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With the LG V30 launch, removable batteries are now officially dead
by KOBSeptember 23, 2017
Let’s start off by saying that I strongly believe that the LG V30 is one of the best phones of the year. To be honest, a vast majority of people don’t really need or care about a removable back.
When Apple launched the very first iPhone, it was ridiculed all around for housing a non-removable battery. 10 years later, it’s virtually impossible to find a flagship phone of any major brand that has a removable battery. LG was the last holdout of a design seemingly forgotten, but now that the LG V30 is also going forward with a sealed design, there does not exist a single flagship phone from a major manufacturer that includes a removable back. Admit it, we’re going to miss that.
Won’t deny, the former flagship LG V20 had its issues, but in an old school Android kind of sense, it was a power user’s dream smartphone. It was 2016’s only major phone to have a removable back, an easily accessible Micro SD slot just above the battery, and it even retained the IR blaster. While most people thought these were for the most part unnecessary features, a small group thought they were some of its unique selling points.
For someone who often writes entire articles on his phone, the V20 could easily upload photos from my phone using the microSD slot without having to use those SIM eject tools or my the sluggish Wi-Fi transfer. And when my battery died right in the middle of CES, I was able to pop in a fully charged replacement in just a matter of seconds. Using a power bank wasn’t an option because I don’t like a cable hanging from my phone with a huge battery pack in my pocket while constantly moving around. Replacing the battery was quite simply the most convenient yet elegant solution. One can imagine Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 global fiasco would have been far less problematic if you could just replace the batteries yourself.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made my peace with the fact that new technologies and trends eventually replace the old, and removable backs have long fought their inevitable extinction. While some part of me was hopeful that LG V30 or a smartphone by any other company would challenge its engineers to try to keep the removable back while still making the devices sleeker, I never really expected it to happen.
Bottom line is, I’m happy Android phones are getting sleeker, but I’m a little saddened by their increasing similarity in general. Android is THE preferred OS for those who like having options and customizability, and a removable back is no longer one of them. 10 years from now, someone will be writing a similar article about headphone jacks. With how that’s already becoming an accepted reality, I reckon it won’t even take 10 years.
Read next: Kodi media player coming back home on the Xbox One Gaming Console
Gear & Gadgets, Mobile
Android, Tech
AndroidTechGear & GadgetsMobile
Popular Lip-syncing app Musical.ly has been acquired for $1 Billion
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Stephen Colbert goes commando to give Jake Gyllenhaal an Election Day scare
Stephen Colbert got his Charles Dickens on by donning an old-timey costume and spoofing "A Christmas Carol," with the help of Jake Gyllenhaal.
Stephen Colbert goes commando to give Jake Gyllenhaal an Election Day scare Stephen Colbert got his Charles Dickens on by donning an old-timey costume and spoofing "A Christmas Carol," with the help of Jake Gyllenhaal. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2018/11/06/colbert-jake-gyllenhall-turn-election-day-into-christmas-carol/1900319002/
Maeve McDermott, USA TODAY Published 7:40 a.m. ET Nov. 6, 2018 | Updated 7:57 a.m. ET Nov. 6, 2018
Election day began in the U.S. on Tuesday morning. Control of the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives and numerous governorships and state and local offices are all at stake. (Nov. 6) AP
For his Election Day Eve broadcast on Monday night's "Late Show," Stephen Colbert got his Charles Dickens on by donning an old-timey costume and spoofing "A Christmas Carol," with the help of Jake Gyllenhaal.
Colbert plays an Ebeneezer Scrooge-esque character who wakes up with the photos of three "ghosts" beside his bed – Republican leaders Chuck Grassley, Mitch McConnell and Orrin Hatch. Dashing into the street to make sure he hasn't slept through Election Day, he harasses a townsperson, a very deadpan Gyllenhaal, for answers.
"Say there – boy!" Colbert says to Gyllenhaal.
"I'm 37 years old," he responds.
Soon, matters turn to the fact that Colbert, in all his Election Day excitement, forgot to wear pants underneath his old-fashioned nightgown.
"There's still time to vote! Here, boy, take this shiny silver crown and go buy the biggest midterms' goose you can find!" Colbert exclaims, throwing a silver coin at Gyllenhaal.
"You know I can see right up your nightgown, right?" Gyllenhaal answers. "Seriously, dude, you have to put on some briefs. I can see all the election returns and they're swinging left."
Colbert will go live on Election Night to cover the midterms, as will "Late Night With Seth Meyers," "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and "The Daily Show With Trevor Noah."
More: Late-night shows go live for midterm elections
Day in celebrities
Christina Aguilera performs during the Moon and Stars Festival in Locarno, Switzerland on July 15, 2019. Pablo Gianinazzi, EPA-EFE
Ronnie Wood, left, and Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones perform at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on July 15, 2019, in New Orleans. Amy Harris, Invision/AP
Garth Brooks performs at Joe's in Chicago, on July 15, 2019, on the first stop of his Dive Bar tour. Rob Grabowski, Invision/AP
Actors Ken Jeong and D'Arcy Carden announce the nominees at the 71st Emmy Awards Nominations Announcement at the Television Academy in North Hollywood, California, on July 16, 2019. Valerie Macon, AFP/Getty Images
Jazzmeia Horn performs on the stage as part of 32nd Jazz On The Coast festival in southern Spain on July 15, 2019. Pepe Torres, EPA-EFE
Fashion designer Dapper Dan visits SiriusXM Studios on July 15, 2019 in New York City. Mike Coppola, Getty Images
Actor Liam Neeson attends 'Venganza Bajo Cero' photocall at the Villamagna Hotel on July 16, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. Carlos Alvarez, Getty Images
Denise Bidot, Corrine Foxx, Kathryn Gallaghar, Lil Wayne, Sailor Brinkley Cook, Ireland Baldwin, and Nina Agdal attend the AE x Young Money Collab and Fall '19 Campaign celebration on July 15, 2019 in New York City. Gonzalo Marroquin, Getty Images for American Eagle
Nikki Bella attends the Cedars-Sinai and Sports Spectacular's 34th Annual Gala at The Compound on July 15, 2019 in Inglewood, California. Emma McIntyre, Getty Images
JaVale McGee attends the Cedars-Sinai and Sports Spectacular's 34th Annual Gala. Emma McIntyre, Getty Images
Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2018/11/06/colbert-jake-gyllenhall-turn-election-day-into-christmas-carol/1900319002/
Jason Statham swears he nailed insane Bottle Cap Challenge on first try: 'Boom! One take'
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Senate to Vote on Amendments Related to Non-Immigrant Visa Programs
May 14, 2013 November 13, 2018 / General / By Dona Maria Avanzado
The Senate Judiciary Committee met last week and debated on few amendments. 21 amendments that were filed to the immigration reform bill were adopted and the committee will meet again today and debate on a few more amendments. Last week, the committee reviewed the first part of the Senate bill that deals with border security. The committee debated on 32 amendments, adopted 21 and rejected 11 amendments. Few changes were made to the bill but the key provisions of the bill were not changed.
Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee will debate on the part of the immigration reform bill that includes provisions for non-immigrant visas. This part of the bill calls for a new guest worker program for low skilled workers, the W visa program. According to the Gang of Eight’s immigration reform bill, W visas would be issued to low skilled foreign workers and the W visa holders would be permitted to work legally in America for three years. These W non-immigrants would also be permitted to bring with them their spouses and children to the United States and those immediate relatives also would be granted authorization to work in America. If the immigration reform bill is passed, this visa program would begin in April 2015.
Not all the low-skilled foreign nationals who apply for visas would be issued W visas and this new guest worker program would be based on a new system. To hire W non-immigrants, US employers must register and they would be permitted to hire only a certain number of W visa holders for registered positions, every year. These employers who register must post the jobs in the Secretary of Labor website and they may hire low skilled foreign nationals if they are unable to find suitable US citizens.
These W visas could be renewed. But the W non-immigrants would lose their status if they remain unemployed in America for 2 consecutive months. W visas would benefit the immediate relatives of W non-immigrants as they would also be permitted to stay and work in America. The Judiciary Committee will open a debate today and it will meet again on Thursday. The committee is planning to finish marking up the immigration reform bill before 27th May, 2013.
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This website (the “Web Site”) is operated by Van Alen Institute (“Van Alen” , “we”, “us” and/or “our”).
This Privacy Policy sets forth our policy with respect to information that is collected from you.
This Privacy Policy & Terms of Use have been updated as of May 24, 2018 to support GDPR. Digital and development teams at Van Alen understand GDPR regulations.
This website has a firm commitment to internet privacy. You can visit most portions of this website without telling us who you are and without revealing any personally identifiable information (“Personal Information”).
The only information we collect from a normal Web Site visit is information that cannot be used to specifically identify you (“Non-Personal Information”), which usually includes the name of your Internet service provider, the browser and type of machine you are using, the website that referred you to us, the pages you request and the date and time you request them.
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We will carefully consider what data is being collected and create clear internal guidelines on data collection / storage / retention / access / deletion / security. IE: What do we really need to collect, where does that go, why are we collecting or storing it, who can access it, what computers/servers is it on, how long should we keep the data, what are we communicating with it?
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Through the website, you can choose to access certain social media websites and services that are owned and controlled by third parties (e.g. Facebook and Twitter) (the “Social Media Services”). When you elect to access and use the Social Media Services, you will be sharing your information (which will include personal information if you elect to share such information) with those Social Media Services. As with other Third Party Sites, the information that you share with the Social Media Services will be governed by the privacy policies and terms of service of the providers of such Social Media Services and not by the policies and procedures we describe here.
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What the ATF Could Learn from 'Bob's Burgers' About Drones
Bob’s commitment to getting his money’s worth seems a fitting model for ATF.
by Shawn Musgrave
Apr 1 2015, 2:55pm
Image: Fox
Some might doubt that Bob Belcher, the eponymous lovable loser voiced by H. Jon Benjamin on FOX's Bob's Burgers, would have much advice to lend federal law enforcement. But audit findings released last week by the Justice Department's inspector general suggest otherwise—at least when it comes to drones and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
In particular, Bob's commitment to getting his money's worth seems a fitting model for the ATF and like-minded agencies eager to test the waters of unmanned flight.
Let's start at the top: Last week's report surveyed the Justice Department's drone usage, and mostly focused on the FBI, which is the only bureau in the DOJ to have carried out drone flights. But also in the report was the admission by the ATF that it had spent $600,000 on drones that it never flew—because they were faulty, the ATF claims.
What does this have to do with a sad sack cartoon chef? The world recently learned of Bob's doomed affinity for remote-control helicopters, and especially ones that come with their own dangling figurine of Jamie Lee Curtis. Bob's wife, Linda, chastises the less-than-sober purchase, which he insists was the result of "nighttime shopping with wine" rather than "drunk shopping."
Image: Fox
In similar fashion, Justice Department auditors questioned the utility of the ATF's drone purchases. The ATF bought six rotary-wing drones between September 2011 and September 2012, auditors report, at a total cost of approximately $600,000. According to the report, those drones never once flew actual missions. (Bob, meanwhile, paid $45, "plus shipping… which was also $45.")
Image: DoJ audit
In stark contrast to Mr. Belcher's eagerness to show off his new toy, the ATF declined to indicate which particular models it purchased, both in the report and in follow-up queries from MuckRock. But Bob and the agency do share a common frustration with "technological limitations" once their drones are out of the box.
In Bob's case, a short but disastrous first flight leaves his copter in shards just minutes after it's unwrapped.
"This thing is a piece of crap," Bob concludes, cradling his shattered hopes. "I'm getting my money back."
The ATF likewise encountered a quick succession of hiccups across three drone models its Technical Operations Branch purchased for video surveillance.
Image: DoJ audit
One drone model purchased by the ATF—a gas-powered drone with a sticker price of approximately $315,000—never worked at all, agents told inspectors, due to "multiple technical defects."
The battery life on a second model was less than half that advertised by its manufacturer. User-interface roadblocks rendered a $90,000 third model "too difficult to use reliably in operations."
Both Bob and the ATF, then, find their first drone dances to be disappointing. But while Bob refuses to drop the issue, the ATF didn't even ask for its money back.
First by email, then by phone, and finally in face-to-face confrontation, Bob demands a full refund. He persists even when chased into a dumpster by a poke-happy quadcopter.
"I've got rightness on my side," Bob explains to his son.
The ATF's total outlay on defective drones was several orders of magnitude greater than Bob's, and its purchases made using public funds. Unlike Bob, though, the agency did not request a refund when its pricey equipment failed to measure up.
Last summer, after finding all three drone models "unsuitable," the ATF shuttered its drone program. In September, the agency transferred all drones and related equipment to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service at no cost. An NCIS spokesperson declined to provide additional details of this lateral handoff beyond indicating that "the units are non-functioning and are early technology."
"NCIS intends to cannibalize the UASs for spare parts," the spokesman said by email, "specifically for camera gear."
Granted, the ATF has an annual budget comfortably above $1 billion, so $600,000 hardly registers a blip. Still, auditors report that they are "troubled" at the agency's purchasing drones that were "subsequently determined to have mechanical and technical problems significant enough to render them unsuitable for deployment."
The agency also failed to indicate whether it conducted any test flights ahead of its drone purchases.
Here, too, the ATF might look to Bob for guidance: Having been burned once, Mr. Belcher visits a reputable shop in-person to purchase another model. Bob is sure to try out the merchandise before leaving.
"Huh, it's actually pretty intuitive," he says after a hands-on tutorial.
ATF officials did not respond to emailed questions as to whether its staff conducted similar vetting before signing checks for drone equipment.
The inspector general's report did identify one last snag where Bob may not have been able to guide the ATF. Less than a week after headquarters disbanded its drone program, another ATF team purchased five off-the-shelf drones for $15,000.
Bob Belcher is many things, but a skilled communicator he is not. Auditors likewise criticized ATF for failing to communicate the drone program's suspension throughout the agency.
The National Response Team flew one mission with its three-pound drones to document the scene of an apartment fire in July 2014 before being informed that the entire project was in violation of Federal Aviation Administration requirements. It remains unclear whether the NRT has since obtained FAA approval, or whether the team will seek case-by-case emergency authorization.
MuckRock has filed a number of Freedom of Information Act requests regarding ATF's past and future drone deployments.
Because, as Bob indignantly shouts, "it's the principle."
Correction: This post originally referred to Bob's wife Linda as Louise, which is entirely incorrect. Motherboard is very embarrassed.
Government Oversight
motherboard show
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2031 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Zeeland Street Market
Price: $15 Regular Seats in advance, $20 at door, $35 VIP Seats in advance
New Orleans pioneering voice in alt-rocka countrybilly serial killer blues, Shawn Williams sounds like the result of a dirtier-minded Elvis deciding to get it on in the back of some roadhouse saloon with one of those sad-eyed cowboy types that would rather be drinking alone.
Her debut album Shadow (March 2017) is a skillfully-mastered collection of originals that moves seamlessly from old-school R&B-inflected rockers to softer, wistful numbers that evoke the broken-hearted melancholia of the desert. Idiosyncratic, catchy, and rich with local talent, the tracks showcase Williams impressive musicianship and unique capabilities as a songwriter. New Orleans' OffBeat Magazine says, "it's an impressively mature debut album".
Williams' sophomore release Motel Livin' (June 2018) "throbs with some of 2018's best-written songs," says Europe's Country Music People magazine.
On recording as in live performance, she conveys a sense of rawness, a depth of feeling, and a lack of pretension that set her apart from the rest of the citys pool of talented up-and-coming musicians.
Shawn has opened for national touring artists such as the Queen of Rockabilly - Wanda Jackson, Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, Corey Smith, The Accidentals, Todd O'Neill, The Way Down Wanderers, Loverboy, and more.
Aside from her own music, she is also the founder of the all-female Elvis tribute band, Pelvis Breastlies.
An accomplished career in radio has taken her from Atlanta to New York City and back to her hometown of New Orleans, where she marked success as the former programming director for two of the citys largest radio stations (NASH FM 92.3 and 106.1 the underground), all the while managing to maintain gigging/writing/drinking schedule required of a young bandleader in a vibrant night town.
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SMART BRUCE HIGH QUALITY FOUNDATION CAPTIVATES HOUSTON
Molly Glentzer, Houston Chronicle
Photo: McClain Gallery
How to become famous fast when you're not yet a somebody in New York's high stakes art world? Don't tell anyone your name. Make yourself mythical. Establish a collaborative so one person won't have to shoulder all the pressure. Make art about art history, and do it all - painting, printing, sculpture, video, performance. Invent a biography that invokes Robert Smithson, Roland Barthes, Andy Warhol and Joseph Beuys but also personalities some people might have to Google, such as Chris Burden and Edward Said. Invite friends, especially if they're rich and date A-list celebrities. Stage your first show as a retrospective.
The Bruce High Quality Foundation seems to have it down. The collaborative is named for a fictional artist whose work was supposedly lost with the World Trade Centers on Sept. 11, 2001. Late last month, the collaborative filled the prestigious front room of Houston's McClain Gallery with a show of large, many-layered mixed-media works that riff on Arnold Böcklin's late 19th-century "Isle of the Dead," substituting the Hudson River, a garbage dump and the New York skyline for the original's dreamy setting.
The big works are stunning, especially when you can hear the music emanating from a record player that floats on a Styrofoam island in a galvanized tank filled with water: Sergei Rachmaninoff's "Isles of the Dead" loops continuously. The effect is infinitely cooler than that "Nightmare on the Bayou" spectacle that jammed traffic on Studemont for a few nights.
In a back room, the guys have set up a pristine mini-museum of plaster busts on pedestals. The amusing busts are "Self Portraits" created by defacing or deconstructing classical sculptures with the foundation's signature face of smeared blue eyes, bloody-looking lips and a splash of yellow hair. They're sad, beautiful and hilarious. We could have bought the whole installation, except that the busts cost $12,000 each.
We also admired their gumption in pricing "Public Education (Let the Right One In)," an artfully scribbled-upon chalkboard with a row of tiny figurines that also have the funny face - and a price tag of $100,000. A version was hung at the Alabama Ice House for a few days, where anybody could mess with it. Art dealer Robert McClain is impressed with how the Bruce High Quality Foundation quickly got itself out of the emerging-artist category.
"They're really interested in tackling ideas. Everything they do is so smart and witty," said his gallery co-director, Erin Siudzinski.
Two of the foundation artists were there. They prefer not to see their names or even their faces in print. They don't look anything like their self-portrait. When PaperCity asked to take their picture, they posed with their backs to the camera. Their pal Vito Schnabel was there, too. The son of artist Julian Schnabel, he's an art dealer and restaurateur who's perhaps more widely known online right now as "Heidi Klum's toy boy." He didn't mind being shown from the front.
The next night, one of the artists, without sharing his name, showed some of their videos at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. The videos, thick with pop-culture references, try to be political.
When it isn't busy showing at blue-chip galleries, BHQF tries to subvert the traditional art system. It has staged a series of huge, open call shows it calls "Brucennials." The collaborative runs a free art school in New York's East Village. It also embraces the impossible: One ongoing project involves re-creating 17,232 objects from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
"At our current rate, we will finish sometime after all of us are dead," the nameless one said.
Some of Houston's best-known artists listened attentively.
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CANCER from Telford in the UK was besides NAPALM DEATH and CARCASS one of the very early bands playing classic Death Metal in the UK. Especially their first three Death Metal outputs left their traces in the all-time Death Metal Hall of Fame. But also 1995's "Black Faith" offered some really good Death / Thrash tunes. Seeing the band playing live again on festivals around Europe these days, supporting the re-release of their first three classic albums via Cyclone Empire and our personal curiosity was reason enough, to hook up with vocalist and founding member John Walker, who was keen enough to answer our in-depth questions with the help of bass player and also founding member Ian Buchanan...
John, CANCER has been founded 1987 by yourself, Carl and Ian. Tell us a bit about, how you came together and who came up with the idea to found a band? What were your influences back then?
