against, inter alia, the public interest in the document being made accessible in the light of the advantages stemming, as noted in recital 2 in the preamble to Regulation No 1049/2001, from increased openness, in that this enables citizens to participate more closely in the decision-making process and guarantees that the administration enjoys greater legitimacy and is more effective and more accountable to the citizen in a democratic system, are of particular relevance where the Council is acting in its legislative capacity.
107 However, the Court of Justice has also stated that the non-legislative activity of the institutions does not fall outside the scope of Regulation No 1049/2001. Suffice it to note in that respect that Article 2(3) of that regulation states that the latter applies to all documents held by an institution, that is to say, drawn up or received by it and in its possession, in all areas of EU activity (see, to that effect, Sweden v MyTravel and Commission, C-506/08 P, EU:C:2011:496, paragraphs 87, 88 and 109).
108 In the third place, the Council claims that, contrary to the criticism levelled at it by the General Court, as set out in the judgment under appeal, it had explained why, in the light of the circumstances of the case, public access to document 11897/09 was likely to undermine the interest protected by the exception in Article 4 of Regulation No 1049/2001.
109 As regards, on the one hand, the Council’s arguments as to the existence of a real risk of harm to the international negotiations, in that the European Parliament would seek to use the information contained in the legal opinion in order to influence the ongoing negotiations and to challenge the legality of the Council’s decision on the conclusion of the proposed agreement, suffice it to note that that criticism overlooks the fact that the General Court decided that the Council was justified in refusing access to those parts of document 11897/09 that related to the specific content of the proposed agreement and the strategic objectives which the European Union pursued in the negotiations. However the Council did not provide
any evidence to establish how the disclosure of the remainder of that document would have given rise to such risks.
110 On the other hand, as regards the Council’s argument that the General Court failed to take account of the fact that the negotiations were ongoing at the time of the request for access to document 11897/09, it must be noted that the General Court did in fact explicitly examine that consideration in paragraphs 72 and 73 of the judgment under appeal, and concluded that it had already been taken into account by the recognition of the wide discretion given to the institutions in applying the exception under the third indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Regulation No 1049/2001.
111 In the light of the foregoing considerations, the first part of the second plea raised by the Council in support of its appeal must be rejected.
112 Given that the Council has, in the context of the first part of its second ground of appeal, unsuccessfully challenged the General Court’s reasoning in the judgment under appeal — on the basis of which the General Court held, in paragraph 102 of that judgment, that the matters invoked in the decision at issue did not prove that the disclosure of document 11897/09 would have undermined the protection of legal advice —, there is no need to examine the second part of that plea, since the arguments set out are ineffective. That part of the plea relates to the General Court’s alternative grounds, according to which the Council had in any event failed to ascertain whether there was an overriding public interest justifying fuller disclosure of document 11897/09 in accordance with the second indent of Article 4(2) of Regulation No 1049/2001.
113 It follows from all of the foregoing considerations that the second plea must also be rejected; accordingly the appeal must be dismissed in its entirety.
114 Under Article 184(2) of the Rules of Procedure of the Court of Justice, where the appeal is unfounded, the Court is to make a decision as to the costs.
115 Under Article 138(1) of the Rules of Procedure, which applies to the procedure on an appeal by virtue of Article 184(1) of those rules, the unsuccessful party is to be ordered to pay the costs if they have been applied for in the successful party’s pleadings. Article 140(1) of the Rules of Procedure provides that the institutions which have intervened in the proceedings are to bear their own costs.
116 Since the Council has been unsuccessful and Ms in’t Veld has applied for costs, the Council must be ordered to pay the costs. The European Parliament and the Commission shall bear their own costs.
On those grounds, the Court (First Chamber) hereby:
1. Dismisses the appeal;
2. Orders the Council of the European Union to pay the costs;
3. Orders the European Parliament and the European Commission to bear their own costs.
[Signatures]
Etiquetas: #ISDS , featured , TTIP
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Renewable Energy in China (Volume 2)
Author: Manhong Mannie Liu, Mike Henry, Haifeng Huang
Pub Date: October 2013
25 Unique and In-Depth Case Studies from Renewable Energy Experts Contributed by 78 Scholars and Experts on Sustainable Economy
Prefaced by Nobel Prize Winner Mohan Munasinghe
Renewable Energy in China: Towards a Green Economy presents a complete look at China’s efforts to become a “green” nation. This three-volume series uses an overview of contemporary issues of sustainable development, as well as a set of 25 unique case studies (from leading companies and industry experts in China and the West), to highlight China’s unique “green” role. The key concepts of sustainable development, including the rising use of solar and wind power, present complex challenges for China and shape the nation’s geopolitical role. With a preface from renowned statesman Cheng Siwei and an introduction from Nobel Prize winner Mohan Munasinghe, Renewable Energy in China: Towards a Green Economy offers an authoritative review of all aspects of China’s progress as a green economy including the nation’s current efforts to promote a culture of sustainable development.
1. Prefaced by Nobel Prize Winner Mohan Munasinghe
2. 25 Unique and In-Depth Case Studies from Renewable Energy Experts
3. Contributions from 78 Scholars and Experts on Sustainable Economy
Current policies on renewable energy must also be strengthened to demonstrate China's global leadership in this area and build the energy framework for sustainable development.
--Mohan Munasinghe, Nobel Prize Winner
I hope that the publication of this book can raise awareness and provoke thought on the issue of renewable energy, and attract more people to participate in the study of theories and the application of renewable energy, and thus contribute to the development of renewable energy in China.
--Cheng Siwei, Former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China
Manhong Liu, Professor and PhD adviser at the School of Finance, Renmin University of China, is a Financial Adviser to the Beijing Municipal Government, the Director at Boston China VC Research Center, and the Director of the Private Equity Research Center at the Renmin University of China. She is the author of The Concept of Venture Capital, China Venture Capital Yearbook 2002, Venture Capital and the Second Board Market, and other works.
Haifeng Huang obtained his doctorate at Humboldt University of Berlin. He is the Professor and the director of the Center for Green Economy, Peking University HSBC Business School, as well as Asian Chairman in the Ecological Development Union International, and the supervisor of the China’s Ministry of Land and Resources.
Mike Henry is Associate Dean of the School of Business, Macewan University. He received his education at the University of Ottawa, and the University of Alberta.
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About EMSIsabella Weger
Isabella Weger
Isabella Weger is Deputy Director of the Computing Department at ECMWF. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, an independent intergovernmental organisation supported by 34 states, produces world-leading global medium-range numerical weather predictions for which it relies on advanced observation-analysis and numerical modelling techniques and the use of state-of-the-art supercomputer technologies.
Throughout her professional career, her focus has been on delivering high-performance computing services in scientific environments. She held various technical and management positions in IT Services at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), Austria, where she was in charge of the university’s HPC infrastructure and services from 1988 onwards. From 2000 to 2005 she was Director of IT Services at the University of Graz in Austria. She joined ECMWF in 2005, currently holding the position of Deputy Director of Computing.
Her expertise is in ICT infrastructure solutions, in particular high-performance computing and data management, and the provision of mission-critical services for the operational production of weather forecasts.
(photo: ECMWF)
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ems-messagesems-message May 2018Tillmann Mohr selected to receive the EMS Silver Medal 2018
Tillmann Mohr selected to receive the EMS Silver Medal 2018
The European Meteorological Society has chosen Tillmann Mohr as Laureate of the EMS Silver Medal 2018. He is honoured for his key role in shaping the European Meteorological Infrastructure (EMI). Under his visionary leadership, EUMETSAT matured into an internationally recognised organisation. In addition, he made an outstanding contribution to establishing a global space-based meteorological observing programme under the umbrella of WMO and has been instrumental in developing training and educational programmes for satellite meteorological products in Africa and worldwide. Through his entire career, he has been committed to the European meteorological community and has been very active in convincing decision-makers, as well as the public, about the importance of meteorological observations from space.
The Silver Medal ceremony, which includes a Silver Medal Lecture by the Laureate, will be held on Monday, 3 September 2018, during the Annual Meeting of the EMS in Budapest, Hungary.
Silver Medal Lecture: Architecture for Climate Monitoring from Space
Tillmann Mohr
Dr. Tillmann Mohr (photo: private)
Dr. Tillmann Mohr has made an outstanding contribution to meteorology on an international scale. He has played a key role in shaping the European Meteorological Infrastructure (EMI). Under his direction, EUMETSAT matured into an internationally-recognised organisation, with the initiation of two flagship programmes: Meteosat Second Generation and the European Polar System. He has also been instrumental in developing training and educational programmes for satellite meteorological products in Africa and worldwide. Through his entire career, he was very active in convincing decision-makers as well as the public about the importance of meteorological observations from space.
Undoubtedly, Dr. Mohr is one of the pioneers for satellite meteorology in Europe and worldwide. Having graduated at the University of Frankfurt, he started to work at the German Weather Service, DWD, and quickly recognised the enormous potential of satellites for meteorology, as can be seen from his first papers in 1971. After filling a variety of posts in DWD, he was appointed Vice President in 1984 and President from 1992 to 1995.
Dr. Mohr played a key role in the establishment of EUMETSAT. Starting with his membership in the relevant working group at ESRO (European Space Research Organization, later ESA) from 1971, he became one of the leaders of the European Meteorological Community and the European Space Agency. This included shaping the mission and mandate of EUMETSAT, and developing its Convention to include climate monitoring from space.
As Director General of EUMETSAT from 1995 to 2004, Dr. Mohr developed EUMETSAT into a leading institution worldwide whilst establishing new standards for meteorological observations form space. This was achieved with the approval of the innovative Meteosat Second Generation and EUMETSAT Polar System programmes and the development of both systems in cooperation with ESA.
Dr. Mohr’s visionary leadership has led to the involvement of EUMETSAT in the evolution of high-precision ocean altimetry to operational monitoring capabilities, in cooperation with NOAA, NASA and CNES.
Dr. Mohr’s concern and effort has always been to strengthen cooperation in the European meteorological community, be it as a principal delegate of Germany in the various international European organizations or in the WMO or, in particular, as Director-General of EUMETSAT. The widest possible use of satellite data in cooperation with the member countries of EUMETSAT has been greatly enhanced by him creating the Satellite Application Facilities (SAF) of EUMETSAT. The introduction of a training program was of particular importance for the optimal use of satellite data in Europe and especially in Africa. The biennial EUMETSAT African User’s Conferences were established under his leadership. He was also instrumental in the development of the legal instrument “Cooperating State” to enable participation and contributions by Eastern and South-eastern European countries, as a first step to become a member state of EUMETSAT.
In conjunction with the WMO space programme, Dr. Mohr promoted several ground-breaking initiatives in the field of satellite meteorology. These included the Global Space-based Inter-Calibration System (GSICS), the WMO Network for Sustained and Coordinated Processing of Environmental Satellite Data for Climate Monitoring (SCOPE-CM) and the WMO Integrated Global Dissemination Service (IGDDS).
Dr. Mohr has made distinguished contributions to the development of meteorology in Europe and the EMS is delighted that it is able to recognise his many achievements by awarding him the EMS Silver Medal.
Tillmann Mohr’s Professional Career:
1965 – 1995 Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD)
1970 – 1978 Satellite Meteorology Division of DWD
1974 Chief of Division
1978 – 1983 Head, Synoptic Meteorology Department of DWD
1983 – 1992 Head, General Services Department of DWD
1984 Deputy President of DWD
1992 – 1995 President of DWD and PR of Germany with WMO
1995 – 2004 Director-General EUMETSAT
International activities and responsibilities
1971 – 2016 Participation in more than 220 WMO sessions and meetings in his role as delegate/principle delegate of Germany (Congress, CBS), Vice-president (CBS), chairman (WG on the Global Observing System, Committee on the OWSE North Atlantic, Co-ordination Group on COSNA, EC Panel on Experts on Satellites), member (WG on the Global Observing System, Advisory WG of CBS, NAOS-Board, EC, Consultative Meeting on High Level Policy on Satellite Matters), observer representing EUMETSAT (EC and Congress), lecturer at various WMO seminars and conferences.
2004 – 2015 Special Advisor on Satellite Matters to Michel Jarraud, the then WMO Secretary General
2010 – 2013 Special Advisor on the Global Framework for Climate Services to Michel Jarraud, the then WMO Secretary General
2014 – present Special Advisor to the administrators of the China Meteorological Administration
2016 – present Special Advisor to Prof. Petteri Taalas, the WMO Secretary General
ESA/EUMETSAT
1971 – 1995 Member and Chairman of Working Groups and Programme Boards of ESA, heavily involved in the establishment of EUMETSAT. After the establishment of EUMETSAT in 1986 Head of German delegation to EUMETSAT Council, chairman of EUMETSAT Policy Advisory Group
CEOS (Committee on Earth Observing Satellite)
1995 – 2004 CEOS (Committee on Earth Observing Satellite) Member, representing EUMETSAT
1999 Chairman 1999
2005 – 2010 Member of International Polar Year (IPY) Joint Committee
European Commission (EC)
2004 – 2015 Member Space Advisory Group
Awards, Memberships, Honorary Titles and Distinctions
1996 Member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA)
2003 Gagarin Medal (Russian Federation)
2004 German Order of Merit 1St Class
2013 58th IMO Prize.
About the EMS
The EMS is the association of Meteorological Societies in Europe. The network consists of 37 Member Societies and 32 Associate Members. The EMS is a non-profit-making organisation. The EMS Annual Meetings attract some 600 people each year from all sectors of the field. With a number of Awards outstanding contributions to the science, its applications and communication are honoured; young scientists are supported through travel grants. http://www.emetsoc.org
EMS Silver Medal. The EMS Silver Medal was established in 2008 to honour important contributions to the development of meteorology in Europe. The Award is presented annually. Candidates for the EMS Silver Medal are nominated by Member Societies and Associate Members of the EMS. The EMS Awards Committee, consisting of senior members of meteorological institutions in Europe, makes recommendations to the EMS Council for a final decision. Previous recipients were the late Karin Labitzke (Germany), René Morin (France), Lennart Bengtsson (Sweden/Germany), David Burridge (United Kingdom), the late Jean-François Geleyn (France/Czech Republic), Tim Palmer (United Kingdom), Hartmut Graßl (Germany), Peter Lynch (Ireland), Anton Eliassen (Norway), Michel Jarraud (France/Switzerland) and Julia Slingo (United Kingdom).
EMS Awards Programme. More information on the EMS Awards Programme is available at https://www.emetsoc.org/awards/
EMS Annual Meeting: European Conference for Applied Meteorology and Climatology. The theme of the conference is “Weather and climate: global change and local hazards”. More information on the EMS Annual Meeting, 3-7 September 2018, in Budapest, Hungary, is available at http://www.ems2018.eu/for_the_media.html
Registration for the Media will be available online from May onwards.
Previous EMS Technology Award 2018 for the operational meteorological workstation NinJo Next ems-message May 2018
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UAE leaders congratulate French President on National Day
Published Sunday, July 14, 2019
President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message of congratulations to President Emmanuel Macron of France, on the occasion of his country's National Day, know as "Bastille Day".
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, sent similar messages to the French President on the occasion.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan also dispatched similar messages to Edouard Philippe, Prime Minister of France.
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Council of Europe human rights prize goes to jailed Belarus activist Bialiatski
Jailed Belarussian political rights activist Ales Bialiatski has become the first person to receive the Council of Europe’s Václav Havel Human Rights Prize.
The founder of Viasna Human Rights Centre in Minsk, Bialiatski is serving a four and a half year sentence in Belarus after being found guilty of tax evasion.
His wife Natalia Pinchuk collected the award at the Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg on his behalf.
The jury described Bialiatski as a political prisoner and praised his fight for democracy in Belarus.
President Alexander Lukashenko has been in power in Belarus for almost 20 years, stifling all opposition. He has been described as the head of ‘the last dictatorship in Europe’. Lukashenko is the subject of EU sanctions including a travel ban.
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Chapter Project
#ChapteroftheMonth
European_Horizons
Trump’s Coronavirus Response — A Fatal Blow to Transatlantic Cooperation and Multilateralism?
written by Jonas Heering for The Transatlanticist, April 4, 2020
Posted as part of the Pandemic Policy Series, dedicated to exploring European and transatlantic policies and experiences during this unprecedented time in global politics.
Original Article: https://medium.com/@GUeuropeanhorizons/trumps-coronavirus-response-a-fatal-blow-to-transatlantic-cooperation-and-multilateralism-7367899ed248
President Trump Delivers Remarks During a Coronavirus Update Briefing, March 20, 2020 (White House Flickr)
The COVID-19 epidemic has brought the world to a near-standstill. Confirmed global cases already exceed one million. With over 300,000 infections, the United States now tops the list of confirmed cases. Spain, Italy, Germany, and France round out the top five. Both in Europe and the United States, thousands are dying and economies are crumbling.
The global scale of the pandemic calls for more, not less international cooperation. And with the epicenter of the virus outbreak now in Europe and the United States, leaders on both sides of the Atlantic should rally together to find common solutions to a shared problem. Instead, the White House is using the coronavirus crisis to double-down on nationalist rhetoricand attack its European partners. The damage to the already-strained transatlantic relationship could be irreversible.
In its initial response, the Trump administration implemented a 30-day travel ban on foreigners arriving from the EU’s Schengen Area. Trump justified the ban by blaming the EU for failing to contain the virus and claiming that new cases in the US were “seeded by travelers from Europe.”This argument is in line with Trump’s overall narrative of labeling COVID-19 a “foreign virus.” By playing the blame-game, Trump seeks to distract from his own administration’s mismanagement of the virus outbreak in the United States. European leaders, blindsided by the White House’s announcement, criticized the United States’ unilateral move and called for greater international cooperation. The initial exclusion of the United Kingdom from the travel ban, despite having a significant number of COVID-19 cases at the time, demonstrates that Trump’s decision was not based on science but on politics: he wanted to punish his foes and protect his friends.
The White House response to the coronavirus outbreak, especially in the initial weeks of the pandemic, reinforces the belief held by many Europeans that the United States is no longer a reliable ally. These concerns are not new. Following Trump’s first G7 Summit in May 2017, Merkel proclaimed that “the times when we could rely completely on others are over,” in a clear reference to the United States. Since then, transatlantic relations have taken repeated beatings, from escalating tariff fights to Trump’s continuous attacks on NATO.
A deserted train in Switzerland (Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels)
Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the Trump administration’s nationalist retrenchment has not only further damaged transatlantic relations but also undermined multilateral cooperation at large. Last week, the State Department’s insistence on labeling COVID-19 as the ‘Wuhan virus’ torpedoed a joint declaration from the G7 leaders. Likewise, Trump’s insistence on blaming China for the virus outbreak prevented effective cooperation among G20 finance ministers and is contributing to paralysis at the UN Security Council.
To be sure, the United States is not the only one shunning multilateralism in favor of a nationalist response to the coronavirus crisis. Countries around the world have suspended travel, shut their borders, and resorted to protectionism. Within the EU Common Market, Germany and France restricted the export of respirators and medical masks. To preempt a cluster of national bans, the European Commission then implemented controls for the export of medical protective equipment to countries outside the bloc. Despite the Commission’s attempt to present a unified front, the initial national measures by several EU members challenge the idea of European solidarity.
The impulse by governments to prioritize protecting their own citizens is understandable, at least to an extent. But the implementation of uncoordinated national protectionist measures will only exacerbate the crisis. At its worst, nationalist retrenchment is manifested in the Trump administration’s attempt to buy a German medical company to develop a COVID-19 vaccine exclusively for the United States. Rather than competing with others to secure a vaccine, the U.S. government should encourage American and European scientists to collaborate on creating a vaccine available to everyone. Fighting a global pandemic is not a zero-sum game.
Times like this call for strong leadership and multilateral cooperation. In its response to the coronavirus crisis so far, the United States has abdicated whatever claims to global leadership it had left. And through its unilateral actions and accusatory language, the White House has further pushed its European allies away. If cooperation fails even when so many European and American lives are at stake, the damage to the transatlantic relationship will be irreversible.
Jonas Heering is an M.A. Candidate in German and European Studies at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, where he focuses on geopolitics, diplomacy, and EU-Russian relations. He is co-president of Georgetown’s European Horizons chapter and a producer with The Europe Desk team.
A Battle for the Future: How the COVID-19 recovery package is causing disruption within the EU
written by Oliver Zarp-Karsholt. “Europe will be forged in crises” (Monnet 1976) – those were the words of Jean Monnet, although the forging has not gone well in recent years. The handling of the 2008
Transnistria, a Ghost State
Is the transatlantic partnership in decline?
written by Carl Michel Reischel, Sciences Po Paris Transatlantic relations have considerably shaped international relations in the post-war international system. Their economic, political and military
FPW
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Western & Beachside Suburbs
Alliance Française d'Adelaide
319 Young Street, Wayville, Adelaide
Monday: 9am–6:30pm
Tuesday: 9am–6:30pm
Wednesday: 9am–6:30pm
Thursday: 9am–6:30pm
Friday: 9:30am–12:30pm
Amenities: Carpark, Toilets, Food Available
Suitable for Ages: Families
The Alliance Française d’Adélaïde is an Australian not-for-profit association dedicated to the promotion of the French language and culture. It celebrated 100 years of operation in 2010.
The Alliance offers a wide range of French classes for all ages (children, high school students and adults) and all levels. You will find all sorts of courses adapted to your needs, availability and objectives. Our classes are conducted by experienced and qualified French teachers.
The Alliance is also a vibrant cultural centre and organises each year major cultural events and activities such as the French Film Festival, the French Market, cine-clubs, concerts, book launches and many other events.
The Alliance is accredited by the Ethnic Schools Board of South Australia and by the SACE Board of South Australia; it is the official examination centre for the DELF, DALF and TCF exams (run by the French Ministry of Education) in Adelaide.
Past events at Alliance Française d'Adelaide
The Ultimate General Knowledge Quiz Night
Alliance Française d'Adelaide, Sat 9 Jul 2016
Cinéma des Petits at the Alliance Française d'Adelaide
Alliance Française d'Adelaide, Fri 27 Jun 2014
"Déjeuner-Conversation" at the Alliance Française d'Adelaide
Alliance Française d'Adelaide, Wed 14 May 2014 – Wed 28 May 2014
Ciné-Club Fantomas
Alliance Française d'Adelaide, Fri 30 Aug 2013
Trio Montagne
Alliance Française d'Adelaide, Fri 13 Jun 2014 – Sat 28 Jun 2014
Book Launch Meet ‘n Greet
Alliance Française d'Adelaide, Fri 23 May 2014
Alliance Française d'Adelaide, Fri 9 May 2014
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience at AFF
Adelaide Oval, North Adelaide, South Australia
Groovy Tunes
El Cheeky Flamingo, Adelaide CBD, South Australia
Roadhouse Riot
Commercial Hotel, Port Adelaide, South Australia
Adelaide Showground Farmers' Market
The Royal Adelaide Showgrounds, Wayville, South Australia
Tomorrow 8:30am – more dates
Adelaide Summer Orchestra
Norwood Concert Hall, Norwood, South Australia
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Reminder: AACPL now offering curbside services at most branches
EOA Staff | June 10, 2020, 04:11 PM
Officials from the Anne Arundel County Public Library (AACPL) want to remind customers that the Anne Arundel County Public Libraries are now offering a new contactless curbside pickup service which began on Monday, June 8 at most branches. Additionally, live telephone assistance began Monday. Unfortunately, in-branch services are delayed until July 6.
“While we had hoped to open our doors in mid-June, we have not received all of our protective equipment,” said Library CEO Skip Auld. “Today’s social distancing restrictions require us to completely change how we provide service to ensure the health and safety of our customers, staff and volunteers. We appreciate everyone’s patience.”
“I applaud the library for creating innovative ways to serve customers during our current health crisis,” said County Executive Steuart Pittman. “I support their decision to delay reopening until all safety precautions can be completed.”
Library staff will offer contactless curbside pickup from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday-Saturday, at all locations with a few exceptions. Details on how to use contactless curbside pickup can be found on the library’s website at www.aacpl.net/curbside.
The Riviera Beach Library will not begin any service until June 29, as they move to their temporary location at 485A Fort Smallwood Road in Pasadena. A new library is being built on the site of the old building at 1130 Duvall Highway.
The Broadneck Library recently suffered serious water damage and won’t be available for any service until repairs can be made. Additionally, pickup and telephone service at the new Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library will not begin until the branch opens in mid-July.
The library has been serving customers online since the system closed its buildings on March 14. Residents can enjoy dozens of virtual programs on its Facebook page and on Zoom including live kindergarten readiness storytimes, movie discussion clubs, book clubs and numerous how to workshops focused on using library resources. These will continue through the summer. Customers should visit the library’s calendar of events for a complete list of virtual programs.
Additionally, many more titles have been added to the systems’ extensive digital collection of eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines and databases available on the library’s website and staff continue to provide reference help via social media and email.
In light of recent national events, the library has curated a special collection of books that delve into the issues of discrimination and systemic racism and provide tangible suggestions on how to build a more equitable society. CEO Skip Auld also issued a statement on the role of libraries in combatting racism that is available on the library’s Facebook page.
Customers can stay updated on changes to library services through the library’s social media channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and on their website.
Category: Events, LIFE IN THE AREA, Local News, NEWS, Post To FB
About the Author - EOA Staff
Eye On Annapolis is a community based site focusing strictly on Anne Arundel County. These staff postings are general news postings made by our team of bloggers throughout the day and are not attributed to any one particular staff person.
« “Most Maryland Beer Ever” is back for 5th year
Luminis (AAMC) honors the memory of George Floyd and shows support for Black lives »
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Store clerk gets 2 years for yelling racial slurs at customers, slashing their tires in Lombard
WHEATON (Sun-Times Media Wire) - A former store clerk was sentenced to two years in prison for yelling racial slurs and threatening four men with a knife before slashing a vehicle’s tires in the west suburban Lombard.
Ranferi Basilo, 33, entered a guilty plea to a felony count of hate crime on June 4, the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office said in a statement. He was sentenced Tuesday morning by Judge George Bakalis.
Basilo, who has also used the last name “Basilio,” was a clerk on Nov. 8, 2018, when four men walked into his 7-Eleven store on Westmore Street, prosecutors said. Basilo allegedly yelled racial slurs at the four men, three of whom were African American and the other Hispanic.
The men left the store but were confronted by Basilo holding a knife and yelling more slurs, prosecutors said. The men ran away and left their car in the lot. Basilo then slashed the vehicle’s tires, prosecutors said. Lombard police arrived and arrested him.
Later, Basilo was released on a $75,000 bond, prosecutors said. He was taken into custody again following his sentencing hearing Tuesday.
“Hate crimes have no place in civilized society,” State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. “These types of crimes victimize not only the intended target, but also entire communities.”
Basilo must serve 50 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole, prosecutors said.
Gang member pointed out rivals before killing man in Logan Square: prosecutors
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Inauguration Day also is White House move in and out day
Week 6 Game of the week coaches interviews
This week's coaches are from Central Dauphin and Central York!
Published: 6:33 PM EDT October 30, 2020
PENNSYLVANIA, USA — This week's coaches are from our Game of the Week, featuring Central York at Central Dauphin!
