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The History of Jaguar E-Type
The History of the Jaguar E-Type
The Jaguar E-Type is one of the most iconic and loved British sports cars ever produced. Even Enzo Ferrari is reported to have called it "the most beautiful car ever made" (1961).
In March 1961, Jaguar Cars Ltd unveiled the Jaguar E-Type at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland, automatically becoming an instant hit with the public and car industry.
Based on the Jaguar's D-Type racing car, the E-Type boasted a top speed of 150 mph top speed and acceleration of 0-60 mph in under 7-seconds. The look, the style and, importantly, the competitive price, made the car unique and sparked industry-wide changes in the automotive world.
Between 1961 and 1975, 72,515 Jaguar E-Types were produced in 3 different series.
Series 1: 1961-1968 (38,419)
The Jaguar E-Type was an instant success, perfectly reflecting the changes in society as the UK came out of the post-war period. The car was desired by many celebrities of the time including footballer, George Best, actress, Brigitte Bardot, and actors, Tony Curtis and Steve McQueen.
#History #Archives #CMSARCHIVES #CMS #CompleteMotorsportSolutions #jaguarclassicchallenge #jaguaretype #etype #IanSimmonds #SemiLightweight #Racing #RaceTeam #GTCars
CMS Archives
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Archive News Mar 02, 2001 - update 2
V.O.D. (VISION OF DISORDER) will release their new studio album, From Bliss To Devastation, through TVT Records on June 26th. All the tracking  for the album was recently completed at Machine Shop Studios (home of producer 'Machine') in Hoboken, New Jersey.
EMPEROR have announced the title of their forthcoming studio album: PROMETHEUS - The Discipline of Fire & Demise. The drum tracks for the CD have already been recorded, and the band are currently at the Symphonique Studio working on overdubs, with the mixing sessions due to take place at Akkerhaugen Lydstudio during May. Among the titles set to appear on this release are 'The Eruption', 'Depraved', 'The Toungue of Fire', 'The Prophet', and 'Thorns On My Grave'. Tentatively scheduled for a fall release, PROMETHEUS - The Discipline of Fire & Demise features 'more of everything,' according to frontman Ihsahn. 'It is very hard to (come up with a) specific description really.'
In somewhat related news, Norwegian artist Bjarne Melgaard will use some old obscure EMPEROR photographs in connection with some of his art exhibitions. This project will also be published in some of the bigger art magazines. Bjarne Melgaard is a well-known Norwegian artist who recently has received great recognition outside the borders of Norway.
WESTWORLD, featuring TNT vocalist Tony Harnell and RIOT guitarist Mark Reale, have lined up several more dates following their successful outing at the Voodoo Lounge in Bayside, Queens, NY a couple of weeks back. The new dates are:
March 30 - Slam, Westbury, NY
April 14 - L'amour, Brooklyn, NY
April 28 - (T.B.A.)
According to the group, none of these shows will be exactly the same, and the band will be changing their set-list around, with more TNT and RIOT songs added, plus a few surprises.
Cleveland's SW1TCHED (formerly SW1TCH) have enlisted producer Toby Wright (SOULFLY, KORN, ALICE IN CHAINS, PRIMUS) to mix their as-yet-untitled debut album for Immortal Records. The CD was produced by former SAIGON KICK guitarist Jason Bieler. 
SLIPKNOT have been confirmed as special guests to BLACK SABBATH at the UK version of the OZZFEST, taking place at Milton Keynes Bowl, Saturday May 26th. The day kicks off at 11 AM, and other bands set to play across two stages are TOOL, PAPA ROACH, DISTURBED, MUDVAYNE, AMEN, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, (HED) PLANET EARTH, THE UNION UNDERGROUND, APARTMENT 26 and RAGING SPEEDHORN.
SLIPKNOT have announced several other European dates:
May 17th Lisbon, Portugal - Pavilhao AtlanticoMay 18th Madrid, Spain - Festimad MostolesMay 20th Milan, Italy - PalavobisMay 21st Zurich, Switzerland - VolkshausMay 22nd Munich, Germany - ColiseumMay 24th Tourhout, Belgium - Tourhout FestivalMay 25th Netherlands - DynamoMay 28th Oberhausen, Germany - TurbinenhalleMay 29th Paris, France - ZenithMay 31st Bremen, Germany - Pier 2June 01st Nurnberg, Germany - Rock Im ParkJune 02nd Vienna, Austria - Libro Music Hall
New York hardcore crew MADBALL have issued the following statement regarding their recent break-up: 'First and foremost, we would like to thank our fans worldwide and everyone, family, friends, bands etc., who have supported us throughout the years. Thank you very much, it was a fun ride while it lasted and we are more than grateful for our experiences. Unfortunately, due to recent line-up changes and disputes, we have become exhausted and refuse to make a mockery of something that was and is an important part of our lives. We will put MADBALL TO REST for those and other more personal reasons but before we close this statement we want to thank and acknowledge the original MB line up, Matt Henderson, Will Shepler, Vinnie Stigma and Roger Miret for giving us those opportunities and sharing in the good times with us! MBHC. We sincerely apologize to anyone we inconvenienced with this break-up! But imagine the impact it's having on our lives! We would like to add that we will be doing a European farewell tour and also a final NYC show when we get back. We hope we've left our mark on this HARDCORE scene that we were a part of for so long. Like us or not you know we always kept it HARD and REAL! We will miss it! Thanks to all at Epitaph for understanding our situation. ONE LOVE, The Notorious MADBALL…. P.S. To all the shook ass haters, we say, EAT A DICK MUTHAFUCKA!!!!!!'
ANTHRAX / Sebastian Bach guitarist Paul Crook is finalizing a deal with Shrapnel Records that will call on the axeman to deliver one or more guitar-based records in the coming years. The first release for the label will include a track that will feature ANTHRAX vocalist John Bush, Sebastian Bach, and ex-DEEP PURPLE singer Glenn Hughes sharing vocals duties. According to sources, the music on the album will vary from crunching metal to 'thinking man' 's metal and some good old-fashioned 'shred'. In addition to writing material for his solo album, Paul is also writing songs for inclusion on Glenn Hughes' next solo album, which is due for release later this year. And finally, Paul has been composing with Sebastian Bach for his next disc, which is also due out this at the end of the year.
CBS / Sony Records is going to be re-releasing the entire BLUE OYSTER CULT catalog, re-mastered with extra bonus unreleased tracks. The first of these releases is slated for early summer (no set date for releases yet). The first releases will be the first four studio albums. Each record will include four bonus tracks and booklets with liner notes by noted musician and producer Lenny Kaye (PATTI SMITH GROUP, producer of Nuggets). The releases will continue in groups of four until the entire catalogue has been re-issued.
Here are the bonus cuts for each album so far:
from the band's original Columbia demo:
- 'What is Quicksand'
- 'A Fact About Sneakers'
- 'Donovan's Monkey'
- 'Betty Lou Got A New Pair Of Shoes'
(note: these songs are completely different versions than the songs of the same titles on the upcoming Rhino Stalk-Forrest group release).
Tyranny & Mutation
will have three live tracks:
- 'Cities On Flame With Rock & Roll' (from the Original Bootleg EP)
- '7 Screaming Diz-Busters' (from BOC Live In The West 1975)
- 'O.D.'d On Life Itself' (from BOC Live In The West 1975)
- 'Buck's Boogie' (original studio version from 1973)
Secret Treaties
- 'Born To Be Wild' (originally available as a single in 1974) 'Mommy'
- 'Boorman The Chauffeur'
- 'Madame Serrat'
Agents Of Fortune
- '(Don't Fear) The Reaper' (Buck's original home demo)
- 'Dance The Night Away' (Allen's original home demo with Allen singing)
- 'Sally' (Pre-Production)
- 'Fire Of Unknown Origin'
In a recent interview with chartattack.com, HELIX singer Brian Volmer revealed that he has kept himself busy in the last couple of years by offering voice lessons to aspiring vocalists in his native Canada, among them Morgan Lander of the all-girl metal band KITTIE. 'Lot of singers lose their voices because they're used to performing once a week then they have to perform six nights a week,' stated Volmer. 'I teach an operatic style called Bell Canto. It took me years to learn, let alone teach it. Since I've been teaching Morgan, she says she can sing night after night without throat problems. Lot of it is lifting tension off the vocal chords and you have to learn how to do that.'
Veteran rock drummer Carmine Appice has been asked to play the Modern Drummer Festival, taking place on May 19th and 20th 2001 in an as-yet-unspecified New Jersey venue. Carmine will play on the 20th, and he will bring along three original members of VANILLA FUDGE to jam on three or four FUDGE songs.
Austrian black metal outfit ABIGOR are due to release their latest effort, Satanized, through Napalm Records on the 26th of March. The group's musical direction is being described as 'traditional, melodic, harsh and extreme black metal combined with the intense darkness of the new eon!'
According to drummer Rikki Rockett, POISON will be touring the States starting around the 27th of May. The Glam, Slam Metal Jam 2001 Tour will take POISON and cohorts around the U.S. and Canada all summer long and hopefully some dates abroad. Openers are due be announced within the next ten days. POISON will also be in the studio next week recording a single for EMI Records, to be released shortly before the tour commences.
Former KISS and current UNION guitarist Bruce Kulick is auctioning off a guitar from his private collection through Ebay. According to Kulick's official web site, Bruce Kulick's KISS 'Unplugged' Ovation Elite Guitar, model #1868, has active electronics, a beautiful finish, with a slightly V-shaped neck that fits well into the hand. It has a cut-away for easy lead playing. It comes with the original hard shell case, and the actual strings that were used during the MTV performance. Bruce will include a color photo of himself performing with this instrument personalized to the winner of the auction. For those interested in bidding, here is the direct link to the auction page.
COLD is performing an acoustic set at East West in Orlando, Florida on March 10th between 1 and 3 PM. More information can be obtained by calling: (407) 647-3655.
QUIET RIOT's ALEX GROSSI To Appear As Celebrity Guest Judge On Glass-Blowing Competition Show 'Operation: Pipe Dreamers'
PRODUCT OF HATE Releases Epic Cinematic Video For 'Redemption'
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Home > Legislation > 115th Congress > S.2712
S.2712 - FARMERS FIRST Act115th Congress (2017-2018)
Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] (Introduced 04/19/2018)
Senate - Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
Senate - 04/19/2018 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (All Actions)
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Text: S.2712 — 115th Congress (2017-2018)All Information (Except Text)
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Introduced in Senate (04/19/2018)
To amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to establish a farm and ranch stress assistance network, and for other purposes.
Ms. Baldwin (for herself, Mrs. Ernst, Mr. Moran, Ms. Heitkamp, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Hoeven, and Ms. Smith) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. Short title.
This Act may be cited as the “Facilitating Accessible Resources for Mental health and Encouraging Rural Solutions For Immediate Response to Stressful Times Act” or the “FARMERS FIRST Act”.
SEC. 2. Farm and ranch stress assistance networks.
(a) Findings.—Congress finds that—
(1) agricultural work continues to be—
(A) highly stressful;
(B) characterized by uncertainty; and
(C) subject to—
(i) changing market conditions;
(ii) the unpredictable nature of weather; and
(iii) other factors beyond the control of agricultural producers;
(2) individuals working in agriculture have the highest overall suicide rate among all occupations;
(3) access to behavioral health care is often limited among individuals working in agriculture due to time and geographical constraints; and
(4) agricultural workers are in need of specialized behavioral health programs that are—
(A) affordable;
(B) available as needed; and
(C) carried out with understanding of concerns specific to agricultural work.
(b) Farm and ranch stress assistance.—The National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 is amended by inserting after subtitle I (7 U.S.C. 3291 et seq.) the following:
“subtitle J—Farm and ranch stress assistance
“SEC. 1460. Definitions.
“In this subtitle:
“(1) AFFECTED INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘affected individual’ means any individual engaged, as determined by the Secretary, in—
“(A) farming;
“(B) ranching; or
“(C) another agriculture-related occupation.
“(2) COMMITTEE.—The term ‘Committee’ means the Farm and Ranch Stress Assessment Committee established under section 1461A(a).
“(3) NATIONAL NETWORK.—The term ‘national network’ means the National Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network established under section 1461(b)(1).
“(4) STATE NETWORK.—The term ‘State network’ means a State farm and ranch stress assistance network established under section 1461(a)(1).
“SEC. 1461. Farm and ranch stress assistance networks.
“(a) State networks.—
“(1) GRANTS.—The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall establish a program under which the Secretary shall provide competitive grants to State departments of agriculture, State cooperative extension services, and nonprofit organizations to carry out eligible cooperative programs described in paragraph (2).
“(2) DESCRIPTION OF ELIGIBLE COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS.—An eligible cooperative program referred to in paragraph (1) is a program—
“(A) established and carried out by a partnership between—
“(i) one or more State departments of agriculture, one or more State cooperative extension services, or one or more nonprofit organizations, as applicable; and
“(ii) entities providing appropriate services in the one or more States; and
“(B) the purpose of which is to establish a farm and ranch stress assistance network to provide stress assistance programs to affected individuals, including counseling and support (including behavioral health counseling and referral for other forms of assistance, as necessary) through—
“(i) farm telephone helplines and internet websites;
“(ii) training for advocates for affected individuals and other individuals or entities that may assist affected individuals in crises, including training programs and workshops;
“(iii) support groups;
“(iv) outreach services and activities, including the dissemination of information and materials; and
“(v) home delivery of assistance, in any case in which a farm resident is homebound.
“(3) USE OF FUNDS.—A competitive grant provided under this subsection may be used to enter into a contract, on a multiyear basis, with a community-based, direct-service organization to initiate, expand, or maintain an eligible cooperative program in the State.
“(b) National network.—
“(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall establish a National Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network to coordinate stress assistance programs on a national scale for affected individuals, including through programs and activities described in subsection (a)(2)(B).
“(2) DIRECTOR.—The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall appoint an individual in the Department of Agriculture to be the Director of the national network.
“(c) Authorization of appropriations.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out activities through the national network and State networks $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.
“SEC. 1461A. Farm and Ranch Stress Assessment Committee.
“(a) Establishment.—Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the FARMERS FIRST Act, the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish an advisory committee, to be known as the ‘Farm and Ranch Stress Assessment Committee’.
“(b) Membership.—The Committee shall consist of—
“(1) the Secretary (or a designee);
“(2) the Secretary of Health and Human Services (or a designee);
“(3) the Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Mental Health and Substance Abuse (or a designee);
“(4) the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (or a designee);
“(5) the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (or a designee);
“(6) the Director of the National Institutes of Health;
“(7) the Under Secretary for Rural Development (or a designee); and
“(8) 4 members, to be appointed by the Secretary, one of which shall be a representative of each of—
“(A) affected individuals;
“(B) behavioral health professionals;
“(C) advocates for affected individuals; and
“(D) as appropriate, other experts in occupational stress and behavioral health among affected individuals.
“(c) Meetings.—The Committee shall meet not fewer than 2 times each year.
“(d) Report.—
“(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the FARMERS FIRST Act, the Committee shall submit to Congress and any other relevant Federal department or agency, and make publicly available, a report describing the state of behavioral and mental health in farmers and ranchers.
“(2) CONTENTS.—The report under paragraph (1) shall include—
“(A) an inventory and assessment of efforts to support the behavioral and mental health of farmers and ranchers by—
“(i) the Federal Government, States, and units of local government;
“(ii) communities that are comprised of farmers and ranchers;
“(iii) healthcare providers;
“(iv) State cooperative extension services; and
“(v) other entities, as determined by the Secretary;
“(B) a description of the challenges faced by farmers and ranchers (including financial, medical, and other challenges) that may impact the behavioral and mental health of farmers and ranchers;
“(C) an evaluation of the impact of farmer and rancher suicides on—
“(i) the agricultural workforce;
“(ii) agricultural production;
“(iii) rural families and communities; and
“(iv) succession planning; and
“(D) an outline of a long-term strategy and recommendations based on best practices to appropriate Federal departments or agencies for addressing the challenges identified under subparagraph (B).”.
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Field Experiences
Aga Szewczyk
Spaces of Love: Photographing Liminality
The ‘Spaces in Love’ project aims to explore and participate in the passers-by experience of in-betweenness of love and space. It captures couples' and families’ togetherness and separateness within the seascapes and anything unfolding in between that is yet to be lived through, yet not always understood.
The first phase of the project started in December 2015, with me using my own perspective as a photographer/geographer and with no direct interaction with the individuals being photographed. The photographs do not reveal participants’ identities, but focus on their anonymity and interactions with one another and with the space. Those passers-by can be seen as human forms that entered the scene of the sea and shore. Within that space I could witness and immerse myself in the hollow sounds of ambiguity, ‘betwixt the sand and the foam’ of different emotional forms emerging and dissolving. These also had an effect on my very own perception of what love, solitude, closeness and separateness are.
The second phase of the project will interact directly with passers-by and, with their agreement, I will aim to capture their synergies with the space. Such photographs will reveal identities and look more closely into the thresholds of lives through experiences and emotions.
The photographs presented here are from various coastal sites across the UK and Spain, including: The Isle of Portland, Weston-Super-Mare, Clevedon, Portishead, Exmouth, West Pentire and Fuerteventura. The project was presented at the Association of American Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California in March 2016.
WHAT IS SPACES IN LOVE ABOUT?
It is the ‘space’ that fascinates me, along with the dynamics of changes occurring within it through individuals' interactions that are associated with togetherness and separateness, closeness and solitude.
As the tide goes away it leaves stones on the sand that make temporary imprints, until another tide comes in and allocates them to a different place. These are the micro changes that we barely notice and that occur in a liminal space.
The word ‘liminal’ derives from the Latin word līmen, meaning "a threshold," that is, the bottom part of a doorway that must be crossed when entering a building. It is used today to describe any experiential threshold, the midpoint of transition in a status-sequence between two positions, which is barely perceptible, yet which often is quite uncomfortable, and which we often would not choose to be in. In anthropology, for example, one way liminality is conceptualized is as the quality of ambiguity that occurs in the middle stage of a transition when participants no longer hold pre-ritual status, but have not yet begun gaining a new understanding of the status they will hold when the ritual is complete. In both cases, this is a place where we long for something to be resolved.
Geographer Yi-Fu Tuan expands these understandings by recognizing liminality in human interactions with space, and where human-made spaces meet the natural world; which cannot be clearly and explicitly known. He comments that the natural world "can be known only as resistances to each human space."
This is what happens when a couple in-love enters a beach, leave their footprints on the sand, or walk on the pier, showing one another affection. Their gentle space and time imprints last until the next tide of people and the sea washes away the loving soft embraces, the security of hands holding, and the gentle hair stroke. These loving gestures of togetherness are often paused by separateness and lone gazing into nothingness.
Then, these gestures re-emerge into yet other forms.
Such thresholds experienced and felt within human space, i.e., from closeness to solitude, are unveiled within the greater natural world. As Tuan proposes, the "original space is a contact with the world that precedes thinking," and in its act, the human body "implicates space; space coexists with the sentient body."
For Eckhart Tolle, a spiritual leader, space in itself “has no existence, yet it enables everything else to exist.” He further writes, that "since space is 'nothing' we can say that what is NOT there is more important than what is there." The nothingness that is space mesmerizes, terrifies, soothes, propels freedom and delivers relief. As it allows for all the forms to be, it also becomes a playground for liminal transformations to occur; including those of and within human spaces.
As Tolle writes, “All you can do is create a space for transformation to happen, for grace and love to enter.” The couples and families enter that space together, which then becomes a backdrop for closeness and separation to unfold and interplay.
As the artist and writer Kahlil Gibran writes on space and love:
“Let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls […]
And stand together, yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow”.
Similarly, Tolle teaches us to be present and to give space to one's partner for expressing himself or herself. He further clarifies, that “giving space to others and yourself - is vital. Love cannot flourish without it."
Moreover, an Irish proverb says: "Reality is that place between the sea and the foam." That space where the stones and sand, where the love, the memories, and the feelings are carried to a new destination, and any imprints erased. Reality becomes that very moment of turbulent movement and immersion, but also a stillness of an underwater odyssey encapsulated by the beneath the surface hollow sound, again and again randomly expelling its material and emotional belongings at the new shores.
For Tuan, "personal and cultural spaces are distortions" of an objective space and such illusions are bound to undergo some form of transformations. Correspondingly, Tolle writes that “every form is destined to dissolve again and that ultimately nothing out here matters all that much."
THIS RAISES A QUESTION: WHAT REMAINS?
In one of his famous aphorisms from Sand and Foam, Kahlil Gibran signposts that it is the sea and the shore that will remain forever, which are the boundaries of space:
“I am forever walking upon these shores, Betwixt the sand and the foam, The high tide will erase my foot-prints, And the wind will blow away the foam. But the sea and the shore will remain
In the ancient Persian tales of One Thousand and One Nights, the character Princess Scheherazade refers to space as nothingness and says:
"When nothing existed,
Love existed, and
When nothing shall remain,
Love shall remain: it is
The first and the last."
Furthermore, this brings up the significance of the moments that frustrate our will and arbitrariness, in other words, the very liminality of thresholds. Such moments allow us to experience the non-human world, what Tuan would call the "original space," or the "nothingness." Most importantly, as Tuan reminds us, such moments “cause us to pause and pose the question of an objective reality distinct from the one that our needs and imagination call into being.”
Ultimately, what remains could be the capacity for, and the very substance of, liminality.
On one of the days when I was collecting the visual data at the UK coasts, I came across a family throwing flowers into the sea. The flowers were from the coffin of their grandmother who was buried a day before. Their grandfather also happened to pass away on the same date, but a year earlier. The family chose this coast because they knew this was their grandparents’ favorite space - one they used to visit every day.
The family kept throwing the flowers into the crashing waves of the sea, then collecting them when the waves brought the flowers back to the shore, repeating the process.
All the multi-colored roses, marigolds, daisies, and carnations soaked in water were carried by the vicious foam along the shoreline, sunk into the cold sea waves, and then returned for a moment of pause on the shore only to be taken back and relocated again.
"We keep throwing them into the sea, but they keep coming back, as if they didn’t want to go away just yet." – I heard.
Aga Szewczyk is a social documentary photographer and visual researcher with many years of experience gained through UWE Bristol BA Photography Professional Practice where she focused on photographing aspects of mobilities, identities and migration, having previously obtained a Doctorate in Human Geography and Migration at Loughborough University. Aga is also a freelance wedding and family photographer: www.agasstudio.com.
Gibran, G. 1926. Sand and Foam. Knopf, New York, NY.
Harvey, W. 1973. Tales from A Thousand and One Nights. Penguin, New York, NY.
Tolle, E. 1997. The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment. Namaste Publishing, Vancouver, Canada.
Tuan, Yi-Fu. 1979. Landscapes of Fear. Pantheon Books, New York, NY.
#agaszewczyk #love #photography
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The Origin of Valentine's Day Might Surprise You—Here's What to Know
There's no lovey-dovey backstory here. 😳
By Taysha Murtaugh and Rebekah Lowin
While it may be tempting to think of Valentine's Day as a modern holiday meant just for indulging our shopping and sugary impulses, this day of heart-shaped festivity actually has an ancient—and fascinating—origin story...or rather, mystery. While we celebrate Valentine's Day today with DIY Valentine's Day cards, gifts of jewelry or flowers, and romantic Valentine's Day dinners, the history of the holiday is actually quite surprising (get ready to queue up those Valentine's Day Instagram captions with some shocking trivia!).
So how did February 14 first come to be considered the day of love? And what's the origin of Valentine's Day—and why have its romantic themes persisted to this day? Oh, and while we're at it, where does the word "Valentine" come from?
As it turns out, nobody really knows the true history behind this storied holiday, nor do any of the theories completely check out. Even historians find themselves arguing over the exact traditions from which the present-day holiday takes inspiration.
But we're sharing as much as we know about the topic, including the murky origin of Valentine's Day and its interesting history. Its backstory—though not confirmed—is actually quite dark and even a bit bloody. Strange traditions, pagan rituals, and grisly executions abound. If you're not faint of heart, though, you'll enjoy learning about everything we've compiled here. Who knows? It might even inform your Valentine's Day wishes!
A Valentine’s Day postcard circa 1913.
Universal History Archive / Getty Images
Where does the word Valentine come from?
The day is named, of course, for St. Valentine—we all know that by now. But why? Who is this mysterious Valentine?
According to The New York Times, it's possible that the love-filled holiday is based on a combination of two men. There were, after all, two Valentines executed on February 14 (albeit in different years) by Emperor Claudius II, reports NPR. It's believed that the Catholic Church may have established St. Valentine's Day in order to honor these men, who they believed to be martyrs. What's more, it's possible that one of these men, Saint Valentine of Terni, had been secretly officiating weddings for Roman soldiers against the emperor's wishes, making him, in some eyes, a proponent of love.
Another story involves the practice of writing love letters to your Valentine. It's said that St. Valentine wrote the first “valentine” greeting to a young girl he tutored and fell in love with while he was imprisoned for the crimes outlined above. According to The History Channel, before his death, he wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine," which remains a commonly used phrase to this day.
Others believe that St. Valentine's Day was actually designated by Pope Gelasius I in order to replace the ancient Roman festival Lupercalia, a celebration of fertility dedicated to the Roman god of agriculture, Faunas, and Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
St. Valentine's Day circa 1800.
Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images
The feast of debauchery fell around the same time and involved a ritual where an order of Roman priests ran naked through the streets, "gently slapping" women with the blood-soaked hides of sacrificed animals (yes, really), which they believed promoted fertility. Following this flagellation was a tradition in which men selected women's names at random from a jar to decide who would remain together for the next year, or, if they fell in love, they'd marry.
However, a University of Kansas English professor, the late Jack B. Oruch, had a different theory, notes the Times: Through research, he determined that the poet Geoffrey Chaucer linked love with St. Valentine for the first time in his 14th-century works "The Parlement of Foules" and "The Complaint of Mars." Therefore, Oruch claimed that Chaucer invented Valentine's Day as we know it today. (At the time of Chaucer's writing, February 14 also happened to be considered the first day of spring in Britain, because it was the beginning of birds' mating season—perfectly appropriate for a celebration of affection.)
Geoffrey Chaucer, one of England's great poets.
Why do we celebrate Valentines Day?
Whether or not Chaucer can be fully credited, it is true that he and fellow writer Shakespeare popularized the amorous associations surrounding the day. Soon, people began penning and exchanging love letters to celebrate Valentine's Day, and by the early 1910s, an American company that would one day become Hallmark began distributing its more official "Valentine's Day cards." Flowers, candy, jewelry, and more followed, and the rest, of course, is history.
A Valentine’s Day postcard from 1910.
Universal Images Group / Getty Images
What part does Cupid play on Valentine's Day?
It's not all about St. Valentine! Cupid—that winged baby boy often seen on Valentine's Day cards and paraphernalia—is another symbol of this love-filled holiday, and it's easy to understand why. In Roman mythology, Cupid was the son of Venus, goddess of love and beauty. He was known for shooting arrows at both gods and humans, causing them to fall instantly in love with one another. While it's unclear exactly when Cupid was brought into the Valentine's Day story, it's certainly clear why.
Taysha Murtaugh Lifestyle Editor Taysha Murtaugh was the Lifestyle Editor at CountryLiving.com.
Rebekah Lowin Lifestyle Editor Rebekah Lowin is the Lifestyle Editor for The Pioneer Woman, covering food, entertaining, home decor, crafting, gardening, and holiday.
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A Part of Hearst Digital Media Country Living participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.
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5 Myths About War You Believe (Because Of Movies)
Steve Holt(!) Is The Only Good Person On 'Arrested Development'
Adam Wears ·
Marina Reimann ·
Most of us learn everything we know about war from movies. Where else are we supposed to get our information from, the news? Documentaries? Actually signing up to serve? Nah, just watching The Hurt Locker 10 times will do the trick, right? Except that war movies are constantly lying about war to moviegoers, because as it turns out, war is super complicated and needs to be simplified for mainstream audiences. That's why a lot of aspects of war that we take for granted are about as factually accurate as that scene in The Patriot where Mel Gibson stabs a man with the American flag and wins the Revolutionary War. For example ...
Tanks Were Unreliable Death Traps
Movies like Patton and Fury clearly dictate that tanks are where it's at. And, of course, they're absolutely right. Thick armor plating, treads capable of climbing over uneven surfaces (like enemy faces), a gigantic cannon capable of shooting God right out of the sky ... what's not to like?
They even make Shia LaBeouf look cool.
Yeah, they're a real sweet deal when everything's going fine.
But what if a tank gets stuck?
"AAA says we're out of their service area."
Despite them being portrayed as the modern-day cavalry, you really did not want to be part of an armor crew in either the First World War or its illustrious sequel. The tanks of WWI were the first-ever tanks to be used in war -- and they were a total nightmare. They broke immediately, and when they did work, they got bogged down and generally could not cope with the terrain at all. When the first tanks arrived in Europe, one tank commander wrote:
"I and my crew did not have a tank of our own the whole time we were in England. Ours went wrong the day it arrived. We had no reconnaissance or map reading ... no practices or lectures on the compass ... we had no signaling ... and no practice in considering orders. We had no knowledge of where to look for information that would be necessary for us as tank commanders, nor did we know what information we should be likely to require."
Out of 50 tanks sent to attack the Somme, only 36 made it. The rest broke down and/or got stuck in the mud, with horrendous results. WWI's Siege of Fray Bentos at Passchendaele, a very fancy name for what ultimately boils down to "a protracted assault against a tank that got stuck in the mud," is a perfect example of this. Cheekily named after a tinned meat company, the Fray Bentos was chugging along until it fell into a crater and couldn't get out again. One gun was pointing at the sky, the other at the ground -- and to make matters worse, the Germans had noticed.
via The Telegraph
They do have an infuriating attention to detail.
For three days, the men of the Fray Bentos found out just how shitty being in a tank could be. Any attempts to get out were met with death and grievous injuries, and escape was made almost impossible after the corpse of one of the crew wedged the door shut. The temperature inside rose to about 90 degrees fahrenheit. The breach of one of the main guns crushed a man's ribs and left him to die slowly. German forces made several attempts to swarm the tank with grenades and had to be repelled. On the third night, when water and rations had been exhausted and those still alive were low on ammo, they decided to mount a suicidal escape. But the Germans were only interested in capturing the tank and so let the Fray Bentos survivors leave in peace. That's how much WWI tanks sucked -- even the enemy didn't have the heart to shoot you once you finally managed to escape one.
Things did improve for tank crews in WWII, but not a lot. It was still an insanely miserable, dangerous, flammable place to fight a war. And mud was still a problem.
"Aw shit, I knew we forgot about something."
The makeup of the most common Allied tank, the Sherman, was riddled with so many small weaknesses it might as well have been a miniboss in a video game. If hit low, the interior was liable to erupt into a ball of hellfire, roasting everyone inside. That's the opposite of how a tank is supposed to work. In WWII, the loss rate of Allied Sherman tanks was a blood-pressure-ramping 580 percent. They malfunctioned, caught fire constantly, and were basically horrible death traps for those inside. In fact, one of the reasons the Allies achieved armor superiority over the Germans is that they had so many bullshit Sherman tanks they were forced to continuously improve them. So don't listen to the movies -- you were as likely to die from merely occupying a tank as you were from being shot by one.
The 5 Most Horrifying Booby Traps in the History of War
Confirmed Kills Are Not An Actual Thing
When movies want to let the audience know how badass their soldier heroes are, they don't point at scars or years served, but often to the number of lives they've taken for their country. "Confirmed kills" are offered like they're soldiers' official high scores. Most people became aware of the concept of confirmed kills because of American Sniper, a movie that made it very clear we should all think Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle is a badass because he has more than 150 of them. Or at least, that would be impressive if confirmed kills were even a thing. They're not.
The only thing more fake than the baby scene.
Although the military keeps extensive records of what happens in the field, the number of enemies that each soldier sends to kingdom come isn't included. According to one of its spokespersons, the U.S. Army "does not keep any official, or unofficial for that matter, record of confirmed kills." In fact, military brass doesn't actually like it when their killing machines talk about how much killing they've done. U.S. Special Operations Command say that they treat all figures as unofficial and actively refrain from reporting them because "it's so difficult to prove, and what does it mean?"
If such a number does find its way into an after-action report, meanwhile, it's because a soldier chose to include it -- with nothing to back it up but his word. This type of reporting is only usual for specialists like snipers, who tend to deal with taking out single targets. And that's mostly because there's really not much else to write about. Chris Kyle himself described the reports as comprising "the time, the place, the caliber used, the distance he was, what exactly he was doing, where he was standing, what he was wearing." So basically, "confirmed kills" are nothing more than page filler for snipers who are trying to embellish their reports and have run out of shit to say about their target's dress sense.
"Target is in position and is wearing socks with his sandals. Ugh."
6 Famous 2000s Things (That Were Actually Awful)
The Rules For Who You Can Shoot And When Are Insanely Complicated
Military engagement in movies couldn't be simpler: if it looks, acts, and quacks like an enemy, shoot first and check driver's licenses later. However, in the real world, soldiers actually have to be legal scholars to understand the massive rulebook that comprises the "rules of engagement" (ROE) -- a series of guidelines outlining the conditions under which, and only under which, soldiers can even look at someone else.
"MY EYES ARE CLOSED, SO IT'S OKAY!"
The main ideology behind the modern ROE for the U.S. Army has changed over the past few wars. Now, the full ROE are so complicated they go on for approximately two dozen pages. That's a bit much for most hack screenwriters. They prefer to still base their ideas about engagement on World War II, when the ROE was focused on "status-based targets" -- i.e. as long as they weren't surrendering, anyone wearing a Nazi uniform was fair game. Shoot them, hit them with a car, whatever you want. The only limits are the tools at hand and your imagination.
Now, however, the rules differ wildly from what most cinemagoers would expect. For instance, the main crux of the ROE issued to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan advised that soldiers can only use proportional force against "conduct-based targets" -- people acting in a hostile or aggressive manner, or displaying hostile intent. The change came about as a result of the guerrilla-style tactics that the various bad guys in Iraq and Afghanistan used. It's impossible to have a mandate for shooting people dressed in bad guy clothing when the good guys are dressed the exact same way. So instead of treating every street in Baghdad like a level of Call Of Duty, soldiers today have to have a Masters in Psychology to know if that angry stare from the dude wielding an AK-47 is because he's about to open fire, or because he still has a lot of unresolved issues about his father swirling around in his head.
"I- Honestly, I just need a hug."
However, it's not the byzantine nature of the ROE that's toughest on soldiers, but the fact that it keeps changing, as it did throughout Iraq and Afghanistan to accommodate the U.S. military's ever-evolving tactics. It wasn't uncommon for troop leaders to contact military lawyers in the midst of some engagements, just to get confirmation of whether they could shoot back or not. It wouldn't make for good cinema if Rambo had to spend half of each movie on the phone with Jameson from legal asking how many of the 300 potential enemies rushing his location he's allowed to point his machine gun at.
5 Horror Movies That Made Up Rules Midway Through The Film
The Trenches In World War I Were Actually Little Cities
Out of all the big wars, World War I must be the least cinematic. That's why filmmakers tend to only use it to represent everything shitty about war: death, barbed wire, mud, machine guns, the indifference of military high command as to what happens to their troops, and poetry. And nothing symbolizes this depressing failure as much as the trenches, one or two shallow graves military command decided to dig for the poor common soldier.
But the British will be damned if they won't laugh about it anyway.
However, it wasn't always intended to be this way. While we might think of the trenches as elongated holes filled with mud and despair (and poop), they only represented a small, lethal part of a sophisticated system of primary, secondary, and tertiary trenches -- all of which were designed as a massive military ant farm that both repelled enemy attacks and functioned as part of a massive supply chain dishing out equipment, men, and intelligence to where they were needed most.
In fact, the complexity of the trenches was designed to counter another favored stereotype of the First World War -- that soldiers were seen as easily replaceable machine-gun fodder. The trenches were cut as zig-zags so that, should an enemy force breach the lines, all the troops weren't just standing in a straight headshot-able line from the North Sea to the Alps. Also, the walls were paneled with wood and the parapets reinforced with a ceaseless line of sandbags, and there were large medical stations installed throughout, because even these generals took care not to just let entire regiments die from gangrene and patience.
Though they were still careful not to give pilots parachutes in case cowardice got the best of them.
Soldiers didn't even spend that much time in a position where they could be sent into the veritable meat grinder that was over the top of the trenches, because they were rotated through the different trenches so frequently. It's estimated that the troops only spent 15 percent of their time in the frontline trench, as opposed to 10 percent in the support trench, 30 percent in the reserve trench, and 45 percent having some well-earned R&R in a French whorehouse. We can't stress this enough -- while men did go over the top to their inevitable deaths, it was more of a lottery than a conveyor belt of slaughter.
Of course, some stereotypes still hold true. The trenches, for instance, were indeed muddy, waterlogged holes. But wherever possible, military engineers would lead their trenches into underground rock quarries, literally everywhere in France, to use these natural bunkers as sleeping quarters, medical bays, and shelter from artillery. Some of these underground warrens were so complex that in one, they were able to install "electric lights and telephones, command posts, a bakery and butcher's, a machine shop, a hospital, and a chapel." These warrens were so vast, the troops had to construct makeshift "street" signs in order to prevent people from getting lost -- you really didn't want to take a wrong turn somewhere and wind up in the German neighborhood.
It does have better food, though.
Even the main threat to the troops -- poison gas -- wasn't the unstoppable force of bloodshed that we've been led to believe. It was an absolute crapshoot whether it'd work or not. If you wanted to douse your enemy, you had to time it precisely according to the wind and hope that a mild breeze didn't either blow it off-course or disperse it into nothingness. Even worse, troops would then have to risk burns and suffocation walking through their own gas cloud because chemical compounds don't give a hoot whose side you're on. Waiting for these perfect conditions could also take weeks. Basically, poison gas attacks in World War I were like an incredibly lazy Hulk that was just as likely to turn on you when it finally deigned to enter the battlefield. Waiting for your enemy to die of old age was a more effective technique.
6 Inspiring Tales of Friendship in the Middle of Brutal Wars
All Soldiers Don't Share An Unbreakable Bond (And Sometimes They Kill Each Other)
It is often said that the bond soldiers develop in war is unbreakable, that those who experience battle together will become a band of brothers. You know, like in Band Of Brothers, or Saving Private Ryan, or any other war movie that's basically a buddy comedy but with a lot of death and carnage happening in the background. But the truth is that giving a bunch of random dudes guns doesn't exactly make them friends for life who trust each other implicitly.
Shrimp, on the other hand ...
No, soldiers are subject to the same amount of petty squabbling, mistrust, and competitiveness that befalls any large group of people. And while you do see some of this in movies -- Full Metal Jacket, Heartbreak Ridge, Captain America: The First Avenger -- those are less extreme than what actually happened during the Battle of the Bulge. To clarify, we're not talking about the 1965 movie Battle Of The Bulge with Henry Fonda, which was so inaccurate that Eisenhower held a press conference just to talk about how severely the film cocked everything up. Unlike the beautiful camaraderie in the movie, the actual battle was fraught with so much hostility and infighting among the Allied troops that if a camera crew had documented the battle, they would have accidentally invented the reality show format.
During the Battle of the Bulge, many troops thought that German soldiers were disguising themselves as American troops in order to sow chaos behind the front lines (they were doing exactly that, by the way, but that's beside the point). After rumors started flying (and a convoy went missing), paranoia spread through the Allied ranks. In order to root out possible spies, camp guards began asking returning soldiers questions that only "real Americans" would know, mostly related to baseball ... with mixed results.
That's not even factoring in having to keep Yankees and Red Sox fans from murdering each other.
Some poor bastards were locked away because they got the questions wrong, some got locked away because the sentries themselves didn't know the correct answer, and some were straight-up shot. They also apprehended soldiers with names that sounded suspiciously German, or those who had collected German trophies while in Europe. Even General Bruce C. Clarke was detained for five hours for getting a question about the Chicago Cubs wrong. Guess he wasn't a fan of baseball. Or patriotism.
When they aren't reading about weird history and making awful ... ly good puns, Marina and Adam spend their days on Twitter. Adam also has a Facebook page, if you're into that sort of thing.
For more ways Hollywood has lead us astray, check out 5 Bizarre Ways Everyone Gets World War II Wrong and 5 Stupid War Myths Everyone Believes (Thanks To Movies).
Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and check out Why The #1 Fact Of Military History Is A Lie, and other videos you won't see on the site!
Follow us on Facebook, and we'll follow you everywhere.
And to further straighten out your noggin, check out Cracked's De-Textbook: The Stuff You Didn't Know About the Stuff You Thought You Knew.
5 Times Marvel And DC Ripped Each Other Off (By Accident)
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Maddd Equities' owner on trying to bring major projects to skeptical communities
Eddie Small
Buck Ennis
JORGE MADRUGA
WHO HE is Owner, Maddd Equities
GREW UP Madruga emigrated from Cuba to Florida on the 1980 Mariel boatlift.
RESIDES Port Washington, Long Island
EDUCATION He went straight from high school to working at a small construction company.
PROJECTS Madruga has developed about 5,000 residential units across the city and currently manages more than 1 million square feet of commercial space. Maddd has about 15 projects in the pipeline.
FAMILY GUY He's married with three daughters: One just graduated from law school, and the twins are still in college.
GOOD EATS He's a big fan of West Village steakhouse 4 Charles Prime Rib.
FAST CAR Madruga's hobbies include martial arts, dancing and driving his Porsche.
Jorge Madruga is the owner of Maddd Equities, a development firm with projects everywhere from Hudson Yards to the Upper East Side to the South Bronx. The company also has a major affordable-housing project underway in Inwood and was a strong supporter of the effort to pass the neighborhood's rezoning and ensure it survived its court challenges. At a time when real estate development is subject to frequent community opposition, Madruga looks to balance local concerns while taking advantage of the urgency in the market.
Are you happy that the Inwood rezoning was ultimately allowed to proceed? Were you surprised by the amount of pushback it got?
I am happy that it finally got approved and done. We got very close to certifying our rezoning for just our property, and then we joined together with the city, and it became a very big to-do in the community—rightfully so. In the beginning I didn't really understand why the pushback was so strong because, in my mind, rezoning brings development, opportunity and jobs, but as I worked with the community, I understood their concern, which was not getting displaced.
Developer plows ahead with plans for $3.5B Bronx megaproject
City’s biggest luxury deal since March isn’t actually so big
What are your thoughts on the city's push to rezone other neighborhoods like SoHo and Gowanus?
I think rezonings are much harder to get done today because there have been some bad apples, and the community sentiment now is "Don't trust the developer. It doesn't matter who he is or what he's done. Just don't trust the developer." So I don't feel good about the other rezonings going on. I think it's going to be very difficult to get to a meeting of the minds.
Has that type of community sentiment changed your approach to developing new projects?
It's definitely made me more cautious. It used to be known that people wanted development. People wanted affordable housing built. Today the project needs more than that. There has to be a story. The community needs to be behind it before it starts, and there have got to be multiple community partners. And it will still be hard because there are still going to be people who will not like whatever it is we're doing.
What is one of the biggest ways you've seen the pandemic affect local real estate?
Prices are coming down. I'm starting to get calls from people who are extremely urgent to sell. At the beginning of the year [2020], if I called these people, they'd be like, "Call me in five years. I'm not ready." Today, they're calling me: "OK, I'm ready to retire and go to Florida. Would you want to buy my property?" There's definitely an urgency in the market among people trying to sell property, and I think it's going to get worse.
What needs to happen for the city's economy to turn around post-Covid?
We need to open the city back up, and we need tourists back in New York. They stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants, and a lot of them shop in those small retail stores. I think the city will come back stronger, but it will go through a repricing first. It will be three years at least of rents staying low and then starting to grow little by little. The economy will come back through building but not at the same prices.
Mamdani looks to address 'failures of capitalism' in Assembly
Building Congress chair on what the construction industry needs to keep moving forward
Sunset Park BID chief on why the land-use review process needs a major update
Sponsored Content: Northwell tackles women’s health issues during Covid-19 crisis
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Home » ALMS » News
Dominant victory for Team Joest.
Infineon Team Joest celebrated a crushing victory in round seven of the American Le Mans Series at Laguna Seca, extending its championship lead after comfortably leading home the rest of the field in California.
Having already dominated practice, Frank Biela and Marco Werner led 115 of the 120 laps, and crossed the line more than a minute ahead of the MG-Lola of James Weaver and Butch Leitzinger.
"This has been a perfect weekend," Biela commented, "Thanks to the advantage we now have, it looks quite good for us in the championship. We had a superb car here from the very beginning.