"CANCER got together after a couple of jams, you know, knocking about, playing bits of other people’s songs, and trying to come up with a few ideas of our own. Once a friend of ours suggested after a few beers that we should call our group CANCER. Well, we went along with that purely to see if we got noticed, and as luck would have it, we did. Our influences back then were what everybody else listened to: Death, Thrash, Noise, Grindcore, Metal, and Hardcore Crossover."
The Metal scene grew quickly in the years 1987 - 1989 in UK. How was the scene back then in Telford, was there any local scene? Have you been in contact with the NAPALM DEATH guys or the CARCASS guys even though they came from Birmingham and Liverpool? Have you been involved in the tape trading scene in any way?
"There was a local scene, however it’s not worth talking about it. Well we knew NAPALM through Shane who was actually from where CANCER came from, and subsequently we played with both NAPALM DEATH and CARCASS on a couple of occasions. The tape trading scene was actually a fantastic way of getting your music out there, however the tape trading was finishing by the time CANCER had got sufficient material. But I do confess I used to listen to a bit of HELLHAMMER and DEATH, REPULSION, on those loud hissing cassettes."
In 1988 you already recorded your first demo “No Fuckin Cover” and one year later the band progress was already noticeable with your second demo “Demo # 2”. Any thoughts you can share with us from that period and any memories from the recordings?
"Well not so much, at this point in the group’s career our principle idea was to sound like the name suggested, however working with Scott Burns saw quite a jump regarding progress. These demos were recorded in Birmingham at a studio called The Pits (nothing to do with Brad and Angelina). The studio was very high up and you had to take a few flights of stairs to get to the live and control rooms. The stairs were covered in a nasty loose soggy ripped carpet and were very steep, waiting for an accident to happen. Once the recording commenced so did the drinking. To this day I’m astonished that we didn’t break our necks falling down the stairs in a drunken state. These demos soon got the group signed to our first label Vinyl Solution in which from then on any demos were recorded in Telford on an industrial state with a Health and Safety executive, risk assessing the premises. During the recording of the “No Fucking Cover" demo, Big Mick Hughs turned up by chance and was able to add his advice to the proceedings. Pretty cool eh!"
"To The Gory End" was finally released in 1990 on Vinyl Solution and received pretty good reviews in the underground scene and gave you a major push forward. Do you have any special memories from the recordings? What about touring etc for this album? Have you been in normal jobs at the time or still in school? For me, this album is still an underrated classic and deserves some more attention nowadays...
"To The Gory End" was recorded in Wales at Loco studios with Scott Burns producing and our friend Max helping out particularly encouraging a healthy attitude to alcohol consumption! Recorded in the winter, the weather was quite a shock for Scott as was the strength of the beer which when compared to American beer at the time was significantly better ( I have to say beer in America has improved massively in recent years and now compares favourably to most nations in that respect). At the time we were quite an alcohol fuelled band (which was Max's area of expertise) and I think this put us in good stead for recording in such a short time frame. Plenty of attitude and bravado, not really giving a fuck certainly helped and probably contributed to the energy of the album. Of course, being so young and having no experience in that situation meant there was lots of excitement and nervous energy so all in all I think it all added up to quite a rough and ready, raw recording. At the time I was an apprentice at a company called Avant Electronics which was pretty good really. I actually had a lot of fun there. There were a few people of similar age on the training scheme so we managed quite a lot of dossing about, plenty of practical jokes and generally having a laugh. Of course at the time I couldn't wait to get out of there, after all being in CANCER was really what I wanted to do, gigging with the likes of DEICIDE, OBITUARY, MALEVOLENT CREATION was certainly quite an antidote to working for a living!"
Only one year later, you released the second classic "Death Shall Rise". This was another huge step forward and brought you major attention, because of the quality of the material and because James Murphy joined you guys. How did James find the way to you and why was he leaving so quickly again? You also released the second album via Restless Records. Was this because of the limited power and distribution of Vinyl Solution ? Also here any good memories from the recording sessions and the touring back then? It seemed that all was in good order back then. Proper label, proper line-up, impressing songs and good artwork and a growing audience...
"We went to Florida to record "Death Shall Rise" because Scott was keen to record the album in Morrisound where he worked, which thanks to a bigger budget from Vinyl Solution we were able to do. Of course it was also nice to go to Florida in the winter and enjoy a break from the weather back home. At the time, Morrisound was a popular hub with the Florida Death Metal bands, MORBID ANGEL were recording "Blessed Are The Sick", members of DEICIDE and OBITUARY dropped in to say hi and of course James Murphy came and said hello. He offered to play lead on one song which seemed like a good idea at the time and of course one thing lead to another and pretty soon he was doing most of the leads on the album. We didn't really plan it that way, it just sort of happened. Anyway, after the album was recorded we toured with James as a full member of the band but we were three guys from Telford, England who had known each other for years and sometimes it can be difficult for someone from outside the group to click into that situation. Looking back now, I don't think we ever really clicked with anyone else which is why we are now a three piece again, the way it was always meant to be for us! The album was released through Vinyl Solution and licensed through other labels for different territories. Restless were very good for us in America but we also had a German release and a few other licenses around the world. I think it was quite normal for small indie labels to work in this way in order to get decent distribution, but it was difficult to keep on top of sales figures etc, but who cares, we were never really in it for that anyway. Those indie labels had some good guys working for them though, people like Rob Tennents at Vinyl Solution and Ron Goudie at Restless."
"The Sins Of Mankind" was released in 1993 and again on Restless Records. The material went into a more Thrash Metal orientated way. Was this planned or a natural development?
"The change in style for "The Sins Of Mankind" was a natural progression really, we always thought of ourselves as a Metal band, whether it was Death Metal, Thrash Metal or whatever. It just happened that way. Of course working with Simon Efemey contributed to a different approach to recording and changed the sound somewhat, his enthusiasm and professionalism was inspiring and he creates a great vibe. He's a fun guy to be around really. Not everyone liked the album but we certainly felt it was a step up for us."
In 1995 you released “Black Faith “ on East West Records. How did you get in touch with them to sign a contract with a big company like them and how did the co-operation work out? The material was far more Thrash Metal, was this the style you wanted to play with CANCER at last?
"Signing with East West was both a blessing and a curse for us. We were able to record a very self indulgent album, which was only possible with the kind of budget you get with a major label. We spent a month recording at Linford Manor, which was a great studio, we recorded through an old analogue neve desk which once belonged to Abbey Road, so there was a great sense of history as well as a great sound from the desk. We loved all that stuff really, speculating whether PINK FLOYD may have recorded "Dark Sound Of The Moon" through that actual desk, probably not, but why not enjoy the possibility! Again we had Simon Efemey to guide us through the experience which was great fun. The album was mixed at Brittania row (another PINK FLOYD connection!) with a brilliant state of the art mix by Swedish genius Sank. I personally rate this as the absolute best CANCER album, although I do appreciate why such a radical departure would alienate and even annoy a lot of our hardcore fans. People tend to think that major labels control the creative output of the bands they own but for us this wasn't the case and as I said this was actually a very self indulgent album. Of course the majors do like to have a great deal of control over all aspects of their artists and for this reason I think our relationship was doomed right from the start, we really weren't a band that could be controlled. Something we should all be proud of!"
After that, there were some years of silence. What happended between 1996 and 2004, when you released the "Corporation$" EP?
"Well we took some time off. It was time to do other things."
In 2005 you released your last album with “Spirit In Flames”. How were the reactions back then and what happened after the release?
"The "Spirit In Flames" album was more progressive than our previous stuff. It's a really good album but I guess CANCER fans expected something more old school, like our first three albums. Nevertheless, we finally decided we needed a break because we felt like starting other projects. I started LIQUID GRAVEYARD, Ian and Carl got involved in other projects such as CURRENT 93... and after 9 years we're up and running again."
After that you took the mentioned break to return now with some live gigs and your first three classic albums have been re-released by Cyclone Empire in the meantime. Are you happy with the cooperation and how are the reactions of the fans, especially live?
"It has been a real pleasure and an honour to play again in support of the re-releases. The reaction has been incredible for me to witness as I really couldn't understand why the hell anyone would want to come and watch us after all these years. It has been particularly inspiring to see so many young people in the audience. I honestly expected, that we would have been long forgotten about, so yes, this has been quite humbling and inspiring for me. Another surprising factor has been how much I personally have enjoyed playing the old stuff. As I said previously, for me "Black Faith" is the absolute best CANCER album album but in terms of playing live, I have thoroughly enjoyed banging out the old Death Metal classic CANCER stuff."
What are your future plans? Is there any new material we can expect and if yes, what direction will the material take??
"As for the future, we intend to keep doing the live shows, particularly the festivals as long as people keep wanting us. As for new material, who knows. One thing I have learned is not to rule anything in or out. If it does happen, I really wouldn't like to predict what direction it will go in."
John, I thank you and Ian for your time and patience in answering this shitload of questions and digging in the past for us. Any final words to the Voices readers?
"I would like to say thanks to everyone who came out to see us this year and hopefully we will see some more of you out there again in the future. Thanks also to anyone who has bought any of the re-releases, cheers for making it happen. Cancer Fucking Cancer m/."
www.facebook.com/cancerbanduk
Michael Kujawska
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When artificial intelligence meets the construction industry
The potential for artificial intelligence – or AI – is high on the social agenda. Seemingly, everyone from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to Tesla CEO Elon Musk has an opinion on the impact of AI on our everyday lives. But how will the technology of today impact the construction of tomorrow?
Once confined to the pages of science fiction novels, artificial intelligence (AI) has now become a reality that cannot be ignored. In many ways, we are already using AI – from the news feed we read on our smartphones to the software that enables us to shop online securely. We no longer see AI as a far-fetched concept resigned to our imaginations, it is something we are experiencing and benefiting from every day.
The advantages of AI are limitless and permeate not just our everyday lives, but across all industries. For the automotive industry, the launch of self-driving cars means a faster mode of transportation and a significant reduction in accidents and emissions. A similar statement can be made about the construction industry. Early adopters are already using the technology to increase the efficiency, safety, and quality of construction projects.
So, what exactly is artificial intelligence? It is a collective term used to describe when a machine mimics human cognitive functions, like problem-solving, learning, and pattern recognition. AI includes a process called machine learning, whereby algorithms are used to enable a machine to learn from the data it is exposed to. Therefore, the more data to which a machine is exposed, the better it will become at understanding and provide insights.
In a time when humans are increasing data creation every day, AI provides an endless resource for machines to learn and adapt. But how does that translate to the construction industry? The volume of data generated on an average construction site is growing – from images captured via mobile devices, to drone videos, security sensors, machine telematics, Building Information Modeling (BIM) and more. The main challenge, however, is not capturing all the data, but rather, implementing a system capable of managing the information, allowing customers to make the most out of it.
Increasing safety and efficiency
AI programs deliver precise data and insights, helping construction contractors maximize the safety, value, and productivity of worksites. For example, Smartvid.io – a photo and video management platform used by construction companies such as Skanska and Arup – uses AI to sift through mass quantities of images and videos taken at a construction site and spot potential hazards. The software uses image recognition algorithms to identify specific search criteria, like hard hats, safety vests, and hi-vis colors so that it can unearth images to highlight those construction workers who are not wearing the proper safety attire or are possibly violating safety guidelines. Within a matter of minutes, the search results are collected, collated and delivered to a site supervisor – a task that would otherwise take several hours to complete.
Manufacturers like Volvo Construction Equipment are exploring how emerging technologies can increase the safety of job site personnel. After launching Compact Assist in 2015, an operator assist program, Volvo CE is now developing AI algorithms, which detect and decipher specific objects using several computer vision methods. The advanced system sends a warning message to the operator to reduce the risk of accidents.
As well as increasing safety, AI has many other benefits, like performing mundane, repetitive and sometimes dangerous labor-intensive tasks. Dr. Fares Beainy, machine intelligence program leader at Volvo CE says: “AI techniques can help inexperienced machine operators to carry out complex tasks, which they otherwise could not. It’s advantageous in an industry that’s finding it increasingly difficult to source highly skilled and experienced operators.”
Human vs. machine
Research suggests that in the coming years, some jobs could be automated, leaving many people to worry about their future employment. But as it turns out, the rise in AI is not as terrifying as science fiction would have us believe. Autonomous machines are simply part of evolution, according to Dr. Beainy. “When the first hydraulic machine was introduced, people had similar apprehensions. But, with change came new opportunities. The same phenomenon is happening with the introduction of AI. It will be gradual, but by the time intelligent and autonomous machines are implemented into construction, new jobs will have been created to complement them.”
Caption 1: At Volvo Construction Equipment, we believe that collaboration facilitates innovation.
Caption 2: With innovation as a core value, Volvo CE developed the world's first fully electric compact excavator prototype - the EX2.
Caption 3: Created by Volvo CE, Compact Assist uses AI technology to ‘assist’ the operator.
Download the images
Tiffany Cheng
Director, External Communications
Volvo Construction Equipment
E-mail: tiffany.cheng@volvo.com
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June 23, 2018 at 2:30 pm EDT | by Patrick Folliard
‘Hamilton’ touring co. lives up to enormous hype
The touring company cast of ‘Hamilton.’ (Photo by Joan Marcus; courtesy Kennedy Center)
‘Hamilton’
Through Sept. 16
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
At long last, “Hamilton” has come to Washington.
The national tour of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s pop phenom, hip-hop-heavy musical chronicling the extraordinary life of founding father Alexander Hamilton has moored at the Kennedy Center Opera House though mid-September. After opening on Broadway in summer, 2015, it went on to win 11 Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize.
Miranda’s sweeping, breathing, sung- (and rapped-) through score wastes no time in asking, “How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman, dropped in the middle of a forgotten spot in the Caribbean by providence, impoverished, in squalor grow up to be a hero and scholar?” The answer, not surprisingly, is “by working a lot harder, by being a lot smarter.”
The show’s testosterone-charged early numbers like “My Shot” introduces the young guns/architects of the American experiment. At the center is Alexander Hamilton (Austin Scott), surrounded by the Marquis de Lafayette (Bryson Bruce), Hercules Mulligan (Chaundre Hall-Broomfield), Aaron Burr (Nicholas Christopher) and Hamilton’s favorite John Laurens (Rubén J. Carbajal) — all played by actors of color. Hamilton, an up-and-comer who arrived in New York at 19, boasts to his new drinking buddies, “Hey yo, I’m just like my country, I’m young, scrappy and hungry and I’m not throwing away my shot. It’s time to take a shot!”
Rather quickly, Hamilton rises to become aide de camp to Gen. George Washington (Carvens Lissaint) during the Revolutionary War, first secretary of the treasury, architect of America’s banking system, founder of the Federalist Party and more. He gets a career boost from the socially prominent and rich Schuyler sisters, Eliza (Julia K. Harriman) his long-suffering wife, and older sister Angelica (Sabrina Sloan), who also finds him irresistible. Seems there’s nothing Hamilton can’t do and he does it all with a sense of urgency.
First act closer “Nonstop” asks, “Why do you write like you’re running out of time?” The second act is rife with political maneuvering, a sex scandal, marriage problems, tragedy and more.
The hype surrounding “Hamilton” is warranted. Director Thomas Kail’s incredibly dynamic staging is perfection. The actors are carefully cast, brilliantly putting America’s racial history in the spotlight. As Hamilton, handsome actor Austin Scott brings energy, timing and a gorgeous voice to the production. Andy Blankenbuehler’s innovative and muscular choreography performed by a large, terrific ensemble is an integral part of the narrative. Paul Tazewell’s great looking period costumes including beautifully made coats and flattering breeches; and the Schuyler sisters’ lovely pastel gowns are charming. It’s a pleasingly cohesive and exciting production to say the least.
But it’s mostly about the music. Miranda’s rap establishes George Washington as heroic. Lafayette is witty and Hamilton wonderfully brash. Thomas Jefferson is comically written. Though there’s a lot of hip-hop, R&B and rap, the score also includes some more traditional Broadway tunes. There’s scorned wife Eliza’s ballad “Burn” powerfully performed by Harriman. And King George (Peter Matthew Smith) makes a delightfully memorable appearance signing “You’ll Be Back,” a ‘60s British pop-sounding message to the colonies.
The Kennedy Center’s Opera House’s acoustics are fine and the orchestra is excellent. Still, some of the rapidly sung raps take a minute to settle into, so getting familiar with the score before seeing the show, would be time well spent.
“Hamilton” is by far the most anticipated Kennedy Center event since 1981 when Elizabeth Taylor stepped onstage as scheming Regina Giddens in “The Little Foxes.” But the three-year wait for “Hamilton”, and the expense and hassle involved in securing tickets, all fade away once seated in the theater. It’s worth it.
The finale is titled “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story.” Though Miranda was inspired by the 2004 biography “Alexander Hamilton” by historian Ron Chernow, it’s his musical version, a remarkable blend of present and past, told with candor and love, that will be most remembered.
Austin ScottBryson BruceChaundre Hall-BroomfeldHamiltonHamilton DCKennedy CenterLin-Manuel MirandaNicholas Christopher
Patrick Folliard
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America’s new tobacco crisis: The rich stopped smoking, the poor didn’t
By William Wan
William Wan
National correspondent covering health, science and news
Victoria Cassell smokes a cigarette on the back deck of her house in Bassett, Va. (Jay Westcott/For The Washington Post)
MARTINSVILLE, VA. — After decades of lawsuits, public campaigns and painful struggles, Americans have finally done what once seemed impossible: Most of the country has quit smoking, saving millions of lives and leading to massive reductions in cancer.
That is, unless those Americans are poor, uneducated or live in a rural area.
Hidden among the steady declines in recent years is the stark reality that cigarettes are becoming a habit of the poor. The national smoking rate has fallen to historic lows, with just 15 percent of adults still smoking. But the socioeconomic gap has never been bigger.
[Health leaders call for immediate action to curb smoking in the U.S.]
Among the nation’s less-educated people — those with a high-school-equivalency diploma — the smoking rate remains more than 40 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Today, rural residents are diagnosed with lung cancer at rates 18 to 20 percent above those of city dwellers. By nearly every statistical measure, researchers say, America’s lower class now smokes more and dies more from cigarettes than other Americans.
This widening gap between classes carries huge health implications and is already reshaping the country’s battle over tobacco control. Cigarette companies are focusing their marketing on lower socioeconomic communities to retain their customer base, researchers say. Nonprofit and advocacy groups are retooling their programs for the complex and more difficult work of reaching and treating marginalized groups.
As inequality in America continues expanding by many measures, smoking is a growing aspect of that divide that is a matter of life and death, with wealthier and more-educated Americans now largely spared the cost and deadly effects of the vice.
Advocacy groups say funding for smoking cessation is dropping, and they worry that the attention and political will needed for tobacco control are also waning as America’s upper and middle classes see smoking as an already solved, bygone problem.
“If you’re educated and live in a well-off area, the smoking problem we’re talking about these days is now largely invisible to you,” said Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “In some places, you can go days without bumping into a smoker. So you start to hear the question, why push more resources into this? Meanwhile, the need is getting even greater, because the people left smoking are the ones who can least afford to.”
‘Two worlds’
Debbie Seals, 60, has fought on the front lines of this new class battle for the past six years from her home in the rural foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains.
She has driven her tiny blue Fiat to the farthest corners of southern Virginia and West Virginia to hold classes aimed at helping smokers quit. Her cessation clinics are often the only ones offered for miles around.
“It’s like there’s two worlds now,” Seals said.
Every month, she travels to Northern Virginia to visit her grandchildren in the D.C. suburbs. In Alexandria, she sees couples jogging on the streets and buying expensive organic groceries at Whole Foods — and not a single one smoking.
But in her home town of Martinsville, Va., cigarettes are ubiquitous. People smoke on their morning drive to work and on weekends mowing their lawns. Tobacco stores line the strip malls, and cigarette ads are in the windows of every gas station and convenience store.
The smoking is a symptom of deeper problems here, Seals said on a recent afternoon as she headed out to check on three former students from her cessation class.
Martinsville was once known as the “Sweatshirt Capital of the World,” a booming center of textile mills and furniture factories. Now it is littered with abandoned factories and vacant storefronts. So many families here live in poverty that all children in elementary and middle school automatically qualify for free and reduced-price meals.