You can read a preview of the game below:
Central York (6-0) at Central Dauphin (5-0)
The winner of this one advances to the title game next weekend, where they'll face York, which got a free pass to the finals after Harrisburg pulled out due to COVID-19 quarantine on Tuesday.
Central York's Air Raid offense, installed by first-year coach Gerry Yonchiuk, has been putting up crazy numbers all season. The Panthers lead the YAIAA in scoring (59 points per game) and are second only to York High in total yards (417 per game). Junior QB Beau Pribula, who is verbally committed to Penn State, has shredded opponents for 1,170 yards and a league-high 24 touchdowns on 78-of-107 passing.
But lost in all that hoopla is the fact that Central York's defense has also been on fire all season. The Panthers have given up just 10 points all season, an average of 1.7 per game. Their average of 141 yards allowed per game is second in the YAIAA.
The top-seeded Rams are trying to defend the district crown they won in an instant-classic overtime thriller at Manheim Township last season, and appear well-equipped to do so. Junior quarterback Max Mosey has completed 54 of 84 passes for 857 yards and 12 touchdowns, while the rushing tandem of Shamarr Joppy (24-317, 4 TDs) and Timmy Smith (60-464, 4 TDs) powers the ground game. Malachi Bowman (19-283, 4 TDs) is Mosey's top target on the flanks.
CD roared through its abbreviated Mid-Penn schedule, demolishing opponents by an average margin of 35.8 points per game.
Central York has never won a district title. The Panthers are trying to get to the championship for the first time since 1990.
Central Dauphin is second straight Class 6A trophy and its fifth title overall.
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A Brief Introduction to Holocaust Revisionism
http://www.renegadetribune.com/a-brief-introduction-to-holocaust-revisionism/
By Arthur R. Butz
I see three principal reasons for the widespread but erroneous belief in the legend of millions of Jews killed by the Germans during World War II: U.S. and British troops found horrible piles of corpses in the West German camps they captured in 1945 (e.g. Dachau and Belsen); there are no longer large communities of Jews in Poland; and historians generally support the legend.
During both world wars, Germany was forced to fight typhus, carried by lice in the constant traffic with the East. That is why all accounts of entry into the German concentration camps speak of shaving of hair and showering and other delousing procedures, such as treatment of quarters with the pesticide Zyklon. That was also the main reason for a high death rate in the camps, and for the crematoria that existed in all.
When Germany collapsed in chaos, then of course all such defenses ceased, and typhus and other diseases became rampant in the camps, which quartered mainly political prisoners, ordinary criminals, homosexuals, conscientious objectors and Jews conscripted for labor. Hence the horrible scenes, which however had nothing to do with “extermination” or any deliberate policy. Moreover, the West German camps involved were not the alleged “extermination camps,” which were all in Poland (e.g. Auschwitz and Treblinka) and which were all evacuated or shut down before capture by the Soviets, who found no such scenes.
The “Final Solution” spoken of in the German documents was a program of evacuation, resettlement and deportation of Jews with the ultimate objective of expulsion from Europe. During the war Jews of various nationalities were being moved east, as one stage in this Final Solution. The legend claims that the motion was mainly for extermination purposes.
The great majority of the millions allegedly exterminated were East European — not German or West European — Jews. For that reason study of the problem via population statistics has been difficult to impossible, but it is a fact that there are no longer large communities of Jews in Poland. However, the Germans were only one of several parties involved in moving Jews around. The Soviets deported virtually all of the Jews of eastern Poland to their interior in 1940. After the war, with Polish and other Jews pouring out of the East into occupied West Germany, the Zionists moved large numbers to Palestine, and the United States and other countries absorbed many Jews, in most cases under conditions making impossible a numerical accounting. Moreover, the Polish borders were changed drastically at the end of the war; the country was literally moved west.
Historians generally support the legend, but there are precedents for nearly incomprehensible blindness on the part of scholars. For example, throughout the Middle Ages even the Pope’s political enemies conceded his false claim that the 4th century Emperor Constantine had ceded rule of the west to the Pope, although all knew very well that Constantine had been succeeded by more emperors. Near unanimity among the academics is especially suspect when there exist great political pressures; in some countries, Holocaust Revisionists have been prosecuted.
It is easy to show that the extermination legend merits skepticism. Even the casual reader of the Holocaust literature knows that during the war virtually nobody acted as though it were happening. Thus it is common to berate the Vatican, the Red Cross and the Allies (especially the intelligence agencies) of their ignorance and inaction, and to explain that the Jews generally did not resist deportation because they did not know what was in store for them. If you add all this up you have the strange claim that for almost three years German trains, operating on a continental scale in densely civilized regions of Europe, were regularly and systematically moving millions of Jews to their deaths, and nobody noticed except for a few of our Jewish leaders who were making public “extermination” claims.
On closer examination even those few Jewish leaders were not acting as though it were happening. Ordinary communications between the occupied and neutral countries were open, and they were in contact with the Jews whom the Germans were deporting, who thus could not have been in ignorance of “extermination” if those claims had any validity.
This incredible ignorance must also be attributed to Hans Oster’s department in German military intelligence, correctly labeled “the veritable general staff of the opposition to Hitler” in a recent review.
What we are offered in evidence was gathered after the war, in trials. The evidence is almost all oral testimony and “confessions.” Without the evidence of these trials there would be no significant evidence of “extermination.” One must pause and ponder this carefully. Were trials needed to determine that the Battle of Waterloo happened? The bombings of Hamburg, Dresden, Hiroshima and Nagasaki? The slaughter in Cambodia? Yet this three-year program, of continental scope, claiming millions of victims, requires trials to argue its reality. I am not arguing that the trials were illegal or unfair, I am arguing that such historical logic as the legend rests on must not be countenanced. Such events cannot happen without generating commensurate and contemporaneous evidence for their reality, just as a great forest fire cannot take place without producing smoke. One may as well believe that New York City was burned down, if confessions to the deed can be produced.
Detailed consideration of the specific evidence put forward in support of the legend has been a focus of the Revisionist literature and cannot be undertaken here, but I shall mention one point. The claim of the legend is that there were no technical means provided for the specific task of extermination, and that means originally provided for other purposes did double duty in improvised arrangements. Thus the Jews were allegedly gassed with the pesticide Zyklon, and their corpses disappeared into the crematoria along with the deaths from “ordinary” causes (the ashes or other remains of millions of victims never having been found). Surely any thoughtful person must be skeptical.
From The Journal of Historical Review, Summer 1991 (Vol. 11, No. 2), pages 251-254.
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Georges Schoucair
Abbout Productions
Founder and CEO of Abbout Productions, Georges Schoucair has developed and produced critically acclaimed and award-winning independent movies and actively contributed to the establishment of an attractive and globally acknowledged environment for film investments in Lebanon and the development of the Lebanese cinema, one of the most promising cinemas in the Middle East today.
As a producer, Georges was able to develop strong relationships with prominent Arab and international film professionals and closely worked with award winning directors and internationally recognized actors. His films have screened at prestigious film festivals such as Cannes, Berlinale, Toronto, Venice, Locarno, Karlovy Vary, etc.
In parallel to Abbout Productions, Georges co-founded MC Distribution, which releases independent films in the Middle East and North Africa, and since 2008 has been the vice-president of Metropolis, the only arthouse cinema in Beirut.
His most recent endeavor is founding Schortcut Films in 2016, which has co-produced many acclaimed films like Félicité (2017), Wajib (2017), Rafiki (2018), Beauty & The Dogs (2018), It Must Be Heaven (2019), A Son (2019) and more.
In 2019, Georges was invited to be a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences in the Executive branch from the Middle East.
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Tons of new details for Star Trek: Discovery revealed
Female lead, timeline and more
By Matthew Razak February 20, 2020
Star Trek: Discovery head Brian Fuller was on a roll at the CBS All-Access panel at the TCA Press Tour dropping bombs about the show that Trek fans have been desperate to learn. The biggest one is that the show is set ten years before TOS and will deal with an important historical moment in Star Trek history that’s been discussed, but never elaborated on.
The show will run for 13 episodes (more will be ordered if it is successful) and function more like a Netflix show where each episode is chapter in a novel, building the story and perfect for binge watching. It will have a major focus on diversity (as all Trek does) including a black female lead character and a wealth of extra alien crew members. No one has been cast yet, but Fuller did confirm that the lead character will not be a Captain, but a Lieutenant Commander instead. This means the focus of the show will be off the bridge, which is something that Fuller said was played out after six shows and a plethora of movies. “Lower Decks” is one of my favorite episodes of The Next Generation so I am absolutely fine with this idea.
Other small details are that there will be a gay character, the plot should bridge the gap between Enterprise and TOS, and that the Romulan War will not be involved, but Black Ops Section 3 could be.
To conclude, Fuller offered up an interesting quote about the design of the ship and teased that we might be pulling into some interesting timeline changes. It’s both concerning and interesting at the same time.
“Since we are doing this series in 2016, and all the other series have been produced in a timeline that isn’t as sophisticated as we are now in terms of what we can do production-wise, we’re going to be reestablishing an entire look for the series. Not only for the series, but for what we want to accomplish for Star Trek beyond the series. So we have to start early on with a touch point where people can understand and have access into it, show them how we’re reimagining Star Trek and then hold their hand as we pull them hopefully into iterations a lot of different timelines beyond what we have seen.”
Matthew Razak
Matthew Razak is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Flixist. He has worked as a critic for more than a decade, reviewing and talking about movies, TV shows, and videogames. He will talk your ear off about James Bond movies, Doctor Who, Zelda, and Star Trek.
Nicolas Cage wails on killer mascots in Willy’s Wonderland trailer
Last of Us series gets a Cannes winner to direct
Moon Knight is about to get a whole lot of Ethan Hawke
Get a first look at the new Mortal Kombat movie
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Home | News | Women's Football | Slough Town FC
Slough Town to launch ladies team for 2019/20
By Tom Canning
New women's football team coming to East Berks next season
Tom Canning
East Berkshire will have a new women’s football team for the 2019/20 season after Vanarama National League South side Slough Town announced it was launching a new side.
The club, who play at the terrific Arbour Park ground in Slough released a statement on its website confirming the intention to launch a new ladies side.
It said: “Slough Town Football Club is delighted to announce that we intend to start a brand new Ladies team for the 2019/20 season.
“We would like to invite any interested players (aged 16+) to attend training sessions on Monday evenings at Arbour Park (Stoke Road, SL2 5AY) from 20:00 – 21:00 starting on Monday 4 February.
“The sessions will be open to anyone – whether currently playing, having played in the past and wanting to get back into football, or for those who just fancy having a go at something new.
“Players will require shin pads and footwear suitable for the 3G playing surface at Arbour Park.”
It is not yet known which Division the team will enter with the Thames Valley Counties Women’s League and Southern Region Women’s League the likely destinations.
TVCWFL withdrawal
One piece of bad news for the TVCWFL has seen Taplow United Reds withdraw from Division 2 East.
A brief statement on the league full time page reads: “Sadly, Taplow Utd Reds have confirmed that they cannot complete their fixture program. All their Results & fixtures will be expunged from the Second Division East League.”
Taplow United’s blues team remains in the TVCWFL Division One.
Slough Town FC, Thames Valley Counties Women's Football League
Tom is the co-editor of Football in Berkshire. He has played at the lowest possible level of football. In real life Tom works for Reach PLC. Former manager of Binfield Ladies in the Thames Valley Women's League.
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Buy Locally via Bookshop
Banzai Babe Ruth
Robert K. Fitts
University of Nebraska Press (March 2012)
Hardcover $34.95 (368pp)
The literal translation of the Japanese word banzai is “ten thousand years.” But the Japanese use it like the French use vive or the English “long live.” To think that the Japanese in 1934, amid crumbling relations with America, would come out by the thousands to apply that honorific to Babe Ruth and other major leaguers is a fascinating and little-known story. Banzai Babe Ruth is far more than just a sports story. It is, as Robert K. Fitts writes, a story of “sports diplomacy, espionage, infidelity, attempted murder, and an attempt to overthrow the Japanese government.” Whew.
By the 1930s, besuboru, as baseball was known in Japan, was already wildly popular. On a number of occasions, ending in a diplomatic near-disaster in 1931, the United States had been sending professional baseball all-star teams to Japan with the fleeting hope to bring the two countries closer through a shared love of the game. (In 1931, racist comments from the American dugout were overheard by an English-speaking Japanese coach and relayed to the Japanese press, who had a field day.)
But in 1934, two men decided to give it another go. One was an enterprising Japanese newspaper owner, Matsutaro Shoriki, who thought, rightly, that sponsoring an American all-star tour would increase sales; the other, and the real hero of Fitt’s book, was major leaguer Lefty O’Doul, who had been to Japan in 1931, loved the country, and would eventually form the first Japanese pro baseball teams.
Banzai Babe Ruth isn’t really so much about The Babe, although he lurks around every corner like an accident waiting to happen. It’s more about O’Doul, and the banjo-hitting catcher Moe Berg, who, it was said, “could speak twelve languages and can’t hit in any of them.” Berg was never without his camera, and may well have been an American spy. It’s also the story of Eiji Sawamura, a young pitcher who initially adored, then ultimately hated, America.
No one could have told this incredible story better than Robert K. Fitts. The greatest expert on Japanese baseball in America, Fitts has written two previous books on the subject, including Remembering Japanese Baseball: An Oral History of the Game. With Banzai Babe Ruth, Fitts reveals the social, historical, and cultural traditions of a country with which we shared a common interest in baseball, and little else.
Some of the rare photographs, including one of Babe Ruth in the outfield, a glove in one hand and a Japanese umbrella in the other, are alone worth the price of the book. Banzai Robert K. Fitts.
Reviewed by Jack Shakely
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The author of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the author for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
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“I just traveled halfway around the world to look at a toilet.”
Sparking a breakthrough
This obscure agency is key to solving our energy problems
Why I’m a fan of ARPA-E.
ARPA-E might be my favorite obscure government agency. In fact, it’s one of the reasons I felt confident about being part of a $1 billion investment fund last year.
The fund, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, builds companies that will deliver affordable, reliable clean energy around the world. Ultimately, we want to help people escape poverty, promote energy independence, reduce pollution, and avoid the worst effects of climate change. The idea is to invest the private capital that helps entrepreneurs take promising zero-emissions energy technologies out of the lab and into the market.
From BEV’s earliest days, we knew that delivering on the promise of energy innovation would depend on great laboratory research funded by governments. The crucial connection between private companies and public research is something I know well from my own experience with Microsoft. Consider how central the Internet is to the business strategy of virtually every technology company today, including Microsoft. But the Internet only exists because the Defense Department agency DARPA created the foundation for it with groundbreaking research into computer networking. No single business would ever have taken on a project of that scope.
The energy industry works the same way. Private companies depend on public research. In the United States, most energy research is funded by the Department of Energy, which supports basic science at labs and universities across the country. In 2008 the DOE launched ARPA-E with the goal of doing for energy what DARPA did for the Internet: provide a foundation on which the private sector can build, de-risking and proving new approaches so they attract private capital. (ARPA-E’s name stands for Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy.) The goal is to bridge the gap between scientists in the lab and entrepreneurs in the marketplace.
ARPA-E is bringing private investors to the table, and it is delivering results. So far, its projects have resulted in the creation of 56 new companies.
I’ve gone twice to the annual meeting where ARPA-E and its partners talk about what’s going well and what isn’t. It’s an impressive group of experts, and they’re working on some exciting ideas. For example, I’ve written before about the promise of creating carbon-neutral liquid fuels to power cars, trucks, ships and planes. ARPA-E has a program called REFUEL that’s supporting important work in this area. One REFUEL partner is developing a way to convert carbon dioxide directly to ethanol. Others are working on using ammonia to create hydrogen, which could be compressed into a liquid and burned as a fuel.
DARPA isn’t the only model for ARPA-E. It also reminds me of the National Institutes of Health, which has saved millions of lives by finding innovative approaches to fighting cancer, strokes, heart attacks, and other killers. If ARPA-E does for energy what DARPA did for computing and the NIH does for health, it will be one of the smartest public investments I can imagine.
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If My Heart Had Wings for Switch launches September 5 in Japan
Supports English, Japanese, and Chinese language options.
Sal RomanoAug 28, 2019 at 12:06 PM EDT0 Comment0
Animated visual novel If My Heart Had Wings will launch for Switch via the Nintendo eShop on September 5 in Japan for 2,500 yen, publisher MoeNovel and developer Pulltop announced. Pre-orders are available now at a discounted price of 2,250 yen. It will support English, Japanese, and Chinese language options.
If My Heart Had Wings first launched for PC in Japan in July 2012. MoeNovel released an English version of the game (Steam page) in June 2013. The English version was ported to iOS and Android in June 2014. In Japan, an updated version called If My Heart Had Wings: Cruise Sign, which includes a new character route and the If My Heart Had Wings: Flight Diary fan disc, was released for PlayStation 3 and PS Vita in March 2016.
Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page:
After a bicycle accident shatters his dreams of becoming a racer, Aoi Minase returns to his hometown, depressed and defeated. With seemingly no hope left for the future and no idea what to do with himself from here on, Aoi meets Kotori Habane―a young girl stuck in a wheelchair with a flat tire. It is on that windmill-dotted hill that Aoi’s somber yet touching story of youth, friendship, and flight begins.
Upon witnessing a glider soar overhead, Aoi sets off on a journey to realize the dream everyone has as a child: the dream of flight.
Working together with Aoi’s childhood friend, Ageha Himegi, the main characters of this visual novel begin rebuilding the Soaring Club, which is on the brink of disbandment at the hands of an uncaring school board. These beginners take hold of their passion, overcoming failures, obstacles, and interference from the school to put everything they have into building their own working glider.
Their ultimate goal: to fly through the legendary “Morning Glory”―a rare and stunning weather phenomenon producing a special type of roll-shaped cloud that appears in the morning when the conditions are just right.
Join Aoi on this journey as he learns about the sky, his new friends, and much more.
Total Play Time: 20 to 30 hours.
Five character-specific story branches to playthrough.
Full voice-overs throughout the game for all characters.
Watch a trailer for the Switch version below.
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Addiction Destroyed Their Lives Too
Alejandro Rimbey
All too often, young lives are cut short through drug addiction, and nowhere is this more apparent than with the rich and famous. In recent years there have been several high profile celebrities who have lost their lives to drug addiction – Whitney Houston and Amy Winehouse, to name just two – but what about all the lesser-known celebrities whose lives have been destroyed by drug addiction? Here we look at five such celebrities who died from a drug overdose before they turned 30.
Bridgette Anderson
Born in 1975, Bridgette declared that she wanted to be an actress when just two years of age and after a stint as a child model began acting at the tender age of seven. She is most remembered for her role as the title character in the 1982 film Savannah Smiles, which earned her a nomination for the Young Artist Award. In the mid-1980’s she had various acting roles in TV and film, but by 1987 her acting roles were infrequent. Perhaps her sudden rise to fame, followed by a slump in work was a contributing factor to her heroin addiction as a teenager. She died aged just 21 from a heroin overdose at a time when she had been desperately trying to stay clean from her drug habit.
Michael Dransfield
This Australian poet was born in 1948 and wrote his first poem at just eight years of age. During his short life, he wrote almost 1000 poems and has been described as “one of the most widely read poets of his generation” and someone who never got a chance to meet his full potential. The last book of poems published before his death in 1963, entitled Drug Poems, was influenced by his drug habit. He had been unwell during his 20’s and died aged only 24. Although there have been conflicting reports of the cause of his death, a heroin overdose and an infection from an injection site are thought to have been strong contenders.
Gino Herandez
Gino, who was born in 1957, became a professional wrestler, making it to World Class Championship Wrestling. His titles included winning the United States Heavyweight Championship in the Detroit area, but his downfall was his drug addiction. Gino’s addiction to cocaine was no secret, and his manager had encouraged him to kick his habit on numerous occasions, but he had been unable to do so. In February 1986, when Gino was 28, due to concerns regarding his wellbeing, police officers entered Gino’s apartment and found him dead. Although it was initially thought that Gino had been murdered, a post-mortem showed that his death had instead been due to a drug overdose.
Born in the 1940s, Frankie was a singer and songwriter of rhythm and blues and rock and roll music.
He became the lead singer in the group The Teenagers, most famous for their single Why Do Fools Fall in Love, which incidentally gave its name to the 1998 film inspired by his life. Frankie started using heroin, aged 15, and entered drug rehab in 1961. Despite having a clear three-year timeline before his death in 1968, Frankie died from a heroin overdose – aged only 25 – after celebrating the success of a music deal.
Dash Snow
An American artist, Dash, was born in 1981 and started taking photos during his teenage years. In 2006 he was mentioned in the Wall Street Journal, featuring in an article entitled The 23-Year Old Masters, which covered 10 American artists to watch out for. His photos, which were featured in galleries across the world, depicted the life of a young artist living in New York and included amongst other things scenes of drug-taking. Sadly he died of a heroin overdose aged 27.
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Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
Former Representative for South Dakota’s At-Large District
OpenSecrets VoteSmart Bioguide C-SPAN
Herseth Sandlin was the representative for South Dakota’s at-large district and was a Democrat. She served from 2004 to 2010.
Contact Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
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Head over to Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin’s website. If you are having a problem with a government agency, look for a contact link for casework to submit a request for help. Otherwise, look for a phone number on that website to call her office if you have a question.
Not all Members of Congress will accept messages from non-constituents. You can try your luck by visiting Herseth Sandlin’s website. Otherwise, try contacting your own representative:
You are currently on the website GovTrack.us, which has no affiliation with Herseth Sandlin and is not a government website. Choose from the options above to find the right way to contact Herseth Sandlin.
Ideology–Leadership Chart
Herseth Sandlin is shown as a purple triangle ▲ in our ideology-leadership chart below. Each dot was a member of the House of Representatives in 2010 positioned according to our ideology score (left to right) and our leadership score (leaders are toward the top).
The chart is based on the bills Herseth Sandlin sponsored and cosponsored from Jan 4, 2005 to Dec 21, 2010. See full analysis methodology.
Herseth Sandlin was the primary sponsor of 7 bills that were enacted:
H.R. 5651 (111th): To designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 515 9th Street in Rapid City, South Dakota, as the “Andrew W. Bogue Federal Building and ...
H.R. 1924 (111th): Tribal Law and Order Act of 2009
H.R. 2654 (110th): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 202 South Dumont Avenue in Woonsocket, South Dakota, as the “Eleanor McGovern Post Office Building”.
H.R. 3050 (110th): To grant the consent and approval of Congress to an interstate forest fire protection compact.
H.R. 4301 (109th): Blunt Reservoir and Pierre Canal Land Conveyance Act of 2006
H.R. 3967 (109th): Pactola Reservoir Reallocation Authorization Act of 2006
H.R. 546 (109th): Wind Cave National Park Boundary Revision Act of 2005
Does 7 not sound like a lot? Very few bills are ever enacted — most legislators sponsor only a handful that are signed into law. But there are other legislative activities that we don’t track that are also important, including offering amendments, committee work and oversight of the other branches, and constituent services.
We consider a bill enacted if one of the following is true: a) it is enacted itself, b) it has a companion bill in the other chamber (as identified by Congress) which was enacted, or c) if at least about half of its provisions were incorporated into bills that were enacted (as determined by an automated text analysis, applicable beginning with bills in the 110th Congress).
Bills Sponsored
Herseth Sandlin sponsored bills primarily in these issue areas:
Armed Forces and National Security (17%) Government Operations and Politics (16%) Economics and Public Finance (15%) Health (12%) Housing and Community Development (11%) Agriculture and Food (11%) Native Americans (10%) Education (9%)
Some of Herseth Sandlin’s most recently sponsored bills include...
H.R. 6338 (111th): To amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act to permit certain livestock owners ...
H.R. 6339 (111th): Veteran Medic Corpsmen Physician Assistant Demonstration Program Act of 2010
H.R. 6233 (111th): Native American Small Business Assistance and Entrepreneurial Growth Act of 2010
H.R. 6234 (111th): Comprehensive Long-Term Care Support Act of 2010
H.R. 6207 (111th): Rural Flood Mitigation and Recovery Act of 2010
H.R. 5651 (111th): To designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 515 ...
H.R. 5633 (111th): Consumer Vehicle Choice Act of 2010
View All » | View Cosponsors »
Herseth Sandlin voted Yea
S. 3729 (111th): National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010
Passed 304/118 on Sep 29, 2010.
Herseth Sandlin voted Nay
H.Con.Res. 308 (111th): Providing for a conditional adjournment of the House of Representatives.
Passed 231/189 on Jul 29, 2010.
H.Res. 1559 (111th): Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5822) making appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans ...
Herseth Sandlin voted No
H.R. 2701 (111th): Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010
Passed 235/168 on Feb 26, 2010.
H.R. 3221 (111th): Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009
The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 (SAFRA; H.R. 3221) is a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives of the 111th ...
H.R. 31 (111th): Lumbee Recognition Act
Passed 240/179 on Jun 3, 2009.
H.R. 7321 (110th): Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act
Passed 237/170 on Dec 10, 2008.
H.Res. 1525 (110th): Providing for consideration of the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 1424) to amend section 712 of ...
Passed 223/205 on Oct 3, 2008.
Herseth Sandlin voted Aye
H.Res. 801 (110th): Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3688) to implement the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement.
Passed 349/55 on Nov 7, 2007.
H.Res. 780 (110th): Providing for the consideration of the bill (H.R. 2262) to modify the requirements applicable to locatable minerals ...
Passed 224/195 on Nov 1, 2007.
H.R. 1830 (110th): To extend the authorities of the Andean Trade Preference Act until February 29, 2008.
Passed 365/59 on Jun 27, 2007.
From Jun 2004 to Dec 2010, Herseth Sandlin missed 105 of 5,066 roll call votes, which is 2.1%. This is better than the median of 3.1% among the lifetime records of representatives serving in Dec 2010. The chart below reports missed votes over time.
2004 Apr-Jun 102 0 0.0% 0th
2004 Jul-Sep 161 4 2.5% 44th
2004 Oct-Dec 58 0 0.0% 0th
2005 Jan-Mar 90 8 8.9% 86th
2005 Apr-Jun 272 15 5.5% 76th
2005 Jul-Sep 146 0 0.0% 0th
2005 Oct-Dec 163 2 1.2% 30th
2006 Jan-Mar 81 0 0.0% 0th
2006 Apr-Jun 276 6 2.2% 53rd
2006 Nov-Dec 27 2 7.4% 62nd
2007 Jan-Mar 213 0 0.0% 0th
2007 Oct-Dec 263 3 1.1% 23rd
2008 Jan-Mar 149 3 2.0% 29th
2008 Apr-Jun 321 6 1.9% 36th
2009 Jan-Mar 174 17 9.8% 92nd
2009 Oct-Dec 246 4 1.6% 32nd
2010 Nov-Dec 99 16 16.2% 83rd
The House and Senate websites, for committee membership and voting records
Congressional Pictorial Directory for the photo
GovInfo.gov, for sponsored bills
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin is pronounced:
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Graphic shows nominations for top foreign policy and national security positions.