"The race went perfectly. It was a nice feeling to set the pace, and I was able to pull away from the competition, even before they ran into trouble. It was a shame, because it took the air out of the race, but, of course, it doesn't feel too bad if the pressure from behind suddenly ceases!"
Starting from pole position, Biela was able to constantly pull away from the rest of the field in the opening stages of the race. The three-time Le Mans winner handed the Audi R8 over to Werner with almost a full minute lead, and the two Germans retained the lead even during their final refuelling stop, bringing home an unrivalled victory.
"It was a totally new feeling for me to drive without any pressure," Werner admitted, "Usually, it is not as easy to keep your concentration, and that's why the race was not completely easy.
Biela on the brink.
Biela, Werner closer to title with Laguna win.
"Frank laid the foundation for victory during practice - he drove a superb qualifying and was strong in the race. We have not only won because the others eliminated themselves, we simply were faster here. With a view to the championship, this victory was very important for us. We can now drive a little bit more relaxed, even if we are keen to win the final two races."
"This victory was a great end to a completely perfect weekend, one that we dominated since it started," confirmed technical director Ralf Juttner, "After practice, anything less than a victory would have been disappointing.
"The drivers drove without mistakes, the car worked faultlessly and the team did a perfect a perfect job as usual. We reached our aim to make up the defeat of Road America, and now we have the same nice point advantage we had before that race."
By winning at Laguna Seca for a fourth time in a row, Infineon Team Joest helped Audi to prematurely clinch the ALMS Manufacturers' Championship.
"This weekend, the experience of our crew played out," explained team director Reinhold Joest, "The whole team can be proud of helping Audi to successfully defend its title. Of course, now we also want to clinch the drivers' and teams' championships."
In the drivers' standings, Biela and Werner have an 18-point advantage heading into the series' final two races at Miami and Road Atlanta. Team Joest is also 18 points ahead in the teams' championship.
Corvette maintains points lead despite defeat.
Race Result - Laguna Seca.
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Home » IndyCar » News
Scheckter scores Indy return with KVRT/SHR
Tomas Scheckter today announced that he would be competing in the 2011 Indianapolis 500 behind the wheel of the KV Racing Technology/SH Racing entry.
South African veteran driver Tomas Scheckter will be back for his tenth appearance at the famed Indianapolis 500. He'll be behind the wheel of the #7 Team REDLINE Xtreme car run as a joint venture between KV Racing Technology and series newcomers SH Racing.
Scheckter, who is the son of 1979 F1 world champion Jody, also became the first official entrant in the 2011 Indy 500 by ceremonially handing in his paperwork in person while at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"I am jacked to announce that I'll will be driving the REDLINE Xtreme machine for the Indy 500," said Scheckter, speaking at the announcement at IMS. "I had been speaking with SH Racing for about six months, and when I found out they were partnered with KV Racing Technology, I knew this was the complete package.
"I've come close a number of times to winning, but coming close and winning is two different things. At this stage of my career, putting myself with a good organisation like this, I really do feel like I have a shot at winning this race."
Scheckter has competed in 115 IndyCar races over the last ten years, scoring two wins among 18 top five finishes. His best year was 2003, when he finished fourth in both the Indy 500 and in the IndyCar championship. Ten certainly seems to be the magic number for Scheckter this year: as well as his tenth Indy 500, where his best qualifying position has been tenth in 2002, 2004 and 2007, this year also marks his tenth consecutive season appearing in IndyCar.
"Scheckter embodies everything we were looking for in a pilot for the Team REDLINE Xtreme entry," said SH Racing team boss James Sullivan at the announcement. "Scheckter and our organization have gelled from day one and I could not be more pleased to have him in the seat."
Scheckter re-teams with SH Racing for Baltimore
Sullivan even revealed that, nine years ago, Scheckter's was the first driver autograph he had got at a racetrack: "It brought a tear to my eye [to learn that]," quipped Scheckter in response.
"We are thrilled to have formed a partnership with SH Racing and its primary sponsor REDLINE Xtreme Energy for the 100th Anniversary of the Indy 500," said KVRT co-owner Jimmy Vasser. His team will now be involved in fielding four drivers at Indianapolis for a second consecutive year, with Scheckter joined by Tony Kanaan, Takuma Sato and EJ Viso who are in KVRT's joint venture with Lotus. Last year, KVRT fielded Paul Tracy and Mario Moraes alongside Sato and Viso.
By contrast this will be SH Racing's first IndyCar campaign. "My background is supercross and motocross and that's how I came to know Mark Johnson [KVRT's general manager]", explained Sullivan. He formed the team last July with the express intention of fielding an Indy entry in 2011, and announced the link-up with KVRT in October. As well as Sullivan (who is the 'S' in the SH) the team is co-owned by sports nutrition company VPX/Redline's VP of Business Development, TJ Humphreys (the 'H'.)
Sullivan was born in England but was educated at Baylor University in Texas and is now a businessman in Dallas.
AJ Foyt on the mend after heart op
Injuries add edge to double-file restart row
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Serving the Nashville Area in Tax & Accounting Contact Us
State and local sales tax deduction remains, but subject to a new limit
Individual taxpayers who itemize their deductions can deduct either state and local income taxes or state and local sales taxes. The ability to deduct state and local taxes — including income or sales taxes, as well as property taxes — had been on the tax reform chopping block, but it ultimately survived. However, for 2018 through 2025, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act imposes a new limit on the state and local tax deduction. Will you benefit from the sales tax deduction on your 2017 or 2018 tax return?
Can you deduct home office expenses?
Working from home has become commonplace. But just because you have a home office space doesn’t mean you can deduct expenses associated with it. And for 2018, even fewer taxpayers will be eligible for a home office deduction.
Personal exemptions and standard deductions and tax credits, oh my!
Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), individual income tax rates generally go down for 2018 through 2025. But that doesn’t necessarily mean your income tax liability will go down. The TCJA also makes a lot of changes to tax breaks for individuals, reducing or eliminating some while expanding others. The total impact of all of these changes is what will ultimately determine whether you see reduced taxes. One interrelated group of changes affecting many taxpayers are those to personal exemptions, standard deductions and the child credit.
New tax law gives pass-through businesses a valuable deduction
Although the drop of the corporate tax rate from a top rate of 35% to a flat rate of 21% may be one of the most talked about provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), C corporations aren’t the only type of entity significantly benefiting from the new law. Owners of noncorporate “pass-through” entities may see some major — albeit temporary — relief in the form of a new deduction for a portion of qualified business income (QBI).
Don’t be a victim of tax identity theft: File your 2017 return early
The IRS has just announced that it will begin accepting 2017 income tax returns on January 29. You may be more concerned about the April 17 filing deadline, or even the extended deadline of October 15 (if you file for an extension by April 17). After all, why go through the hassle of filing your return earlier than you have to?
A New Year and a New Tax Law
Individual Tax Rates in 2018 Explained
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) generally reduces individual tax rates for 2018 through 2025. It maintains seven individual income tax brackets but reduces the rates for all brackets except 10% and 35%, which remain the same.
How to Make the Right Choice About Your Office Space
For many companies, there comes a time when owners must decide whether to renew a lease, move on to a different one or buy new (or pre-existing) space. In some cases, it’s a relatively easy decision. Maybe you’re happy where you are and feel like such a part of the local community that moving isn’t an option.
But, in other cases, a move can be an important step forward.
The TCJA temporarily expands bonus depreciation
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) enhances some tax breaks for businesses while reducing or eliminating others. One break it enhances — temporarily — is bonus depreciation. While most TCJA provisions go into effect for the 2018 tax year, you might be able to benefit from the bonus depreciation enhancements when you file your 2017 tax return.
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: Key provisions affecting businesses
The recently passed tax reform bill, commonly referred to as the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” (TCJA), is the most expansive federal tax legislation since 1986. It includes a multitude of provisions that will have a major impact on businesses.
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Gilded Cages
The Earrings of Madame de . . .
Directed by Max Ophuls • 1953 • France
Starring Danielle Darrieux, Charles Boyer, Vittorio De Sica
The most cherished work from French master Max Ophuls, THE EARRINGS OF MADAME DE . . . is a profoundly emotional, cinematographically adventurous tale of deceptive opulence and tragic romance. When an aristocratic woman known only as Madame de . . . (Danielle Darrieux) sells a pair of earrings given to her by her husband (Charles Boyer) in order to pay some debts, she sets off a chain reaction of financial and carnal consequences that can end only in despair. Ophuls’s adaptation of Louise de Vilmorin’s incisive fin de siècle novel employs to ravishing effect the elegant and precise camera work for which the director is so justly renowned.
Up Next in Gilded Cages
Elena and Her Men
Directed by Jean Renoir • 1956 • France, Italy
Starring Ingrid Bergman, Jean Marais, Mel Ferrer
Set amid the military maneuvers and Quatorze Juillet carnivals of turn-of-the-century France, Jean Renoir’s delirious romantic comedy ELENA AND HER MEN (ELENA ET LES HOMMES) stars a radiant Ingrid Ber...
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AFK Arena launches new website featuring tips & guides for RPG game
AFK Arena, which is owned by China’s 3rd largest game developer Lilith Games, has reportedly unveiled a new website which includes tips and guides for the role playing game. The website apparently comprises of new features such as Arcane Labyrinth Guide & Tips, Best Tips for New Players, Voyage of Wonders Guide, and Winter Bounties Guides. The game has a large base of fans and players are constantly on the lookout for AFK Arena news, tips and guides, sources claimed.
According to industry experts, AFK Arena has been gaining worldwide popularity owing to its addictive gameplay as well as its distinctive graphics and art style. The combination of these factors has seemingly given the game an edge in online gaming space with less competition.
A spokesperson from AFK Arena was reported saying that the new fansite will not only provide gamers with better experience, but also will offer them with knowledge as per the guides.
In the other news, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. has reportedly entered a joint venture agreement with Lilith Games as well as Singapore-based IGG in order to provide three of the top five grossing mobile games in its phones. This development comes along the heels of AppGallery’s increasing popularity and large consumer base.
For those uninitiated, AFK Arena is a type of hero-collection role-playing game that allows players to acquire and create personalized heroes and assemble a team to fight opponents. The game also comprises of campaign mode as well as a new Abyssal Expedition mode which enables players to team up to gather bonuses and relics.
Source Credits –
http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/4727074
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Everywhere and All At Once
Jan 14, 2010 by Andy Horwitz in Live Art
“The Performa biennial is the most visible feature of a museum without walls,” writes RoseLee Goldberg in the introduction to her new book, EVERYWHERE AND ALL AT ONCE: AN ANTHOLOGY OF WRITINGS ON PERFORMA 07 (JRP|Ringier; January 2010; $45/Paperback). “For three weeks, every other year, it fans out across New York City, linking dozens of venues and their various constituents, a crowd of curators, and some hundred artists.”
EVERYWHERE AND ALL AT ONCE: AN ANTHOLOGY OF WRITINGS ON PERFORMA 07 provides an in-depth look at new performances by some of the world’s most exciting visual artists in a thoughtfully conceived compilation of writing, images, and interviews, all inspired by the Performa 07 biennial. Beautifully designed, clearly structured, and filled with information about the evolution of performance projects presented during the biennial, this invaluable document takes the reader from concept to production, with commentary by RoseLee Goldberg, founder of Performa, as well as by Performa curators and producers. The volume reflects the ever-changing nature of the Performa biennials which premiered in 2005, offering an exhilarating view into the changing role of performance in the twenty-first century as well as the biennial’s unique emphasis on the city of New York.
An authoritative introduction to the genre’s many forms, including theater, dance, live installation, film and video, music, historic reconstructions and virtual performance, EVERYWHERE AND ALL AT ONCE provides a vivid tour through the world of contemporary performance, featuring inventive documentation of works by some of the most significant artists of our time, including:
– Italian artist Francesco Vezzoli’s Right You Are (If You Think You Are), a re-staging of the Pirandello play in the Guggenheim rotunda featuring Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, and others
– Cast No Shadow, a stunning stage collaboration between two British artists—filmmaker and visual artist Isaac Julien and choreographer Russell Maliphant
– A landmark re-staging of 18 Happenings in 6 Parts, the first “Happening” created by groundbreaking American artist Allan Kaprow
– Swedish artist Nathalie Djurberg’s Untitled (Working Title Kids & Dogs), a darkly funny Claymation film accompanied by live sound effects created onstage using a whimsical array of items
– Rooftop Routine, a performance by German conceptualist Christian Jankowski in which hula-hoopers performed a synchronized routine across the rooftops of Chinatown
– A witty de-construction of the notorious premiere of The Rite of Spring by legendary American postmodern choreographer Yvonne Rainer, titled RoS Indexical
– Jérôme Bel’s Pichet Klunchun and myself, a humorous and provocative conversation between French conceptual choreographer Bel and classical Thai dancer Klunchun
Vibrant photographs of each artist’s performance by renowned performance photographer Paula Court are accompanied by their scripts, sketches, and storyboards, providing unique insight into their creative processes. Lively interviews with many of the artists who made the Performa 07 biennial so extraordinary—including Dan Graham, Kelly Nipper, Carlos Amorales, and Xavier Le Roy—appear alongside context-setting essays by some of our most interesting contemporary curators, including Anthony Huberman, Jay Sanders, and Catherine Wood and transcripts of remarkable educational events, such as a tribute to Allan Kaprow featuring Paul McCarthy, Stephanie Rosenthal, and Irving Sandler, and a discussion on photography and performance with Marina Abramović, Vanessa Beecroft, and Babette Mangolte.
EVERYWHERE AND ALL AT ONCE: AN ANTHOLOGY OF WRITINGS ON PERFORMA 07 is an invaluable record of a landmark biennial that Holland Cotter, writing in The New York Times, called, “A celebration of transience, a paean to you-had-to-be-there, a deep and exhilarating bow to we-have-only-now.” With performance now in the midst of an extraordinary resurgence in popularity, propelled in large part by Performa, museums around the world are creating performance departments of their own, and performance is the focus of more interest and debate than ever. EVERYWHERE AND ALL AT ONCE is not only an invaluable reference for years to come, but also a definitive guide to the cultural life of New York City and the international art world alike, as encapsulated in the remarkable biennial that brings them together.
RoseLee Goldberg, the founder and director of Performa, is an art historian, critic, and curator whose book Performance Art from Futurism to the Present, first published in 1979, pioneered the study of performance art. Former director of the Royal College of Art Gallery in London and curator at The Kitchen in New York, she is also the author of Performance: Live Art Since 1960 (1998) and Laurie Anderson (2000), and a frequent contributor to Artforum and other publications. Goldberg has taught at New York University since 1987. She was recently named a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government. She founded Performa in 2004.
ABOUT PERFORMA
Performa is a non-profit multidisciplinary arts organization established by RoseLee Goldberg in 2004, dedicated to exploring the critical role of live performance in the history of twentieth century art and to encouraging new directions in performance for the twenty-first century. Performa launched New York’s first performance biennial, Performa 05, in 2005, followed by Performa 07 in 2007 and Performa 09 in 2009.
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Army Public School attack: Hamayun Iqbal — Age: 14
Son of Mr and Mrs Mohammad IqbalSibling: Sadia Iqbal (19), 17-year-old Palwasha Iqbal, 15-year-old Nafeesa Iqbal,...
Dawn.comUpdated 15 Dec, 2015 09:35pm
Son of Mr and Mrs Mohammad Iqbal
Sibling: Sadia Iqbal (19), 17-year-old Palwasha Iqbal, 15-year-old Nafeesa Iqbal, 13-year-old Usman Iqbal, 11-year-old Shabir Iqbal (4), 4-year-old
Hamayun was a naughty but loved student.
At least once a week, his father would be called to the school to discuss some trouble caused by Humayun. He says the minute he would reach the gate, the gate keeper, watchman, gardener, teacher and head teacher would start off, full of complaints about him. But because he was a good student, no one ever became angry with him. He was known in school as "Italian boy" because of his looks.
He was close to his father and has a special bond with his grandfather Haji Saddar Azam. Humayun's father says his grandfather had not been able to the bear the loss of his beloved grandson and grows weaker each day.
144STORIES: Visit the Army Public School Memorial
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This series is based on some of the shows and movies I grew up with so they don’t necessarily resemble the most recent interpretation of the superhero or villain that you know today. A combination of armour types have been used for most of my costumes so they are not strict transmog sets but rather what I have been able to obtain in-game. Other items include quest rewards as well as class-specific or common items.
Quite often, a single item will inspire me to feature a new character like Wonder Woman’s tiara, Batman’s belt, or Zatanna’s top hat.
Aquaman, also known as Arthur Curry and Orin, is a superhero and the ruler of the seas. As the king of Atlantis and other undersea territories, he technically controls most of the planet. His abilities include super-strength, durability, super-speed, staying underwater indefinitely, and telepathy, which he uses to communicate with sea-life.
Batman is the superhero protector of Gotham City, a man dressed like a bat who fights against evil and strikes terror into the hearts of criminals everywhere. In his secret identity, he is Bruce Wayne, billionaire industrialist and notorious playboy. Although he has no superhuman powers, his physical prowess and technical ingenuity make him an incredibly dangerous opponent.
Catwoman is Selina Kyle, a morally ambiguous character who has been an anti-hero, acting as an adversary, a crime fighter and also a love interest for Batman. Years of training have made her stealthy and agile as a world-class criminal, and her mastery of the martial arts makes her a formidable physical opponent.
Cyborg, also known as Victor Stone, is a superhero who is half man and half machine. His body was destroyed in a tragic accident, but he was saved through experimental technology; his body parts have been replaced with a large arsenal of high-tech gadgets and weaponry, while constantly providing life support.
Green Arrow is a vigilante superhero who fights crime using archery, martial arts and technology. Otherwise known as Oliver Queen, living in Star City as a wealthy playboy and billionaire industrialist turned outspoken liberal politician. He is the leader of Team Arrow; he has also been a member of the Justice League and the Outsiders.
Hal Jordan is the most well-known Green Lantern. He was the first earthman ever inducted into the Green Lantern Corps and has been heralded as possibly the greatest Green Lantern of all time. Green Lantern is also a founding member of the Justice League of America. Hal has also been known as Parallax and the Spectre.
Hawkwoman is the female counterpart to the super-hero Hawkman. She wields a mace and uses Nth Metal technology to fly. Carter Hall’s wife Shiera Sanders was the first to use the name during the Golden Age, although Katar Hol’s wife Shayera Hol from the planet Thanagar used it during the Silver Age.
Martian Manhunter, also known as J’onn J’onzz and John Jones, is a superhero from the planet Mars and the last surviving member of his race. A martian holocaust killed his wife and daughter, nearly driving him mad until he was brought to Earth in an accident caused by scientist Saul Erdel. His natural abilities include super-strength, super-speed, invulnerability, flight, shape-shifting, intangibility and telepathy.
Poison Ivy is a super-villain and eco-terrorist with the ability to control plants, usually an antagonist to Batman. Originally she was botanist Pamela Isley working underneath professor Jason Woodrue until an accident gave her powers and turned her insane. Protecting the sanctity and supremacy of nature at all costs, she sadistically lashes out against humanity as a blight upon the planet.
Superman, also known as the Man of Steel, is one of the most powerful superheroes in the DC Universe. His abilities include incredible super-strength, super-speed, invulnerability, freezing breath, flight, and heat-vision. Born as Kal-El on the dying planet Krypton, his parents Jor-El and Lara sent him in a rocket to the planet Earth where he would be the last surviving member of his race.
Barry Allen is The Flash, the fastest man alive. The protector of Central City and Keystone City, fighting against evil using his super-speed and a dedicated sense of heroism. Jay Garrick was the original Flash of the Golden Age, and a founding member of the Justice Society of America. Barry Allen was the Flash of the Silver Age and a founding member of the Justice League of America.
Wonder Woman is an Amazon warrior princess and one of the most powerful characters in the DC Universe. The daughter of Hippolyta, she was given power by the Gods to fight against evil in all its forms. Although she was raised entirely by women on the island of Themyscira, she was sent as an ambassador to the world of man, spreading their idealistic message of strength and love.
Zatanna is a superhero and one of the greatest magic-users in the DC Universe. Her father is the legendary magician Zatara and she works hard to live up to his legacy. The traditional method of spell-casting she uses involves speaking words and sentences backwards. In addition to her career as a hero, she is also a very notable stage performer.
Info from the DC Comics Database
During World War II patriotic solider Steve Rogers recipient of the “Super Soldier Serum” became the living symbol of freedom, Captain America. Left for dead while frozen in ice, the star-spangled hero with an indestructible shield awoke years later to continue his never-ending battle for liberty.
Realising that rules were needed to prevent people from behaving badly, Matt Murdock decided to study law; however, when he saved a man from an oncoming truck, it spilt a radioactive cargo that rendered Matt blind while enhancing his remaining senses. Under the harsh tutelage of blind martial arts master Stick, Matt mastered his heightened senses and became a formidable fighter.
“The Dark Phoenix Saga” is an extended X-Men storyline focusing on Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force which ends in Grey’s apparent death. It is sometimes divided into two parts, with the “Phoenix Saga” referring to Grey’s seeming assumption of the Phoenix power and the repair of the M’Kraan Crystal, and the “Dark Phoenix Saga” referring to her corruption and fall.
Elektra is a female ninja assassin who wields a pair of bladed sai as her trademark weapon. While studying in the US as the daughter of the Greek ambassador, they were both held hostage by terrorists in a building on campus. Wearing a scarf as a mask, Matt Murdock (Daredevil) with Elektra’s help defeated the terrorists.
Emma Frost ascended to the upper echelon of the business world based on her intelligence, drive, and personal charm. She possesses strong telepathic talents and a flexible organic diamond form which gives her superhuman strength protects her from most forms of physical injury and able to withstand extreme temperatures.
The last of the Zen-Whoberi race, Gamora was adopted by the villainous Thanos and raised as an assassin. Gamora turned on her adopted father and now uses her abilities to help those who cannot help themselves.
Caught in the blast of gamma radiation, brilliant scientist Bruce Banner is cursed to transform in times of stress into the living engine of destruction known as THE INCREDIBLE HULK.
After being wounded while in a war zone, Anthony “Tony” Stark built an armoured suit that would help keep him alive. Stark played a dual-role with the formation of The Avengers both as the sponsor and, as Iron Man. Originally, he depended on his armoured suit for all of his super abilities, until he injected himself the Extremis virus and later had an arc reactor implanted in his chest, gaining new abilities and intellect.
British beauty Elizabeth “Betsy” Braddock is a mutant with vast telepathic and telekinetic powers that she can focus into deadly weapons. Psylocke is a stealthy martial artist, a former fashion model and longtime X-Man.
Spider-man – The bite of an irradiated spider granted high-school student Peter Parker incredible powers. When a burglar killed his Uncle Ben, Peter vowed to use those abilities to protect his fellow man, driven by his uncle’s words: With great power comes great responsibility!
Thor is one of several powerful ancient beings who dwell in a magical realm called Asgard. Through history, these beings have been revered and worshipped as gods. Ages ago, Odin, lord of the Asgardian gods, desired a child who would one day exceed him in power. Odin wooed Gaea, the earth goddess, and from their union, Thor was born in a small cave in Norway on Earth. Alternatively, see Thor as a female.
Wolverine – Sometime after World War II, Logan was taken by a group of scientists led by Dr. Cornelius as part of the Weapon X program. Cornelius was hired to perfect and use a technique that would bond the indestructible element adamantium to human bone cells. Logan’s skeleton was bonded to the adamantium, and he was indoctrinated into the Weapon X assassin program.
Info from Marvel.com and Wikipedia.
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Egress Software Introduces Data Security 'Switch'
The SaaS Egress Switch allows organizations to wrap controls around the information they share and ensures that data is not carelessly handled by its intended recipient
London, U.K. and Chicago, IL " March 16, 2009 " There is a growing awareness that sensitive information is at risk when it is shared with a third party such as a consultant, service provider or outsourcer. A recent survey published by the Ponemon Institute (2008 Annual Study: Cost of a Data Breach, U.S.) showed that the percent of data breaches attributed to third parties has grown to 44 percent (up from 21 percent in 2005). To address the problem of secure data exchange, Egress Software Technologies announced today the availability of Switch, an innovative new data protection solution for both individuals and enterprises.
Delivered in a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, Egress Switch allows organizations to wrap controls around the information they share and ensures that data is not carelessly handled by its intended recipient, even after it has left the data owner's physical presence. Unlike other encryption or rights management products, Egress Switch is easy to use, operates on any data or media type, and has no complex infrastructure. Egress Switch encrypts shared information, allows access to only authorized recipients, enables security parameters to be set or changed in real-time and offers an audit trail of successful or failed access attempts.
"For City and Hackney Teaching Primary Care Trust, we needed a simple, easy-to-use solution to ensure that all forms of information shared with our General Practitioners, health partners and other agencies will remain secure when it has left our hands," said Tim Wilson, Head of ICT at City and Hackney Teaching Primary Care Trust. "We selected Egress Switch because it addresses secure data exchange in a very unique way that is not available from other suppliers today " encrypting the information on any type of media, maintaining full control over data during and after its exchange, and streamlining the workflow of sharing. The Switch solution addresses encryption requirements placed on the Trust by the Department of Health and gives us peace of mind that we're taking every precaution necessary to keep sensitive personal identifiable information safe from exposure."
Egress Switch allows an information owner to package their sensitive information using strong AES 256-bit encryption on any type of media such as a CD/DVD, USB stick or file. Once packaged, the secured information can be sent to a recipient either electronically through email, web, FTP, or physically through regular mail or in-person. The owner can then set or change security policies independent of the package through a service in the cloud. Security policies can include authorizing recipients and limiting recipient access. These changes can be made in real time, even after the information is sent or shared. This allows a user to "pull information back" if it needs to be recalled.
"Even though controlling your own data sounds simple, most organizations still struggle with this issue and turn to data protection offerings such as encryption and data leak prevention to help them keep their information secure," said Bob Egner, U.S. President of Egress Software Technologies. "While those tools are important, they offer no guarantees about who is accessing data once it has left a user's hands. We believe that our Switch solution addresses a major gap in today's data protection offerings, allowing any organization or individual that needs to share information externally to do so safely and affordably by using this simple tool."
Egress Switch also offers a complete view of when the information recipient has opened or used the shared information, as well as unauthorized access attempts, providing an audit trail. The owner can then easily track activity of their shared information through logs arranged by package or recipient.
"Individuals and organizations that share information must consider the ramifications if their data ends up in the wrong hands," said Richard Stiennon, chief analyst and founder of security research firm IT-Harvest. "If there is a need to stay in control, even after the information has been shared, a simple and affordable secure data exchange solution makes a lot of sense as part of a comprehensive data protection strategy."
Egress Switch is available immediately with a special introductory offer of free use for the first 30 days. It currently supports the most widely used operating systems, Microsoft Windows Vista and XP. Pricing for individual users starts with a pay-as-you-go model or a monthly subscription at $9.49 per month, while annual subscriptions for businesses begin at $34.00 per year. For more information on Egress Switch or to sign up for the special introductory offer, please visit www.egress.com.
About Egress Software Technologies Egress Software Technologies is an innovator in secure data exchange. The company provides innovative security technologies that can protect data no matter where it is shared or how it is stored - CD/DVD, USB stick, file attachment, FTP, and other methods. Founded in 2007 as a data security reseller, the company is self-funded, based in London, UK, and is led by senior executives from leading data security software companies Reflex Magnetics, Pointsec Mobile Technologies and Check Point Software. Egress' growing customer base includes blue chip companies and government organizations around the world.
The ROI Of SD-WAN: Not Just A Numbers Game
2020 State of DevOps Report
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To T. H. Farrer 1 December [1873]
When you take up Coronilla, look to, as remotely analogous, fert. of Pedicularis in Annals & Mag. of Nat. Hist. December 1 1873. p. 497.1
C. Darwin
Down | Dec. 1st.
Thomas Meehan had described how the structure of the flowers of Pedicularis canadensis made self-fertilisation impossible in Meehan 1873; his paper was summarised in Annals and Magazine of Natural History 4th ser. 12 (1873): 497–8. In the Annals, Meehan’s observations were supplemented by those of Thomas George Gentry, who reported observing the flowers being visited by Bombus terrestris and described the process of pollen transfer (see also Gentry 1873). Farrer and CD had corresponded in August 1873 on the floral morphology of Coronilla (see, for example, letter to T. H. Farrer, 14 August 1873).
Gentry, Thomas George. 1873. [Report on fertilization of Pedicularis canadensis.] [Read 10 June 1873.] Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 25: 287–90.
Meehan, Thomas. 1873. Fertilization of Pedicularis canadensis. [Read 3 June 1873.] Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 25: 287.
Suggests a reference to Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 1 Dec 1873, p. 497, when THF takes up Coronilla.
Thomas Henry Farrer, 1st Baron Farrer
DE 2 73
Linnean Society of London (LS Ms 299/17a)
Farrer, T. H.
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2019 Preseason opponent photos
View photos from the Lions' last games against each of their 2019 preseason opponents.
Detroit Lions linebacker Eli Harold (57) sacks New Englang Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) during a NFL football game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018 in Detroit. (Detroit Lions via AP).
Detroit Lions running back Theo Riddick (25) during a NFL football game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018 in Detroit. (Detroit Lions via AP).
Detroit Lions center/guard Graham Glasgow (60) celebrates a touchdown with Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. (11) and Detroit Lions running back LeGarrette Blount (29) during a NFL football game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018 in Detroit. (Detroit Lions via AP).
Detroit Lions running back Theo Riddick (25) during an NFL football game against the Houston Texans on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016 in Houston. (Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) during a NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018 in Orchard Park, N.Y. (Detroit Lions via AP).
Detroit Lions safety Glover Quin (27) during a NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018 in Orchard Park, N.Y. (Detroit Lions via AP).
Detroit Lions kicker Matt Prater (5) during a NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018 in Orchard Park, N.Y. (Detroit Lions via AP).
Detroit Lions wide receiver Chris Lacy (18) catches a touchdown pass during a NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018 in Detroit. (Detroit Lions via AP).
Detroit Lions wide receiver Dontez Ford (83) during a NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018 in Detroit. (Detroit Lions via AP).
Detroit Lions running back Dwayne Washington (36) celebrates a touchdown run during a NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018 in Detroit. (Detroit Lions via AP).
Lions vs. Vikings Week 17 Photos
View photos from Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings Week 17 game at Ford Field on Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021.
Detroit Lions practice photos: Jan. 1
View photos from Detroit Lions practice on Friday Jan. 1, 2020.
Detroit Lions practice photos: Dec. 31
View photos from Detroit Lions practice on Thursday Dec. 31, 2020.
View photos from Detroit Lions practice on Wednesday Dec. 30, 2020.
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Editorial: For Franklin County offices: Sullivan, O’Shaughnessy, O’Brien
The Columbus Dispatch
Three contested Franklin County offices are on the Nov. 3 ballot, and The Dispatch encourages voters to reelect the trio of incumbents: Treasurer Cheryl Brooks Sullivan, Clerk of Courts Maryellen O’Shaughnessy and Prosecutor Ron O’Brien.
Sullivan, 63, a Democrat, is seeking reelection to a second four-year term. Her Republican opponent, Brandon Cross, 33, has impressive resolve and initiative but needs to acquire more experience to earn taxpayers’ support to manage the county’s important tax collection responsibility.
It is Sullivan’s maturity, life experience and ability to apply what she learned working in real estate sales and for the county auditor’s office as a property appraiser that served the county well in her first term. She appreciates the challenges of some property owners, especially senior citizens, to pay property taxes and connects them with resources to help avoid problems.
In a second term, Sullivan would like to dedicate more of her staff of about 50 employees to mining the office’s data to help property owners prevent delinquency and foreclosure.
O’Shaughnessy, 70, a Democrat, is seeking her fourth four-year term as clerk and previously served three terms on Columbus City Council. She is opposed by Jarrod Golden, a Republican running for his first public office. He turns 38 just before the election.
This is another county office where demonstrated experience trumps a newcomer’s naïve notions, however well-intentioned. For example, Golden proposes to direct surplus auto title fees, after costs to run that office are met, to fight drug addiction. But O’Shaughnessy says that state law requires those funds, amounting to $10 million in her first three terms, to be added to the county’s general fund.
The third contested race pits two longtime courthouse veterans. Prosecutor Ron O’Brien is being challenged for his seventh term — and an extension of his title as Franklin County’s longest-serving prosecutor — by former Appeals Court Judge Gary Tyack.
O’Brien, 72, spent eight years as a Columbus city prosecutor before serving 11 years as city attorney and now 24 years as county prosecutor. As a rare Republican elected to local office, he readily works with others regardless of political stripes or their level of government to reach common goals. He teamed up with Democratic City Attorney Zach Klein to seek sentencing reform in the Ohio General Assembly and is working with U.S. Attorney David DeVillers to crack down on gun violence.
O’Brien is seen by some community members as reluctant to seek indictment of central Ohio police officers in the deaths of Black people. He has responded with a policy change to require cases in which police use deadly force to be investigated and prosecuted by outside agencies.
Tyack, 74, a Democrat, retired in early 2019 after serving 24 years as a judge with the Franklin County Court of Appeals (10th District) and previously was a defense attorney for 11 years. His experience, while extensive, does not include any time prosecuting a criminal case, and his judicial service was not at the trial court level, where prosecutors must prove their cases.
Experience is again the differentiator in this race. O’Brien has been a good steward of the prosecutor’s office; Tyack does not make a compelling case that he is a better alternative.
The Dispatch endorses for reelection Franklin County Treasurer Cheryl Brooks Sullivan, Clerk of Courts Maryellen O’Shaughnessy and Prosecutor Ron O’Brien.
© 2021 www.dispatch.com. All rights reserved.
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Trevor Bauer on start of MLB season: 3-4 week ramp up should be 'absolute minimum'
Chris BumbacaUSA TODAY
With Opening Day a little more than two weeks away, Cincinnati Reds right-hander Trevor Bauer felt prepared for the start of the 2020 regular season.
The global coronavirus pandemic, however, indefinitely delayed the start of games and forced the league to instruct clubs to pack up spring training. At this point, there's no clear timetable for the sport's return — or any sport for that matter.
When that time arrives and baseball announces its scheduled return, Bauer said he'd need at least three weeks notice to put himself in a position to comfortably take the mound in regular season competition.
"I felt ready to go for the season," Bauer said via phone Sunday. "But I get ready a lot quicker than the vast majority of guys. For whatever reason, my body just responds well that way. Something in that range, the three-to-four week range would be absolute minimum in my mind. Who knows how it’s going to shape out though?"
Players may have no choice but to revert their training regimens to mirror those of months from the start of a season rather than weeks. But the uncertainty with which the sports world is currently operating is why Bauer's described timetable is more of an educated guess than based on experience.
"It’s tough to say because no one’s ever gone through this before. None of the current players, for sure," said Bauer, who was amid his first spring training with the Reds. "Again, I can speak for myself personally. I generally feel that I need three to four weeks to ramp up. I had three starts in the spring plus 10 days before games started. So I think that’s 25-ish, 20 days, of spring training."
There are plenty of other unknowns Bauer and the rest of the league must grapple with in the coming weeks and months when action does pick up again. There are questions about contracts and service time, incentives and payouts. He recently posted a conversation with his agent, Rachel Luba, discussing such issues on his YouTube channel.
“Do we scale everything just proportionally or are people going to go to arbitration having thrown only 80 innings because that’s how long the season was? Are starters now compared to relievers?" Bauer said. "I don’t know. I don’t think anyone knows in this aspect.”
Bauer pointed out that the last significant work stoppage occurred 26 years ago, and he fears the best practices from that era for negotiating those circumstances are outdated. Will the 2020 season require an asterisk placed next to the year in history books, especially if 162 games becomes unattainable?
“There’s a lot of questions. I don’t know how they’re going to shake out," Bauer admitted. "They have to be discussed because they’re large parts of our industry and there’s a lot of people, not only this year and current players, but people in the next five to 10 years in the arbitration system and the free agency system when we’re talking about comparable players and whatnot that are going to be affected.”
Bauer hopes the league and players will come together to figure out these problems and that both sides will maintain an open dialogue — when the time is right.
“The legal side of baseball probably should be the least of our worries," he said. "We have a global pandemic going on and lots of people dealing with life and death situations, so I’m hopeful that the two parties will come together and get it all worked out and someone won’t try to angle to get the absolute best deal — that we’ll get a deal that works best for both parties."
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INTERVIEW WITH DEBRA VON TRAPP
By Sherman H. Skolnick
(Transcribed by Brian Francis Redman)
I neither necessarily agree nor disagree with either all or portions of the following. -- CN Editor.
[...continued...]
So in other words, on the one hand the Japanese, Mitsubishi and others, apparently have been spying on the Clinton administration... What is the rationale for them spying on the Clinton White House?
DEBRA VON TRAPP:
Well, at the time that Clinton took office, there was a tremendous trade war going on. And you'll see that our media was just full of stories and hostility about the economic pressure that the Japanese were bringing to bear on the U.S. economy, and the great imbalance in trade. And we were actually holding talks with the "multiple Prime Minister" of the week, since four changed hands in one year over in the Japanese government.
In other words, Clinton was like an isolationist President, wanted to emphasize domestic instead of foreign affairs or something?
No. They didn't know what his card would be. But what they knew for certain is that the Japanese were taking too much pressure from even the previous administration. And this real gravy train, CIA-funded project, under Bush, that this team I was with conducted -- directly out of the Executive Office of the President; it was a multi-jurisdictional team that had no other reporting authority except Bush -- had just a ton of cash to spend. I mean, these were federal government employees, walking around in $1200 suits, eating $100 lunches, and never thinking twice about spending money. And suddenly, Bush lost the election; they lost their project. They talked about doing a surveillance project on behalf of the CIA on Clinton. And ultimately, that didn't pan out. So this team decided -- that we had already been in the Japanese embassy, doing other things; or they had had some contact -- and basically decided to go to work for the Japanese government.
MCA Universal, again, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Matsushta(?), which also was the manufacturer of the Shugart [disk] drives for Xerox and...
Right. The ones that went to the Eastern Bloc, illegally.
So the same entity, the Japanese government, came in. Goetzman and the team carried MCA Universal business cards, with their name on them!
MCA, according to some published accounts, has a long, criminal- enterprise past with what Americans would call "the Mafia". That's been published.
So, in other words, with Matshusta taking them over, it wasn't that unusual! And now, nine days before the Oklahoma bombing, another criminal enterprise (at least, some people believe that about the Bronfmans) took over MCA from Matshusta.
So in other words, it's a criminal enterprise.
Do you believe that the...
Ironically, the storage facility, which is Japanese Intelligence- owned (it's called DataLok), in southern California, 65 miles below the Universal City, where MCA Universal is, just after the subway attack and just before the Oklahoma City bombing, MCA Universal moved all of its corporate records out of its building and into the DataLok facility in Tucston(?), California. Now the DataLok facility was the same place that Goetzman and I, and Stanley and Cofield and everyone else, we shipped all the equipment that ultimately ended up in the White House and the Democratic National Committee and the District of Columbia -- the "bugged" equipment -- it first was shipped from the manufacturers into DataLok in Tucston, California, and then re-shipped to all the other destinations.
And so then MCA, in between the gas attack and the bombing, moved all their corporate records into DataLok. And I hope you're sitting down and holding onto your desk: because DataLok currently stores all the secure documents for Hughes Aircraft and some of its divisions that...
Really! [laughs]
...a year-and-a-half ago for our national security. Our very contracts, our government's most sensitive contracts with Hughes Aircraft, are, in fact, sitting in the same storage facility with MCA Universal's records. And the Japanese government and Japanese intelligence... And they've got their run of anything they want to read at any time of day or night.
Well, in the Hitachi case, some years ago, what came out was, Hitachi executives felt justified in spying on IBM because it was not against Japanese law for a Japanese national to spy on another country for industrial purposes.
So I guess they... You feel that that's the rationale for what the Japanese have done? Or...
Well, I think they benefited greatly by completely compromising White House communications. Not only did they know everything the country was doing with everybody else, every other government, every transaction, every plan they had regarding the trade talks or sanctions or anything else. They, simply, had great leverage over Clinton.
Do you think that we, in turn -- our American CIA or the National Security Agency -- do you think we, in turn, have been spying on them, both here and overseas?
I don't think we had that kind of access. I think they had our government exactly where they wanted them. For the last two years, the Japanese government has had the upper hand in this situation entirely.
In fact, MCA is so worried about me knowing all of that information regarding the Executive Office "bugging" project and the storage of DataLok records, and the fact that they have the Hughes Aircraft secure documents in their storage facility, that they actually bought the neighbor out, across the street from my home, and -- literally -- the Japanese government and MCA Universal, one of their directors, is sitting 55 feet from my front door. Sitting out there to intimidate me!
From a historical standpoint, that is what espionage people have done. Although those not familiar with espionage would be skeptical about the story, I'm not skeptical because I know of other examples where that very thing is done.
I wish someone would just come over, and knock on the door in front of my house and ask them what they're doing there! The director walked out of the door one morning, handed me a business card, and said, "Quit talking to the Justice Department. Call Robert Goetzman." I mean, I've dealt with this every day since November of '94 when, after they had kicked that Secret Service agent back from the White House, back to Oklahoma City, and Paul Coffey had instructed his staff not to talk to me anymore, I have been sitting here, with the Japanese government and MCA sitting across the street from me, every day, telling me to be quiet!
So that, the bombing of the Oklahoma building was sort of a "symbolism", which is understood by those that have been involved in espionage -- am I correct?
Exactly. What happened was, the Japanese government paid for that. They footed the bill, and MCA Universal actually dispersed the funds. Goetzman and his associates contracted that bombing. The bombing was actually conducted by a few, specific individuals on a Special Ops team out of a base in Alabama -- not acting on behalf of the United States government -- acting on behalf of Goetzman and his team.
And that's why you see that that jet got downed over Alabama as well.
It appears, from the circumstances and the witnesses, that the plane may have been bombed. There were several explosions of the plane in the air, before it hit the ground.
The plane was bombed.
Well, that's what it appears, from the eyewitnesses. There were explosions in the plane, before it hit the ground. And that would be a bombed aircraft.
Tell me this: has there been other violence? Some of us suspect that, a few days later, there was a strange helicopter crash in Texas that seems also related to the Oklahoma City bombing.
Well, I've seen some initial data on that. But that's nothing I have first-hand knowledge on.
What I can tell you is, I have first-hand knowledge on the things...
Tell me this: who do you believe the job was contracted out to, as to the Oklahoma City bombing?
A few individuals that are, presently, still-active military Special Operations, out of a base in Alabama.
What base?
I know, I know the base and I know an individual holding the name, rank, and serial numbers of the actual people that were contracted...
What base is that, if we may know?
...and I'm... That information is only being given back to Secretary [of Defense] Perry at this point.
For information on how to receive the new Conspiracy Nation Newsletter, send an e-mail message to bigxc@prairienet.org
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The world this weekAug 31st 2013 edition
Microsoft began hunting for a new chief executive, after Steve Ballmer’s unexpected decision to step down within 12 months. He took over the job from Bill Gates in 2000. Under his leadership Microsoft has remained a software behemoth, but some investors have criticised it for being too cautious. It was late entering the mobile-device market, and Windows will power few of the 200m tablets expected to be sold this year. One question is whether the committee searching for Mr Ballmer’s successor will tap an outsider to shake things up. See article
In the latest mega-deal in the drugs industry Amgen, the world’s biggest biotechnology company, agreed to buy Onyx, whichspecialises in cancer treatments, for $10.5 billion. In a separate deal AstraZeneca said it would acquire Amplimmune, which produces therapies to boost the human immune system against cancer, for $500m. See article
Steering towards a date
Nissan set 2020 as the year it intends to roll out its first driverless car for the mass market. A number of carmakers are working on prototypes with driverless technology, as is Google, but Nissan is the first to promise a production date. Next year it will open an experimental “town” in Japan to road-test autonomous cars. But even if the vehicles are ready by 2020, it is unlikely that the laws and infrastructure to support them will be.
Vodafone confirmed it was in discussions with Verizon about the “possible disposal” of its 45% stake in Verizon Wireless. Vodafone took its holding in 1999, but has been trying to either sell it or spin it off for years. The stake is worth around $130 billion.
Emerging-market currencies continued to take a battering. The Indian rupee fell below 68 to the dollar for the first time, in its worst one-day decline since 1995. This was despite the government unveiling a ten-point plan to reduce India’s current-account deficit. And the Turkish lira fell to a new record low, after the governor of Turkey’s central bank alarmed investors by saying he was “not worried at all” about exchange rates. See article
South Africa’s economy grew by 3% at an annualised rate in the second quarter, well below the 7% needed to reduce unemployment significantly. One bright spot is manufacturing, which is benefiting from the depreciating rand. See article
The prospect of a Western military strike on Syria weighed heavily on markets. Gold prices were at three-month highs. Brent oil hita six-month peak, and West Texas intermediate was at its highest for two years.