“People down here smoke because of the stress in their life,” Seals said. “They smoke because of money problems, family problems. It’s the one thing they have control over. The one thing that makes them feel better. And you want them to give that up? It’s the toughest thing in the world.”
Seals — who retired years ago from a career with Girl Scouts of the USA — began teaching her classes as a volunteer for the American Lung Association. After seeing the desperate need, she began working full time on cessation for the nonprofit.
She’s taught many classes in recent years at the handful of furniture factories left. Many of the participants attend her clinic over and over, unable to stop smoking. She is careful not to make any of them feel like failures.
“If they manage to quit for a week or even a day, they succeeded,” she said. “I tell them if you were able to quit once, you can do it again.”
Meeting up with three of her former students at a diner last week, Seals probed gently, asking how much they are smoking these days.
“I’ve slid back,” admitted Victoria Cassell, 57, who has attended Seals’s seven-week program every year for four years. “There was just too much going on in my life last year.”
First, Cassell’s sister died. Then her husband started having heart problems again. On top of it all, her daughter and grandson moved back in.
The last time Cassell tried to quit was three months ago, after a doctor’s test gave her a lung cancer scare. “It was like losing my best friend,” she said. “My cigarettes have kept me company for 40 years, longer than just about anyone in my life.”
She ate lunch alone at the factory where she works, because her friends all smoke. She tried coloring while watching TV, just to keep her hands busy.
Three days in, an argument with a co-worker pushed her over the edge, she said. She ran to a friend at her first chance to bum a cigarette.
Pulling out her pack of Winstons, she tried to describe the feeling of that first cigarette after a hiatus. “It makes you feel like you’re floating,” she said. “You get lightheaded like you could just lay down and sleep. It almost gets you a little bit drunk.”
Seals, sitting nearby, said: “I’m proud of you for holding out as long as you did.”
The last strongholds
It wasn’t always this way.
When smoking first gained popularity in the early 20th century, it was a habit of the rich, a token of luxury dusted with Hollywood glamour. Then came the 1964 surgeon general’s report on its deadly effects, and during the next 3½ decades, smoking among the nation’s highest-income families plummeted by 62 percent. But among families of the lowest income, it decreased by just 9 percent.
“There’s this tendency now to blame the ones still smoking,” said Robin Koval, president of Truth Initiative, a leading tobacco-control nonprofit group. “The attitude is: ‘You’re doing it to yourself. If you were just strong enough, you’d be able to quit.’ ”
What isn’t taken into account, Koval said, are the vast resources tobacco companies are spending to hold on to their last remaining strongholds.
“Poorer people don’t smoke because anything’s different or wrong about them,” Koval said. “Their communities are not protected like others are. They don’t have access to good health care and cessation programs. If you have a bull’s eye painted on your back, it’s harder to get away.”
Tobacco companies have also invested considerable resources in recent years lobbying against smoking restrictions and taxes, especially in poorer, rural and often Southern states, where smoking remains highest.
Several major tobacco companies did not respond to requests for comment on the socioeconomic disparities related to the use of their products. The country’s largest tobacco company — Altria, based in Richmond — said it uses the same marketing approach across rural, suburban and urban retail locations and makes sure its signage follows legal limits.
Altria spokesman George Parman also pointed to more than $112 billion that tobacco companies have handed over for smoking prevention as part of the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. Parman said that it has been state lawmakers across the country who keep diverting those massive funds to other budgetary needs, leaving just a fraction for anti-tobacco programs.
Even that funding is now shrinking, and nonprofits and health agencies have begun revamping their approach to fit the new socioeconomic trend. This winter, the Truth Initiative launched a series of ads framing tobacco companies’ targeting of black and low-income neighborhoods as a social-justice issue. “It’s not a coincidence. It’s profiling,” the ads say.
The CDC has used a national ad campaign of its own to reach especially hard-hit populations, including low-income, rural, Native American, mentally ill and minority smokers.
In the tobacco control world, “disparity” and “health equity” have become new catchwords, and pilot programs in some states have been launched.
“But the frustrating thing for folks in the public health community is we know from research exactly what would make the biggest difference,” said Brian King, deputy director for the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health. “They’re just not being implemented at the policy level. It’s bread-and-butter strategies like getting states to pass smoke-free laws, increasing cigarette taxes and funding tobacco cessation and prevention.”
“They need someone who will come in and say, ‘It’s okay, you’re going to be able to stop,’ ” she said.
As Seals’s visit with her former students came to a close, Cassell — the factory worker who has now tried quitting six times — said she measures her victories these days in smaller increments: cutting back to a pack every three days, holding out until after her morning cup of coffee to light up.
“Do I ever think I’ll be able to quit?” she said. “No.”
Seals responded with a smile, unfazed. “Well, are you going to be at the next clinic?”
“I’ll be there,” Cassell promised. “I don’t know if it’s ever going to take, but I’ll keep trying.”
(The Washington Post)
William Wan William Wan is a national correspondent covering health, science and news for The Washington Post. He previously served as the Post's China correspondent in Beijing, roving U.S. national correspondent, foreign policy reporter and religion reporter. Follow
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Family Trees: A Father-Son Sawmill Operation
By Tarryn Guarino
Bringing Eastern White Pine from the Forest to Your Home
For Peter Glidden, a long and busy work day begins at sunrise—and he wouldn’t have it any other way. For him, there is no typical “day at the office”—he and his father Larry operate a small, family owned sawmill in rural Maine. And that means Peter’s work days are as unique as each of the eastern white pine timber planks he mills alongside his dad.
“We sort of stumbled into this business about four years ago, and it’s been nothing but busy ever since,” he explains. “My dad, Larry, he came home with the first portable mill. He used to say he couldn’t saw enough wood in a year to make a picnic table . . . but not anymore!”
So, what’s the best part of owning and operating your own sawmill?
“I really [enjoy] going out to view and buy the wood,” Peter says. When the big trees come down, local foresters contact the Gliddens to come out and take a look at the timber. The premium pine is chosen from trees that have fallen naturally, a process known as selective harvesting. This is an environmentally friendly practice that provides perfect timber, while remaining sensitive to the natural growth of the forest and avoiding deforestation. Peter has no problem scouting out choice timber from these fallen pines.
“I hand pick everything, based on the quality of the wood and what I know we need,” Peter explains. To create the handcrafted wide planks for Carlisle, he personally selects the wood he knows will provide the perfect finished product. The Gliddens operate two small sawmills, and while the work can be a bit noisy, the job also allows for plenty of time outdoors in the natural wilderness.
“The actual sawmills are indoors, but we do a lot of our work outside,” Peter explains. Whether heading out into the forest to survey some potential timber, or admiring the finished boards outside of the workshop, the Gliddens are truly connected to nature—and their craft.
Peter’s genuine love of the land and the wood is clear from the moment he starts talking. When asked about his favorite part of the job, he answers without any hesitation, “The craftsmanship, definitely. I take a lot of pride in the grading of our wood. It’s all hand done. Eastern white wide planks are a great quality wood, and I take a lot of pride in the work that we do.”
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City 'irresponsible', advocates of opening Portage and Main say
By: Ryan Thorpe
Posted: 09/11/2018 4:45 PM | Last Modified: 09/12/2018 6:55 AM | Updates | Comments:
Keep the barricades up or tear them down: it's going to cost money either way, says a coalition hoping to make the intersection accessible to foot traffic again. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press Files)
This article was published 11/9/2018 (308 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The Coalition for Portage and Main is calling the City of Winnipeg irresponsible for not releasing a dollar figure indicating what fixing the intersection’s barricades will cost — should they stay up — in advance of the pending referendum.
Coalition spokesman Adam Dooley, who’s involved with the team pushing to make the intersection accessible to foot traffic again, said the city has left citizens in the dark on a key piece of information they need to make an informed choice at the ballot box Oct. 24.
“If there’s one thing I really want to focus on today that is this myth that we keep encountering. And that myth is that people seem to think if they’re going to vote no, then they’re saving taxpayer dollars,” Dooley said.
“The truth is exactly the opposite. The city is committed and must spend millions of dollars to fix this intersection, to upgrade it, to fix the crumbling concrete and upgrade the accessibility, regardless of a yes vote or a no vote.”
"If there’s one thing I really want to focus on today that is this myth that we keep encountering. And that myth is that people seem to think if they’re going to vote no, then they’re saving taxpayer dollars," Dooley said.
"The truth is exactly the opposite. The city is committed and must spend millions of dollars to fix this intersection, to upgrade it, to fix the crumbling concrete and upgrade the accessibility, regardless of a yes vote or a no vote."
Dooley’s comments came at a news conference on Tuesday, where the new Coalition for Portage and Main campaign storefront was unveiled.
Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press
John Luxford, a supporter of opening Portage and Main to pedestrian traffic, offers information to people walking by the new Vote Open campaign storefront at 201 Portage Ave. over the lunch hour on Tuesday.
It is located at the former TD Bank location in the underground at 201 Portage Ave. and will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday.
The lack of information on the issue has led to an inaccurate public discourse, according to Dooley, with those opposed to reopening the intersection contending the cost of tearing down the barricades could be rerouted to address more pressing concerns.
"There’s been a terrible lack of information put forth by the city. People assume that the ‘yes side’ means spending money and the ‘no side’ means spending no money, but that’s simply not the case. We’re spending money there either way," Dooley said.
It will cost roughly $6 million to tear down the barricades, plus $5.5 million for additional buses to avoid an impact on Winnipeg Transit services, according to a report commissioned by the city.
On Tuesday, a city spokesman said there has been no condition assessment done on the existing barricades, nor is there an estimate for what fixing or replacing them would cost taxpayers in the future if they should remain standing.
"Let me be clear: I think it’s incredibly irresponsible for the City of Winnipeg to not have that information. The people of Winnipeg deserve that information and the fact that we don’t have it is really disappointing. And I think it’s exceedingly unlikely that we’re going to get that number before the vote," Dooley said.
ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @rk_thorpe
Ryan Thorpe
Ryan Thorpe likes the pace of daily news, the feeling of a broadsheet in his hands and the stress of never-ending deadlines hanging over his head.
Sep 20, 2018: Referendum requires a thoughtful vote Editorial
Sep 19, 2018: Glen Murray: Reopening Portage and Main would be good for downtown and suburbs Glen Murray
Sep 12, 2018: Poll finds Winnipeggers opposed to opening Portage and Main to pedestrians Ryan Thorpe
Updated on Wednesday, September 12, 2018 at 6:55 AM CDT: Headline fixed.
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ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION
Judah Smith v. Whois Privacy Services Pty. Ltd. / URDMC LLC
Case No. D2011-0397
1. The Parties
The Complainant is Judah Smith of Kirkland, Washington, United States of America, represented by Stokes Lawrence, P.S., United States of America.
The Respondent is Whois Privacy Services Pty. Ltd. / URDMC LLC of Fortitude Valley, Queensland, Australia and Dallas, Texas, United States of America, respectively.
2. The Domain Name and Registrar
The disputed domain name <judahsmith.com> (“the Domain Name”) is registered with Fabulous.com (“the Registrar”).
3. Procedural History
The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on March 1, 2011. On March 2, 2011, the Center transmitted by email to the Registrar a request for registrar verification in connection with the Domain Name. On March 3 and March 4, 2011, the Registrar transmitted by email to the Center its verification response disclosing registrant and contact information for the Domain Name which differed from the named Respondent and contact information in the Complaint. The Center sent an email communication to the Complainant on March 4, 2011, providing the registrant and contact information disclosed by the Registrar, and inviting the Complainant to submit an amendment to the Complaint. The Complainant filed an Amended Complaint on March 8, 2011.
The Center verified that the Amended Complaint satisfied the formal requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy” or “UDRP”), the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Rules”), and the WIPO Supplemental Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Supplemental Rules”).
In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2(a) and 4(a), the Center formally notified the Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on March 9, 2011. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5(a), the due date for Response was March 29, 2011. No response was submitted. On March 30, 2011, the Center informed the parties that it would proceed to appoint the Panel.
The Center appointed W. Scott Blackmer as the sole panelist in this matter on April 1, 2011. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted. The Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance with the Rules, paragraph 7.
The Registrar and the Center have both received correspondence from a third party concerning pending litigation in Texas and requesting the suspension or termination of the administrative proceeding, as discussed further below.
4. Factual Background
Judah Smith, now 31, has been preaching to evangelical Christian congregations since childhood. Since 2009, Mr. Smith has served as lead pastor of The City Church, a church founded by his father Wendell Smith and organized as a Washington non-profit corporation. The City Church has over 6000 members and conducts services at several locations in the greater Seattle area, as described in the Complaint and on the church’s website at “www.thecity.org”. As a youth minister for the affiliated Generation Church, Mr. Smith reached 4,000 - 20,000 young people monthly in the period 2005 - 2009 through Generation Church TV video podcasts delivered online and through the Apple iTunes Store. He has also cultivated a following of tens of thousands of fans on the Facebook and Twitter social media networks. Mr. Smith speaks at national and international religious conferences and has written three books. One of these, Dating Delilah: Purity from a New Perspective, has sold nearly 15,000 copies since it was published in 2007.
Mr. Smith has not obtained a trademark registration based on his name. It does not appear from the Complaint or from a perusal of the website operated by The City Church that either Mr. Smith or the Church have made a practice of asserting common law trademark protection for the name “Judah Smith”.
The Domain Name was registered in the name of the first Respondent, a domain privacy service, on February 4, 2006. Following notice of the Complaint in this proceeding, the Registrar identified the registrant as the second Respondent, URDMC LLC of Dallas, Texas, which shall be referred to henceforth in this Decision as “the Respondent”. According to the online database of taxable entities maintained by the Texas Secretary of State, the Respondent is registered as a Texas limited liability company, with the same postal address shown for the Domain Name registration. Mr. J. L. Harbin, a certified public accountant at the same address, is listed as the registered agent of the company, but no information is available on the state database concerning the company’s officers and directors.
The Respondent appears to be a “domainer”, in the business of buying and selling domain names. These are evidently not, however, limited to generic words and phrases. The Respondent was ordered to transfer domain names in three other recent UDRP proceedings where the domain names appeared to be based on distinctive marks: Amica Mutual Insurance Company v. Texas International Property Associates, URDMC LLC, WIPO Case No. D2010-2144 (<amicains.com>); Ariens Company v. URDMC LLC, WIPO Case No. D2010-2216 (<gravelymowers.com>); and HBI Branded Apparel Enterprises, LLC and HBI Branded Apparel Limited, Inc. v. URDMC LLC, NAF Claim No. FA1361369 (where the panel found that the domain name <legshanesbali.com> targeted the L’EGGS, HANES, and BALI clothing marks).
The Domain Name resolves to an advertising portal headed, “Welcome to judahsmith.com”. There is a link near the top of the landing page with the message, “For inquiries on this domain, click here”, followed by “Sponsored Listings for PRAYER MINISTRY”. The term “sponsored listings” normally refers to a pay-per-click (“PPC”) or similar paid advertising program. The first link under this heading on the website associated with the Domain Name resolves to the website operated by the Christian Prayer Center, a “group prayer network” headed by Pastor John Carlson in Seattle, Washington. The website solicits cash donations for the Christian Prayer Center and advertises the availability of its Seattle-area church for services including weddings and funerals. That website also includes at least one “Ads by Google” link to a commercial website that offers “Online Pastor Degrees” and other online diploma programs. Other links on the website associated with the Domain Name resolve to commercial as well as noncommercial websites, most with a Christian connection, such as Christian bookstores and “Christian singles” dating websites. Many of these websites offer some free content or social networking capabilities but also sell certain goods or services or display links to purely commercial websites.
Mr. Smith’s father-in-law inquired in October 2010 about purchasing the Domain Name, using the contact link on the website associated with the Domain Name. He received an email in response from Ondova Limited Company in Dallas (a marketing firm) saying that his inquiry would be forwarded to “the appropriate parties” and explaining, “This domain name is part of a large investor portfolio that is in the process of changing resistrars [sic] and management.” The correspondence apparently did not lead to a concrete offer, and this proceeding followed.
5. Parties’ Contentions
A. Complainant
The Complainant argues that his name has acquired a secondary meaning as a mark and that the Domain Name is identical or confusingly similar to that mark.
The Complainant contends that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the Domain Name. The Complainant asserts that the Respondent registered and used the Domain Name in bad faith, in an attempt to profit from misleading Internet users to visit a PPC advertising website and ultimately to sell the Domain Name for an amount in excess of the Respondent’s out-of pocket costs.
B. Respondent
The Respondent did not reply to the Complainant’s contentions.
6. Discussion and Findings
Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy provides that, in order to divest a respondent of a domain name, a complainant must demonstrate each of the following:
(i) the domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the complainant has rights; and
(ii) the respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and
(iii) the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.
Under paragraph 15(a) of the Rules:
“A Panel shall decide a complaint on the basis of the statements and documents submitted and in accordance with the Policy, these Rules and any rules and principles of law that it deems applicable.”
A. Suspension or Termination
The Registrar and the Center have received communications from a Texas attorney named J.Cox concerning pending litigation in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division and attaching two orders from that court. The proceeding has been variously styled In re Ondava Limited Company and Netsphere, Inc., Manila Industries, Inc., and Munish Krishan v. Jeffrey Baron and Ondava Limited Company, both shown as docket number Civ. No. 3:09-CV-0988. Mr. Cox did not identify his client or role in that proceeding. Mr. Cox furnished a copy of an Order Appointing Receiver for the assets of the debtor Ondava Limited Company and a subsequent order clarifying that order with respect to Novo Point, LLC and Quantec, LLC, two of the companies over which the appointed receiver was given exclusive control. Mr. Cox stated that Quantec, LLC is the registrant of the Domain Name, but that is not confirmed by the Registrar.
The Order Appointing Receiver, which was issued on November 24, 2010, includes the following provision:
“The Court hereby enjoins any person from taking any action based upon any presently existing directive from any person other than the Receiver with regard to the affairs and business of the Receiving Parties, including but not limited to proceeding with the transfer of a portfolio of Internet domain names for which Ondava Limited Company (“Ondava”) acted as registrar. Specifically, but without limitation, VeriSign Inc and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (“ICANN”), and any other entity connected to the transfer of the Domain Names, shall immediately cease such efforts and terminate any movement of the Domain Names.”
The Order does not specify the grounds for asserting jurisdiction over any and all non-parties with respect to the transfer of the (unidentified) domain names. In any event, the Respondent in the current UDRP administrative proceeding is not one of the “Receiving Parties” listed in the court’s order, and the Domain Name in this proceeding is not identified as one of the assets under the control of the Receiver appointed by the court. Moreover, the court appears to be confused about the meaning of “registrar” in the domain name context. Ondava Limited Company is not an ICANN-accredited registrar (see “www.icann.org/en/registrars/accredited-list.html”). The Registrar of the Domain Name at issue in the current proceeding is Fabulous.com, an Australian company. In short, there is nothing in the text of the two orders or in the correspondence from Mr. Cox that establishes that the Domain Name at issue here is in fact the subject of pending litigation; therefore, there is no persuasive argument that the current administrative proceeding should be suspended or terminated in favor of the judicial proceeding. It is noteworthy that the UDRP panel in Amica Mutual Insurance Company, supra, reached the same conclusion following correspondence from Mr. Cox concerning the domain name at issue in that proceeding.
Paragraph 18(a) of the Rules (“Effect of Court Proceedings”) provides as follows:
“In the event of any legal proceedings initiated prior to or during an administrative proceeding in respect of a domain-name dispute that is the subject of the complaint, the Panel shall have the discretion to decide whether to suspend or terminate the administrative proceeding, or to proceed to a decision.”