بايدن يختار أعضاء فريق السياسة الخارجية
November 25, 2020 - President-elect Joe Biden has unveiled his top foreign policy and national security picks, including the first woman to lead the U.S. intelligence community and first Latino to helm the Department of Homeland Security.
The picks include former Secretary of State John Kerry to take the lead on combating climate change. Biden is also expected to choose Janet Yellen, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama to lead the Federal Reserve, as the first woman to become treasury secretary.
Biden’s emerging Cabinet marks a return to a more traditional approach to governing, relying on veteran policymakers with deep expertise and strong relationships in Washington and global capitals. And with a roster that includes multiple women and people of colour – some of whom are breaking historic barriers in their posts – Biden is fulfilling his campaign promise to lead a team that reflects the diversity of America.
The incoming president will nominate longtime adviser Antony Blinken to be secretary of state, lawyer Alejandro Mayorkas to be homeland security secretary and Linda Thomas-Greenfield to be ambassador to the United Nations. Avril Haines, a former deputy director of the CIA, will be nominated as director of national intelligence, the first woman to hold that post.
Thomas-Greenfield is Black, and Mayorkas is Cuban American.
In the weeks ahead, Biden could also name Michèle Flournoy as the first woman to lead the Defence Department. Pete Buttigieg, the former Indiana mayor and onetime presidential candidate, has also been mentioned as a contender for several Cabinet agencies.
“America is back”: Biden pushes past Trump era with nominees (AP)
Biden signals sharp shift from Trump with Cabinet picks (AP)
Factbox: The Biden Cabinet – President-elect builds his foreign policy team (Reuters)
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#RevoluciónTEN: on March 29 the transformation begins
Under the hashtag #RevolutionTEN, DTT television has been preparing the master plan for what is to be its greatest transformation for the channel, viewers and for television in this country.
From the Latin revolutum, Revolution means a radical change or transformation from the immediate past. On the 29th March, a month before celebrating its first birthday, TEN will begin its own uprising as a prelude to the great changes that the chain will make as of that same Wednesday.
An unprecedented effort with regard to its in-house production (seven in-house production premieres within only a few days), a total commitment to the most successful third-party productions on the planet, a television model that will revolutionize the way that we relate to television and to the viewer and, above all, a transformation of content which changes the way in which a viewer watches television.
The search for useful entertainment as a vehicle for change is due to the channel’s new philosophy of seeking to offer viewers rich and entertaining experiences.
On 29th of March, the new TEN will seek to involve the viewer in this revolution, a change that will be the birth of a new form of making television, designed to be enjoyed by creating a relationship between sender and receiver.
Can a television change your life? At TEN, we think so, and so for this we have created a series of unprecedented formats that will come to life on the programming grid/schedule, providing us with the necessary tools to change our lives. Lifestyle, gastronomy, sport, psychology, entertainment, leisure, confidence and personal development will be the milestones on which the new TEN will be built.
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Jewish Immigration to Israel Falls 12 Percent in 2016, Stats Show
Declining numbers from France, Ukraine cause sharp drop in aliyah figures. But more Jews from Russia, Brazil and Turkey are now making their homes in Israel.
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New olim saluting their Aliyah with (from left) founders of Nefesh B’Nefesh Rabbi Yehoshua Fass and Tony Gelbart, and Minister of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption Sofa Landver
Immigration to Israel dipped sharply in 2016 after several years of robust growth, according to preliminary estimates compiled by the Jewish Agency.
More than 700 immigrants from Brazil to arrive in Israel by year's end, Jewish Agency says
10% drop in immigration to Israel since start of last Jewish New Year
In these five flourishing Jewish communities, no one is in any rush to immigrate to Israel
The estimates, which are in the possession of Haaretz, indicate a drop of 12 percent in immigration this year – with the total number of new arrivals expected to reach 27,400 by the end of December.
The two countries that fueled the growth in previous years, France and Ukraine, were also the prime cause of the steep decline this year.
Jewish Agency figures show that just over 5,000 French Jews will have immigrated to Israel this year – down by about one-third from the previous year. 2015 saw a record number of 7,469 French Jews move to Israel, culminating a three-year spike in immigration from that country.
Rising anti-Semitism and an economic downturn were the chief factors behind the recent French exodus. With an estimated population of 500,000 Jews, France is home to the largest Jewish community in Europe.
French immigration to Israel from 2006 to 2016.Credit: Haaretz Infographics
Marc Eisenberg, the founder of Qualita, a new organization that aims to help French immigrants overcome relocation problems, blamed the 2016 downturn on the difficulties faced by many French Jews in finding jobs commensurate with their skills in Israel.
“In many cases, they come up against obstacles because they don’t speak Hebrew, and in many other cases, the problem is that their professional certification is not recognized in Israel,” he said.
Still, Eisenberg noted, “it’s impossible to break immigration records year after year. At some point, the numbers have to start turning down.” Indeed, the estimated number of French arrivals in Israel this year is still much higher than the average recorded before the recent boom.
According to Eisenberg, an estimated 15 percent of French Jews who immigrated to Israel during the recent immigration boom have since returned to France after failing to adjust to conditions in Israel.
In a report published in September, the Jewish People Policy Institute, a non-partisan think tank, raised several possible explanations for the downturn in French immigration, among them the French government’s commitment to protecting the Jewish community, which has reassured many Jews who had considered leaving, and the drying up of “ideology-based aliyah” – immigration motivated by deep Zionist conviction.
All immigration to Israel from 2006 to 2016.Credit: Haaretz Infographics
Another factor that could have served as a deterrent, according to the report, was last year’s spate of knifing attacks in Israel.
Ironically, some observers believe that the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris, in which 130 people were killed and 368 injured, caused some French Jews to stay put. “For many of them, it was a sign that terrorism in France was not necessarily targeting the Jewish community,” said a senior official active in promoting French immigration, who asked not to be named.
Many French Jews who have left the country in recent years – particularly those who are less religious – have moved to Canada, the United States and Great Britain.
The number of immigrants to Israel from Ukraine is expected to reach 5,700 by the end of this year – a 20 percent drop from 2015. Geopolitical tensions with Russia were behind the initial wave of immigration to Israel, but the incentive to relocate appears to have diminished now that the tension has abated, Jewish Agency officials noted.
Another possible explanation for the downturn in immigration from Ukraine, the officials said, is that many Ukrainians are choosing to go to Germany, which recently eased restrictions on immigration from the former Soviet Union.
By contrast, Russian Jews continue to flock to Israel. According to Jewish Agency estimates, an estimated 7,900 immigrants from Russia are expected to arrive in the country by the end of the year – an increase of 17 percent over 2015. The continued rise in immigration from that country was attributed by a Jewish Agency official to a sense among Russian Jews that “things are going from bad to worse there.”
Immigration was also up sharply this year from Brazil and Turkey – at least in percentage terms. About 700 Brazilian Jews are expected to move to Israel by the end of this year – an increase of more than 50 percent compared with 2015. This outflow of Brazilian Jews has been attributed to deepening concerns over personal safety in Latin America’s largest country as well as economic difficulties.
Meanwhile, the expected doubling of Jewish immigration from Turkey this year appears connected to growing political instability in that country and fears that the Jewish community is being targeted. According to Jewish Agency estimates, more than 220 Turkish Jews are expected to have moved to Israel by the end of this year.
The number of Jews immigrating to Israel from the United States is expected to remain stable this year at just over 3,000.
Jewish Diaspora
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10 unforgettable cyber security disasters of the past decade
In an ideal world, everybody’s personal data would always be safe and secure 24/7/365. Yet data breaches happen daily and, unfortunately, large companies holding millions of people’s data are often the target of hackers. There have been many cyber security disasters in the past decade. In the UK alone, almost half of businesses have been hit by a cyber breach or attack in 2017. There is a chance that you may have even been involved in one yourself. Our list consists of the companies which have suffered the biggest consequences of cyber breaches and attacks in the UK and the USA. Read on to see who could’ve been more careful...
1. Yahoo
Date: August 2013 Consequence: 3 billion users affected & $350 million knocked off Yahoo’s value Details: Yahoo takes the top spot as the most disastrous cyber-attack of all time. In 2016, while in negotiations with Verizon, Yahoo announced it had been the victim of the biggest data breach in history.It first claimed that the breach affected 1 billion users. Later, it then admitted that it had also suffered a second cyber-attack in 2014, and 500 million people’s data was stolen by hackers. Yahoo also revealed that it thought that both attacks had been carried out by ’state-sponsored’ attackers. Only in 2017 has Yahoo announced that 3 times the amount of accounts it previously claimed had been hacked. This meant that all 3 billion of its users were in danger of their sensitive data being used. The breach was detrimental to Yahoo’s worth, as Verizon only paid $4.48 billion for the company – a huge $350 million less than its previous worth. The once ‘internet giant’ has now significantly shrunk..
2. PSN (PlayStation Network)
Date: April 2011 Consequence: 77 million accounts hacked & $171 million loss Details: The cyber-attack on PSN was the biggest data breach incident in the gaming community. Hackers accessed the names, addresses, passwords and credit card details of 12 million of the total 77 million users. Subscribers were only told a week after the initial incident that all their personal details could’ve been accessed by a hacker. The cyber-attack was found to be ‘preventable’ as Sony should have had up-to-date security software. It was also found that PSN didn’t encrypt its users’ data, which made the breach even worse. The PlayStation hack was the first occasion which made people think about whether their information was really safe on the internet.
3. Equifax
Date: July 2017 Consequence: 143 million consumers’ personal data hacked & 209,000 consumers’ credit card data exposed Details: Credit-monitoring company Equifax was hit by a data breach that exposed the social security numbers and other data of roughly 143 million Americans (bearing in mind that the population of America was around 324 million at the time). The US credit company said that the breach happened due to an ‘application vulnerability’ on one of its websites. Penetration testers and other security researchers found that it would have been simple for an attacker to exploit the flaw and get into the system – meaning Equifax’s cyber security was far from the standard that it should’ve been. In terms of people affected, Equifax claimed that fewer than 400,000 UK accounts had been hacked. This figure then changed as they later confirmed 15 million UK records were targeted and 683,665 people had their data exposed. This included phone numbers, email addresses, passwords, driving licence numbers and the credit details of around 15,000 customers. Unfortunately for Equifax, millions of people aren’t going to forget about this one.
4. NHS
Date: May 2017 Consequence: Disruption to NHS trusts across the UK Details: The cyber-attack carried out on the NHS was due to a computer crypto virus called ‘WannaCry’. The virus encrypts data on infected computers and demands a ransom payment to allow users access. No data was leaked but 19,500 medical appointments were cancelled, computers at 600 surgeries locked and five hospitals had to divert their ambulances to go elsewhere. The severity of this attack was down to people’s lives rather than money. The damage would have been substantially worse had Marcus Hutchins, a security worker, not activated a ‘kill switch’ that prevented future infections from locking even more devices. The software demanded a ransom to be paid in the cryptocurrency Bitcoin worth $300. This would then allow the users to use a the security key to unlock their maliciously-encrypted drive. More than £100,000 was eventually paid to the hackers, who withdrew the funds in August. The NHS was criticised for allowing the breach to happen, as people thought they could have done more to prevent it with ‘basic IT security’. The cyber-attack on the NHS was sorted before the implications became even more serious.
Date: December 2013 Consequence: 110 million people in America had their debit/credit details compromised – costing the company $18.5 million Details: The American giant first claimed that hackers had collected the details of 40 million customers, after gaining access through a third-party HVAC vender to its payment card readers (used at the point of sale). This estimate increased in January 2014 to 70 million customers, and then eventually the final confirmed number of 110 million customers. The full names, addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers of the customers were also exposed during the breach. The atrocity of the breach meant that Target’s CIO and CEO both resigned. While the company was credited for its security advancements following the attack, it was fined a hefty $18.5 million. Ouch.
6. UBER
Date: Mid 2016 Consequence: 57 million customers affected worldwide and £75,000 ransom paid to hackers Details: UK authorities were unaware about the huge data breach that affected the transportation company. Millions of Brits’ details were placed within the hackers’ hands. The breach mainly affected Americans. However, the transport company still hasn’t actually confirmed the proportion of the British public who have had their details accessed. The hackers demanded a ransom of £75,000 to delete the data and keep quiet about the security breach. Instead of admitting that the company had suffered a cyber-attack, it named it a ‘bug bounty’ and claimed it had paid hackers to test the strength of the security software. This cyber-attack is one which we are still waiting to find out the full impact of…
7. Wonga
Date: April 2017 Consequence: 245,000 UK customers affected Detail: The breach to the payday loan firm was considered one of the worst data breaches to happen in the UK – affecting nearly 245,000 customers. The sensitive data accessed by hackers included names, email addresses, home addresses, phone numbers, bank account numbers and sort codes. Wonga was another one which kept quiet about the breach until it realised the seriousness of the situation. It took a whole week for the company to finally inform its customers that they could have been affected. While Yahoo was the biggest breach of UK data, Wonga is believed to be one of the biggest involving a breach of financial information. It has not yet been fined. But we’re betting it will, given what happened to others in our top 10.
8. eBay
Date: May 2014 Consequence: 145 million users affected Details: The hackers gained access through the company’s employees through a phishing email. They managed to go unnoticed by the company for 229 days, slowly collecting information. They managed to steal sensitive information including eBay users’ names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth. Luckily – a silver lining in a bad situation – the users’ credit card details were stored separately. It was one of the biggest cyber-attacks in the retail industry experienced by British customers. The company urged customers to change their passwords to stay protected from the online criminals. As a result, eBay was fined £500,000 for the breach of data.
9. LinkedIn
Date: 2012 (but only revealed in 2016) Consequence: 117 million LinkedIn emails and passwords Details: The hacker was found to be an online Russian criminal who goes by the name of ‘Peace’ – ironic. At the time of writing this article, he’s still selling the stolen data on the dark web. The hacked-data search engine LeakedSource also claims to have users’ details. In total, the hacker and the search engine claim that there are 167 million accounts in the hacked database. Of those, around 117 million have both emails and passwords. The attack on LinkedIn proves that no platform is safe from hackers.
10. Ashley Madison
Date: August 2015 Consequence: Leaked account details of 32 million users and a lot of broken marriages Details: Ashley Madison is the sister dating site of Avid Life Media (now re-branded ‘Ruby Life’). It has a similar layout to a dating website, but specifically caters for married individuals who want to have an affair. The website was the target for hackers who had two incentives. It’s thought that they were against Ashley Madison’s mission to arrange affairs for married individuals, and were against the fact that users had to pay $19 to have their data deleted. The hackers leaked the email addresses of 32 million users. Many of them were also blackmailed by the hacker, ‘Mr X’, who demanded that they pay $1000 worth of Bitcoins in order to have their subscription kept secret. Avid Life Media offered a bounty of $500,000 dollars to reveal the hacker. They haven’t yet been revealed, but there is a theory that it was a former female employee. It seems this hacker had both moral and financial incentives. The breach proves that everyone needs to be aware that their data may not stay hidden – even when they most want it to. Unfortunately, data breaches have become a daily occurrence, proving that no business is safe. The companies which made this list are well-known and large enterprises; however, smaller businesses can also easily be subject to a cyber-attack. The new GDPR legislation, which will be enforced from 2018, should make firms tighten up their security checks, so hopefully our personal data will become more secure. Get in touch with our friendly team to find out how we could help you with your cyber security.
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Look Hard Enough, You’ll Find a Sign
A review of We Are Marshall, Al Carelli, GCHS Alumni Died in that Plane Crash | cnbnews.net
Memorial Garden and Gazebo Dedicated In Honor of Pearl Kowalski | cnbnews.net
THIS ARTICLE WAS POSTED HERE on January 11, 2007
Pearl Kowalski Honored
By William E. Cleary Sr.
(January 11, 2007)GLOUCESTER CITY NJ ==This past November Gloucester City Board of Education dedicated a memorial garden in honor of Dr. Pearl Kowlaski, a long-time Gloucester City resident who was a teacher at Gloucester City High School in the 50's. Pearl's family approached the board recently and offered to fund a memorial garden in her honor. The gazebo was built using an $8,000 grant.
Dr. Mary Stansky, School District Superintendent, delivered the following address at the dedication ceremonies.
"Thank you for coming today, to help us dedicate this Gazebo, provided to Gloucester City Schools through a grant from the American Academy of Dermatology, in partnership with Johnson and Johnson, and to dedicate the memorial gardens that grace this gazebo, in honor of Dr. Pearl Hunsberger Kowalski.
Our school physician, Dr Carl Vitola, and Academy member Dr. Alex Macaione, sponsored our grant. We are very grateful for their support. This gazebo will provide not only protection from the sun for outdoor classrooms, but also opportunities for lessons about UV protection for our community.
Dr. Pearl Hunsberger Kowalski was a long-time Gloucester City resident and known as one of the trailblazers in Women's Athletics in the South Jersey area. After she graduated from East Stroudsburg University in 1947, Pearl started her teaching career at Audubon HS. She came to Gloucester City as a H & PE teacher in Fall of 1956. Pearl also coached the Field Hockey & Basketball teams. After two years, Pearl returned to Audubon to coach until 1959; after which she went on to Glassboro State (now Rowan University) where she taught and coached until she retired from there in 1986.
During here tenure at Rowan, Pearl (photo on left)served as Director of Women’s Athletics at Rowan University, as Head Field Hockey Coach for 20 years, and was an elected member of the Rowan University Sports Hall of Fame.
Other awards included:
• 1979 – Given the History of Honor Award – by the NJ Assoc of Health & Phys Ed , Recreation and Dance
• 1986 – Elected to East Stroudsburg University Hall of Fame – Class of ’47, for field hockey, basketball and tennis
• 2001 –Awarded Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators
Perhaps to truly understand the life of Pearl Kowalski, one only needs to look no further than to her nephew, Joe Tucker. He wrote, ”Although I cannot be here for the ceremony, I want to assure you of how very important my aunt 's influence was and continues to be in my life. As a matter of fact I am scheduled to be in Burlington, Vermont for a two day educational conference on the 28th and 29th (I live in Southern Vermont).
It was through her efforts in the late 1960's, while I was in the service, that she wrote and encouraged me to return to school when I returned home. Although, I was not a lover of school as a child, today I hold a Masters with certifications in ESL, Elementary Education , and Art K-12, in 3 states. Her influence is in the fabric of my life.”
We are grateful for her friends and family who contributed to the memorial fund to make this garden possible. May these gardens continue to serve as a reminder of the qualities she embraced and shared with all whose lives she touched."
On March 26, 2005, Age 80, Pearl joined her beloved late husband, Stephen. Pearl was born and raised in Souderton, PA and graduated from Souderton High School where she excelled in field hockey, basketball and softball.
She was a graduate of East Stroudsburg University and majored in Health and Physical Education. Pearl then received her masters degree and doctorate from Temple University in Philadelphia also specializing in Physical Education. Pearl had been a resident of Gloucester City for 50 years.
Throughout her life, Pearl loved to play tennis. Mrs. Kowalski served as a referee for field hockey and basketball. Pearl served on the board of the New Jersey Education Association, National Education Association, National Coaches Association and currently served as a First Vice-President of the New Jersey Retired Educators Association.
She was a proud member of the Gloucester City Historical Society where she helped in their ad drive for the annual play. Pearl attended Trinity United Methodist Church in Gloucester City.
NOTE: We will no longer be accepting photos, announcements or press releases for publication.
However, over the next year we plan on re-publishing some popular articles from our CNBNews Op-Ed, the CNBNews Point of View, and the CNBNews Tips and Snippets categories. Comments will be open.
RELATED: THANK YOU! GOOD BYE!
Joseph Kowalski, US Army Veteran, Retired Navy Yard Employee, Volunteer Fireman, GHS Alumnus
Letter: What happened to veterans' plaque at Rowan University?
Sachem East upset in state Class A field hockey final
Rowan-glassboro State Sports Hall of Fame National Champion Track & Field and Field Hockey Teams
Gloucester County/Rowan Partnership Brings New Fellowship Program
Posted by CNBNewsnet on Saturday, November 30, 2013 at 12:00 PM in CNBNEWS ARCHIVES, Gloucester City History | Permalink | Comments (0)
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No, India did not ban cryptocurrency. The truth is more interesting
Posted: 6 April 2018 6:10 pm
India's tightening cryptocurrency laws seem to be paving the way for a national Indian digital currency.
It's being widely reported (again) that India has just banned cryptocurrencies. This is an oversimplification. The original announcement from India's Reserve Bank (RBI) can be found here, more clearly laying out the situation.
Firstly it's not an outright ban, although it's a strong step towards one. The exact words are:
"With immediate effect, entities regulated by RBI shall not deal with or provide services to any individual or business entities dealing with or settling VCs [virtual currencies]. Regulated entities which already provide such services shall exit the relationship within a specified time [3 months]."
Banks and other RBI-regulated entities cannot start offering digital currency services, although those which already do – such as crypto to fiat exchanges – will have three months to stop. This has naturally sent prices plummeting across Indian crypto to fiat exchanges as people cash out while they can.
The RBI describes this as a "ring-fencing," to essentially brick up the doorways between the Indian rupee and cryptocurrencies.
However, non-RBI regulated entities can still perform crypto to fiat conversions. Unregulated platforms like LocalBitcoins, and perhaps other cash-in-hand cryptocurrency services, might still continue operating under these regulations.
It's a major crackdown, but it's not an outright ban. The three month timeframe is also significant in line with some of the other, more overlooked, parts of the press release.
India is investigating a national digital currency
"Rapid changes in the landscape of the payments industry along with factors such as emergence of private digital tokens and the rising costs of managing fiat paper/metallic money have led central banks around the world to explore the option of introducing fiat digital currencies," the press release reads.
"While many central banks are still engaged in the debate, an interdepartmental group has been constituted by the Reserve Bank to study and provide guidance on the desirability and feasibility to introduce a central bank digital currency. The Report will be submitted by end-June 2018."
According to this plan, it looks like India will have some kind of answer regarding whether or not it will pursue a national central bank cryptocurrency before the end of June. This is before the hard crypto crackdown actually takes effect. With these kinds of potential developments in the wings, it's clear that the situation is still up in the air and that it's too soon to declare cryptocurrency dead and buried in India.
Will an Indian central bank cryptocurrency happen?
It's not possible to say with certainty. Other countries have previously investigated national cryptocurrencies and been put off by its hazards and it's possible that the RBI will reach the same conclusion.
However, India might also be more likely to go the other way. Firstly, it's wrangling with major financial inclusion problems, and in this announcement and others, the RBI has clearly recognised the incredible potential of digital currencies as a tool for more easily and efficiently fostering financial inclusion. Other countries in similar positions are experiencing a technological leapfrogging effect, as underbanked citizens move directly to mobile payment apps, and often digital currencies too, bypassing banks and bank accounts entirely.
Even if it's not ideal, migrating one's citizenry to a national digital currency might be the lesser of two evils. Cryptocurrency has been booming in India and the last thing any country wants is its entire population over-exposed to the volatility and financial risks of cryptocurrency. This ring-fencing might be an effective way of easing cryptocurrencies into the background while the RBI lays out a plan for an Indian national digital currency.
Several countries have made concrete steps towards national cryptocurrencies, and some insiders have suggested that central bank cryptocurrencies are much closer to fruition than anyone thinks.
India would probably be one of the more likely ones to do so. Not only because the circumstances are right, but also because it has been much more focused on national blockchain systems than just about any other country. A central bank digital currency would be a natural part of the modern India.
Other parts of the press release also suggest a re-consolidation of digital finances within the country.
Wallet data
"It is observed that at present only certain payment system operators and their outsourcing partners store the payment system data either partly or completely in the country. In order to have unfettered access to all payment data for supervisory purposes, it has been decided that all payment system operators will ensure that data related to payment systems operated by them are stored only inside the country within a period of 6 months. Detailed instructions will be issued in this regard within one week."
This is kind of an overlooked big deal. Within 6 months, all digital wallet operators and their partners will be required to store payment system data in India, to a certain extent, to ensure that authorities are able to more effectively oversee it. If someone was anticipating widespread uptake of digital currencies within the next year, and wanted to ensure it could be done in line with AML/CTF laws, this is probably exactly what someone would want to do.
India did not ban cryptocurrency. It simply closed off many of the ties between fiat and crypto. Anyone in India who really wants to buy and sell cryptocurrency can still do it, especially for at least the next three months.
Plus, simply characterising the RBI announcement as a cryptocurrency ban is missing the much more important big picture, which is India's investigation of a national digital currency, and its broader moves towards becoming a much more financially and technologically connected nation, all of which are happening incredibly fast.
It looks like by the end of 2018 things will be very different around India, regardless of how much less convenient it is to buy bitcoin there.
Disclosure: At the time of writing the author holds ETH, IOTA, ICX, VEN, XLM, BTC, NANO
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Berber History
http://www.berkeleyside.com/2011/05/12/out-in-berkeley-berbers-rising-with-moh-alileche/
"Singing in Tamazight, the indigenous language of the Amazigh (or “free people,” better known in the West as Berbers), Alileche performs his arrangements of traditional songs and originals, which alternate between achingly nostalgic descriptions of Kabylia and laments for his people’s continuing oppression." -Andrew Gilbert
Earball Media
http://www.earball.net/spintheglobe/reviews_data_2005/02_05.htm
"Moh Alileche serves as something of a musical ambassador, calling attention to his people's plight with sadly beautiful music." -Scott Allan Stevens
http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Protest-songs-from-Algeria-via-Berkeley-Moh-2715734.php
"Many songs on Moh Alileche's new album evoke rich images of his native Algeria. He even went back to his homeland to record the music, but the Berkeley musician hasn't created a romanticized paean to life there." -Jonathan Curiel
Harmonic Convergence / S.F. World Music Festival showcases some of the best musicians on the planet
"Alileche is well-known to those who love North African music, but he is still a well-kept secret to other world-music fans." -Jonathan Curiel
© Copyright. All rights reserved. 1999-2020
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Beyond domestic terrorists, officials eye foreign influence, drones as threats to Biden inauguration
Heavy snow, rain, gusty winds hit Northeast as California sees record heat, critical fire danger
Home /Suspect arrested, charged with murder for Sonic Drive-In shooting that killed 2, injured 2
Uncategorized23rd November 2020
Suspect arrested, charged with murder for Sonic Drive-In shooting that killed 2, injured 2
Police initially received a call reporting a possible bomb inside of a truck.
A suspect is under arrest and charged in connection with a shooting at a Sonic Drive-In late Saturday evening that killed two people and left two others hospitalized, according to police.
At approximately 9:23 p.m. police in Bellevue, Nebraska, received a call about reports of a possible bomb inside a moving truck in the parking lot of a Sonic Drive-In, according to local authorities.
In a statement released by the Bellevue Police Department, numerous officers immediately responded to the scene of the incident, which was then updated at 9:24 p.m. to a shooting, with the first officers arriving only two minutes later at 9:26 p.m. to discover four victims with gunshot wounds.
“Two victims were transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center,” the Bellevue Police Department said in its statement. “Two additional victims were determined to be deceased on the scene. The victims will be identified after the completion of appropriate family notifications.”