BATS Global Markets and Direct Edge Holdings, America’s third- and fourth-biggest stockmarket operators by volume, announced a merger. BATS (which stands for “better alternative trading system”) was founded by a high-frequency trader. Its merger with Direct Edge will make it the second-biggest equity stockmarket, ahead of NASDAQ.
NASDAQ, meanwhile, launched an inquiry into the electronic glitch that caused it to cease trading for three hours on August 22nd. See article
Josef Ackermann resigned as chairman of Zurich Insurance, following the suspected suicide of its chief financial officer. Mr Ackermann, a former boss of Deutsche Bank, said he was stepping down because he believed that it is what the dead man’s family wanted.
Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, toughened his pledge to keep interest rates at 0.5% until the unemployment rate falls to 7%. He said 7% was not a “trigger” and rates would be kept low until there is a broad recovery. Markets have factored in a rate increase for 2015, a year sooner than when the central bank expects to raise them. See article
Brazil raised its main interest rate for the fourth time since April, to 9%, to tackle doggedly high inflation.
Sweden’s government proposed tougher capital requirements for the country’s banks and gave new powers to implement the rules to the Financial Supervisory Authority, rather than the central bank. Sweden’s banks account for a large chunk of the economy; the level of household debt is among the highest in Europe.
America’s Treasury Department warned that the government’s borrowing limit would be reached by mid-October, which is earlier than many had expected. The last big fight over increasing the debt ceiling was in 2011.
Walmart, America’s biggest private-sector employer, extended health care and other benefits to the partners of its unmarried staff, including its gay employees, in all 50 states. To qualify, a couple need only confirm that they have been in a relationship for at least a year and have an indefinite commitment to live together.
This article appeared in the The world this week section of the print edition under the headline "Business this week"
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Renewables Beat Fossil Fuels 6 Months in a Row
Billy Parish
Apr. 28, 2014 07:07AM EST Business
Forty four years ago, on the first Earth Day, we were only using solar cells on satellites. NASA was still four years away from launching the program that would give birth to the modern wind turbine.
Fast forward to the present and renewable energy is beating fossil fuels on every front. Every day seems to bring more news of another city or company that has blown past its clean energy targets, or another region where solar and wind power are now cheaper than coal and gas.
The question is no longer if we can create an economy powered by 100 percent clean energy, but how fast we can do it and who will own it. Photo credit: Wikipedia
The chart below is a snapshot of life on the cusp of a new energy era. Between October 2013 and March 2014, 80 percent of the new electricity installed in the U.S. was renewable energy. In California, where I live, we installed more solar in 2013 than in the previous 30 years combined.
For three of the last six months, 100 percent of all of the new electricity added to the U.S. grid was renewable energy. That’s 80 percent renewables in total — and over half of that was solar. Natural gas made up the remainder, and conventional oil was a mere .02 percent. This is what the future of energy looks like.
The question is no longer if we can create an economy powered by 100 percent clean energy, but how fast we can do it and who will own it. Will we act with the vision and speed necessary to avert catastrophic climate change? Will we create an energy system that profits a few mega-corporations or one whose benefits flow to all of our communities?
My company, Mosaic, is allowing more people to invest in solar. We believe that the fastest way to build a world powered by 100 percent clean energy is to give everyone the opportunity to profit from it. Our investors help to accelerate the transition to clean energy by providing affordable financing for solar projects. In turn, our investors receive good returns, grounded in tangible assets in communities all across the country.
Since the first Earth Day, our scientists and engineers have accomplished nothing short of a miracle. For the first time in modern history, we have the technology to build a world powered entirely by wind, water and sunlight. Now it’s time for all of us to build.
IPCC: Renewables, Not Nuclear Power, Can Solve Climate Crisis
Google Invests $80 Million in 6 New Solar Projects
World’s Largest Solar Thermal Plant Opens For Business
featured featured-home renewables business insights
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The Vessel at Hudson Yards
Empty Sky - simple but powerful memorial to honor 749 residents of New Jersey who lost their lives on September 11. Two stainless steel walls represent Twin Towers laying on their side and reflect the proportions of the buildings. The names of the victims are etched on the walls. The walls lead visitors to look at the empty space in the Manhattan skyline where the former World Trade Center towers once stood.
9/11 Memorial in Weehawken, NJ, marking the site where thousands of people received medical attention, water, and food after being evacuated by ferry from Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2001. The two beams of the memorial used to be the support beams for the towers of World Trade Center.
View of Midtown Manhattan from the Hudson River Waterfront in New Jersey
Tear Drop Monument, by Zurab Tsereteli - in memory of the victims of 9/11 and 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
Panorama of New York
New York, U.S.A.
World Trade Center Transportation Hub designed by Santiago Calatrava - New York
Red Balloon Flower, by Jeff Koons - Outside the Oculus
One World Trade Center - New York, U.S.A.
Mural in Chelsea, by Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo (Os Gemeos)
View of Manhattan from the Freedom Tower Observatory
Hudson Yards will Float Above an Active Train Depot - New York
Hop, Skip, Jump, and Fly: Escape From Gravity, by Sheila Hicks - High Line, New York
Future architects hard at work sketching the Hudson Yards skyscrapers
Dramatic weather in New York City
Historic Church on Governor's Island
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Press release: Nationwide government events launched to help businesses get ready for Brexit
New Brexit Business Readiness Events Roadshow gets underway as part of the ‘Get Ready for Brexit’ campaign
Advisors from all relevant government departments will be at each event to provide practical advice and support to local businesses
Over 30 events spanning the UK will run for five weeks
Government advisors from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Home Office, HMRC, the Department for International Trade, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will be on hand for businesses to ask questions and receive advice on a range of areas where they may need to make changes to get ready for Brexit ahead of 31 October. We are encouraging businesses to make sure they are fully prepared and advice will include the importing and exporting of goods, exporting services, employing EU citizens and businesses that transfer data, and the extra support available in the local area.
The free events will combine a keynote address from senior government officials, advice stands and in-depth sessions to give businesses the information they need to get ready for Brexit. These will run over the next five weeks, with the first events taking place in Northampton on 16 September, Nottingham on 17 September, Swindon on 19 September and London on 20 September.
Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom said:
The UK will be leaving the EU on 31 October and my number one priority is ensuring businesses have the help they need to get ready for Brexit and take advantage of the opportunities beyond.
The whole of government is stepping up a gear and increasing the pace of our preparations. Businesses have told us that they also want more face to face support and we are listening.
These local events will provide the advice they need from all relevant government teams in one place. I encourage any business who wants more information about what they need to do to attend.
Other activity to enable preparations by businesses includes:
An additional £2.1bn for Brexit preparations, doubling funding for this year – HMT total funding for Brexit is £6.3 billion. This includes £108 million to support businesses to get ready.
Making £10m available to business groups and trade associations to help them to help businesses prepare for Brexit – the ‘Brexit Readiness Fund’.
Setting up a new Business Finance Council to ensure small businesses get the working capital and investment they need. This is made up of senior representatives from the UK’s leading banks and alternative lenders, co-chaired by the Business Secretary and HMT.
Making £1.3 billion available to lenders in guarantee schemes through the government-owned British Business Bank, so they can enable their SME customers to invest in capital, increase export capabilities and manage cashflow. The British Business Bank is already providing over £6.6billion of finance to almost 90,000 SMEs.
Removing a key administrative burden for businesses who trade with the EU by auto-enrolling nearly 90,000 VAT-registered businesses with an essential Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) trading number. We urge non-VAT registered businesses to register for an EORI on GOV.UK – the process takes less than 10 minutes.
Securing agreements which cover £89 billion worth of trade and provide certainty for businesses trading with countries around the world. This has moved from £39 billion since March.
Advice stands will cover issues ranging from the importing and exporting of goods, exporting services, employing EU citizens and businesses that transfer data, to the support available in the local area. Government advisors will be on hand from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Home Office, HMRC, the Department for International Trade, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Businesses are urged to search “Brexit Business Readiness Event” to register to attend
The website also provides up to date information on locations and venues for events
In most locations, sessions will run in the morning and the afternoon
This event is part of the largest single communications and engagement campaign undertaken by the UK government to get people ready for Brexit. More details here
Wider support for business
Business Ministers have also been hosting national and regional roundtables to engage with businesses on a regular basis.
A new Business Finance Council, chaired by the Business Secretary, will bring together leading lenders to ensure small businesses get the working capital and investment they need
There is £1.3 billion available to lenders in guarantee schemes through the government-owned British Business Bank, so they can enable their SME customers to invest in capital, increase export capabilities and manage cashflow. And the British Business Bank is currently supporting over £6.6billion of finance to almost 90,000 smaller businesses nationwide
HMRC recently announced it is auto-enrolling 88,000 VAT-registered businesses for EORI numbers so they can continue to trade with their customers in the EU after 31 October.
The government has published approximately 750 pieces of communications on No Deal since August 2018, including over 100 technical notices explaining to businesses and citizens what they need to do to prepare.
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Jean Varda
Jean Varda (1893-1971) was born in Smyrna, Greece. After studying in Alexandria, he moved to Paris in 1913, where he shared a studio with Braque and met many of the avant-garde including Matisse, Picasso and Miro. Varda moved to London where he was a dancer before he returned to Paris in 1916 to study at the Ecole de Beaux Arts. After sharing a studio with Roland Penrose in Cassis in the 1920s, Varda emigrated to the USA in 1939, living first in New York before moving to California, where he lived on a houseboat in Sausalito and became a close friend of Henry Miller and Anais Nin. Varda was known as a portrait painter and taught at various colleges including the Pratt Institute in New York. Influenced by Cubism, Dada and Surrealism, he established a reputation for his textile and advertising designs, mosaics and his own individual mode of collage.
England & Co is interested in hearing about more works by Jean Varda.
Constructions & mixed media
Untitled (Amere Ame Mer Aima) c 1930s
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Ithell Colquhoun (1906-1988) was a British Surrealist artist, writer and poet. Born in Assam, India, Colquhoun initially studied at the Slade School of Fine Art from 1927-31, before living for a time in Paris and Athens, where she met Andre Breton in 1939. She joined the London Surrealist group that same year, becoming a contributor to their publication, the London Bulletin before her interest in the occult led to her expulsion from the group. She met, and later married, Toni del Renzio and they were involved with the magazine Arson. After their divorce in 1943, she moved to Cornwall and continued to write and paint, becoming increasingly interested in mythology, alchemy and the occult. Colquhoun took part in numerous exhibitions, including with the London Group, the Royal Academy and the Contemporary Art Society. Her early exhibitions in London were held at The Fine Arts Society and the Mayor Gallery (where she shared an exhibition with Roland Penrose in 1939). Over the past twenty years, her work has been included in many British and international exhibitions about Surrealism.
28 x 15.5 inches
First exhibited at the Mayor Gallery, London in 1939.
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Second shooting at U.S. Navy base this week leaves four dead
U.S. investigators are trying to determine what caused a Saudi air force pilot in the United States for flight training to go on a deadly shooting rampage at a U.S. naval base in Florida.
The shooting, which took place at the Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida early Friday, left four people dead, including the shooter.
The U.S. Navy and law enforcement officials identified the shooter as a Saudi pilot, one of up to a few hundred foreign nationals who had come to the base in Pensacola, known as 'the Cr ...
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. investigators are trying to determine what caused a Saudi air force pilot in the United States for flight training to go on a deadly shooting rampage at a U.S. naval base in Florida.
The shooting, which took place at the Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida early Friday, left four people dead, including the shooter. A law enforcement official said another eight people were wounded.
The U.S. Navy and law enforcement officials identified the shooter as a Saudi pilot, one of up to a few hundred foreign nationals who had come to the base in Pensacola, known as 'the Cradle of U.S. Navy aviation' for training.
NBC News, quoting law enforcement officials, further identified the shooter as Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani.
Guns are not permitted at the Pensacola Naval Air Station, but Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said the shooter managed to get a handgun onto the base before targeting individuals at one of the buildings. Officials said the rampage ended when a sheriff's deputy cornered and shot the suspect in a classroom.
Officials with the U.S. FBI confirmed they were leading the probe, telling VOA it was still in the early stages.
"It is too early to determine motive," a FBI official said on condition of anonymity, admitting terrorism had not been ruled out.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the nature of the investigation would be different because of the involvement of the Saudi air force pilot.
"There is obviously going to be a lot of questions about this individual being a foreign national, being a part of the Saudi air force," he told reporters.
"The government of Saudi Arabia needs to make things better for these victims," he added. "They are going to owe a debt here, given that this was one of their individuals."
U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted Friday that he had been in contact with King Salman, who offered condolences.
"The king said that the Saudi people are greatly angered by the barbaric actions of the shooter," Trump said.
Later, Trump told reporters at the White House, "It's a horrible thing that took place and we're getting to the bottom of it."
The shooting at the Pensacola Naval Air Station was the second deadly shooting at a U.S. naval facility this week.
A U.S. sailor shot three civilians at a base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Wednesday, killing two of them before committing suicide.
"These acts are crimes against all of us," acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly said in a statement Friday.
"Our prayers are with the families of the fallen and with the wounded," he added. "It is our solemn duty to find the causes of such tragic loss and ceaselessly work together to prevent them."
Steve Herman contributed to this report.
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Fairfield School District's Diversity Program
Dear Community Member,
Several years ago, the Fairfield Board of Education adopted the following belief statements to form the basis of our equity work in the Fairfield City Schools:
We believe a strength of the Fairfield City School District is our expanding, culturally diverse population.
We believe all children can learn and achieve to their full potential.
In 2011, the Board adopted the district’s first Diversity Plan. Its expiration at the end of the 2014-2015 school year resulted in a review of the plan, its goals and rationales. We want to continue our work to ensure these fundamental beliefs continue to be practiced in all of our buildings, classrooms and in our daily interactions in the city and township communities. In 2018, we agreed to expand our plan to include economically disadvantaged students and our students with disabilities.
The Fairfield City School district is fortunate to serve students and their families who represent a number of diverse backgrounds. We will continue to work to meet their educational and social development needs. In the years since this plan was adopted, we have experienced significant population growth in this area. Our programs and services must reflect the ever-changing needs, and we must continue to promote a school community that embraces acceptance and denounces and takes action against prejudice and discrimination.
We are committed to ensuring the pillars/goals of this updated plan are carried out. We realize that along the way, we may need to tweak this plan to better fit the needs of our students, staff and community. The daily world of education can at times, be unpredictable. We must be poised for these moments to ensure that this plan evolves into a model that will teach us all to “live, learn, and work together in a vibrant and diverse world.”
View the updated plan in the file list below and review progress reports presented at previous school board meetings regarding the original plan.
Diversity Plan Progress Report 2017
Diversity Plan Progress Report Dec 15 2016 (4)
Equity Plan Progress Report 2015
Equity Plan Progress Report 2012.pdf
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Legislation, Regulations, and Guidance
MAP-21
SAFETEA-LU
SECTION 4(f) POLICY PAPER
Office of Planning, Environment and Realty
Project Development and Environmental Review
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PART I – SECTION 4(f) OVERVIEW
1.2 Agency Authority and Responsibilities
1.2.1 Role of U.S. DOT
1.2.2 Role of Officials with Jurisdiction
1.3 When Does Section 4(f) Apply?
3.0 ANALYSIS PROCESS
3.1 Identification of Section 4(f) Properties
3.2 Assessing Use of Section 4(f) Properties
3.3 Approval Options
3.3.1 Determination of a De minimis Impact to Section 4(f) Property
3.3.2 Programmatic Section 4(f) Evaluations
3.3.3 Individual Project Section 4(f) Evaluations
3.3.3.1 Feasible and Prudent Avoidance Alternatives
3.3.3.2 Alternative with Least Overall Harm
3.4 Examples of Section 4(f) Approvals
3.5 All Possible Planning to Minimize Harm
PART II – QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS REGARDING SECTION 4(f) APPLICABILITY AND COMPLIANCE
IDENTIFICATION OF SECTION 4(F) PROPERTIES
1. Public Parks, Recreation Areas, and Wildlife and Waterfowl Refuges
2. Historic Sites
3. Archeological Resources
4. Public Multiple-Use Land Holdings
5. Tribal Lands and Indian Reservations
6. Traditional Cultural Places
USE OF SECTION 4(F) PROPERTIES
7. Use of Section 4(f) Property
8. Historic Bridges, Highways and Other Transportation Facilities
OFFICIALS WITH JURISDICTION; CONSULTATION; AND DECISIONMAKING
9. Officials with Jurisdiction
10. Section 4(f) Evaluations for Tiered Projects
DE MINIMIS IMPACT DETERMINATIONS
11. De minimis Impact Determinations for Parks, Recreation Areas, and Wildlife and Waterfowl Refuges
12. De minimis Impact Determinations on Historic Sites
13. Other de minimis Impact Considerations
ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
14. School Playgrounds
15. Trails and Shared Use Paths
16. User or Entrance Fees
17. Transportation Enhancement Projects
18. Golf Courses
19. Museums, Aquariums, and Zoos
20. Fairgrounds
21. Bodies of Water
22. Scenic Byways
23. Cemeteries
24. Joint Development (Park with Highway Corridor)
25. Planned Section 4(f) Properties
26. Late Designation and Late Discovery of Section 4(f) Properties
27. Temporary Recreational Occupancy or Uses of Highway ROW
28. Tunneling or Bridging (Air Rights) and Section 4(f) Property
29. Mitigation Activities on Section 4(f) Property
30. Emergencies
31. Section 6(f) and Other Non-U.S. DOT Grant-in-Aid Program Requirements
SECTION 4(f) FLOWCHART
FHWA SECTION 4(f) POLICY PAPER
This Section 4(f) Policy Paper supplements the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) regulations governing the use of land from publicly owned parks, recreation areas, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and public or private historic sites for Federal highway projects. Although these requirements are now codified at 23 U.S.C. § 138 and 49 U.S.C. § 303, this subject matter remains commonly referred to as Section 4(f) because the requirements originated in Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966 (Pub. L. 89-670, 80 Stat. 931). The Section 4(f) Policy Paper replaces the FHWA's 2005 edition of the document. The FHWA's Section 4(f) regulations, entitled Parks, Recreation Areas, Wildlife and Waterfowl Refuges, and Historic Sites, are codified at 23 CFR Part 774. Many of the terms used in this Section 4(f) Policy Paper are defined in the regulation at 23 CFR 774.17.
This Section 4(f) Policy Paper was written primarily to aid FHWA personnel with administering Section 4(f) in a consistent manner. In situations where a State has assumed the FHWA responsibility for Section 4(f) compliance, this guidance is intended to help the State fulfill its responsibilities. Such situations may arise when Section 4(f) responsibilities are assigned to the State in accordance with 23 U.S.C. §§ 325, 326, 327, or a similar applicable law. Unless otherwise noted, references to “FHWA” in this document include a State department of transportation (State DOT) acting in FHWA's capacity pursuant to an assumption of FHWA's responsibilities under such laws.
This guidance is also intended to help State DOTs and other applicants for grants-in-aid for highway projects to plan projects that minimize harm to Section 4(f) properties. Experience demonstrates that when Section 4(f) is given consideration early in project planning, the risk of a project becoming unnecessarily delayed due to Section 4(f) processing is minimized. Ideally, applicants should strive to make the preservation of Section 4(f) properties, along with other environmental concerns, part of their long and short range transportation planning processes. Information and tools to help State DOTs, metropolitan planning organizations and other applicants accomplish this goal are available on FHWA's Planning and Environmental Linkages website located at: http://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/env_programs/PEL.aspx.
This Section 4(f) Policy Paper is based on and is intended to reflect: the statute itself, the legislative history of the statute; the requirements of the Section 4(f) regulations; relevant court decisions; and FHWA's experience with implementing the statute over four decades, including interactions with the public and with agencies having jurisdiction over Section 4(f) properties. The information presented is not regulatory and does not create any right of action that may be enforced by a private citizen in a court of law. This Section 4(f) Policy Paper sets forth the official policy of FHWA on the applicability of Section 4(f) to various types of land and resources, and other Section 4(f) related issues. While the other United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) agencies may choose to rely upon some or all of this Section 4(f) Policy Paper as a reference, it was not written as guidance for any U.S. DOT agency other than FHWA.
This guidance addresses the majority of situations related to Section 4(f) that may be encountered in the development of a transportation project. If a novel situation or project arises which does not completely fit the situations or parameters described in this Section 4(f) Policy Paper, the relevant FHWA Division Office,1 the FHWA Headquarters Office of Project Development and Environmental Review, the Resource Center Environment Technical Service Team, and/or the Office of Chief Counsel should be consulted as appropriate for assistance. For additional information on Section 4(f) beyond that which is contained in this Section 4(f) Policy Paper, readers should refer to the FHWA Environmental Review Toolkit.2
The authority to administer Section 4(f) and make Section 4(f) approvals resides with the Secretary of the U.S. DOT. The statute designates the Secretaries of the Interior, Housing and Urban Development, and Agriculture, as well as the States, for consultation roles as appropriate. This means that the Secretary of Transportation is responsible for soliciting and considering the comments of these other entities, as well as the appropriate official(s) with jurisdiction over the Section 4(f) property, as part of the administration of Section 4(f). However, the ultimate decision maker is the Secretary of Transportation. In a number of instances, the Section 4(f) regulations require the concurrence of various officials in limited circumstances as discussed below.
The Secretary of Transportation has delegated the authority for administering Section 4(f) to the FHWA Administrator in 49 CFR 1.48. The authority has been re-delegated to the FHWA Division Administrators, the Associate Administrator for Planning, Environment, and Realty, and the Federal Lands Highway Associate Administrator by FHWA Order M1100.1A, Chapter 5, Section 17e and Chapter 6, Section 7d. Any approval of the use of Section 4(f) property, other than a use with a de minimis impact or a use processed with an existing programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation is subject to legal sufficiency review by the Office of Chief Counsel.
The regulations define the entities and individuals who are considered the officials with jurisdiction for various types of property in 23 CFR 774.17. In the case of historic sites, the officials with jurisdiction are the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), or, if the property is located on tribal land, the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO).3 If the property is located on tribal land but the relevant Indian tribe has not assumed the responsibilities of the SHPO, then a representative designated by the tribe shall be recognized as an official with jurisdiction in addition to the SHPO. When the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) is involved in consultation concerning a property under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. § 470), the ACHP is also an official with jurisdiction over that resource for the purposes of Section 4(f). When the Section 4(f) property is a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the designated official of the National Park Service is also an official with jurisdiction over that resource for the purposes of Section 4(f). In the case of public parks, recreation areas, and wildlife and waterfowl refuges, the officials with jurisdiction are the officials of the agency or agencies that own or administer the property in question and who are empowered to represent the agency on matters related to the property.
The regulations require coordination with the official(s) with jurisdiction for the following situations prior to Section 4(f) approval (recognizing that additional coordination may be required under other statutes or regulations):
Prior to making approvals, (23 CFR 774.3(a));
Determining least overall harm, (23 CFR 774.3(c));
Applying certain programmatic Section 4(f) evaluations, (23 CFR 774.5(c));
Applying Section 4(f) to properties that are subject to Federal encumbrances, (23 CFR 774.5(d));
Applying Section 4(f) to archeological sites discovered during construction, (23 CFR 774.9(e));
Determining if a property is significant, (23 CFR 774.11(c));
Determining application to multiple-use properties, (23 CFR 774.11(d));
Determining applicability of Section 4(f) to historic sites, (23 CFR 774.11(e));
Determining constructive use, (23 CFR 774.15(d));
Determining if proximity impacts will be mitigated to equivalent or better condition, (23 CFR 774.15(f)(6)); and
Evaluating the reasonableness of measures to minimize harm, (23 CFR 774.3(a)(2) and 774.17).
Lack of Objection
The regulations require a finding that the official(s) with jurisdiction have been consulted and “have not objected” in the following situations:
When applying the exception for restoration, rehabilitation, or maintenance of historic transportation facilities, (23 CFR 774.13(a)); and
When applying the exception for archeological sites of minimal value for preservation in place. (23 CFR 774.13(b)(2)).
The regulations require written concurrence of the official(s) with jurisdiction in the following situations:
Finding there are no adverse effects prior to making de minimis impact findings, (23 CFR 774.5(b));
Applying the exception for temporary occupancies, (23 CFR 774.13(d)); and
Applying the exception for transportation enhancement activities and mitigation activities, (23 CFR 774.13(g)).
The statute itself specifies that Section 4(f) applies when a U.S. DOT agency approves a transportation program or project that uses Section 4(f) property. The FHWA does not currently approve any transportation programs; thus, Section 4(f) is limited to project approvals. In addition, for the statute to apply to a proposed project there are four conditions that must all be true:
The project must require an approval4 from FHWA in order to proceed;
The project must be a transportation project;5
The project must require the use of land from a property protected by Section 4(f) (See 23 U.S.C. § 138(a) and 49 U.S.C. § 303(a)); and
None of the regulatory applicability rules or exceptions applies (See 23 CFR 774.11 and 13).
Examples of the types of proposed situations where Section 4(f) would not apply include, but are not limited to:
A transportation project being constructed solely using State or local funds and not requiring FHWA approval.
A project intended to address a purpose that is unrelated to the movement of people, goods, and services from one place to another (i.e., a purpose that is not a transportation purpose).
A project to be located adjacent to a Section 4(f) property, causing only minor proximity impacts to the Section 4(f) property (i.e., no constructive use).
A project that will use land from a privately owned park, recreation area, or refuge.
Additional information about these examples and many other examples of situations where Section 4(f) approval is or is not required is located in the questions and answers provided in Part II of this Section 4(f) Policy Paper. In situations where FHWA has determined that Section 4(f) does not apply, the project file should contain sufficient information to demonstrate the basis for that determination (See Section 4.0, Documentation).
The FHWA originally issued the Section 4(f) Policy Paper in 1985, with minor amendments in 1989. A 2005 edition provided comprehensive new guidance on when and how to apply the provisions of Section 4(f), including how to choose among alternatives that all would use Section 4(f) property. Later in 2005, Congress substantially amended Section 4(f) in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), (Pub. L. 109-59 (Aug. 10, 2005), 119 Stat. 1144). SAFETEA-LU directed the U.S. DOT to revise its Section 4(f) regulations. In response, FHWA and the Federal Transit Administration consulted with interested agencies and environmental organizations before drafting a notice of proposed rulemaking. The notice of proposed rulemaking was published for comment in the Federal Register (71 Fed. Reg. 42611, July 27, 2006).
Following careful consideration of the comments submitted, the new Section 4(f) regulations were issued in March 2008 (73 Fed. Reg.13368, March 12, 2008). A minor technical correction followed shortly thereafter (73 Fed. Reg. 31609, June 3, 2008). The new Section 4(f) regulations clarified the feasible and prudent standard, implemented a new method of compliance for de minimis impact situations, and updated many other aspects of the regulations, including the adoption of regulatory standards based upon the 2005 edition of the Section 4(f) Policy Paper for choosing among alternatives that all use Section 4(f) property. This 2012 edition of the Section 4(f) Policy Paper includes guidance for all of the changes promulgated in the Section 4(f) regulations in 2008.
If any apparent discrepancy between this Section 4(f) Policy Paper and the Section 4(f) regulation should arise, the regulation takes precedence. The previous editions of this Section 4(f) Policy Paper are no longer in effect.
Section 4(f) requires consideration of:
Parks and recreational areas of national, state, or local significance that are both publicly owned and open to the public
Publicly owned wildlife and waterfowl refuges of national, state, or local significance that are open to the public to the extent that public access does not interfere with the primary purpose of the refuge6
Historic sites of national, state, or local significance in public or private ownership regardless of whether they are open to the public (See 23 U.S.C. § 138(a) and 49 U.S.C. § 303(a))
When private institutions, organizations, or individuals own parks, recreational areas or wildlife and waterfowl refuges, Section 4(f) does not apply, even if such areas are open to the public. However, if a governmental body has a permanent proprietary interest in the land (such as a permanent easement, or in some circumstances, a long-term lease), FHWA will determine on a case-by-case basis whether the particular property should be considered publicly owned and, thus, if Section 4(f) applies (See Questions 1B and 1C). Section 4(f) also applies to all historic sites that are listed, or eligible for inclusion, in the National Register of Historic Places (NR) at the local, state, or national level of significance regardless of whether or not the historic site is publicly owned or open to the public.
A publicly owned park, recreational area or wildlife or waterfowl refuge must be a significant resource for Section 4(f) to apply (See 23 CFR 774.11(c) and Question 1A). Resources which meet the definitions above are presumed to be significant unless the official with jurisdiction over the site concludes that the entire site is not significant. The FHWA will make an independent evaluation to assure that the official's finding of significance or non-significance is reasonable. In situations where FHWA's determination contradicts and overrides that of the official with jurisdiction, the reason for FHWA's determination should be documented in the project file and discussed in the environmental documentation for the proposed action.
Section 4(f) properties should be identified as early as practicable in the planning and project development process in order that complete avoidance of the protected resources can be given full and fair consideration (See 23 CFR 774.9(a)). Historic sites are normally identified during the process required under Section 106 of the NHPA and its implementing regulations (See 36 CFR Part 800). Accordingly, the Section 106 process should be initiated and resources listed or eligible for listing in the NR identified early enough in project planning or development to determine whether Section 4(f) applies and for avoidance alternatives to be developed and assessed (See 23 CFR 774.11(e)).
Once Section 4(f) properties have been identified in the study area, it is necessary to determine if any of them would be used by an alternative or alternatives being carried forward for detailed study. Use in the Section 4(f) context is defined in 23 CFR 774.17 (Definitions) and the term has very specific meaning (see also Question 7 in this Section 4(f) Policy Paper). Any potential use of Section 4(f) property should always be described in related documentation consistent with this definition, as well as with the language from 23 CFR 774.13(d) (Exceptions- temporary occupancy) and 23 CFR 774. 15 (Constructive Use Determinations), as applicable. It is not recommended to substitute similar terminology such as affected, impacted, or encroached upon in describing when a use occurs, as this may cause confusion or misunderstanding by the reader.
The most common form of use is when land is permanently incorporated into a transportation facility. This occurs when land from a Section 4(f) property is either purchased outright as transportation right-of-way or when the applicant for Federal-aid funds has acquired a property interest that allows permanent access onto the property such as a permanent easement for maintenance or other transportation-related purpose.
The second form of use is commonly referred to as temporary occupancy and results when Section 4(f) property, in whole or in part, is required for project construction-related activities. The property is not permanently incorporated into a transportation facility but the activity is considered to be adverse in terms of the preservation purpose of Section 4(f). Section 23 CFR 774.13(d) provides the conditions under which “temporary occupancies of land…are so minimal as to not constitute a use within the meaning of Section 4(f).” If all of the conditions in Section 774.13(d) are met, the temporary occupancy does not constitute a use. If one or more of the conditions for the exception cannot be met, then the Section 4(f) property is considered used by the project even though the duration of onsite activities is temporary. Written agreement by the official(s) with jurisdiction over the property with respect to all the conditions is necessary and should be retained in the project file. Assurances that documentation will eventually be obtained via subsequent negotiations are not acceptable. Also, it is typical that the activity in question will be detailed in project plans as an integral and necessary feature of the project.
The third and final type of use is called constructive use. A constructive use involves no actual physical use of the Section 4(f) property via permanent incorporation of land or a temporary occupancy of land into a transportation facility. A constructive use occurs when the proximity impacts of a proposed project adjacent to, or nearby, a Section 4(f) property result in substantial impairment to the property's activities, features, or attributes that qualify the property for protection under Section 4(f). As a general matter this means that the value of the resource, in terms of its Section 4(f) purpose and significance, will be meaningfully reduced or lost. The types of impacts that may qualify as constructive use, such as increased noise levels that would substantially interfere with the use of a noise sensitive feature such as a campground or outdoor amphitheater, are addressed in 23 CFR 774.15. A project's proximity to a Section 4(f) property is not in itself an impact that results in constructive use. Also, the assessment for constructive use should be based upon the impact that is directly attributable to the project under review, not the overall combined impacts to a Section 4(f) property from multiple sources over time. Since constructive use is subjective, FHWA's delegation of Section 4(f) authority to the FHWA Division Offices requires consultation with the Headquarters Office of Project Development and Environmental Review prior to finalizing any finding of constructive use.
In making any finding of use involving Section 4(f) properties, it is necessary to have up to date right-of-way information and clearly defined property boundaries for the Section 4(f) properties. For publicly owned parks, recreation areas, and refuges, the boundary of the Section 4(f) resource is generally determined by the property ownership boundary. Up-to-date right-of-way records are needed to ensure that ownership boundaries are accurately documented. For historic properties, the boundary of the Section 4(f) resource is generally the NR boundary. If the historic property boundary of an eligible or listed site has not been previously established via Section 106 consultation, care should be taken in evaluating the site with respect to eligibility criteria. Depending upon its contributing characteristics, the actual legal boundary of the property may not ultimately coincide with the NR boundary. Since preliminary engineering level of detail (not final design) is customary during environmental analyses, it may be necessary to conduct more detailed preliminary design in some portions of the study area to finalize determinations of use.
Late discovery and/or late designations of Section 4(f) properties subsequent to completion of environmental studies may also occur. Each situation must be assessed to determine if the change in Section 4(f) status results in a previously unidentified need for a Section 4(f) approval pursuant to 23 CFR 774.13(c) (See Question 26). The determination should be considered and documented, as appropriate, in any re-evaluation of the project.
When FHWA determines that a project as proposed may use Section 4(f) property, there are three methods available for FHWA to approve the use:
Preparing a de minimis impact determination;
Applying a programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation; or
Preparing an individual Section 4(f) evaluation.
While the applicant will participate in gathering and presenting the documentation necessary for FHWA to make a Section 4(f) approval, the actual approval action is the FHWA's responsibility. The three approval options are set out in 23 CFR 774.3 and are discussed below.
A de minimis impact is one that, after taking into account any measures to minimize harm (such as avoidance, minimization, mitigation or enhancement measures), results in either:
A Section 106 finding of no adverse effect or no historic properties affected on a historic property; or
A determination that the project would not adversely affect the activities, features, or attributes qualifying a park, recreation area, or refuge for protection under Section 4(f).
In other words, a de minimis impact determination is made for the net impact on the Section 4(f) property. The final project NEPA decision document must include sufficient supporting documentation for any measures to minimize harm that were applied to the project by FHWA in order to make the de minimis impact determination (See 23 CFR 774.7(b)). A use of Section 4(f) property having a de minimis impact can be approved by FHWA without the need to develop and evaluate alternatives that would avoid using the Section 4(f) property. A de minimis impact determination may be made for a permanent incorporation or temporary occupancy of Section 4(f) property.
A de minimis impact determination requires agency coordination and public involvement as specified in 23 CFR 774.5(b). The regulation has different requirements depending upon the type of Section 4(f) property that would be used. For historic sites, the consulting parties identified in accordance with 36 CFR Part 8007 must be consulted. The official(s) with jurisdiction must be informed of the intent to make a de minimis impact determination and must concur in a finding of no adverse effect or no historic properties affected in accordance with 36 CFR Part 800. Compliance with 36 CFR Part 800 satisfies the public involvement and agency coordination requirement for de minimis impact findings for historic sites.
For parks, recreation areas, or wildlife and waterfowl refuges, the official(s) with jurisdiction over the property must be informed of the intent to make a de minimis impact determination, after which an opportunity for public review and comment must be provided. After considering any comments received from the public, if the official(s) with jurisdiction concurs in writing that the project will not adversely affect the activities, features, or attributes that make the property eligible for Section 4(f) protection, then FHWA may finalize the de minimis impact determination. The public notice and opportunity for comment as well as the concurrence for a de minimis impact determination may be combined with similar actions undertaken as part of the NEPA process. If a proposed action does not normally require public involvement, such as for certain minor projects covered by a categorical exclusion, an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the proposed de minimis impact determination must be provided. The opportunity for public input may be part of a public meeting or another form of public involvement. The final determination should be made by the FHWA Division Administrator (or in the case of Federal Lands, the Division Engineer) and all supportive documentation retained as part of the project file (See Section 4.0, Documentation).
A de minimis impact determination (see Part II, Questions 11-12) is a finding. It is not an evaluation of alternatives and no avoidance or feasible and prudent avoidance alternative analysis is required. The definition of all possible planning in 23 CFR 774.17 explains that a de minimis impact determination does not require the traditional second step of including all possible planning to minimize harm because avoidance, minimization, mitigation, or enhancement measures are included as part of the determination.
A de minimis impact determination must be supported with sufficient information included in the project file to demonstrate that the de minimis impact and coordination criteria are satisfied (23 CFR 774.7(b)). The approval of a de minimis impact should be documented in accordance with the documentation requirements in 23 CFR 774.7(f). These requirements may be satisfied by including the approval in the NEPA documentation - i.e., an Environmental Assessment (EA), Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), or Categorical Exclusion (CE) determination, Record of Decision (ROD), or Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), – or in an individual Section 4(f) evaluation when one is prepared for a project. When an individual Section 4(f) evaluation is required for a project in which one or more de minimis impact determinations will also be made, it is recommended that the individual Section 4(f) evaluation include the relevant documentation to support the proposed de minimis impact determination(s).
In situations where FHWA concludes in the individual Section 4(f) evaluation that there is no feasible and prudent avoidance alternative and there are two or more alternatives that use Section 4(f) property, a least overall harm analysis will be necessary pursuant to 23 CFR 774.3(c) (See Section 3.3.3.2, Alternative with Least Overall Harm). In such instances, while the de minimis impact will be considered in that analysis, the de minimis impact is unlikely to be a significant differentiating factor between alternatives because the net harm resulting from the de minimis impact is negligible. The determination of least overall harm will depend upon a comparison of the factors listed in the regulation, 23 CFR 774.3(c)(1).
Programmatic Section 4(f) evaluations are a time-saving procedural option for preparing individual Section 4(f) evaluations (discussed in Section 3.3.3) for certain minor uses of Section 4(f) property. Programmatic Section 4(f) evaluations are developed by the FHWA based on experience with many projects that have a common fact pattern from a Section 4(f) perspective. Through applying a specific set of criteria, based upon common experience that includes project type, degree of use and impact, the evaluation of avoidance alternatives is standardized and simplified. An approved programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation may be relied upon to cover a particular project only if the specific conditions in that programmatic evaluation are met. Programmatic evaluations can be nationwide, region-wide, or statewide. The development of any programmatic evaluation, including region-wide and statewide, must be coordinated with the FHWA Office of Project Development and Environmental Review and the FHWA Office of Chief Counsel.
As of the date of publication of this Section 4(f) Policy Paper, the FHWA has issued five nationwide programmatic Section 4(f) evaluations:8
Section 4(f) Statement and Determination for Independent Bikeway or Walkway Construction Projects
Programmatic Section 4(f) Evaluation and Approval for FHWA Projects that Necessitate the Use of Historic Bridges
Final Nationwide Section 4(f) Evaluation and Approval for Federally-Aided Highway Projects with Minor Involvements with Historic Sites
Final Nationwide Section 4(f) Evaluation and Approval for Federally-Aided Highway Projects with Minor Involvements with Public Parks, Recreation Lands, Wildlife and Waterfowl Refuges
Nationwide Programmatic Section 4(f) Evaluation and Approval for Transportation Projects That Have a Net Benefit to a Section 4(f) Property
Before being adopted, all of the nationwide programmatic Section 4(f) evaluations were published in draft form in the Federal Register for public review and comment. They were also provided to appropriate Federal agencies, including the Department of the Interior (U.S. DOI), for review. Each programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation was reviewed by FHWA's Office of Chief Counsel for legal sufficiency.
It is not necessary to coordinate project-specific applications of approved programmatic Section 4(f) evaluations with the U.S. DOI unless the U.S. DOI owns or has administrative oversight over the Section 4(f) property involved (is an official with jurisdiction or has an oversight role as described Questions 9D and 31). As specified in the applicable programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation, it is still necessary to coordinate with the official(s) with jurisdiction over such properties. A legal sufficiency review of a project-specific application of an approved programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation is not necessary. As such, a primary benefit to using the prescribed step-by-step approach contained in a programmatic evaluation is the reduction of time to process a Section 4(f) approval.
Documentation required to apply a programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation must support that the specific programmatic criteria have been met (See 23 CFR 774.3(d)(1)). A separate Section 4(f) document is not required but an indication in the NEPA documentation that Section 4(f) compliance was satisfied by the applicable programmatic evaluation is required (See 23 CFR 774.7(f)). As specified in the programmatic evaluations, the requirement to assess whether there is a feasible and prudent avoidance alternative and all possible planning applies. The necessary information supporting the applicability of the programmatic evaluation will be retained in the project file (See Section 4.0, Documentation).
An individual Section 4(f) evaluation must be completed when approving a project that requires the use of Section 4(f) property if the use, as described in Sections 3.1 and 3.2 above, results in a greater than de minimis impact and a programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation cannot be applied to the situation (23 CFR 774.3). The individual Section 4(f) evaluation documents the evaluation of the proposed use of Section 4(f) properties in the project area of all alternatives. The individual Section 4(f) evaluation requires two findings, which will be discussed in turn:
That there is no feasible and prudent alternative that completely avoids the use of Section 4(f) property; and
That the project includes all possible planning to minimize harm to the Section 4(f) property resulting from the transportation use (See 23 CFR 774.3(a)(1) and (2)).
The intent of the statute, and the policy of FHWA, is to avoid and, where avoidance is not feasible and prudent, minimize the use of significant public parks, recreation areas, wildlife and waterfowl refuges and historic sites by our projects. Unless the use of a Section 4(f) property is determined to have a de minimis impact, FHWA must determine that no feasible and prudent avoidance alternative exists before approving the use of such land (See 23 CFR 774.3). The Section 4(f) regulations refer to an alternative that would not require the use of any Section 4(f) property as an avoidance alternative. Feasible and prudent avoidance alternatives are those that avoid using any Section 4(f) property and do not cause other severe problems of a magnitude that substantially outweigh the importance of protecting the Section 4(f) property (23 CFR 774.17). This section of the Section 4(f) Policy Paper focuses on the identification, development, evaluation, elimination and documentation of potential feasible and prudent avoidance alternatives in a Section 4(f) evaluation document.
The first step in determining whether a feasible and prudent avoidance alternative exists is to identify a reasonable range of project alternatives including those that avoid using Section 4(f) property. The avoidance alternatives will include the no-build. The alternatives screening process performed during the scoping phase of NEPA is a good starting point for developing potential section 4(f) avoidance alternatives and/or design options.9 Any screening of alternatives that may have occurred during the transportation planning phase may be considered as well. It may be necessary, however, to look for additional alternatives if the planning studies and the NEPA process did not identify Section 4(f) properties and take Section 4(f) requirements into account. If Section 4(f) avoidance alternatives were eliminated during the earlier phases of project development for reasons unrelated to Section 4(f) impacts or a failure to meet the project purpose and need, they may need to be reconsidered in the Section 4(f) process. In addition, it is often necessary to develop and analyze new alternatives, or new variations of alternatives rejected for non-Section 4(f) reasons during the earlier phases.
The no-action or no-build alternative is an avoidance alternative and should be included in the analysis as such. In identifying other avoidance alternatives, FHWA should consider the reasonable alternatives that meet the purpose and need of the project. Potential alternatives to avoid the use of Section 4(f) property may include one or more of the following, depending on project context:
Location Alternatives - A location alternative refers to the re-routing of the entire project along a different alignment.
Alternative Actions - An alternative action could be a different mode of transportation, such as rail transit or bus service, or some other action that does not involve construction such as the implementation of transportation management systems or similar measures.
Alignment Shifts - An alignment shift is the re-routing of a portion of the project to a different alignment to avoid a specific resource.
Design Changes - A design change is a modification of the proposed design in a manner that would avoid impacts, such as reducing the planned median width, building a retaining wall, or incorporating design exceptions.
When considering alignment shifts and design changes, it is important to keep in mind the range of allowable configurations and design values for roadway elements and different types of roads. These guidelines are contained within the official state standards and/or the “Green Book,” properly titled A Policy on the Geometric Design of Highways and Streets and published by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. The guidelines set out the generally acceptable ranges of dimensions for roadway elements and typical applications on different types of roadway facilities. These ranges of values provide planners and designers the ability to develop projects at an acceptable cost and level of performance (e.g. safety, traffic flow, sustainability), while balancing the site-specific conditions, constraints, and implications of design decisions. Where it may be appropriate to select a value or dimension outside of the ranges that are established in State and national guidelines, design exceptions are encouraged and permitted. However, the consideration and selection of a value outside of the established ranges should be based on the context of the facility and an analysis of how the design may affect the safety, flow of traffic, constructability, maintainability, environment, cost, and other related issues.