Thus, under the Rules, the Panel could exercise its discretion to continue to a decision on the merits even if the Domain Name were demonstrably implicated in pending litigation. In the Panel’s view, that is the appropriate course of action here. The Complaint alleges that the current registrant of the Domain Name, the Respondent URDMC LLC, registered and used the Domain Name in bad faith, targeting the Complainant’s mark. Nothing in the materials submitted by Mr. Cox indicates that those issues are likely to be addressed in the ongoing Texas litigation, even assuming the Domain Name is an asset subject to disposition in that proceeding. Thus, there is no compelling reason to defer to that proceeding in the interests of judicial economy or to avoid imposing unnecessary burdens on the parties.
Accordingly, the Panel denies the third-party request to suspend or terminate this proceeding.
B. Identical or Confusingly Similar
The Domain Name is identical or confusingly similar to Mr. Smith’s first and last name, disregarding the space between the two names (which cannot be included in a URL address in the Domain Name System for technical reasons) and the generic “.com” suffix.
The question arises, however, whether the personal name “Judah Smith”, which has not been registered as a trademark, has acquired a secondary meaning associated with goods and services in commerce, subject to common law protection, thus giving Mr. Smith standing to pursue this UDRP Complaint. See WIPO Overview of WIPO Panel Views on Selected UDRP Questions, Second Edition (the “WIPO Overview”), sections 1.6 and 1.7 (and cases cited therein). It is not disputed that Mr. Smith earns income from his ministerial, speaking, and training services and from sales of his books and recordings. However, he acknowledges that he has never applied to register his personal name as a trademark, and there is no indication on the church’s website that Mr. Smith or The City Church has previously claimed common law trademark protection for his name.
By contrast, The City Church has obtained United States trademark registrations for the mark THE CITY CHURCH in association with audio and video recordings, printed materials, entertainment services, charitable services, and church services including baptisms, communions, weddings, and funerals. The church owns at least two other registered United States trademarks used in association with activities in which Mr. Smith has been involved, GENERATIONCHURCH (a collective membership mark) and GENERATIONINTERNS (for educational and vocational training services). According to the “Terms of Use” page of its website, The City Church also has a pending trademark application for its design logo and claims common law trademark protection for at least four additional, unregistered word marks.
Nevertheless, it does appear from the available record that Mr. Smith’s books, sermons, conference speaking and training services, video podcasts, audio CDs, video DVD recordings, and social media sites have effectively been branded or co-branded with his name, and not solely with the registered and unregistered marks owned by The City Church. Mr. Smith’s audio and video podcasts are sold through the Apple iTunes Store, for example, under the title “The City Church with Judah Smith”. As reflected in media articles and search engine results furnished with the Complaint, Mr. Smith’s books, videos, and publicity for his speaking engagements prominently feature his name, with or without reference to The City Church.
The panel in The Reverend Dr. Jerry Falwell and The Liberty Alliance v. Gary Cohn , Prolife.net, and God.info, WIPO Case No. D2002-0184, concluded that the nationally famous minister and televangelist Dr. Jerry Falwell had not established common law trademark rights in his name. The panel noted that Dr. Falwell and his organization emphasized the noncommercial nature of his activities and failed to provide evidence of commercial marketing or advertising using his name.
The Complainant here is less reticent in referring to his well-advertised books, recordings, and speaking engagements. It appears from the record that some of these materials and activities are provided without charge, while others are clearly remunerative. The Complainant’s church has obtained registered trademarks covering some of the same products and services, presumably on the ground that they have a commercial aspect and compete with goods and services offered by others. Like other authors, the Complainant seeks to associate his name with particular books and recordings that are sold in commerce, and he actively promotes his availability for speaking engagements and ministerial training sessions. See, e.g., Sibyl Avery Jackson v. Jan Teluch, WIPO Case No. D2002-1180 (a complainant who sold more than 5000 copies of her book and attracted media attention established sufficient “goodwill” in her name in literary circles to warrant the finding that her name was used as a common law mark).
Doubtless, the Complainant’s activities have moral and religious objectives, but they also earn revenues and represent the promotion of goods and services in commerce. His name has been associated with those goods and services in the minds of a substantial following over a period of several years. Mr. Smith has made out a prima facie case that his name would be protected as a mark under common law, and that the Domain Name is confusingly similar to such mark. The Panel concludes, therefore, that the first element of the Complaint has been established.
C. Rights or Legitimate Interests
It is undisputed that the Complainant has not authorized the Respondent to use his name as a domain name. The Policy, paragraph 4(c), lists nonexclusive circumstances under which a respondent could nevertheless demonstrate rights or legitimate interests in a domain name, including:
“(i) before any notice to you of the dispute, your use of, or demonstrable preparations to use, the domain name or a name corresponding to the domain name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services; or
(ii) you (as an individual, business, or other organization) have been commonly known by the domain name, even if you have acquired no trademark or service mark rights; or
(iii) you are making a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the domain name, without intent for commercial gain to misleadingly divert consumers or to tarnish the trademark or service mark at issue.”
The PPC advertising website associated with the Domain Name is clearly commercial, and there is no indication on the website that the Respondent or its business has ever been known by the name “Judah Smith”. The Panel considers that PPC advertising may constitute a legitimate commercial use of a domain name based, for example, on dictionary words, generic phrases, or geographic or personal names. In such cases, the key to establishing that the Domain Name is used “in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services” is to determine whether the evidence points to the selection of the name for its generic value rather than for its potential to exploit a trademark. See the WIPO Overview, sections 2.2 and 2.6.
While the family name “Smith” is probably the most common in the English language, when combined with the relatively rare given name “Judah” the full name is distinctive. The Complainant has demonstrated that search engine queries using that name prominently produce results relating to the Complainant himself. Moreover, the content of the PPC website associated with the Domain Name is not devoted to any generic value of the name, such as information concerning genealogy or persons with the same name, but instead features organizations and businesses offering books, recordings, and religious and training services similar to those offered by the Complainant and in some respects competing with his products and services.
The Panel finds, accordingly, that the Domain Name was more probably selected for its trademark value than for the generic value of the name “Judah Smith”. As such, the Respondent, which has not come forward in this proceeding, has no evident rights or legitimate interests in the Domain Name.
D. Registered and Used in Bad Faith
Paragraph 4(b) of the Policy gives a non-exhaustive list of circumstances indicative of bad faith:
“(i) circumstances indicating that you have registered or you have acquired the domain name primarily for the purpose of selling, renting, or otherwise transferring the domain name registration to the complainant who is the owner of the trademark or service mark or to a competitor of that complainant, for valuable consideration in excess of your documented out-of-pocket costs directly related to the domain name; or
(ii) you have registered the domain name in order to prevent the owner of the trademark or service mark from reflecting the mark in a corresponding domain name, provided that you have engaged in a pattern of such conduct; or
(iii) you have registered the domain name primarily for the purpose of disrupting the business of a competitor; or
(iv) by using the domain name, you have intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to your web site or other on-line location, by creating a likelihood of confusion with the complainant's mark as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of your web site or location or of a product or service on your web site or location.”
The Complainant refers to the website notice and email correspondence indicating that the Respondent was interested in selling the Domain Name, but there is no evidence that the Respondent approached the Complainant or stated a price in excess of reasonable out-of-pocket costs.
As noted above, however, the name “Judah Smith” is unusual, and the Complainant had attained a certain fame by 2006 which resulted in the name regularly drawing a large number of visitors to religious Internet websites, the Apple iTunes Store, and social media sites. This would make the Domain Name potentially valuable for relevant PPC advertising. On the available record, and in the absence of a reply from the Respondent, the Panel finds that there is no other plausible explanation for the Respondent’s registration of the Domain Name and subsequent use of it for a PPC advertising website promoting relevant, and in many instances competing, goods and services.
The fact that this Respondent has also registered other distinctive marks as domain names, as discussed above, also suggests that the Respondent’s choice of this Domain Name was an opportunistic attempt to exploit the recent fame of Mr. Smith’s name.
Accordingly, the Panel finds that the Respondent more likely than not registered and used the Domain Name in bad faith, to mislead Internet users as to source or affiliation for commercial gain.
For all the foregoing reasons, in accordance with paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the Domain Name <judahsmith.com> be transferred to the Complainant.
W. Scott Blackmer
Sole Panelist
Dated: April 18, 2011
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Power of attorney forms to be cheaper and simpler
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE News Release (032/09) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 11 March 2009
Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) forms will be overhauled to make them simpler to complete and cheaper to register, the Public Guardian Martin John said today.
The overhaul follows a public consultation on key aspects of the implementation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Changes will see the forms incorporate previously separate guidance, more use of plain language and the cost of registration coming down to £120 from the current £150.
Justice Minister Bridget Prentice said:
"Helping people plan for an uncertain future when they may lack the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves is very important. Consulting the public has helped us to know where we can to improve services to make it easier for them to make these plans."
LPAs enable people who are concerned for their mental capacity, or those who want to plan for such a time, to choose a person to look after their personal and financial affairs.
Also, following the consultation:
* A new level of supervision of court appointed deputies will be introduced from 1 April 2009. This will give short-term intervention where needed, especially for lay deputies and when it is not always clear at first what level of supervision is needed.
* There will be no increase in fees for the Court of Protection.
* The cost to register an LPA from 1 April 2009 will be £120.
The Public Guardian, Martin John, said:
"We have listened to people's concerns about the length and complexity of the forms and we have responded. For example, we have reduced the risk of errors through improved design and have included guidance to make completion simpler.
Reducing the LPA registration fee demonstrates our commitment to provide a cost effective service and to encourage take up of such an important safeguard.
"We aim to deliver a service that is easy to understand and use, and improving the forms is a key step in that direction. We will continue to involve the public as we seek to further improve our services to them.".
1. The response document Reviewing the Mental Capacity Act 2005: Forms, Supervision and Fees can be found at http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/consultations-with-response.htm
2. The consultation can be found on http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/reviewing-mental-capacity-act.htm
3. The forms have been redesigned with help from Solicitors For the Elderly.
4. The review will continue to look at other areas of how well the Mental Capacity Act 2005 is working over the coming months. Further details will be outlined on the OPG's website http://www.publicguardian.gov.uk and through customer and stakeholder newsletters issued by the OPG.
5. The OPG registers enduring and lasting powers of attorney, supervises deputies appointed by the Court of Protection and investigates any concerns raised with it in relation to deputies or registered enduring or lasting powers of attorney.
6. Deputies are appointed by the Court of Protection to make decisions for people when they lack capacity when the Court decides it is in the best interest of the person that a deputy is appointed.
7. Registering an LPA currently costs £150 per form.
8. EPAs which are the precursor to LPAs cost £120 to register.
9. For more information about the Mental Capacity Act 2005, please visit http://www.publicguardian.co.uk.
10. For more information and interview requests, please contact the Ministry of Justice News Desk on 020 33 34 35 36.
http://www.justice.gov.uk
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Frank Pomroy | 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines - Marines
4:52 | On October 13, 1942, Frank Pomroy and his unit try to survive a Japanese bombing run on an airport on the island of Guadalcanal.
More From Frank Pomroy
Keywords : patrols tobacco air base air raid ordnance casualties Guadalcanal
Videos ( 16 )
Frank Pomroy | WWII | 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines | 4:03
Exhausted after three days of hard fighting on Peleliu with multiple wounds, Frank Pomroy finds himself separated from his unit. He runs into a Japanese patrol and then is almost killed by his own men.
Frank Pomroy recounts his exploits upon arriving at Guadalcanal on the USS George F. Elliot, his numerous brushes with death on that ship, and witnessing firsthand the Allied defeat at the Battle of Savo Island.
In the marshes of Peleliu, Frank Pomroy has a face to face encounter with a Japanese soldier where neither man comes out unscathed.
Frank Pomroy recalls having to leave his commanding officer, Lt. Fournier, behind, to hold a position by himself, as Frank tries to escape with a badly wounded leg.
After the severe damage to the USS George F. Elliot, Frank Pomroy and a few other men try to survive in the shark infested waters of the South Pacific.
Frank Pomroy recounts the injury of friend and fellow Marine, Ben Coffee, while in combat on Peleliu.
On Peleliu, Frank Pomroy gets into combat with Japanese troops in the dead of night in the Battle of Coffin Corner.
Frank Pomroy recalls the landing at Peleliu from the prep to the landing on the sandy beaches where Frank and a fellow Marine tried desperately to stay alive.
Frank Pomroy recalls how a fellow Marine is seriously injured by friendly fire.
Frank Pomroy | WWII | 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Division | 5:09
Frank Pomroy tells the "sinful little story" about how he joined the Marine Corps in 1941.
Frank Pomroy describes how the Battle of Savo Island was the Navy's greatest defeat during World War II due primarily to Japan's night-fighting superiority.
Aside from the fronts in Europe and the Pacific during World War II, Frank Pomroy contends that there was actually a third war going on at the time with General MacArthur.
Frank Pomroy | WWII | 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Division | 12:45
After fighting at Guadalcanal and arriving at Cape Gloucester, Frank Pomroy describes the Battle of Coffin Corner, which resulted in the loss of a close friend.
Frank Pomroy remembers being part of the first wave onto the island of Peleliu and coming face to face with a Japanese soldier during a banzai charge.
Frank Pomroy recalls a memorable experience with legendary Marine officer Chesty Puller on the island of Pelelieu.
While fighting Japanese forces on the island of Pelelieu, Frank Pomroy remembers trying to save a fellow soldier who had been hit by friendly artillery.
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Cameron McKenzie
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Social Work
Biography / Academic Background
PhD in Health Policy and Equity, York University
Master of Social Work, McMaster University
Bachelor of Social Work, Carleton University
Social Service Worker Diploma, Humber College
Through my practice as a social worker, researcher, community organizer and educator, I have followed my passion for social justice. I strive to use the perspectives of critical social work and health equity in my teaching and in my research on policy and social change.
Research Interests / Ongoing Projects
My primary research aim is to critique political and social structures that impact social policy and communities. My research seeks out knowledge and tools to improve health equity through community action and policy development that addresses the social determinants of health. My current research, Policy in Motion: LGBTQ+ Health from the Fringes to the Mainstream?, explores Ontario policies as they relate to queer health equity and the work of queer organizations.
My previous research examined educational supports and services for postsecondary students with learning disabilities, explored Indigenous and northern experiences with health and social services, analyzed controversies within Ontario’s sex education curriculum, and developed historical perspectives on the gay/queer liberation movement.
Provost Dissertation Scholarship, York University 2017-2018
Ontario Graduate Scholarship 2016-2017
Student Opportunities / Supervising
I would be happy to supervise both undergraduate and graduate students working on research on social policies affecting health equity in marginalized communities, particularly people with disabilities and queer communities. Research assistantship opportunities may be offered. Please email me to inquire.
Mulé, N., Khan, M., McKenzie, C. (2018). The growing presence of LGBTQIs at the UN: Arguments and counter arguments. International Social Work. 61(6), 1126-1138.
Mulé, N., McKenzie, C., Khan, M. (2016). Recognition and legitimization of LGBTQs at the UN: A critical systemic analysis. British Journal of Social Work, 46(8), 2245-2262.
McKenzie, C. (2016). Love, lust, and loss in the early age of AIDS: The discourse in “The Body Politic” from 1981 to 1987. Journal of Homosexuality, 63(12), 1749-1763.
McKenzie, C.(2016). Burnout North of 60: Supporting Social Workers in Nunavut, Canada. Critical Social Work, 17(2), 21-41.
McKenzie, C. (2015). Is queer sex education in Ontario finally out of the closet? Aporia: The Nursing Journal, 7(3),6-18.
McKenzie, C. (2015). Medevac and beyond: A review of the impact of Medevac on Nunavut residents, Journal of Aboriginal Health, 9(2), 80-88.
McKenzie, C. (2015). Navigating post secondary school with a learning disability: The pursuit for accommodations. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, 4(1), 35-58.
Vance, K., Mulé. N., Khan, M., McKenzie, C. (2018). The rise of SOGI: Human rights for LGBTQ people at the United Nations. In Nicol, N et al. (Eds.). Envisioning Global LGBT Rights. (pp. 63-81). London: University of London.
McKenzie, C., Mulé, N.J., Khan, M. (2019). Towards a Federal LGBTQ2 Health Equity Strategy. Submitted to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health: LGBTQ2 Health in Canada.
Mulé, N., McKenzie, C., Khan, M. (2017). Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) and the CASWE-ACFTS Accreditation Standards and Procedures.
Submissions Under Review
McKenzie, C., Mulé, N.J., Khan, M. (2019). LGBTQ+ and Ontario’s health care policies and programs. Submitted to the Journal of Homosexuality.
Mulé, N.J., Khan, M., McKenzie, C. (2019). Queering Canadian Social Work Accreditations, Standards and Procedures with SOGIESC Lens. Submitted to Social Work Education.
E: camckenzie@wlu.ca
T: 519.756.8228 x5499
Office location: DC 113, Dalhousie Centre
Office hours: By appointment.
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About Wolford
The World of Wolford
History of Hosiery
Wolford is a trendsetter in the fashion industry, setting new standards for over 65 years. Textile engineering ingenuity, a commitment to innovation and attention to detail are what make it possible to consistently introduce iconic products year after year.
Wolford’s innovations are all based on proprietary, highly-specialized knitting technology developed through ongoing intensive research and development. An in-house research and development department gives the company the ability to innovate and inspire with a stream of new products.
Wolford has 55 employees working in product development, and spent €7.4 million in the 2015/16 financial year alone. This commitment to research is the secret behind the many product innovations that have earned Wolford the title of industry trendsetter.
In 2014 Wolford launched the world’s first glued tights with its Pure 50 series, and one year later introduced the ultra-thin Pure 10 version. These tights were made possible with an innovation in gluing technology- for which a patent is pending- that makes it possible to glue seams so thin that they are invisible underneath tight clothing.
Wolford has continued to innovate, and has recently focused its efforts towards the legwear sector. The launch of the Nude 8 product family as part of the Spring/Summer 2016 collection introduced an innovative material perfectly suited for warm seasons. It is absolutely transparent and almost invisibly creates the impression of perfect skin. More legwear innovations will continue to be unveiled as the Autumn/Winter 2016 collection is released.
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XB Today
Dacita Wins G1 Beverly D., Gives Chad Brown 4th Win in Race
by Arlington Park Press Release
In what has become a familiar sight, trainer Chad Brown captured the 28th running of the Grade I $600,000 Beverly D. at Arlington International Racecourse with Sheep Pond Partners and Bradley Thoroughbreds’ Dacita (CHI) to secure a fourth victory in the 1 3/16 miles turf stakes, and his third in consecutive years. Under the guidance of jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., the 6-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy settled off the pace through early fractions of 23.84, 49.34 and 1:14.81 while Dom Felipe’s Ignacio Correas-trainee Dona Bruja (ARG), a length in front of Dacita from the break, made her way closer to the pace up the backstretch under rider Declan Cannon. Reaching the leaders in the stretch, Dona Bruja flattened too much to hold off the charging Dacita, but had enough gas left to stay up for the place photo.
Brown’s second of three entries, Juddmonte Farm’s Grand Jete (GB) was settled in front of the pair early in the running along the rail, but struggled to find running room as they crossed the mile marker in 1:38.11 with rider Joel Rosario. Ortiz, Jr. angled Dacita outside on the turn and rallied strongly towards the wire to win by half-length in a time of 1:55.49. Grand Jete switched to the outside to race up to Dona Bruja, hitting the wire in unison with the betting-favorite to trigger a dead-heat for second.
“She didn’t start as good as she normally does,” said Cannon. “She dragged me around for six furlongs and did a little more than [usual]. In the stretch she gave me a little kick, but it wasn’t what she normally can do. I think she tired herself out fighting me.”
“I was trying to save ground,” said Rosario. “Turning for home I had to wait a little bit longer than I wanted but she ran good.”
With the winner’s purse of $345,600 Dacita brought her career earnings to $1,398,369 with 10 wins in 19 starts. She paid $15.80, $5.20 and $4.40. Dona Bruja returned $2.40 and $2.80 while Grand Jete returned $3 and $3.80.
“We were waiting for her to be right and praying for some firm ground and we got it today and got super lucky,” said owner Sol Kumin. “This filly is something special, the way she finished we knew she had it in her. Thanks to Mr. Brown. We’ll have to regroup and talk to Chad with the Breeder’s Cup being the goal.”