On Sunday evening, police released the names of the shooting victims, all who were employees of Sonic: Nathan Pastrana, 22, and Ryan Helbert, 28, both died at the scene. Kenneth Gerner, 25, and Zoey Reece Atalig Lujan, 18, were injured.
Roberto Carlos Silva Jr., 23, was taken into custody shortly after police arrived on scene, according to authorities. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of arson, the police said Sunday.
Robert Carlos Silva smiles in this mugshot after he was arrested in Bellevue, Neb., on murder and arson charges, Nov. 21, 2020.
At a press conference late Sunday, police showed bodycam video of Silva Jr. being arrested in the parking lot of the Bellevue restaurant. In one part of the video — which was shown on a screen at the presser and is not being released beyond that — one can see the U-Haul truck burning in the background.
Police did not release any details on why the U-Haul was on fire, only that they believe the truck was in fact brought there by the suspect..
Police did not give any updates on the condition of the two victims who were taken to hospital, and the motive behind the shooting is currently not known.
Authorities also said that there are no indications of any additional suspects involved in the shooting.
ABC News’ Ivan Pereira contributed to this report.
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What is the meaning of the dress design?
With this dress, I wanted to represent the traditional costume of Venezuela. You might find women wearing flowing ruffled dresses at national celebrations while men dress up with liqui liqui.
Recalling that I made the dress to participate in a cultural celebration at Anglia Ruskin University, I based this first creation on my beloved country's folkloric dress.
From top to bottom, the centre of the upper part of the dress contains Venezuelan Bs.f 100 (Bolivares Fuertes) notes which have printed Simón Bolívar's face. Bolívar is recognised as one of the most important heroes in Venezuela and Latin America's history, and that is where the official name of the Venezuelan currency ("Bolívar") comes from.
The rest of the dress was made with around 2.500 unit of (Bs.F) valid between 2007-2018 and Bolivares Soberanos (Bs.S) 2018-present.
An interesting fact: The (Bs.F 100) bills used to make this piece were taken out of circulation by the government in December 2017. The Central Bank of Venezuela printed two new paper-notes with Bolivar's face - one was the Bs.F 20,000 and the other the Bs.F 100,000. In this way, it is easier to hide the phenomenon of hyperinflation in Venezuela.
The garment contains hundreds of fans that together simulate the waves of the Venezuelan folk dress. Additionally, by using the hand-fan design, I intended to represent somehow the name of this web page: ideasforvenezuela.org.
I am working hard to grow this project into a space that crowdsources ideas that help rebuild my country's economy and society.
In summary, the fan design on my dress symbolises the multiple ranges of ideas that can arise from each of us to support Venezuela, as well as the Venezuela traditional costume.
I am now looking for web developers and investors who want to work on creating further this portal.
Want to take on this opportunity? Connect with me on LinkedIn, on Instagram or by email.
Where has the money dress been displayed?
At the Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) during the Global Week
At the Cambridge Judge Business School (CJBS)
At the ARU's Faculty of Business and Law
At the Ruskin Gallery in the Sustainable Art Prize (SAP)
At the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) monthly chapter study meeting in Cambridge
At the Histon & Impington Feast Festival
At the Royal Coin Cabinet National Museum of Economy of Stockholm, Sweden
What are the future plans with the money dress?
This dress can be exhibited on a mannequin in different venues like museums, galleries, universities, high-street events, and others.
My wish is that it will be part of an exhibition at The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge Or even at the Tate Modern gallery in London one day.
I will continue wearing it on any occasion that allows me to speak out for my Venezuelan people and whether possible to raise money to help my homeland.
I would love to continue visiting universities in the UK, doing demonstrations and delivering speeches.
Help me to carry on my mission. Contact me today!
Project history - Banknotes that traveled from Venezuela and were showed off as a national dress
On how to join a dress and an economic phenomenon into one powerful message
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Background Screening Glossary
Home»Client Support»Background Check Information»Background Screening Glossary
Background Check Terms and Definitions for HR and businesses.
You will often find terms like multi-state criminal database searches, criminal record searches, or adverse action when viewing a background check report. It is not uncommon for the proper meaning of these phrases to not be fully understood by both human resources and businesses. To support your learning, we have arranged below several terms you will likely see in the background check business.
AExpand
Abated by Death
Case disposed of by death
Taking away by violence or fraud and persuasion; kidnapping. Usually a female or wife, child or ward.
See Aiding and Abetting.
Taking away with intent to harm or deceive.
Not the perpetrator of the crime but in some way involved without being present in the commission of the crime.
Accessory After the Fact
One who helps a criminal to elude arrest.
Accessory Before the Fact
One who induces another to commit a crime.
Account Condition
Indicates the present state of the account, but does not indicate the payment history of the account that led to the current state. (i.e. open, paid, charge off, repossession, settled, foreclosed, etc.).
The unique number assigned by a creditor to identify your account with them. Credit Bureaus remove several digits of each account number on the credit report as a fraud prevention measure.
Accounts in Good Standing
Credit items that have a positive status and should reflect favorably on your creditworthiness.
Active judge
A judge in the full-time service of the court. Compare to senior judge.
A jury verdict that a criminal defendant is not guilty, or the finding of a judge that the evidence is insufficient to support a conviction.
Active Case
Case is currently active
Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AO)
The federal agency responsible for collecting court statistics, administering the federal courts' budget, and performing many other administrative and programmatic functions, under the direction and supervision of the Judicial Conference of the United States.
The ability to automate a judgment based on background screening outcome. This judgment often results in “meets requirements” or “does not meet requirements” outcome. Once adjudication takes place automatic distribution and/or adverse action can occur.
Adjudicated Guilty Conviction
The defendant has been found guilty of the charges.
Adjudication Withheld Non-conviction
The court does not give a final judgment regarding the case. The defendant is given probation, a program or community service in which they have a specified amount of time to complete. If the defendant complies, the case may be dismissed, depending on the county/state. If they do not dismiss in that particular county / state, then the disposition remains adjudication withheld and the case is closed. However, if the defendant is found in violation, the case disposition may be changed and the defendant can be found guilty.
Percentage of the debt that is to be repaid to the credit grantors in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
Admissible
A term used to describe evidence that may be considered by a jury or judge in civil and criminal cases.
Adversary Proceeding
A lawsuit arising in or related to a bankruptcy case that begins by filing a complaint with the court, that is, a "trial" that takes place within the context of a bankruptcy case.
Adulterated Specimen
A specimen that contains a substance that is not expected to be present in human urine, or contains a substance expected to be present but is at a concentration so high that it is not consistent with human urine.
A voluntarily, written statement of fact, confirmed by oath.
Persons are affiliates of one another if, directly or indirectly, one controls or has the power to control the other, or a third party controls or has the power to control both. Indicators of control include, but are not limited to: interlocking management or ownership; shared interest among family members; shared facilities or equipment; or common use of employees. Following the issuance of a public interest exclusion, an organization having the same or similar management, ownership, or principal employees as the service agent concerning whom a public interest exclusion is in effect is regarded as an affiliate. This definition is used in connection with the public interest exclusion procedures of Subpart R of this part.
Brawl or disturbance. Not premeditated.
Aggravated
(assault, battery, arson, etc.) Circumstances surrounding the commission of a crime or tort, which increase or add to its injurious consequences.
Aiding and Abetting
To assist and/or incite another to commit a crime.
Air Blank
In evidential breath testing devices (EBTs) using gas chromatography technology, a reading of the device's internal standard. In all other EBTs, a reading of ambient air containing no alcohol.
Alcohol Concentration
The alcohol in a volume of breath expressed in terms of grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath as indicated by a breath test under this part.
Alcohol Confirmation Test
A subsequent test using an EBT, following a screening test with a result of 0.02 or greater, that provides quantitative data about the alcohol concentration.
Alcohol Screening Device (ASD)
A breath or saliva device, other than an EBT, that is approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and placed on a conforming products list (CPL) for such devices.
Alcohol Screening Test
An analytic procedure to determine whether an employee may have a prohibited concentration of alcohol in a breath or saliva specimen.
Alcohol Testing Site
A place selected by the employer where employees present themselves for the purpose of providing breath or saliva for an alcohol test.
The intoxicating agent in beverage alcohol, ethyl alcohol or other low molecular weight alcohol’s, including methyl or isopropyl alcohol.
The drinking or swallowing of any beverage, liquid mixture or preparation (including any medication), containing alcohol.
False name used in substitution of a legal name on official documents and for official purposes. Nicknames are not considered aliases. May be noted as AKA (Also Known As) on criminal records
A measure of how much interest credit will cost you, expressed as an annual percentage.
Antitrust Acts or Laws
Laws to protect trade and commerce from unlawful practice.
A complaint to a superior court to review the decision of a lower court.
One who makes a complaint to a superior court to review the decision of a lower court.
A court having jurisdiction of appeal and review. Not a trial court.
Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Any system, whether in paper or software form, that manages both an organization’s job posting and data collection (i.e., resume/applications) process to efficiently match prospective candidates to the proper positions.
To take something from another for one’s own use or benefit.
Archive/Archives
The place where records are stored after a certain specified period of time. The period of time a record is held at a court of record may differ between courts and states.
ARD Program Non-Conviction
Mostly found in the state of Pennsylvania, this stands for “Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition Program.” This program is given to the defendant in place of adjudication. If the defendant completes the program, the case is closed.
A call to the accused to come before the court to hear charges or enter a plea.
The taking of an individual into custody by law enforcement personnel for the purpose of charging them with an illegal act.
An official form completed by the police department when a person is arrested. Also, a cumulative record of all instances in which a person has been arrested.
The attempted or intentional destruction of property by fire or explosion.
Intentional or threatened infliction of injury to another. The classification of "aggravated" is assigned when the injury is considered serious or when injury is threatened or carried out with the use of a deadly or dangerous weapon. The classification of "simple" is assigned when the injury inflicted or threatened is not serious and a deadly weapon is not used. May be used with Battery.
Person permitted by a credit cardholder to charge goods and services on the cardholder's account but who is not responsible for repayment of the debt. The account displays on the credit reports of the cardholder as well as the authorized user. If you wish to have your name permanently removed as an authorized user on an account, you will need to notify the credit grantor.
BExpand
The release, prior to trial, of a person accused of a crime, under specified conditions designed to assure that person's appearance in court when required. Also can refer to the amount of bond money posted as a financial condition of pretrial release.
Balloon Payments
A loan with a balloon payment requires that a single, lump-sum payment be made at the end of the loan.
A legal procedure for dealing with debt problems of individuals and businesses; specifically, a case filed under one of the chapters of title 11 of the United States Code (the Bankruptcy Code).
Bankruptcy Code
Federal laws governing the conditions and procedures under which persons claiming inability to repay their debts can seek relief.
Nonconsensual, unlawful contact, such as touching, beating or wounding of another.
Bench Trial
Trial by judge, without jury.
Bench Warrant or Arrest Warrant
A process delivered by the court directing a law enforcement agency to bring a specified individual before the court.
Bind Over
To put under bond to appear in court. The term is also used when a case is shifted from a lower court to a higher court.
An illegal demand for money or property under threat of harm or exposure of undesirable acts.
Blind Specimen or Blind Performance Test Specimen
A specimen submitted to a laboratory for quality control testing purposes, with a fictitious identifier, so that the laboratory cannot distinguish it from an employee specimen.
A certificate of obligation, either unsecured or secured with collateral, to pay a specified amount of money within a specified period of time.
Bond Forfeiture
Bond forfeiture occurs when a case has been disposed and a fine is to be, or has been paid. If it is a first offense, it is listed on the record but not classified as a conviction; any other time it is classified as a conviction.
An operation with the purpose of placing, registering, paying off or collecting debts for bets.
Breath Alcohol Technician (BAT)
A person who instructs and assists employees in the alcohol testing process and operates an evidential breath testing device.
A written statement submitted in a trial or appellate proceeding that explains one side's legal and factual arguments.
The duty to prove disputed facts. In civil cases, a plaintiff generally has the burden of proving his or her case. In criminal cases, the government has the burden of proving the defendant's guilt. (See standard of proof.)
The act of entering a premises, without the privilege to enter, with the purpose of committing a crime. States may classify as first, second, or third degree burglary.
CExpand
Cancelled Test
A drug or alcohol test that has a problem identified that cannot be or has not been corrected, or which otherwise requires to be cancelled. A cancelled test is neither a positive nor a negative test.
Factor in determining creditworthiness. Capacity is assessed by weighing a borrower's earning ability and the likelihood of continuing income against the amount of debt the borrower carries at the time the application for credit is made. While capacity may be considered in a credit decision, the credit report does not contain information about earning ability or the likelihood of continuing income.
Capias
The Latin meaning is "That You Take". This is the name for several types of writs, which require that a law enforcement official take a named defendant into custody.
Capital Case/Crime
Case or crime for which the death penalty may be imposed.
Punishment by death for capital crime.
Sexual, sensual. Carnal knowledge is sexual intercourse.
A complete collection of every document filed in court in a case.
The law as established in previous court decisions. A synonym for legal precedent. Akin to common law, which springs from tradition and judicial decisions.
Cause of Action
One or more related charges, combined and made against a defendant for wrongs committed.
Chain of Custody (COC)
The procedure used to document the handling of the urine specimen from the time the employee gives the specimen to the collector until the specimen is destroyed. This procedure uses the Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form (CCF).
The chapter of the Bankruptcy Code providing for "liquidation," that is, the sale of a debtor's nonexempt property and the distribution of the proceeds to creditors. In order to be eligible for Chapter 7, the debtor must satisfy a "means test." The court will evaluate the debtor's income and expenses to determine if the debtor may proceed under Chapter 7.
Chapter 7 Trustee
A person appointed in a Chapter 7 case to represent the interests of the bankruptcy estate and the creditors. The trustee's responsibilities include reviewing the debtor's petition and schedules, liquidating the property of the estate, and making distributions to creditors. The trustee may also bring actions against creditors or the debtor to recover property of the bankruptcy estate.
The chapter of the Bankruptcy Code providing for reorganization of municipalities (which includes cities and towns, as well as villages, counties, taxing districts, municipal utilities, and school districts).
A reorganization bankruptcy, usually involving a corporation or partnership. A Chapter 11 debtor usually proposes a plan of reorganization to keep its business alive and pay creditors over time. Individuals or people in business can also seek relief in Chapter 11.
The chapter of the Bankruptcy Code providing for adjustment of debts of a "family farmer" or "family fisherman," as the terms are defined in the Bankruptcy Code.
The chapter of the Bankruptcy Code providing for the adjustment of debts of an individual with regular income, often referred to as a "wage-earner" plan. Chapter 13 allows a debtor to keep property and use his or her disposable income to pay debts over time, usually three to five years.
Chapter 13 Trustee
A person appointed to administer a Chapter 13 case. A Chapter 13 trustee's responsibilities are similar to those of a Chapter 7 trustee; however, a Chapter 13 trustee has the additional responsibilities of overseeing the debtor's plan, receiving payments from debtors, and disbursing plan payments to creditors.
The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court; chief judges are determined by seniority.
In criminal law, a charge is an allegation that an individual has committed a specific offense.
Charge-Off
Action of transferring accounts deemed uncollectible to a category such as bad debt or loss. Collectors will usually continue to solicit payments, but the accounts are no longer considered part of a company's receivable or profit picture.
Courts whose jurisdiction extends over several counties or districts. (There are thirteen judicial circuits wherein the US. Courts of Appeals reside).
Judicial division of the United States or of an individual state.
A reference to a book or other source of legal authority. An order issued by a law enforcement officer requiring appearance in court to answer a charge. Bail is not accepted in lieu of appearance.
Courts that try persons accused of violating municipal ordinances. City courts may have jurisdiction over minor civil or criminal cases, or both.
Civil Action
Any court action against a consumer to regain money for someone else. Usually, it will be a wage assignment, child support judgment, small claims judgment or a civil judgment.
Civil Disorder
A violent public disturbance by three or more people, which causes danger, damage or injury to property or persons.
The amount awarded in a court action.
The date an account was closed.
Co-Defendant
One of a group of two or more people charged in the same crime.
The use of physical force or threats to compel someone to commit an act against his or her will.
Collection Container
A container into which the employee urinates to provide the specimen for a drug test.
A place selected by the employer where employees present themselves for the purpose of providing a urine specimen for a drug test.
A person who instructs and assists employees at a collection site, who receives and makes an initial inspection of the specimen provided by those employees, and who initiates and completes the CCF.
Co-Maker
A creditworthy co-maker is sometimes required in situations where an applicant's qualifications are marginal. A co-maker is legally responsible to repay the charges in the joint account agreement.
Compounding Crime
The receipt by an individual of consideration in exchange for an agreement not to prosecute or inform on someone who they know has committed a crime.
Concurrent Sentences
Two or more terms of imprisonment served simultaneously.
Conditional Discharge
A conviction. Court issues the discharge from the jail and requires defendant to comply with some conditions. Regardless whether defendant complies with rules or not, he/she is still convicted (GUILTY) and case can never be expunged.
Conditional Release
The release from a correctional facility before full sentence has been served which is conditioned on specific behavior. If conditions are not met, the individual may be returned to the facility.
Confirmation (or confirmatory) Validity Test
A second test performed on a urine specimen to further support a validity test result.
Confirmed Drug Test
A confirmation test result received by an MRO from a laboratory.
Consecutive Sentences
Multiple sentences, served one after the other.
Consent Decree – Conviction
This is found in New Mexico. It is designed as a disposition for juvenile cases in which the defendant pleads guilty and is placed on the decree / probation for six months.
Consortium/ Third-Party Administrator (C/TPA)
A service agent that provides or coordinates the provision of a variety of drug and alcohol testing services to employers. C/TPAs typically perform administrative tasks concerning the operation of the employers' drug and alcohol testing programs. This term includes, but is not limited to, groups of employers who join together to administer, as a single entity, the DOT drug and alcohol testing programs of its members. C/TPAs are not "employers" for purposes of this part.
The coming together of two or more people for the purpose of committing an unlawful act or to commit a lawful act by unlawful means.
Consumer Credit Counseling Service
A nonprofit organization that assists consumers in dealing with their credit problems.
Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA)
A bureau that gathers and provides information about individuals - such as if they pay their bills on time or have filed bankruptcy - to creditors, employers, and landlords. Companies that perform pre-employment screening services are also considered CRAs and are governed by the FCRA, as are the employers that use background screening services.
An act committed which serves to obstruct the court in its administration or authority.
A delay or postponement of a court hearing.
Training for medical review officers (MROs) and substance abuse professionals (SAPs) who have completed qualification training and are performing MRO or SAP functions, designed to keep MROs and SAPs current on changes and developments in the DOT drug and alcohol testing program.
A drug whose availability is restricted by law.
The unauthorized taking of another’s property.
Guilty verdict in a criminal trial.
Co-Signer
Person who pledges in writing as part of a credit contract to repay the debt if the borrower fails to do so. The account displays on both the borrower's and the cosigner's credit reports.
Cost-Per-Hire
A common measure used in human resources to evaluate the average costs incurred in recruiting and hiring new employees. Generally the equation is total recruitment costs divided by total number of new hires. Typical components of this measure include relocation costs, advertising/job board fees, interviewing expenses, referral bonuses, recruitment staff compensation, skills assessment and pre-employment screening.
Count/Charge
An offense named in a cause of action. A cause of action may contain multiple counts or charges, each relating to the others but identifying a separate offense.
Court of Limited Jurisdiction
Court that has authority to adjudicate cases of a certain kind or up to a limited amount, usually lesser offenses. (Opposite of Court of General Jurisdiction)
Court of Record
The court where the permanent record of all proceedings is held.
Use, or attempted use of a credit card to purchase goods or services with the intent to avoid payment of such.
Generally refers to two events in individual bankruptcy cases: (1) the "individual or group briefing" from a nonprofit budget and credit counseling agency that individual debtors must attend prior to filing under any chapter of the Bankruptcy Code; and (2) the "instructional course in personal financial management" in chapters 7 and 13 that an individual debtor must complete before a discharge is entered. There are exceptions to both requirements for certain categories of debtors, exigent circumstances, or if the U.S. trustee or bankruptcy administrator have determined that there are insufficient approved credit counseling agencies available to provide the necessary counseling.
Credit Items
Information reported by current or past creditors.
Credit Limit/Line of Credit
In open-end credit, the maximum amount a borrower can draw upon or the maximum that an account can show as outstanding.
A person to whom or business to which the debtor owes money or that claims to be owed money by the debtor.
Confidential report on a consumer's payment habits as reported by their creditors to a consumer credit reporting agency. The agency provides the information to credit grantors who have a permissible purpose under the law to review the report.
Tool used by credit grantors to provide an objective means of determining risks in granting credit. Credit scoring increases efficiency and timely response in the credit granting process. Credit scoring criteria is set by the credit grantor.
The ability of a consumer to receive favorable consideration and approval for the use of credit from an establishment to which they applied.
Crime Against Nature
Deviate sexual intercourse.
Criminal Nonsupport
Failure to pay child support in violation of court order.
Culpability
Blame, or degree of responsibility for a crime. This may be in degrees of purposeful, knowingly, recklessly or by negligence.
Cumulative Sentence
A sentence that takes effect after a prior sentence is completed for crimes tried under the same cause of action.
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Dangerous Weapon
Something that is capable, though not designed to cause serious injury or death.
The date that a public record was awarded.
Date of Status
On the credit report, date the creditor last reported information about the account.
On the credit report, indicates the date an account was opened.
Date Resolved
The completion date or satisfaction date of a public record item.
Dead Docket – Non-Conviction
Often seen in Fulton, Georgia, there is not enough evidence that shows the defendant is guilty or that he is innocent. The case is set aside. If not brought back up, case is closed.
Deadly Weapon
A weapon designed to cause serious injury or death.
A person who has filed a petition for relief under the Bankruptcy Code.
Declaratory Judgment
A judge's statement about someone's rights. For example, a plaintiff may seek a declaratory judgment that a particular statute, as written, violates some constitutional right.
Default Judgment
A judgment awarding a plaintiff the relief sought in the complaint because the defendant has failed to appear in court or otherwise respond to the complaint.
A person who has been formally charge with committing a specific crime.
Deferred Adjudication of Guilt
The final judgment is delayed for a period of time. Can be likened to probation before a final verdict. If "probation" is completed without incident, the charges are usually dropped and the case is dismissed. During the "probationary period" the disposition is not necessarily considered a conviction.
Latin for "anew" or "afresh". Usually used as Trial De Novo. New trial, or one that is held for a second time, as if there had been no previous trial or decision.
Deferred Discharge
Dismissed and considered a non-conviction.
Deferred Probation
The judge doesn’t make a finding of guilt; he assigns probation. If probation is completed without incident, the charges are usually dropped.
Deferred Sentence
Postponement of the pronouncement of the sentence.
Defraud
Knowingly misrepresenting facts to cheat or trick.
(First, Second, or Third, A, B or C). Classification assigned to a crime, depending on circumstances, for purposes of determining punishment. First degree is considered most serious than third; A is more serious than C. Degrees may be assigned to the actual crime (IE. murder in the first or second degree) or the class of crimes (IE. felony or misdemeanor).
Accounts classified into categories according to the time past due. Common classifications are 30, 60, 90 and 120 days past due. Special classifications also include charge-off, repossession, transferred, etc.
Designated Employer Representative (DER)
An employee authorized by the employer to take immediate action(s) to remove employees from safety-sensitive duties, or cause employees to be removed from these covered duties, and to make required decisions in the testing and evaluation processes. The DER also receives test results and other communications for the employer, consistent with the requirements of this part. Service agents cannot act as DERs.
Dilute Specimen
A specimen with creatinine and specific gravity values that are lower than expected for human urine. If a laboratory also marks the dilute box, the MRO reports the verified test result (i.e., either "Positive" or "Negative"), marks the dilute box, and informs the employer that the next time the donor is selected for a drug test the employer may require the specimen to be collected under direct observation because the specimen was dilute.
If it is believed that an individual has a "shy bladder," the employer must arrange to have the donor evaluated, as soon as practical after the attempted collection, by a licensed physician (e.g., the MRO, a physician acceptable to the employer, the employer’s occupational health physician) to determine whether the donor’s inability to provide a specimen is genuine or constitutes a refusal to provide a specimen.
A release of a debtor from personal liability for certain dischargeable debts. Notable exceptions to dischargeability are taxes and student loans. A discharge releases a debtor from personal liability for certain debts known as dischargeable debts and prevents the creditors owed those debts from taking any action against the debtor or the debtor's property to collect the debts. The discharge also prohibits creditors from communicating with the debtor regarding the debt, including through telephone calls, letters, and personal contact.
Directed Verdict
A determination by a jury, made at the direction of the judge. A directed verdict happens in cases where there has been a lack of evidence, an overwhelming amount of evidence, or where the law is in favor of one of the parties.
Providing the consumer with his or her credit history as required by the FCRA.
Finally disposing of the cause without further consideration. May be voluntary or involuntary. When involuntary, there is usually lack of prosecution or failure to produce sufficient evidence.
Dismissal With Leave
The same as “Failure to Appear” where the DA closes the case until the defendant shows up in court. A new court date will then be set on calendar.
Dismissal Without Leave After Deferred Prosecution
Charges dismissed after specified time (90 days to 1 year) provided certain conditions have been met such as participating in specified program of anger control or drug counseling or providing community service, etc.
Dismissed Creditor Judgment
When a consumer files a bankruptcy, the judge may decide to not allow the consumer to continue with the bankruptcy. If the judge rules against the petition, the bankruptcy is known as dismissed.
Disposed/Disposition
The final settlement in the matter. Examples of disposed cases are those with a finding of guilt (conviction), innocence, or acquittal.
If a consumer believes an item of information on their credit report is inaccurate or incomplete, they may challenge, or dispute the item. Credit Bureaus will investigate and correct or remove any inaccurate information or information that cannot be verified.
Diversion Program
To set aside. A court direction which calls a defendant, who has been found guilty, to attend a work or educational program as part of probation. May include some type of anger management, drug rehab, etc. If the condition of program is met, charge may be considered non-conviction.
Diversity of Citizenship
A crime or claim which extends between citizens of different states. This is one of the grounds that can be used to invoke the jurisdiction of the US. Federal District Court.
Docket Record
A court’s official record of proceedings and calendar of upcoming cases.
DOT, The Department of Transportation
These terms encompass all DOT agencies, including, but not limited to, the United States Coast Guard (USCG), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), and the Office of the Secretary (OST). These terms include any designee of a DOT agency.
Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Complete intoxication is not required. Individual state statutes specify the blood alcohol content at which a person is presumed to be under the influence of intoxicating liquor.
Drug Testing (DOT-Mandated)
The drugs for which tests are required under this part and DOT agency regulations are marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, phencyclidine (PCP), and opiates.
A reasonable and expected measure of attention taken for a particular action. Not measurable by an absolute standard, but dependent on the situation.
Due Process of Law
Procedures followed by law enforcement and courts to insure the protection of an individual’s rights as assigned by the Constitution.
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Standard abbreviation for Equal Credit Opportunity Act.
The taking of another’s money or property by one entrusted with its possession, usually through employment.