An important consideration in identifying potential avoidance alternatives is that they should have a reasonable expectation of serving traffic needs that have been identified in the project purpose and need. A final limitation in identifying potential avoidance alternatives is that a project alternative that avoids one Section 4(f) property by using another Section 4(f) property is not an avoidance alternative. The goal is to identify alternatives that would not use any Section 4(f) property. (Note: A determination of a De minimis impact for a specific Section 4(f) property may be made without considering avoidance alternatives for that property, even if that use occurs as part of an alternative that also includes other uses that are greater than De minimis.) Consequently, at this step of analysis the degree of impact to Section 4(f) property is not relevant - the only question is whether the alternative would require any use of Section 4(f) property because an alternative using any amount of Section 4(f) property is not an avoidance alternative. Subsequent steps in the analysis will consider the degree of impact as well as the availability of measures to minimize impacts.
Once the potential avoidance alternative(s) have been identified, the next task is to determine, for each potential avoidance option, whether avoiding the Section 4(f) property is feasible and prudent. The Section 4(f) regulations specify how FHWA is to determine whether a potential avoidance alternative is feasible and prudent in 23 CFR 774.17. The definition explains that a “feasible and prudent avoidance alternative” is one that avoids using Section 4(f) property and does not cause other severe problems of a magnitude that substantially outweigh the importance of protecting the Section 4(f) property. In order to determine whether there are other severe problems of a magnitude that substantially outweighs the importance of protecting the Section 4(f) property, both the feasibility and the prudence of each potential avoidance alternative must be considered.
Care must be taken when making determinations of feasibility and prudence not to forget or de-emphasize the importance of protecting the Section 4(f) property. This stems from the statute itself, which requires that special effort should be made to preserve the natural beauty of the countryside and public park and recreation lands, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and historic sites. The regulation incorporates this aspect of the statute in the definition of feasible and prudent avoidance alternative which states that “it is appropriate to consider the relative value of the resource to the preservation purpose of the statute.” In effect, the first part of the definition recognizes the value of the individual Section 4(f) property in question, relative to other Section 4(f) properties of the same type. This results in a sliding scale approach that maximizes the protection of Section 4(f) properties that are unique or otherwise of special significance by recognizing that while all Section 4(f) properties are important, some Section 4(f) properties are worthy of a greater degree of protection than others.
The regulations state that a potential avoidance alternative is not feasible if it cannot be built as a matter of sound engineering judgment (23 CFR 774.17). If a potential avoidance alternative cannot be built as a matter of sound engineering judgment it is not feasible and the particular engineering problem with the alternative should be documented in the project files with a reasonable degree of explanation. In difficult situations, the FHWA Division may obtain assistance from FHWA subject matter experts located in FHWA Headquarters or the FHWA Resource Center.
The third and final part of the feasible and prudent avoidance alternative definition sets out standards for determining if a potential avoidance alternative is prudent. An alternative is not prudent if:
It compromises the project to a degree that it is unreasonable to proceed in light of the project's stated purpose and need (i.e., the alternative doesn't address the purpose and need of the project);
It results in unacceptable safety or operational problems;
After reasonable mitigation, it still causes severe social, economic, or environmental impacts; severe disruption to established communities; severe or disproportionate impacts to minority or low-income populations; or severe impacts to environmental resources protected under other Federal statutes;
It results in additional construction, maintenance, or operational costs of extraordinary magnitude;
It causes other unique problems or unusual factors; or
It involves multiple factors as outlined above that, while individually minor, cumulatively cause unique problems or impacts of extraordinary magnitude.
The prudence determination involves an analysis that applies each of the six factors, if applicable, to the potential avoidance alternative. If a factor is not applicable FHWA recommends simply noting that fact in the analysis.
Supporting documentation is required in the Section 4(f) evaluation for findings of no feasible and prudent alternatives (See 23 CFR 774.7(a)). Documentation of the process used to identify, develop, analyze and eliminate potential avoidance alternatives is very important. The Section 4(f) evaluation should describe all efforts in this regard. This description need not include every possible detail, but it should clearly explain the process that occurred and its results. It is appropriate to maintain detailed information in the project file with a summary in the Section 4(f) evaluation. If the information is especially voluminous, a technical report should be prepared, summarized, and referenced in the Section 4(f) evaluation. The discussion may be organized within the Section 4(f) evaluation in any manner that allows the reader to understand the full range of potential avoidance alternatives identified, the process by which potential avoidance alternatives were identified and analyzed for feasibility and prudence. Possible methods for organizing the discussion include a chronological discussion; a discussion organized geographically by project alternatives or project phases of construction; or by the type of Section 4(f) properties.
For larger highway projects with multiple Section 4(f) properties in the project area, it may be desirable to divide the analysis into a macro and a micro-level evaluation in order to distinguish the analysis of end-to-end project alternatives that avoid using any Section 4(f) property from the analysis of design options to avoid using a single Section 4(f) property. The macro-level evaluation would address any end-to-end avoidance alternatives that can be developed, as well as any alternative actions to the proposed highway project such as travel demand reduction strategies or enhanced transit service in the project area. The micro-level evaluation would then address, for each Section 4(f) property, whether the highway could be routed to avoid the property by shifting to the left or right, by bridging over, or tunneling under the property, or through another alignment shift or design change. The analysis may be presented in any manner that demonstrates, for each Section 4(f) property used, that there is no feasible and prudent avoidance alternative. Even if all of the alternatives use a Section 4(f) property, there is still a duty to try to avoid the individual Section 4(f) properties within each alternative.
If the analysis described in the preceding section concludes that there is no feasible and prudent avoidance alternative, then FHWA may approve, from among the remaining alternatives that use Section 4(f) property, only the alternative that causes the least overall harm in light of the statute's preservation purpose. Pursuant to substantial case law, if the assessment of overall harm finds that two or more alternatives are substantially equal, FHWA can approve any of those alternatives. This analysis is required when multiple alternatives that use Section 4(f) property remain under consideration.
To determine which of the alternatives would cause the least overall harm, FHWA must compare seven factors set forth in 23 CFR 774.3(c)(1) concerning the alternatives under consideration. The first four factors relate to the net harm that each alternative would cause to Section 4(f) property:
The ability to mitigate adverse impacts to each Section 4(f) property (including any measures that result in benefits to the property);
The relative severity of the remaining harm, after mitigation, to the protected activities, attributes, or features that qualify each Section 4(f) property for protection;
The relative significance of each Section 4(f) property; and
The views of the officials with jurisdiction over each Section 4(f) property.
When comparing the alternatives under these factors, FHWA policy is to develop comparable mitigation measures where possible. In other words, the comparison may not be skewed by over-mitigating one alternative while under-mitigating another alternative for which comparable mitigation could be incorporated. In addition, the mitigation measures relied upon as part of this comparison should be incorporated into the selected alternative. If subsequent design or engineering work occurs after the alternative is selected that requires changes to the mitigation plans for Section 4(f) property, FHWA may require revisions to previous mitigation commitments commensurate with the extent of design changes in accordance with 23 CFR 771.109(b)and(d), 127(b), 129, and 130.
The remaining three factors enable FHWA to take into account any substantial problem with any of the alternatives remaining under consideration on issues beyond Section 4(f). These factors are:
The degree to which each alternative meets the purpose and need for the project;
After reasonable mitigation, the magnitude of any adverse impacts to resources not protected by Section 4(f); and
Substantial differences in costs among the alternatives.
By balancing the seven factors, four of which concern the degree of harm to Section 4(f) properties, FHWA will be able to consider all relevant concerns to determine which alternative would cause the least overall harm in light of the statute's preservation purpose. The least overall harm balancing test is set forth in 774.3(c)(1). This allows FHWA to fulfill its statutory mandate to make project decisions in the best overall public interest required by 23 U.S.C. § 109(h). Through this balancing of factors, FHWA may determine that a serious problem identified in factors (v) through (vii) outweighs relatively minor net harm to a Section 4(f) property. The least overall harm determination also provides FHWA with a way to compare and select between alternatives that would use different types of Section 4(f) properties when competing assessments of significance and harm are provided by the officials with jurisdiction over the impacted properties. In evaluating the degree of harm to Section 4(f) properties, FHWA is required by the regulations to consider the views (if any) expressed by the official(s) with jurisdiction over each Section 4(f) property. If an official with jurisdiction states that all resources within that official's jurisdiction are of equal value, FHWA may still determine that the resources have different value if such a determination is supported by information in the project file. Also, if the officials with jurisdiction over two different properties provide conflicting assessments of the relative value of those properties, FHWA should consider the officials' views but then make its own independent judgment about the relative value of those properties. Similarly, if the official(s) with jurisdiction decline to provide any input at all regarding the relative value of the affected properties, FHWA should make its own independent judgment about the relative value of those properties.
FHWA is required to explain how the seven factors were compared to determine the least overall harm alternative (See 23 CFR 774.7(c)). The draft Section 4(f) evaluation will disclose the various impacts to the different Section 4(f) properties thereby initiating the balancing process. It should also disclose the relative differences among alternatives regarding non-Section 4(f) issues such as the extent to which each alternative meets the project purpose and need. The disclosure of impacts should include both objective, quantifiable impacts and qualitative measures that provide a more subjective assessment of harm. Preliminary assessment of how the alternatives compare to one another may also be included. After circulation of the draft Section 4(f) evaluation in accordance with 23 CFR 774.5(a), FHWA will consider comments received on the evaluation and finalize the comparison of all factors listed in 23 CFR 774.3(c)(1) for all the alternatives. The analysis and identification of the alternative that has the overall least harm must be documented in the final Section 4(f) evaluation (See 23 CFR 774.7(c)). In especially complicated projects, the final approval to use the Section 4(f) property may be made in the decision document (ROD or FONSI).
The table below describes five project alternative scenarios. In each project scenario various alternatives are considered and there are various options available to approve the use of the Section 4(f) property needed for the project. The examples illustrate the approval options as well as the point that in some situations FHWA may only approve a certain alternative. These examples are not intended to address every possible scenario.
In Project 1 there is a single build alternative A, for which FHWA determines the use to be a de minimis impact and therefore does not require an individual Section 4(f) evaluation. Once the coordination required by 23 CFR 774.5(b) is completed, FHWA may approve the de minimis impact and the applicant may proceed with the build alternative.
Project 2 has two alternatives. The FHWA determines that alternative A has a de minimis impact on one Section 4(f) property, and alternative B has a de minimis impact on three Section 4(f) properties. Upon completion of the coordination required by 23 CFR 774.5(b), FHWA may approve either alternative under Section 4(f). As in the previous example, an individual Section 4(f) evaluation is not required, therefore the feasibility and prudence of avoiding Section 4(f) properties does not have to be determined. Furthermore, when there are only de minimis impacts, even among multiple alternatives, a least harm analysis is not necessary and there is no need to compare the significance of the competing Section 4(f) properties. The process to choose between alternatives A or B in the second example may be based on non-Section 4(f) considerations as determined appropriate through the project development process.
In Project 3, there are three alternatives under consideration. The FHWA determines that alternative A meets the criteria of a de minimis impact, while alternative B has a minor impact on a Section 4(f) property for which the programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation for minor uses is applicable. Alternative C would use a Section 4(f) property to an extent that a de minimis impact determination is not possible and no programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation applies. In this example, all three alternatives use a Section 4(f) property and thus none can be considered to be an avoidance alternative. For this project, alternative A may proceed immediately once the coordination required by 23 CFR 774.5 is complete, through an approved de minimis impact determination. Alternative B may be approved by following the procedures designated in the applicable programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation, whose end result demonstrates no feasible and prudent avoidance alternative. However, in this example if the applicant favors alternative C, then an individual Section 4(f) evaluation can be prepared to consider whether or not alternative C can be approved under Section 4(f). The individual Section 4(f) evaluation first determines that there is no feasible and prudent avoidance alternative as defined in 23 CFR 774.17. The evaluation then considers which alternative (A, B, or C) has the least overall harm using the factors in 23 CFR 774.3(c). Alternative C could only be approved if it is identified as having the least overall harm, which would be possible; for example, if alternatives A and B both have severe impacts to an important non-Section 4(f) resource and the impacts of alternative C can be adequately mitigated. In that case, upon completion of the coordination required by 23 CFR 775.5(a) and all possible planning to minimize harm as defined in 23 CFR 774.17, alternative C could be approved.
Project 4 differs slightly in having multiple de minimis impacts to Section 4(f) properties with alternative A, and a mix of de minimis impacts and greater than de minimis impacts not covered by a programmatic section 4(f) evaluation with alternative B. If alternative A is chosen, FHWA would satisfy Section 4(f) by making a de minimis impact determination for each property used in accordance with 23 CFR 774.3(b), 774.5(b), and 774.7(c). To consider selecting alternative B, an individual Section 4(f) evaluation would be prepared in accordance with 23 CFR 774.3(a), 774.5(a), and 774.7(a); however, a determination of de minimis impact for a specific Section 4(f) property can be made without considering avoidance alternatives for that property, even if that use occurs as part of an alternative that also includes other uses that are greater than de minimis. In this example, an additional alternative C is developed as part of the Section 4(f) evaluation. Alternative C avoids using any Section 4(f) property, and the evaluation then determines, using the definition in 23 CFR 774.17, that alternative C is feasible and prudent. Alternative C may proceed immediately because it does not use any Section 4(f) property and no Section 4(f) approval is needed. In this example, since alternative C is a feasible and prudent avoidance alternative the FHWA may not approve alternative B, although alternative A would still be available for selection because its impacts on Section 4(f) properties are de minimis. However, if the facts are changed and we now assume that the evaluation of avoidance alternative C had found that it was not feasible and prudent, then the Section 4(f) evaluation could be completed. The evaluation would determine the least overall harm amongst alternatives A and B using the factors in 23 CFR 774.3(c). (In this variation of the example, the least overall harm determination does not include alternative C in the comparison because alternative C was previously eliminated when it was found not to be feasible and prudent.) Alternative B could only be approved if it is identified as having the least overall harm. This would be possible, for example if alternative A would not meet the project purpose and need as well as alternative B, alternative A would be substantially more expensive, and the Section 4(f) property used by alternative B has no unusual significance and could be adequately mitigated. In that example, upon completion of the coordination required by 23 CFR 774.5(a) and all possible planning to minimize harm as defined in 23 CFR 774.17, alternative B could be approved even though it uses Section 4(f) property.
Project 5 has two alternatives, both having greater than de minimis impacts on a different Section 4(f) property. To choose among alternatives A and B, an individual Section 4(f) evaluation must be prepared in accordance with 23 CFR 774.3(a), 774.5(a), and 774.7(a) that demonstrates no feasible and prudent avoidance alternative exists, and a least overall harm analysis must be completed using the factors in 23 CFR 774.3(c). The alternative identified as having the least overall harm may proceed upon completion of the coordination required by 23 CFR 774.5(a) and all possible planning to minimize harm as defined in 23 CFR 774.17.
Table 1. Project Alternative Scenarios
USE OF SECTION 4(f) PROPERTY
INDIVIDUAL SECTION 4(f) EVALUATION?
Project 1, alternative A de minimis impact Not necessary May proceed with A
Project 2, alternative A de minimis impact on one property Not necessary May proceed with A or B; Section 4(f) is not determinative
Project 2, alternative B de minimis impact on three properties Not necessary
Project 3, alternative A de minimis impact Not necessary May proceed with A or B; Section 4(f) is not determinative
Project 3, alternative B Minor use, programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation is applicable Not necessary
Project 3, alternative C Greater than de minimis impact Necessary. If no feasible and prudent avoidance alternative is identified, then a least overall harm analysis would compare A, B, and C. May proceed with C only if C has less overall harm than A or B.
Project 4, alternative A de minimis impact on two properties Not necessary May proceed with A
Project 4, alternative B de minimis impact on one property & greater than de minimis impact on another property Necessary. As part of the evaluation, a new Alternative C is developed that avoids using Section 4(f) property. If C is found feasible and prudent, cannot proceed with B. If C is not feasible and prudent, may proceed with B only if B has less overall harm than A.
Project 4, alternative C None Not necessary to complete the Section 4(f) evaluation to proceed with C. May proceed with C; no Section 4(f) approval is required.
Project 5, alternative A Greater than de minimis impact Necessary. The evaluation must seek to identify feasible and prudent avoidance alternatives. Assuming none are found, then a least harm analysis will compare A and B. Least overall harm analysis determines which alternative, A or B, may proceed.
Project 5, alternative B Greater than de minimis impact
After determining that there are no feasible and prudent alternatives to avoid the use of Section 4(f) property, the project approval process for an individual Section 4(f) evaluation requires the consideration and documentation of all possible planning to minimize harm to Section 4(f) property (See 23 CFR 774.3(a)(2)). All possible planning, defined in 23 CFR 774.17, means that all reasonable measures identified in the Section 4(f) evaluation to minimize harm or mitigate for adverse impacts and effects must be included in the project. All possible planning to minimize harm does not require analysis of feasible and prudent avoidance alternatives, since such analysis will have already occurred in the context of searching for feasible and prudent alternatives that avoid Section 4(f) properties altogether under § 774.3(a)(1).
Minimization of harm may entail both alternative design modifications that reduce the amount of Section 4(f) property used and mitigation measures that compensate for residual impacts. Minimization and mitigation measures should be determined through consultation with the official(s) with jurisdiction. These include the SHPO and/or THPO for historic properties or officials owning or administering the resource for other types of Section 4(f) properties.
Mitigation measures involving public parks, recreation areas, or wildlife or waterfowl refuges may involve a replacement of land and/or facilities of comparable value and function, or monetary compensation to enhance the remaining land. Neither the Section 4(f) statute nor regulations requires the replacement of Section 4(f) property used for highway projects, but this option may be the most straightforward means of minimizing harm to parks, recreation areas, and wildlife waterfowl refuges and is permitted under 23 CFR 710.509 as a mitigation measure for direct project impacts.
Mitigation of historic sites usually consists of those measures necessary to preserve the historic integrity of the site and agreed to in accordance with 36 CFR 800 by FHWA, the SHPO or THPO, and other consulting parties. In any case, the cost of mitigation should be a reasonable public expenditure in light of the severity of the impact on the Section 4(f) property in accordance with 23 CFR 771.105(d). Additional laws such as Section 6(f) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act may have separate mitigation and approval requirements and compliance with such) requirements should also be described within the Section 4(f) discussion of all possible planning to minimize harm.
U.S. DOT departmental requirements for documenting Section 4(f) analysis and approvals (DOT Order 5610.1C) have been incorporated into FHWA regulations, guidance and policy. The FHWA's procedures regarding the preparation and circulation of Section 4(f) documents is contained in 23 CFR 774.5 and FHWA's Technical Advisory, T 6640.8A, Guidance for Preparing and Processing of Environmental and Section 4(f) Documents.10
The documentation of all Section 4(f) determinations, consultations, coordination and approvals is intended to establish a record of FHWA's compliance with the regulatory process. Documentation also provides evidence that the substantive requirements have been met. Section 4(f) documentation and processing requirements vary depending on the type of Section 4(f) property used and whether or not the use meets the criteria of a de minimis impact. However, all situations which involve Section 4(f) property will necessitate some degree of documentation: either in the NEPA document, a Section 4(f) evaluation, or the project file.
The project file is the agency's written record that memorializes the basis for determining that an impact is de minimis or that there is no feasible and prudent avoidance alternative to the use of the Section 4(f) property and that FHWA undertook all possible planning to minimize harm to Section 4(f) property. When the agency determines that Section 4(f) is not applicable to a particular resource, written documentation of that decision should be maintained as part of the project file. The project file should include all relevant correspondence which may include emails and other electronic information that is applicable to the decision-making process. The project file should generally be retained until three years after FHWA reimbursement on Federal-aid projects and three years after final payment on non-Federal aid projects (See FHWA Order M.1324.1A, 49 CFR 18.42, and 49 CFR 19.53).
The de minimis impact determination must include sufficient supporting documentation to demonstrate that the impacts, after avoidance, minimization, mitigation, or enhancement measures are taken into account, are de minimis as defined in 23 CFR 774.17; and that the coordination required by 23 CFR 774.5(b) was completed.
Information related to the de minimis impact determination should be included in the project NEPA document (EA or EIS), or in the project file for a project processed as a CE (See 23 CFR 774.7(c)). Circulation of this information in the project NEPA document may satisfy the public involvement requirements required for de minimis impact findings. For projects which include both de minimis impacts and use of Section 4(f) property with more than a de minimis impact, the determination and supporting data should be included in a separate section of the Section 4(f) evaluation.
Applying Programmatic Section 4(f) Evaluations
Information related to an approval to use Section 4(f) property by applying a programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation should be included in the project NEPA document (EA or EIS), or in the project file for a project processed as a CE. For projects which include both a programmatic Section 4(f) approval and a use of Section 4(f) property for which there is more than a de minimis impact, information regarding the application of the programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation should be included in a separate section of the Section 4(f) evaluation.
The project file should include sufficient supporting documentation to demonstrate that the programmatic evaluation being relied upon applies to the use of the specific Section 4(f) property. In addition, the project file should include documentation that the coordination required by the applicable programmatic evaluation was completed and that all specific conditions of the applicable programmatic evaluation were met.
Individual Section 4(f) Evaluations
Individual Section 4(f) evaluations must include sufficient analysis and supporting documentation to demonstrate that there is no feasible and prudent avoidance alternative and shall summarize the results of all possible planning to minimize harm (23 CFR 774.7(a)). For projects requiring a least overall harm analysis under 23 CFR 774.3(c), that analysis must be included within the individual Section 4(f) evaluation (23 CFR 774.7(c)).
Individual Section 4(f) evaluations are processed in two distinct stages: draft and final. Draft evaluations must be circulated to the U.S. DOI and shared with the official(s) with jurisdiction. The public may review and comment on a draft evaluation during the NEPA process. When a project is processed as a CE the Section 4(f) evaluation must be circulated independently to the U.S. DOI. In all cases, final Section 4(f) evaluations are subject to FHWA legal sufficiency review prior to approval (23 CFR 774.5(d)).
In general, the project file should contain the following essential information, with analysis, regarding Section 4(f):
When making de minimis impact determinations
Applicability or non-applicability of Section 4(f) to the park, recreation, refuge or historic property proposed to be used by the project;
Whether or not there is a use of section 4(f) property;
Records of public involvement, or Section 106 consultation;
Results of coordination with the officials with jurisdiction;
Comments submitted during the coordination procedures required by 23 CFR 774.5 and responses to the comments; and
Avoidance, minimization or mitigation measures that were relied upon to make the de minimis impact finding.
When applying programmatic Section 4(f) evaluations
Records of public involvement, if any;
Results of coordination with the officials with jurisdiction; and
Documentation of the specific requirements of the programmatic evaluation that is being applied.
When preparing an individual Section 4(f) evaluation
Activities, features, and attributes of the Section 4(f) property;
Analysis of the impacts to the Section 4(f) property;
Records of public involvement;
Alternatives considered to avoid using the Section 4(f) property, including analysis of the impacts caused by avoiding the Section 4(f) property;
A least overall harm analysis, if appropriate;
All measures undertaken to minimize harm to the Section 4(f) property;
Results of the internal legal sufficiency review.
If a Section 4(f) approval is legally challenged, the project file will be the basis of the administrative record that must be filed in the court for review. The administrative record will be reviewed in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), (5 U.S.C. §706 (2)(A)), which provides judicial deference to U.S. DOT actions. Under the APA, the agency's action must be upheld unless it is arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law. The court will review the administrative record to determine whether FHWA complied with the essential elements of Section 4(f). If an inadequate administrative record is prepared, the court will lack the required Section 4(f) documentation to review and, therefore, will be unable to defer to FHWA's decision, especially when a Section 4(f) evaluation was not required. While agency decisions are entitled to a presumption of regularity and the courts are not empowered to substitute their judgment for that of the agency, judges will carefully review whether FHWA followed the applicable requirements.
The following questions and answers are intended to provide additional and detailed guidance for complying with the requirements of Section 4(f). Examples to aid in determining the applicability of Section 4(f) to various types of property and project situations are included. These examples represent FHWA's policy regarding Section 4(f) compliance for situations most often encountered in the project development process. Since it is impossible to address every situation that could occur, it is recommended that the FHWA Division Office be consulted for advice and assistance in determining the applicability of Section 4(f) to specific circumstances not covered in this paper. The FHWA Division Offices are encouraged to consult with the Headquarters Office of Project Development and Environmental Review, the Resource Center Environment Technical Services Team and/or the Office of the Chief Counsel in cases where additional assistance in Section 4(f) matters is required.
1. Public Parks, Recreation Areas and Wildlife and Waterfowl Refuges
Question 1A: When is publicly owned land considered to be a park, recreation area or wildlife and waterfowl refuge?
Answer: Publicly owned land is considered to be a park, recreation area or wildlife and waterfowl refuge when the land has been officially designated as such by a Federal, State or local agency, and the officials with jurisdiction over the land determine that its primary purpose is as a park, recreation area, or refuge. Primary purpose is related to a property's primary function and how it is intended to be managed. Incidental, secondary, occasional or dispersed activities similar to park, recreational or refuge activities do not constitute a primary purpose within the context of Section 4(f). Unauthorized activities, such as ad hoc trails created by the public within a conservation area, should not be considered as part of FHWA's determination of Section 4(f) applicability.
In addition, the statute itself requires that a property must be a significant public park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge. The term significant means that in comparing the availability and function of the park, recreation area or wildlife and waterfowl refuge, with the park, recreation or refuge objectives of the agency, community or authority, the property in question plays an important role in meeting those objectives. Except for certain multiple-use land holdings (Question 4), significance determinations are applicable to the entire property and not just to the portion of the property proposed for use by a project.
Significance determinations of publicly owned land considered to be a park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge are made by the official(s) with jurisdiction over the property. The meaning of the term significance, for purposes of Section 4(f), should be explained to the official(s) with jurisdiction if the official(s) are not familiar with Section 4(f). Management plans or other official forms of documentation regarding the land, if available and up-to-date, are important and should be obtained from the official(s) and retained in the project file. If a determination from the official(s) with jurisdiction cannot be obtained, and a management plan is not available or does not address the significance of the property, the property will be presumed to be significant. However, all determinations, whether stated or presumed, and whether confirming or denying significance of a property for the purposes of Section 4(f), are subject to review by FHWA for reasonableness pursuant to 23 CFR 774.11. When FHWA changes a determination of significance, the basis for this determination will be included in the project file and discussed in the environmental documentation for the proposed action.
Question 1B: Can an easement or other encumbrance on private property result in that property being subject to Section 4(f)?
Answer: Yes, in certain instances. Generally, an easement is the right to use real property without possessing it, entitling the easement holder to the privilege of some specific and limited use of the land. Easements take many forms and are obtained for a variety of purposes by different parties. Easements or similar encumbrances restricting a property owner from making certain uses of his/her property, such as conservation easements, are commonly encountered during transportation project development. Easements such as these often exist for the purpose of preserving open space, protection of habitat, or to limit the extent and density of development in a particular area, and they may be held by Federal, State or local agencies or non-profit groups or other advocacy organizations.
Although a conservation easement may not meet all of the requirements necessary to treat the property as a significant publicly-owned public park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge, it is a possibility that mandates careful case-by-case consideration when encountered. The terms of the easement should be carefully examined to determine if Section 4(f) applies to the property. Factors to consider include, but are not limited to, the views of the official(s) with jurisdiction, the purpose of the easement, the term of the easement, degree of public access to the property, how the property is to be managed and by whom, what parties obtained the easement (public agency or non-public group), termination clauses, and what restrictions the easement places on the property owner's use of the easement area. Questions on whether or not an easement conveys Section 4(f) status to a property should be referred to the FHWA Division Office and, if necessary, the Division Office should consult with the Headquarters Office of Project Development and Environmental Review, the Headquarters Office of Real Estate Services, the Resource Center Environment Technical Service Team, or the Office of Chief Counsel.
Easements and deed restrictions for the purpose of historic preservation are also commonly encountered during transportation project development. Section 4(f) applicability questions are unlikely to be encountered for these properties because if the property is not on or eligible for the NR Section 4(f) does not apply, notwithstanding the preservation easement. If the property is on or eligible for the NR, Section 4(f) applies. However, the existence and nature of such easements should be documented and considered as necessary within the feasible and prudent analysis and least harm analysis if a Section 4(f) evaluation is prepared.
Question 1C: When does a lease agreement with a governmental body constitute public ownership?
Answer: In some instances, a lease agreement between a private landowner and a governmental body may constitute a proprietary interest in the land for purposes of Section 4(f). Generally, under a long term lease to a governmental body, such land may be considered to be “publicly owned” land and if the property is being managed by the governmental body as a significant public park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge then a use of the property will be subject to the requirements of Section 4(f). Such lease agreements should be examined on a case-by-case basis with consideration of such factors as the term of the lease, the understanding of the parties to the lease, the existence of a cancellation clause, and how long the lease has been in place. Questions on whether or not the leasehold constitutes public ownership should be referred to the FHWA Division Office, and if necessary the Division Office should consult with the Headquarters Office of Project Development and Environmental Review, the Resource Center Environment Technical Service Team, or the Office of Chief Counsel. If FHWA determines that the lease agreement creates a proprietary interest that is equivalent to public ownership, FHWA must then determine whether the property is in fact being managed by the government body as a significant public park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge. If so, the property is subject to Section 4(f).
Question 1D: Are significant publicly owned parks and recreation areas that are not open to the general public subject to the requirements of Section 4(f)?
Answer: The requirements of Section 4(f) would apply if the entire public park or public recreation area permits visitation of the general public at any time during the normal operating hours. Section 4(f) would not apply when visitation is permitted to a select group only and not to the entire public. Examples of select groups include residents of a public housing project; military service members and their dependents; students of a public school; and students, faculty, and alumni of a public college or university (See Question 18B). The FHWA does, however, strongly encourage the preservation of such parks and recreation areas even though they may not be open to the general public or are not publicly owned and therefore are not protected by Section 4(f).
It should be noted that wildlife and waterfowl refuges have not been included in this discussion. Many wildlife and waterfowl refuges allow public access, while others may restrict public access to certain areas within the refuge or during certain times or seasons of the year for the protection of refuge habitat or species. In these cases, the property should be examined by the FHWA Division Office to verify that the primary purpose of the property is for wildlife and waterfowl refuge activities and not for other non-Section 4(f) activities, and that the restrictions on public access are limited to measures necessary to protect refuge habitat or species. If it is determined that the primary purpose of the property is for wildlife and waterfowl refuge activities and that the restrictions on public access are limited to the measures necessary to protect the refuge habitat or species, then the property is subject to Section 4(f) notwithstanding the access restriction.
Question 1E: What is a wildlife and waterfowl refuge for purposes of Section 4(f)?
Answer: The term wildlife and waterfowl refuge is not defined in the Section 4(f) law. On the same day in 1966 that Section 4(f) was passed, Congress also passed the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act (Pub. L. 89-669, 80 Stat. 926) to provide for the conservation, protection, and propagation of native species of fish and wildlife, including migratory birds, that are threatened with extinction; to consolidate the authorities relating to the administration by the Secretary of the Interior of the National Wildlife Refuge System; and for other purposes. The Refuge System referred to in that Act includes areas that were designated as wildlife refuges and waterfowl refuges.11 FHWA has considered this contemporaneous legislation in our implementation of Section 4(f) regarding refuges. For purposes of Section 4(f), National Wildlife Refuges12 are always considered wildlife and waterfowl refuges by FHWA in administering Section 4(f); therefore no individual determination of their Section 4(f) status is necessary. In addition, any significant publicly owned public property (including waters) where the primary purpose of such land is the conservation, restoration, or management of wildlife and waterfowl resources including, but not limited to, endangered species and their habitat is considered by FHWA to be a wildlife and waterfowl refuge for purposes of Section 4(f).
In determining the primary purpose of the land, consideration should be given to:
The authority under which the land was acquired;
Lands with special national or international designations;
The management plan for the land; and,
Whether the land has been officially designated, by a Federal, State, or local agency with jurisdiction over the land, as an area whose primary purpose and function is the conservation, restoration, or management of wildlife and waterfowl resources including, but not limited to, endangered species and their habitat.
Many refuge-type properties permit recreational activities that are generally considered not to conflict with species conservation, such as trails, wildlife observation and picnicking. Other activities, such as educational programs, hunting, and fishing, may also be allowed when the activity is consistent with the broader species conservation goals for the property.
Examples of properties that may function as wildlife and waterfowl refuges for purposes of Section 4(f) include: State or Federal wildlife management areas, a wildlife reserve, preserve or sanctuary; and waterfowl production areas including wetlands and uplands that are permanently set aside (in a form of public ownership) primarily for refuge purposes. The FHWA should consider the ownership, significance, function and primary purpose of such properties in determining if Section 4(f) will apply. In making the determination, the FHWA should review the existing management plan and consult with the Federal, State or local official(s) with jurisdiction over the property. In appropriate cases, these types of properties will be considered multiple-use public land holdings (See 23 CFR 774.11(d) and Question 4) and must be treated accordingly.
The U.S. DOI administers a variety of Federal grant programs in support of hunting, fishing, and related resource conservation. While the fact that a property owned by a State or local government has at some time in the past been the beneficiary of such a grant does not automatically confer Section 4(f) status, the existence and terms of such a prior grant, when known, should be considered along with the other aspects of the property described above when determining if the property should be treated as a wildlife and waterfowl refuge for purposes of Section 4(f). Finally, it should be noted that sites purchased as mitigation for transportation projects (e.g., for endangered species impacts) can be considered refuges for purposes of Section 4(f) if the mitigation sites meet all of the applicable criteria for Section 4(f) status as a refuge, including public ownership and access, significance, and functioning primarily as a refuge.
Question 2A: How is Section 4(f) significance of historic sites determined?
Answer: Historic site is defined in 23 CFR 774.17. For purposes of Section 4(f), a historic site is significant only if it is on or eligible for the NR. Pursuant to the NHPA, FHWA in cooperation with the applicant consults with the SHPO and/or THPO, tribes that may attach religious and cultural significance to the property, and when appropriate, with local officials to determine whether a site is eligible for the NR. In case of disagreement between FHWA and the SHPO/THPO or if so requested by the ACHP, FHWA shall request a determination of eligibility from the Keeper of the NR (36 CFR 800.4(c)(2)). Any third party may also seek the involvement of the Keeper by asking the ACHP to request that the Federal agency seek a determination of eligibility.
If a site is determined not to be on or eligible for the NR, FHWA still may determine that the application of Section 4(f) is appropriate when an official (such as the Mayor, president of the local historic society, etc.) formally provides information to indicate that the historic site is of local significance. In rare cases such as this, FHWA may determine that it is appropriate to apply Section 4(f) to that property. In the event that Section 4(f) is found inapplicable, the FHWA Division Office should document the basis for not applying Section 4(f). Such documentation might include the reasons why the historic site was not eligible for the NR.
Question 2B: How does Section 4(f) apply in historic districts that are on or eligible for the NR?
Answer: Within a NR listed or eligible historic district, FHWA's long-standing policy is that Section 4(f) applies to those properties that are considered contributing to the eligibility of the historic district, as well as any individually eligible property within the district. Elements within the boundaries of a historic district are assumed to contribute, unless they are determined by FHWA in consultation with the SHPO/THPO not to contribute (See also Question 7C).
Question 2C: How should the boundaries of a property eligible for listing on the NR be determined where a boundary has not been established?
Answer: In this situation, FHWA makes the determination of a historic property's boundary under the regulations implementing Section 106 of the NHPA in consultation with the SHPO/THPO. The identification of historic properties and the determination of boundaries should be undertaken with the assistance of qualified professionals during the early stages of the NEPA process. This process should include the collection, evaluation and presentation of the information to document FHWA's determination of the property boundaries. The determination of eligibility, which would include boundaries of the site, rests with FHWA, but if the SHPO or THPO objects, or if the ACHP or the Secretary of the Interior so requests, then FHWA shall obtain a determination from the Keeper of the NR (36 CFR 800.4(c)(2)).
Selection of boundaries is a judgment based on the nature of the property's significance, integrity, setting and landscape features, functions and research value. Most boundary determinations will take into account the modern legal boundaries, historic boundaries (identified in tax maps, deeds, or plats), natural features, cultural features and the distribution of resources as determined by survey and testing for subsurface resources. Legal property boundaries often coincide with the proposed or eligible historic site boundaries, but not always and, therefore, should be individually reviewed for reasonableness. The type of property at issue, be it a historic building, structure, object, site or district and its location in either urban, suburban or rural areas, should include the consideration of various and differing factors set out in the National Park Service Bulletin: Defining Boundaries for National Register Properties.13
Question 2D: How do you reconcile the phased approach to identification and evaluation and treatment of historic properties under Section 106 of the NHPA with the timing for the completion of Section 4(f) requirements?
Answer: Compliance with Section 4(f) requires FHWA to carry out a reasonable level of effort to identify historic properties prior to issuing a Section 4(f) approval. The reasonableness of the level of effort depends upon the anticipated effects of the project and nature of likely historic resources present in the affected project area. Accordingly, the reasonable level of effort varies from project to project. While a visual survey may be necessary to identify above ground resources, it may be possible to rule out the likelihood for the presence of significant below ground resources based on literature review, prior studies of the area, consultation with consulting parties (e.g., Indian tribes) and factors that relate to archeological preservation such as soil and slope types. If a phased approach to identification and evaluation of historic properties is adopted pursuant to the Section 106 regulations, the methodology for that approach should be coordinated with FHWA to ensure that it will also satisfy Section 4(f) requirements.
You may be able to establish without carrying out a field survey that there is little or no potential for the presence of archeological resources that have value for preservation in place, and therefore are subject to Section 4(f). The project file should include documentation of the level of effort and justification for the conclusion that it is unlikely that there are additional unrecorded historic properties that could be subject to Section 4(f). A Memorandum of Agreement or project specific Programmatic Agreement focusing on a process for subsequent compliance should be executed prior to project approval. Those agreements may provide for the completion of additional identification and evaluation (e.g., archeological resource studies), assessment of effects, and refinement of mitigation measures after NEPA is approved.
Question 2E: How are National Historic Landmarks (NHL) treated under Section 4(f)?
Answer: Section 4(f) requirements related to the potential use of an NHL designated by the Secretary of Interior are essentially the same as they are for any historic property determined eligible under the Section 106 process, except that the July 5, 1983 Programmatic Section 4(f) Evaluation and Approval for FHWA Projects that Necessitate the Use of Historic Bridges may not be relied upon to approve the use of a historic bridge that is an NHL.
Section 110(f) of the NHPA (16 U.S.C. § 470-h-2) outlines the specific actions that an Agency must take when a NHL may be directly and adversely affected by an undertaking. Agencies must, “to the maximum extent possible...minimize harm” to the NHL affected by an undertaking. While not expressly stated in the Section 4(f) statute or regulations, the importance and significance of the NHL should be considered in the FHWA's Section 4(f) analysis of least overall harm pursuant to 23 CFR 774.3(c)(1)(iii). In addition, where there is a potential adverse effect to an NHL determined under the Section 106 process, the Secretary of Interior must be notified and given the option to participate in the Section 106 process. When the U.S. DOI has elected to participate, their representative (typically, the National Park Service) should be recognized as an additional official with jurisdiction and included in the required coordination in the course of the Section 4(f) process.
Question 3A: When does Section 4(f) apply to archeological sites?
Answer: Section 4(f) applies to archeological sites that are on or eligible for the NR and that warrant preservation in place, including those sites discovered during construction as discussed in Question 3B. Section 4(f) does not apply if FHWA determines, after consultation with the SHPO/THPO, federally recognized Indian tribes (as appropriate), and the ACHP( if participating) that the archeological resource is important chiefly because of what can be learned by data recovery (even if it is agreed not to recover the resource) and has minimal value for preservation in place, and the SHPO/THPO and ACHP (if participating) does not object to this determination (See 23 CFR 774.13(b)). The destruction of a significant archaeological resource without first recovering the knowledge of the past inherent in that resource should not be taken lightly. Efforts to preserve the resource or develop and execute a data recovery plan should be addressed in the Section 106 process.
Question 3B: How are archeological sites discovered during construction of a project handled?
Answer: When archeological sites are discovered during construction(23 CFR 774.9(e) and 11(f)), FHWA must determine if an approval is necessary or if an exception applies under 23 CFR 774.13(c) (See Question 26). Where preservation in place is warranted and a Section 4(f) approval would be required, the Section 4(f) process will be expedited. In such cases, the evaluation of feasible and prudent alternatives will take into account the level of investment already made. The review process, including the consultation with other agencies should be shortened, as appropriate consistent with the process set forth in Section 106 of the NHPA regulations and should include Indian tribes that may attach religious and cultural significance to sites discovered (36 CFR 800.13). Discoveries may be addressed prior to construction in agreement documents that set forth procedures that plan for subsequent discoveries. When discoveries occur without prior planning, the Section 106 regulation calls for reasonable efforts to avoid, minimize, or mitigate such sites and provides an expedited timeframe for interested parties to reach resolution regarding treatment of the site. A decision to apply Section 4(f), based on the outcome of the Section 106 process, to an archeological discovery during construction would trigger an expedited Section 4(f) evaluation. Because the U.S. DOI has a responsibility to review individual Section 4(f) evaluations and is not usually a party to the Section 106 process, the U.S. DOI should be notified and any comments they provide considered within a shortened response period.
Question 3C: How do the Section 4(f) requirements apply to archaeological districts?
Answer: Section 4(f) requirements apply to archeological districts in the same way they apply in historic districts, but only where preservation in place is warranted. There would not be a Section 4(f) use if, after consultation with the SHPO/THPO, FHWA determines that the project would use only a part of the archaeological district which is considered a non-contributing element of that district or that the project occupies only a part of the district which is important chiefly because of what can be learned by data recovery and has minimal value for preservation in place. As with a historic district, if the project does not use any individual contributing element of the archeological district which is significant for preservation in place and FHWA determines that the project will result in an adverse effect, then FHWA must consider whether or not the proximity impacts will result in a constructive use in accordance with 23 CFR 774.15.
Question 4: Are multiple-use public land holdings (e.g., National Forests, State Forests, Bureau of Land Management lands) subject to the requirements of Section 4(f)?
Answer: When applying Section 4(f) to multiple-use public land holdings, FHWA must comply with 23 CFR 774.11(d). Section 4(f) applies only to those portions of a multiple-use public property that are designated by statute or identified in an official management plan of the administering agency as being primarily for public park, recreation, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge purposes, and are determined to be significant for such purposes. Section 4(f) will also apply to any historic sites within the multiple-use public property that are on or eligible for the NR. Multiple-use public land holdings are often vast in size, and by definition these properties are comprised of multiple areas that serve different purposes. Section 4(f) does not apply to those areas within a multiple-use public property that function primarily for any purpose other than significant park, recreation or refuge purposes. For example, within a National Forest, there can be areas that qualify as Section 4(f) resources (e.g. campgrounds, trails, picnic areas) while other areas of the property function primarily for purposes other than park, recreation or a refuge such as timber sales or mineral extraction. Coordination with the official(s) with jurisdiction and examination of the management plan for the area will be necessary to determine if Section 4(f) should apply to an area of a multiple-use property that would be used by a transportation project.
For multiple-use public land holdings which either do not have formal management plans or when the existing formal management plan is out-of-date, FHWA will examine how the property functions and how it is being managed to determine Section 4(f) applicability for the various areas of the property. This review will include coordination with the official(s) with jurisdiction over the property.
Question 5: How are lands owned by Federally Recognized Tribes, and/or Indian Reservations treated for the purposes of Section 4(f)?
Answer: Federally recognized Indian Tribes are sovereign nations and the land owned by them is not considered publicly owned within the meaning of Section 4(f). Therefore, Section 4(f) does not automatically apply to tribal land. In situations where it is determined that the property or resource owned by a Tribal Government or within an Indian Reservation functions as a significant public park, recreational area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge (which is open to the general public), or is eligible for the NR, the land would be considered Section 4(f) property.
6. Traditional Cultural Places (TCPs)
Question 6: Are lands that are considered to be traditional cultural places subject to the provisions of Section 4(f)?