With the win Dacita earned automatic, paid entry into the Grade I $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar in November by capturing the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series “Win and You’re In” event.
“First I want to thank the owner for giving me the opportunity,” said Ortiz, Jr. “I got a perfect trip, I got the one hole and broke out of there and got close. I didn’t want to be too far [off]. I saved all the ground and she was there for me.”
Chad Brown won the Beverly D. in 2016 with Martin Schwartz’ Sea Calisi and in 2015 with Michael Kisber, Bradley Thoroughbreds and Nelson McMakin’s Watsdachances. Brown also teamed up with Schwartz to win the 2011 Beverly D. with Stacelita. With the victory, Brown surpassed Christophe Clement as the trainer with the most wins in the history of the stakes.
The order of finish was completed by Rainha Da Bateria, Kitten’s Roar, Sarandia (GER), Hawksmoor (IRE), Rain Goddess (IRE), Zipessa, and Prado’s Sweet Ride.
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A Brief History of India by Alain Daniélou
Phil Catalfo
Inner Traditions, www.innertraditions.com.
A noted hindu scholar and translator, the French-born Daniélou (19071994) spent two decades in India and wrote more than 30 books. A Brief History of India was first published in France in 1971 and issued in Italian in 1984. This is the first English-language version, and it will doubtless become a significant addition to the libraries of many Western students of the Indian subcontinent. It offers a sweeping, erudite, yet readable tour of the languages, religions, and civilizations that have taken root there, from more than 30,000 years ago through the present era.
Living Faith: Windows into the Sacred Life of India by Dinesh Khanna and Pico Iyer
Take the Ayurvedic Cure in Kerala: A Yoga Retreat in India
Yoga History 101
A Dictionary of Buddhism by Damien Keown
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How to Earn Wrestling Scholarships for Girls
in Admissions, Articles, Scholarships
It is harder for students preparing for college to find wrestling scholarships than for other athletes. There are fewer schools with wrestling programs and, therefore, fewer awards available. The competition is stiff for boys and girls. The number of student wrestlers is growing ever year, particularly for girls programs. Sponsorship opportunities and grants are still hard to find. When seeking college scholarships, female wrestlers in high school should turn their attention to universities that are building their programs and have the appropriate academic major of interest.
In many cases, females still face the difficulty in overcoming the stigma that it is a boys’ sport and may have a hard time being accepted by some coaches or schools to an all-boys team. This means that girls who want to make a future of wrestling in college and earn wrestling scholarships must prove themselves both on and off the mats. Turning to colleges that welcome female athletes is an easier road to participation and funding. Decent grades, good fitness, a strong record, school spirit and a coachable personality are all traits that will attract the attention of a scholarship committee. The number of girls who want to wrestle has grown exponentially over the past 25 years. The United States Girls Wrestling Association (USGWA) had 247 young ladies compete in its first national tournament, held in 1998. There are now more than 6,000 competing in the national tournament. The 2004 Olympic games gave a recognizable boost to interest in the sport when women’s wrestling was officially added to the international competition.
Getting Noticed
For coaches and committees considering eligible team members and selecting recipients for girls wrestling scholarships, there are several ways that students can help themselves get noticed. Participation in wrestling tournaments at any level is helpful, with video footage and newspaper clips included for demonstration. Letters of recommendation from coaches and teachers are important endorsements.
Attending summer camps for wrestlers is a definite way for athletes to get noticed by coaches and athletic directors. Girls as young as middle school age can participate in camps designed to help them improve technique, conditioning and knowledge. In this setting, they are able to train with other girls in their same weight class, age and skill level — something that many local programs are lacking due to the smaller number of female participants. Standing out in camp can help students get on the radar for potential athletic scholarships in college.
For young ladies in high school hoping to pay for college, it is possible to get sponsorships and grants from local businesses. Gyms may sponsor young wrestlers for local, state and national competitions. A growing number of gyms, athletic apparel and fitness centers are sponsoring females. Before accepting any assistance, students should verify the present rules with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), rather than jeopardize eligibility.
There are many colleges and universities actively recruiting female wrestlers to bolster their teams. They are offering scholarship opportunities to those enrolling as freshmen, but also to transfers. This is an opportunity for kids with lower grades to improve them to 3.0 or higher at the local community college, then apply for wrestling scholarships for girls as a sophomore.
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Zegrahm Expeditions Offers Brand-New Itinerary to the Philippines
Dedicated Itinerary Focuses on the Philippines’ Unique Culture and Natural History
Seattle, WA (May 20, 2014) – Zegrahm Expeditions, the world leader in small-ship cruising and overland adventures, is pleased to announce a brand-new itinerary to the Philippines in 2015. This 21-day expedition explores the most intriguing islands of the vast Philippines archipelago, offering a host of unique opportunities to expose travelers to the undiscovered gems that make this country so intriguing. For example, travelers will have two opportunities to swim among whale sharks. Guests can get up close and personal with these gentle marine giants in one of the best places in the world to see them.
Highlights of this expedition include:
Cruising up a subterranean river, past bizarre rock formations and vast caverns, at St. Paul’s Underground River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Snorkeling or diving in crystal-clear waters to search for a variety of marine life—tiny pygmy seahorses, colorful nudibranches, and manta rays.
Experiencing legendary Filipino hospitality throughout traditional villages and remote island communities.
Searching for over 600 birds, 194 of which are endemic, including the Palawan peacock-pheasant, sulphur-bellied bulbul, Philippine cuckoo-dove, and Palawan hornbill.
Visiting the geologically unique Chocolate Hills, a series of conical mounds that resemble chocolate kisses.
“We are thrilled to offer this new opportunity for our guests to see the stunning natural and cultural wonders of the Philippines,” says Zegrahm President Edwin Blythe. “Not only are we the only company to offer a dedicated expedition to the Philippines, we recently delved deep into the itinerary in person, finalizing details that will make this a truly once-in-a-lifetime trip.”
This expedition is aboard the 100-guest Caledonian Sky from February 7 – 27, 2015, is priced from $17,480 per person, and is being led by Zegrahm cofounders Mike Messick and Jack Grove. For more information about Zegrahm or to make a reservation on an upcoming expedition, please visit www.zegrahm.com or call 1-800-628-8747.
Celebrating 25 years in expedition travel, Seattle-based Zegrahm Expeditions Inc. is a leading adventure travel company specializing in small-ship expedition cruises, tours, and safaris to remote and intriguing destinations around the world. Led by expert guides and lecturers, Zegrahm itineraries are carefully crafted and all-inclusive, feature deluxe accommodations, and operate in all seven continents.
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Robert Curtis Brown
Birthday: April1957, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA
Robert Curtis Brown has forged a career playing unique, diverse and interesting characters. This talented, Yale-trained actor has an intriguing, accessible screen presence and a depth of feeling and humor. The complexity that Robert brings to his characters may have its origins in his upbringing in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, his years at Yale Coll... Show more »
Robert Curtis Brown has forged a career playing unique, diverse and interesting characters. This talented, Yale-trained actor has an intriguing, accessible screen presence and a depth of feeling and humor. The complexity that Robert brings to his characters may have its origins in his upbringing in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, his years at Yale College, his education at The Yale School of Drama or his experiences traveling the world for work and pleasure. Regardless, since his first professional role fresh out of Yale, Robert has tapped into the ability to embody the essence of whatever character he portrays. From his early work in New York with Joseph Papp, David Hare, Al Pacino, Martin Sheen, Kate Nelligan, John Landis, Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd, Robert has been singled out for his ability to portray a broad range of characters.Robert has a sterling reputation as an actor from producers, directors and audiences across the country. In his three most recent feature films, It's Complicated (2009), Halloween II (2009) and The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009), Robert portrays three very different characters. In "It's Complicated", he plays "Peter", Meryl Streep's architect and friend who will introduce him to "Adam", played by Steve Martin. This funny romantic comedy includes an all-star cast, including Alec Baldwin and John Krasinski. "Halloween 2", directed by Rob Zombie, is a terrifying horror film in which Robert portrays the heart-wrenching father, of a murdered girl, who confronts Malcolm McDowell. Robert shares the screen with George Clooney, Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey in "The Men Who Stare At Goats", in which he portrays an Army General bent on staying ahead of the Russians!Robert has over 120 television and film roles to his credit including: "President Kennedy" in Big Love (2006), "Warden Davis Ollenstein" in CSI: NY (2004), "Morgan Ride" in Shark (2006), "Miles Bainbridge" in Big Time Rush (2009), "Dan, The Weatherman" in the Showtime series, Look (2010) and "Vance Evans" (Sharpay and Ryan's Dad) in the smash hit, "High School Musical" movies for Disney.Robert's acting work has extended beyond film and television and counts himself among the lucky actors who continue to work in the theatre. His long association with the South Coast Repertory and the Pasadena Playhouse are sources of great pride and artistic expression.Robert devotes his spare time to several charitable organizations including the "Pediatric Aids Foundation", "Helping Hands for the Blind" and his local schools. In his spare time, he plays softball, bike rides and enjoys gardening, scuba diving and traveling. Show less «
Robert Curtis Brown's FILMOGRAPHY
as Actor (112)
Lucifer - Season 3
Supernatural - Season 14
NCIS - Season 16
Hawaii Five-0 - Season 9
NCIS Los Angeles - Season 10
The Mentalist - Season 5
Big Time Rush - Season 2
The Handmaid's Tale - Season 2
The Orville - Season 2
The Thundermans - Season 1
Lethal Weapon - Season 3
Mom - Season 6
NCIS - Season 8
Castle - Season 2
Criminal Minds - Season 1
Malcolm in The Middle - Season 2
Supernatural - Season 3
Will & Grace - Season 10
Robert Curtis Brown'S roles
Dr. Josiah Rosenthal
General Brown
Bud Forbes, David Randall, Steve DiNapoli
Mr. Evans
Jered Wyatt
Officer Smallwood
Ivan Ronan
Kyle Van Der Klok
Gerald Campbell
Robert Gwinnet
Mark Kar
Reverend Collins
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Quiz: We'll Give You the Vehicle Brand, You Tell Us the Country It's From
We'll Give You the Vehicle Brand, You Tell Us the Country It's From
By: Steven Symes
Image: Millie Jackson
There's a whole wide world of vehicle brands out there, but how many of them do you really know? In North America, we only have a fraction that are available in other markets. Just take a trip to Australia, and you'll quickly realize how many automakers are out there.
Quite a few vehicle brands have gone the way of the dodo, making them only memories in history books. Some of these automakers even influenced the industry in big ways, like Saab, but didn't have the financials to keep going.
A number of younger vehicle brands have cropped up in the past 30 or so years. Quite a few hail from Asia, where economies are booming and more people are driving than ever. A new wave of technologically-advanced car companies in the United States and elsewhere are also fueling the increasing numbers of automakers in the world, even as other brands have died out. It's an interesting time of transition that's really reshaping how we get around in cities and open country.
You can't always go off how a vehicle brand sounds to tell which country it's from. Think you're up to the challenge? Take the quiz right now and find out.
Where is Bugatti from?
While Bugatti is most definitely a French automaker, it was founded in Molsheim, which in 1909 was German. Ettore Bugatti, its founder, was born in Italy. Of course, Bugattis have always been known for amazing designs and breathtaking performance, a tradition still alive today.
What country does Ford originate from?
Henry Ford didn't invent the automobile, despite many people thinking he did, but the American did create a company that brought cars to the masses. Ford is based out of Dearborn, Michigan, despite having offices and factories all over the world.
What country is Opel from?
Adam Opel founded his namesake company in 1862, but, at first, it made sewing machines. From there, it moved into bicycles and then cars. The company is still based out of Russelsheim am Main, Germany.
What country is Jaguar's headquarters located in?
Jaguar traces its roots as a brand to 1935. The automaker has its headquarters in Whitley, which is in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England. Tata Motors of India currently owns Jaguar Land Rover.
What country does Shelby call home?
Officially called Carroll Shelby International, after its founder, the company operates out of Nevada. The Shelby brand and Ford have a long-standing and mutually-beneficial relationship.
Porsche is from which country?
Ferdinand Porsche was the founder of Porsche, which he started in Stuttgart, Germany. In the aftermath of World War II, he was forced to move operations elsewhere, but the company did relocate to the same city where it's based today.
SEAT is from what country?
SEAT stands for Sociedad Esspanola de Automoviles de Turismo. The company's head offices are in Martorell, Catalonia, Spain. The national government founded the company in 1950 and still owns and operates it.
Where is Maserati from?
Alfieri Maserati founded his car company in Bologna, Italy, in 1914. Today, Modena, Italy, is home of the Maserati brand. It is owned by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, which is an American-Italian company.
From which country is Holden?
In 1856, Holden started out as a saddlery in Adelaide, South Australia. It progressed from that to making vehicle upholstery, then body shells, and finally, entire cars. Today, the brand is based out of Port Melbourne and is owned by General Motors.
What country does Kia hail from?
Kia Motor Corporation has its headquarters is Seoul and is the second-largest automaker out of South Korea. In 1944, the company started out making steel tubing for bicycles. It worked with a number of foreign automakers, including Honda and Mazda, before making its own cars.
Where was Saab from?
Saab was founded in Sweden in 1945, at the close of World War II. Parent company, Saab AB, was in the business of making airplanes but wanted to design a small car, prompting a design that was unique in the market.
Suzuki is from which country?
With its headquarters in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan, Suzuki makes not only cars, but also motorcycles, ATVs, and more. Despite no longer selling cars in the United States, the automaker is still a force to be reckoned with in many markets.
What country is Land Rover from?
Land Rover launched in 1948 with the goal of bringing four-wheel-drive vehicles to discerning buyers. It has been owned by a variety of companies throughout the years, including Ford, but currently is run by Tata Motors.
Renault comes from what country?
In 1899, Renault emerged as an automaker. It is currently based out of Boulugne-Billancourt. It makes a whole range of cars and vans, but in the past, has manufactured buses, trucks, tractors, and other types of vehicles.
What country is Faraday Future from?
Faraday Future is an interesting automaker, considering it has yet to put a single vehicle into production. Still, the Los Angeles-based company talks big about making highly advanced electric cars that will become an industry standard.
Tata is from which country?
Formerly called TELCO, Tata Motors has been around since 1945. The company's headquarters are in bustling Mumbai, while the cars, buses, construction equipment, and other commercial vehicles it builds are used in countries around the globe.
Where is Fisker from?
Fisker Inc., and the old defunct Fisker Automotive, both hail from California. The current brand to use the Fisker name was started in 2016 and is run out of Los Angeles. So far, it boasts one production vehicle, the EMotion, with the Orbit autonomous shuttle bus due to release soon.
What country is Geely from?
Geely has only been around since 1986. That's surprising, considering it's a powerhouse in the Chinese automotive market, which is the largest in the world, and that Geely owns both Volvo and Lotus. Company headquarters are located in Binjiang District, Hanngzhou, Zhejiang.
Morgan hails from which nation?
Formerly called the Morgan Motor Company, this automaker is actually family-owned, something that's truly unique in the auto industry. It was founded in 1910 and is based out of Malvern, Worcestershire.
Nissan comes from what country?
Most people would never suspect that Nissan's roots stretch all the way to 1933, predating World War II. Of course, the Datsun brand goes back even further to 1914, making it the first car from Japan. Corporate headquarters are in Nishi-ku, Yokohama.
Where does the hypercar brand Koenigsegg originate from?
Based in Angelholm, Koenigsegg has gained worldwide notoriety for making some of the most powerful and fastest production cars in modern times. That's amazing, considering the company got its start in 1994 and has only a handful of employees.
Spyker is from which country?
This boutique automaker, which crafts cars fashioned after old airplanes, is based in Zeewolde. It's been through some financially difficult times, especially after trying to save Saab, and actually stopped operating for a time before making a dramatic return to the market.
Where is Alpina from?
Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH & Co. KG, the official name of the company, operates out of Buchloe, Germany. It was founded in 1965 and has gained notoriety for modifying certain BMW models, making them more luxurious and performance-oriented.
From what country does Tesla hail?
Most people don't realize Tesla Motors was founded in Delaware, not California, and that Elon Musk didn't start the company. That was in 2003, but today, the electric automaker operates out of Palo Alto, California, and has captivated the media and public attention for its innovative designs.
What country is home for Smart?
Smart Automobile is pretty new to the automotive market, having been founded in 1994. Based in Boblingen, Germany, the brand is owned by Daimler, which also manages Mercedes-Benz, Sprinter, and others.
Where is Volvo based out of?
Volvo has a rich and interesting history, which began in 1927. Today, the brand has undergone a transformation, moving away from boxy designs, and enjoying funding from new owner, Geely. It's still based in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Saturn, which is now defunct, came from what country?
In 1985, General Motors launched a different kind of car company, one that had plenty of promise to transform the market. The independent nature of the brand, which was based out of Spring Hill, Tennessee, eroded as headquarters were moved to Detroit. It finally went under in 2010.
Where is Skoda from?
Most people have no idea that Skoda has been around since 1895. Under Volkswagen Group ownership, the brand has evolved from producing strictly entry-level vehicles to more upmarket cars and crossovers. The company is based in Mlada Boleslav.
What country does Lamborghini call home?
Even though Lamborghini is owned by the Volkswagen Group, the automaker has retained much of its Italian flair, especially when it comes to bold designs. It was founded in 1963 by Ferrucio Lamborghini and is still based out of Sant'Agata, Bolognese.
Great Wall is from which country?
Great Wall Motors Company Limited started operating in 1984, and today is the largest SUV and pickup truck manufacturer in China. Corporate headquarters are located in Baoding, Hebei, and its vehicles are sold in markets around the globe.
Where was Proto Motors from?
Founded in 1997, Proto Motors concentrated on coachbuilding as well as making sports cars. At one point, it made a custom convertible limousine for the South Korean president. The brand went under in 2017.
What country did Packard call home?
In 1899, Packard Motor Car Company started operating in Detroit, a city synonymous with the auto industry in America. It was revered for creating highly luxurious models. In 1953, Packard bought struggling Studebaker, but the company failed in 1958.
Citroen is from which country?
Citroen operates out of Saint-Ouen, France and sells cars globally. The company started up in 1919 after World War I, but today is owned by Groupe PSA, which also owns Peugeot, Opel, and Vauxhall, among other brands.
Where is Vauxhall from?
With roots stretching all the way to 1857, few automakers are older than Vauxhall. It started out making marine engines and pumps. Today, it has its corporate headquarters in Luton, Bedfordshire, and only sells vehicles in the United Kingdom.
BMW is from which country?
BMW was founded in 1916 and has grown to be one of the most respected automakers in the world. The company has its headquarters in Munich.
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Home›Reviews›Guns N Roses Appetite for Democracy - GNR Rocks the Joint in this Blu-ray Release!
Guns N Roses Appetite for Democracy - GNR Rocks the Joint in this Blu-ray Release!
Appetite for Democracy features Guns N Roses during their Las Vegas residency, playing the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
In 2012, Guns N Roses came to Sin City, performing a residency at the Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Despite various lineup changes over the years and drama galore, the Guns N Roses name is still strong in the world of rock.
For this release, the band lineup is comprised of Axl Rose, Dizzy Reed, Tommy Stinson, DJ Ashba, Bumblefoot, Richard Fortus, Chris Pitman, and Frank Ferrer. This is the concert that was performed on November 21, 2012. It was given a theatrical release in July of 2014, with the home video release following in November, released on DVD and a hybrid 3D/2D Blu-ray Disc.
For the Guns N Roses residency at the Hard Rock Hotel, the band brought audiences a powerful eight (!) piece band – three guitarists, two keyboardists, one drummer, one bassist, and of course, Mr. Rose himself. With elaborate on stage production combining customized set pieces and stage shows, the band covers all the old classics, along with cuts from the newest Guns N Roses album, Chinese Democracy (which is not that new anymore) and even some unexpected surprise cover songs!
Tracklist for the concert. The show alone runs nearly three hours!