Any person who is designated in a DOT agency regulation as subject to drug testing and/or alcohol testing. The term includes individuals currently performing safety-sensitive functions designated in DOT agency regulations and applicants for employment subject to pre-employment testing. For purposes of drug testing under this part, the term employee has the same meaning as the term "donor" as found on CCF and related guidance materials produced by the Department of Health and Human Services.
A person or entity employing one or more employees (including an individual who is self-employed) subject to DOT agency regulations requiring compliance with this part. The term includes an employer’s officers, representatives, and management personnel. Service agents are not employers for the purposes of this part.
The business that receives the report for decision making purposes that meet the permissible purpose requirements of the FCRA.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
A system of employment practices regulated by the EEOC under which individuals are not excluded from any participation, advancement, or benefits due to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other action that cannot lawfully be the basis for employment actions.
The federal agency responsible for administration of several statutes that prohibit discrimination; has power to subpoena witnesses, issue guidelines that have the force of law, render decisions, provide technical assistance to employers, and provide legal assistance to complainants.
One of the three national credit reporting agencies, headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. The other two are Experian and TransUnion.
A proceeding brought before a court by one party only, without notice to or challenge by the other side.
eRecruiting
Recruiting methods that take place via the Internet.
Error Correction Training
Training provided to BATs, collectors, and screening test technicians (STTs) following an error that resulted in the cancellation of a drug or alcohol test. Error correction training must be provided in person or by a means that provides real-time observation and interaction between the instructor and trainee.
Evidential Breath Testing Device (EBT)
A device approved by NHTSA for the evidential testing of breath at the .02 and .04 alcohol concentrations, placed on NHTSA's Conforming Products List (CPL) for "Evidential Breath Measurement Devices" and identified on the CPL as conforming with the model specifications available from NHTSA’s Traffic Safety Program.
Extended Workforce
The portion of a company's workforce made up of temporary employees, vendor employees and independent contractors.
On one side only. When an act is one for one party only. For example, in an Ex parte proceeding, only one party to the case is heard.
One of the three national credit reporting agencies, with US. headquarters in Costa Mesa, CA. The other two are Equifax and TransUnion.
Expunge/Expunged
When a record of an offense is expunged it will not appear on a released criminal history. The record may be destroyed or sealed after a certain period of time. Records may be expunged in juvenile cases, or upon satisfactory completion of a court-ordered probation and/or class(s).
Obtaining another’s property by actual or threatened force, fear or violence.
The surrender of an individual accused or convicted of a crime by one state to another.
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Fair Credit and Charge Card Disclosure Act
Amendments to the Truth In Lending Act that require the disclosure of the costs involved in credit card plans that are offered by mail, telephone or applications distributed to the general public.
Fair Credit Billing Act
Federal legislation that provides a specific error resolution procedure to protect credit card customers from making payments on inaccurate billings.
Federal legislation governing the actions of credit reporting agencies.
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)
Federal legislation prohibiting abusive and unfair debt collection practices.
The courts of the United States.
Felonious
Describing an offense that is done with malicious, villainous criminal intent. ie; felonious assault.
A serious offense carrying a penalty of incarceration from one year to life in a state prison, to the death penalty.
Felony Conversion (Fraudulent Conversion)
Similar to embezzlement or theft. An example of felony conversion is if someone sold goods for a company, and kept the money instead of turning it in to the company. (North Carolina)
Finance Charge
Amount of interest. Finance charges are usually included in the monthly payment total.
An annual percentage rate that does not change.
Entering or taking possession of property with force, threats or menacing conduct.
A broad term used to cover all kinds of acts. Generally, fraud is the commission of an act with the goal to benefit or gain advantage at another’s expense. A purposeful misrepresentation with the intent to deceive.
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Generation Identifier
Generation identifiers are Jr., Sr., II, III, IV, etc.
Geographical Code
This information is received from the Census Bureau and represents the state, Metropolitan Statistical Area, county, tract and block group of the reported address. This code is similar to a ZIP code.
The time period you have to pay a bill in full and avoid interest charges.
A body of persons with the authority to investigate and accuse, but not to try cases. The grand jury will listen to and review evidence to see if it there is sufficient grounds to bring an individual to trial.
The theft of property over a specified value. Dollar amounts vary by state.
Flagrant, out of measure.
Gross Misdemeanor
Serious misdemeanor.
Person responsible for paying a bill.
Guilt/Guilty
Final disposition. Having committed a crime.
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A proceeding where a prisoner challenged the lawfulness of his or her imprisonment; refers to the constitutionality of the imprisonment.
To have committed the same offense three times. Can also be charged as a habitual offender.
The Department of Health and Human Services or any designee of the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services.
High Balance
The highest amount that you have owed on an account to date.
To take control of a vehicle by intimidation, force or threatened force. Also, the theft of goods while in transit, as when transported in trucks.
The killing of another human being. "Justifiable homicide" occurs in cases such as during the enforcement of law, and/or occurs without evil intent. "Excusable homicide" may occur by accident or in self-defense. "Felonious homicide" is the killing of another without justification. This type has two degrees; manslaughter and murder, depending on circumstances or intent. See Manslaughter; Murder.
A hung jury is one in which all jurors cannot reach a consensus required for a verdict.
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Illicit
Prohibited or unlawful.
One who intentionally set fires, Arsonist.
One who is incapable of reform.
A formal, written accusation made by the grand jury.
Violation of local ordinance or state statute usually resulting in a fine or limited period of incarceration. Term usually used in traffic offenses.
Initial Drug Test
The test used to differentiate a negative specimen from one that requires further testing for drugs or drug metabolites.
Initial Validity Drug Test
The first test used to determine if a specimen is adulterated, diluted, or substituted.
Injunction
A court order which prohibits a person from doing a specified act for a specified period of time.
Credit accounts in which the debt is divided into amounts to be paid successively at specified intervals.
The frame of mind or attitude of the person at the time an act was committed. See Culpability.
Intoxicates, Intoxication
Reduction of physical or mental capabilities caused by the ingestion of an intoxicating substance such as alcohol or drugs.
Investigation Dispute
The process a consumer credit reporting agency goes through in order to verify credit report information disputed by a consumer. The credit grantor who supplied the information is contacted and asked to review the information and report back; they will tell the credit reporting agency that the information is accurate as it appears, or they will give us corrected information to update the report.
Investigative Consumer Reports
These are consumer reports that are usually done for background checks, security clearances and other sensitive jobs. An investigative consumer report might contain information obtained from a credit report, but it is more comprehensive than a credit report. It contains subjective material on an individual's character, habits and mode of living, which is obtained through interviews of associates.
Involuntary Bankruptcy
A petition filed by certain credit grantors to have a debtor judged bankrupt. If the bankruptcy is granted, it is known as an involuntary bankruptcy.
Involuntary Dismissal
Dismissed due to lack of prosecution or lack of evidence.
Item-Specific Statement
Offers an explanation about a particular trade or public record item on your report, and it displays with that item on the credit report.
Judgment Granted
The determination of a court upon matters submitted to it. A final determination of the rights of the parties involved in the lawsuit.
The final decision of the court regarding a claim or case.
The power of a court to question facts, apply law, make decisions and judgments.
The determination of a case by a jury.
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Taking and carrying away a person by force, fraud, threats or intimidation. Unlawfully confining a person for a substantial period of time in an isolated place.
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Any US. laboratory certified by HHS under the National Laboratory Certification Program as meeting the minimum standards of Subpart C of the HHS Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs; or, in the case of foreign laboratories, a laboratory approved for participation by DOT under this part. (The HHS Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs are available on the internet at: http://www.health.org/workplace/ or from the Division of Workplace Programs, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockwall II Building, Suite 815, Rockville, MD 20857.)
The unlawful taking of another person’s property. Larceny is commonly classified as "petty" or "grand" depending on the value of the property. Dollar values to establish classifications of "petty" and "grand" may vary from state to state.
Last Reported
On the credit report, the date the creditor last reported information about the account.
Legal Malice
An act, committed without just cause or excuse, intended to inflict harm or cause death.
Lewd and Lascivious
Obscene, indecent.
Liability Amount
Amount for which you are legally obligated to a creditor.
Defamation of another person through print, pictures, or signs.
Legal document used to create a security interest in another's property. A lien is often given as a security for the payment of a debt. A lien can be placed against a consumer for failure to pay the city, county, state or federal government money that is owed. It means that the consumer's property is being used as collateral during repayment of the money that is owed.
A pending suit.
Location Number
The book and page number on which the item is filed in the court records.
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Public officials, including judicial officers who have limited jurisdiction in criminal cases and civil causes.
The use of the mail system to commit a fraud.
Malice Aforethought
Planning to commit an unlawful act without just cause or excuse.
The unpremeditated killing of a person. Can be voluntary or involuntary, determined by circumstances. The feature distinguishing involuntary manslaughter from voluntary is the absence of intent to cause death or commit an act that might be expected to produce death or harm. Voluntary manslaughter is homicide that is committed during an act in the heat of passion.
The intentional infliction of injury on another which causes amputation, disfigurement or impairs the function of any part of the body.
Medical Review Officer (MRO)
A person who is a licensed physician and who is responsible for receiving and reviewing laboratory results generated by an employer's drug testing program and evaluating medical explanations for certain drug test results.
Judgment is merged into another related charge/judgment.
A crime that is less serious than a felony for which the punishment is usually imprisonment for one year or less.
A trial which is terminated or declared invalid. Reasons for mistrial include misconduct on the part of the jury, defense team or the court, or illness on the part of the judge, jury or defendant. May be followed by a retrial on the same charges.
Mortgage Identification Number (MIN)
Indicates that a loan is registered with Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc., which tracks the ownership of mortgage rights. This number will follow the homeowner throughout the mortgage.
Most Recent Date
The date of the recent account condition or payment status. This date is also the balance date.
Unlawful killing with malice aforethought. Murder is willful, deliberate and premeditated, or done during the commission of a crime. This classification of crime is generally divided by degrees, murder in the first degree and murder in the second degree, for the purpose of imposing penalties.
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Negative Drug Test Result
The MRO makes a "Negative" determination, completes Step 6 on Copy 2 of the CCF, and reports the "Negative" result to the employer. If a laboratory also marked the dilute box, the MRO verifies the test result as "Negative," marks the dilute box, and informs the employer that the next time the donor is selected for a drug test the employer may require the specimen to be collected under direct observation because the specimen was dilute. Note: A comment indicating that the specimen was dilute does not affect the validity of a "Negative" test result.
Flagrant and reckless disregard of the safety of others. Willful indifference.
Negotiated Plea
See Plea Bargain.
No Bill or No True Bill
The decision by a grand jury that it will not bring indictment against the accused on the basis of the allegations and evidence presented by the prosecutor.
No Contest
A plea in which the defendant does not contest the charge. This has the same effect as a guilty plea except the conviction cannot be used against the defendant in a civil suit.
No Papered
Charges were not pursued. (This is a legal term in Washington, D.C.)
No Probable Cause
There was not sufficient reason to bring case to trial.
Nolle Pros or Nolle Prosequi
Latin phrase used by the district attorney or plaintiff when they do not wish to prosecute or proceed with the action. The defendant can be re-indicted and prosecuted again.
Nolli Illigitimi Carborundum
Latin phrase loosely translated, "Hang in there."
Nolo Contendre
Latin phrase used by a defendant to say "I do not wish to contest." This plea in a criminal case has the legal effect of pleading guilty. See No Contest.
Nonsuit
A judgment ordered by the court against a plaintiff who fails to proceed to trial.
Notice of Results
If your investigation results in information being updated or deleted, you may request that we send the corrected information in your credit history to eligible credit grantors and employers who reviewed your information within a specific period of time. If your investigation does not result in a change to your credit history, results will not be sent to other lenders.
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A term used to describe how long negative information should stay in a credit file before it's not relevant to the credit granting decision. The FCRA has determined the obsolescence period to be 10 years in the case of bankruptcy and 7 years in all other instances. Unpaid tax liens may remain indefinitely, although most Credit Bureaus remove them after 15 years.
Obtain Property under False Pretense
The misrepresentation of the value of something. Passing a bad check.
Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance (ODAPC)
The office in the Office of the Secretary, DOT, that is responsible for coordinating drug and alcohol testing program matters within the Department and providing information concerning the implementation of this part.
The ability of a consumer who has opted out to have their name re-added to prescreened credit and insurance offer lists, direct marketing lists and individual reference service lists. Consumers who have previously opted out of receiving prescreened offers may have their names added to prescreened lists for credit and insurance offers by calling 1 888 5OPTOUT (1 888 567 8688).
The ability of the consumer to notify credit reporting agencies, direct marketers and list compilers to remove their name from all future lists. Consumers may opt out of prescreened credit and insurance offer lists by calling 1 888 5OPTOUT (1 888 567 8688).
Original Amount
The original amount owed to a creditor.
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To provide products or services that cater to the sexual gratification of others. To entice another into prostitution.
To release from confinement after serving part of a sentence, usually with terms and conditions provided in the parole order.
Parole Violation
An act that does not conform to the terms of parole.
Reflects the previous history of the account, including any delinquencies or derogatory conditions occurring during the previous seven years. (i.e., Current account, delinquent 30, current was 60, redeemed repossession, charge-off – now paying, etc.)
Intentionally making a false statement under oath.
Permissible Purposes
There are legally defined permissible purposes for a credit report to be issued to a third party. Permissible purposes include credit transactions, employment purposes, insurance underwriting, government financial responsibility laws, court orders, subpoenas, written instructions of the consumer, legitimate business needs, etc.
Information on your personal credit report associated with your records that has been reported to us by you, your creditors and other sources. It may include name variations, your driver's license number, Social Security number variations, your date or year of birth, your spouse's name, your employers, your telephone numbers, and information about your residence.
You may request that a general explanation about the information on your report be added to your report. The statement remains for two years and displays to anyone who reviews your credit information.
If a consumer files a bankruptcy, but a judge has not yet ruled that it can proceed, it is known as bankruptcy petitioned.
One who initially brings legal action against another (defendant) seeking a court decision.
A plea of guilt to a lesser offense in return for a lighter sentence.
The defendant’s formal answer to a charge.
Positive Drug Testing Result
The MRO interviews the donor. If the donor is unable to provide a valid alternative medical explanation, a positive laboratory test result is determined as a "Positive" by the MRO. If the donor provides a valid alternative medical explanation, the MRO reports the test result as "Negative." The MRO completes Step 6 on Copy 2 of the CCF and reports the appropriate result to the employer.
Potentially Negative Items
Any potentially negative credit items or public records that may have an effect on your creditworthiness as viewed by creditors.
Prayer for Judgment, 1st Offense (NC)
Asking the court to give leniency. No finding of guilt by the court.
Pre-Sentence Investigation (PSI)
Usually conducted by a probation officer after a plea or verdict of guilt. Done before sentencing and includes information about the defendant’s criminal history and personal background.
Pretrial Intervention
An extensive background check to help determine if charges will be pressed.
Primary Specimen
In drug testing, the urine specimen bottle that is opened and tested by a first laboratory to determine whether the employee has a drug or drug metabolite in his or her system; and for the purpose of validity testing. The primary specimen is distinguished from the split specimen, defined in this section.
Degree of proof needed to arrest.
Probation Before Judgment (PBJ)
Violation of probation terms may result in an entry of a conviction.
Relief of all or part of a sentence on the promise of proper conduct.
Public Record Data
Included as part of the credit report, this information is limited to tax liens, lawsuits and judgments that relate to the consumer's debt obligations.
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Qualification Training
The training required in order for a collector, BAT, MRO, SAP, or STT to be qualified to perform their functions in the DOT drug and alcohol testing program. Qualification training may be provided by any appropriate means (e.g., classroom instruction, internet application, CD-ROM, video).
Quash/Quashed
Declined to prosecute but with the option to reopen the case.
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An organized conspiracy for the purpose of committing crimes of extortion or coercion.
Sex without consent. May be forcible or by intoxication, with a person who is underage and unable to give consent, or with a person with diminished mental and/or physical capabilities.
Recent Balance
The most recent balance owed on an account as reported by the creditor.
Recent Payment
The most recent amount paid on an account as reported by the creditor.
An act that does or could cause injury to another, not necessarily with intent.
The training required periodically for qualified collectors, BATs, and STTs to review basic requirements and provide instruction concerning changes in technology (e.g., new testing methods that may be authorized) and amendments, interpretations, guidance, and issues concerning this part and DOT agency drug and alcohol testing regulations. Refresher training can be provided by any appropriate means (e.g., classroom instruction, internet application, CD-ROM, video).
Charges were not accepted by the District Attorney’s Office.
This means that a lien has been satisfied in full.
Remand
To return an individual to custody pending further trial, or to return a case from an appellate to a lower court for further proceedings.
Reported Since
On the credit report, the date the creditor started reporting the account to the Credit Bureaus.
A creditor's taking possession of property pledged as collateral on a loan contract on which a borrower has fallen significantly behind in payments.
If you believe that information on your report is inaccurate, we will ask the sources of the information to check their records at no cost to you. Incorrect information will be corrected; information that cannot be verified will be deleted. Credit Bureaus cannot remove accurate information. An investigation may take up to 30 days. When it is complete, we'll send you the results.
Request for Your Credit History
When a credit grantor, direct marketer or potential employer makes a request for information from a consumer's credit report, an inquiry is shown on the report. Grantors only see credit inquiries generated by other grantors as a result of an application of some kind, while consumers see all listed inquiries including prescreened and direct marketing offers, as well as employment inquiries. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, credit grantors with a permissible purpose may inquire about your credit information prior to your consent. This section also includes the date of the inquiry and how long the inquiry will remain on your report.
Indicates who is responsible for an account; can be single, joint, cosigner, etc.
Payment made by a defendant to victim as reimbursement for monetary losses incurred as a result of the crime.
An order prohibiting a specified action until such time that a hearing on an application for an injunction can be held.
Retired (as to Disposition)
The case can be brought up within the next year if the individual is arrested for anything. It is the judge’s decision and only he can take action. If the individual remains "clean," then the case can be dismissed.
Revolving Account
Credit automatically available up to a predetermined maximum limit so long as a customer makes regular payments.
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
Risk Scoring Models
A numerical determination of a consumer's creditworthiness. Tool used by credit grantors to predict future payment behavior of a consumer.
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If the consumer has paid all of the money the court says he owes, the public record item is satisfied.
Screening Test Technician (STT)
A person who instructs and assists employees in the alcohol testing process and operates an ASD.
Secreting Lien Property
Hiding property that has a lien filed against it.
Secured Credit
Loan for which some form of acceptable collateral, such as a house or automobile has been pledged.
Statement that is added once Credit Bureaus are notified that a consumer may be a victim of fraud. It remains on file for 90 days and requests that a creditor request proof of identification before granting credit in that person's name.
Real or personal property that a borrower pledges for the term of a loan. Should the borrower fail to repay, the creditor may take ownership of the property by following legally mandated procedures.
Advocating the overthrow or reform of a government by unlawful means.
A judgment of punishment for a criminal act.
Serious Misdemeanor
Having a more severe penalty than other misdemeanors.
Any person or entity, other than an employee of the employer, who provides services specified under this part to employers and/or employees in connection with DOT drug and alcohol testing requirements. This includes, but is not limited to, collectors, BATs and STTs, laboratories, MROs, substance abuse professionals, and C/TPAs. To act as service agents, persons and organizations must meet the qualifications set forth in applicable sections of this part. Service agents are not employers for purposes of this part.
Service Credit
Agreements with service providers. You receive goods, such as Electricity, and services, such as apartment rental and health club memberships, with the agreement that you will pay for them each month. Your contract may require payments for a specific number of months, even if you stop the service.
Reach an agreement with a lender to repay only part of the original debt.
A container that is used for transporting and protecting urine specimen bottles and associated documents from the collection site to the laboratory.
Shy Bladder
Occasionally, a donor for drug testing is unable to provide a specimen upon arrival at the collection site because he or she either urinated recently or has a "shy bladder." Generally, the term "shy bladder" refers to an individual who is unable to provide a sufficient specimen either upon demand or when someone is nearby during the attempted urination.
The examining physician shall determine, in his or her reasonable medical judgment, that a medical condition has or, with a high degree of probability, could have precluded the employee from providing an adequate amount of urine (e.g., a urinary system dysfunction or a documented preexisting psychological disorder). An evaluation must include a review of any pertinent medical records and may include evaluative testing such as blood chemistries for kidney function or other physiologic factors likely to affect urine output.
Unsupported assertions of "situational anxiety" or dehydration are not considered valid reasons for a donor’s failure to provide an adequate amount of urine when sufficient time has elapsed and fluid volume has been ingested and shall be regarded as a refusal to take a test.
The examining physician shall provide to the MRO a brief written statement describing his or her conclusion and the basis for it. The written statement shall not include detailed information on the medical condition of the donor. Upon receipt of the written statement from the examining physician, the MRO shall report his or her conclusions to the employer in writing.
Defamation verbal communication. Making false and malicious statements about another.
Asking, urging or enticing.
The business or organization that supplied certain information that appears on the credit report.
Specimen Bottle
The bottle that, after being sealed and labeled according to the procedures in this part, is used to hold the urine specimen during transportation to the laboratory.
Split Specimen
In drug testing, a part of the urine specimen that is sent to a first laboratory and retained unopened, and which is transported to a second laboratory in the event that the employee requests that it be tested following a verified positive test of the primary specimen or a verified adulterated or substituted test result.
Stand-Down
The practice of temporarily removing an employee from the performance of safety-sensitive functions based only on a report from a laboratory to the MRO of a confirmed positive test for a drug or drug metabolite, an adulterated test, or a substituted test, before the MRO has completed verification of the test result.
No further action will occur on this case; cannot be reopened at later date.
On the credit report, this indicates the current status or state of the account.
Sexual activity by an adult with a person under the age of consent.
An entry on the roll in the nature of a judgment of a direction that all further proceedings shall be stayed. Suit is terminated by an act of the party, rather than by judgment.
To eliminate or expunge.
Stricken Off Leave (SOL)
Stricken from docket with leave to reinstate or dismiss; Non conviction (legal term used in Illinois).
Substance Abuse Professional (SAP)
A person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
Substituted Specimen
A drug testing specimen with creatinine and specific gravity values that are so diminished that they are not consistent with human urine.
Suspended Sentence
Deferment of punishment usually over a period of probation.
TExpand
This refers to the debt repayment terms of your agreement with a creditor, such as 60 months, 48 months, etc.
Obtaining services without consent through deception, threat, tampering, etc.
Theft/Unauthorized
Theft by using someone else’s information, credit card, check, or something similar.
Third-Party Collectors
Collectors who are under contract to collect debts for a credit department or credit company; collection agency.
Tradeline
Entry by a credit grantor to a consumer's credit history maintained by a credit reporting agency. A tradeline describes the consumer's account status and activity. Tradeline information includes names of companies where the applicant has accounts, dates accounts were opened, credit limits, types of accounts, balances owed and payment histories.
Fees charged for certain use of your credit line – for example, to get a cash advance from an ATM.
One of three national credit reporting agencies. The other two are Experian and Equifax.
Truncated Files
Destroyed or partially destroyed. Unable to obtain any more information.
Truth in Lending Act
Title I of the Consumer Protection Act. Requires that most categories of lenders disclose the annual interest rate, the total dollar cost and other terms of loans and credit sales.
This refers to the type of credit agreement made with a creditor; for example, a revolving account or installment loan.
UExpand
Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor or Drugs
Any condition where the nervous system, brain or muscles are impaired to an appreciable degree by an intoxicating substance.
Entry without force and without permission by means of fraud or other wrongful act.
Credit for which no collateral has been pledged. Loans made under this arrangement are sometimes called signature loans; in other words, a loan is granted based only on the customer's words, through signing an agreement that the loan amount will be paid.
Charging more interest than is permitted by law for a loan of money.
Uttering
To forge another’s name.
VExpand
Vacate (Judgment)
To make void; to cancel.
Variable Interest Rate
An annual percentage rate that may change over time as the prime lending rate varies or according to your contract with the lender.
Vehicular Homicide or Manslaughter
Death of another caused by the intentional, unlawful or negligent operation of a motor vehicle.
The geographic area where the case or claim occurred, within which a court with jurisdiction can hear and determine a case. A change of venue, or the moving of a case from one court to another may be granted for such reasons as when the court does not think the defendant can get a fair trial in that area or for the convenience of the parties in a civil case.
The formal, final decision or finding made by a jury or judge.
Verifying whether data in a credit report is correct or not. Initiated by consumers when they question some information in their file. Credit reporting agencies will accept authentic documentation from the consumer that will help in the verification.
Verified Test
A drug test result or validity testing result from an HHS-certified laboratory that has undergone review and final determination by the MRO.
Victim Statement
A statement that can be added to a consumer's credit report to alert credit grantors that a consumer's identification has been used fraudulently to obtain credit. The statement requests the credit grantor to contact the consumer by telephone before issuing credit. It remains on file for 7 years unless the consumer requests that it be removed.
Voluntary Bankruptcy
If a consumer files the bankruptcy on his own, it is known as voluntary bankruptcy.
Voluntary Dismissal
The court or district attorney dismisses the charges against an individual.
WExpand
Wage Assignment
A signed agreement by a buyer or borrower, permitting a creditor to collect a certain portion of the debtor's wages from an employer in the event of default.
Waiver by Magistrate
Charges are waived after the defendant agrees to pay a fine. The defendant is not prosecuted on this charge.
Waiver of Jury
The right to a jury trial is waived and the judge makes the decision of guilt or innocence.
Wanton, Reckless & Malicious
Without regard for the rights of others, indifferent to consequences to health, life or the reputation of another. Usually done without intent, but an act so unreasonable the perpetrator should know that harm would result.
Court order authorizing a law enforcement official to arrest or perform search and seizure.
Warrant Invalidated
A warrant issued on the individual has been ruled invalid.
The unlawful sale, distribution, manufacture, alteration, transport, possession or use of a deadly or dangerous weapon.
With Specifications
When W/S is listed after a charge, it is usually followed with a description of violence involved with the charge.
This means a decision was made not to pursue a bankruptcy, a lien, etc. after court documents have been filed.
Withheld
Adjudication withheld.
A written court order, or a judicial process.
Writ of Replevin
Legal document issued by a court authorizing repossession of security.
Wrongful Entrustment
Allowing an unlicensed driver to operate a motor vehicle.
YExpand
Youthful Offender
Classification of youths and young adults, generally older then juveniles. In the 18 to 25 year age group, these individuals are sometimes given special sentencing consideration for the purpose of rehabilitation, sometimes through education and counseling.
Youthful Training Act
Usually a non-conviction. Used for juvenile first-time offenders. It may be reported on a criminal record. If the juvenile complies with the sentence, the case will be dropped from the record when the offender reaches adulthood.
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Louisiana state police investigate fatal shooting by deputy
Sep 15, 2019 at 11:33 AM Sep 15, 2019 at 11:33 AM
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) " Louisiana state police are investigating after a sheriff's deputy fatally shot a person while responding to a disturbance call at a home in Baton Rouge.
The Advocate reports a deputy with the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office was dispatched Saturday to a home in the upscale Highland Club neighborhood. State police Trooper Taylor Scrantz said a deputy sent to the home fired his gun, killing a person. Authorities did not immediately release further details, including the names of the uninjured deputy and the person shot.