Answer: A TCP is defined generally as land that may be eligible for inclusion in the NR because of its association with cultural practices or beliefs of a living community that; (a) are rooted in that community's history, and (b) are important in maintaining the continuing cultural identity of the community.14 Land referred to as a TCP is not automatically considered historic property, or treated differently from other potentially historic property. A TCP must also meet the NR criteria as a site, structure, building, district, or object to be eligible under Section 106, and thus for Section 4(f) protection. For those TCPs of significance to an Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian Organization (NHO), the THPO or designated representative of the Indian tribe or NHO should be acknowledged as possessing special expertise to assess the NR eligibility of the resources that possess religious and cultural significance to them. TCPs may be eligible under multiple criteria and therefore should not be presumed to be eligible only as archeological resources (See 23 CFR 774.11(e)).
Question 7A: What constitutes a transportation use of property from publicly owned public parks, public recreation areas, wildlife and waterfowl refuges and public or privately owned historic sites?
Answer: A use of Section 4(f) property is defined in 23 CFR 774.17. A use occurs when:
Land is permanently incorporated into a transportation facility;
There is a temporary occupancy of land that is adverse in terms of the Section 4(f) statute's preservationist purposes; or
There is a constructive use of a Section 4(f) property.
Permanent Incorporation: Land is considered permanently incorporated into a transportation project when it has been purchased as right-of-way or sufficient property interests have otherwise been acquired for the purpose of project implementation. For example, a permanent easement required for the purpose of project construction or that grants a future right of access onto a Section 4(f) property, such as for the purpose of routine maintenance by the transportation agency, would be considered a permanent incorporation of land into a transportation facility.
Temporary Occupancy: Examples of temporary occupancy of Section 4(f) land include right-of-entry, project construction, a temporary easement, or other short-term arrangement involving a Section 4(f) property. A temporary occupancy will not constitute a Section 4(f) use when all of the conditions listed in 23 CFR 774.13(d) are satisfied:
Duration must be temporary, i.e., less than the time needed for construction of the project, and there should be no change in ownership of the land;
Scope of the work must be minor, i.e., both the nature and the magnitude of the changes to the Section 4(f) property are minimal;
There are no anticipated permanent adverse physical impacts, nor will there be interference with the protected activities, features, or attributes of the property, on either a temporary or permanent basis;
The land being used must be fully restored, i.e., the property must be returned to a condition which is at least as good as that which existed prior to the project; and
There must be documented agreement of the official(s) with jurisdiction over the Section 4(f) resource regarding the above conditions.
In situations where the above criteria cannot be met, the temporary occupancy will be a use of Section 4(f) property and the appropriate Section 4(f) analysis, coordination, and documentation will be required (See 23 CFR 774.13(d)). In those cases where a temporary occupancy constitutes a use of Section 4(f) property and the de minimis impact criteria (Questions 10 and 11) are also met, a de minimis impact finding may be made. de minimis impact findings should not be made in temporary occupancy situations that do not constitute a use of Section 4(f) property.
Constructive Use: FHWA must comply with 23 CFR 774.15 to determine whether or not there is a constructive use of Section 4(f) property. Constructive use of Section 4(f) property is only possible in the absence of a permanent incorporation of land or a temporary occupancy of the type that constitutes a Section 4(f) use. Constructive use occurs when the proximity impacts of a project on an adjacent or near-by Section 4(f) property, after incorporation of impact mitigation, are so severe that the activities, features, or attributes that qualify the property for protection under Section 4(f) are substantially impaired. Substantial impairment occurs when the protected activities, features, or attributes of the Section 4(f) property are substantially diminished. As a general matter this means that the value of the resource, in terms of its Section 4(f) purpose and significance (Questions 1 and 2), will be meaningfully reduced or lost. The degree of impact and impairment must be determined in consultation with the officials with jurisdiction in accordance with 23 CFR 774.15(d)(3). In those situations where a potential constructive use can be reduced below a substantial impairment by the inclusion of mitigation measures, there will be no constructive use and Section 4(f) will not apply.
The Section 4(f) regulations identify specific project situations where constructive use would and would not occur. The impacts of projects adjacent to or in reasonable proximity of Section 4(f) property should be carefully examined early in the NEPA process pursuant to 23 CFR Part 771. If it is determined that the proximity impacts do not cause a substantial impairment, FHWA can reasonably conclude that there will be no constructive use. The analysis of proximity impacts and potential constructive use should be documented in the project file. Documentation of a finding of no constructive use should apply the legal standards and terminology used in 23 CFR 774.15, Constructive Use Determinations. The use of the term “constructive use” is not required in such documentation, but should be used when appropriate – for example, when responding to comments in NEPA documents that specifically address constructive use, or where it is useful in demonstrating that FHWA has specifically considered the potential for a constructive use. Where a constructive use determination seems likely, the FHWA Division Office is required by the Administrator's delegation of Section 4(f) authority to consult with the Headquarters Office of Project Development and Environmental Review before the determination is finalized.
Since a de minimis impact finding can only be made where the transportation use does not adversely affect the activities, features, or attributes that qualify a property for protection under Section 4(f), a de minimis impact finding is inappropriate where a project results in a constructive use (See 23 CFR 774.3(b) and the definition of de minimis impact in 774.17).
Question 7B: Does Section 4(f) apply when there is an adverse effect determination under the regulations implementing Section 106 of the NHPA?
Answer: FHWA's determination of adverse effect under the Section 106 process (See 36 CFR 800.5) does not automatically mean that Section 4(f) will apply. Nor does a determination of no adverse effect mean that Section 4(f) will not apply in some cases. When a project permanently incorporates land of a historic site, regardless of the Section 106 determination, Section 4(f) will apply. If a project does not permanently incorporate land from the historic property but results in an adverse effect, it will be necessary for FHWA to further assess the proximity impacts of the project in terms of the potential for constructive use (Question 7A). This analysis is necessary to determine if the proximity impact(s) substantially impair the features or attributes that contribute to the NR eligibility of the historic site. If there is no substantial impairment, notwithstanding an adverse effect determination, there is no constructive use and Section 4(f) does not apply. The FHWA determines if there is a substantial impairment by consulting with all identified officials with jurisdiction, including the SHPO/THPO and the ACHP if participating, to identify the activities, features, and attributes of the property that qualify it for Section 4(f) protection and by analyzing the proximity impacts of the project (including any mitigation) on those activities, features, and attributes (See 23 CFR 774.15(d)(3)). The determination of Section 4(f) applicability is ultimately FHWA's decision, and the considerations and consultation that went into that decision should be documented in the project file.
An example of a situation in which there is a Section 106 adverse effect but no Section 4(f) use, is a proposed transportation enhancement project that would convert a historic railroad depot into a tourist center. For public use, the project will require consistency with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). The incorporation of accessible ramps or elevator may result in a determination of adverse effect; however, there is no permanent incorporation of Section 4(f) land into a transportation facility. The FHWA may determine, after consultation with the SHPO/THPO on the historic attributes and impacts thereto, that the project will not substantially impair the attributes of the historic property. There would not be a Section 4(f) use in this case. There would be a Section 4(f) use only if land from the property is either incorporated into a transportation facility or if the property is substantially impaired.
Another example of an adverse effect where there is no Section 4(f) use might be construction of a new highway within the immediate view shed of a historic farmstead that results in an adverse effect finding under Section 106 for the diminishment of the setting. It is unlikely this visual intrusion would reach the threshold of substantial impairment of the attributes which cause the farmstead to be eligible for the NR as it would still retain its historic fabric and use features; however, a constructive use could occur where the proximity of the proposed project substantially impairs esthetic features or attributes of a property protected by Section 4(f), where such features or attributes are considered important contributing elements to the value of the property.
An example of a Section 4(f) use without a Section 106 adverse effect involves a project on existing alignment, which proposes minor modification at an intersection. To widen the roadway sufficiently a small amount of land from an adjacent historic site will be acquired. The land acquisition does not alter the integrity of the historic site and the SHPO concurs in FHWA's determination of no adverse effect. Even though under Section 106 there is no adverse effect, land from the site will be permanently incorporated into the transportation facility and Section 4(f) will apply. The use would likely qualify as a de minimis impact or may be approved using the Nationwide Section 4(f) Evaluation and Approval for Federally-Aided Highway Projects with Minor Involvements with Historic Sites15 depending on the circumstances of the project.
Question 7C: How is a Section 4(f) use determined in historic districts?
Answer: When a project requires land from a non-historic or non-contributing property lying within a historic district and does not use other land within the historic district that is considered contributing to its historic significance, FHWA's longstanding policy is that there is no direct use of the historic district for purposes of Section 4(f). With respect to constructive use, if the Section 106 consultation results in a determination of no historic properties affected or no adverse effect, there is no Section 4(f) constructive use of the district as a whole. If the project requires land from a non-historic or non-contributing property, and the Section 106 consultation results in a determination of adverse effect to the district as a whole, further assessment is required pursuant to 23 CFR 774.15 to determine whether or not there will be a constructive use of the district. If the use of a non-historic property or non-contributing element substantially impairs the activities, features, or attributes that are related to the NR eligibility of the historic district, then Section 4(f) would apply. In any case, appropriate steps, including consultation with the SHPO/THPO on the historic attributes of the district and impacts thereto, should be taken to establish whether the property is contributing or non-contributing to the district and whether its use would substantially impair the historic attributes of the historic district.
For example, an intersection improvement proposed in a NR listed or eligible historic district, requires the demolition of a modern building that is neither individually eligible for the NR nor is a contributing element of the district. Although no right-of-way will be acquired from an individually eligible or contributing property, it is consistent with the NHPA regulations that there will be an adverse effect to the historic district because of changes resulting from the wider intersection and installation of more extensive traffic signals. It may be reasonably determined, however, that no individually eligible property, contributing element, or the historic district as a whole will be substantially impaired. Accordingly, in this example a Section 4(f) use will not occur in the form of either a permanent incorporation or a constructive use.
When a project uses land from an individually eligible property within a historic district, or a property that is a contributing element to the historic district, Section 4(f) is applicable. In instances where a determination is made under Section 106 of no historic properties affected or no adverse effect, then the use may be approved with a de minimis impact determination. If the use does not qualify for a de minimis impact determination, an individual Section 4(f) evaluation will be necessary. Exceptions recognized in 23 CFR 774.13 may be applied to individually eligible or contributing properties within a historic district, and to contributing elements within a historic district.
Question 7D: How are historic resources within highway rights-of-way considered?
Answer: In some parts of the country it is not uncommon for historic objects or features not associated with the roadway to exist within the highway right-of-way. Examples include rock walls, fences, and structures that are associated with an adjacent historic property. Others are linear properties such as drainage systems or railroad corridors. These properties, objects, or features are either not transportation in nature or are part of the roadway itself. This condition occurs for various reasons such as historic property boundaries coinciding with the roadway centerline or edge of the road, or situations where right-of-way was acquired but historic features were allowed to remain in place. When a future transportation project is advanced resulting in a Section 106 determination of no historic properties affected or no adverse effect to such resources, there would be no Section 4(f) use. If the historic features are determined to be adversely affected, the adverse effect should be evaluated to determine whether it results in a Section 4(f) use.
Question 8A: How does Section 4(f) apply to historic transportation facilities?
Answer: The Section 4(f) statute imposes conditions on the use of land from historic sites for highway projects but makes no mention of bridges, highways, or other types of facilities such as railroad stations or terminal buildings, which may be historic and are already serving as transportation facilities. The FHWA's interpretation is that the Congress clearly did not intend to restrict the rehabilitation or repair, of historic transportation facilities. The FHWA therefore established a regulatory provision that Section 4(f) approval is required only when a historic bridge, highway, railroad, or other transportation facility is adversely affected by the proposed project; e.g. the historic integrity (for which the facility was determined eligible for the NR) is adversely affected by the proposed project (See 23 CFR 774.13(a)).
Question 8B: Will Section 4(f) apply to the replacement of a historic bridge that is left in place?
Answer: FHWA's longstanding policy is that Section 4(f) does not apply to the replacement of a historic bridge on new location when the historic bridge is left in its original location and its historic integrity and value will be maintained. To maintain the integrity of the historic bridge, FHWA should ensure that a mechanism is in place for continued maintenance of the bridge that would avoid harm to the bridge due to neglect. In these situations it is also necessary to consider whether or not the proximity impacts of the new bridge will result in substantial impairment of the historic bridge that is left in place or whether there are other properties present which should be afforded consideration pursuant to Section 4(f). These considerations should be documented in the project file.
Question 8C: How do the requirements of Section 4(f) apply to donations of historic bridges to a State, locality, or responsible private entity?
Answer: A State DOT or local public agency that proposes to demolish a historic bridge for a replacement project may first make the bridge available for donation to a State, locality or a responsible private entity. This process is commonly known as marketing the historic bridge and often involves relocation of the structure, if the bridge is of a type suitable for relocation. Provided the State, locality or responsible entity that accepts the bridge enters into an agreement to maintain the bridge and the features that contribute to its historic significance and assume all future legal and financial responsibility for the bridge, Section 4(f) will not apply to the bridge.
If the bridge marketing effort is unsuccessful and the bridge will be demolished or relocated without preservation commitments, Section 4(f) will apply and the appropriate Section 4(f) analysis, consultation and documentation will be required. The Programmatic Section 4(f) Evaluation and Approval for FHWA Projects that Necessitate the Use of Historic Bridges16 may be used.
Question 8D: Can the Programmatic Section 4(f) Evaluation and Approval for FHWA Projects that Necessitate the Use of Historic Bridges be applied to the replacement of a historic bridge or culvert that lacks individual distinction but is identified as a contributing element of a historic district that is on or eligible for listing on the NR?
Answer: Historic districts may include properties or elements that lack individual distinction but possess sufficient integrity to contribute to the overall significance of the district, as well as individually distinctive features that may be separately listed or determined eligible for the NR. All contributing properties or elements, including identified features and their settings are considered eligible for the NR and are therefore Section 4(f) resources. As such, bridges in historic districts may be individually eligible but may also be identified as contributing features within the larger historic district. The Programmatic Section 4(f) Evaluation and Approval for FHWA Projects that Necessitate the Use of Historic Bridges17 may be applied to any historic bridge or culvert, either contributing to a district or individually eligible. The application of the historic bridge programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation would be limited to the bridge replacement or rehabilitation only and must meet all the applicability criteria stated in the programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation. If the bridge replacement requires use, either direct or constructive, of surrounding or adjoining property that contributes to the significance of the historic district, the use of that property would have to be evaluated via another form of Section 4(f) evaluation, including possibly an individual evaluation.
Question 8E: Does Section 4(f) apply to the construction of an access ramp providing direct vehicular ingress/egress to a public boat launch area from an adjacent highway?
Answer: When an access ramp is constructed as part of a project to construct a new bridge or to reconstruct, replace, repair, or alter an existing bridge on a Federal-aid system, FHWA's longstanding policy is that Section 4(f) approval is not necessary for the access ramp and public boat launching area. This policy was jointly developed by FHWA and the U.S. DOI in response to the enactment of section 147 of the Federal-Aid Highways Act of 1976 (Pub. L. 94-280 (HR 8235) May 5, 1976). Where public boat launching areas are located in publicly owned parks, recreational areas, or refuges otherwise protected by the provision of Section 4(f), it would be contrary to the intent of section 147 to search for feasible and prudent alternatives to the use of such areas as a site for an access ramp to the public boat launching area. Such ramps must provide direct access to a public boat launching area adjacent to the highway. This policy only applies to the access ramp and public boat launching area; any other use of Section 4(f) property for the project will require Section 4(f) approval.
Question 8F: Is compliance with Section 4(f) necessary for park roads and parkways projects funded under FHWA's Federal Lands Highway Program, 23 U.S.C. § 204?
Answer: No. Park roads and parkways projects funded under FHWA's Federal Lands Highway Program, 23 U.S.C. § 204, are expressly excepted from Section 4(f) requirements within the Section 4(f) statute itself and by 23 CFR 774.13(e). A park road is “a public road, including a bridge built primarily for pedestrian use, but with capacity for use by emergency vehicles, that is located within, or provides access to, an area in the National Park System with title and maintenance responsibilities vested in the United States” and a parkway is a road “authorized by Act of Congress on lands to which title is vested in the United States” (23 U.S.C. § 101(a)).
Question 9A: Who are the officials with jurisdiction for a park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge and what is their role in determining Section 4(f) applicability?
Answer: The officials with jurisdiction are defined in 23 CFR 774.17. Under that definition, there may be more than one official with jurisdiction for the same Section 4(f) property. For public parks, recreation areas, and wildlife and waterfowl refuges (Question 1) the official(s) with jurisdiction are the official(s) of an agency or agencies that own and/or administer the property in question and who are empowered to represent the agency on matters related to the property.
There may be instances where the agency owning or administering the land has delegated or relinquished its authority to another agency, via an agreement on how some of its land will function or be managed. The FHWA will review the agreement and determine which agency has authority on how the land functions. If the authority has been delegated or relinquished to another agency, that agency should be contacted to determine the purposes and significance of the property. Management plans that address or officially designate the purposes of the property should be reviewed as part of this determination. After consultation, and in the absence of an official designation of purpose and function by the officials with jurisdiction, FHWA will base its decision of Section 4(f) applicability on an examination of the actual functions that exist (See 23 CFR 774.11(c)).
The final decision on the applicability of Section 4(f) to a particular property is the responsibility of FHWA. In reaching this decision FHWA will rely on the official(s) with jurisdiction to identify the kinds of activities and functions that take place, to indicate which of these activities constitute the primary purpose, and to state whether the property is significant. Documentation of the determination of non- applicability should be included in the project file.
Question 9B: Who are the officials with jurisdiction for historic sites?
Answer: The officials with jurisdiction are defined in 23 CFR 774.17. For historic properties (Question 2 and 7) the official with jurisdiction is the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). If the historic property is located on tribal land the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) is considered the official with jurisdiction. If the property is located on tribal land but the tribe has not assumed the responsibilities of the SHPO, as provided for in the NHPA, then the representative designated by the tribe shall be recognized as an official with jurisdiction in addition to the SHPO. When the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) is involved in the consultation concerning a property under Section 106 of the NHPA,18 the ACHP will also be considered an official with jurisdiction over that resource. For a NHL, the National Park Service is also an official with jurisdiction over that resource.
Question 9C: Who are the officials with jurisdiction when a park, recreation area, or refuge is also a historic site or contains historic sites within its boundaries?
Answer: Some public parks, recreation areas, and wildlife and waterfowl refuges are also historic properties either listed or eligible for listing on the NR. In other cases, historic sites are located within the property boundaries of public parks, recreation areas, or wildlife and waterfowl refuges. When either of these situations exists and a project alternative proposes the use of land from the historic site there will be more than one official with jurisdiction. For historic sites the SHPO/THPO and ACHP if participating are officials with jurisdiction. Coordination will also be required with the official(s) of the agency or agencies that own or administer the property in question and who are empowered to represent the agency on matters related to the property, such as commenting on project impacts to the activities, features, or attributes of property and on proposed mitigation measures. For a NHL, the National Park Service is also an official with jurisdiction over that resource.
Question 9D: When is coordination with the U.S. DOI required?
Answer: Prior to FHWA's final approval of a Section 4(f) use, individual Section 4(f) evaluations are provided to the U.S. DOI Office of Environmental Compliance and Policy, which coordinates the comments of all U.S. DOI agencies involved in the project (See 23 CFR 774.5(a)). However, the official with jurisdiction for Section 4(f) purposes is typically the field official charged with managing the Section 4(f) property at issue. For example, the official with jurisdiction for a project involving the use of a National Wildlife Refuge would be the Refuge Manager. If it is not clear which individual within the U.S. DOI is the official with jurisdiction for a particular Section 4(f) property, U.S. DOI's Office of Environmental Compliance and Policy should be consulted to resolve the question. The U.S. DOI has very specific expectations regarding the submission of Section 4(f) documents.19 If the Section 4(f) property is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service, the Department of Agriculture would be contacted for its review. The final authority on the content and format of Section 4(f) documents is FHWA's, as specified in 23 CFR Part 774, this Section 4(f) Policy Paper and the Technical Advisory, T 6640.8A, Guidance for Preparing and Processing of Environmental and Section 4(f) Documents.
It is not necessary to coordinate project specific applications of existing programmatic Section 4(f) evaluations with the U.S. DOI unless the U.S. DOI owns or has administrative oversight over the Section 4(f) property involved. In these cases, FHWA will need written concurrence from the U.S. DOI as the official with jurisdiction as stipulated in the applicable programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation. Consultation with the U.S. DOI was conducted during the development of all the existing programmatic Section 4(f) evaluations. Development of any new programmatic Section 4(f) evaluations would also require coordination with the U.S. DOI before they are made available for use (See 23 CFR 774.3(d)(2)).
Similarly, it is not necessary to conduct project-level coordination with the U.S. DOI when processing de minimis impact determinations unless the U.S. DOI has administrative oversight over the public park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge involved. In these situations, FHWA must obtain concurrence from the U.S. DOI as the official having jurisdiction that there is no adverse effect to the activities, features, or attributes of the property (See 23 CFR 774.5(b)). When a de minimis impact determination is anticipated for a historic site owned or administered by the U.S. DOI, and when the historic site is a NHL, the U.S. DOI will have the opportunity to participate during the Section 106 consultation as a consulting party (See Questions 11 through 13 for further guidance on de minimis impact determinations).
For situations in which the Section 4(f) property is encumbered with a Federal interest, for example as a result of a U.S. DOI grant, the answer to Question 1D or Question 31 may apply.
Question 9E: What is the official status of the Handbook on Departmental Reviews of Section 4(f) Evaluations, originally issued in February 2002 (and any subsequent revisions) by the U.S. DOI Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance?
Answer: The U.S. DOI Handbook20 is intended to provide guidance to the National Park Service (NPS), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other designated lead bureaus in the preparation of U.S. DOI comments on the Section 4(f) evaluations prepared by the U.S. DOT pursuant to the authority granted in the Section 4(f) statute. The Handbook is an official U.S. DOI document and includes departmental opinion related to the applicability of Section 4(f) to lands for which they have jurisdiction and authority. The Section 4(f) statute requires U.S. DOT to consult and cooperate with the U.S. DOI as well as the Departments of Agriculture and Housing and Urban Development, as appropriate in Section 4(f) program and project related matters. The FHWA values the U.S. DOI's opinions related to the resources under their jurisdiction, and while the Handbook is a resource which FHWA may consider, it is not the final authority on Section 4(f) determinations.
Official FHWA policy on the applicability of Section 4(f) to lands that fall within the jurisdiction of the U.S. DOI is contained within 23 CFR 774 and this Section 4(f) Policy Paper. While FHWA is not legally bound by the guidance contained within the Handbook or the comments provided by the U.S. DOI or lead bureaus, every attempt should be made to reach agreement during project consultation. In some situations, one of the bureaus may be an official with jurisdiction. When unresolved conflicts arise during coordination with the U.S. DOI related to the applicability of Section 4(f) to certain types of property, it might be necessary for the Division Office to contact the FHWA Headquarters Office of Project Development and Environmental Review for assistance.
Question 9F: Section 4(f) also requires cooperation and consultation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). When is coordination with the USDA or HUD on a Section 4(f) matter appropriate?
Answer: Many national forests under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service of the USDA serve as multiple-use land holdings as described in Question 4. If the project uses land of a national forest, coordination with the USDA as the official with jurisdiction over the resource would be appropriate in determining the purposes served by the land holding and the resulting extent of Section 4(f) applicability to the land holding. HUD would be involved only in cases where HUD had an interest in a Section 4(f) property.
Question 9G: Who makes Section 4(f) decisions and de minimis impact determinations?
Answer: The FHWA Division Administrator is the responsible official for all Section 4(f) applicability decisions, approvals, and de minimis impact determinations for Federal-aid projects. The FHWA Federal Lands Highway Division Engineer has this authority for Federal Lands projects. Coordination with the FHWA Headquarters or the FHWA Office of the Chief Counsel is not required for routine de minimis impact determinations but is recommended where assistance is needed for controversial projects or complex situations. It will be necessary for FHWA to consult and coordinate with the official(s) with jurisdiction as discussed above in making determinations of applicability and in approving the use of Section 4(f) property. When a programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation is relied upon to satisfy Section 4(f), the consultation requirements and approval process for the specific programmatic evaluation must be followed (See 23 CFR 774.3(d)).
Question 10: How is Section 4(f) handled in tiered NEPA documents?
Answer: The FHWA must comply with 23 CFR 774.7(e) when tiered NEPA documents are used. In a tiered Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the project development process moves from a broad scale examination at the first-tier stage to a more site specific evaluation in the second-tier stage. During the first-tier stage the detailed information necessary to complete the Section 4(f) approval may not be available. Even so, this does not relieve the FHWA from its responsibility to determine the possibility of making de minimis impact determinations or to consider alternatives that avoid the use of Section 4(f) properties during the first-tier stage. This analysis and documentation should address potential uses of Section 4(f) property and whether those uses could have a bearing on the decision to be made during this tier.
If sufficient information is available, a preliminary Section 4(f) approval may be made at the first-tier stage as to whether the impacts resulting from the use of a Section 4(f) property are de minimis or whether there are feasible and prudent avoidance alternatives. This preliminary approval must include all possible planning to minimize harm to the extent that the level of detail available at this stage allows (23 CFR 774.7(e)(1)). This planning may be limited to a commitment to ensure that opportunities to minimize harm at subsequent stages in the project development process have not been precluded by decisions made at the first-tier stage. Any preliminary Section 4(f) approvals must be incorporated into the first-tier EIS (23 CFR 774.7(e)(1)).
If sufficient information is unavailable during the first-tier stage, then the EIS may be completed without any preliminary Section 4(f) approvals. The documentation should state why no preliminary approval is possible during the first-tier stage and clearly explain the process that will be followed to complete Section 4(f) evaluations during subsequent tiers. The extent to which a Section 4(f) approval (preliminary or final) anticipated to be made in a subsequent tier may have an effect on any decision made during the first-tier stage should be discussed. Schedules to complete Section 4(f) evaluations, if available, should also be reported.
Preliminary first-tier Section 4(f) approvals will be finalized in the second-tier CE, EA, final EIS, ROD or FONSI, as appropriate (See 23 CFR 774.7(e)(2)). If no new Section 4(f) use, other than a de minimis impact, is identified in the second-tier study and if all possible planning to minimize harm has occurred, then the second-tier Section 4(f) approval may finalize the preliminary approval by reference to the first-tier documentation. Re-evaluation of the preliminary Section 4(f) approval is only needed to the extent that new or more detailed information available at the second-tier stage raises new Section 4(f) concerns not already considered.
Question 11A: What constitutes a de minimis impact with respect to a park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge?
Answer: An impact to a public park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge may be determined to be de minimis if the transportation use of the Section 4(f) property, including incorporation of any measure(s) to minimize harm (such as any avoidance, minimization, mitigation, or enhancement measures), does not adversely affect the activities, features, or attributes that qualify the resource for protection under Section 4(f). Language included in the SAFETEA-LU Conference Report provides additional insight on the meaning of de minimis impact:
The purpose of the language is to clarify that the portions of the resource important to protect, such as playground equipment at a public park, should be distinguished from areas such as parking facilities. While a minor but adverse effect on the use of playground equipment should not be considered a de minimis impact under Section 4(f), encroachment on the parking lot may be deemed de minimis, as long as the public's ability to access and use the site is not reduced.
(Conference Report of the Committee of Conference on H.R. 3, Report 109-203, page 1057).
This simple example helps to distinguish the activities, features, or attributes of a Section 4(f) property that are important to protect from those which can be used without resulting in adverse effects. Playground equipment in a public park may be central to the recreational value of the park that Section 4(f) is designed to protect. The conference report makes it clear that when impacts are proposed to playground equipment or other essential features, a de minimis impact finding will at a minimum require a commitment to replace the equipment with similar or better equipment at a time and in a location that results in no adverse effect to the recreational activity. A parking lot encroachment or other similar type of land use, on the other hand, could result in a de minimis impact with minimal mitigation, as long as there are no adverse effects on public access and the official(s) with jurisdiction agree.
The impacts of a transportation project on a park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge that qualifies for Section 4(f) protection may be determined to be de minimis if:
The transportation use of the Section 4(f) property, together with any impact avoidance, minimization, and mitigation or enhancement measures incorporated into the project, does not adversely affect the activities, features, or attributes that qualify the resource for protection under Section 4(f);
The public has been afforded an opportunity to review and comment on the effects of the project on the protected activities, features, or attributes of the Section 4(f) property; and
The official(s) with jurisdiction over the property, after being informed of the public comments and FHWA's intent to make the de minimis impact finding, concur in writing that the project will not adversely affect the activities, features, or attributes that qualify the property for protection under Section 4(f).
(See 23 CFR 774.5(b)(2), 23 CFR 774.17). The concurrence of the official(s) with jurisdiction that the protected activities, features, or attributes of the resource are not adversely affected must be in writing (23 CFR 774.5(b)(2)(ii)). The written concurrence can be in the form of a signed letter on agency letterhead, signatures in concurrence blocks on transportation agency documents, agreements provided via e-mail or other method deemed acceptable by the FHWA Division Administrator. Obtaining these agreements in writing and retaining them in the project file is consistent with effective practices related to preparing project administrative records.
Question 11B: What role does mitigation play in the de minimis impact finding?
Answer: De minimis impact determinations are based on the degree of impact after the inclusion of any measure(s) to minimize harm, (such as any avoidance, minimization, mitigation, or enhancement measures) to address the Section 4(f) use (i.e., net impact). The expected positive effects of any measures included in a project to mitigate the adverse effects to a Section 4(f) property must be taken into account when determining whether the impact is de minimis (See 23 CFR 774.3(b)). The purpose of taking such measures into account is to encourage the incorporation of Section 4(f) protective measures as part of the project. De minimis impact findings must be expressly conditioned upon the implementation of any measures that were relied upon to reduce the impact to a de minimis level (See 23 CFR 774.7(b)). The implementation of such measures will become the responsibility of the project sponsor with FHWA oversight (See 23 CFR 771.109(b)).
Question 11C: What constitutes compliance with the public notice, review and comment requirements for de minimis impact findings for parks, recreation areas or wildlife and waterfowl refuges?
Answer: Information supporting a de minimis impact finding for a park, recreation area or refuge should be included in the NEPA document prepared for the project. This information includes, at a minimum, a description of the involved Section 4(f) property(ies), use and impact(s) to the resources and any measure(s) to minimize harm (such as any avoidance, minimization, mitigation, or enhancement measures) that are included in the project as part of the de minimis impact finding. The public involvement requirements associated with specific NEPA document and process will, in most cases, be sufficient to satisfy the public notice and comment requirements for the de minimis impact finding (See 23 CFR 774.5(b)(2)).
In general, the public notice and comment process related to de minimis impact findings will be accomplished through the State DOT's approved public involvement process (See 23 CFR 771.111(h)(1)). For those actions that do not routinely require public review and comment (e.g., certain categorical exclusions and re-evaluations) but for which a de minimis impact finding will be made, a separate public notice and opportunity for review and comment will be necessary. In these cases, appropriate public involvement should be based on the specifics of the situation and commensurate with the type and location of the Section 4(f) property, the impacts, and public interest. Possible methods of public involvement are many and include newspaper advertisements, public meetings, public hearings, notices posted on bulletin boards (for properties open to the public), project websites, newsletters, and placement of notices or documents at public libraries. All comments received and responses thereto, should be documented in the same manner that other comments on the proposed action would be incorporated in the project file. Where public involvement was initiated solely for the purpose of a de minimis impact finding, responses or replies to the public comments may not be required, depending on the substantive nature of the comments. All comments and responses should be documented, as appropriate, in the project file.
Question 12A: What are the requirements for de minimis impact on a historic site?
Answer: A finding of de minimis impact on a historic site may be made when:
FHWA has considered the views of any consulting parties participating in the consultation required by Section 106 of the NHPA, including the Secretary of the Interior or his representative if the property is a NHL;
The SHPO/THPO, and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) if participating in the Section 106 consultation, are informed of FHWA's intent to make a de minimis impact finding based on their written concurrence in the Section 106 determination of “no adverse effect;” and
The Section 106 process results in a determination of “no adverse effect” with the written concurrence of the SHPO/THPO, and ACHP if participating in the Section 106 consultation.21
(See 23 CFR 774.5(b)(1) and the definition of de minimis impact in 23 CFR 774.17.)
Question 12B: How should the concurrence of the SHPO/THPO, and ACHP if participating in the Section 106 determination of effect, be documented when the concurrence will be the basis for a de minimis impact finding?
Answer: Section 4(f) requires that the SHPO/THPO, and ACHP if participating, must concur in writing in the Section 106 determination of no adverse effect (See 23 CFR 774.5(b)(1)(ii)). The request for concurrence in the Section 106 determination should include a statement informing the SHPO/THPO, and ACHP if participating, that FHWA or FTA intends to make a de minimis impact finding based upon their concurrence in the Section 106 determination.
Under the Section 106 regulation, if a SHPO/THPO does not respond within a specified time frame FHWA may move forward to the next step of the Section 106 process but Section 4(f) explicitly requires their written concurrence (See 23 CFR 774.5(b)(1)(ii)). It is therefore recommended that transportation officials share this guidance with the SHPOs and THPOs in their States so that these officials fully understand the implication of their concurrence in the Section 106 determinations and the reason for requesting written concurrence.
Question 12C: For historic sites, will a separate public review process be necessary for the determination of a de minimis impact?
Answer: No. The FHWA will consult with the parties participating in the Section 106 process but is not required to provide additional public notice or provide additional opportunity for review and comment. Documentation of consulting party involvement is required (See 23 CFR 774.5(b) and 774.7(b)). In addition, for projects requiring the preparation and distribution of a NEPA document, the information supporting a de minimis impact finding will be included in the NEPA documentation and the public will be afforded an opportunity to review and comment during the formal NEPA process.
Question 12D: Certain Section 106 programmatic agreements (PAs) allow the lead agency to assume the concurrence of the SHPO/THPO in the determination of no adverse effect or no historic properties affected if a response to a request for concurrence is not received within the time period specified in the PA. Does such concurrence through non-response, in accordance with a written and signed Section 106 PA, constitute the written concurrence needed to make a de minimis impact finding?
Answer: In accordance with the provisions of a formal Section 106 programmatic agreement (PA), if the SHPO/THPO does not respond to a request for concurrence in the Section 106 determination within a specified time frame, the non-response together with the written PA, will be considered written concurrence in the Section 106 determination that will be the basis for the de minimis impact finding by FHWA. The FHWA must inform the SHPO/THPO who are parties to such PAs, in writing, that a non-response which is treated as a concurrence in a no adverse effect or no historic properties affected determination will also be treated as the written concurrence for purposes of the FHWA de minimis impact finding (See 23 CFR 774.5(b)(1)(ii)). It is recommended that this understanding of the parties be documented via formal correspondence or other written means and appended to the existing PA. There is no need to amend the PA itself.
Question 13A: Are de minimis impact findings limited to any particular type of project or National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document?
Answer: No, the de minimis impact criteria may be applied to any project, as appropriate, regardless of the type of environmental document required by the NEPA process as described in the FHWA Environmental Impact and Related Procedures (See 23 CFR 771.115).
Question 13B: What effect does the de minimis impact provision have on the application of the existing FHWA nationwide programmatic Section 4(f) evaluations?
Answer: None. Existing FHWA programmatic Section 4(f) evaluations22 remain in effect and may be applied, as appropriate, to the use of Section 4(f) property by a highway project.
Question 13C: Can a de minimis impact finding be made for a project as a whole, when multiple Section 4(f) properties are involved?
Answer: No, when multiple Section 4(f) properties are present in the study area and potentially used by a transportation project, de minimis impact findings must be made for the individual Section 4(f) properties because 23 CFR 774.3 requires an approval to use Section 4(f) property. The impacts to Section 4(f) properties and any impact avoidance, minimization, and mitigation or enhancement measures must be considered on an individual resource basis and de minimis impact findings made individually for each Section 4(f) property. When there are multiple resources for which de minimis impact findings are appropriate, however, the procedural requirements of Section 4(f) can and should be completed in a single process, document and circulation, so long as it is clear that distinct determinations are being made. Also in these cases, the written concurrence of the official(s) with jurisdiction may be provided for the project as a whole, so as long as the de minimis impacts findings have been made on an individual resource basis. For example, a no adverse effect determination made on an undertaking as a whole may be used to support individual de minimis impact findings provided individual historic sites are clearly identified in the Section 106 documentation.
Question 14: Are publicly owned school playgrounds subject to the requirements of Section 4(f)?
Answer: While the primary purpose of public school playgrounds is generally for structured physical education classes and recreation for students, these properties may also serve significant public recreational purposes and therefore may be subject to Section 4(f) requirements. When a public school playground serves only school activities and functions, the playground is not subject to Section 4(f). When a public school playground is open to the public and serves either organized or substantial walk-on recreational purposes that are determined to be significant (See Question 1), it will be subject to the requirements of Section 4(f). The actual function of the playground is the determining factor in these circumstances. Documentation should be obtained from the officials with jurisdiction over the facility stating whether or not the playground is of local significance for recreational purposes.
There may be more than one official with jurisdiction over a school playground. A school official is considered to be the official with jurisdiction of the land during school activities. However, in some cases a school board may have authorized another public agency (e.g., the city park and recreation department) to control the facilities after school hours. In such cases, the public agency with authority to control the playground would be considered an official with jurisdiction with regard to any after-hours use of the playground. The FHWA is responsible for determining which official or officials have jurisdiction over a playground.
The term playground refers to the area of the school property developed and/or used for public park or recreation purposes such as baseball diamonds, soccer fields, tennis courts, track and field facilities, and other features such as jungle gyms or swing sets. This can also include open space or practice fields if those areas serve a park or recreation function. Section 4(f) would apply to the playground areas only and not the entire campus, unless the school and campus are also significant historic sites.
Question 15A: Do the requirements of Section 4(f) apply to shared use paths or similar facilities?
Answer: FHWA must comply with 23 CFR 774.13(f) when determining if a Section 4(f) approval is necessary for the use of a trail, path, bikeway, or sidewalk. If the publicly owned facility is primarily used for transportation and is an integral part of the local transportation system, the requirements of Section 4(f) would not apply since it is not a recreational area. Section 4(f) would apply to a publicly owned, shared use path or similar facility (or portion thereof) designated or functioning primarily for recreation, unless the official(s) with jurisdiction determines that it is not significant for such purpose. During early consultation, it should be determined whether or not a management plan exists that addresses the primary purpose of the facility in question. If the exceptions in 23 CFR 774.13(f) and (g) do not apply, the utilization of the Programmatic Section 4(f) Evaluation for Independent Bikeway or Walkway Construction Projects should be considered if the facility is within a park or recreation area. Whether Section 4(f) applies or not, it is FHWA's policy that every reasonable effort should be made to maintain the continuity of existing and designated shared use paths and similar facilities.23
Question 15B: The National Trails System Act permits the designation of scenic, historic, and recreation trails. Are these trails or other designated scenic or recreation trails on publicly owned land subject to the requirements of Section 4(f)?
Answer: FHWA must comply with 23 CFR 774.13(f) when determining if a Section 4(f) approval is necessary for the use of a trail, path, bikeway, or sidewalk. National Scenic Trails (other than the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail) and National Recreation Trails that are on publicly owned recreation land are subject to Section 4(f), provided the trail physically exists on the ground thereby enabling active recreational use.
The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail and National Historic Trails are treated differently. Public Law 95-625 provides that “except for designated protected components of the trail, no land or site located along a designated National Historic Trail or along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail shall be subject to the provisions of [Section 4(f)] unless such land or site is deemed to be of historical significance under the appropriate historical criteria such as those for the [NR].” FHWA interprets this to mean that while the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail and the National Historic Trails themselves are exempt from Section 4(f), trail segments (including similar components such as trail buffers or other adjacent sites that were acquired to complement the trails) that are on or eligible for the NR are subject to Section 4(f) (See 23 CFR 774.13(f)(2)).
Question 15C: Are shared use paths, bikeways, or designated scenic or recreational trails on highway rights-of-way subject to the requirements of Section 4(f)?
Answer: FHWA must comply with 23 CFR 774.13(f) when determining if a Section 4(f) approval is necessary for the use of a trail, path, bikeway, or sidewalk. If a path or trail is simply described as occupying the right-of-way of the highway and is not limited to any specific location within the right-of-way, a use of land would not occur provided that adjustments or changes in the alignment of the highway or the trail would not substantially impair the continuity of the path or trail. In this regard, it would be helpful if all future designations, including those made under the National Trails System Act, describe the location of the trail only as generally in the right-of-way.
Question 15D: Are trails on privately owned land, including land under public easement and designated as scenic or recreational trails subject to the requirements of Section 4(f)?
Answer: FHWA must comply with 23 CFR 774.13(f) when determining if a Section 4(f) approval is necessary for the use of a trail, path, bikeway, or sidewalk. Section 4(f) generally does not apply to trails on privately owned land. Section 4(f) could apply if an existing public easement permits public access for recreational purposes. In any case, it is FHWA's policy that every reasonable effort should be made to maintain the continuity of existing and designated trails.
Question 15E: Does Section 4(f) apply to trail-related projects funded under the Recreational Trails Program (RTP)?
Answer: No, projects funded under the Recreational Trails Program (RTP)24 are exempt from the requirements of Section 4(f) by statute.25 The exemption is limited to Section 4(f) and does not apply to other environmental requirements, such as NEPA or the NHPA.
Question 16: Does the charging of an entry or user fee affect Section 4(f) eligibility?
Answer: Many eligible Section 4(f) properties require a fee to enter or use the facility such as State Parks, National Parks, publicly owned ski areas, historic sites and public golf courses. The assessment of a user fee is generally related to the operation and maintenance of the facility and does not in and of itself negate the property's status as a Section 4(f) property. Therefore, it does not matter in the determination of Section 4(f) applicability whether or not a fee is charged, as long as the other criteria are satisfied.
Consider a public golf course as an example. Greens-fees are usually if not always required (Question 18A) and these resources are considered Section 4(f) properties when they are open to the public and determined to be significant. The same rationale should be applied to other Section 4(f) properties in which an entrance or user fee is required.
Question 17A: How is Section 4(f) applied to transportation enhancement activity projects?26
Answer: FHWA must comply with 23 CFR 774.13(g) when determining if a Section 4(f) approval is necessary for a use by a transportation enhancement project or a mitigation activity. A transportation enhancement activity (TEA) is one of the specific types of activities set forth by statute at 23 U.S.C. § 101(a)(35). TEAs often involve the enhancement of an activity, feature or attribute on property that qualifies as a Section 4(f) property. In most cases, such work would be covered by the exception in 23 CFR 774.13(g) when the work is solely for the purpose of preserving or enhancing an activity, feature or attribute that qualified the property for Section 4(f) protection. The official(s) with jurisdiction over the Section 4(f) property must concur in writing with this assessment. For a use of Section 4(f) property to occur in conjunction with a TEA, there must be a transportation use of land from an existing Section 4(f) property. In other words, the State DOT or other applicant as defined in 23 CFR 774.17 must acquire land from a Section 4(f) property and convert its function from park, recreation, refuge or historic purposes to a transportation purpose.
Many TEA-funded activities will occur on land that remains owned by a non-transportation entity (such as a local or State parks and recreation agency). An example would be a TEA proposed to construct a new bicycle/pedestrian path within a public park or to reconstruct an already existing bicycle/pedestrian path within a public park. Though related to surface transportation, this type of project is primarily intended to enhance the park. Either scenario would qualify as an exception for Section 4(f) approval assuming the official(s) with jurisdiction agree in writing that the TEA provides for enhancement of the bicycle/pedestrian activities within the park.
A variation of the above example is local public agency that proposes a TEA for construction of a new bicycle/pedestrian facility that requires the acquisition of land from a public park. The purpose of the project is to promote a non-motorized mode of travel for commuters even though some recreational use of the facility is likely to occur. This TEA requires a transfer of land from the parks and recreation agency to the local transportation authority for ultimate operation and maintenance of the newly constructed bicycle/pedestrian facility. Since this TEA would involve the permanent incorporation of Section 4(f) land into a transportation facility, there is a use of Section 4(f) land and the appropriate Section 4(f) evaluation and documentation would be required. In this instance, the Programmatic Section 4(f) Evaluation for Independent Bikeway or Walkway Construction Projects27 would likely apply depending on the particular circumstances of the project.
Other TEAs that involve acquisition of scenic or historic easements, or historic sites, often result in ultimate ownership and management of the facility by a non-transportation entity (such as a tourism bureau or historical society). An example would be the acquisition and/or restoration of a historic railroad station for establishment of a museum operated by a historical society. Even though Federal-aid transportation funds were used to acquire a historic building, a non-transportation entity ultimately will own and manage it. Accordingly, this TEA would qualify as an exception for Section 4(f) approval.