Say what you will about Axl Rose; this is a powerful concert experience that any fan of the band, old or new, will definitely want to see and hear for themselves. The concert itself runs nearly three hours in length, making this the longest consecutive concert I have ever seen on home video. That said, the band still does a good job of holding the attention of listeners and viewers throughout it all; no easy task given the lengthy duration!
The band does not skimp on the theatrics; the stage is customized for the performance, complete with elaborate setup and scantily clad dancing girls for the entertainment of the audience. The band is on fire here; even the aging Rose still sings surprisingly good (no, he does not sound exactly the same that he did two decades ago, but who does?) We get plenty of solos and other unexpected surprises that keep things fresh throughout. Guns N Roses is a band that demands not only good music but a visual aspect to their shows as well; you will be pleased to see that the band has pulled that off beautifully here!
The Blu-ray Disc features both 2D and 3D viewing modes, though I was only able to view the 2D version for the sake of this review. Picture quality is good overall on the disc, though parts do look a little murky, largely when the stage is bathed in blue light. The audio options get the job done; no major complaints on that end of things.
Bonus features include a photo slideshow gallery (strangely devoid of music) and interviews with four members of the band, detailing their musical pasts and how they came to be in the band over the years. It is a nice set of supplements and goes great with the concert.
If you are a Guns N Roses fan and want to see this incarnation of the band doing their thing live in an exciting setting, this is the perfect Blu-ray Disc for you. A solid performance from the band is supported beautifully by an elaborate, action-packed stage show that will never let your attention fade during its lengthy run time. Fans cannot go wrong here. Highly recommended!
TagsAppetiteAxl RoseBumblefootDizzy ReedDJ AshbaGNRGuns n RosesHard Rock HotelJointLas VegasLiesNevadaNightrainNovember RainParadise CityRichard FortusRocket QueenRon ThalSin CitySpaghetti IncidentUse Your Illusion
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Taylor Carlson
Taylor T Carlson Assistant Editor/Senior Staff Writer Taylor T. Carlson was born August 17, 1984, and has called the Vegas Valley home his entire life. A die-hard fan of classic rock and metal music, Taylor has been writing album and concert reviews since he was 16 years old, and continues to do so, having done well over 1,000 reviews. He is also a fan of video gaming and cinema, and has reviewed a number of games and films as well, old and new alike. His thorough and honest (some would say brutally honest) reviewing style has won him the respect of hundreds of music fans and musicians alike, both local and abroad, and the ire of just as many others. Despite being one of the youngest attendees at classic hard rock/metal shows around Vegas, he is also one of the most knowledgeable, having gained the unofficial nickname of “The Eddie Trunk of Las Vegas.” In addition to reviews, Taylor has written and self-published three books on classic hard rock bands, and is a regular participant in rock and roll trivia contests. Taylor also holds a masters degree in special education from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), and has appeared on the hit History Channel television series Pawn Stars. His dream is to be able to one day make a living from writing music books and reviews.
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Vnesheconombank’s Regular Supervisory Board Meeting Held
#Решения Наблюдательного совета
Russian Prime Minister V.V.Putin Conducts a Meeting of Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board
The Premier said that although in 2009 VEB diverted considerable funds for implementing crisis management measures; it also carried on operating as the Bank for Development. V.V. Putin expressed confidence that in 2010 VEB’s financial resources would be used most effectively to technologically upgrade Russian industries and generate additional demand for innovations.
V.V. Putin’s opening address
Good afternoon esteemed colleagues. Let’s start Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board meeting.
First, we are to approve the report on the bank’s performance for 2009. And here I’d like to underline a very important point. The Bank spent considerable resources to implement crisis management measures and in this respect I’d like to say that these measures were quite successful.
At the same time, VEB carried on operating as the Bank for Development. Its investment loan portfolio increased by 77% to 230 billion rubles. Due to the Bank’s financial support 24 new projects were started in power engineering, agriculture and a number of other sectors. VEB launched a 250 billion ruble program to support mortgage lending. This also enabled commercial banks to reduce interest rates on mortgages. Sberbank President German Gref told me that Sberbank had abolished all bonuses and cut mortgage interest rates by 3% on average.
VEB provided considerable support worth 40 billion rubles to small and medium-sized enterprises. And in this respect I would like to say today that VEB’s overall performance can be assessed as positive.
In 2010, Vnesheconombank should also place main emphasis on preparing new investment projects, some of which we’ll discuss today.
For example, we have been offered to extend a long-term credit to build a modern timber deep processing integrated facility at the port of Vanino in the Khabarovsk Territory.
To my best knowledge, the project’s initiators have completed the first stage from the ground up in mid 2009.The second stage is to be completed in the second quarter of 2010.
Vnesheconombank is completing an eleven-billion ruble loan to finance the construction of the third stage, which is expected to increase production facilities and create 500 new jobs.
It should be noted that the investment in timber processing was not VEB’s first investment in the region, specifically, at the port of Vanino. In 2009, the construction of a new sea coal terminal with a designed export capacity of 12 million tons of coal started in Vanino.
Meanwhile, RAO RZhD is actively renovating the railway line from Vanino to Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Recently we held a meeting to discuss the project’s implementation. One of the most important elements of the project is to reconstruct and renovate the Kuznetsovsky Tunnel. It was built as early as in 1945. The new railway line would make it possible to use the Baikal-Amur Mainline to its full capacity.
It is obvious that it is this comprehensive approach to developing territories, infrastructure and natural resources that ensures sustainable development of the Far East in the most effective way.
Let me mention one more transport project. Vnesheconombank is to finance the purchase of two ice-class tankers. These are modern tankers, which our transport companies need badly. They are designed to transport oil produced offshore in the Barents Sea.
The first tanker, Mikhail Ulyanov, has been already delivered to the customer, Sovcomflot. The other tanker, Kirill Lavrov, has been launched and is due to be commissioned soon.
Vessels of this class haven’t been built in Russia before. They were built with the use of cutting-edge technology and breakthrough innovations. That is to say, VEB’s financial resources will be used to technologically upgrade Russian industries, in this particular case shipbuilding, and will generate additional demand for innovations.
It is these projects that we should focus in the future.
Let’s proceed to our discussion.
Origin: Internet Portal of the Government of the Russian Federation
On Decisions Taken by Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board
VEB’s profit for 2009 will be used to finance its activity – Dmitriev
NOVO-OGAREVO, May 26 - RIA Novosti. Vnesheconombank’s profit for 2009 will be fully allocated to the state corporation’s funds and used to finance its activity, Vnesheconombank Chairman Vladimir Dmitriev told journalists on Wednesday after the meeting of the state corporation’s supervisory board.
“The profit has been fully allocated to the Bank’s funds and will be used to finance Vnesheconombank’s activity”, said Dmitriev reminding that VEB’s profit for 2009 was 31 billion rubles.
The state corporation’s profit for the first quarter exceeded 20 billion rubles. Dmitriev said that if a decision to reduce interest rates on subordinated loans extended by VEB to Russian banks as part of crisis management measures was taken, the state corporation’s profit from such loans would be reduced by two thirds.
According to him, in terms of profit amount for 2009 the state corporation came out on top among other banks. In terms of profit amount for the first quarter of 2010, the Bank took second if not first place. Reportedly, Vnesheconombank’s net profit for January-March of 2010 was 23.1 billion rubles against 1.1 billion in the same period of 2008.
The Bank’s assets amounted to 1.8 trillion rubles and Vnesheconombank is among the third largest Russian banks.
Dmitriev reminded that incomes of 175 billion rubles from transactions with securities were reinvested and were committed for achieving core objectives.
VEB’s Supervisory Board approves the Bank’s participation in projects worth almost 500 Million Euros
NOVO-OGAREVO, May 26, /ITAR-TASS/. Today, VEB’s Supervisory Board approved the Bank’s participation in projects worth almost 500 million euros. Vnesheconombank Chairman Vladimir Dmitriev told journalists that the financing amount for the construction of tankers would be about 240 million euros and that another 250 million euros would be used to finance the construction of a timber processing factory.
VEB will participate in funding the project aimed at purchasing and operating Arctic shuttle tankers by Sovcomflot. The tankers are designed to ship oil, oil products and gas condensate. The main prospective transport route is the Prirazlomnoye oil field /the Pechera Sea/ - Western Europe. Before the start of the oil field’s exploitation, the tankers are expected to be used for shipping liquid hydrocarbons along the shipping line from ports of the Baltics to ports of Western Europe.
A timber processing integrated plant manufacturing chipboards and sawn timber is planned to be built in the Vanino district of the Khabarovsk Territory with a timber processing capacity of up to 1.1 million cubic meters per year. The project is aimed at enhancing natural resources utilization efficiency, promoting Russian industrial exports and boosting the region’s socio-economic development.
VEB to provide Sovcomflot with 240 million euros for purchasing Arctic tankers
Novo-Ogarevo. May 26. INTERFAX-AFI – Vnesheconombank (VEB) is to provide Sovcomflot with 240 million euros for purchasing and operating Arctic vessels designed to ship oil, oil products and gas condensate, VEB Chairman Vladimir Dmitriev told journalists.
V.Dmitriev said that that the Bank’s Supervisory Board approved the Bank’s participation in financing this project on Wednesday.
VEB’s Chairman said that this project was to be financed as part of Vnesheconombank’s leasing business. These vessels are planned to be bought out by VEB-Leasing and then let on time charter to Sovcomflot and Gazprom (PTC: GAZP).
These vessels are planned to be used for shipping oil and gas from the Prirazlomnoye Arctic oil field (the Pechora Sea). But even before the Prirazlomnoye oil field starts to operate, these vessels will be used in other projects. “Even now there is a contract for shipping oil from Murmansk to China”, said V.Dmitriev.
Two tankers Mikhail Ulyanov and Kirill Lavrov were built by the order of Sovcomflot at the shipyards in Saint-Petersburg. The first tanker, Mikhail Ulyanov, has been already delivered to the customer and the second tanker, Mikhail Lavrov, is due to be commissioned in the middle of this year. These vessels’ deadweight is 70 thousand tons.
Sovcomflot is one of the world’s largest maritime shipping companies specializing in natural resources shipping including by Aframax class tankers, petrochemical tankers and ice class tankers. It is a 100% state-owned corporation.
The Company’s earnings under the International Accounting Standards fell by 25% to $1.2 billion in 2009. Net profit almost halved to $217 million.
The Company’s fleet increased by 17 vessels in 2009, including 5 Suezmax-Class tankers and 4 Aframax-Class tankers, to 144 vessels with the total deadweight of 10 million tons.
V.Dmitriev believes that Tractornye Zavody’s debts can be restructured and then Vnesheconombank can finance its investment projects
NOVO-OGAREVO, May 26. /PRIME-TASS/. Vnesheconombank Chairman Vladimir Dmitriev believes that Tractornye Zavody’s debts can be restructured and then Vnesheconombank can finance its investment projects. He told journalists about it after the Bank’s Supervisory Board meeting where they discussed restructuring Tractornye Zavody’s debts.
“In our opinion and in accordance with the decisions taken by our Supervisory Board an issue of restructuring debts to commercial banks would be dealt with appropriately. Taking into account commercial banks’ positions, Vnesheconombank considers it possible to restructure the corporation’s debts and provide funds for implementing the corporation’s investment projects”, said V.Dmitriev
Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board Regular Meeting Held
Russian Prime Minister V.V. Putin Conducts a Meeting of State Corporation ‘Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)’ Supervisory Board
As V.V. Putin said at the meeting that the Bank for Development was one of the most important participants in implementing the Government’s crisis management measures and made it possible to provide urgent assistance to the banking sector, the stock market and system-forming enterprises of the real economy. The Prime Minister also added that Vnesheconombank did its best to help its borrowers by extending balanced interest rates on credits, restructured former debts if required and acted guided by long-term objectives of Russia’s economic development.
Esteemed Colleagues, today we’ll hear out Vnesheconombank’s report for 2009, approve its budget parameters for 2010 and consider a number of projects in which Vnesheconombank participates.
I’d like to say that in 2009, the Bank for Development was one of the most important participants in implementing the Russian Government’s crisis management measures, made it possible to provide urgent assistance to the banking sector, the stock market and system-forming enterprises of the real economy. The Bank’s employees performed this intensive work professionally. They carried out decisions efficiently and timely and provided the Government with considerable expert support.
Many measures carried out with the Bank’s assistance have already achieved their objectives and have been suspended and all the funds committed by the state have been returned in full. For example, VEB has already returned 175 billion rubles to the National Wealth Fund. The Bank used the funds to support the Russian securities market in the most difficult period in autumn of 2008, and in doing so it paid interest on them to the federal budget.
Additional incomes from these transactions in the amount of 54.7 billion rubles would be largely used to implement the plan that we announced under the affordable mortgage lending program.
The program aimed at refinancing Russian companies’ debts to foreign creditors was also carried out in accordance with the existing plans. I’d like to remind you that we had performed this work in order to prevent Russian companies’ strategic assets from being diverted to foreign financial institutions due to refinancing problems under the conditions of the global financial and economic crisis. Well, then, the borrowers have already returned 4 billion rubles to VEB out of more than 11 billion they had received.
In general, VEB is taking an active part in stabilizing the banking system. The total amount of subordinated loans extended by the Bank of Development to other credit institutions was 404 billion rubles. Thanks to these loans, commercial banks received additional resources for financing the real economy.
Moreover, Svyaz-Bank’s and Globex Bank’s solvency was restored. The banks were placed under VEB’s control when they were virtually in a state of bankruptcy. At present, Vnesheconombank’s specialists are implementing strategies of their development. Specifically, today we are going to be told about the choice of a partner bank for a new project aimed at establishing a Postal Bank on the basis of Svyaz-Bank jointly with the Post of Russia.
Vnesheconombank participated directly in the financial restructuring of a number of major companies such as the United Aircraft Building Corporation and the Amurmetall Plant. VEB contributed 21 billion rubles to the United Aircraft Building Corporation’s charter capital and became an owner of 11% of its shares. And in December of 2009, an Agreement was signed on financing the Amurmetall plant for an amount of 2.2 billion rubles. The first tranche of 400 million rubles has been already transferred.
And I’d like also to say that despite the additional workload associated with crisis management measures Vnesheconombank carried on undertaking its core activity as a Bank for Development.
The amount of newly extended credits to the real economy was 123 billion rubles. The Bank extended guarantees worth 34 billion rubles under the innovative products support program. In 2009, 40 billion rubles were committed to small and medium-sized enterprises.
VEB started to finance such meaningful projects as the reconstruction of the Koltsovo airport in Yekaterinburg, the construction of an export terminal for coal transportation in the port of Vanino in the Far East and the construction of the Urengoy Electric Power Station in the Tyumen region.
Vnesheconombank is taking an active part in financing Olympic facilities.
Another important point to mention is that Vnesheconombank did its best to help its borrowers by extending balanced interest rates on credits, restructuring former debts if required and acted guided by long-term objectives of Russia’s economic development.
In doing so, Vnesheconombank performed pretty well, formed sufficient significant reserves to maintain its financial sustainability. In 2009, the Bank’s net profit amounted to 31 billion rubles. This is quite comparable to our leading credit financial institutions such as, for example, Sberbank.
It’s evident that it’s high time today to boost activities related to post-crisis economic recovery and modernization to support innovations and high-technology exports.
Our today’s agenda includes a number of such issues. In particular, we have to approve the opening of a credit line to finance the construction the Ekibastuz Power Station’s third power unit.
I’d like to stress that VEB’s credit resources in the amount of 12 billion dollars would be used to purchase domestic power-engineering equipment and it means that we’ll provide the Russian machine-building complex with guaranteed orders.
Moreover, the implementation of this project would help to reintegrate the energy systems of Northern Kazakhstan and Russia’s Southern Siberia and create additional opportunities for these regions’ comprehensive development.
Our next investment project is aimed at constructing a polypropylene manufacturing complex in Tobolsk. This is a large-scale strategic complex influencing directly the future of our chemical industry by raising its technological level and expanding opportunities for deep processing of raw materials.
We’ll also discuss the strategy of Vnesheconombank’s participation in upgrading the Sheremetjevo Airport.
Let’s get started with our work.
Origin: Internet-Portal of the Government of the Russian Federation
On Decisions made by Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board
VEB expects net profit in 2010 of about 20 billion rubles
Moscow, March 31, INTERFAX – VEB expects net profit in 2010 of about 20 billion rubles under Russian accounting standards, VEB Chairman Vladimir Dmitriev said following a meeting of the Bank’s Supervisory Board.
Moreover, the Supervisory Board approved opening a 12-billion ruble credit line for the Ekibastuz State District Power Station to support Russian exports of power engineering equipment.
Vnesheconombank selects partners for establishing a Postal Bank on the basis of Svyaz-Bank
NOVO-OGAREVO, March 31, /PRIME-TASS/. Vnesheconombank has selected partners for establishing a Postal Bank on the basis of Svyaz-Bank (SVZ01), Vnesheconombank Chairman said following a meeting of the Bank’s Supervisory Board.
According to him, Vnesheconombank has selected UniCredit Bank, Russian Standard Bank, Nomos-Bank (NMOS03) along with HomeCredit Bank to further participate in this project.
V.Dmitriev said that within a period of 3 months a financial model for creating a Postal Bank would be provided and Vnesheconombank would decide on its main partner in implementing this project.
On approving Vnesheconombank’s participation in the construction of a polypropylene complex in Tobolsk
Moscow. March 31. INTERFAX – VEB’s Supervisory Board approved on Wednesday an investment application for constructing a polypropylene production complex in Tobolsk, VEB Chairman Vladimir Dmitriev told journalists about it.
According to him, the total amount of financing the program of constructing an associated petroleum gas processing gas-chemical plant would be 1.5 billion dollars.
Speaking about this complex earlier, Russian Prime Minister Putin said that “it was a major strategic project directly influencing the future of our chemical industry, increasing its technological level and boosting the potential for deep processing of raw materials”.
On making a decision on centralized management of Terminal D in Sheremetjevo and creating a single operator
NOVO-OGAREVO. March31. /PRIME-TASS/. Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board made a decision to centralize the management of terminal D in the Sheremetjevo airport and create a single operator. Vnesheconombank Chairman Vladimir Dmitriev told journalists about it following a meeting of VEB’s Supervisory Board.
He said that Vnesheconombank would participate in financing the creation of a major hub.
V.Dmitriev added that consultants would determine a model of unifying the existing legal entities involved in the management and that a single operator would be created to be responsible for managing Terminal D and the Sheremetjevo airport.
V.Dmitriev added that the financial model examined preliminarily gave us real confidence that the current debt of 1.5 billion would be serviced and repaid.
He added that a consultant to assist in determining a financial unification model has not been identified.
Answering a question if VEB would be able to get a stake in exchange for debts in Sheremetjevo V.Dmitriev said that they were not discussing this issue for the time being. In his opinion the debt could be restructured but this possibility would be considered in the course of working out a financial unification model.
VEB is close to signing an agreement on restructuring debts of Tractornye Zavody Corporation.
NOVO-OGAREVO, March 31. /PRIME-TASS/. Vnesheconombank is close to signing an agreement on restructuring debts of Tractornye Zavody Corporation. Vnesheconombank Chairman Vladimir Dmitriev told journalists about it following a meeting of VEB’s Supervisory Board.
He also added that today Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board approved its participation in the toll motorway Moscow – St. Petersburg (section 15-58 km) construction project. According to him, VEB will participate in this project together with Sberbank (SBER), both banks’ stakes in this project are equal.
On Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board Decisions
Under the Program of Vnesheconombank’s Investments in Affordable Housing Construction and Mortgage Lending Projects in 2010-2012, the Supervisory Board approved the mechanism for refinancing mortgage credits through investing a funded portion of the labour pension and Vnesheconombank’s own funds in mortgage-backed bonds in order to encourage mortgage lending and make it more affordable to the general public. A decision was also taken to invest funds in the total amount of 250 billion rubles on the following terms:
Vnesheconombank’s own funds to be invested in mortgage-backed bonds in the amount of up to 50 billion rubles at a coupon rate of 3% per annum under the bonds at prices no more than the par value;
Pension savings funds managed by Vnesheconombank acting as the state trust management company to be invested in mortgage-backed bonds in the amount of 100 billion rubles at a coupon rate of no more than9% per annum under the bonds at prices no more than the par value;
Pension savings funds managed by Vnesheconombank acting as the state trust management company to be invested in the Housing Mortgage lending Agency’s bonds guaranteed by the state in the amount of up to 60 billion rubles at a coupon rate to be set on the basis of market conditions;
Funds of the National Wealth Fund to be committed to Vnesheconombank subject to Federal Law dated October 13, 2008, №173-FZ to finance the Housing Mortgage Lending Agency’s credit line in the amount of up to 40 billion rubles at an interest rate of 9.5% per annum for a period of up to June 1, 2020.
A decision was made to approve “Requirements to Bonds including Mortgage Backed Bonds and to Mortgage Coverage of Bonds to be Purchased under the Program of Vnesheconombank’s Investments in Affordable Housing Construction and Mortgage Lending Projects in 2010-2012”.
A decision was made to approve “The Procedure for Cooperation between State Corporation ‘Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)’, the Housing Mortgage Lending Agency, Vnesheconombank’s Investment Company (VEB Capital) and Credit Institutions and Mortgage Agencies in Implementing the Program of Vnesheconombank’s Investments in Affordable Housing Construction and Mortgage lending Projects in 2010-2012”.
The Supervisory Board approved extending guarantees as a security of VEB Capital’s liabilities under Agreements on Providing Services on Arranging Bond Issues to be concluded under the Program in favor of mortgage- backed bonds issuers for a total amount of 150 billion rubles with a validity period of no more than three years. Terms of issuing Vnesheconombank’s guarantees, changes in the terms and other terms of the Bank’s participation in this project are to be approved by Vnesheconombank’s Management Board.
VEB Capital together with the Housing Mortgage Lending Agency were assigned to prepare a format for reporting on the progress of extending housing and mortgage credits under this Program to be submitted for consideration by the Supervisory Board.
Press Office of Vnesheconombank
Contact person: Ekaterina Karasina
Phone: +7 (495) 608-46-93, Fax: +7 (499) 975-21-34
The following decisions were taken at Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board meeting on December 17, 2009:
Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board approved the strategy of OJSC Svyaz-Bank’s development. The strategy provides for establishing a Russian Federation Post Bank with the participation of the Post of Russia and a partner bank. The Board decided to form a working group comprised of representatives of interested ministries, the Bank of Russia, the Post of Russia and Vnesheconombank to prepare a complex of events to set up a Post Bank.
The Board made a decision providing for Vnesheconombank to extend a subordinated loan worth 16 billion rubles to OJSC Svyaz-Bank under Federal Law № 173 “On Additional Measures for Supporting the Financial System of the Russian Federation”.
The Supervisory Board acknowledged the report on Vnesheconombank’s activity on extending subordinated loans to Russian lending institutions under Federal Law № 173 “On Additional Measures for Supporting the Financial System of the Russian Federation”. This program is acknowledged as having been completed.
Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board agreed upon purchasing the OJSC United Aircraft Corporation’ shares by Vnesheconombank for an amount of up to 21 billion rubles.
The Supervisory Board approved Vnesheconombank’s participation in financing the project aimed at reconstructing and modernizing the Khabarovsk Oil Refinery. The project’s total value is 1.3 billion US dollars. The Project is to be financed through using Vnesheconombank’s credit resources and shareholders’ own funds. Vnesheconombank’s credit is to be fully refinanced by the Spanish Export Insurance Agency CESCE.
The Board made required decisions providing for Vnesheconombank jointly with SNC-Lavalin to create a specialized engineering company VEB-Engineering (LLC) to monitor investment projects of national significance implemented by Vnesheconombank.
The Board made required decisions to establish a specialized VEB Capital Company (LLC) designed to effectively manage Vnesheconombank’s assets.
Origin: Press Office of Vnesheconombank
Russian Prime Minister V.V. Putin Conducts a Meeting of State Corporation ‘Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)’ Supervisory Board.
Good afternoon, Esteemed Colleagues!
At today’s Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board meeting we’ll hear out a report on implementing the Government’s crisis management measures and discuss a number of new investment projects.
As you know, Vnesheconombank played a prominent role in supporting our country’s banking system in the crisis period and continues to play this prominent role. The Bank also extended subordinated loans worth 388 billion rubles to 16 commercial banks that went through a selection procedure and undertook to increase financing amounts to end borrowers at interest rates affordable for enterprises.
Our latest arrangement was the Central Bank’s refinancing rate plus three percent. I am not sure that all this was effective and implemented in due time but I nevertheless hope this played a positive and stabilizing role in the most difficult period of time.
Given that subordinated loans were extended for a period of 10 years, these additional financial resources would support business activity in the economy in the future.
In this respect, I’d like to place particular emphasis on the Government’s joint efforts designed to support the country’s banking sector in the crisis period. As opposed to the said events during the 1988 crisis we succeeded in preventing the collapse of the banking system and bankruptcy of our largest financial institutions. I think that everybody remembers quite clearly that in 1988 all the largest commercial banks that looked like giants and absolutely reliable giants, namely, Incombank, Imperial, ONEXIM Bank all but ceased to exist.
I think that owners did not suffer much but depositors, citizens lost a considerable part of their deposits in these financial institutions. We managed to prevent this worst-case scenario and supported all those who were viable. We defended the interests of depositors and above all citizens of the Russian Federation.
And those banks that proved to be in the most complicated situation and failed to overcome this complicated situation on their own – there were 18 such banks – were transferred for a symbolic payment, sometimes for 1 ruble, into the state system of the Deposit Insurance Agency.
This measure is designed to reorganize these financing institutions, to consolidate them and create viable banking institutions for them to be able to continue working normally with economic players, with natural and legal entities.
Today, we have to determine the future of Svyaz-Bank.
Like a number of other lending institutions it failed to resolve on its own the problems that emerged. And for this reason, it was transferred under Vnesheconombank’s management. Vnesheconombank fully restored the Bank’s solvency for a short period of time.
Our task now is to work out a strategy of Svyaz-Bank’s development as well as terms on which we are ready to engage partners into this project.
Moreover, we have to take a decision on committing 21 billion rubles to the United Aircraft Construction Corporation’s charter capital. We have been discussing this issue for a long time, it took several months to prepare the decision, it was thrashed out thoroughly and we should take it today.
This is targeted money designed to financially rehabilitate the company and enable it to make payments to its creditors and suppliers.
At the start of the next year, the company is to receive additional 10.7 billion dollars from the federal budget. And this money will be used not to fill in the gaps but to manufacture new civil aircraft, domestic aircraft.
We’ll also consider proposals for financing a new investment project in the Far East; this project is aimed at reconstructing the Khabarovsk oil refinery.
There are plans to fully upgrade this production facility, which is of great importance for the region, and introduce there the most advanced and environmentally friendly technologies and make it possible to manufacture engine fuel meeting the highest standards: Euro-4 and higher. The project’s total value is 1.3 billion dollars.
I would like to remind you that at our previous Supervisory Board meetings we made decisions on establishing Vnesheconombank’s subsidiary institutions to manage its assets as well as a specialized engineering company. Its main task is to conduct expert’s examination of project documentation, monitor thoroughly the implementation of investment projects and, if necessary, take measures against non-targeted and inefficient use of Vnesheconombank’s credit resources.
Today, we’ll discuss and approve documents that will make it possible for VEB-Capital and the engineering company to start operating.
Origin: Internet-portal of the Government on the Russian Federation
NOVO-OGAREVO, November 19 – RIA Novosti. At its meeting on Thursday, Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board considered an issue of the State Corporation’s possible participation in the coming Rusal’s IPO but the information on the decisions taken is confidential and will not be made public, Vnesheconombank Chairman Vladimir Dmitriev told journalists.
“We considered this issue and certain decisions were made. Any information on placing shares is confidential”, said Dmitriev at the end of VEB’s Supervisory Board meeting conducted by its Chairman –Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
“Any information on this account that gets into the mass media does not have anything to do with VEB”, said the Chairman of Vnesheconombank.
The Russian aluminum giant’s IPO is to be held until this year-end. Rusal’s shares are to be placed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Paris Euronext. The Company plans to sell 10% of its shares believing that it would raise 2.5 billion dollars through this IPO.
Earlier, the source close to Rusal told RIA Novosti that the Company stood a very good chance of reaching a final agreement on restructuring its debts to the consortium of foreign banks until November 19 - a critical date in terms of being able to hold IPO in the current year. Nevertheless, Rusal did not say that it had signed such an agreement.
VEB’s Supervisory Board decides to expand financing of mortgage lending through using pension funds
Moscow. November 19. INTERFAX-AFI – Vnesheconombank’s (VEB’s) Supervisory Board made a decision to expand the program of financing mortgage lending through using pension funds under the Bank’s management, VEB Chairman Vladimir Dmitriev told journalists after the Bank’s Supervisory Board meeting.
“A substantial part of about 470 billion rubles under VEB’s current management might be used to finance mortgage lending”, said V. Dmitriev.
According to him, VEB is expected to receive funds from the Russian Pension Fund in the first quarter of 2010. As a result, according to VEB’s Chairman, the total amount of pension funds under the Bank’s management would be 690 billion rubles.
“Taking into account limitations on investing funds in certain types of bonds, that is, 70% of one issue (in this case mortgage bonds) and no more than 20% of the total investment portfolio, we believe that the amount of mortgage lending would be significantly increased.
Moreover, he said the Bank’s Supervisory Board had also considered an issue of financing mortgage lending through using incomes generated by VEB through using financial resources of the National Wealth Fund.
V. Dmitriev said that through financing mortgage lending by VEB, interest rates on mortgage could be reduced and credit periods could be increased.
V.V Putin’s Opening Address
At today’s Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board meeting we’ll discuss the Bank’s participation in boosting mortgage housing lending. Today we’ll consider an issue of financing mortgage lending. And not a word about football. We’ll discuss ways of how we can help to finance housing construction in the Russian Federation through using Vnesheconombank’s capabilities. I’d like to remind you that despite the problems caused by the economic crisis, mortgage lending is still one of the most effective and affordable ways of purchasing housing in many countries of the world. It was also in great demand by Russian citizens.
Starting in 2005 and up until now, the amount of mortgage housing lending has increased manifold, for example, in 2005 the amount was 60 billion rubles and in 2008 it was 630 billion rubles.
Of course, the crisis changed the situation in mortgage lending. Since autumn of 2008, the amount of mortgage loans extended has fallen substantially and the terms of obtaining mortgage loans have significantly worsened. Factually, mortgage loans have become unaffordable for an absolute majority of Russians.
In this situation our top priority was to support those who came up against problems of financing and who could not repay loans. Eighty thousand families have used the so-called maternity capital to fully or partially repay their mortgage loans. I’d like to remind you that maternity capital could be used from January 1, 2009, rather than from 2010 as planned. We also implemented the plan of allowing people to defer payments on mortgage loans. Both the Mortgage Housing Lending Agency and private banks, factually, with our Bank’s support participated in implementing this plan.
At the same time, while addressing day-to-day problems we should think about a post-crisis recovery of the mortgage sector. The more so, we can now see that people’s interest in applying for mortgage loans is growing.
Banks have started to expand mortgage business; they are reducing the size of down payment and interest rates on their mortgage loans.
Of course, 14.5% - an average interest rate on mortgage loans is too high for Russian citizens. Incomes in Russia are not high enough to pay such high interest rates. For mortgage loans to become affordable for a wide range of people we should try to reduce interest rate on such loans to 10-11%.
We can’t make it happen through giving directive instructions, this is an economic process but we should do our best to achieve this. And I suggest that we should discuss today ways of reinforcing the current trend for reducing interest rates on mortgage loans.
We are well aware that all over the world pension funds are used as an instrument for securing long-term credit resources.
Here I mean the amount of pension savings funds managed by Vnesheconombank, we might think about using these instruments in our country, of course, very carefully, with maximum guarantees.
Pension savings funds worth 690 billion rubles are currently managed by Vnesheconombank.
A month ago the Government approved a new strategy of investing pension savings funds managed by Vnesheconombank. Up to 20% of these funds or some 100 billion rubles can be invested in mortgage bonds of Russian banks.
So, banks will be able to extend new mortgage loans within this amount at more affordable interest rates and for longer periods. And by financing these loans, VEB should in fact act as a bank for development.
I know that the state bank’s attitude to this is anything but simple because mortgage loans do not generate high incomes but still it is a key function of this financial institution.
I suggest that we should discuss available options and practical steps VEB can make to implement these plans. We’ also discuss some other routine issues. Let’s proceed to the issues on our agenda.
Vnesheconombank Chairman Vladimir Dmitriev’s Briefing on the Results of Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board Meeting
TV Channel Vesti-24
HOST: Now Vnesheconombank Chairman Vladimir Dmitriev’s briefing is starting at the House of Government. Our channel is telecasting the briefing live.
Vladimir DMITRIEV, Vnesheconombank Chairman: At our Supervisory Board meeting we discussed an issue of developing Vnesheconombank’s subsidiary banks and above all GLOBEX and Svyaz-Bank. We also discussed banks incorporated in Vnesheconombank as development institutions – Roseximbank and the Russian Development Bank. We approved their core activities as a whole. Having been reorganized such commercial banks as Svyaz-Bank and GLOBEX started to operate on a break-even basis. It is safe to say that they started to develop in a sustainable and dynamic way. As far as the future of these banks is concerned, we believe that in the long run they will be offered to the market either to strategic investors or through placing shares for Vnesheconombank to cover its expenses on reorganizing the banks and securing their sustainable financial development.
As far as the Russian Development Bank is concerned, it remains to be a key financial instrument for making government money available to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Russia’s export-import bank is the agent for the government in providing guarantee support for industrial exports. In this respect, we are also considering prospects for establishing a state-run export credits insurance agency. In any case, basic strategic plans relating to each of these banks will be submitted for consideration by Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board by the end of this year.
The second issue was associated with the fact that Vnesheconombank both in its capacity as a development institution and as an instrument for taking crisis management measures became an owner of both bad and solid industrial assets and shares and for the most part, it’s not typical for a bank of development to manage them. So, our idea is that VEB should set up a sort of specialized investment institution to which VEB could transfer these assets for management or into ownership for them to be capitalized, professionally managed or sold on the market in order to reorganize commercial banks on a break-even basis and make it possible for Vnesheconombank to generate acceptable incomes. This proposal was also backed. Our Supervisory Board made a decision on considering in the short term, till this year-end, specific measures for transferring these assets to this company with its organizational-staff structure with a view to considering this company’s potential for managing other assets which the state would deem it wise to transfer to it. And we’d like to stress that personnel formation is no less important than the creation of this institution. Therefore, we have stringent criteria for selecting managerial staff in terms of their professional competence and impeccable reputation placing great emphasis on statesmanlike approach to their work.
We also discussed a number of issues relating to refinancing Russian companies’ foreign debts. By the way, all the companies that were supported by Vnesheconombank with the Central Bank’s funds got their credits rolled over. A decision to roll over the credits was taken by Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board at the beginning of this June. And the main terms of the rollover are in line the Supervisory Board’s decisions, that is, they are market-oriented. So, the risk assessment of these companies in the current situation is in line with the market assessment and with the assessment of their risks by international creditors. In making our proposals we worked on the assumption that a number of Russian companies are at a final stage of their negotiations with the clubs of foreign creditors and there is no doubt that the Russian Government’s decision to roll over Russian companies’ debts would to a great extent influence Western creditors’ stance on restructuring these debts.
As far as Vnesheconombank’s core activities as a development institution are concerned we discussed the project aimed at building a large-scale shipbuilding production facility, the Primorsk shipyard, in Primorsk, not far from Vyborg. Now a decision has been taken to finance the project design work, the pre-project design work was financed by the project’s initiator. We agreed today that in order to secure this project’s success the government should make appropriate moves in parallel with efforts made by Vnesheconombank and its Supervisory Board. Here I mean the Investment Fund’s resources, certain aspects of customs tariff policy and a number of other key tasks. We are sure that the project has a good chance of success because Gazprom and Sovkomflot will place orders with this shipbuilding production facility. These orders include ships to be constructed under the program of developing the Russian shipbuilding industry, that is, ice class ships, liquefied gas ships, oil platforms, and ships with deadweight of more than a hundred thousand tons. Thus, within a week very important decisions were made on constructing new shipbuilding production facilities such as a new Far Eastern shipbuilding production facility on the basis of Zvezda plant as well as a production facility in the North-West of our country in the city of Primorsk.
We also discussed an issue of structuring a transaction in a project in the Olympic construction, this is a media-centre. We participate in this project together with the Krasnodar Territory Administration. Now we have determined participation amounts – Vnesheconombank accounts for 90 percent of investments and the Krasnodar Territory Administration – for 10 percent and the Administration is ready to consider an issue of extending the Territory’s guarantee for the project. The project’s budgeted value is not known yet because we plan to start financing project engineering work. In summary, I’d like to say that today we have done an excellent job in taking quite serious decisions that are crucial for many Russian companies and Vnesheconombank’s core activities. Thank you.
HOST: And now questions, please.
-Good afternoon, Vladimir Alexandrovich, Maxim Tovkailo, the newspaper Vedomosti. Information agencies have just reported that Gazpromneft was refused to get its credit rolled over. All other companies were allowed to get their credits rolled over, here I mean Sitronics, Altimo, EVRAZ, RUSAL, PIK. Can you confirm if this is so or not?
Vladimir DMITRIEV: I don’t have this sort of information. I can confirm that Gazpromneft got its credit rolled over.
-Is that really true?
Vladimir DMITRIEV: Yes, it is. And I can also confirm the fact that the terms and conditions as well as the terms and conditions of original agreements differ because in assessing risks Vnesheconombank takes into account objective market assessments with regard to a specific borrower. But I confirm that all the borrowers that requested us to get their credits rolled over received a go-ahead.
Did I get you right that additional terms and conditions are not related to interest rates alone, did you impose any additional terms and conditions?
Vladimir DMITRIEV: I haven’t said anything about it.
-Are there any additional terms and conditions for some companies besides increased interest rates?
Vladimir DMITRIEV: We haven’t changed basic parameters which were agreed upon and specified in the last year’s agreements.
-And now my final question. Not all companies that obtained your credits for refinancing their debts submitted applications for getting their credits rolled over. VEB has never made public the total number of companies that received the Bank’s credits for refinancing their debts. Can you tell us now how many companies received your credits?
Vladimir DMITRIEV: To my mind, this information is in the public domain. Except for Rosneft that repaid the credit all other companies are included in the said list. If you know something different, please let me know.
-Thank you very much
-Maria Knayzeva, RIA Novosti, good afternoon. May I ask three questions? Can you name companies for which interest rates on rolled over credits were raised and to what extent?
Vladimir DMITRIEV: No, I can’t
-The second question deals with VEB’s capital. Can you tell us what assets, both bank and non-bank ones, VEB is ready to transfer to a newly-established company.
Vladimir DMIOTRIEV: You know that under the Supervisory Board’s decision a new company, VEB-INVEST, was established. Bad assets bought out from GLOBEX-BANK were transferred to this company. In terms of reorganizing banks, above all, such as Svyaz-Bank, VEB has a number of assets that should be isolated and transferred to a professional team. There are also assets that VEB acquired in the course of taking crisis management measures with a view to selling them later or transferring them for professional management or returning them at a certain profit for Vnesheconombank. In order to manage assets efficiently you need a team of professional managers, a team of professional invest-bankers. In this sense, we do not intend to divert Vnesheconombank’s efforts and resources, instead, we are setting up a new company that should operate on the basis of self-recoupment and be responsible for bringing assets to a marketable state. For example, Amurmetall. We believe that this asset should be managed by professionals and VEB’s employees should focus on Vnesheconombank’s core activities. Here I mean assets as those of Kraslesinvest which is responsible not only for implementing a major project aimed at building the Boguchan hydropower station (to my mind our stake there is about twenty five percent) but also the projects to build a pulp and paper mill and a large-scale timber-industrial complex. We’ve got this sort of assets. Moreover, we have also shares on our balance sheet owned by such companies as Rostelecom and EADS and a number other assets, which in our opinion can be managed by a specialized investment company. Having made a decision to establish such a company Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board expects concrete proposals for transferring assets to balance sheet or for management to be submitted to the Supervisory Board later.