Andrea Barrios, who lives across the street from the shooting scene, said a neighbor told her the sheriff's office was called after a fight broke out at a birthday party. Barrios said she was inside her home when she heard about six gunshots.
Information from: The Advocate, http://theadvocate.com
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Houston’s Underground Music Venues Are Leery About Stimulus Grants
Don't Start A Band, Unless You Have Some Clue How To Market Yourself
Matthew Keever
| WTF Island |
Matthew Keever | April 7, 2010 | 3:30pm
Rocks Off has been bad, very bad. In our last two "Don't Start a Band" blogs, we ragged on our bassist, our drummer and our guitarist. We meant it all in good fun, but we have yet to rag on ourselves, and that's just not fair. So here's to equality and journalistic integrity. We joined the band a year ago. Our first performance as lead vocalist was last June, but the band has been around for about seven years, previously under another name. We've been a longtime friend and fan of the band, so when we were asked to help them market their music as well as get involved in performances, we were stoked. In the seven years of its existence, the band often came to us for feedback. And being a journalist, we liked to talk with the fans about what they thought. They all said the same thing: "They're a great band, but they need more stage presence." So one night, after discussing the band and ways it could market itself over a few drinks with the drummer, he proposed a question: "Can you sing?" We were in choir from middle school through high school, but it had been a long time since we had even attempted to sing (other than in the shower when no one was home). We hesitated. He noticed. "Look, you're friends with all of us, and you know we'll be honest with you. If it sucks, it sucks. We'll tell you. But if it's good, we can do something with it." We had another drink and agreed. A week later, we were trying out. We had always wanted to be in a band, but didn't know how to go about starting one. Instead, we lucked out and became involved in a project that had already been years in the making. Eventually, our first show came around, and we had an idea. Since the recurring feedback was that the band needed more of a stage presence, we thought we would try something new: uniforms. Not really, but kind of. We know, we know. It sounds stupid, but we weren't thinking My Chemical Romance-esque, we just thought it would be a good idea to look like a group. Originally, we wanted to keep it simple, so we suggested black T-shirts (or polos, or button downs) and jeans. "Every band does that," our bassist said. He had a good point, so we decided to wear red instead. All of us are either current or former students of UH, so we thought we'd represent the Coogs. But it didn't really work because of the stage lights, which we didn't take into consideration. Coupled with the fact that we were all wearing different shades of red, we don't think anyone even noticed. One day, before our first show, a fellow Cougar and acquaintance of ours asked if she could attend, review it, interview us and write about our band in a presentation she was working on for class. Why not, right? We informed our band mates and asked them to play nice, to which they agreed. The girl showed up to the first show. From the stage, we saw her taking pictures and, after the show, asked her what she thought of our music. She was a bit shy, so she didn't have much to say, but she did tell us that she was still planning to plug us in her project. Sweet! We asked her to send us a copy of the finished product, which she agreed to do. It took us months to get it from her and, when we finally did, we realized why it had taken so long. Our drummer told us that, had he done this, he would have lied, said it was lost and never brought it up again. Instead, she actually sent it to us, and we were shocked. In it were fabricated quotes and bios that were as wrong as they could possibly be. It was as if she actually researched us, but then, for whatever reason, decided to lie. She even quoted members of the audience calling us "Houston's grunge revival mixed with A Perfect Circle and Tool." We wish... but no one ever said that about our band, so the first press we ever got (if that could even be called press) was a complete lie. It also mentioned that our bassist was a Chicago native and would occasionally break out his accordion and didgeridoo onstage. Both statements are false, but maybe he could learn to play those instruments. We're thinking about the keytar too. So our first two attempts to market the band were, in Internet terms, a fail - failure is too long of a word for us bloggers. But since then, we've been working hard with a lot of people to get our music out there. And we've got some time in the studio booked this weekend to (hopefully) finish mixing our first album, so soon we will have an actual product to actually market. FTW! In the meantime, we should really quit smoking. Our only position in the band is as lead vocals, so we should work on that. Maybe tomorrow we'll give it a shot. Or maybe the next day. Or maybe not at all.
WTF Island
Matt is a regular contributor to the Houston Press’ music section. He graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in print journalism and global business. Matt first began writing for the Press as an intern, having accidentally sent his resume to the publication's music editor instead of the news chief. After half a decade of attending concerts and interviewing musicians, he has credited this fortuitous mistake to divine intervention.
Best Concerts Of 2020: Amanda Shires
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Booking.com, Colgate-Palmolive among top European companies for diversity
80,000 employees surveyed at 10,000 companies for final list of 700
The headquarters of Booking.com in Amsterdam. [Google Street View]
Travel and leisure company Booking.com tops the Diversity Leaders 2020 list, based on a survey of European companies in terms of diversity of gender, age, ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation by the Financial Times and Statista.
The Netherlands-based Booking.com came in first — out of 700 companies — with a score of 9.14, followed by Switzerland-based packaged goods producer Colgate-Palmolive (8.57) and the United Kingdom-based construction company Willmott Dixon (8.47). Germany-based semiconductor manufacturer Infeneon (8.42) and Switzerland-based insurance provider Helsana (8.37) completed the top five.
Retailer Biocoop (8.31) of France, furniture retailer IKEA (8.30) of the Netherlands, automotive producer TESLA (8.23) of the Netherlands, chemicals company Solvay (8.23) of Belgium and German car parts maker ZF Friedrichshafen completed (8.22) the top 10.
The Diversity Leaders 2020 were identified in an independent survey of more than 80,000 employees working in 10,000 privately held and publicly listed companies with at least 250 workers across 10 countries in Europe: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.K.
The full list can be found at DiversityLeaders2020.
WFH? Giving employees the rewards they really crave
The latest salary increase forecast? 2.6 per cent
T4A slips go out for emergency benefits recipients
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The Government Hopes to Complete The Entire De-escalation by the End of June
Posted by OTHRADMIN in News
Spain has opted for a different route to relax the COVID-19 lockdown from other European partners such as France or Italy. The Spanish programme for de-escalation, which is officially called “plan for the transition to a new normal,” will ultimately not have precise dates for the reopening of shops, beaches or bars, as in other nearby countries. But it does have a very important one: the executive wants to have all the de-escalated completed in eight weeks, at the end of June, according to the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez.
The government hopes to reach the “new normal” then, this is with limitations by the presence of the virus, but this would save the summer, a crucial moment in a country where tourism occupies 12% of GDP. By July, when the peak of the season begins, if the evolution of the epidemic permits, the de-escalation would be concluded, although the executive does not yet give dates of the reopening of borders, something that will have to be consensual with European partners.
After four weeks of intense work amid enormous secrecy, the Government on Tuesday presented its formula, very different from that of its partners, based on a four-phase scheme: 0, 1, 2, and 3, and without specific dates for each step.
“The de-escalation will be gradual, asymmetrical, and coordinated. We will do it in phases, the unity will be the province or the island, there will be no mobility between provinces or islands,” Sanchez summed up in explaining the plan at a press conference.
The idea, therefore, is to slowly recover the movement but without moving between provinces until the de-escalation ends at the end of June. Movement between provinces will be allowed for work or some unusual situations like a wake, the president has explained.
What citizens will not be able to do, Sanchez has expressly clarified, is to go to their second homes if they are in another province until the de-escalation is over; this is at the end of June. This is the aim of preventing
the virus from moving from the most affected territories, such as Madrid and Barcelona, to less affected areas on the coasts and villages.
The government has been modifying the plan until the last moment at a long meeting of the Council of Ministers, which has led to a further delay in Sanchez’s appearance. The quote from the 23 ministers actually began late because the text came in too late, and there was no time to study it.
Four phases: 0 to 3 in eight weeks
Phase 0 offers certain less strict conditions. Throughout this phase, businesses will be able to start working by appointment and always complying with security and social distance measures, although the government has not clarified a specific date. The president mentioned the example of restaurants, which while will not be able to open their doors to the public, can serve takeaways. Government sources add other businesses such as hairdressers may open by appointment with individual attention.
In restaurants, the first thing that will open will be the terraces with capacity reductions of 30%. This will be during phase 1, which will start on May 10 for the provinces that meet the epidemiological criteria, the specific figures of which (such as cases per 100,000 inhabitants) have not yet been finalized. On May 4, the de-escalate will begin on some islands such as La Graciosa, Hierro and La Gomera in the Canary Islands or Formentera in the Balearic Islands, which will go directly to phase 1.
During this phase, in the reopening of premises, there will be special opening times for the most vulnerable such as the elderly.
In phase 2, for example, premises that can guarantee separation between customers may open.
School courses will not resume until September, but during phase 2 reopens support schooling will be available for children under the age of six whose parents have to work.
Matters of culture, is a particularly sensitive issue. Like any other business, bookstores could open by appointment from now on, but you will have to wait for phase 2 to open your doors as usual. Museums, will open in stage 2 to a third of their capacity. At that time, cultural shows of less than 30 people or a third of the capacity will begin in enclosed enclosures. Outdoors events will be allowed for up to 200 people whenever they are seated and keeping a safe distance. In phase 2, cinemas, theatres or exhibition halls and outdoor shows will open up to 400 people outside, or 50 in enclosed venues.
In phase 3 you could go to a theatre at 50% capacity, as long as separation can be guaranteed.
Everything is based on the same system; government sources explain: it is about the capacity, the security distance, and the hygiene measures to become more lenient as the phases progress.
Reviews every two weeks
The minimum duration of the de-escalation will be a month and a half. Phases will be reviewed every two weeks as this is the incubation period of the coronavirus. The government plans to keep it no longer than eight weeks, so by the end of June, the “new normal” would be reached, that is, just as the strongest summer season begins.
Costs To Maintain Your Costa Blanca Property Purchase
Financing a Costa Blanca Property Purchase
Procedures For Buying A Javea Resale Home
Buying a Property In Spain
Discover Jávea
Real Estate Investment Plummets 75% In March 2020 Due To Covid-19 Uncertainty
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Policing and Crime Prevention
Social Services to Specific Populations
Energy Supply and Distribution
Ash Institute and IBM Create New International Awards Program
Nominations accepted through April 30, 2007
IBM and the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government have created a $100,000 award program to recognize the world’s most transformative government programs. Learn more.
Related Stories Back To Top
Public transportation of private students is focus of new law
03/29/2007 | The Virginian-Pilot(Norfolk, VA.)
Pupils attending private schools in Virginia may be able to commute on public school buses thanks to "share the ride" legislation recently approved by the governor. The law gives public school boards the authority to negotiate their own agreements with private schools regarding fees, insurance, liability, and other issues. Supporters of the measure believe that it will help reduce rush hour traffic and increase children's safety.
New state rules raise bar on school scores; Campuses are required to make progress toward closing the achievement gap between whites and minority students
03/28/2007 | Los Angeles Times
In California, a controversial new state rule requires schools to achieve measurable success in reducing the gap between white and minority students in order to meet annual improvement targets. In line with the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the measure seeks to compel schools to focus on reducing the achievement gap by, for example, improving English-language instruction or creating special education classes.
Poor to get cash reward for behavior
03/30/2007 | The New York Sun
Under a bold, first-of-its-kind initiative, New York will give poor families up to $5,000 a year in cash incentives to meet specific targets such as attending parent-teacher conferences, receiving medical check-ups, getting advanced training, and keeping full-time employment. Based on a similar program in Mexico, Opportunity NYC will randomly select 2,500 families to receive the benefits and track their progress against a control group over several years. Although currently funded by donations from foundations and private citizens, the pilot could become a city-funded program if found successful.
Attacks on homeless spur new laws; A nationwide surge in violence against homeless people has at least six states considering stiffer punishments by adding attacks on the homeless to state hate crime laws
03/24/2007 | Stateline.org
Legislatures in California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Texas are considering bills that would add homeless people to the list of groups protected under current hate-crime legislation. If the population is given protected status, assaults against them would be subject to enhanced penalties. The incidence and severity of attacks against homeless people has risen sharply in the last few years.
Database helps find missing people; A database is aimed at helping officers reunite those who get lost with their families.
03/08/2007 | The Orange County Register (California)
The Irvine Police Department in California has launched a program to rapidly identify, locate, and return home individuals with special needs or dementia-related illnesses who become lost or disoriented. Using biographical information and current photos provided by families or caregivers, the Return Home Registry database can lead to safe and timely reunions.
Sustainable skylines to bring cleaner air to Dallas
03/21/2007 | States News Service
Dallas, Texas, is the first U.S. city to benefit from Sustainable Skylines, an initiative launched by the Environmental Protection Agency. Through Sustainable Skylines, any city can choose from a menu of different three-year projects to improve air quality, such as land-use transportation strategies, stationary source pollution mitigation, and green building and development. Dallas plans to conduct projects ranging from replacing the existing fleets of taxis with low-emission vehicles to enhancing the number of heavy industry site visits.
Principal for a day: Work and play: School leaders shadowed
03/15/2007 | Tulsa World (Oklahoma)
By having business and community leaders accompany principals, participate in a school's administration, and interact with students and teachers, "Principal for a Day," in Tulsa, Oklahoma, gives non-educators a chance to wrestle with the challenges facing schools. The program also seeks to encourage partnerships between businesses and schools.
Software puts faces on crime
03/20/2007 | The Press Enterprise (Riverside, CA.)
Across the country, law enforcement personnel are using new technology to create suspect composites quickly and efficiently. Traditionally, the limited availability and high cost of professional sketch artists have relegated their use to only the most serious or high-profile cases. While the technology has not replaced experienced artists who can capture nuance in their drawings, the software provides another crime-fighting tool, enabling users to take advantage of around 5,000 unique facial features to generate images.
Middle early college high school at Erie Community College a success
03/29/2007 | US States News
Middle Early College High School, set up by New York's Erie Community College, gives students "in the middle"--whose needs may be neglected in the larger, more impersonal environments of traditional high schools--exposure to features of higher education institutions. The program offers smaller class sizes and longer class times, as well as the role models of older students and professors. Several foundations, including the Gates Foundation, are acknowledging the challenges encountered by average students in the increasingly competitive worlds of higher education and employment by supporting such initiatives
Community gardening taking root; Extension agents try to help make Bountiful Harvest
03/29/2007 | The Herald-Sun (Durham, NC)
Orange County, California, is bolstering its community gardening efforts by dispatching Cooperative Extension Service agents to provide free education and consulting services to residents interested in beginning and managing successful gardens. Community gardens give urban residents a chance to interact with their neighbors, the opportunity to be outside, and the ability to grow nutritious food.
State may create agency for autism
03/15/2007 | Connecticut Post Online (Bridgeport, Connecticut)
Connecticut lawmakers are discussing the creation of a new state agency that would coordinate education and service needs for the tens of thousands of its residents with autism. Citing the need for "seamless" service from birth through adulthood, the proposed Board of Education and Services for Citizens with Autism Spectrum Disorders would be modeled after a similar state agency that works with blind persons' issues.
Electranet could see light of day; `Smart grid' technology coming into real world
03/26/2007 | The Daily News of Los Angeles
Advocated by former Vice President Al Gore, a decentralized "smart-grid" system allowing citizens to produce their own power and to sell electricity without caps is gaining popularity in the United States. The state of California is at the forefront of this energy-production revolution and legislation passed last year has increased the credits that consumers receive for generating excess energy. Environmentalists argue that smart grids promote renewable energy, eliminate the need to build new power plants, and help combat global warming.
Newsletter produced by: Brendan St. Amant and Vanessa Ruget (researchers and writers); Joellen Secondo (editor).
NOTE: The articles in this issue will remain active for approximately 90 days.
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New legislation aims to promote proper use of environment
Real Estate Bahamas
Environmental Planning and Protection Act
Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations
Procedure for proposed projects
Requirements for certificates of environmental clearance
In December 2019 Parliament passed a package of environmental bills geared towards developing, reinforcing and strengthening the laws which promote and support the management, protection, enhancement and proper use of the Bahamian environment. This article provides an overview of the new legislation.
The Environmental Planning and Protection Act (EPPA) 2019 (40/2019), which came into operation on 20 January 2020, is one of the most notable new laws with respect to Bahamian real estate and development. The EPPA has not only established the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection and replaced the Bahamas Environment, Science and Technology Commission, it has also created provisions for ensuring the ease of doing responsible business by creating a streamlined process which requires individuals to obtain environmental clearances before commencing projects.
In order to regulate, monitor and control building projects and their subsequent environmental impact, Section 11 of the EPPA requires that no work on any project be commenced unless a certificate of environmental clearance has been issued. A 'project' is defined as:
any development that proposes a man-made change to the environment or any ecosystem, whether for business, sports or residential purposes, including a physical project, plan, program or policy of the private sector, government or any other entity that has not yet received final approval from all the relevant agencies.
According to the EPPA, where a person commences a project without first obtaining the requisite clearance, an offence is committed and that person is therefore liable either:
upon summary conviction, to a fine of up to B$5,000, up to one year's imprisonment or both; or
upon conviction on information, to a fine of up to B$10,000, up to three year's imprisonment or both.
The Ministry of the Environment and Housing has published subsequent supporting regulations. Under the powers conferred by Section 12 of the EPPA, the minister has issued the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations (EIARs) 2020. The EIARs provide further guidance, outlining the procedures and defining the requirements and purpose of the certificate of environmental clearance. All persons seeking to commence or proceed with a proposed project must comply with the EIARs.
The EIARs define a 'proposed project' or 'project' as any development, project, plan, programme or policy in the feasibility stage, including any demolition, abandonment, decommissioning, modification, addition or expansion of an existing project.
Any person intending to carry out a proposed project must submit to the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection:
an application for preliminary review of the proposed project, as set out in Part A of the First Schedule of the EIARs, and the requisite non-refundable fee; and
an application for a certificate of environmental clearance in triplicate, as set out in Part A of the First Schedule of the EIARs.
The department will review the documents and determine whether an environmental impact assessment (EIA) and/or environmental management plan (EMP) or further studies are required. In the event that more information is required to reach a decision, the department may request such additional information in writing.
If an applicant disagrees with the department's decision, they may:
appeal the decision in accordance with Regulation 21 of the EIARs; or
withdraw the application for a certificate of environmental clearance.
The considerations for obtaining a certificate of environmental clearance may differ depending on numerous factors, such as:
whether the applicant consists of solely Bahamian proprietors and investors or foreign investment of any amount is involved;
the anticipated environmental impacts; and
the level of public involvement.
If a project involves foreign investment, the applicant should submit a letter from the Bahamas Investment Authority endorsing the project in support of their application. The application forms set out in Part A of the First Schedule of the EIARs also outline any additional supporting documents that should be submitted along with the application depending on the circumstances. For example, where the applicant is not the owner of the property, an authorisation letter from the property owner should be provided, supported by proof of ownership and a copy of a valid form of identification from the owner.
If the director of environmental planning and protection determines it necessary for an applicant to submit an EIA or EMP, the applicant should submit this electronically and in writing, as set out in the form in the Second Schedule of the EIARs. Following submission to the director, the applicant should, as soon as practicable, publish in any newspaper and any general circulation in The Bahamas a notice detailing that an EIA or EMP has been prepared in respect of the proposed project and submitted to the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection for review. The department will communicate its decision to the applicant within 60 days of the date of submission of the completed EIA or EMP.
If the director reviews the application and determines that an EIA or EMP is unnecessary or that all of the requirements for a certificate of environmental clearance are satisfied, the director may grant a certificate of environmental clearance which will set out the environmental clearance terms and conditions that must be complied with.
The Department of Environmental Planning and Protection will continue to monitor a project to ensure compliance with all environmental clearance conditions during the construction and operational phases.
The Ministry of Environment and Housing has recognised the need for legislation that efficiently manages, enhances and promotes the proper use of the Bahamian environment. The EPPA and EIARs are steps in the right direction towards a formalised legal framework which establishes practical procedures and a system of environmental sustainability.
For further information on this topic please contact Gabrielle Rahming at Lennox Paton by telephone (+1 242 502 5000) or email (grahming@lennoxpaton.com). The Lennox Paton website can be accessed at www.lennoxpaton.com.
The materials contained on this website are for general information purposes only and are subject to the disclaimer.
ILO is a premium online legal update service for major companies and law firms worldwide. In-house corporate counsel and other users of legal services, as well as law firm partners, qualify for a free subscription.
Gabrielle Rahming
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Megadeth's David Ellefson Says New Music Is Coming
John R Kennedy
David Ellefson, pictured in 2019. Jesse Grant / Getty Images
Megadeth is almost ready to release new music – the band’s first since 2016’s Dystopia.
Appearing on the Decibel Geek podcast, bassist David Ellefson said Megadeth’s 16th studio album could be out in 2021.
“Basic tracks are done. Overdubs now are continuing,” he explained. “I’m sure 2021 will see some new Megadeth music of some form – hopefully the whole album, because touring will open up and we can drop a record and the tour dates that we have rescheduled will all go forward as planned. That’s what we’re hoping.
“That’s about all I can say on it – just ’cause it’s not done yet, so it’s hard to talk about something that’s still in motion.”
Listen to music from Megadeth
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Like a Shark: Algae Eats Money in Lake Erie
IJC staff
IJC
If Lake Erie algae was a storm, you might call it a “Sharknado.”
The Lake Erie algae season in 2015 was the worst ever recorded. Thankfully, it wasn’t as bad for people as in 2014, when hundreds of thousands of Toledo, Ohio-area residents lost access to clean drinking water for three days. A similar situation occurred in 2014 on Pelee Island, located on the lake in Ontario, Canada.
Lake Erie’s version of the Sharknado is excess algae, fed by phosphorus that runs off of urban and agricultural land. The nutrients fuel Harmful Algal Blooms, which can be toxic to humans and animals.
What’s the economic cost of Lake Erie Harmful Algal Blooms, also called HABs? That’s one question the IJC sought to answer in its latest report on the Lake Erie Ecosystem Priority (LEEP). In other words, what’s the value of avoiding the harm of future Harmful Algal Blooms, from ecosystem health to human activities like recreation and commercial fishing?
We released our LEEP report in February 2014, urging governments to take a bite out of algal blooms by setting phosphorus reduction targets, reducing phosphorus loads from agricultural and urban sources, and strengthening monitoring and research.
Nearly two years later, we’re releasing a consultant’s report titled “Economic Benefits of Reducing Harmful Algal Blooms in Lake Erie.”
Cover of IJC report, Economic Benefits of Reducing Harmful Algal Blooms in Lake Erie.
The report looked at algal blooms in 2011 (at the time, the largest ever recorded) and 2014. Effects to recreation, water withdrawals, tourism, and property values were studied.
Scenarios developed for the report indicate nearly $71 (U.S.) million in lost economic benefits from the 2011 event, and an additional $65 million in lost benefits from the 2014 event. Over 30 years, the value of lost benefits is estimated at more than $1.3 billion based on the 2014 event.
Overall, the total economic impact from the 2011 bloom was based on estimates of $16 million for diminished property values, $20 million for lost tourism revenue, $31 million for lost recreational opportunities, and $4 million for water treatment. For 2014, the estimate was slightly lower, at $65 million.
A Lake Erie algal bloom in August 2011, along the southeast Lake Erie shore of Pelee Island, Ontario, Canada. Credit: Michigan Sea Grant
Environment Canada recently studied the same economic issue in a report called “Algal Blooms: Estimating Costs to the Lake Erie Basin Economy.” While the IJC study took in the Canadian and U.S. portions of western Lake Erie, the Environment Canada analysis was restricted to the Canadian portion of the lake, such as the shores of Leamington, Ontario, where the IJC held public meetings on LEEP in 2014.
The Canadian study estimated annual costs associated with damages arising from three scenarios to be about $142 million for a “stable lake”, $272 million for “business as usual”, and $126 million for “policy intervention.”
In other words, taking actions to reduce algal blooms could be worth about $146 million, based on the Environment Canada study. That’s in Canadian dollars, compared to U.S. dollars in the IJC report, which again estimates the annual cost of a reoccurrence at about $71 million for 2011 and $65 million for 2014.
Progress has flowed in line with recommendations from our February 2014 LEEP report.
Draft phosphorus reduction targets of 40 percent were released for public comment in June by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada, and the agencies are due to move forward with domestic action plans to achieve the targets.
The states of Ohio, Michigan, and the province of Ontario also have declared their intent to accelerate the slashing of algal-fueling pollution, setting targets of 20 percent by 2020 and a total 40 percent reduction by 2025.
This consultant’s report reinforces tens of millions of reasons to invest in solutions to the ongoing algal problem in Lake Erie, and other parts of the Great Lakes. If we don’t, this green menace will come back to haunt us again and again, like a bad movie.
An algae-related sign at Headlands State Park in Mentor, Ohio, in September 2015. Credit: Phil Kalina
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Study of Clostridium difficile Infection Attempts to Reveal True Incidence of Disease
The EUropean, multi-center, prospective bi-annual point prevalence study of CLostridium difficile Infection in hospitalized patients with Diarrhea (EUCLID), the largest study of the prevalence of CDI ever conducted in Europe, has been launched. For the first time experts will get a clear picture of the true incidence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, and a condition that is thought to be widely underestimated.
CDI is the leading cause of infectious diarrhoea in industrialized countries and is estimated to kill 1 in 50 patients affected. CDI represents a huge economic burden, as patients who develop CDI stay in hospital an extra one to three weeks, at additional costs compared to those without CDI. The incidence and severity of CDI continues to increase. The most recent large-scale prevalence study was carried out in Spain in 2008 and looked at the number of CDI cases within the general population at a certain time. Results revealed that two-thirds of cases of CDI were either not picked up or were misdiagnosed within the hospital due to low clinical awareness of CDI.
The EUCLID study, which involves 20 European countries and approximately 500 hospitals, aims to identify the underlying incidence of CDI in hospitalised patients with diarrhoea and highlight the extent of under-testing and under-diagnosis per country. The study was initiated and sponsored by Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd and endorsed by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases study group for Clostridium difficile (ESGCD).
"This study represents an important step forward in understanding the true incidence of CDI and will provide us with much needed information about the epidemiology of a debilitating disease in Europe, " says Dr Ed Kuijper, chairman of the ESCMID study group for Clostridium difficile.
The EUCLID study will be coordinated out of University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK, under Professor Mark Wilcox, with support from the EUCLID Core Group. The study is funded by Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd. In each of the participating 20 countries, hospitals will submit samples of all un-formed faeces received on a specified day to a national coordinating laboratory where they will be tested for CDI using a standardised protocol. The sampling will be performed at two different time points in the year to reflect seasonal variations in CDI which peaks during the winter months.[12] Data will also be collected on any diagnostic CDI test(s) requested within the hospital for each sample submitted and if so, the test used and the result. These data, along with reported CDI rates from the previous year, will be used to calculate the level of under-recognition and under-diagnosis.
A full report and analysis of the findings will be published at the end of the EUCLID study which is anticipated in mid-2013.
Source: Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd.
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Property owner fined over $10,000 for not complying with mandatory window inspection statutory notice
A property owner was fined over $10,000 at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts this month for failing to comply with a mandatory window inspection statutory notice issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).