Section 106 still applies for any TEA involving a historic site on or eligible for listing on the NR. Please refer to the Nationwide Programmatic Agreement for Implementation of Transportation Enhancement Activities28 that was issued in 1997 for more details.
For other complex or complicated situations involving TEA projects, it is recommended that the FHWA Division Office contact the Headquarters Office of Project Development and Environmental Review, the Resource Center Environment Technical Services Team, or the Office of the Chief Counsel for assistance.
Question 17B: Is the exception in 23 CFR 774.13(g) limited solely to work that is funded as a TEA pursuant to 23 U.S.C. § 101(a)(35)?
Answer: No. The exception cited in 23 CFR 774.13(g) refers to TEAs – though the term “project” is used instead of “activity” – and to mitigation activities (See Question 29 regarding mitigation activities). The discussion in the corresponding section of the preamble to the regulation involves TEAs within the context of 23 U.S.C. § 101(a)(35), but does not explicitly limit the exception to TEAs funded via the 10% set aside of Surface Transportation Program funds (See 73 Fed. Reg.13368, March 12, 2008). If proposed work very closely resembles a TEA but is not proposed for funding as a TEA, there are several options to consider.
If the proposed work could be characterized as a project mitigation feature, then the exception in 23 CFR 774.13(g) would apply without further consideration contingent upon the official(s) with jurisdiction concurring in writing that the work is solely for the purpose of preserving or enhancing an activity, feature or attribute that qualified the property for Section 4(f) protection.
In addition, the introductory paragraph of this section of the regulation indicates that the “exceptions include, but are not limited to” those listed in the ensuing paragraphs. If proposed work resembles a TEA, avoidance of the property could be characterized as being inconsistent with the preservation purpose of the Section 4(f) statute. Uses of Section 4(f) property under the statute have long been considered to include only adverse uses that harm or diminish the resource that the statute seeks to protect. Further, this exception is limited to situations in which the official(s) with jurisdiction over the Section 4(f) property agrees that the use will either preserve or enhance an activity, feature, or attribute of the property that qualifies it for protection under Section 4(f). Work similar to TEAs may be very carefully evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine if an exception for Section 4(f) approval might be justified consistent with the preservation purpose of the statute and 23 CFR 774.13(g).
If a Section 4(f) use is identified, under any scenario, the potential for complying with Section 4(f) via a de minimis impact finding or utilization of an approved programmatic Section 4(f) evaluation should be considered.
Question 17C: Is it possible for a TEA to create a Section 4(f) property?
Answer: Yes. TEA projects that are funded under TEA categories (A) Provision of facilities for pedestrians and bicycles and (H) Preservation of abandoned railway corridors (including the conversion and use of the corridors for pedestrian or bicycle trails) could create a new Section 4(f) resource. If a future Federal-aid highway project were to use the property, the fact that the resource was created with TEA funding would not preclude the application of Section 4(f).
Question 18A: Are public golf courses subject to Section 4(f), even when fees and reservations are required?
Answer: Section 4(f) applies to golf courses that are owned, operated and managed by a public agency for the primary purpose of public recreation and determined to be significant. Section 4(f) does not apply to privately owned and operated golf courses even when they are open to the general public. Golf courses that are owned by a public agency but managed and operated by a private entity may still be subject to Section 4(f) requirements depending on the structure of the agreement.
The fact that greens-fees (Question 16) or reservations (tee times) are required by the facility does not alter the Section 4(f) applicability, as long as the standards of public ownership, public access and significance are met.
Some golf courses are also historic sites. If a golf course is on or eligible for listing in the NR, then the Section 4(f) requirement for public ownership and public access will not apply.
Question 18B: Are military golf courses subject to the requirements of Section 4(f)?
Answer: Military golf courses are publicly owned (by the Federal Government) but are not typically open to the public at large. Because the recreational use of these facilities is limited to active duty and retired military personnel, family, and guests they are not considered to be public recreational areas and are not subject to the requirements of Section 4(f) (See Question 1D), unless they are significant historic sites (Question 2A).
Question 19: Does Section 4(f) apply to museums, aquariums and zoos?
Answer: Publicly owned museums, aquariums, and zoos are not normally considered parks, recreational areas, or wildlife and waterfowl refuges and are therefore not subject to Section 4(f), unless they are significant historic sites (Question 2A).
Publicly owned facilities such as museums, aquariums or zoos may provide additional park or recreational opportunities and will need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine if the primary purpose of the resource is to serve as a significant park or recreation area. To the extent that zoos are considered to be significant park or recreational areas, or are significant historic sites they will be treated as Section 4(f) properties.
Question 20: Are publicly owned fairgrounds subject to the requirements of Section 4(f)?
Answer: Section 4(f) is not applicable to publicly owned fairgrounds that function primarily for commercial purposes (e.g. stock car races, horse racing, county or state fairs), rather than as park or recreation areas. When fairgrounds are open to the public and function primarily for public recreation other than an annual fair, Section 4(f) applies only to those portions of land determined significant for park or recreational purposes (See Question 1A), unless they are significant historic sites (Question 2A).
Question 21A: How does the Section 4(f) apply to publicly owned lakes and rivers?
Answer: Lakes are sometimes subject to multiple, even conflicting, activities and do not readily fit into one category or another. Section 4(f) would only apply to those portions of publicly owned lakes and/or adjacent publicly owned lands that function primarily for park, recreation, or refuge purposes. Section 4(f) does not apply to areas which function primarily for other purposes or where recreational activities occur on incidental, secondary, occasional or dispersed basis.
In general, rivers are not subject to the requirements of Section 4(f). Those portions of publicly owned rivers, which are designated as recreational trails are subject to the requirements of Section 4(f). Of course, Section 4(f) would also apply to lakes and rivers, or portions thereof, which are contained within the boundaries of a park, recreation area, refuge, or historic site to which Section 4(f) otherwise applies.
Question 21B: Are Wild and Scenic Rivers (WSR) subject to Section 4(f)?
Answer: FHWA must comply with 23 CFR 774.11(g) when determining if there is a use of a WSR. The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (WSRA) (16 U.S.C. § 1271 et seq. and 36 CFR 297.3) identifies those rivers in the United States which are designated as part of the WSR System. A WSR is defined as a river and the adjacent area within the boundaries of a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (National System). WSRs may be designated by Congress or, if certain requirements are met, the Secretary of the Interior. Each river is administered by either a Federal or state agency. Four Federal agencies have primary responsibility for the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, specifically the Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
Within this system there are wild, scenic and recreational designations. A single river can be classified as having separate or combined wild, scenic and recreation areas along the entire river. The designation of a river under the WSRA does not in itself invoke Section 4(f) in the absence of significant Section 4(f) attributes and qualities. In determining whether Section 4(f) is applicable to these rivers, FHWA should consult with the official with jurisdiction (Question 21D) to determine how the river is designated, how the river is being used and examine the management plan over that portion of the river. If the river is publicly owned and designated a recreational river under the WSRA or is a recreation resource under a management plan, then it would be a Section 4(f) property. Conversely, if a river is included in the System and designated as wild but is not being used as or designated under a management plan as a park, recreation area, wildlife and waterfowl refuge and is not a historic site, then Section 4(f) would not apply.
Significant publicly owned public parks, recreation areas, or wildlife and waterfowl refuges and historic sites (on or eligible of the NR) in a WSR corridor are subject to Section 4(f). Other lands in WSR corridors managed for multiple purposes may or may not be subject to Section 4(f) requirements, depending on the manner in which they are administered by the managing agency. Close examination of the management plan (as required by the WSRA) prior to any use of these lands for transportation purposes is necessary. Section 4(f) would apply to those portions of the land designated in a management plan for recreation or other Section 4(f) purposes as discussed above. Where the management plan does not identify specific functions, or where there is no plan, FHWA should consult further with the official with jurisdiction (Question 21D) prior to making the Section 4(f) determination. Privately owned lands in a WSR corridor are not subject to Section 4(f), except for significant historic and archeological sites when important for preservation in place (Question 3).
Question 21C: Does Section 4(f) apply to potential WSR corridors and adjoining lands under study (pursuant to Section 5(a) of the WSRA)?
Answer: No, Section 4(f) does not apply to potential WSRs and adjoining lands. In these cases, Section 4(f) would apply only to existing significant publicly owned public parks, recreation areas, refuges, or significant historic sites in the potential river corridor. It must be noted, however, that such rivers are protected under Section 12(a) of the WSRA,29 which directs all Federal departments and agencies to protect river values and further recognizes that particular attention should be given to timber harvesting, road construction, and similar activities, which might be contrary to the purposes of this Act.
Question 21D: Who are the Officials with Jurisdiction for WSRs?
Answer: The definition of officials with jurisdiction is located in 23 CFR 774.17. For those portions of a WSR to which Section 4(f) applies, the official(s) with jurisdiction are the official(s) of the Federal agency or agencies that own or administer the affected portion of the river corridor in question. For State administered, federally designated rivers30 the officials with jurisdiction include both the State agency designated by the respective Governor and the Secretary of the Interior.
Question 22: How does Section 4(f) apply to scenic byways?
Answer: The designation of a road as a scenic byway is not intended to create a park or recreation area within the meaning of Section 4(f). The reconstruction, rehabilitation, or relocation of a publicly-owned scenic byway would not trigger Section 4(f) unless they are significant historic sites (Question 8).
Question 23A: Does Section 4(f) apply to cemeteries?
Answer: Cemeteries would only be considered Section 4(f) properties if they are determined to be on or eligible for the NR as historic sites deriving significance from association with historic events, from age, from the presence of graves of persons of transcendent importance, or from distinctive design features.31
Question 23B: Does Section 4(f) apply to other lands that contain human remains?
Answer: Informal graveyards, family burial plots, or Native American burial sites and those sites that contain Native American grave goods associated with burials, are not in and of themselves considered to be Section 4(f) property except when they are individually listed in or eligible for the NR. These sites should not automatically be considered only as archeological resources as many will have value beyond what can be learned by data recovery. If these sites are considered archeological resources on or eligible for the NR and also warrant preservation in place, Section 4(f) applies (See Question 3A).
When conducting the Section 4(f) determination for lands that may be Native American burial sites or sites with significance to a federally recognized tribe, consultation with appropriate representatives from the federally recognized tribes with interest in the site is essential. Sites containing human remains may also have cultural and religious significance to a tribe (See Question 6 for a discussion of Traditional Cultural Places).
Question 24: When a public park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge is established and an area within the Section 4(f) property is reserved for transportation use prior to or at the same time the Section 4(f) property was established, do the requirements of Section 4(f) apply?
Answer: The FHWA must comply with 23 CFR 774.11(i) when determining if Section 4(f) applies to a property that was jointly planned for development with a future transportation corridor. Generally, the requirements of Section 4(f) do not apply to the subsequent use of the reserved area for its intended transportation purpose. This is because the land used for the transportation project was reserved from and, therefore, has never been part of the protected Section 4(f) property. Nor is a constructive use of the Section 4(f) property possible, since it was jointly planned with the transportation project. The specific governmental action that must be taken to reserve a transportation corridor with the Section 4(f) property is a question of State and local law, but may include ordinances, adopted land use plans, deed restrictions, or other actions. Evidence that the reservation was contemporaneous with or prior to the establishment of the Section 4(f) property should be documented in the project file. Subsequent statements of intent to construct a transportation project within the resource should not be considered sufficient documentation. All measures which have been taken to jointly develop the transportation corridor and the park should be completely documented in the project files. To provide flexibility for the future transportation project, State and local transportation agencies are advised to reserve wide corridors. Reserving a wide corridor will allow the future transportation project to be designed to minimize impacts on the environmental resources in the corridor. The FHWA encourages the joint planning for the transportation project and the Section 4(f) property to specify that any land not needed for the transportation project right-of-way be transferred to the adjacent Section 4(f) property once the transportation project is completed.
Question 25: Do the requirements of Section 4(f) apply to publicly owned properties planned for park, recreation area, or wildlife refuge and waterfowl refuge purposes, even though they are not presently functioning as such?
Answer: Section 4(f) applies when the land is one of the enumerated types of publicly owned lands and the public agency that owns the property has formally designated and determined it to be significant for park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge purposes. Evidence of formal designation would be the inclusion of the publicly owned land, and its function as a Section 4(f) property into a city or county Master Plan. A mere expression of interest or desire is not sufficient. For example, when privately held properties of these types are formally designated into a Master Plan for future park development, Section 4(f) is not applicable. The key is whether the planned facility is presently publicly owned, presently formally-designated for Section 4(f) purposes, and presently significant. When this is the case, Section 4(f) would apply.
Question 26A: Are properties in the transportation right-of-way designated (as park and recreation lands, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, or historic sites) late in the development of a proposed project subject to the requirements of Section 4(f)?
Answer: FHWA must comply with 23 CFR 774.13(c) when determining if a Section 4(f) approval is necessary to use a late-designated property. Except for archaeological resources, including those discovered during construction (Question 3B), a project may proceed without consideration under Section 4(f) if that land was purchased for transportation purposes prior to the designation or prior to a change in the determination of significance and if an adequate effort was made to identify properties protected by Section 4(f) prior to the acquisition. The adequacy of effort made to identify properties protected by Section 4(f) should consider the requirements and standards that existed at the time of the search.
Question 26B: How do you address a Section 4(f) use identified late in the process?
Answer: When there will be a use of a Section 4(f) property that has changed or was not identified prior to processing a CE, FONSI, or ROD, a separate Section 4(f) approval will be required (23 CFR 774.9(c)) if a proposed modification of the alignment or design would require use of a Section 4(f) property; FHWA determines that Section 4(f) applies to the use of a property; or if a proposed modification of the alignment, design, or measures to minimize harm would result in a substantial increase in the amount of Section 4(f) property used, a substantial increase in the adverse impacts to Section 4(f) property, or a substantial reduction in the measures to minimize harm. Where a separate Section 4(f) approval is required, any activity not directly affected by the separate Section 4(f) approval can proceed during the analysis. A late discovery situation could also result when a property is overlooked despite a good faith effort to carry out adequate identification efforts and FHWA decides Section 4(f) now applies to a property. In cases where Section 4(f) may apply to archeological sites discovered during construction, the Section 4(f) process will be expedited and any required evaluation of feasible and prudent avoidance alternatives will take account of the level of investment already made (See Question 3B).
27. Temporary Recreational Occupancy or Use of Highway Rights-of-way
Question 27: Does Section 4(f) apply to temporary recreational uses of land owned by a State DOT or other applicant and designated for transportation purposes?
Answer: FHWA must comply with 23 CFR 774.11(h) when determining the applicability of Section 4(f) to non-park properties that are temporarily functioning for recreation purposes. In situations where land owned by a SDOT or other applicant and designated for future transportation purposes (including highway rights-of-way) is temporarily occupied or being used for either authorized or unauthorized recreational purposes such as camping or hiking, Section 4(f) does not apply (See 23 CFR 774.11(h)). For authorized temporary occupancy of transportation rights-of-way for park or recreation purposes, it is advisable to make clear in a limited occupancy permit, with a reversionary clause that no long-term right is created and the park or recreational activity is a temporary one that will cease once completion of the highway or transportation project resumes.
Question 28A: Is tunneling under a publicly owned public park, recreation area, wildlife or waterfowl refuge, or historic site subject to the requirements of Section 4(f)?
Answer: Section 4(f) applies to tunneling only if the tunneling:
Disturbs archaeological sites that are on or eligible for the NR which warrant preservation in place;
Causes disruption which would permanently harm the purposes for which the park, recreation, wildlife or waterfowl refuge was established;
Substantially impairs the historic values of a historic site; or
Otherwise does not meet the exception for temporary occupancy (See Question 7A).
Question 28B: Do the requirements of Section 4(f) apply to bridging over a publicly owned public park, recreation area, wildlife or waterfowl refuge, or historic site?
Answer: Section 4(f) applies to bridging a Section 4(f) property if piers or other appurtenances are physically located in the Section 4(f) property, requiring an acquisition of land from the property (actual use). Where the bridge will span the Section 4(f) property entirely, the proximity impacts of the bridge on the Section 4(f) property should be evaluated to determine if the placement of the bridge will result in a constructive use (See 23 CFR 774.15 and Question 7A). An example of a potential constructive use would be substantial impairment to the utility of a trail resulting from severely restricted vertical clearance. If temporary occupancy of a Section 4(f) property is necessary during construction, the criteria discussed in Question 7A will apply to determine use.
Question 29: Does the expenditure of Title 23 funds for mitigation or other non-transportation activity on a Section 4(f) property result in a use of that property?
Answer: FHWA must comply with 23 CFR 774.13(g) when determining if a Section 4(f) approval is necessary for a proposed mitigation activity. A Section 4(f) use occurs only when Section 4(f) land is permanently incorporated into a transportation facility, there is a temporary occupancy that is adverse, or there is a constructive use. If mitigation activities proposed within a Section 4(f) property are solely for the preservation or enhancement of the resource and the official(s) with jurisdiction agrees in writing with this assessment, a Section 4(f) use does not occur.
An example involves the enhancement, rehabilitation or creation of wetland within a park or other Section 4(f) property as mitigation for a transportation project's wetland impacts. Where this work is consistent with the function of the existing park and considered an enhancement of the Section 4(f) property by the official with jurisdiction, then Section 4(f) would not apply. In this case the Section 4(f) land is not permanently incorporated into the transportation facility, even though it is a part of the project as mitigation.
Question 30: How does Section 4(f) apply in emergency situations?
Answer: In emergency situations, the first concern is responding to immediate threats to human health or safety, or immediate threats to valuable natural resources. Compliance with environmental laws, such as Section 4(f), is considered later. The FHWA may participate in the costs of repair or reconstruction of Federal-aid highways and roads on Federal lands which have suffered serious damage as a result of (1) natural disasters or (2) catastrophic failures from an external cause. The Emergency Relief (ER) Program, (23 U.S.C. § 125), supplements the commitment of resources by States, their political subdivisions, or other Federal agencies to help pay for unusually heavy expenses resulting from extraordinary conditions. As FHWA retains discretionary control over whether to fund projects under this program, Section 4(f) applies to all ER funding decisions. The general sequence of events following the emergency is:
Restore essential service. State and local highway agencies are empowered to respond immediately, which includes beginning emergency repairs to restore essential traffic service and to prevent further damage to Federal-aid highway facilities. Section 4(f) compliance is not required at this stage.
Governor's proclamation
Preliminary notification
Damage assessments
Formal state request
Division Administrator's finding
Implementation of projects (this is where Section 4(f) compliance occurs)
Under the ER Program, repairs are categorized either as “emergency” or “permanent.” Emergency repairs are made during and immediately following a disaster to restore essential traffic, to minimize the extent of damage, or to protect the remaining facilities. Permanent repairs to restore the highway to its pre-disaster condition normally occur after the emergency repairs have been completed.
Section 4(f) compliance occurs during the “implementation of projects” stage for both emergency repairs and permanent repairs. For emergency repairs, Section 4(f) compliance is undertaken after the emergency repairs have been completed. For permanent repairs, Section 4(f) compliance is undertaken as part of the normal NEPA project development process, just as it would be for any other type of Federal-aid or Federal lands project (i.e. it must be completed prior to the authorization of right-of-way and construction).
Question 31: How are Section 6(f) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act and other non-U.S. DOT Federal grant-in-aid program requirements administered for purposes similar to Section 4(f)'s preservationist purpose treated in the Section 4(f) process?
Answer: For projects that propose the use of land from a Section 4(f) property purchased or improved with Federal grant-in-aid funds under the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act, the Federal Aid in Fish Restoration Act (Dingell-Johnson Act), the Federal Aid in Wildlife Act (Pittman-Robertson Act), or other similar law, or the lands are otherwise encumbered with a Federal interest, coordination with the appropriate Federal agency is required to ascertain the agency's position on the land conversion or transfer. Other Federal requirements that may apply to the property should be determined through consultation with the officials with jurisdiction and/or appropriate U.S. DOI, Housing and Urban Development, Federal Emergency Management Agency, or other Federal officials (See 23 CFR 774.5(d)). These Federal agencies may have regulatory authority or other requirements for converting land to a different use. These requirements are independent of the Section 4(f) requirements and must be satisfied during the project development process.
Section 4(f) Process
ACHP
Categorical Exclusion
Environmental Impact Statement
Finding of No Significant Impact
NHPA
National Historic Preservation Act
Recreational Trails Program
Record of Decision
Traditional Cultural Place
Transportation Enhancement Activity
THPO
Tribal Historic Preservation Officer
U.S.C.
WSR
Wild and Scenic River
This may be a Federal Lands Highway Division Office if the project is located on Federal lands.
http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/
Tribal lands means all lands within the exterior boundaries of any Indian reservation and all dependent Indian communities (16 U.S.C. § 470w).
Examples include the obligation of construction funds and the approval of access modifications on the Interstate System.
Most projects funded by FHWA are transportation projects; however, in a few instances certain projects eligible for funding, such as the installation of safety enhancement barriers on a bridge, have been determined not to have a transportation purpose and therefore do not require a Section 4(f) approval.
Since the primary purpose of a refuge may make it necessary for the resource manager to limit public access for the protection of wildlife or waterfowl, FHWA's policy is that these facilities are not required to always be open to the public. Some areas of a refuge may be closed to public access at all times or during parts of the year to accommodate preservation objectives.
Regulations implementing Section 106 of the NHPA.
http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/legislation/section4f/4fnationwideevals.aspx
In the Section 4(f) statute, the term alternative is used in the context of an option which avoids using land from a Section 4(f) property and is not limited to the context of the end-to-end alternative as defined by the project applicant. This section of the Section 4(f) Policy Paper uses the phrase “avoidance alternatives and/or design options” in order to clarify that, depending upon the project context, the potential alternatives that should be evaluated to avoid Section 4(f) property may be end-to-end alternatives or may be a change to only a portion of the end-to-end project.
These and other resources are available at the FHWA Environmental Toolkit http://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/.
The National Wildlife Refuge System is currently comprised of the various categories of areas that are administered by the Secretary for the conservation of fish and wildlife, including species that are threatened with extinction, all lands, waters, and interests therein administered by the Secretary as wildlife refuges, areas for the protection and conservation of fish and wildlife that are threatened with extinction, wildlife ranges, game ranges, wildlife management areas, or waterfowl production areas (16 U.S.C. § 668dd(a)(1)).
The DOI's regulations state: “All national wildlife refuges are maintained for the primary purpose of developing a national program of wildlife and ecological conservation and rehabilitation. These refuges are established for the restoration, preservation, development and management of wildlife and wildlands habitat; for the protection and preservation of endangered or threatened species and their habitat; and for the management of wildlife and wildlands to obtain the maximum benefits from these resources” (50 CFR 25.11(b)).
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/Boundaries-Completed.pdf
For more information on the subject of TCPs see National Register Bulletin #38, Guidelines for Evaluating and Documenting Traditional Cultural Properties
http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/Legislation/section4f.aspx
The Section 4(f) programmatic evaluations are available at http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/Legislation/section4f.aspx
The Section 4(f) programmatic evaluations are available at http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/
36 CFR Part 800 (http://www.achp.gov/work106.html)
http://www.doi.gov/pmb/oepc/nrm/upload/Environmental_Review_Process.pdf
https://www.fws.gov/r9esnepa/NEPA_Handbook/Section_4f_Evaluations.pdf
Although the Section 4(f) statute and regulations also provide for a de minimis impact determination in the situation where there is a use of a historic site resulting in a Section 106 determination of no historic properties affected, FHWA has not yet encountered any such situation in practice. If such situation arises, a de minimis impact determination would be appropriate.
Title 23, Section 109(m) states: “The Secretary shall not approve any project or take any regulatory action under this title that will result in the severance of an existing major route or have significant adverse impact on the safety for non-motorized transportation traffic and light motorcycles, unless such project or regulatory action provides for a reasonable alternate route or such a route exists.”
More information on the Recreational Trails Program is available at www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/.
23 U.S.C. § 206(h)(2) Recreational purpose.—A project funded under this section is intended to enhance recreational opportunity and is not subject to section 138 of this title or section 303 of title 49.
For more information see the FHWA Final Guidance on Transportation Enhancement Activities; December 17, 1999, and the TE Program Related Questions & Answers; August 2002, found at the Transportation Enhancement Website (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/transportation_enhancements/index.cfm).
http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/legislation/section4f/4fbikeways.aspx
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/transportation_enhancements/guidance/gmemo_program.cfm
“The Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the head of any other Federal department or agency having jurisdiction over any lands which include, border upon, or are adjacent to, any river included within the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System or under consideration for such inclusion, in accordance with section 2(a)(ii), 3(a), or 5(a), shall take such action respecting management policies, regulations, contracts, plans, affecting such lands, following the date of enactment of this sentence, as may be necessary to protect such rivers in accordance with the purposes of this Act.”
Section 2(a)(ii) of the WSRA, 16 U.S.C. § 1273(a)(ii))
For more information on the subject of historic cemeteries see National Register Bulletin #41, Guidelines for Evaluating and Registering Cemeteries and Burial Places; 1992 https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/NRB41-Complete.pdf
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This Online School For Developers Pays Teachers Millions Of Dollars
Meet John Sonmez. So far he’s made $1.1 million in royalties by teaching for Pluralsight, an online training startup worth $1 billion.
By Ainsley Harris 4 minute Read
The first time software developer John Sonmez created an online training course, he recorded over a dozen single-cut takes of his 15-minute introductory lesson. “I didn’t realize that you could go back and take out the um’s,” he says.
John Sonmez
He’s come a long way since then. His courses on topics like Java and Android are among the most popular on Pluralsight, an online training platform for technology professionals that pays instructors royalties based on course views and top-line revenue. As a result, what started as a side project for Sonmez has become a six-digit income stream.
So far, Pluralsight has paid Sonmez $1,135,621 in royalties, including $455,315 last year. The company’s top-earning instructor, Scott Allen, who declined to be interviewed for this article, made $1.5 million last year.
“When I first did my Android course, I didn’t know I would do more than one,” Sonmez says. Then his first royalty payment arrived, a check for around $5,000–modest but encouraging. With his wife’s support, he threw himself into making more courses.
We all understood what the motivations are for an instructor in the professional training world, the kind of lifestyle they’re looking for, and their pain points.
For over a year, Sonmez would wake up and do his day job, break to play with his daughter around 5 p.m., and then work on Pluralsight courses from 8 p.m. until after midnight. As his monthly royalty checks increased, he realized he could focus exclusively on teaching. “I remember thinking, ‘I’ve got to quit my regular job, because this doesn’t make sense.’ I talked to my boss: ‘I love working here, but I’ve got to quit.’ I realized this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Over the next year he recorded an additional 33 courses, bringing his total to 55. “It totally changed my life,” he says. “Now I have the opportunity to pursue things that I want to do, and to help other developers without having to wonder about the next paycheck.”
CEO Aaron Skonnard
Pluralsight was founded in 2004 as an offline training company for technology skills, and pivoted to an online delivery model in 2007. Since then, the company has raised $162.5 million, including a $135 million Series B last August that vaulted it into the echelon of unicorns like competitor Lynda.com, which LinkedIn recently bought for $1.5 billion.
CEO Aaron Skonnard, along with his two cofounders, designed the company’s royalty model based on their personal experience as instructors. “We all understood what the motivations are for an instructor in the professional training world, the kind of lifestyle they’re looking for, and their pain points,” he says. “We wanted to make sure that the financial model for the teachers would address those concerns and really work for them just as well as the solution works for the customers.”
In the company’s early days, Skonnard built credibility by recruiting instructors who are established names in their areas of expertise–regulars on the conference circuit, with popular blogs. They aren’t eligible for the kind of stock options available to Pluralsight’s full-time employees, but they end up sharing the same incentive to spur company growth. “The more content our authors produce that’s valuable to our customers, the more our customers buy and renew over time. The more [our customers] stay on, the more our authors make,” Skonnard says. “It becomes a sustainable engine.”
It’s also an engine that could become difficult to manage, as Pluralsight builds out its course library and develops learning pathways. An in-house team of curriculum strategists works to ensure that courses don’t overlap–a portfolio model that benefits students, but nudges instructors toward niche subjects or new programming languages. Introductory Java, for example, has already been accounted for–by Sonmez, who claimed the topic in the company’s early days. On Lynda.com, by comparison, Java newbies face duplicative courses with titles like “Up And Running With Java,” “Code Clinic: Java,” and “Java Essential Training.”
Given that inventory dynamic, not everyone teaching for Pluralsight has become a millionaire. In 2014 the company paid out $10 million in royalties, divided between 700 instructors, which puts the average check at around $14,000. For instructors who have had courses live on the platform for at least a full year, that average climbs to $43,000, the company says–in addition to the up-front fixed fees that instructors earn for creating courses (“typically four- or five-digit sums”). Plus, as Pluralsight’s revenues grow, instructors with perpetually popular courses stand to earn more every year.
Because of variations in business model and course content, it’s difficult to compare instructors’ earning potential across online platforms. But evidence suggests that Pluralsight teachers benefit from the site’s intensive focus on enterprise customers and skills of value to the technology industry. Open platforms that allow anyone to teach just about anything are less lucrative, with the average instructor earning $7,000 on Udemy and $3,500 on Skillshare.
Sonmez, for his part, has no regrets about working with Pluralsight. These days he’s focused on helping fellow developers improve their soft skills through a book and his blog. His dream would be to develop a game: “Someday I will,” he says.
In the meantime, the checks keep coming.
Senior Writer Ainsley Harris joined Fast Company in 2014. Follow her on Twitter at @ainsleyoc.
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Exports 57
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements 54
Administrative practice and procedure 43
Terrorism 23
Confidential business information 12
Business and industry 11
Foreign trade 8
Strategic and critical materials 8
Inventions and patents 6
Advisory committees 5
Government contracts 5
Imports 3
National defense 3
Arms and munitions 2
Forests and forest products 2
Science and technology 2
Agricultural commodities 1
Boycotts 1
Business & Industry 109
Health & Public Welfare 1
Science & Technology 1
Industry and Security Bureau
Commerce Control List: Proposed Controls on “Software” for the Operation of Certain Automated Nucleic Acid Assemblers and Synthesizers; Request for Comments
by the Industry and Security Bureau on 11/06/2020.
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Department of Commerce, maintains controls on the export, reexport and transfer (in- country) of dual-use items and less sensitive military items through the Export Administration Regulations, including the Commerce Control List (CCL). Certain items that could be of potential concern for export control...
Identification and Review of Controls for Certain Foundational Technologies; Correction
On August 27, 2020, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published the advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM), Identification and Review of Controls for Certain Foundational Technologies. This document makes a correction to the August 27 ANPRM to clarify that it is permissible to submit confidential business information in response...
Identification and Review of Controls for Certain Foundational Technologies
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) controls the export, reexport, and transfer (in-country) of dual-use and certain military items through the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), including the Commerce Control List (CCL). Many items (commodities, software, and technology) subject to the jurisdiction of the EAR are listed on the CCL....
Modification of License Exception Additional Permissive Reexports (APR)
In this rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) proposes to amend the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by modifying License Exception Additional Permissive Reexports (APR). Specifically, BIS is proposing to remove provisions which authorize reexports of certain national security-controlled items on the Commerce Control List (CCL)...
Request for Comments on Future Extensions of Temporary General License (TGL)
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued a notification of inquiry requesting comments on future extensions of a temporary general license under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), published in the Federal Register on March 12, 2020 with the comment period starting on the date of display on the public inspection list on March...
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is requesting comments on future extensions of a temporary general license under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). BIS is requesting these comments to assist the U.S. Government in evaluating whether the temporary general license should continue to be extended, to evaluate whether any other...
Request for Public Comments Regarding Review of Commerce Control List for Items Transferred From United States Munitions List Categories IV and XV
As part of its work with the National Space Council, the Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of Commerce requests public comment to inform its review of the controls implemented in recent revisions to Categories IV and XV of the United States Munitions List (USML) and the related transfer of items to the Department of Commerce's Commerce...
Review of Controls for Certain Emerging Technologies
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is extending the comment period for its November 19, 2018, advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM), ``Review of Controls for Certain Emerging Technologies'' until January 10, 2019. In response to requests received from members of the public, BIS believes it is appropriate to extend the comment...
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) controls the export of dual-use and less sensitive military items through the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), including the Commerce Control List (CCL). As controls on exports of technology are a key component of the effort to protect sensitive U.S. technology, many sensitive technologies are...
Request for Public Comments Regarding Foreign Disposition of Certain Commodities
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is seeking public comments on the effects and costs that would result if BIS were to amend its regulations to reflect new export authorization requirements regarding electronic waste, including new recordkeeping requirements, reporting requirements, and data elements in the Automated Export System,...
Commerce Control List: Request for Comments Regarding Controls on Certain Spraying or Fogging Systems and “Parts” and “Components” Therefor
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Department of Commerce, maintains the Export Administration Regulations, including the Commerce Control List (CCL). Certain items identified on the CCL are controlled for chemical/biological (CB) reasons, because they are identified on one of the common control lists maintained by the Australia Group...
Control of Firearms, Guns, Ammunition and Related Articles the President Determines No Longer Warrant Control Under the United States Munitions List (USML)
This proposed rule describes how articles the President determines no longer warrant control under United States Munitions List (USML) Category I--Firearms, Close Assault Weapons and Combat Shotguns; Category II--Guns and Armament; and Category III--Ammunition/Ordnance would be controlled under the Commerce Control List (CCL). This proposed rule...
Request for Public Comments Regarding Controls on Energetic Materials, Armored and Protective “Equipment” and Military Electronics
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Department of Commerce, is seeking public comments to perform a complementary review of items on the Commerce Control List concurrent with the Department of State's review of the controls implemented in its recent revisions of parts of the United States Munitions List (which control explosives and...
Temporary Exports to Mexico Under License Exception TMP
This proposed rule would align the time limit of License Exception Temporary Imports, Exports, Reexports, and Transfers (in- country) (TMP), which authorizes, among other things, certain temporary exports to Mexico, with the time limit of Mexico's Decree for the Promotion of Manufacturing, Maquiladora and Export Services (IMMEX) program....
Amendment to the Export Administration Regulations: Removal of Special Iraq Reconstruction License
In this rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) proposes to amend the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to remove the Special Iraq Reconstruction License (SIRL) from the EAR. The action, if published in final form, would further the objectives of the Retrospective Regulatory Review Initiative that directs BIS and other federal...
Revisions to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR): Control of Fire Control, Laser, Imaging, and Guidance and Control Equipment the President Determines No Longer Warrant Control Under the United States Munitions List (USML)
This proposed rule describes how articles the President determines no longer warrant control under Category XII (Fire Control, Laser, Imaging, and Guidance and Control Equipment) of the United States Munitions List (USML) of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) would be controlled under the Commerce Control List (CCL) of the...
Clarifications and Revisions to Military Aircraft, Gas Turbine Engines and Related Items License Requirements
This proposed rule would modify the Commerce Control List (CCL) entries for two types of items: Military aircraft and related items, and military gas turbine engines and related items. The rule would add clarifying text to the descriptions of the types of military aircraft controlled on the CCL. The lists of items that are subject only to the...
Guidance on Charging and Penalty Determinations in Settlement of Administrative Enforcement Cases, Revision of Supplement No. 1 to Part 766 of the Export Administration Regulations
This proposed rule would revise Bureau of Industry and Security's (BIS) guidance regarding administrative enforcement cases based on violations of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The rule would rewrite Supplement No. 1 to part 766 of the EAR, setting forth the factors BIS considers when setting penalties in settlements of...
Export Control Reform: Conforming Change to Defense Sales Offset Reporting Requirements
This proposed rule would require reporting of offsets agreements in connection with sales of items controlled in ``600 series'' Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) on the Commerce Control List (CCL) except for certain submersible and semi-submersible cargo transport vessels and related items that are not on control lists of any of the...
Commerce Control List: Request for Comments Regarding Controls on Military Vehicles, Vessels of War, Submersible Vessels, Oceanographic Equipment, and Auxiliary and Miscellaneous Military Equipment
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Department of Commerce, maintains the Export Administration Regulations, including the Commerce Control List (CCL). The Export Control Reform Initiative, a fundamental reform of the U.S. export control system, has resulted in transfer to the CCL of items that the President has determined do not warrant...
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Drug traffic control
Schedules of Controlled Substances: Addition of Gamma-Hydroxybutyric Acid to Schedule I
by the Drug Enforcement Administration on 03/13/2000.
This is a final rule issued by the Deputy Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) placing gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) pursuant to Public Law 106-172. Public Law 106-172 also imposes Schedule III physical security...
Placement of Gamma-Butyrolactone in List I of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802(34))
Public Law 106-172, signed into law on February 18, 2000, and known as the ``Hillory J. Farias and Samantha Reid Date-Rape Drug Prohibition Act of 1999,'' amends section 102(34) of the Controlled Substances Act as amended (CSA) by designating gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), the precursor to gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), as a List I chemical....
Establishment of Freight Forwarding Facilities for DEA Distributing Registrants
This rule defines the term freight forwarding facility and establishes storage, security, and recordkeeping requirements for controlled substances that transit such facilities. It also provides a waiver to a freight forwarding facility from the requirement for registration with the Drug Enforcement Administration. This rule will afford a...
Facsimile Transmission of Prescriptions for Patients Enrolled in Hospice Programs
DEA is amending Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1306.11(g) to clearly include articulate that prescriptions for Schedule II narcotic substances for patients enrolled in hospice care certified by Medicare under Title XVIII or licensed by the state may be transmitted by facsimile. The regulation as it is currently worded grants this...
Schedule II Control of Dihydroetorphine Under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA)
This is a final rule issued by the DEA that dihydroetorphine (7,8-dihydro-7<greek-a>-[1-(R)-hydroxy-1-methylbutyl]-6,14-endo- ethanotetrahydrooripavine) is a Schedule II controlled substance. Although dihydroetorphine is not specifically listed in Schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), it is a derivative of thebaine and as such is...
Schedule of Controlled Substances: Placement of Dichloralphenazone Into Schedule IV
With the issuance of this final rule, the Acting Administrator of the DEA specifically lists the substance dichloralphenazone, including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers in Schedule IV of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA, 21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.). As a result of this rule, the regulatory controls and criminal sanctions of Schedule IV...
Waiver of Advance Notification Requirement To Import Acetone, 2-Butanone (MEK), and Toluene
This rule finalizes, without change, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) published in the Federal Register on October 25, 2000, (65 FR 63822; as corrected at 65 FR 67796, November 13, 2000) to amend DEA regulations to waive the advance notification requirement to import the solvents acetone, 2-Butanone (MEK), and toluene, which are...
Exemption From Control of Certain Industrial Products and Materials Derived From the Cannabis Plant
In a separate document published today in the Federal Register, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued an interpretive rule stating that under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and DEA regulations, any product that contains any amount of tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) is a schedule I controlled substance, even if such product is made...
Control of Red Phosphorus, White Phosphorus and Hypophosphorous Acid (and its salts) as List I Chemicals
This rulemaking finalizes a September 25, 2000 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (65 FR 57577) in which DEA proposed the addition of red phosphorus, white phosphorus (also known as yellow phosphorus) and hypophosphorous acid (and its salts) as List I chemicals. This action is being taken because of the use and importance of these chemicals in the...
Implementation of the Comprehensive Methamphetamine Control Act of 1996; Regulation of Pseudoephedrine, Phenylpropanolamine, and Combination Ephedrine Drug Products and Reports of Certain Transactions to Nonregulated Persons
DEA is amending its regulations to implement the requirements of the Comprehensive Methamphetamine Control Act of 1996 (MCA) with respect to the regulation of pseudoephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, and combination ephedrine drug products as List I chemicals, and the reporting of certain transactions involving pseudoephedrine, phenylpropanolamine,...
Change of Address for Filing Chemical Import/Export Declarations (DEA Form 486), Reports for the Importation or Exportation of Tableting and Encapsulating Machines, and Other Related Reports
DEA is amending the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to change the address for filing certain required reports. These reports include: Import/Export Declarations, including international transactions, for listed chemicals (DEA Form 486); Reports for the importation or exportation of tableting and encapsulating machines (not a DEA Form-486);...
Schedules of Controlled Substances: Temporary Placement of Benzylpiperazine and Trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine Into Schedule I
The Deputy Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is issuing this final rule to temporarily place N- benzylpiperazine (BZP) and 1-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl) piperazine (TFMPP) into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) pursuant to the temporary scheduling provisions of the CSA. This final action is based on a...
Schedules of Controlled Substances: Temporary Placement of 2,5-dimethoxy-4-(n)-propylthiophenethylamine Into Schedule I
The Deputy Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is issuing this final rule to temporarily place 2,5-dimethoxy-4-(n)-propylthiophenethylamine (2C-T-7) into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) pursuant to the temporary scheduling provisions of the CSA. This final action is based on as finding by the Deputy...
Schedules of Controlled Substances: Rescheduling of Buprenorphine From Schedule V to Schedule III
This final rule is issued by the Deputy Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to reschedule buprenorphine from a Schedule V narcotic to a Schedule III narcotic under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This action is based on a rescheduling recommendation by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and a DEA...
Maintenance of Records; Technical Correction
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is hereby correcting its regulations to reinstate a paragraph which was inadvertently removed by a previous rulemaking. This final rule reinstates that paragraph and makes conforming amendments to a related paragraph.
Clarification of Listing of “Tetrahydrocannabinols” in Schedule I
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is revising the wording of the DEA regulations to clarify that the listing of ``Tetrahydrocannabinols'' (THC) in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and DEA regulations refers to both natural and synthetic THC.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is adopting as final an interim rule exempting from control (i.e., exempting from all provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA)) certain items derived from the cannabis plant and containing tetrahydrocannabinols (THC). Specifically, the interim rule exempted THC-containing industrial products,...
Schedules of Controlled Substances: Temporary Placement of alpha-methyltryptamine and 5-methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine into Schedule I
The Deputy Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is issuing this final rule to temporarily place alpha-methyltryptamine (AMT) and 5-methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine (5-MeO-DIPT) into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) pursuant to the temporary scheduling provisions of the CSA. This final action is based on a...
Exemption of Chemical Mixtures Containing the List I Chemicals Ephedrine, N-Methylephedrine, N-Methylpseudoephedrine, Norpseudoephedrine, Phenylpropanolamine, and Pseudoephedrine
On September 16, 1998, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to implement provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) pertaining to the regulation of chemical mixtures which contain any of 34 listed chemicals. The NPRM was published to implement CSA requirements that only those chemical...
Allowing Central Fill Pharmacies and Retail Pharmacies To Fill Prescriptions for Controlled Substances on Behalf of Retail Pharmacies
DEA is finalizing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) defining central fill pharmacy activities and permitting central fill pharmacies to prepare controlled substances prescriptions on behalf of retail pharmacies with which the central fill pharmacies have a contractual agreement to provide such services or with which the pharmacies share a...
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Pennsylvania official plans to assemble homegrown fraud strike force
Last year, David Hickton, U.S. Attorney for the District of Western Pennsylvania, requested agents from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General to help root out healthcare fraud that was becoming more prevalent in the region. They never showed, so this year he decided to take matters into his own hands by creating a homegrown fraud task force, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
After seeing the impact that the Medicare Strike Force has made in other regions of the country, like Detroit and Miami, Hickton tells the newspaper that beginning Oct.1, his office is partnering with regional FBI agents to identify healthcare fraud schemes. Last year, Hickton assigned top prosecutors to investigate healthcare fraud in Western Pennsylvania, which has led to nine cases ranging from drug diversion schemes to bogus medical clinics, according to another article from the Post-Gazette.
The new task force will also use investigators from the Drug Enforcement Agency, Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Postal Service, and the IRS, with help from providers such as the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Highmark that can provide suspicious claims. However, some legal experts say that without HHS agents who have easy access to payment information, a homegrown strike force may not make the same impact as those established in larger cities.
Medicare Fraud Strike Force teams, which have been rolled out in nine areas of the country with a high prevalence of healthcare fraud, have been instrumental in some of the larger fraud busts, including the historic 243-person fraud takedown in June. An inside look at the strike force operations shows a team similar to a "major narcotics operation," FierceHealthPayer: Antifraud previously reported. As evidenced by recent enforcement actions, the agencies within the strike force have become more effective by nurturing partnerships with state attorney general offices.
- read the first Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article
- here's the Post-Gazette article on recent fraud cases
Distinct enforcement trends emerge following the largest fraud takedown in history
Historic Medicare fraud takedown: Feds charge 243 people with $712M in false billing
An inside peek at the Medicare Strike Force
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Flooring America Supports Pets for Patriots
Giving Back, One Hero at a Time
We are proud to support Pets for Patriots as we work together to give back to our country's veterans, and, in so doing, save the lives of animals in need.