-I wonder if Svyaz-Bank and GLOBEX will be transferred to this company or not. Have you got such plans?
Vladimir DMITRIEV: No, we haven’t got such plans. I’d like to stress it once more that the two banks have entered a stage of sustainable and financially sound development, their customer base and loan portfolio are on the rise. They are operating on a break-even basis increasing their profits dynamically. They are independent institutions and are almost hundred percent Vnesheconombank’s subsidiary banks.
-And now my last question. You’ve just said that VEB will finance the construction of a shipyard. How much money is VEB going to invest?
Vladimir DMITRIEV: The total amount of funds is about 38 billion rubles. The project is expected to be financed by Vnesheconombank, the Investment Fund and the project’s initiators. The project’s initiators are ready to invest twenty percent of this amount.
-And the remaining eighty percent will be invested by the Investment Fund and VEB?
Vladimir DMITRKIEV: Yes, that’s right.
-And what’s VEB’s participation amount?
Vladimir DMITRIEV: It’s about 60 percent.
-Thank you.
-Newspaper Gazeta, Andrei Birykov. Vladimir Alexandrovich, have you discussed an issue of AvtoVAZ? Is VEB going to provide financial assistance to AvtoVAZ? And if it is, what’s the amount of this assistance?
Vladimir DMITRIEV: We haven’t discussed an issue of AvtoVAZ today. But VEB is the creditor of AvtoVAZ and at the same time our subsidiary banks just a year ago were among the first ones that provided emergency support to AvtoVAZ. Here I mean GLOBEX and NTB.
-Are you discussing a issue concerning VEB’s possible purchase of bonds worth 40 billion rubles?
Vladimir DMITRIEV: Yes, we are.
-Another question. Today the Prime Minister made public a figure of 11 billion rubles. This is the total amount of credits that were extended. He also said that borrowers were repaying these credits properly. Can you tell us how much money out of the said 11 billion rubles has been returned to VEB?
Vladimir DMITRIEV: Whereas the credits were extended a year ago and they were serviced properly the most part of credits.
-The most part – is this more than a half?
Vladimir DMITRIEV: I can’t give this figure now.
-Thank you
Vladimir DMITRIEV: It’s not a matter of repayment; it’s a matter of servicing. Credits are repaid at the end of credit period. And they are being serviced properly. If they had been repaid it would make no sense to talk about rolling them over.
HOST: Any more questions? Thank you very much.
Vladimir DMITRIEV: Thank you.
Russian Prime Minister V.V Putin Conducts a Meeting of State Corporation ‘Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)’ Supervisory Board
Let’s start a meeting of Vnesheconombank’s Supervisory Board
I’d like to remind you that at our previous Supervisory Board meeting in September we heard the information on the progress of reorganizing VEB’s subsidiary banks.
Today we’ll consider an issue on the strategy of managing VEB’s group of lending institutions.
And in this respect, I’d like to say the following: we believe that Vnesheconombank’s participation in the financial restructuring of a number of commercial banks is a forced project. This was VEB’s contribution to joint efforts to maintain sustainability and operability of the Russian financial system in the situation of the global crisis.
The end result of these efforts should be the full restoration of problem lending institutions’ solvency and their subsequent sale on the terms beneficial for VEB and of course for the country as a whole.
At the same time, in order to support small and medium-sized enterprises and encourage industrial exports, the Bank for Development will continue to participate in the capital of specialized banks and perhaps other institutions.
Another crisis management measure in which VEB participated was to extend credits to major domestic companies. This made it possible to refinance their debts to foreign financial creditors avoiding the sale of important strategic assets under the conditions of the crisis and at a knocked down price at that. In total, the amount of such loans was about 11 billion dollars.
I must say that borrowers are servicing VEB’s credits properly by making interest payments and repaying principal on schedule.
Nevertheless, a number of borrowers requested the Bank to roll their loans over. Today, we are to consider these requests. I was told that the situation differed from borrower to borrower. Some borrowers are in a position to repay their loans.
We’ll consider both their financial and economic position taking into account their prospects for development. We’ll take into account the market conditions and the current financial position of borrower-companies. But in any case there will no writing-offs.
We’ll also analyze proposals for financing a number of major projects, specifically, in shipbuilding in the North-West of the country in Primorsk.
At the same time, VEB is addressing an issue of its participation in constructing new shipbuilding facilities in the Far East as well. Here I mean the project on the basis of Zvezda plant
In my opinion, it is these enterprises being built from scratch with the use of cutting edge technology that would be capable of restoring leading positions of our shipbuilding industry on the world market and meeting our companies’ demand for oil and oil products delivery ships and in the long term liquefied gas ships.
О решениях Наблюдательного совета
2 сентября 2009 года состоялось заседание Наблюдательного совета Внешэкономбанка.
Принято решение одобрить создание Внешэкономбанком специализированной инжиниринговой компании. В ее задачи будет входить осуществление экспертизы проектной документации, технологический и финансовый аудит, контроль за целевым и эффективным использованием средств при строительстве объектов, финансируемых банком, организация обучения управленческого и технического персонала. Партнером банка по участию в данной структуре станет одна из ведущих мировых компаний в сфере инжиниринга и проектного управления. Таким образом, будет сформирован необходимый центр компетенций по управлению крупными проектами, имеющий национальное значение.
Наблюдательному совету были представлены основные параметры текущего состояния и прогнозы развития дочерних банков. В части, касающейся Связь-банка и банка «Глобэкс», находящихся под санацией Внешэкономбанка, было отмечено, что в перспективе ближайших 5 лет основные усилия Внешэкономбанка будут направлены на обеспечение их устойчивого финансового положения и укрепление клиентской базы. Концепция развития дочерних банков будет вынесена на рассмотрение одного из ближайших заседаний Наблюдательного совета Внешэкономбанка.
Наблюдательный совет также одобрил лимит кредитования по проекту «Строительство комплекса наливных грузов в морском торговом порту «Усть-Луга» (Ленинградская область) в размере 545 млн. долларов сроком на 8 лет для создания инфраструктуры нефтеналивного терминала, что позволит увеличить потенциал терминала по перевалке нефти и нефтепродуктов до 30 млн.тонн.
Источник: Пресс-служба Внешэкономбанка
Контактные лица: Карасина Екатерина
Recently we have repeatedly discussed one and the same issue: how can we save state financial resources if we finance directly from the budget? How can we establish control over price growth? We have discussed this issue especially in connection with implementing major infrastructure projects, construction projects such as the construction of Olympic facilities and infrastructure facilities in the Far East in the course of preparations for an Asian-Pacific Economic Summit and for Summer Student Games in Kazan.
The issue is also fully related to projects financed with Vnesheconombank’s funds. And there are quite a few such projects. Here we should use the best world standards in engineering and project management.
In accordance with general practice, a proposal is being made to establish a specialized institution in cooperation with a leading world company. This institution is to be responsible for examining project documentation, monitoring the construction progress and if necessary for taking measurers against inappropriate and ineffective expenditure of funds.
We’ll also discuss today a number of investment projects and talk about the Bank’s day-to-day operation.
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Koichi Negayama
Parenting as Mother-offspring Parting
Professor at Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
Features of human parenting
My specialty is developmental ethology, which is a hybrid academic field of ethology and developmental psychology. In the developmental ethology, development is studied from the viewpoints of biological adaptation, evolution, and reproduction.
Regardless of whether plants or animals, living things have two different strategies for reproduction: having a large number of fragile immature babies and having a limited number of sturdy mature babies. A good example of the latter is mammals; a mother protects a little baby inside the body, and breast-feeds it after delivery. Most monkeys typically protect babies by holding in their forelimbs, and human beings, belonging to the same species as primates, have further enforced reproduction strategy by protecting children several-fold such as by goods, persons, and schemes besides parents.
This multifold child-raising system can be regarded as interface between mother's body and child's body. From another viewpoint, however, this system operates to separate a mother and a child physically. I think human child-raising system "protects children while separating them from mothers with goods, persons, and schemes", which is regarded as the basic feature of human parenting. The above interface considerably reflects the current cultural and social values, and further allows a mother to be repeatedly freed from parenting while raising children to recover one "individual". This is exactly the viewpoint of "mother-offspring parting."
Viewpoint of mother-offspring parting
An idea that parenting is equal to mother-offspring parting?leads to acceptance of significance of "antagonism" and "separation" in mother-child relationship which is often discussed from the viewpoints of love and interaction. For animals, antagonism is found as direct action such as mother's attack on children. For human beings, however, it is found as less direct action. Though mother's attack on children is sometimes associated with "mistreatment", antagonism discussed here is quite a "sound" one. We should remember such sound antagonism exists.
Sound antagonism facilitates a sense of independence in children. As the proverb says, too much water drowned the miller. Mothers' too much care can break children's sense of independence. Just like spreading too much water or fertilizer on plants is not always better, it is important to achieve a harmonious balance between affinity and antagonism. For example, birth is a kind of antagonism if it is regarded as escape from protection inside the body, and weaning means an end of the protection named "mother's milk." When a child is encouraged to walk by his or her mother and consequently can walk independently, the protection named "holding" becomes unnecessary. As found in these examples, change of physical relationship between mothers and children always lies behind children's independence. To focus on mother-offspring parting is to re-recognize the meanings of mother's and children's bodies in development of mother-child relationship.
What is viewed from the standpoint of mother-offspring parting?
Viewing from the standpoint of mother-offspring parting, we can find new noticeable aspects in development of children: "physical contact", "eating behavior" and "accidents." All of these activities represent the vitality of children, and at the same time have a great influence on children's lives.
When we consider mother-child relationship and behavioral development of children from the physical viewpoint, a concept of "resource" is effective. Resource is something that is given, taken, or rejected between mothers and children. Since resource is also applicable to many things around us, it helps associate mother's and children's bodies with surroundings. In other words, physical contact, eating behavior, and accidents are good themes for developmental ethology. Each of them receives public attention due to importance for today's children.
It is often said life in recent years becomes difficult to live for children. Children can encounter a lot of risks. Besides, children are treated as immature dependent of their parents over a prolonged period even after they are grown up due to the low birthrate and popularization of higher education. This is quite different from the mother-child relationship that has been maintained based on physical connection between mothers and children for a long period of human development.
Animals can manage to raise children without any parenting book or well-baby clinic mainly because they follow their natural instincts. Natural instincts can be called physical effects. Physical effects exist in children as well as parents. Further, it is believed physical effects of children are much stronger than those of parents. In many cases, animal parents are naturally guided to proper parenting by responding to demands evoked from children's bodies. We would like to review children's own identity. At the same time, we need to seek establishment of circumstance where children can freely demonstrate their identity and initiative, and harmonious coexistence of grownups and children in such a circumstance.
In 1977, the author quitted the PhD. program at School of Letters, Osaka University. Following a research associate at Human Sciences, Osaka University, a lecturer at School of Letters, Mukogawa Women's University, and an associate professor at School of Human Environmental Sciences there, he was appointed an associate professor at School of Human Sciences, Waseda University in 1996, and promoted to the current position in 1998. His specialty is developmental ethology, and mainly studies behavioral development and mother-child relationship of human beings and animals from the viewpoint of "mother-offspring parting."
Parenting as mother-offspring parting (NHK books, 2006)
Development viewed from body (co-editor, Shin-yo-sha, 2003)
Frame of reference in developmental ethology (Kaneko Shobo, 2002)
Human sciences of maternity and paternity (editor, CORONA Publishing Co., Ltd., 2001)
Psychology for mother-offspring parting (co-editor, Fukumura Shuppan Inc., 1995)
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Yellowos
Home Celebrity Daymond John Net Worth – Celebrity Net Worth
Daymond John Net Worth – Celebrity Net Worth
Daymond John’s Total Net Worth
Daymond John is an American entrepreneur, fashion designer, TV personality and author, whose riches is estimated to be around $300 million. He is the president, founder and CEO of ‘FUBU’, a clothing and accessory brand. John is well-known for appearing as an investor in a TV series, called ‘Shark Tank’. He was born on February 23, 1969, in Brooklyn, New York.
Business Investments
In 1992, Daymond John founded “FUBU” and started selling woollen hats at a very cheap price of $10, along with his next-door neighbour, Carl Brown. It resulted in the sale of $800 each day. Eventually, he decided to expand his business together with his long-time friends- Keith Perrin and J. Alexander Martin, and started making FUBU logos on hockey jerseys, T-shirts and sweatshirts. FUBU earned worldwide recognition, and is now earning over $6 billion in global sales. He has also invested a whopping amount of $700,000 in Shark Tank projects.
John is best-known for appearing in a TV series, called ‘Shark Tank’. Since 2009, he has been appearing on the show as an investor, where, along with four other business executives, he listens to the business pitches from people and let them know whether or not to make investments in their projects. In April 2013, he entered into a partnership with the owner of Mission Belt Co., named Nate Holzapfel.
At present, he also makes appearances on shows, such as ‘The Game’ and ‘The Real’. He also serves as the brand ambassador for Shopify, an e-commerce company. Being a business and motivational speaker, Daymond uses to speak about entrepreneurship, negotiations and marketing. Babson College School of Entrepreneurship, AT&T’s History Makers Tour, and California First Lady Maria Shriver’s Women’s Conference are some of her current speaking engagements.
He also wrote two books, named ‘Display of Power’ and ‘The Brand Within’.
John is the recipient of a number of awards, including NAACP Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Essence Award, Brandweek Marketer of the Year Award, Ernst & Young‘s New York Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Advertising Age Marketing 1000 Award for Outstanding Ad Campaign, and many others.
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The Latest: Finalists in UK leader vote trade Brexit barbs
Posted: Jul 9, 2019 / 07:20 AM EDT / Updated: Jul 9, 2019 / 05:46 PM EDT
Britain’s main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn wears a “Free Nazanin” badge as he speaks during Prime Minister’s Questions session at the House of Commons in London, Wednesday June 26, 2019. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is a British-Iranian dual citizen who has been imprisoned in Iran for over three years. (House of Commons TV / PA via AP)
LONDON (AP) — The Latest on British politics and Brexit (all times local):
The two men vying to be Britain’s next leader have traded verbal blows during a televised debate over which of them is more likely to deliver a successful exit from the European Union.
Conservative Party politicians Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt both claimed during the Tuesday night debate that they were best placed to negotiate the U.K. to Brexit day, which was postponed twice and currently is scheduled for Oct. 31.
Johnson says Britain leaving on schedule, with or without a divorce deal with the EU, is a “do or die” issue.
Hunt said he would be prepared to delay the departure for a short time to win approval of a deal on withdrawal terms that many economists say is needed to prevent chaos in transportation and the delivery of imported goods.
Johnson called Hunt, who followed him as Britain’s foreign secretary, “defeatist.”
Hunt accused Johnson of setting a “fake deadline” to further his ambition to be Britain’s next prime minister. He asked if Johnson he would resign if he failed to fulfill his promise to meet the Oct. 31 Brexit deadline.
Hunt said: “It’s not do or die, is it? It’s Boris in No. 10 (Downing St.) that matters.”
About 160,000 Conservative Party members are eligible to vote for the party leader who will succeed Prime Minister Theresa May. The winner will be announced July 23.
In a significant shift, Britain’s main opposition Labour Party says the government should hold a referendum on whether to leave the European Union or remain in the bloc.
Leader Jeremy Corbyn says Labour will campaign to stay in the EU if a referendum is called by Prime Minister Theresa May’s successor. Conservative lawmakers Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt are competing for her job.
Labour’s opponents, and many supporters, have accused the party of dithering over Brexit for fear of alienating voters on opposing sides of the debate. But recent elections suggest Labour is losing support to parties that advocate remaining in the EU.
Corbyn said Tuesday that the new prime minister “should have the confidence to put their deal, or no-deal, back to the people in a public vote.”
The two contenders to replace British Prime Minister Theresa May will be squaring off in their only head-to-head debate in the campaign.
The television debate Tuesday between front-runner Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt comes after numerous events around the country in which the candidates took questions individually from Conservative Party members. They are voting to choose a new party leader who will automatically become prime minister.
Hunt’s supporters have expressed frustration at the reluctance of Johnson to take part in direct debate, and hope that this debate offers a chance to turn the contest around.
But it comes late in the campaign: Ballot papers have already gone out to the party’s estimated 180,000 members, and many people will already have voted. That means that the impact may be limited even if Hunt’s performance is strong.
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Policy Statement From The Vice Provost for Research
Dear Colleague:
This Policy Statement addresses Yale’s compliance with United States (U.S) export controls while maintaining a commitment to its mission and goals as an institution of higher education. Export controls are a complex set of federal laws and regulations designed to protect U.S. national security and economic interests, further U.S. foreign policy goals, and prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. These requirements govern how “controlled” information, technology, and items can be transmitted internationally to anyone, including U.S. citizens, or to foreign nationals in the U.S.
Fortunately, export controls do not impact the vast majority of research and other activities in which the Yale community engages. These activities typically fall under exclusions to export control requirements, such as exclusions for educational information and information that is publicly available. The most important exclusion is the fundamental research exemption, which generally applies when the results of research will be published and shared broadly within the scientific community, without any restrictions for proprietary or national security reasons (e.g., limitations on participation based on nationality or citizenship).
Although most Yale research is not subject to export controls, certain categories of equipment, technology, and information used by the Yale community in the conduct of research, or for other activities, are subject to export control requirements. These requirements may limit the dissemination and use of both information and equipment. Yale maintains an Export Compliance Program, overseen by the Director of Export Controls, to support its faculty, staff, and students in meeting these requirements. Additionally, Environmental Health and Safety supports export control compliance through their oversight of Yale’s shipping process.
All members of the Yale community share responsibility for conducting research and other activities in accordance with export controls and related university policies and processes. This includes remaining knowledgeable about export control considerations related to their university activities, and consulting with Yale’s Director of Export Controls regarding questions and concerns.
Violations of export controls can result in significant civil or criminal liability for Yale and the individual(s) involved, and damage U.S. national interests and Yale’s standing as a premier institution for research and learning. Any member of the Yale community should not hesitate to reach out to the Director of Export Controls (donald.deyo@yale.edu) with any questions or concerns regarding this topic.
Peter Schiffer
Vice Provost for Research and Professor in Applied Physics
Guidelines on Export Controls
Yale Resources
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Montreal to Shanghai, China - $499 CAD roundtrip including taxes
On December 16th, Air China is going to have another flash sale on their flights from Montreal to Shanghai, China for just $499 CAD roundtrip including taxes.
There will also be fares to Guangzhou, China (CAN) for the same price.
Update 12/16 - These fares are now live. A list of available dates has been added below.
Late January to May, 2017
(Excluding: departures from February 1 to 12, and most return dates in January.)
It's unlikely that all dates will be available at this price.
How to find and book these flights
1. On December 16th, go to the Air China flash sale page
2. Scroll down to the bottom, where the 'Flight Search' box can be found.
3. Search for a flight from Montreal to Shanghai, China.
Update 12/16 - Here is a list of available dates...
Feb 16, 18, 19
Mar 2, 4
Mar 5, 7, 9
Mar 11, 14, 16
Mar 18, 19, 21, 23
Apr 1, 2, 6, 8, 9
Apr 11, 13, 15, 16
RETURN dates
Feb 6, 9, 10
Apr 3, 5, 6, 8
May 3, 4, 6
May 10, 11, 13
May 17, 18, 24, 25
Jun 1, 7, 14, 21, 28
screenshot from airchina.ca
YUL Deals Facebook Group post of the day
Montreal to Hong Kong or Shanghai, China - $499 CAD roundtrip including taxes
montreal, yul, flight deals, asia, east asia, china, shanghai, pvg and air china.
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