The premises is located in a 41-storey, 26-year-old composite building at South Horizon Drive. A statutory notice was issued under section 30C(4) of the BO by the Buildings Department (BD), requiring the owner of the premises to appoint a qualified person to carry out an inspection and, if necessary, repairs of the windows in his premises.
Since the property owner failed to comply with the statutory notice, he was prosecuted by the BD and was convicted and fined on November 12.
"Failing to comply with a statutory notice without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The BD may instigate prosecution proceedings against the owner", a spokesman of the BD said today (November 22).
Pursuant to section 40(1BD) of the BO, any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a statutory notice served on him or her, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 4 ($25,000 at present) and to imprisonment for three months, as well as a further fine of $2,000 for each day that the offence has continued.
The cost information for window inspection and common window repair items under the MWIS is available at the BD's website www.bd.gov.hk/doc/en/safety-and-inspection/mwis/property-owners-and-owners-corporation/MBISMWIS_CostReference.pdf. The Layman's Guide on Mandatory Window Inspection Scheme is also available at the BD's website www.bd.gov.hk/doc/en/resources/pamphlets-and-videos/LGMWIS_e.pdf.
Ends/Sunday, November 22, 2020
Issued at HKT 11:30
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InfoQ Homepage Presentations Test-Driven Machine Learning
Test-Driven Machine Learning
Detlef Nauck explains why the testing of data is essential, as it not only drives the machine learning phase itself, but it is paramount for producing reliable predictions after deployment. Testing the decisions made by a deployed machine learning model is equally important to understand if it delivers the expected business value.
Detlef Nauck is Chief Research Scientist for Data Science with BT's Research and Innovation Division. He is leading a group of scientists working on research into Data Science, ML and AI. He focuses on establishing best practices in DS for conducting analytics professionally and responsibly leading to new ways of analysing data for achieving better insights.
Nauck: I'll talk about machine learning. First, before I start, I want to say something about what that is, or what I understand from this. So, here is one interpretation. It is about using data, obviously. So, it has relationships to analytics and data science, and it is, obviously, part of AI in some way. This is my little taxonomy, how I see things linking together. You have computer science, and that has subfields like AI, software engineering, and machine learning is typically considered to be subfield of AI, but a lot of principles of software engineering apply in this area.
This is what I want to talk about today. It's heavily used in data science. So, the difference between AI and data science is somewhat fluid if you like, but data science tries to understand what's in data and tries to understand questions about data. But then it tries to use this to make decisions, and then we are back at AI, artificial intelligence, where it's mostly about automating decision making.
We have a couple of definitions. AI means using intelligence, making machines intelligent, and that means you can somehow function appropriate in an environment with foresight. Machine learning is a field that looks for algorithms that can automatically improve their performance without explicit programming, but by observing relevant data. That's what machine learning typically means. And yes, I've thrown in data science as well for good measure, the scientific process of turning data into insight for making better decisions. So, that's the area.
The Ethical Dimension of AI, ML and Data Science
If you have opened any newspaper, you must have seen the discussion around the ethical dimensions of artificial intelligence, machine learning or data science. Testing touches on that as well because there are quite a few problems in that space, and I'm just listing two here. So, you use data, obviously, to do machine learning. Where does this data come from, and are you allowed to use it? Do you violate any privacy laws, or are you building models that you use to make decisions about people? If you do that, then the general data protection regulation in the EU says you have to be able to explain to an individual if you're making a decision based on an algorithm or a machine, if this decision is of any kind of significant impact. That means, in machine learning, a lot of models are already out of the door because you can't do that. You can't explain why a certain decision comes out of a machine learning model if you use particular models.
Then the other big area is bias, which is somehow an unfair, under or over-representation of subgroups in your data; obviously your racial bias, gender bias is the obvious one. You may have heard that things like facial recognition, they are racially biased, and they are also gender-biased. So, if you look at tests trying to identify the gender of a person using a facial image recognition system, you find that white males are recognized most frequently, but dark-skinned females most infrequently. So, there's a strong gender and racial bias in these systems. Where does this come from? How does this happen?
Another area that is of concern, maybe to you guys in software development too, but people tend to use modules that they get from somewhere. You get a library, you get a piece of code, you stick it together to build what you want to build. When you're using code, and if you have the source code, at least you can look into it, you can read it. If you have standard code, you can use your testing regime.
But what about stuff that has been generated by machine learning? So, if you get yourself a facial image recognition system from somewhere, and you stick it into your home security solution, and that then fails to recognize the owner and let them into the house, how can you be responsible for this component that you have included into your system? Do you know how it has been built, tested, validated? Is it free of bias? All of these things. So, we will see, especially in this domain, gluing together different components from different areas with different types of provenance and quality. How do you make sure that what you assemble is of good quality?
A Report from the Coalface: Naïve Bayes- from R to Spark ML
Here is an example of a team that used a machine learning algorithm to tackle a particular problem. They want to predict the propensity of a customer to call a helpline. So, they had data about customers calling helplines, and data about customers who didn't call helplines. Then all the data they had about these customers, they tried to use to predict a customer like you to call a helpline in a particular timeframe. They used a particular machine learning model here, or a statistical model, called a Naive Bayes classifier. For the purpose of this example, it's not important how that works, but they used to a particular library. And in data science, machine learning, you'll find a lot of people using R or Python typically.
These guys used R, and this particular library can work with numerical data and categorical data, so numbers or strings if you like. They built this model, then they found out the target system they had to deploy their model into. Unfortunately, they couldn't use R, they had to use Spark. And they used another library, Spark ML, to try to rebuild, and this particular library can only use categorical data strings represented as numbers. So, what they did is say, "Okay, we have strings in our data, and we have numbers, we leave the numbers alone. We just take the strings and convert them into numbers. And then we have numbers, so we can use this library." They used the library. And luckily they had negative numbers in their data, so the algorithm refused to work with that. There were luckily some tests in there, otherwise, they would have got some weird result and deployed it.
If you look into the documentation, this is the documentation of the library in R, and it says it works with a numeric matrix or data frame of categorical and/or numeric variables. So, this is what it can ingest and work with. If you look at the Spark ML library, this is what the documentation says, a bit less readable, but the input here has to be data, which is like an array or a list of labeled points, and a labeled point apparently seems to be something that uses real numbers. The first number seems to be somewhat separate from the rest. The rest seems to be in vector. So, hopefully, here they have put the zeros and ones in there. You can't really tell from this sort of documentation what sort of data this algorithm can work with. If there is no testing happening inside the procedure to check what is it that you stick inside to use it, then you might get all sorts of weird effects, if you don't understand what these methods do.
Some of them helpfully do this. Here's an example. This is, again, from an R environment. Here we are trying to build a number of classifiers, and one of them complains and says, "It looks like one of your variables is constant." When you do data analysis, constant data is useless because it doesn't have any information. So, it's very helpful that the algorithms tells me that. That means there's some testing happening inside. That looks at what is the data that's going in and does it make sense for the algorithm to run? But you can't rely on this. This is not necessarily happening in every piece of code that you find in any library around machine learning.
Machine Learning Can Work Really Well- But It Doesn’t Always
Machine learning usually works quite well, and you have seen in the media, there's a lot of success in machine learning. Most of it these days is down to what's called deep learning or deep networks, which is a technique that was already around in the 1980s and has really come to fruition now because we have lots of compute power, and we have lots of big data with labels. Where does this data come from? You have helpfully provided it by uploading photos into the cloud and sticking labels against it. So, Google now knows what cats and dogs are because you guys have either clicked on images when you looked for images of a cat or a dog, or you have uploaded photos somewhere and put the labels.
This system here has learned to label images by using that sort of data, photos and labels that are associated with it. Then they try to label new pictures, and it does quite a good job in the first columns. If you look at the top left one, it says a person riding a motorcycle on a dirt road; that's quite good for labeling a picture. But, obviously, it's wrong. It's not a dirt road. It's probably an off-road motorcycle race, which already gives you an idea that these things probably don't understand what they're seeing. If we go further across, then we see second column, two dogs play in the grass. So, somehow it missed the third dog. A human wouldn't make this mistake. If we go further to the right, then look at the one in the second row, a little girl in the pink hat is blowing bubbles. So, some of the hat of the lady here has been interpreted as a bubble. And if you look in the same row, far right, that's the best one, a refrigerator filled with lots of food and drinks.
How does that happen? How does a system make such an obvious mistake? This is because these systems don't understand anything. They don't understand what they're looking at. For them, it's just statistical patterns. Without testing and proper analysis, you have no idea what these things are actually finding. There are classical examples where these systems tried to differentiate between wolves and huskies, and what they have learned is that all the huskies are on pictures with snow. So, you have built a snow detector, but not the differentiator for wolves or huskies. But if all your data is of that sort, you have no way of finding that out. You have to become quite smart about how you test.
People say that machine learning is more alchemy than science. That is because of this hype around using things like deep networks. People are in a bit of a frenzy. What can I do with it? Where can I apply it? What cool stuff can I do with these things? The kind of things you want to have is reproducibility. So, if you train a model on some data and you get a result, like anything in science, you want it to be reproducible; that means somebody else needs to walk the same path and come to the same result. It doesn't mean it's correct and you can't really prove that it's correct, but you can show that somebody else can come to the same result. In these systems, you sometimes have a lot of parameters that you have to play with, and people have an intuitive understanding how to do this, and they get a result, and then they stop. And the question is, how good is this really? Can you show that what you've done is correct and useful?
Challenges in Analytics
There are quite a few challenges in machine learning, and we are looking at a few of them here. Data provenance means where does this data come from? That's always the first question you should ask yourself. Where does the data come from? What has been done to the data? Is it really first source or has somebody messed with it? Is it somehow transformed already? Interpreted? Has somebody put their stamp on it and changed it? Also, can you trust it? How has it been generated? Is it like measurements from sensors? Maybe you have then some idea how good these sensors are. What is the error of the sensor? Has it had been created by humans? Do they have an incentive to lie about the data? These kind of questions you should ask yourself and test for it.
Data quality is then more error free. When the data has been recorded, have errors crept in somehow? Is there missing data in there that shouldn't be missing? Data bias, we have talked about it already. It's some group over or under-represented in that data, and that is actually quite difficult to find, and even more difficult to get rid of. Like keeping data out of modelings, like keeping hands off your picnic, it will always creep back in. It can come in via the data or via modeling, because every one of us has intuitive bias and we have some ideas what the world is like, and this goes into the models and that this bias is the models. So, the way you select the data that you seem to be relevant for the training would bias it, and when you test your model, you will have biases about it. Where it should perform, where the performance doesn't mean so much, is not relevant. That puts bias into the models.
You can test for bias, you can try to correct for bias, but it's not trivial. If you think about a loan application, do you want that everybody is evaluated based on their financial performance, their financial indicators, or do you want loan rejections to be equal across gender groups, racial groups, age groups? Completely different question. Different types of bias that you need to get your head around.
Model comprehension. We already talked about it. You may have to explain to somebody why does a model give you the answer that it gives you. And that's not always possible. There are approaches for this. You can get libraries, like LIME or SHAP that do this. But you have to think about what is an explanation. To people, an explanation is something meaningful in the context they're talking about. When we give explanations about why we did this, we always make them up. An explanation is something you make up post-talk to communicate to somebody else about why you did something. But it's very rare that you have a reasoning process in your head based on language. That you said, "Okay, what am I going to do? I'm going to do this, and this is because I'm going to do it." Your decision making is usually much snappier, and you don't reason it out for yourself. Maybe if you're going to buy a car, but in the end still the decision making is typically an emotional process.
An explanation for a human is something that has a certain kind of quality. An explanation that you might get out of a statistical model might be something that is expressed in numbers, and weights, and combinations of variables, which somebody might not understand if they are not a statistician or mathematician. So that's another tricky dimension. Then the ethical dimension. So, are you allowed to use the data? What kind of decisions are you making? How does it affect people? You may have to test for the effects of your model application as well and I'll come back to this.
The Process of Building Models from Data
Here's the picture of a process around data analytics, data science, machine learning. It's pretty much all the same. You start with some business understanding, you have to understand your data, prepare it, and then you get to the modeling. That's the sexy bit. Everybody wants to work in this modeling box, But in reality, you waste 70% to 90% of your time in the data preparation stage. And so, this is also where your test efforts should be. Modeling is actually quite easy. The difficult bit is getting the data right for the modeling. Then, okay, the other bits, you have to obviously test what you're doing, evaluate it and then deploy it where things can go wrong too.
There's a perception problem. As I said, everybody wants to do modeling. So, if you thinking, "Oh, I'm working in machine learning," and this is the idea you have in your mind of what your work environment looks like, but actually, it looks like this. You spend most of your time trawling through data, trying to get your head around data, trying to get hold of data, figuring out the quality of the data is what it means, and how you can combine different types of data that are in different operational systems. It is very messy, and all sorts of errors can creep in there.
What I do when I talk about machine learning or data science to that community, I point to you guys, and hold you up as shining beacons, because you're a software developer, you know all about testing. I say, "We have to learn from these guys. These guys test what they do, test-driven development." So, how can we lift and shift this over to machine learning and to data science? How do we know that our data is any good, that our model is any good? If the decisions that we're taking based on model outputs have the impacts that we expect.
Follow Best Practice for AI, ML and Data Science- Test Everything!
Here is a data diagram that shows where you can test. This roughly shows the kind of stages you go through when you put a model in deployment. You build a model from data, and you use it in some sort of application later. So, you start with data repository. This is the first stage where you can do testing. Ideally, you prevent bad data going into your repository. The earlier you start, the better. In databases, there is something like triggers. If you work with databases, you might know this. It basically rules you. You write down, say if you put a row of data into this table, these are conditions it has to meet before you can put it in. Nobody is using this anymore. But that's a possibility. You can just write, say, make sure that this column is always positive, or that there's never a missing value in this column. You can do this at the level of the data repository. If you know that somebody is doing this and says, "Yes, I'm testing that no bad stuff goes into my data repository," Then okay, that's great, You have shifted the responsibility, and you can move on.
The next stage is data wrangling. That means the data is never in the kind of shape that you can just put it into a learning algorithm. If you learn your machine learning by going to Kaggle where all the data is nicely prepared for you, there was a whole lot of pain that happened before that you're not seeing. So, this is the preparation phase. You take the data, you turn it into something else so you can use it in machine learning. You generate features out of it, and you can make a lot of mistakes in that space.
Often, this phase is even documented. So, you magically arrive at a set of data, and you say, "Okay, this is what I use for machine learning." Then you build your model, and then if somebody wants to reproduce it, then, "How the hell did they arrive at these columns and this sort of data set?" You can't replicate it. But obviously, from your point of view, you should understand you're writing software to stage. Data wrangling means you write software. The simplest software you can write on this is SQL queries. So, you modify the data in the repository to change it into something else that is code. That should be version, should be tested.
Feature generation. That means you start combining columns. Instead of column A and column B, maybe A divided by B is a useful feature to have. Then you create something new. Again, even this A divided by B is software, which you produce something through code, through manipulating data, and that should be tested. Are you dividing by zero at some point? What does that do? Then you go into model building and then there's a whole lot of testing around how you build a model, and I'll come to this in a minute. All of this stuff should also be versioned, and you should keep track of it so you can replicate it. If you have to hand it over to somebody, they have to be able to pull the latest version from the repository, and they have to be able to walk in your shoes.
Now we have a model that sits in a versioning system somewhere; when we deploy it, it should be pulled. So, always have the latest version of the model. Machine learning people are not software developers, so they usually don't understand these concepts. They don't necessarily know what the software repository is and how you orchestrate these things. But you guys should know this. You deploy it. You can test there, is the environment you deployed into, can it handle the kind of traffic that comes, will it scale? These kind of things can go wrong.
And then you go to application. That means it's now sitting in some sort of operational process and produces decisions. The same data that you used to build it in structure is going back into the model. Now time has moved on. You have built your data. Data is built from historic data, and it's applied to future data, otherwise, it would be pointless. So, how do you know that the future data is the same as the data that you used to build your model from? You need to check that the data is structurally still the same, and things can catch you out.
Let's say you have something like product codes in your model. Companies change product codes every blue moon. So, suddenly there might be something in there the model has never seen. How will it react to it? Or there's drift in your data, some kind of numbers, and suddenly the numbers have drifted from the interval they used to be, and then they're becoming smaller or larger, or there's some sensor data, and then somebody decided to update the sensor. Now, this is calibrated differently, the numbers have changed. Maybe the mean of the measurements is no different than the standard deviation. Again, not something you would expect. So, you need to check these kinds of things.
Then you're going to decision making. Again, you should test. If you use your model to make a decision, do you actually have the effect that you want to have? You can test this by keeping a control group, and you know this from testing medicines. In medicine, when they test new drugs, they have a very strict regime of how to do this, double-blind tests. The doctor doesn't know what sort of pill they give, and the patient doesn't know what they are receiving. So, this sort of regime, you can replicate in the decision-making process. You're making a decision, you apply your procedure to your treatment group, and you do the same thing to a control group, or not the same thing, you just do what you always did, or you do nothing. And then you compare in the end, is this the same?
Some companies are very good in this. Netflix does this on you all the time. They experiment on you. So, if you open your Netflix main screen, you'll see some movies just based on what you like, but also the movie images or the title images are different. Your friend might see a different set of images. They just try out what's more interesting. And so, these are the groups, and they test these treatments across the groups. Which decision-making gives me a better response? And you can do this as well.
Testing Your Model: Cross-Validation
I'll talk about two things, I'll talk about testing a model and testing your data. Model is, if you work in machine learning, then this is something that you know, that you've been trained to know this sort of stuff. Cross-validation. So in a nutshell, when you build a model, you have a set of data which is called your training data. You partition it into K equal parts, let's say 10, and then you use one part to test or validate your model and the other nine parts you use to build it. You do this 10 times. Ideally, you repeat this again. Why are we doing this?
We want to understand how strongly the selection of the training data impacts the model built. So, what you do is, your training data is a kind of a sample of all the data that is potentially available and you somehow have created this set of training data, and you use it to build a model and then this model will be applied to all the other data that's out there that you haven't seen. You need to make sure that your training data is representative of that data that the model is going to see in the future.
So selecting that training data, if you don't do it well, will have an impact of how well the model performs. The only way to check this is by creating many models and see how different they are and how they perform. And this is what this cross-validation procedure is for. So, you do this partitioning into 10 subsets to check if the selection of a set of data has an impact, and then you do this many times to check if this partitioning also has an effect. Because everything should be random. So, in practice, people use K equals 10 or 5, and N equals one. But ideally, aim for K equals 10 and N greater than 1 to have some good idea about how well your model performs.
What are you looking for when you do this? You're looking for the training performance to be better, but only slightly, than the test performance. You look at the numbers that indicate the performance, and that's what you want to see. And you want to look for consistent figures across all faults. So, if something sticks out where it's 90% correct and all the other times it's only 70% correct, that's suspicious. If the training performance is much better than the test, then it's overfitting. If you consistently get 90% performance and training, but only 60% in test, there's some overfitting happening. That means you have to control your model parameters. If the test performance is much better than the training performance, then all the alarm bells should go off. That probably means that you have some data leakage; some information you shouldn't have has gone into your test data. And if the figures vary a lot, then you probably don't have enough data for the task that you're trying to solve.
You also want to look at the model that you're building. Sometimes that's possible, sometimes it's not. But if you can look at the model structure- so what does the model actually look like when it has been created- does that look consistent across all the folds? The typical example would be a decision tree, which you can look at,. You can plop this out or write it down as rules. Or what you can do is, in every fold, are the same features selected again and again? Or do you see that one fold takes these variables and another fold takes these variables? If you have automatic feature selection in your algorithm. So, these are the kinds of things you can look for. If this differs a lot, then probably you don't have enough data, or the data selection strongly influences the model built, which would be the case if you don't have enough data. So, you have to go back to basics and check is the data right? Is the model right? Is the model too complex for the task that I'm trying to solve? Things like this, you have to look into.
What's the most misused term in machine learning and data science?
Participant 1: Big data.
Nauck: Yes. Good one. Any other takers? That was big data. No? This one, accuracy. Accuracy is a bad word because it hides so much. It hides so many sins in machine learning and data science. if your target class is only 1% in your data and your model is 99% correct, 99% accurate by just saying nobody is from the target class, yes, you have 99% accurate model but it's 100% pointless. So, accuracy, avoid using it. It doesn't give you enough information.
If you're in machine learning, print it out and nail it over your bed. These are the terms you need to work with. You need to understand this is for binary classifiers only. What type of errors are you making? What are the false positives? The false negatives? You need to understand what's the impact in your decision domain of these arrows, and you want to understand things like sensitivity and specificity, and you want to understand what's the base rate in your data. These kind of things you need to work with. There's a very good Wikipedia page. If you Google, "confusion matrix wiki", you'll find exactly that. So, that's very handy to keep available when you do machine learning.
Test Your Data!
To test your data. That's, I said, you spent 70% to 90% of the time massaging your data to get it into a shape to put it into a model. So, your test effort should be spent in that domain as well. It's also the most difficult part to test. You could actually say that everything that you do during machine learning is either using data or generating data. So, everything is about testing data. But what I said about the cross-validation, generates data; the data is statistical performance of your models. So, you can test this. If you want to make sure that your training performance is always better than the test performance, it's a rule that you can test for, but the difference shouldn't be too big. You can test for that.
So you can write a lot of tests on the output of a cross-validation to check that your model is actually any good before you continue on your pipeline. And this is testing the data that comes out of the cross-validation. But the data that you work with, you should test as well. So, what you do before you do any kind of modeling in machine learning, you go through something that we call exploratory data analysis, and it's the part where you try to get your head around the data that you're working with, and you do a lot of visualization at this stage, you plot stuff, you compute statistical features, means, variances, tests, all sorts of stuff. Just to try and understand what is this data telling me? Where does it come from? Is it any good? What's the quality, bias? All of these kinds of things. So, you learn something about your data, and you can write this down as tests.
We have a few examples. I use R a lot, so these examples are from R. There's a library called assertr. What you can do is you can write assertions in your code, and, I don't know if you guys use assertions in your own code, typically something that is used at compile time or maybe even at runtime. This one here is used at runtime, and you use it to write tests about the data. The data I'm playing with here is data about flights and flight delays, flights out of New York. There's an example data set which is available in R, and I'm looking for a column here that is called delayed. What I have here is a pipeline where I pipe a data table called my data through a number of operators. Actually, what I want to compute is I want to see how many delays I have in this data. What's the ratio of the delays in my data?
I have this verify, I have these two verify commands in here. The first one says, "Verify delayed is equal to one or delayed is equal to zero," which is a useful thing to have if you want to build a binary classifier, and you indicate that the positive class is indicated by a one and a negative class is indicated by a zero. Ideally, you don't want any other numbers to turn up there, or you don't want any missing values.
The other thing I'm verifying here is that I have at least 50% of delayed rows in my data. So, compute, because one and zero is my indication for delayed. I can just sum it up, divided by the number of rows in my data set, and then I get the ratio. If that all goes through, then this pipeline will produce the output I want. I want the number of delayed flights in my data and I want the ratio, so it tells me 86%. It’s probably skewed, I'm not too happy with it, but just for the sake of it, we'll continue with it.
If it fails, you see something like this, there's an arrow, and the execution has stopped. This is what you want. Your code should throw an exception if the data that you tried to feed into it, is not what it expects. Especially, you want to do this when you apply your model later in an operational system. It's always bad to make a decision that is on wrong data. So, ideally, you want a model that says, "Oh, I've never seen that. I don't know what to do," and tells you that instead of, "Yes, don't know, but will give you a one as an output because this is the closest thing I can find.” So, this is your way of enforcing to say, "I don't know what to do with this." And that's a very useful situation to be in when you use models. It tells you it's not what you expect, but you don't know exactly where it goes wrong. But this kind of verification is very useful, just as generic checks on the data.
You can try to find the culprit, which is useful in the first stages when you try to get your head around the data. Here I'm using an assertion that says a particular column, or actually the keyword "everything" here means all the columns, they should be positive. They should be between zero and infinity, and this is what this predicate checks. If that goes through, I get my result, and you can see it doesn't go through, and I get a number of columns where this is not true, and this is the variable for dew point where you have negative value. So, the data set has information about weather, and flights, and so on. And dew point actually can be negative. So it's cool. I learned something about the data, now I can change my assertions. I can say the dew point columns is okay if it's negative.
Sometimes we need to test something that you have to compute first, there are also operators for this. This one here insists, says that the wind speed and the wind gust should be within three standard deviations. But in order to do this, you first have to take your data, you have to calculate the mean and the standard deviation of the column, and then you can test if the individual role within is three standard deviations or not. And it would show you all the ones that are not, and there's a potential outlier. Again, this is useful in the first phase when you get your head around the data.
There are a lot of packages. You can find several of those. The one that I used here is assertr. If you're working with R, you probably know the name Hadley Wickham. This is more runtime assertions for code. But there are many you can play with. If you're more a Python person, then there is a package called TDDA, test-driven data analytics, which I would recommend to have a look at this. It's very cool stuff that can even derive constraints on data or assertions on data automatically. It can look at the data and say, "Oh, I think this column is just positive numbers or so." That's the tricky bit. There's no support to help you write these test cases. You have to do this yourself, and that's one of the problems in this domain. There is not a lot of tooling that helps people to do this, and that's why it typically doesn't get done so much.
Research Trends in Data Science: Supporting Tools
There are some tools out there that try to fill this particular gap. On data quality, you get things like Quilt and TopNotch that try to do things like data quality checking or data versioning, also interesting. So, if you used your data for machine learning and you replicate the whole experiment next month when you have new data, what is the difference between the datasets? That's quite a cool idea to version your data. Obviously, quite a challenge to do if you talk about massive amounts of data. FeatureHub is the idea that you can work across teams. So, when you develop machine learning models in teams, and you have thousands of columns to go through and to turn them into features, you do this in a team. How do you record and keep these features available and share them across teams? FeatureHub is trying to look at this. And then when you build models, you have to keep track of what you're doing as well, and things like ModelDB and MLflow try to look at this.
There's also a whole other area around governance around models. When you have them in production, and you need to check how they perform, or you may have to explain to somebody why they make certain decisions, you need a governance layer around this. For this, you want a certain type of APIs. You want to ask a model, who built you? What sort of data did they use? How many decisions have you made? What have you been built for? Especially in these image recognition domains, what do people do? They reuse deep networks. They chop off the top and the bottom layer and take a network that has learned to detect cats and dogs and then use it elsewhere, but retrain it on their domain by using what it has been trained for before.
But maybe somebody said, "Oh, you can't do this. If you use this model, you can only use it to recognize cats and dogs. Don't use it to diagnose x-ray images for cancer,” or something like that. And so, these indications when you have a model are important to keep track of, and these approaches look into this direction. We have a whole working group at BT that looks at model governance and tries to develop standards across industry for that.
Future of AI: Explainable AI (Xai)
The future- what I think is where things have to go to is explainability. So, explainable AI is one of the interesting keywords in the scene. This is the idea that you can ask a model, "Why are you telling me this?" Or, "What sort of data have you seen in the past that makes you give me this decision?" This is really tricky to do. It's not easy, but this is something where we have to get to, and so we need to be able to get to this sort of conversation with a model and ask it stuff so that we can develop trust in it.