Pets for Patriots is a 501(c)(3) charity whose mission is to make the joys of pet ownership achievable and affordable for service and veteran members of the U.S. military, to the benefit of both pet and person. Pets for Patriots connects veterans returning from deployment, active personnel looking to fill the void for their families while deployed, and long-term veterans in need of a constant companion, with adult and other at-risk shelter pets needing a loving home. To learn more about Pets For Patriots visit www.petsforpatriots.org
When you donate through our store, 100% will go to Pets for Patriots to make a real difference in the lives of U.S. military personnel and pets in need. You'll be playing a meaningful part in improving the lives of these patriots, and giving last-chance shelter animals a second chance at life.
Knowing your project's accurate measurements helps clarify your budget and allows you to focus on product choices to suit.
You won't have to worry about purchasing too much — or worse, not enough.
1414 Grand Avenue, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
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Nov 7, 2019, 06:05am EST |
EU Plans To Double Electricity Use By 2050
Dave KeatingContributor
Workers assemble electricity installations in high voltage towers in the 35,000 Mega Watt ... [+] electricity project in Jakarta, Tuesday, November 5, 2019. The slipping of Indonesia's economic and investment targets has made President Joko widodo's ambitious project slow down. The megaproject, which was launched in 2015 and is planned to be completed in 5 years, is currently only realizing 3,600 Mega Watts, making the government have to reschedule the completion of the project in 2022-2023 (Photo by Aditya Irawan/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The European Union is preparing an ambitious plan to completely decarbonize by 2050. Increasing the share of electricity in Europe’s energy system – electricity that will increasingly come from renewable sources - will be at the center of this strategy, the new head of the European Commission’s energy department said yesterday.
This will mean more electric cars, electric heating and electric industry. The idea is that fossil fuels should no longer be a primary energy source, heating homes, warming food or powering cars. In the medium term they should only be used to generate electricity which then powers these things, resulting in less CO2 emissions.
“First assessments show we need to double the share of electricity in energy consumption by 2050,” Ditte Juul-Jørgensen said at an event in Brussels this week. “We’ve already seen an increase in the last decade, but we need to go further”.
Juul-Jørgensen, who started in her job as director-general of the commission’s energy department in August, has come to the role at a pivotal time for energy. The 2050 decarbonization proposal from the Commission, the EU’s executive branch, is expected to be approved next month by EU national leaders. A veto from Poland that has blocked adoption until now is likely to be overcome if Poland and other Eastern European countries are offered financial assistance from a “just transition fund”, according to EU sources.
Ursula von der Leyen, the incoming President of the Commission, has promised to unveil a “European Green Deal” in her first 100 days in office designed to get the EU to its 2050 goal. Juul-Jørgensen will be working with the incoming EU Energy Commissioner, Kadri Simson, on designing this complex strategy. The overall aim will be to phase out fossil fuels, and increase the use of electricity from green sources.
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“This will be about how do we best make use of electricity to feed into other sectors,” Juul-Jørgensen said. “We need to think about transforming it into other sources, and how to best transport it.”
“But the biggest challenge from what I see today is that of investment and finance - the changes we have to make are very significant.”
The Commission is going to try to tackle the challenges of financing the energy transition with two tools: dedicated climate funding in the EU budget, and dedicated climate lending from the European Investment Bank.
“The EIB will play an increasing role in future. We hope to see agreement [with the EIB board] on that in the coming months so there’s a clear operator in the EIB to support the green transition. We’re looking at something around €400 billion a year.”
The Commission’s proposed dedicated climate spending in the next seven-year budget must still be approved by the 28 EU national governments. Juul-Jørgensen said there is unanimous agreement on the amount: 25% of the budget. But there is disagreement about how to determine what is green spending.
“A lot of work has been ongoing to ensure that when it comes to counting it reflects the reality of the investments,” she said. “We’re working on the taxonomy on sustainable finance - internally identifying sectors contributing to overall climate objectives.”
Electricity pact
Juul-Jørgensen was speaking at an event organized by the the Electrification Alliance, a pact between nine industry organizations to lobby for electricity to be put at the heart of the European green deal. They signed a declaration at the event calling for a variety of measures to be included in the green deal, including a change to the EU’s energy taxation regime which incentivizes a switch from fossil fuel to electricity consumption.
“Electrification is the most important solution to turn the vision of a fossil-free Europe into reality,” said Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation, one of the signatories, and co-architect of the Paris Agreement.
“We are determined to deliver, but we must be mindful of the different starting points and secure sufficient financing to ensure a fair transition”, said Magnus Hall, President of electricity industry association Eurelectric, another signatory.
The energy taxation issue has been particularly tricky for the EU, since any change in taxation rules requires the unanimous consent of all 28 EU countries. But experts say that current taxation structures are subsidizing fossil fuels and punishing electricity, and unless this is changed the European Green Deal can have little effect.
“Yes this issue will be addressed in the incoming commission once it takes up its function,” Juul-Jørgensen said in response to an audience question. “We all know the challenge - the unanimity requirement in the Council - and so I hope that member states will agree to the direction of work and the need to address energy taxation systems to make sure they’re consistent with the targets we’ve set ourselves.”
But some are concerned that the transformation envisioned by the green deal will have negative impacts on some of the most vulnerable members of society, including those who work in the fossil fuel sector.
This week the Centre on Regulation in Europe sent an open letter to Frans Timmermans, the Commission Vice President in charge of climate, warning that they need to be mindful of distributional effects. These worries have been heightened by the yellow vest protests in France, which were sparked by French President Emmanuel Macron’s attempt to increase fuel taxes for non-electric cars.
“The effectiveness of climate action and sustainability policies will be challenged by increasing social and political pressures,” wrote Máximo Miccinilli, the center’s director for energy. “If not properly addressed, those will enhance further populist movements that undermine trust in governance and in the public institutions.”
Miccinilli suggests that more research be done into identifying, quantifying and addressing distributional effects before new policies are put in place to phase out fossil fuels. He proposes launching a new European Observatory for Distributional Effects of the Energy Transition to deal with this.
EU national leaders are expected to vote on the 2050 decarbonization target at a summit in Brussels on December 12, and Von der Leyen will likely unveil her European Green Deal in March.
Dave Keating is based in Brussels, where he has been covering EU politics and policy for 14 years.
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Jul 23, 2019, 09:28am EDT
Indirect Contributions Are Essential To Physics
The Crisis In Theoretical Particle Physics Is Not A Moral Imperative
Jul 8, 2019, 09:20am EDT
Why Study Science? The Same Reason You Would Study Anything Else
The (Mostly) Quantum Physics Of Making Colors
This Simple Thought Experiment Shows Why We Need Quantum Gravity
How The Planck Satellite Forever Changed Our View Of The Universe
What Was It Like When The Universe First Created More Matter Than Antimatter?
What Is (And Isn't) Scientific About The Multiverse
The Pillars Of Creation Haven't Been Destroyed, Say New NASA Images
Ask Ethan: How Large Is The Entire, Unobservable Universe?
Editors' Pick| Jan 1, 2018, 08:06am EST |
Why Did Early Christians And Pagans Fight Over New Year's Day?
Sarah BondFormer Contributor
historian, digital humanist and baseball fan
Romans looked forward to the free food and games that occurred at annual New Year's celebrations, but early Christian clerics were not as keen on the revelries. Long before the so-called "war on Christmas," there was the war on New Year's Day.
A 3rd century CE mosaic of the hippodrome at Carthage. The mosaic is now in the museum in Bardo.
Pascal Radigue (CC BY-SA 3.0)
The Romans called January 1st the Kalends of January. It was termed the Kalendae in Latin or Καλάνδαι in Greek, and was placed on public calendars called fasti. The Kalends is what gives us the modern word "calendar." The Kalendae Ianuariae was a time of particular hope and anticipation for the coming year. It was filled with celebrations and religious rites that focused on the health of individual Romans and of the state.
Romans literally got off on the right foot by leading with their right leg as they entered temples, houses and other doorways on this and many other days. As archaeologist Steven J.R. Ellis has noted, one's right foot was considered far more auspicious than their sinister foot (left foot), and one always wanted to begin auspiciously in a new year.
New Year's celebrations normally began with a large parade within the city of Rome on January 1 that is not all that different from the Tournament of Roses parade that precedes the Rose Bowl. Senators, magistrates, clients and many others met at the houses of the two designated consuls for the year and–at least in the Republic and early empire–traditionally sacrificed two bulls at the temple for Jupiter Optimus Maximus.
The temple was on Rome's Capitoline hill. A vow was then made to invoke safety for the Roman people and the Republic in the coming year. Elsewhere in the city, worshippers at the temple to Aesculapius (the God of medicine) on the Tiber Island, celebrated the temple's dedication on January 1 of 291 BCE. Romans looked to Janus, the god of new beginnings, but clearly also thought of Jupiter and Aesculapius too.
By the later imperial period, the celebration centered more on the emperor and was extended to five days. The third day was now the one reserved for the vota to the health of the emperor and the empire. It was then followed by a series of chariot races that eventually lasted up to three days.
Along with coins and fruit, ceramic lamps were often given as small party favors at New Year's... [+] celebrations. This one has the goddess of Victory. On her shield is an inscription wishing a happy and fruitful new year. The 1st-2nd century lamp is now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC-0).
The various festivals and rituals that formed Greco-Roman religion (and by extension, the festival calendar) did not stay unchanged within the Mediterranean for all of antiquity. Following the victory of Constantine at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 CE, Christianity was made licit and then encouraged by the emperor until his death in 337. With the Roman emperor as its visible patron, the relatively small religion grew mightily over the next few decades. In turn, Christian clerics also became more powerful figures within Roman cities as more people converted. And yet New Year's remained a time for traditional religion.
Under the emperor Julian, a central concern became reviving traditional Roman religion and rejecting Christian customs. Julian celebrated the Kalends of January in the eastern city of Antioch in the year 363 and used the much-anticipated fanfare surrounding the inauguration of consuls, the chariot races and the speeches delivered to the emperor to great effect in his revival program. In other words? Julian needed New Year's to help him bring back traditional religion, which we might today call paganism.
As ancient historian Fritz Graf noted about Julian in his book on Roman festivals held in the eastern portion of the empire: "The celebration of the Kalendae had even become more important, and the emperor perhaps even somewhat desperate." Julian would die only six months later while on campaign in the East against Persia. His plan to fully revive paganism might not have been successful, but the Kalends of January remained an important part of the calendar in the ancient Mediterranean.
Critics of the Kalendae became fiercer following the return to Christian emperors after the death of Julian. The proclamation of Christianity as the official religion of the state in 380 paved the way for the closing of pagan temples and banning of pagan sacrifices. A priest named John Chrysostom may have been at the New Year's Day celebrations at Antioch in 363 and he wouldn't soon forget them. Between 387 and 398, the then-priest gave a sermon condemning the New Year's celebrations that gripped the empire every year. It was a scathing homily given just prior to his becoming a bishop and neatly outlined the clerical view of the holiday.
As Graf notes, the preacher became shrill, claiming: "We are fighting a war, not against the Amalekites, not against other foreign attackers, but against the demons who parade through the marketplace...The devilish all-night celebrations that are held today, the jests and songs of blame and censure, the nocturnal dancing and this entire ridiculous comedy." That is right, you guys. This was the late antique prequel to Footloose and the fictional John Lithgow was being played by the very real John Chrysostom. Chrysostom warned that the opulence of the New Year's celebrations would then be carried forward for the rest of the year.
Well into the late fourth and early fifth centuries CE, clerics railed against the evils of the Kalends of January festivities. Such condemnations stemmed from worries about paganism, but they were perhaps also a reaction to the low attendance in churches during the celebrations. A bishop near the Black Sea censured his congregants for not attending church on January 1 and in North Africa, Augustine of Hippo also spoke out against the Kalends and begged the people not to attend the games.
Despite the clerical condemnation, Roman emperors still often used the Kalends of January as a way to renew the loyalty of the Roman people. Yet clerics wished to emphasize another festival: the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ (January 1) and then Epiphany (January 6).
As historian of early Christianity Andrew S. Jacobs writes about in his book, Christ Circumcised: A Study in Early Christian History and Difference, Christians wanted total separation of the Christian celebrations from the Kalendae Januariae, which they viewed as blasphemous: "As Christianity became a public religion, the sweep of time–daily, weekly, annual, cosmic–became a site of distinction." Into the fifth century, worship of the events surrounding the life of Christ increased and gained in popularity. During the medieval period, relics like that of the holy foreskin played a material part in solidifying the festival in the Christian mindset.
In 541/542 CE, the emperor Justinian put a further nail in the coffin of the Kalendae Januariae by abolishing the consulship altogether. Church councils also continued to condemn the celebrations with a finite ban in the 7th century CE. The traditional state calendar of the Romans continued to be rewritten like a palimpsest. Despite this, we have records of smaller feasts and revelry for New Year's Day continuing into the Middle Ages.
Medieval remembrances may have been quieter and without the ostentatious parades, sacrifices or chariot races of Rome in the high empire, but they do reveal something about the role of marking the new year in our daily lives. Regardless of culture or religion, we continue to use ritual not only to mark reflection on the past, but to inspire hope for the future. In that regard, New Year's Day and calendars generally can serve to structure our lives and–in part–to shape our resolve for the events we will encounter. Even John Chrysostom can't get rid of that itch.
As a Roman might have said to you on this day: "Annum novum faustum felicem vobis!” (An auspicious and happy new year to y'all!)
Illumination of the Circumcision of Christ from the Byzantine Menologion of Basil II. The... [+] circumcision occurred eight days after Christmas and was commemorated in the Christian calendar.
Public Domain via Wikimedia
Sarah Bond
I am an Assistant Professor in the Classics Department at the University of Iowa. I am interested in Roman, late antique, and early medieval history, archaeology,…
I am an Assistant Professor in the Classics Department at the University of Iowa. I am interested in Roman, late antique, and early medieval history, archaeology, topography and GIS, Digital Humanities, and the role of Classics in pop culture (e.g., Game of Thrones). I obtained a BA in Classics and History with a minor in Classical Archaeology from the University of Virginia (2005). My PhD is in Ancient History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2011). My book, Trade and Taboo: Disreputable Professionals in the Roman Mediterranean, is forthcoming from University of Michigan Press (Fall, 2016) and looks at the lives of marginalized tradesmen like gravediggers and tanners. Follow me on Twitter @SarahEBond, read my Blog, or email me at sarah-bond@uiowa.edu .
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GET SAFE passionately serves as a change agent, empowering people to stop wishing and start doing by “Changing their Mindsets to Change their Outcomes” to live an extraordinary life.
Through engaging and highly-interactive
violence prevention, crisis intervention and recovery programs, GET SAFE ’s approach to
the onset of anger, indifference and
conflict is one that is life-changing.
By bridging topics such as violence,
abuse, and intolerance, GET SAFE educates, informs and empowers
individuals and groups in
in personal safety, workplace safety, sexual assault prevention,
and survivor recovery.
GET SAFE has positively impacted the lives of more than 200,000 people of all ages and abilities since its inception 35 years ago. Through its violence prevention, education and self-defense programs, GET SAFE remains committed to impacting the lives of persons of divergent backgrounds; protecting the well-being of students; and building safer, more inclusive communities.
Stuart Haskin, Founder and CEO of GET SAFE, started his journey as a martial arts instructor teaching women’s self-defense classes. In the early 1980's, he observed a need for not only a physical self-defense component of the training, but of emotional, mental, behavioral, and spiritual elements that were absent in the teachings of basic self-defense classes.
In 1984, Stuart branched off to explore initiating a comprehensive training that would target individuals, families, and communities on a grander scale. Choice Personal Safety was the first agency to emerge from this idea, specializing in survivor empowerment and unique self-defense recovery. Three years later, after being certified by the state of California as a Crisis Intervention and Sexual Assault Counseling agency, Choice Personal Safety transformed into the now titled GET SAFE.
Since 1990, GET SAFE expanded to encompass a variety of programs to meet specific needs for at-risk communities, including children's safety programs for anti-bullying, workforce development and healthy relationship programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and survivor programs tailored to provide trauma care, self-defense safety modules, and psychoeducational classes on sexual assault and rape. GET SAFE also provides law enforcement trainings to more safely identify and interact with persons with developmental disabilites, mental illness, and substance abuse."
GET SAFE operates through its relationships with a variety of local Orange County crisis intervention and risk reduction agencies, including Crime Survivors and Waymakers, which provide restorative services to survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and human trafficking. GET SAFE is quickly expanding into California's leading safety and violence prevention agency, serving clients from most of the 21 CA Regional Centers through state grants, federal grants, and private foundation funding.
Stuart Haskin
Senior Administrative Supervisor
Michelle Vimolphandhu
Director of Training
Dave Monderine
Director of Research Development
Sandra Perez
Kathryn Greenup
info@getsafeusa.com
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Kirsten Wiig: Bro of the Year
So far in 2011, Kristen Wiig has written and starred in the biggest comedy of the year (Bridesmaids), rocked her final season of Saturday Night Live and has now been named GQ's Bro of the Year. It can't get too much better than that, can it? Oh wait, the handsome Mad Men devil Jon Hamm has paid tribute to Wiig's bro-and-girl-friendly humor. Now we're just jealous.
Hamm recalls the final day of shooting Bridesmaids, which awkwardly enough were the elaborate, gymnastic-style sex scenes between Hamm and Wiig. Wiig made the whole process both comfortable and fun. "It was inspiring to watch Kristen quarterback the team, be the cheerleader and decision-maker, and then get in front of the camera and be hilarious. And surprising."
So why does Hamm think Wiig has become such a household comedy icon in such a short period of time? "This is a woman who wore coconuts on her tits on SNL; she can go to the craziest, most grotesque places on the planet in character," he writes. "The first time I noticed her was watching the SNL sketch "Lady Business." Kristen's line was "I'm a bitch in the boardroom, a bore in the bedroom, and I'm a bear on the toilet," which she delivered with over-the-top seriousness. I thought, "My God, this girl is funny." We couldn't have said it better ourselves.
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The Flight Refuelling Amateur Radio Society (FRARS) was founded in 1982 by employees of Flight Refuelling (Now Cobham PLC). The Society is an affiliated member of the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB).
FRARS is a large and very active club, based just five miles north of Poole in Dorset. Our club has state of the art equipment for most of the radio bands available to amateur radio operators in the United Kingdom, from HF through to microwave.
Separate HF and VHF/UHF shacks enable operators to use different bands without interference. With three permanent antenna masts we have beam antennas up all year round for multiple bands up to 23cms.
Our in house microwave group are actively developing and improving our EME (moon-bounce) capabilities, for which we hold several records. A small workshop gives room for both mechanical and electronics construction facilities as well as specialist test equipment. The club members have a diverse range of interests within the amateur radio sphere, from general HF, VHF and UHF operating to contesting using both voice and Morse, amateur television, EME, electronics construction and more.
We also run regular training courses in our spacious meeting room for those looking to obtain an amateur radio license, or to progress to the next level.
The social aspect is not overlooked here either, with a tea bar that’s always open on club nights and a friendly welcome assured.
As we are affiliated with the Cobham group, members also have access to the excellent sports and social club where you will find quality food and a well-stocked bar.
We meet every Wednesday and Sunday evening in the club house at 19:00 until 21:00. The club facilities are available every club night for members to use but anyone who is interested in becoming a member or who just wants to know “Hey! What’s this all about?” is more than welcome on either of the two nights where they will receive a warm welcome.
Special Sundays :-
The first Sunday of the month is our committee meeting evening
The third Sunday of the month is ‘talk night’ where we have guest speakers who offer talks on everything and anything. Home brew radios to home brew beer!
We operate callsigns G4RFR, G4R, G6SFR, G0FRR and you can find us on QRZ.com
FRARS – Flight Refuelling Amateur Radio Society
Merley Park Road, Broadstone, Wimborne BH21 3DA
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Israeli banks entrench poverty and reliance on black market in Palestinian Arab community
Alya Zoabi
Mossawa Center
On Friday night, November 27, unkown gunmen fired shots at the branches of Bank Leumi and Mercantile Discount Bank in a number of Palestinian-Arab towns, including Al-Baina and Deir Al-Assad. Shootings continued in a number of branches the following day in Majd al-Krum and Jadidat al-Makr. This is in addition to the shootings and attempted fire setting of two bankers in Acre, and a shooting at a branch of Bank Leumi in Shefa ‘Amr. There was also an exchange of fire in the village of Mghar between the police and suspects, resulting in the death of one person and woman being injured next to a bank branch.
10% of business owners in Israel are Palestinian Arab, with 96% of them being small business owners, of which 54% have an annual income below NIS 500,000 ($150,000).
Last month, the Mossawa Center went to a number of banks, such as the Bank of Israel, as well as the Finance Ministry, warning of the Israeli banks' policies which have deepened poverty and dependence on the black market in the Palestinian Arab community. This is despite the fact that more than NIS 19 billion ($5.84 billion) have been allocated by the government to provide loans to the private sector during the COVID crisis.
Since the beginning of the health crisis, the unemployment rate in the Palestinian Arab community as risen to 24.9%. Of the one million people who have been registered as job seekers in Israel since the outbreak of the coronavirus, 190,000 are Palestinian Arab. Moreover, 10% of business owners in Israel are Palestinian Arab, with 96% of them being small business owners, of which 54% have an annual income below NIS 500,000 ($150,000).
Despite representing 21% of the total Israeli population, only 2% of approved mortgage loans are for Palestinian Arab citizens.
According to the Ministry of Finance, in the years between 2016 and 2019, the State-Guaranteed Loan Fund allocated NIS 5.2 billion ($1.6 billion) in loans to support small and medium businesses. Only 13% of these loans were granted to Palestinian Arab businesses. This reflects the discriminatory policy adopted by Israeli banks against Palestinian Arab citizens even before the COVID crisis, which led to the closure of some of these businesses before they could even stand on their own feet. So, what kind of impact will a crisis such as COVID-19 have?
In the wake of the COVID crisis, the State-Guaranteed Loan Fund allocated about NIS 19 billion ($5.84 billion) in loans to small and medium-sized businesses. In total, there were 140,000 applicants for the loan, of which 15% were made by Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel, with only 44% of totals applications being approved. According to the data from the Ministry of Finance, more than NIS 20 billion ($6.14 billion) have been allocated for loans to individuals affected by the coronavirus pandemic, a large portion of the applications that were submitted – and rejected – were made by Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel.
Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel constitute about 21% of the Israeli population, yet only 2% of approved mortgage loans are for Palestinian Arab citizens. The absence of the housing loan system leads to an increase in the volume of regular loans with normal interest rates from banks, and increase borrowing from relatives or on black market.
Israel banks place the Palestinian Arab individual and their business in the category of failure. They refer to and deal with Palestinian Arab-owned businesses as "risky businesses."
It is difficult for banks to provide services in Palestinian Arab cities and villages. For example, Bank Leumi recently closed its branches in the cities of Taybeh, Al-Tira, and Kafr Qasim, and moved them to Kochav Yair. Additionally, the bank announced that it would transfer the commercial branches that serve Kafr Qara, Umm al-Fahm, and Baqa al-Gharbiyya to another central branch.
The banks claim that their refusal to grant loans is related to the difficulty of getting guarantees by Palestinian Arab investors or individuals, which is due to problems in land registration in Palestinian Arab cities and villages. However, the reality is far broader and deeper than that, as banks place the Palestinian Arab individual and their business in the category of failure. As a result, they refer to and deal with Palestinian Arab-owned businesses as "risky businesses." Even if a Palestinian Arab citizen is able to establish a simple business despite the scarcity of businesses-friendly conditions and lack of professional qualifications, they must face a hostile banking system which does not provide appropriately translated documents – that is if they are even translated in the first place. Consequently, they are often unaware of what they are entitled to as business owners and are forced to depend on limited banking resources.
Organized crime and criminal gangs have come to control such a wide market in the Palestinian Arab community that they compete with official banks who are reluctant to deal with the Palestinian Arab community.
All this forces Palestinian Arab business owners, on a daily basis, to rely on the black market to receive loans – which, aside from having unreasonable interest rates, can even cost them their lives - to keep their business afloat.
Without government guarantees, the current situation will deepen the crisis that countless Palestinian Arab families and private business face – entrenching violence by criminal gangs in the community and borrowing from the black market. In fact, organized crime and criminal gangs have come to control such a wide market in the Palestinian Arab community that they compete with official banks who are reluctant to deal with the Palestinian Arab community. The government may be forced to raise the size of government guarantees for banks to guarantee loan funds. Banking services must adapt to the needs of the Palestinian Arab private sector and community.
← Back to all news
The upcoming fourth Israeli elections are a shot we cannot miss
Mossawa Center’s "Solidarity" conference seeks to promote multi-ethnic cooperation without compromising ethnic identities
Deprivation of human rights: the other pandemic facing Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel
During visit to the Mossawa Center, Swedish Ambassador affirms Sweden's commitment to human rights
Copyright © 2020 Friends of Mossawa. All rights reserved.
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Alumni Profile James Burke
Dr. James Burke
Biology, Class of 1988
James' Story
Neurosurgeon Dr. James Burke still remembers the first time he saw a human brain in person. Even today, after countless surgeries, he still finds the experience of seeing and operating on a brain “surreal.”
Burke’s journey to becoming a leading neurosurgeon is an inspiring tale of perseverance and achievement. Burke’s roots are in Hollidaysburg, PA, where he and his four younger siblings were raised with an emphasis on family. “Our house was headquarters for our extended family. The holidays and family events all happened at our house,” he says.
When doctors discovered that Burke’s mother had a brain tumor, the then 13 year-old’s life changed forever. “I was allowed to meet the surgeon, who let me see video of what they took out. From that point on, I knew I wanted to become a neurosurgeon; it was just a matter of how I was going to make it happen.”
In high school, Burke worked on a farm, telling his coworkers about his dreams of doing something completely different—being a brain surgeon. While his dreams were met with some laughs, he never wavered on his decision. During his senior year of high school, Burke was planning on attending Penn State when a co-worker on the farm approached him about choosing Saint Francis instead.
“I was familiar with the school; my mother had gone there, but I didn’t know enough about it,” he says. “I took the application home at lunch, filled it out, and handed it back to him that same day. From then on, that was it. I was going to Saint Francis.
While studying for a biology major and Chemistry minor at Saint Francis, Burke kept himself busy with intramural sports, biology club, and even performed in several theatre productions. “I was always busy,” he says.
The influence of faith on campus was undeniable. “Having the chapel, the faith-based environment, and priests who also taught, there’s no doubt that faith and family were very much a part of my time at Saint Francis.”
It was his advisor Dr. Wayne Takacs, then professor of biology, who introduced him to a graduate program at the University of Alabama. The program, which offered both an M.D. and a Ph. D., would take eight years to complete. Burke applied and was accepted. “In my class, there were 165 students, and 6 of us came to pursue the joint M.D.-Ph.D program.” For the first two years, Burke took both graduate and medical school classes. Then years three through six, he earned his Ph.D. in physiology and biophysics. Then, he completed his last two years of medical school.
With both degrees, academia would have been happy to have his experience, “But I realized that although I loved science, I loved working with patients more.” After his residency at the University of Pittsburgh, he and his wife, who have three children, decided that raising their family in his hometown of Hollidaysburg was right for them.
“I don’t know how much it factored into our decision, but our decision to move back was right around September 11, [2001] and in Hollidaysburg, I can be within 15 minutes from my children at any time. There’s a sense of community here, shared values, and I have parents and siblings who are also there.”
In a twist of fate, the doctor who had operated on Burke’s mother years prior was still in business and looking to hire. “He operated on my mother and my sister, who had developed a tumor while I was in college, and here was an opportunity to work with him.” In 2003, Burke became a member of the team at Allegheny Brain and Spine Surgeons.
The group of physicians has become a resource for local high schools and Saint Francis regarding sports-related concussions. “A lot has been done in sports to minimize the risk of head injuries,” he says, “but it’s the angular motion that causes the damage – the side blow when you don’t expect it, not the linear, straight-on hits.” He explains that when players get spun, their brain’s neurons become stretched, resulting in injury.
Today, he now serves that same community that helped to shape him. “Living in a community like this, where there are shared values and where you know these families, you end up—not uncommonly—being a part of their prayers or their discussions with the chaplain. This would be a very difficult job for a person without faith.”
Burke and his wife continue that emphasis on family with their children. They own a farm that’s over 250 years old and that covers 75 acres. “It’s a playground for our family and relatives, and it’s just far enough away from town.” Even with his busy schedule, Burke makes time each Wednesday to take his family to his parent’s house for spaghetti dinner.
What is your favorite SFU memory?
Dr. Wayne Takacs—He was my advisor and also the one who introduced me to the program at U of Alabama. I still play golf with Wayne. My wife, dad, and mom, and I were invited to his retirement dinner, which was quite an honor.
What was your favorite class?
Jane Kimlin’s Physical Chemistry. She was tough. Whether it’s a favorite or not, it was just what you needed.
How do you feel your time at Saint Francis prepared you for your career?
The liberal arts, the science, the people, you really receive a well-rounded education.
Learn more about Biology at SFU
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GTA-Homes » 1380 Midland Avenue
1380 Midland Avenue Condos
1380 Midland Avenue, Scarborough, ON
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1380 Midland Avenue Condo Summary
Be part of a game-changing redevelopment at 1380 Midland Avenue in the leafy, east-end suburb in the Dorset Park neighbourhood of Scarborough.
This Scarborough condo community will span four blocks at the corner of Lawrence Avenue East and Midland, and will include nine buildings ranging in height from eight to 27 storeys, plus a row of three-storey townhomes.
When you invest in real estate at this site, you’re investing in a home, a community and beyond.
Occupancy for 1380 Midland Avenue Condos is scheduled for 2021.
Before Spending Time On Your Property Search, Our Investment Presentation Seminar Is A Must, And It’s Available Twice A Week.
1380 Midland Avenue Condos, which is being overseen by developers Arsandco, includes four separate blocks at the southwest corner of Lawrence Avenue East and Midland Avenue, a bustling intersection close to schools, hospitals and major transit. The development proposal calls for 9 buildings in total, ranging in height from eight to 27 storeys. This will make for 1,752 residential units, with some office and retail space, forming a community unto itself.
Overall, the community will include 69 percent one-bedroom units (approximately 1,214), 20 percent two-bedroom units (approximately 345) and 11 percent three-bedroom units (193), which will allow for a mixed community of students, families, young professionals and couples.
As it stands, the western block of the site will house a 21-storey residential tower, an 8-storey residential building and 11 three-storey townhomes.
The north block, fronting Lawrence Avenue East will contain a 27-storey building with a mix of residential, office and retail space, a 24-storey residential building and two eight-storey residential buildings.
On the west side, fronting Midland Avenue, the application calls for a 25-storey building and a 23-storey building, housing retail, office and residential units.
Just south of that will be another residential building, standing 21 floors.
Shared underground parking will have space for 1,779 vehicles and 1,527 bicycles.
Building renderings by the site’s architects, Quadrangle, show a mixture of glass towers and rooftop gardens with a leafy promenade dividing the blocks.
Location & Neighbourhood
Scarborough is a great place to invest in Toronto real estate right now. It’s slightly east of the city, so homes tend to be more spacious and sell for less than they would closer to downtown Toronto. But Transit City’s plan to extend the subway line into the area will significantly increase the value of homes, encourage more people to invest in the area and allow residents to commute efficiently.
As it stands, the project site is close to the Lawrence East Station on the Scarborough LRT line, major highways, hospitals, Scarborough Town Centre and the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus. Community and recreation centres are nearby as well, including the renowned Scarborough Golf and Country Club.
The City of Toronto has designed 1380 Midland Ave as an “Avenue,” in the city’s urban structural plan. Areas with avenue designations are sections of the city where reurbanization is anticipated and encouraged, so that housing and job opportunities are created and the streetscape is pedestrian-friendly. There’s never been a better time to invest in Scarborough real estate, and this master-planned community is a great place to start.
Choose Your Pre-construction Project Before It's Open To The Public
See List of New Condos in Scarborough >>>
1st Access To Sales - Prices & Floor Plans
GTA-Homes Team
Whether you're moving across the city, across the country or around the world, we have the expertise, knowledge and the resources to make your next move exciting and successful.
At RE/MAX, success is celebrated through an established award and recognition program, and we are honoured to continuously have our mission of providing industry-leading customer service and local expertise recognized.
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Atlanticism
Security and conflicts
Classics of geopolitics
Multipolarity
Geopedia
Home » Friedrich Ratzel: The State as a Physical Organism
Friedrich Ratzel: The State as a Physical Organism
Alexander Dugin
Foundations of geopolitics
1.1 Background: The German “Organic School”
Friedrich Ratzel (1844-1904) can be considered “the father” of geopolitics,
although he did not use this term in his own writings. He wrote on “political geography.” His principal work, published in 1897, was titled “Politische Geographie.”
Ratzel graduated from Karlsruhe Polytechnic University where he attended courses in geology, paleontology, and zoology. He completed his education at Heidelberg, where he became an acolyte of Professor Ernest Haeckel (who was the first to use the term “ecology’). Ratzel’s ideology was grounded in evolution and Darwinism and colored by his pronounced interest in Biology.
Ratzel participated in the Franco-Prussian War, where he served as a volunteer and received the Iron Cross for bravery. In politics, he gradually became a committed nationalist and in 1890 he joined the “Pan-German League” of Karl Peters. His lengthy travels in America and Europe added to his own scientific interest in Ethnological research. He became a lecture of geography at the Munich Technical Institute and in 1886 he moved to a similar position in Leipzig.
In 1876 Ratzel defended his dissertation “The Chinese Immigration,” and in Stuttgart, he came out with his fundamental work in 1882, “Anthro-Geography” (“Anthropogeographie”) in which he formulates his basic idea: That there is a connection between the evolution of peoples and demographics with physical geographic data; the influence that physical terrain has on a people’s culture, political development, and so on.
But his most fundamental book was “Political Geography.” 1.2 The State as a Living Organism
Ratzel showed in his work that land is a fundamental, fixed constant around which the interests of a people rotate. The movement of history is predetermined by earth and territories. Further followed by an evolutionary inference that the “state constitutes a living organism,” but one that is “rooted in the ground.” The state develops based on its territorial topography, size and its comprehension by the people. Thus, the state reflects the objective geographic principle and subjective national comprehension of this principle, and this is expressed politically. Ratzel considered a “normal” state, one which most organically combined geography, demographics, and ethnological national parameters.
The state in all stages in its development as an organism contends with the necessity of preserving its connection with the terrain and therefore they should be studied from a geographical point of view. As shown in ethnology and history, a state develops on a spatial basis--conjugating and merging more and more--and extracting from it more and more energy. Thus, a state turns out to consist spatially, maintained and animated by this space, and should be managed, described, and measured through geography. A state is described in a series of phenomena, with the expansionary principle being the most prominent. (Political Geography 1)
It is clearly visible that from such an organic approach, Ratzel understood territorial expansion to be a natural, living process, similar to the growth of living organisms.
Ratzel’s “organic” approach is in relation to its space (Raum). This “space” brings over a cardinal material category in a new quality, becoming the “Living Sphere,” “Living Space” (Lebensraum), in a “Geobioylogical Environment.” From this concept arises two different, important terms of Ratzel’s: “Sense of Space” (Raumsinn) and “Living Energy (Lebensenergie). These terms are closely related to each other and denote some special quality, inherent in geographical systems and predetermining political figuration in the history of the people and state.
All these theses comprise the fundamental principles of geopolitics, in that form, which would be developed somewhat later by followers of Ratzel. Furthermore, the relationship to the state is similar to a “living, physical organism, rooted in the soil;” this is the chief principle and axis of geopolitical methodologies. That approach is oriented in synthetic analysis of the entire complex of phenomena, regardless of whether they belong to the human sphere or non-human sphere. The land is a concrete expression of nature, the surrounding environment, and is not regarded as a continuous living body of the ethnos--it is the land being inhabited. The material structure itself dictates the proportions of the final cultural products. In this idea Ratzel is the founder of the entire German School of “organic” sociology, of which Ferdinand Tönnies is the most notable representative.
1.3 Raum - Political Organization of the Land
Ratzel’s observation was that there is a correlation between ethnos and space--as seen in the following excerpt from “Political Geography:”
The state develops like an organism, tethered to certain parts of the earth’s surface, and its characteristics developing from the characteristics of the people and land. The most important characteristics are its size, location, and borders. Followed by types of soil, along with vegetation levels, irrigation, and finally, correlates in relation to the rest of the conglomerations of the earth’s surface, and in the first place, with neighboring seas and uninhabited lands, which, at first glance, does not represent especial political interest. The aggregate of these characteristics constitutes the Land (das Land). But adding to this, when speaking about ‘our country,’ is that created by man--memories connected to the earth. So, an initially pure understanding of geography transformed into the spiritual and emotional bonds of the inhabitants of a land and their history.
A nation is an organism not only because it articulates the lives of the people in fixed soil, but due to its intertwining bond, becoming something unified--unthinkable without one of two components. Desolate land, incapable of nurturing government, are barren fields in history. On the contrary, habitable land promotes state development--particularly if the state is surrounded by natural boundaries. People may feel themselves to be natural in their territory, but they are actually constantly mimicking one and the same characteristics, which proceeding forth from the terrain, will be inscribed in it. (2)
1.4 The Law of Expansion
The relationship of the state to a living organism implies the refusal of the
concept of “borderlessness.” The state is born, grows, and dies like a living being. Consequently, a state’s spatial expansion and contraction are natural processes connected to an intrinsic life cycle. Ratzel, in his book “On the Law of Spatial
Growth of the State” (1901), laid out the seven laws of expansion: 139
1. The state expands in relation to the development of its culture
2. The physical growth of the state is accompanied by other manifestations of its
development: in the spheres of ideology, production, commercial activities, and
a mighty, attractive proselytizing power.
3. The state expands by consuming and absorbing units of lesser political
significance.
4. The border is an organ located on the state’s periphery (understood as in an
organism).
5. Carrying out its territorial expansion, the state strives to cover important
regions for its development: coastlines, river basins, valleys, and in general, the
richest territories.
6. The initial impulse for expansions comes from outside—that is in its expansion
the state provokes states (or territories) with clearly inferior civilizations.
7. The general tendencies of assimilation or absorption the weakest nations are
reinforced by an even greater increase in self-perpetuating momentum.
Unsurprisingly, many critics have rebuked Ratzel for his writings because they
have been a “catechism for imperialists.” While he himself by no means pressed for the favorite methods for justifying German imperialism, still he did not disguise that he had nationalist convictions. For him, it was important to establish a conceptual instrument for advocating awareness of the history of the state and nation and their relationship to the land. In practice, he sought the awakening of
“Raumsinn” (“the spirit of the land), among the leaders of Germany, whom regarded geopolitics as a dry academic discipline merely representing abstraction. 1.5 Weltmacht and the Sea
Ratzel was greatly influenced by his experiences in North America, which he studied thoroughly and published two books on: “Maps of the Cities and Civilizations of the American South” (1874), and “the Southern United States of America,” (1878 1880). He noted, having his considerable experience of political geography in European history, the far greater degree that the “spirit of the land” had in American expansion because Americans first had the task of mastering the “empty” expanses. Accordingly, the American people sensibly put into practice what the Old World had come to intuitively and gradually. So, in Ratzel’s work we come across the first formulation of another important geopolitical concept— “world power” (weltmacht). Ratzel observed that large countries have a tendency in their development to maximize geographical expansion, gradually moving to the global level.
Therefore, some time or another, geographical growth should arrive at its continental phase.
Applying this principle—inferred and deduced from the American political experiment and strategical unification of the continent’s space—to Germany, Ratzel predicted its destiny to be a continental power.
He also anticipated another important geopolitical topic—the importance of the seas for civilizational development. In his book “The Seas: The Source of 141
Nations’ Power” (1900) (4), he pointed out the particular necessity of each mighty power to develop its naval forces, especially because full-fledged global expansion requires it. That some nations and states brought this about spontaneously (England, Spain, Holland, etc.), land powers (Ratzel, naturally, had Germany in mind) should do this sensibly: develop a fleet that is necessary under the conditions for approximating the status of a “world power.”
The sea and “world power” were already connected for Ratzel, although only later geopoliticians (Mahan, Mackinder, Haushofer, and especially Schmitt) gave this topic completeness and centrality. The works of Ratzel are the essential for all geopolitical research. In a compressed form, his works contain practically every basic thesis, which would form the basis of this science. Kjellen, a Swede, and Haushofer, a German, based their concepts on Ratzel’s works. His ideas were also taken into account by Frenchman Vidal de la Blache, the Englishman Mackinder, Mahan, an American, and the Russian Eurasianists (P. Savitsky, L. Gumilev, etc.).
It should be noted that Ratzel’s political sympathies were not accidental. Practically all geopolitics has been brightly marked by nationalist sentiment, regardless of whether it wears the cloak of “democratic” geopolitics (Anglo-Saxon geopolitics of Mackinder and Mahan) or “ideological” forms (Haushofer, Schmitt, and the Eurasianists).
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Dr Juan Carlos Afonso - The true colours of the Earth: Multi-data and multi-scale inversion for imaging the physical state of the Earth's interior
Dr Juan Carlos Afonso, Macquarie U.
Mardi 16 février 2021 à 12h30 - Tuesday, February 16, 2021 at 12:30 pm
The last 20 years have witnessed an outstanding increase in computing power, data‐fusion techniques, and geophysical/geochemical data acquisition programs worldwide, a trend that is likely to accelerate in the next few decades. These advances now allow the Solid Earth community to pursue massive data‐driven simulations and probabilistic joint inversions for the physical state and geodynamic evolution of the Earth's interior with unprecedented complexity and resolution. In fact, the current state of affairs is such that the boundaries between the fields of geodynamics, geochemistry and inverse geophysical theory, traditionally viewed as separate disciplines, are becoming increasingly blurred and symbiotic. Clearly, Earth models that are simultaneously constrained by multiple and complementary observables are necessary to bring a step change in our understanding of, for example, the nature (i.e., temperature, composition, and architecture) and evolution of the lithosphere, its interaction with the sublithospheric mantle, and the forces driving tectonism and plate motion. In this presentation, I will focus on emerging techniques capable of fusing multiple data sets of different nature (e.g. geochemical, geodetic, geophysical) to obtain thermodynamically-consistent models of the physical state of planetary interiors, with emphasis on the 4D thermochemical structure of the Earth's interior. Such models provide critical information on i) multi-scale processes, such as magmatism/volcanism and lithospheric deformation, and ii) natural hazard management and resource exploration frameworks.
The true colours of the Earth: Multi-data and multi-scale inversion for imaging the physical state of the Earth's interior
Ajouter au calendrier 2021-02-16 12:30:00 2021-01-18 11:28:32 Dr Juan Carlos Afonso - The true colours of the Earth: Multi-data and multi-scale inversion for imaging the physical state of the Earth's interior The last 20 years have witnessed an outstanding increase in computing power, data‐fusion techniques, and geophysical/geochemical data acquisition programs worldwide, a trend that is likely to accelerate in the next few decades. These advances now allow the Solid Earth community to pursue massive data‐driven simulations and probabilistic joint inversions for the physical state and geodynamic evolution of the Earth's interior with unprecedented complexity and resolution. In fact, the current state of affairs is such that the boundaries between the fields of geodynamics, geochemistry and inverse geophysical theory, traditionally viewed as separate disciplines, are becoming increasingly blurred and symbiotic. Clearly, Earth models that are simultaneously constrained by multiple and complementary observables are necessary to bring a step change in our understanding of, for example, the nature (i.e., temperature, composition, and architecture) and evolution of the lithosphere, its interaction with the sublithospheric mantle, and the forces driving tectonism and plate motion. In this presentation, I will focus on emerging techniques capable of fusing multiple data sets of different nature (e.g. geochemical, geodetic, geophysical) to obtain thermodynamically-consistent models of the physical state of planetary interiors, with emphasis on the 4D thermochemical structure of the Earth's interior. Such models provide critical information on i) multi-scale processes, such as magmatism/volcanism and lithospheric deformation, and ii) natural hazard management and resource exploration frameworks. Geotop admin@example.com America/New_York public
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The cost is $8 per plate and carry-out is available.
Proceeds will benefit the Carnegie Library, Ballinger High School scholarships and local organizations.
Art walk set for Friday
The First Friday Art Walk will be held 6-10 p.m. Friday Feb. 24.
Venues participating include the Lee Bunch Studio at 100 W. Greenwood St., Casa de la Cultura at 302 Cantu St., Whitehead Memorial Museum at 1308 S. Main St., and the Del Rio Council For the Arts at 120 E. Garfield St.