So, we need to be able to trust that it has been built in a proper way, that all the tests have been done. When you buy something of a vendor, when they say, "Here's my facial image recognition system," how do you know they have built it in the proper way? If you have certain kind of quality gates for your own software, for your own machine learning, how do you know that the people you buy stuff from have the same? How can you check this? These kind of things could be introduced through explainability, and model-based design could be a way here to help ensure these kinds of things, think of explainability by design, similar to security by design, or privacy by design.
This is what I wanted to say. I hope you guys found it interesting and I'm happy to take questions. I don't know how it works, but there should be microphones coming around I think.
Participant 2: A very interesting talk. One of the things that is used to correct fundamental misconceptions in the academic world, as I understand it, not being within it, is other people challenging the original results and using that attempt to reproduce as a way to discover problems. Is there any way to reproduce that kind of argumentative tension inside an organization, or is that not the right way to do it?
Nauck: Yes. What we try to do is to replicate this to some kind of peer review. So, if one of my guys builds a machine learning model, then somebody else has to check it. That means this reproducibility idea. So, where is the data that you used? What are the steps you went through, and what is the result that you have? Then trying to get to the same result. In academia, you find more and more that people are asked to publish not only the code but also the data that they used so that somebody can take it and replicate the results. You can do this inside your own team or organization.
Participant 3: Thank you for your very interesting and thought-provoking presentation. I have a question about a few of the slides that you had in there. For instance, you had the image recognition problem, and you used an example about huskies and wolves.
Nauck: This one?
Participant 3: Yes, this one. The huskies and wolves are easy to identify as a human because it's already built in us to see through our eyes that a thing is in certain order. And if they were ordered in a vector of 2 million pixel values, they would be very difficult for a human too. So, humans build their vision in layers upon layers of information, and they check their stuff. The problems here lie in the fact that they interpolate or extrapolate the area of expertise that the model is using, and it fails. Is there a way to identify when the model is exceeding its boundaries in interpolation or extrapolation?
Nauck: Yes, very good question and very difficult to answer, especially in that space when you do image recognition, once you have potentially got an infinite number of images that can possibly be entered into a system. And because these systems, they don't see or understand the image, they don't look for concepts in an image like we would. If you've been in the previous talk of the track, then Martin showed the attention, the hotspots where humans look at an image, and where the algorithms look at. It has nothing to do with each other. It's important to realize this is only a statistical pattern recognition as you say. So, if you want to build a system where you can be sure what it is they're doing, you need to think about combining different concepts.
And so, for example, let's say you have a camera in a car that is supposed to look at the road and identify only if the road is free or not, which is a similar challenge too here. Then how do you guarantee that the image is actually a road. These image processing systems can be fooled. You could have an image that looks the same to you and me, but one pixel has changed, and it classifies it completely differently. You can find examples like this. So, this is really, really challenging.
What you would typically do if you test inputs to the system, you would say, "Okay, this comes from a particular domain," so I can check that the input comes from that domain. Is it within certain intervals or whatever? You don't really have this because you don't have concepts here; you just have pixels. You can think of maybe different ways of looking at images. There could be the old-fashioned type that does image segmentation, and you use this as well, and then you check, "Okay, the system here says that's a road, but have I seen a white line in the middle, and have I seen two black stripes to other side of it?" Or things like that. You can try these things. But this is, I would say in its infancy.
Participant 3: So, you suggest that there is a certain kind of unit testing for same machine vision or machine learning? This actually takes to the diagram a few lines after this. Yes. This one. Here the three is the feature generation, and four is the model building. Say, the model building creates machine learning model, and this machine learning model is used as a feature in the next model. So, the models build on each other. And now I have a system that is not tested like you say, with the code examples you have, the system performs, statistically. Sometimes it's correct, and sometimes it's not, based on the input you have. That would require something like testing using distributions or something. Is there some kind of literature that has done this research, or something that has used models upon models upon models to create this kind of a stack of machine learning systems?
Nauck: Again, great question. I haven't seen any.
Participant 3: None?
Nauck: No. So, the typical testing that you see in machine learning is all around cross-validation. Come up with a model that has this, where you can guarantee a certain performance. That's the idea. But this idea of looking at what type of errors does this model make, and what does it mean in the application context, and how can I detect these arrows when I to use it somewhere - I have not seen any work on this.
Detlef Nauck
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Baseball Hall Of Famer Bob Gibson Dies At 84
Published October 5, 2020 at 3:16 PM CDT
On an early October day in 1968, baseball fans watched a St. Louis Cardinal, Bob Gibson, make history.
He was pitching against the Detroit Tigers in the first game of the World Series.
UNIDENTIFIED SPORTSCASTER: Looking at a two-strike pitch. Strike three, they won't - boom. Knock him out swinging.
KELLY: By the end of the game, Gibson had struck out 17 batters. That's a record for a single pitcher in a World Series game.
UNIDENTIFIED SPORTSCASTER: Once again, a standing ovation, a new World Series record.
CHANG: Gibson died on Friday, 52 years to the day after that game. He was humble about the record, as he told NPR's David Greene in 2015.
BOB GIBSON: Getting a hitter out is the ultimate goal. Strikeouts is icing on the cake, I guess.
KELLY: That record is only one part of what made Gibson a Hall of Famer. During the same year, he had the lowest earned run average in modern baseball history - 1.12 for the baseball fans.
CHANG: He also was known for being an extremely intimidating pitcher. This is a man who broke his leg on the mound and still pitched against another three batters before leaving the game.
KELLY: But as he told St. Louis Public Radio, that reputation was not something he cultivated.
GIBSON: The intimidation, as far as I'm concerned, is not me intimidating you. It's you being intimidated by me. I'm glad they were intimidated by me, but that really wasn't what I was trying to do.
CHANG: Gibson played during the civil rights movement, and his longtime catcher Tim McCarver was a white man from Memphis.
GIBSON: He was taught that Black people were not equal and that they were subpar. But when you get to the point where you play together, you live together, you realize that all of the stuff that you were taught was not true. Here's a guy that I really enjoy being with.
KELLY: That is record-breaker and barrier-breaker Bob Gibson. He died Friday. He was 84 years old.
(SOUNDBITE OF LEIFUR JAMES SONG, "MUMMA DON'T TELL") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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Survey shows effect of virus on food scarcity, rent payments
by: MIKE SCHNEIDER, Associated Press
Jim Boutwell, of Paducah, works as a meat-cutter at Hughes Market and Meat Processing in West Paducah, Ky., Saturday, May 16, 2020. (Thomas Dean Stewart/The Paducah Sun via AP)
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — More than 10% of U.S. households in a survey last week said they could not get enough of the food they needed some of the time or often, and almost a quarter of respondents said they will have difficulty paying their rent or mortgage or will defer payments, according to survey results released Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Household Pulse Survey showed that around 40% of respondents said last week they had delayed seeking medical care as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and a little under half of the households surveyed last week had some loss of job-related income.
Almost 100% of respondents with kids in school had education plans disrupted by school closures, transitions to online learning or having parents teach at home. Adults with kids in schools spent 13 hours on average on teaching activities during the last seven days, according to the survey.
Wednesday’s release was the first for the experimental Household Pulse Survey, which is an effort by the Census Bureau and five other federal agencies to capture the effect of the pandemic on households in near real time. It will be updated weekly through the summer.
When it came to food scarcity, Mississippi led the nation with almost 20% of respondents reporting they had trouble obtaining the food they wanted or needed. North Dakota had the lowest rate at 5.4%.
More than half of respondents in Oregon reported delaying getting medical care, the highest in the nation, while only 36% of respondents in Oklahoma said they had delayed medical care, the lowest in the nation.
Invitations to participate in last week’s online survey were sent out to 1,048,950 households, and 41,996 respondents answered the questionnaire between May 7 and May 12 for what was actually the second survey. The first survey was conducted between April 23 and May 5, and those results also were released Wednesday.
The other agencies involved are the National Center for Health Statistics, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Services and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP.
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.
by Jose Franco / Jan 16, 2021
(KGET) -- No tickets matching all six numbers were sold in Friday night's multi-state Mega Millions drawing meaning the jackpot is now even closer to reaching $1 billion.
The numbers for Friday night's Mega Millions drawing were 3, 11, 12, 38, 43 and Mega number 15, according to the drawing's website. The jackpot for Friday's jackpot was an estimated $750 million.
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UK investigates after ex-PM bodyguard leaves gun on plane
Posted: Feb 5, 2020 / 02:23 AM PST / Updated: Feb 5, 2020 / 02:23 AM PST
FILE – In this June 26, 2015 file photo, European Council President Donald Tusk, left, speaks with British Prime Minister David Cameron during a summit of EU leaders in Brussels at which Cameron sought some changes in Britain’s terms of membership of the bloc. They didn’t prove to be enough as Britain voted in June of that year to leave the EU. It is finally scheduled to actually leave on Jan. 31, 2020 after 47 years of membership. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, File)
LONDON (AP) — London’s Metropolitan Police are investigating after former Prime Minister David Cameron’s bodyguard reportedly left his gun in an airplane bathroom.
The Daily Mail newspaper reported that the weapon found on a trans-Atlantic flight was handed to flight attendants. The Sun reported that passports belonging to Cameron and the officer were also found.
Police said they were aware of the matter that took place Monday and that the officer involved has since been removed from operational duties.
“We are taking this matter extremely seriously and an internal investigation is taking place,” police said in a statement.
As a former British prime minister, Cameron is entitled to security provided by a specialist police unit.
More World News Stories
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No. 10 Florida, Mullen plan to resume practice next week
by: MARK LONG, Associated Press
Posted: Oct 21, 2020 / 09:33 AM PDT / Updated: Oct 21, 2020 / 09:33 AM PDT
Florida head coach Dan Mullen reacts during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020. Mullen was given several more chances Monday, Oct. 12, 2020, to walk back bizarre comments about wanting to pack 90,000 screaming fans inside Florida Field during the coronavirus pandemic. He declined each of them, brushing aside criticism and insisting he’s focused on defending national champion LSU. (AP Photo/Thomas Graning)
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — No. 10 Florida is planning to start returning to its football facility Monday, nearly two weeks after the program shut down because of a COVID-19 outbreak.
Coach Dan Mullen, one of more than two dozen Gators who tested positive for the coronavirus last week, sounded congested as he said the team had a new positive Wednesday.
“We’re trying to see now if any new case could have been from the original spread on the team or if these are individuals kind of not following the kind of the quarantine procedure or just going out and getting it on their own because there’s no football going on right now,” Mullen said on the weekly Southeastern Conference coaches call.
Mullen remains isolatedat home, living mostly in his bedroom and adjacent office. His wife and kids have tested negative repeatedly, he said. His wife, Megan, temporarily moved to another part of the house.
The Gators (2-1) host Missouri (1-2) on Oct. 31, a game initially scheduled for this Saturday. LSU-Florida, initially scheduled for last weekend, was postponed until December.
Mullen said he’s concerned about the lengthy layoff. Assuming Florida is cleared to return and play, it will have gone three weeks between games.
“We’ll take our time getting guys (back) in,” Mullen said. “Obviously health and safety has always been top priority within our program, so it’s not like Monday we don’t act like we think nothing’s happened. We’ll build back up a little bit on Monday into what we’re doing and getting ourselves back on track and ready to go play. I think our guys have handled everything so far this year extremely well. I expect them to handle this the same.”
Mullen reiterated what athletic director Scott Stricklin first noted last week: The outbreak has been traced to two players ignoring symptoms and getting on a team plane headed to Texas A&M. Both players had tested negative the day before the trip.
“I don’t think it’s one specific aspect of the trip,” Mullen said. “I think it started on the plane ride there and then other aspects. I think you got the origins of, ‘Hey, we think these one or two guys might have been positive getting on the plane or might have had it getting on the plane.’ I don’t know if they were positive because they had just tested negative the day before.
“But it kind of started with a little bit of a spread there and you go into, ’OK, the one guy had a roommate on the road, so it spread to that roommate and then you had a pregame meal where these people sat at a table where that spread, and then you had a plane ride where that spread and someone’s locker was next to somebody.’”
Mullen suggested Florida would look at potentially changing its road routine, especially in regards to the size of visiting locker rooms around the league.
“You’re crammed into this little tiny space on the road,” he said. “Obviously, that’s something we might have to look at, how we utilize the road locker room moving forward. It certainly was from the trip, but I don’t think it was from one specific aspect of the trip.
“I think it just started on the trip and then there’s a lot of different things that happen on a road game that obviously put you at a higher risk than playing a home game.”
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The Latest: Cal Baptist-Arizona basketball game canceled
Posted: Dec 16, 2020 / 04:00 AM PST / Updated: Dec 16, 2020 / 03:00 PM PST
Spectators wearing face masks to protect against coronavirus watch the Champions League group F soccer match between Zenit St.Petersburg and Borussia Dortmund at the Saint Petersburg stadium in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
The men’s basketball game between Arizona and California Baptist was canceled Wednesday about 90 minutes before the schedule tip due to a positive COVID-19 test.
The cancellation was due to a positive test in Cal Baptist’s program and ensuring contact tracing and mitigation protocols.
The cancellation is Arizona’s fourth due to positive coronavirus tests by the opposing team.
The Wildcats’ next game is Saturday against Sanford in Santa Cruz, California.
The Duke women’s basketball team has paused team activities due to two positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing within the program’s travel party.
The school announced the move Wednesday as well as the postponement of Sunday’s game at No. 4 North Carolina State as well as Tuesday’s game against UNC Wilmington.
The news comes a week after Duke lost at home to No. 2 Louisville.
Two days after that game, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced that the Cardinals’ home game against North Carolina would be postponed due to positive tests and quarantines within the Louisville program.
Duke’s game at Miami was postponed a day later.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league plans to invite vaccinated health care workers to the Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida, as guests of the league.
In a letter to Rob Higgins, president of the host committee for the Super Bowl, that was obtained by The Associated Press, Goodell wrote that he wanted to “honor and thank health care workers for their extraordinary service during pandemic” as well as promote the importance of vaccinations and the wearing of masks in public.
Goodell added in the letter: “We all know that over the past year, these frontline workers have put their own lives at risk to the benefit of society and we owe them our ongoing gratitude. We also know that they will remain essential for months to come to treat those who are ill and administer vaccines. We hope that in some small way, this initiative will inspire our country and recognize these true American heroes as we look forward to a better and healthier year.”
The Super Bowl is scheduled to be played on Feb. 7.
Georgia has ended its search to find a replacement for Vanderbilt, which had been scheduled to visit Athens on Saturday.
The game was canceled when Vanderbilt’s roster fell below minimum requirements set by the Southeastern Conference’s COVID-19 protocols.
It would have been Senior Day for No. 8 Georgia. Instead, athletic director Greg McGarity says Georgia will seek another way to honor its seniors and the Bulldogs’ focus will switch to a bowl game.
The Atlantic Coast Conference says the women’s basketball game scheduled for Sunday featuring Duke at North Carolina State has been postponed.
The league says the postponement follows positive COVID-19 tests, subsequent quarantining and contact tracing within the Duke women’s program.
Duke is adhering to the outlined protocols within the ACC Medical Advisory Group report. No makeup date was given.
Due to varying COVID-19 protocols among the four schools and their respective basketball conferences, the matchups for Saturday’s CBS Sports Classic in Cleveland featuring North Carolina, Kentucky, UCLA and Ohio State have been changed.
The No. 22 Tar Heels will face the Wildcats at 2 p.m., while the No.20 Buckeyes and Bruins will tip off at 4:15 p.m. in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Organizers said the change was to “more closely align COVID-19 testing protocols between the competing programs and their respective conferences.” The schools come from the ACC, SEC, Big 10 and Pac-12.
Originally, Kentucky was playing UCLA and North Carolina against Ohio State.
The four schools have combined for 26 national championships and 65 Final Four appearances.
Kansas State has paused all football activities and withdrawn from bowl consideration after an outbreak of positive tests and contact tracing procedures would not have left the Wildcats with enough players to compete in a game.
The First Responder Bowl was the likely destination for the Wildcats, who beat then-No. 3 Oklahoma on the road early in the season but slid to a 4-6 finish after losing quarterback Skylar Thompson and several other players to injuries.
Kansas State lost its last five games but was in line for a bowl game because it finished seventh in the Big 12.
Second-year coach Chris Klieman called it “a bittersweet ending to the season,” but he also called it “nothing short of a miracle” that the Wildcats were able to play 10 games amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two soccer games in Germany’s second division have been called off after a staff member at Würzburger Kickers tested positive for the coronavirus.
The club says its entire team has been ordered by local health authorities to isolate “until further notice.”
The decision forced the postponement of Würzburg’s games on Wednesday against St. Pauli and on Saturday against Darmstadt.
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Midweek Mugging
What's On Wednesday
Kitchener Rangers
Things to See and Do in Waterloo Region
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Community Fridge project coming to Waterloo Region
The group behind the program hopes to have at least one fridge up and running in early September
Aug 24, 2020 12:30 PM By: Natasha McKenty
A team of Waterloo students are currently working to bring the Community Fridge project to the region. Community fridges have already been successfully established in the Greater Toronto Area, Calgary and Windsor.
The fridges are located in public spaces where individuals and businesses can donate fresh food for community use. These sites will allow access at no cost, also supporting the reduction of food waste within the region.
Behind the scenes of Community Fridge KW, you’ll find a small group of vastly educated and highly motivated young females. Angel Zolfiqar is a recent Political Science graduate from Wilfrid Laurier University, returning in September to complete a Master in Business Administration. Sarah Pharaon, an Undergraduate Chemistry student at the University of Waterloo. Nicole Skinner is a recent Master of Communications graduate from Wilfrid Laurier University.
“What inspires me to give back to the community is the people,” said Zolfiqar. “Providing them with easy access to healthy food or alternative options to reduce waste while contributing to society provides me with a feeling of fulfillment that is unparalleled.”
“The pandemic has created additional pressures such as reduced income, job loss and health issues. These challenges can result in high levels of food insecurity, which is why we are determined to launch this initiative as soon as possible.”
Pharaon is a member of the equity services team at the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association. “Being a woman and a person of colour, it made sense for me to take part in the Women’s Centre and RAISE (Racial Advocacy for Inclusion, Solidarity and Equity) - to offer support to other racialized students on campus,” she said.
She became a part of this project as a result of the inspiring work she saw from others who brought community fridges to their regions. “I could see the impact that this project had on their communities and how it helped various groups of people,” she said. “I wanted to do the same for my community.”
“We have many great resources available to help those in need, but there are still a number of people who slip through the cracks, so we found the Community Fridge project to be a great opportunity to do our part in reducing that gap especially as it relates to food insecurity,” she said.
The success of a Community Fridge will hinge on the generosity of local community members. Right now, the group anticipates two to three fridges in the region over the next few months. They hope to see the fridge initiative become a common element in our area, used by any and all people.
“Community Fridges are very popular in Europe, but they are a relatively new concept in Canada,” says Zolfiqar. “I definitely think what makes this initiative a success is the support and response from the community. We would not have been able to launch this initiative without the help of local businesses, organizations and individuals who have offered to volunteer their time, space or resources to our cause.”
“We are looking for fresh produce, such as fruits and vegetables, non-perishable items, and shelf-stable foods,” said Pharaon. “To ensure the safety of individuals accessing the community fridge, we are unable to accept home-cooked meals or items with open packaging.”
The group is currently securing donations and host locations and say they are very close to launching the project. Zolfiqar says they are seeking mask donations as well as possible partnerships with cafes, restaurants, grocery stores and local farms who may have unused food that would otherwise go to waste. They hope to have their first fridge, located at Zero Waste Bulk, up and running in early September.
You can continue to follow their journey on Instagram and Facebook.
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Home / Historical Biographies / Horace Walker Schantz
Horace Walker Schantz
1915-1916 16 Republican
1927-1928 President Pro Tempore 16 Republican
Born in Upper Milford Township, Lehigh County on July 31, 1875, Horace was the son of Ambrose and Emma Backenstoe Schantz. A prominent family, Horace’s ancestors were regarded as one of Lehigh’s oldest, descending from 1761 German redemptioner Jacob Schantz, the builder of “Schantz Mill” in the Hosensack Valley. Horace initially followed his father’s footsteps as a farmer, later accepting a four-year term as a schoolteacher. From that point, Horace “rose by dint of an indomitable will, superb courage, and a tremendous energy that was typical of his massive frame.” Retiring as school master, Schantz read law under James S. Biery before graduating from Perkiomen Academy with a divinity degree. He continued legal studies at Princeton in 1902, returning home to join the Lehigh County bar. Horace’s career in government service began in local offices, serving as a county justice of the peace and deputy register of wills. He later received an appointment as solicitor of the Board of Prison Inspectors and County Auditors, becoming the GOP’s first Lehigh district attorney in 1904. A powerful voice in Republican politics, the senator chaired the 1912 Lehigh County Republican Committee, remaining the county’s party boss for two decades and serving as the first Republican member of the Pennsylvania Senate elected by Lehigh voters. Senator Schantz deliberated in the upper house from 1915 through 1930, securing the president’s pro tempore gavel in 1928. He chaired Library, 1915-1916; Agriculture, 1917-1918, 1927-1928; Railroads, 1919-1922; and Appropriations, 1923-1926. Schantz supported the 1915 Snyder Free Library Act, the Public Teachers and Employees Retirement Act, the 1919 Constitutional Commission and subsequent convention referendum, Buckman’s 1919 Banking Department amendment, and the 1927 firearm control proposal. He opposed the 18th and 19th Amendments (prohibition and women’s suffrage), but supported Sam Salus’s 1921 equal accommodations bill, co-sponsored the Full Crew Repealer Act with Senator Eyre, backed the Public Welfare Department bill, the 1921 Sproul Highway construction and maintenance referendum, the 1923 State Highway Act, and the Pinchot 1927 - $150 million road construction bond. Schantz advocated passage of uniform primary legislation, the $25 million Pinchot Forestry Bond, Clarence Buckman’s 1927 Motor License Fund Act, and Frank Baldwin’s 1929 Administrative Code. While he backed some of Pinchot’s progressive programs during the 1923 regular session, Senator Schantz joined a core of conservative Republicans in opposition to the governor’s increasing funding obligations (bonds). He opposed 27 of Gifford’s proposed election reform initiatives, nevertheless, wrote and passed his faction’s version of the election and registration code. The senator emphatically opposed Pinchot’s “Giant Power Companies Bill (state management of privately owned utilities),” the “Steele Bill (proposing state takeover of coal companies during strikes),” and poured salt in the “dry” governor’s legislative wounds by presenting a repealer, designed to kill the state’s previously enacted prohibition act. During World War I, Senator Schantz played an integral part in Lehigh County’s Liberty Loan drive, served as president of the Lehigh County Blind Association, and became a member of the Public Charities Association of Pennsylvania. Horace directed the Perkiomen School, held a similar supervisory position at the Macungie Bank, and chaired the Lehigh County Historical Society’s advisory board. He was a Mason, Elk, and a member of the Moose fraternal organizations. Horace and his wife, Mamie Hartman Schantz, resided in Macungie, where the senator passed away from influenza on January 28, 1937, at 61.
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Good Samaritan Saves Woman, Children
Todd PittengerDecember 21, 2019
A good Samaritan saved a Kansas family from a burning car, gave them some Christmas money, then continued on his journey.
According to the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office, on December 16th at approximately 11:50 pm, their Communication Center received a report of a motor vehicle fire on U.S Highway just north of Selden. The vehicle was fully engulfed when first responders arrived.
After an initial investigation, it was determined that a Good Samaritan identified as 29-year-old Yevgeniy Lomakin of Vancouver, Washington, was traveling on the highway and observed flames coming from the undercarriage of a 2000 Pontiac Grand Am, owned by Shannon Harris of Colby.
Lomakin stopped when he saw no one around the vehicle. He approached and found an adult sleeping in the driver seat and three children ages 3,6, and 10, also asleep inside the vehicle.
The driver of the car had pulled over after becoming fatigued. All occupants were asleep in the vehicle when the fire started.
Lomakin ran to the car and started pounding on the windows to wake the four people inside. He woke Harris and then safely removed two of the three children from the vehicle. Both Harris and the oldest child safely removed themselves from the vehicle.
Lomakin moved the four individuals across the road and into his truck out of the cold. He then proceeded to move down the road a safe distance, and calked dial 911. After being checked by EMS it was determined no one was injured.
Sheridan County Sheriff Brandon Carver said “It is Good Samaritans like Lomakin that deserve to be recognized for his quick thinking, actions and heroism.”
Not only did he save the lives of Harris and her three children, but after giving his statement to law enforcement, Lomakin ensured everyone was ok. He then gave a cash donation to Harris sayin “I want you to have this for Christmas.”
Lomakin then got back into his truck and continued down the road.
The sheriff concluded “Yevgeniy, there is no way we can thank you enough for your heroism.”
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Dr. Wade Young, M.D.
Home Why Choose Us? LASIK Surgeon Directory Dr. Wade Young, M.D.
Meet Dr. Wade Young, M.D., an independent laser eye surgeon at The LASIK Vision Institute locations listed below. Schedule a free consultation today.
Wade Young
Cleveland Office
6000 Lombardo Center Ste 150
Seven Hills, OH 44131
Dr. Young is President of the Tiffin Eye Center in Tiffin, OH and a practicing ophthalmologist in the area since 1987. He is a member of the medical staff at Mercy Hospital of Tiffin, Memorial Hospital in Fremont, Fostoria Community Hospital, Mercy Hospital of Willard, and Elmwood at the Springs in Green Springs. He served as President of the Medical Staff of Fremont Memorial in 1995-6 and is currently President of the Medical Staff at Mercy Hospital of Tiffin. He has previously served as a Director of Bank One, Fremont, OH and the Advisory Board member of Society Bank.
Dr. Young holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry from Heidelberg University and a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in ophthalmology from Summa Health Care System in Akron, OH. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. He holds an academic appointment as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Toledo College of Medicine, teaching third and fourth year medical students.
Dr. Young currently serves on the Heidelberg University Board of Trustees, Fremont Country Club Board of Directors, Tiffin Ambulatory Surgical Associates Board of Managers, Community Care I, and Mercy Hospital of Tiffin Board. He previously served on the Erie Shore Council (BSA) Executive Board, Community Health Services Board, and St. Francis Health Care Center Foundation Board. He is the lay leader and organist of Green Springs UMC in Green Springs, OH.
Regain your vision today! To schedule a free evaluation with Dr. Wade Young call us today or fill out the form on this page.
Find Out About Other LASIK Surgeons:
Dr. John Kownacki, M.D.
Dr. Kownacki has performed more than 65,000 LASIK refractive surgery procedures . He was the first surgeon in the southwest to perform the newest FDA approved Custom Ablation treatment. He is so confi…
Dr. Michael Insler, M.D.
Dr. Michael Insler is a graduate of the University of Miami Medical School and is an experienced and well-respected refractive surgeon. Dr. Insler has performed over 90,000 surgeries. He is formerly a…
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