Students can explore nature on river
The Texas Tech University Junction Outdoor School will offer spring break excursions for students in sixth-eight grades around the South Llano River.
Classes include aquatic biology and field ornithology 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., March 13, and quail CSI and understanding watersheds 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 14.
Both events are free. Registration is required and students need to bring a sack lunch and a re-fillable water bottle.
For more information, go to depts.ttu.edu/junction/outdoorschool or call 806-834-5625.
Myths program begins in March
Ballroom Marfa and Mexican Summer will hold Marfa Myths March 9-12 at various venues.
The event is an annual music festival and multidisciplinary cultural program featuring musicians and artists.
For a full schedule and ticket prices, go to marfamyths.com.
Chamber gives awards to citizens, organizations
Various awards were handed out at the Mason Chamber of Commerce banquet recently.
Keith Kaan was named Citizen of the Year. He was recognized for his 15 years of volunteering with the local Habitat for Humanity and his skills at creating homes that are energy and water efficient.
The Hall of Fame award went to Dalton Stephens, who was proprietor of the Dallas Stephens Grocery until it closed in 2003. He is a long-time supporter of the American Legion Fort Mason Post 285.
The Second Chance Mason Animal Rescue was named the Public Servant of the Year. Since 2012, the group has rescued more than 500 dogs and cats and is in the planning stage of building a no-kill shelter.
Jeri Langehennig, relationship manager for Capital Farm Credit, was the Business Woman of the Year, while Commercial Bank president Michael Cope was Business Man of the Year.
Business of the Year for nine years and fewer was radio station Lonestar 102.5 FM KHLB. Operation Orphans was named Business of the Year for 10 years and more. The group gives children who are wards of the state an opportunity to experience a deer hunt.
Group to play at Odeon Theater
Wood & Wire will bring its modern take on traditional mountain and country music to the Odeon Theater at 7 p.m., March 11.
Tickets are $20 and available at theodeontheater.com, or call 325-347-6781.
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UGF men take on L-C State in men’s tourney semifinals
Scott Mansch
smansch@greatfallstribune.com
The University of Great Falls men’s basketball program notched a significant upset victory on the road at Montana Western earlier this week in the Frontier Conference tournament.
Friday night the Argos will look to pull off another shocker.
The UGF men of coach Anthony Owens, fresh off a three-point victory at 23rd-ranked Western on Tuesday, meet powerful Lewis-Clark State on Friday night at 8 in the tournament semifinals. The L-C State Warriors are 26-4, including three victories over UGF in as many tries this season, and are ranked sixth among NAIA Division I teams.
The Argos do not seem to mind an underdog’s role.
“(The Warriors) have got a lot to lose, playing for seeding (in the national tournament) and all that. They’ve got a lot of pressure on them,” Owens said. “A lot of people didn’t expect us to be in the semifinals, or maybe even in the tournament at all. We need to go out and be loose and enjoy ourselves.
“If we put forth 100 percent effort and lose, then hey, they were just a better team this year. But I really think if put 100 percent into it, we shouldn’t lose.”
The Argos are 0-3 against L-C State this season, including an 87-71 loss last Saturday night in Great Falls. The Warriors also defeated UGF 92-69 on Feb. 4 and 64-56 at McLaughlin Center on Jan. 15.
The Warriors average a Frontier-best 89.9 ppg and are led by 6-6 forward Jacob Wiley (15.2 ppg). He’s scored 52 points in the three games against UGF. L-C State also leads the league in scoring margin (plus 22.7) and is among the top 3-point shooting teams in the country, making 43 percent of their attempts from deep.
Guard Doug McDaniel provides points off the bench and averages 12.8 ppg, while former Columbia Falls prep star Nick Emerson, who transferred from the University of Montana, averages 11.1 ppg. Guard Cammie Lewis is yet another L-C State player who can score. He averages 10.9 ppg.
The Argos, who improved to 13-15 overall with Tuesday’s 67-64 victory in Dillon, are riding high this week.
“It’s always a great victory when can win on road,” Owens said. “To go to Western during tournament time and come out with a victory, that’s big-time for us.”
The second-year UGF coach was asked if it’s a significant disadvantage for his team to be on the road for this one.
“I don’t feel like,” he said. “They got us here pretty good earlier this season when we were going through a lot of internal problems. But we got a lot of that stuff fixed.”
What has to happen for UGF to have success?
“Bottom line is, we’ve got to make sure we don’t leave them open at the 3-point line,” Owens said. “And we’ve got to shoot a good percentage from there ourselves.”
The UGF team is led by forward Sigman Farmer III and senior point guard Darren Lockett. Several others played well at Dillon, including John Makkar, whose two free throws with six seconds to play gave the Argos the lead for good.
Michael Harris has been playing well lately and Alexander Shepard, who hasn’t seen much playing time all season, came off the bench and drained a pair of 3-pointers.
“A lot of guys contributed,” Owens said. “At times our bigs looked good, and at times our guards had to go make plays and they did.”
The Argos, who have won three of their last four, seem to be playing their best basketball of the season.
“It’s gratifying,” Owens said. “And at the same way it’s kind of disappointing that we put ourselves in this position. If we’d been able to take care of business earlier in the season, just maybe we’d have been able to host a playoff game.
“There’s no time like the present to start playing well. We’re capable of beating L-C. And from there, anything can happen.”
The winner advances to the Frontier Conference tournament championship game, slated for Monday night. In Friday night’s other semifinal, Rocky Mountain (18-13) plays at No. 20 Carroll College (20-8).
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Ka Honua
now that we can see the end coming...
Page 3 of 10 First 12345 ... Last
Thread: now that we can see the end coming...
July 29th, 2019, 08:49 PM #51
Walkoff Balk
Re: now that we can see the end coming...
https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/29/polit...ore/index.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TvDge63Iy8
Oh Baltimore, Man it's hard, just to live.
Originally Posted by tlp123
With Mueller's sterling laser testimony behind us....what's next?
What's the new timeline?
with the traitorous backstabbing Dems willing to be the all-time enablers by refusing to do a damn thing about anything, not even to stamp their feet very hard about trump's current incessant racist ragings at Cummings lol I guess we sit back with a cocktail on a polluted beach of choice, enjoy the toxic view as we roast weenies and toast 'mallows on the tire fire that has become America thx to decades of hate, fatigue, and malaise. we are 1930s Germany with nobody waiting to save us from ourselves.
we didn't need to wait 2yrs for the Mueller investigation / report to be aborted, we've known what was happening in real time before the corrupted election but nobody did anything then, haven't done anything since, aren't doing anything now, and obviously won't be doing anything no matter what the fuck these assholes do. to cheers along the way, trump could ride a tank to NY and mow down everybody in Times Square and get away with blaming his mass murder on Obama, especially after he twists more laws in his favor.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/vira...air/vi-AAF5G0L
What attracts flies?
July 31st, 2019, 08:45 PM #54
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...yn0?li=BBnbcA1
You, you dirty rat!
August 15th, 2019, 09:40 PM #55
https://www.businessinsider.com/andr...-a-slob-2019-8
Yo, president so fat. That when he sit around the White House. He sits aaarrrooouuunnnddd the White House.
August 21st, 2019, 09:04 PM #56
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trumps-fa...201830232.html
Trump is no Frank DeLima.
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/...es-report.html
A brilliant mind.
August 27th, 2019, 09:00 AM #58
Originally Posted by Ron Whitfield
Maybe you could get a movement together to secede?
I bet China would love to have you all.
we did, it was called the Civil War and America won. I don't think we should surrender this country to Russia.
I thot Texas was all gung ho to secede for a decade lol what happened to that? where were they going any way? besides, without California supporting them with it's economic surplus how would Texas continue to survive? we were waiting and hoping they'd go away with the rest of the South but it looks like it's finally going from purple to blue in the next elections after thots and prayers have left everybody belly up. maybe it'll become Mexico again like half of No. America was back in the good old days before it got shitholed.
"China", not Russia dumbass. "Thought", not thot moron. Learn how to spell dumbass.
Since your daddy Trump can't buy Greenland, maybe he can sell your "paradise shithole nothing islands along with Puerto Rico to the Chinese to sweeten the trade deal.
September 4th, 2019, 08:51 PM #61
https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/04/polit...map/index.html
Was Alabama drawn in with crayons?
Originally Posted by Walkoff Balk
the traitorass twit-in chief thinks it's right next to China too lol but but but he didn't say that anyway, Obama and Hillary did lol
September 15th, 2019, 09:19 PM #63
https://www.rollingstone.com/politic...orange-884499/
Orange you glad that there's a logical explanation.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/thought-d...223202010.html
Not so fast my friend.
September 26th, 2019, 04:18 AM #65
if it ain't that it's any of the myriad reasons this KKKlown's fraudulent existence in politics will end badly despite McConnell and Barr.
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/m/44a2...denounces.html
Bring out your bugle! And call F-Troop.
October 1st, 2019, 10:01 AM #67
yet more blatant evidence supporting his immediate removal and imprisonment while awaiting further process.
but Dems are too busy whining...
October 2nd, 2019, 12:39 PM #68
ignore the treason! we need to find and execute the traitor who busted me, now!
shoot 'em in the legs ...and if they die I'll fix it for you cos they're just animals
if the Dems don't stop being mean to me I'll make sure it's Civil War FOREVER!
grown men loosing their marbles over a brave little girl with Aspergers who cares
trump's rogue AG who sent Chelsea Manning to prison for not complying with a subpoena is refusing to comply with a subpoena
we've investigated ourselves and found us all innocent against all charges. go away!
''if you vote for Hillary we'll be stuck with a criminal President under constant Federal investigation from day 1'' he was right, I did, and we are.
Mitch McConnell received $3,500,000 from a Ukrainian-born oligarch with ties that lead to Russia’s Vladimir Putin
trump insisted on a wall with a trench filled with snakes and alligators so many times that his aides actually went and got a cost estimate for a trench.
please stand by while we figure a way to blame this all on Obama and Hillary
you want your preferred religion in my kid's school? what time do I show up to your kid's Sunday School to teach them Evolutionary Biology?
The Constitution was written to protect us from the Government we have now
It is the duty of all persons in the service of the United States, as well as all other inhabitants thereof, to give the earliest information to Congress or any other proper authority of any misconduct, frauds or misdemeanors committed by any officers or persons in the service of these states, which may come to their knowledge. - Congress approved on July 30, 1778, with no recorded dissent
The Civil Rights Act of 1871 is a Federal Statute, #42 U.S.C. § 1983, that allows people to sue the government for civil rights violations. It applies when someone acting “under color of” state-level or local law has deprived a person of rights created by the U.S.
Law enforcement officers and other officials like judges and prosecutors have been given tremendous power by local, state, and Federal Government agencies—authority they must have to enforce the law and ensure justice in our country. These powers include the authority to detain and arrest suspects, to search and seize property, to bring criminal charges, to make rulings in court, and to use deadly force in certain situations.
Preventing abuse of this authority, however, is equally necessary to the health of our nation’s democracy.
That’s why it’s a Federal crime for anyone acting under “color of law” to willfully deprive or conspire to deprive a person of a right protected by the Constitution or U.S. law. “Color of law” simply means the person is using authority given to him or her by a local, State, or Federal Government agency.
The FBI is the lead Federal agency for investigating color of law violations, which include acts carried out by government officials operating both within and beyond the limits of their lawful authority. Off-duty conduct may be covered if the perpetrator asserted his or her official status in some way. Those violations include, but are not limited to, the following acts:
Excessive force: In making arrests, maintaining order, and defending life, law enforcement officers are allowed to use whatever force is “reasonably” necessary.
The breadth and scope of the use of force is vast—from just the physical presence of the officer to the use of deadly force.
Violations of Federal law occur when it can be shown that the force used was willfully “unreasonable” or “excessive.”
False arrest and obstruction of justice: The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right against unreasonable searches or seizures.
A law enforcement official using authority provided under the color of law is allowed to stop individuals and, under certain circumstances, to search them and retain their property. It is in the abuse of that discretionary power—such as an unlawful detention or illegal confiscation of property—that a violation of a person’s civil rights may occur.
Fabricating evidence against or falsely arresting an individual also violates the color of law statute, taking away the person’s rights of due process and unreasonable seizure.
In the case of deprivation of property, the color of law statute would be violated by unlawfully obtaining or maintaining a person’s property, which oversteps or misapplies the official’s authority.
The Fourteenth Amendment secures the right to due process; the Eighth Amendment prohibits the use of cruel and unusual punishment.
During an arrest or detention, these rights can be violated by the use of force amounting to punishment (summary judgment). The person accused of a crime must be allowed the opportunity to have a trial and should not be subjected to punishment without having been afforded the opportunity of the legal process.
trump / Epstein 20/20
October 6th, 2019, 08:58 PM #69
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...VcR?li=BBnb7Kz
It's time to update your resume. How many of us can put Impeachment on it?
Impeachment will be a yuge seller to those hiring traitors, despots, political whores, and your garden variety prescription drug addicted Depends-wearing lowlifes.
Lindsey HYPOCRITICAL TRAITOR Graham, then as a congressman who served as a House manager in Clinton’s Senate trial: “You don’t even have to be convicted of a crime in this constitutional republic if this body determines your conduct as a public official is clearly out of bounds in your role. Impeachment is about cleansing the office. Impeachment is about restoring honor and integrity to the office.” – Jan. 16, 1999
Lindsey today: WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! STOP BEING MEAN TO THE FRAUDULENT GUY WHO HAS A TON OF SERIOUS DIRT ON ME!
October 10th, 2019, 08:13 PM #72
the first arrests regarding the latest takedown of the trumpunk traitor admin. happened today as 2 foreign agents were cuffed at the airport about to flee the country after lunching with trudy Giuliani who was also planning a similar departure and rendezvous in Vienna, maybe to stay in fear of his own arrest. trudy is now under Fed investigation as well and can expect to be hearing charges by the same SDNY Dept. he ran decades ago.
the ethnic cleansing horror in Turkey against the betrayed Kurds is merely trumpunk's desperate attempt to distract from the shit hitting his Russian-made fan. thousands are dying cos he's scared of the future he created for himself. what a pussyass murdering dirtbag, his dwindling supporters are made in his image.
October 14th, 2019, 12:50 AM #73
just one of the latest reasons why he should be behind bars forever https://www.yahoo.com/huffpost/fake-...022310558.html
September 16th 2019 ...a look that will live in infamy
it was accepted 20/20 foresight 3yrs ago that trump would sooner or later start a war just because he could, now 2 1/2yrs into his fraudulent placement and out of sheer desperation to distract from his endless self-made stream of bad news we have the mid-East erupting again with ISIS and every anti-American sentiment on the rampage WHILE 50 NUKES SIT IN UNKNOWN SECURITY, SAFETY, AND CONDITION in our new enemy Turkey. and he doesn't care.
meanwhile, we have thousands of troops there, virtually trapped and defenseless along with a massive weaponry contingent which will at best require a historic airlift rescue.
we're watching the calendar mark of WWIII
but Hillary's emails!
https://news.yahoo.com/trump-syria-t...155915378.html
Last edited by Ron Whitfield; October 16th, 2019 at 10:20 PM.
Mick Mulvaney just threw trump under the bus countering trump's psycho-mantra of (((NO QUID PRO QUO))) with oh sure, we do it all the time!
he'll have fun answering to Congress soon
add more Emoluments Clause lawbreaking / profiteering of G7 on trump property...
...and the ''all roads with YOU lead to PUTIN'' bitchslap by Nancy
...and trudy being nailed by his own SDNY Feds
...AND RICK PERRY JUST FLYING OUT THE WINDOW
...and the first signs of the trump damn breaking on these and the mid-East scorched Earth cut n run horror, republicans are caving to the endless rockfall, they're turning on trump just as public opinion has flipped dramatically in favor of dethroning the naked King thing...
...makes for a fun week for Patriots who TOLD YOU SO lol
https://www.c-span.org/video/?465446...s-miami-resort
https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/...on-crn-vpx.cnn
Last edited by Ron Whitfield; October 17th, 2019 at 11:49 AM.
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Heroes & Villains Articles »
Fanzine Articles »
Deano - the fifth miracle?
Ex- Villa Players still playing watch by fredm
Man City vs Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread - Jan 20th - 6.00pm by nordenvillain
January Transfer Window by LeeB
This one's a keeper by teamvillage
How much will Coronavirus (COVID-19) impact Aston Villa's season? by kippaxvilla2
The NFL Thread (with added College Football) by Duncan Shaw
The International Cricket Thread by Moonraker
Jack Grealish - for life? by GordonCowansisthegreatest
Author Topic: Deano - the fifth miracle? (Read 1321 times)
Coming to Villa Park in October 2018 fulfilled a career-long ambition for Dean Smith, but looking at the circumstances that obtained in B6 at the time of his move from Brentford you could, at best, describe them as a mixed blessing. Yes, the new owners who had just appointed him were well stocked with cash, some of which had already been put to use to pay some pesky tax bills and other amounts owing to clubs by way of transfer fees, wages and so on, that the previous owner (or then current co-owner, to be precise) had run up. There would clearly be more to spend in future transfer windows, but the nearest one was well over two months away.
Smith’s first problem was the most obvious one; a lower mid-table position for a team that was fancied to be among the promotion-chasers. The previous incumbent, Steve Bruce, who will be remembered for some of the good things he did in his time here, had overseen a run of one win in his last ten games, despite his side being effectively injury-free in that time. Bizarrely, a manager who was highly-regarded as a pivot in his playing days, presided over a situation where Villa were reduced to a mere two centre-backs in the entire squad, with three other players who could play the position being sent out on loan at the start of the season. There was also no left-back in reserve should Neil Taylor, no stranger to the odd niggle, pick up an injury. Despite all this, Dean Smith laid his ambitions bare before the media; asked what his target for the club was, he replied simply, “Promotion!” An unbalanced squad and a poor league position were problems for him to deal with, rather than excuses for failure. Apparently, the owners and CEO were thinking the same way, except that it might take a couple of seasons to deliver.
There was little that could be done about the squad immediately, so Dean got to work on improving what he’d been left with. Once he’d actually spent some time with the players, the difference was quite spectacular. Such was the attacking intent, movement, and flow of chances and goals, it was hard for some of us to catch our breath. Comparisons were made with 110% Ron’s side of 1976/77, still regarded as the Villa Park litmus test for swashbuckling, exciting football. Some urged caution, pointing out that Villa were at, of course, a level lower and that such comparisons were invalid for that reason alone. If that sounds like the miserablism common to too many Villa fans, it wasn’t; even the critics were going around with a sloppy grin on their chops as Villa dispatched one opponent after another, with Tammy Abraham seemingly running a personal Goal of the Week contest.
At this stage, despite the poor start under Bruce, it was hard not to hum along to the siren song of automatic promotion. Even those who wondered when the brilliant run would hit a bump had to bear in mind that Smith would be allowed to strengthen his side in January, so all looked set fair for the rest of the season. Then the injuries began to bite; first, Jack Grealish who had hit near top form in this run (or at least top form as we understood it then), pulled up with a mysterious problem that took weeks to even diagnose, let alone repair. In the end, it turned out to be what non-experts like me term a pre-broken leg and required a rest period that was to last for over three months. Axel Tuanzebe, who had struck up a strong defensive partnership with the worthy James Chester was the next man to go missing; this was another big blow; Axel’s physical power and pace in recovery was a great help to his defence, and his willingness to bring the ball out from the back, making the extra man in midfield, would also be missed. These blows didn’t only mean the absence of the club’s most inspirational player, it also meant that the worthy James Bree boosted his number of first-team appearances - at centre-back - for a few games, as Villa limped into January.
The opening of the window, it was hoped would bring some immediate relief, but, of course, no such thing happened. Deals tend to happen towards the end of the month, as each club’s requirements become a little clearer as situations develop. Still, Deano took immediate action, bringing Tommy Elphick and Jed Steer back into the club, to mitigate the effects of the previous manager’s discredited ‘policy’. This meant that we had something that vaguely looked like a defence, though many noted the continued absence of a left-sided centre-back, to give us some balance. Kortney Hause came in on loan from Wolves, and his lack of recent match-time showed up painfully on the pitch. Rusty wasn’t the word. We all hoped for improvement from this low base but the wins still wouldn’t come, and a three-nil drubbing against Wigan saw the first doubts expressed as to whether this bloke really was the right one for our club, after all. It would have been fitting had there been more understanding of the problems he was having to deal with. Still, too many football fans find it easier to moan than consider the bigger picture.
Good work by the club saw Tyrone Mings come in towards the end of the month, in the face of several competing clubs. He took a while to find his feet, too, though at least the signing allowed James Chester, who had worked himself onto the treatment table in the absence of any viable alternatives, to get some well-earned recovery time. Watching the defeat at Griffin Park, it was possible to see the improvement in the defence, even while lamenting the lack of creativity further forward. It looked like Dean Smith the manager could have done with a few Dean Smith-style players to play the way he wanted. His old team seemed full of them. Happily, things were, slowly, on the turn. A draw at Stoke was only the second point from the last four matches, but the nature of the come-back and Villa’s second-half superiority was noted. The unfancied Whelan and Hourihane took control of the game after a rare Deano bollocking accompanied the half time cuppa, and, though disappointed that his side hadn’t won, he was happy with the improvement.
This presaged the home game against Derby, another side who had hit a recent slump. The return of Grealish (as captain!), with the momentum of last week’s improvement, saw a comprehensive victory that could have been even more emphatic. It was as delightful as it was surprising; the fact that it only boosted us slightly up to mid-table was a reminder that the odd victory here and there wouldn’t be making much of an impact on the play-off places. In the month leading up to this match, Grealish’s biggest contribution had been his game of cat-and-mouse with his mate Tammy Abraham, convincing the on-loan Chelsea striker to stick around as he would be back playing soon. Happily, Tammy listened, and continued to pile up the goals for us, rather than nipping up the road to sign for the Dogheads.
For those who prefer easy answers to difficult questions, Grealish’s return was the single reason for Villa’s spectacular upturn. Rather, it was Jack, plus the improvement from other players, the more solid defence mentioned earlier that meant that it was no longer necessary to score two goals to earn a point, and the steadying influence of Jed Steer behind everyone else. When the suspended McGinn found that, on his recall, he was required to sit on the bench, he seemed to regard this affront as an incentive to pour even more of his supercharged energy into the midfield battle, and came up with a series of memorable strikes to prove it.
As Villa continued to climb the table, often beating clubs above them in the table, matching, even exceeding the standards of the previous November, the Manager of the Month award came into play. At the presentation, Deano was keen to emphasise that he was the Head Coach, not the manager, a subtle but important distinction. Certainly, there was nothing that could stop the club from achieving its play-off target. Overcoming the dull-as-dishwater defensive display of the Baggies wasn’t easy, especially after the concession of a soft goal in the first leg, but this wasn’t the first time that Dean Smith’s side had had to battle back to win. Villa weren’t at their best in the second leg and had to edge through on penalties thanks largely to Jed Steer’s heroics. The final itself showed how much things had changed in just a few months. Dean’s team went for the win, while Lampard’s Derby reprised the Steve Bruce role from a year earlier, being more fearful of defeat in a game where victory was required.
The celebrations were loud and went on for several days for some, though it’s doubtful that Dean’s enjoyment of the moment lasted too long. Winning a play-off final feels great until you realise that you now have less time to prepare for the new challenge than everyone else(perhaps one of the reasons why a majority of play-off promoted teams are immediately relegated). Throw in the detail of more than twenty footballers leaving the club shortly after promotion has been achieved and the task of survival seems even more formidable. The return of loan players to their parent clubs, the expiration of contracts of some of the older men, the early release of players who were thought not to be needed for the rigours that lay ahead, plus the much-needed culling of many of the club’s youth professionals in a bid, at last to get the club’s youth system producing first-team players again, left Dean -and some of the rest of us- pondering on the wisdom of achieving promotion only to be left with about fifteen bodies (including three ‘keepers) to put a proper team out. This was compounded by the fact that some of the remaining squad were unlikely to trouble the higher division with their presence. Hogan and Lansbury came to mind, but you may feel that you could have added others to the list.
With the spectre of FFP looming over us, there would clearly need to be a limit set on what the club could spend. Yet the need to sign virtually a team’s worth of players applied another pressure, numbers. The answer was to bring in a bunch of new signings that would be good enough to fit in at this level, but not yet good enough to command fees and wages that we couldn’t afford. If this Smith bloke was half the coach he was thought to be, the new men would develop and improve over the season at Bodymoor Heath and we should be able to stay up fairly comfortably. At least, that was the theory. In some quarters, there was a fear that the miracle-worker Smith had presided over our promotion a year too soon.
Three things then happened that struck what may have been a wrong chord. CEO Purslow and Deano, both singing from the same sheet, were bullish about Villa’s new challenge. Purslow made it clear that Villa hadn’t come up just to be involved in a relegation struggle; Deano was equally positive in stressing that Villa would be looking to win all their games in the new division. Clearly, both were still enjoying the buzz of a spectacular promotion campaign and that may have transferred itself into their comments. By raising expectations for what was always likely to be a difficult time, it meant that poor results would somehow be less acceptable; after all, the top people at the club had effectively said it wouldn’t happen. The other issue was that of loan transfers. Clearly Bruce, while doing it well, had overplayed this market, something the new CEO helped to put right by trying to get buying clauses into as many loan deals as he could. This was a great help when it came to team and squad-building. Suddenly, the policy was completely abandoned, as Villa made it clear that they were only interested in developing their own players, not those of other clubs. The shutting down of this part of our summer transfer profile was probably a mistake, especially as we needed to bring so many new bodies in. Looked at from an accountant’s point of view, the idea made more sense; signing experienced Prem players, whether on loan or free transfers, would mean a big boost to the wage bill, as agents ensured their clients were well looked after.
Either way, some of these chickens came home to roost early on, as Villa kept to their promise of trying to win every game; the big problem being that they hadn’t yet developed a method of hanging onto winning leads. Spurs, Burnley and Arsenal all retrieved losing positions at our expense before the autumn was reached. Some commented on the naivety of new players not used to this level of competition, or even their new team-mates; others wondered whether the problem was centred around what was going on around the dug-out rather than on the pitch. It seemed to be the case that Dean, like many of his players, was having to learn at a higher level while on the job. Necessity meant that he would have to learn quickly.
Deano was finding out early on that honeymoon periods in football tend to be short-lived; the glories of last season had been replaced by more immediate concerns. Happily, he turned things round with back-to-back wins against Norwich and Brighton. Villa were playing some good stuff at this stage, if a little over-reliant on the burgeoning genius of Grealish to make things happen. If there was a concern as to what might happen if Jack was absent, even this was seemingly answered by a tremendous effort against Champs-elect Liverpool which saw the home side denied a famous victory by two late goals. Far from taking inspiration from this performance, Villa hit a dip that brought us right back into the relegation mix. Goals were leaking with some predictability and Deano came in for some pointed criticism. Why were Villa playing a high defensive line against teams like Leicester and Southampton, possessors of swift, counter-attacking players, especially when Bjorn Engels was not the quickest in recovery? The Southampton defeat saw the two teams swap places in the table. A narrow and not quite deserved win against Norwich gave us some respite but was followed by a poor performance at Watford where two of the three goals conceded were when the home side were down to ten men. This was a sore point from some critics; it had been noted before that Smith’s team did not seem very confident at taking the supposed advantage of the extra man.
The New Year’s Day game at Burnley represented a fresh start for the coach and his team; reverting to a 3-5-2 formation not only seemed to shore up the defence, it also allowed Villa to get players further forward to support the much-maligned Wesley, who duly broke a goalless run. Grealish was superb and Villa could have taken an even bigger advantage into half-time. Burnley came back into it, but Villa did well to hang on for three vital points and Deano had ticked a box marked ‘tactical flexibility’ that had been a concern for some Villains. This was followed by a farcical performance against Manchester City where Villa kept their shape quite nicely but forgot to actually engage their opponents, as per the whole bleeding point of the game. Still, the lesson was learned, both at Brighton, where a second-half equaliser was just reward for being the better side after the break, and a memorable last-gasp win over Watford at Villa Park, where thunderous chants of “Deeney, Deeney, what’s the score?” rang out as a fitting response to the over-celebration of the Bluenose’s leading goal before the break.
While all this was going on, Villa’s League Cup run was still going strong. Deano and his team gained little credit from this adventure, the reasoning being that, after all, our opponents were only fielding reserve line-ups. Happily, it then dawned that this was exactly what Villa were doing as well. Admittedly, Liverpool took things a bit far by fielding their youth side against us, but there were reasons for this, even if you didn’t like the idea. With the two Manchester clubs and Leicester the other teams left in the contest, the semi-final draw was, for some, a matter of who you wanted to see Villa get stuffed by. Leicester drew the winning ticket, and the semi-final took on the feel of 1970-71, where the first leg was away (at Old Trafford) and the hope was that the score could be kept within reasonable bounds and thus allow a real contest back at Villa Park. Villa certainly did that, and might even have won at the Scabby Crisp Stadium but for a woeful error in possession. Such was the way that Leicester started the second leg that it might all have been over in the first twenty minutes. Villa defended well, but this was Orjan Nyland’s night, ramming the words down his critics’ throats as he kept Villa in it while the other ten settled down and ultimately nicked what was probably a deserved win in the end.
Surely, such an impressive result and performance, along with the Watford comeback, would give the team a massive confidence boost in the games ahead, a couple of which were six-pointers? A good showing here would potentially take us clear of the relegation struggle, at least for the time being. The resultant run of five straight defeats was as deflating as Villa’s business in the transfer window. Once again, Villa were hit hard by the boundaries of FFP; most of us can think of players who would have made a difference to our team; the problem was aligning our football needs while keeping on good terms with the bean-counters. Nevertheless, history will likely relate that Danny Drinkwater’s stay was not a great success, neither was Ally Samatta’s, while you sense that Borja Baston will probably feature as an obscure item in future Villa quiz tie-breakers. We’ll get back to Pepe Reina later.
It was hard to discern a pattern during this run, apart from the losses. Insipid performances at Bournemouth and Southampton got mostly what was deserved but the showings against Spurs and in the final against the Oil Corporation suggested a team with some quality determined to battle to the last kick. The jury couldn’t quite make up its mind at this stage, but it didn’t like the blame being pushed onto match officials (though god knows there was plenty of room for improvement in this direction). Some members also tired of Dean’s comments after seemingly every defeat at the hands of a top-half side that, “these results won’t define our season”. Some looked at the league table, noted that Watford, West Ham, Southampton and Bournemouth had all enjoyed good wins against their so-called betters, and begged to differ.
Then came the game at Leicester, where the home side took full revenge for the cup upset and left Villa fans wondering where to start the post-match autopsy. The glaring defensive frailty that made every ball into the penalty area a likely unchallenged attempt at goal made some wonder who was actually in charge of any defensive coaching the players might be getting. This had been an issue for some time; all those familiar with events knew that Deano was the head coach; Messrs O’Kelly and Terry were named ‘assistants’. None of this gave the game away as to who might be deemed responsible as the goals continued to flow in the wrong direction. Villa loyalist Andy Townsend condemned Villa as ‘the worst team in the premiership’ after this display, and though the verdict hurt, it was hard to argue with it. Rumblings in the media suggested that should Villa capitulate in the next game against Chelsea, then the owners, not men to tolerate repeated failure, might thank Dean for his considerable achievements and move on. All inhabitants of planet Earth will know what happened next.
When the Great Resumption rolled around, it was hard to know what attitude to take. After all, that game in hand at home to the Blades, should it be won, would be enough to carry us out of the relegation zone. Showings before the lockdown suggested this was wishful thinking. As it was, the draw at least showed that the defence was more solid; an in-form striker and Villa would surely have won with the chances created. Defeat to Chelsea was disappointing, though hardly surprising. The overall feeling of the draw at Newcastle was that we should have won, but a familiar bluntness up front ensured that goals would be hard to come by. The next three games were all lost, without even a Villa goal to cheer. Yet the performance at champions Liverpool was a good one, with chances being created. We were also well in the game against Manchester United before the egregious Jon Moss (and the VAR official) got involved in a penalty decision that at least had the virtue of making Kevin Friend seem vaguely adequate. While all this had been happening, the morale of Villa fans was kept bubbling along by the equally bad results for the other strugglers. At least until that week, when Watford, with two fortunate home wins, pulled clear of the mire. Not only were they now seven points clear of trouble, their goal difference was improved by such a margin, that it was hard to see how a scoreless side like Villa could hope to plug either of these gaps.
In the end, that indefinable quality of luck finally began to turn our way. When the strong defender but poor ball-player Kortney Hause pulled up during the warm-up against Palace, Villa’s only other available centre-back, Ezri Konsa, was asked to move across from full-back. In this simple, unavoidable move, Smith had discovered a centre-back pairing that has done us proud ever since. The authority of Reina at the back was clearly a contributor to this new-found and welcome solidity. The disallowing of an early Palace goal was merely the precursor of the discovery of another hero, Trezeguet, who allied his thirst for hard work on the right side (Trez Bremner, anyone?) with winning strikes from inside the area. Not only had Villa scored a couple of goals, they could easily have had several more in a win that had given us the scent of hope, something that even the most success-starved fans of any club need. The concession of a late goal at Goodison was a set-back, but the point took on a bit of a glow when Watford’s defeat at West Ham meant that the gap was down to three points and a handful of goals. Meanwhile, while Bournemouth’s form had improved, their results and goal difference had not. Now it began to look like us or Watford for the drop.
Super Tuesday rolled around and Manchester City did a job on a Watford side whose manager and coach had been dismissed with two games to go -perhaps the most bizarre occurrence of the whole season, one that still defies explanation. That brought the goal differences level; now all we needed to do was beat an Arsenal side who had beaten Liverpool and the aforementioned City in their last two games. Ulp!
Many optimists hoped for a draw, which would keep the miracle of survival via a last-day win in play. Instead, Villa produced the display of the season to deservedly, if narrowly, take the victory that took us out of the relegation zone for the first time since February. Suddenly, we were favourites to stay up! The team duly delivered the point at West Ham that secured safety and the celebrations and the sighs of relief followed. The dedication by Dean to his dad was moving, and was a clear demonstration of the fact that whatever opinions on Deano’s ability you might harbour, he was the definition of a top bloke. At this time, Dean revealed that he had taken the defensive reorganisation of the side as his responsibility during and after the Lockdown. We still don’t know who had had the job before. Alongside this, Douglas Luiz, (Doo-Gee!! according to Reina’s in-match screams) protected the backline masterfully and was clearly the Player of the Second Bit of the Season, with the help of a few well-timed fouls to lubricate his superb ball-skills. Smith’s more pragmatic approach on the resumption was to stay in matches, rather than dominate them. It worked. Villa, as one poster put it, had had to take their medicine in 2019-20 -a nd though the pain was excruciating at times, the patient was back on his feet and ready for more work.
No doubt the team enjoyed a few end-of-season drinks again, but the time for resting was short, as the new campaign was soon back. This time recruitment was less frenetic, as Villa concentrated on areas that clearly needed strengthening. Ollie Watkins came in to see if he could replicate his goal-machine record at a higher level. Emiliano Martinez had got a run in the Arsenal team at the end of the previous season and impressed everyone; suddenly, we were no longer waiting for the recovery of the valued Tom Heaton. Matty Cash looked like an odd signing but the right flank of the defence looks stronger for his presence, and he can cross a ball, too. Early sightings of Bertrand Traore are just that, but it’s clear he has a lot of things going for him. Throw in what someone on here called the ‘natural improvement’ that a year of Premier League football has given the likes of Luiz, Konsa, Targett and Trez, the signing on long contracts of Grealish, Mings and the under-rated Davis, and the relaxing of last summer’s loan ’ban’, allowing Ross Barkley to come through the door, meant that few were thinking of just survival as the season commenced.
In fact, things can be said to be going rather better than expected. To follow the opening two wins with THAT performance against the champions was more than a win, it was a statement of intent. Victory at Leicester seemed to confirm that this could be one of those special seasons that people will be happy to talk about in years to come. Like ‘76/-7, (this time at the top level) there’s a good feeling around this team as well as the suspicion that Villa don’t have a strong enough squad to keep the quality up when injuries and suspensions hit the first-team. Perhaps it’s the biggest Smith miracle of all, that we can contemplate top-half Prem finishes as being within our grasp soon, and that such an accomplishment would be seen as just be another step on the way upwards.
So how do we calculate a value for the various ‘miracles’ performed by Dean Smith in his two years at the club? We could start with the Villa fan, sensing something in the air at half-time in the Derby match, trying to get a bet on Villa going up. He failed, and the odds of 45/1 probably still hurt even now. How about staying up as a play-off team? Under normal circumstances, survival chances were odds-against, with eighteen of thirty teams being immediately relegated on arrival in the Prem. Throw in the re-building of the squad (absolutely necessary so, no, we weren’t ‘doing a Fulham’) and the odds climb again.
What price on survival you would have got at the start of March 2020 is another matter, of course. Not too many promoted teams immediately qualify for a major cup final in their first season back, so a fair few quid could have been made on that had money been put down in August. I imagine backing a 7-2 win against the current champions would have attracted odds somewhere in the region of 100/1, as well as the recommendation that you might like to try a good lie down. A history-equalling record of four opening wins and a record -beating three away wins on the bounce suggest that Dean might have a few more surprises in store for us. In fact, the surprises have been so prolific that the title of this article has already had to be changed. What might happen next? I’ve got my own preference for this season, but sometimes these thoughts are best not committed to print.
Dave Collett
« Last Edit: November 26, 2020, 08:54:54 PM by dave.woodhall »
Luffbralion
Re: Deano - the fifth miracle?
This is a great read and due testimony to what Dean has achieved. Thanks, Dave
West Derby Villan
Location: Turn left junction 21A
Great article Dave
Location: Cloud 10
Oh, it must be! And it is! Villa in the lead!
Villan For Life
Location: Exiled on Main Street
That’s a fantastic read. The last couple of years has been a rollercoaster ride but we are where we deserve to be and things are looking up.
In some ways Dean has given us our Villa back; sometimes breathtaking, sometimes frustratingly inept but always our Villa. Apart from a few glorious years at the start of my Villa supporting life, haven’t we always been like that?
Chipsticks
Location: Mainland, NZ
Brilliant article Dave.
Neil Hawkes
An excellent read.
Percy McCarthy
Location: I'm hiding in my hole
Great stuff. He’s done an amazing job.
TelfordVilla
i didnt even see mention of ten wins on the trot. So many good things have happened since Dean arrived. With time he can become our Ferguson/Wenger.
Brilliant article, and ...
Quote from: TelfordVilla on November 27, 2020, 09:34:28 AM
... I agree completely. Looking forward to many more years with Dean at the helm.
TonyD
Location: Outside the box
Cracking read.
100-1 for 7.2. I reckon more like 300-1. Did anyone put that bet on?
brentastonb6
Thank you, makes you proud of what has been achieved so far .
Scratchins
What a great article, we have been on a fantastic roller coaster ride and the future looks bright.
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La FIP pide a los gobiernos del mundo y a las redes sociales que tomen medidas inmediatas para erradicar la violencia de género online
Con motivo del Día Internacional de la Eliminación de la Violencia contra las Mujeres y las Niñas, la Federación Internacional de Periodistas (FIP) y...
Philippines: 11 years after Ampatuan massacre, impunity remains rife
Eleven years on from the Ampatuan Massacre, the world’s deadliest attack against journalists, impunity for crimes against journalists continues in the...
Indonesia: Members of the military assault journalist
Nirmala Maulana, who works for a national online media Kompas.com, was assaulted by members of the military when covering the removal banners of Islam...
United Arab Emirates: Journalist sentenced to prison for spreading false news
A TV journalist and his interviewee have been sentenced to two years in prison for spreading false news that claimed that five members of an Emirati...
Philippines: Journalist shot dead by soldiers
Ronnie Villamor, a freelance journalist in Masbate province, was shot dead by soldiers in Milagros, on the island of Masbate, on November 14 in an...
Sudan: Journalist arrested for reporting on anti-corruption committee
Prominent columnist Ishaq Ahmed Fadlallah was arrested on 12 November after writing an article criticizing the practices of a member of the...
India: IFJ calls on Indian government to end impunity for crimes against journalists
As part of its 2020 campaign to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has sent on 17 November...
Yemen: IFJ calls on Yemeni authorities to end impunity for crimes against journalists
As part of its 2020 campaign to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, the IFJ has sent on 16 November a letter to the Yemeni Prime Minister...
Ethiopia: Media crackdown amid military offensive in Tigray region
The Ethiopian Government has launched a wave of arrests against journalists covering the ongoing conflict in the Tigray region. Since November 7, at...
"Los medios de comunicación pueden hacer mucho más para proteger a los/as periodistas"
La pandemia de la Covid-19 ha provocado un incremento en el número de casos de acoso y violencia contra periodistas. La FIP ha entrevistado a la...
#EndImpunity: India
Since 2010, 55 journalists have been killed with only one case resolved.
Armenia: Crowd attacks bureau of Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty
Amid unrest over a peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia, around 40 people attacked the offices of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL)...
Germany: Police and protesters target journalists and media workers at Leipzig protest
At least 43 journalists were prevented from carrying out their work by protesters and police officers at an anti-lockdown demonstration in the eastern...
Philippines: Journalist shot dead in front of his home
Journalist Virgilio Maganes, a member of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), was shot dead by motorcycle-riding gunmen in...
United States: Journalists arrested for reporting on protests in Los Angeles and New York
Two videographers were arrested on 4 November by Los Angeles police while New York police arrested several journalists for not having press...
Russia: IFJ calls on Russian government to end impunity for crimes against journalists
As part of its 2020 campaign to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has sent a letter to...
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News/Trending
What Happened May 23rd In Pop Music History
Amy Sussman / Getty Images
It’s May 23rd and these are some of the things that happened on this day in pop music history:
- In 2006, Jordin Sparks won Season 6 of American Idol.
- In 1974, Jewel Kilcher was born in Payson, Utah. Her family moved to Anchorage, Alaska, where she took an early interest in music. As Jewel, she released her debut album in 1995 and had success with “Who Will Save Your Soul” and “Foolish Games.”
- In 2010, Poison singer Bret Michaels won Season 9 of The Celebrity Apprentice.
- In 1970, Paul McCartney’s debut solo album McCartney began a three-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200. It was bumped from the top spot by The Beatles Let It Be.
- In 2000, Eminem released The Marshall Mathers LP, his third studio album. It featured the hit “Stan” ft. Dido.
- In 1970, “American Woman” by Canada’s The Guess Who was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the third and last week.
And that’s what popped on this day.
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Kelly Alexander - Talking with Avenue Beat
Cousin Vinny - Talking with Ali Gatie
Group Element Footer Virgin Montreal
Virgin Montreal Contact Informations
1717 Blvd. René-Lévesque E. Montréal QC H2L 4T9
Studio 514.790.0959
Reception 514-529-3200
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About IKERLAN
IK2020
Infrastructures and equipment
Collaborators network
Policy and Certifications
Transparency law
Commited to our environment
Electronics, Information and Communication Technologies
Dependable Embedded Systems
HW and communication systems
Ikerlan Konnekt
Energy and Power Electronics
Energy Storage and Management
Ikerlan Energy
Control and Monitoring
Wind Industry
Ikerlan Mech
Smartphone technology to improve energy efficiency in industrial electronic systems
IK4-IKERLAN is leading the recently-launched European SAFEPOWER project
Eight organisations, including the Basque company CAF Signalling, are participating in this initiative that has 4 million euros’ worth of funding
The technology developed will allow the power consumption of embedded systems to be cut by 50%
Our mobile phones have advanced technology built into their computing components that shuts down or reduces functionalities to cut power consumption whenever their full potential does not need to be used. IK4-IKERLAN is leading a European R&D project called SAFEPOWER that is aiming to incorporate strategies and technologies of this type into embedded systems, which are small electronic processors used in a range of industrial and transport applications, to improve their energy efficiency by 50% without compromising their safety.
Smartphone manufacturers and other multimedia industries have developed highly evolved power consumption strategies so that their products can offer a large number of functions without relying on an external power source and which can function just on a small battery.
Aware that embedded systems (small computing processors with a very specific functionality inserted into larger devices) used in industry and transport are not that efficient, the European Commission has decided to promote this project so that it can help to transfer strategies and energy management technology used in consumer electronics to these sectors.
The SAFEPOWER project, which has kicked off now in January and which will have a duration of three years, has a budget of four million euros. Apart from IK4-IKERLAN, which is leading the initiative, highly important companies such as the Basque CAF Signalling, and SAAB, fentISS, Imperas, the R&D institutes OFFIS (Germany) and KTH (Sweden), and the University of Siegen (Germany) will be participating.
The use of embedded systems has multiplied exponentially over the last two decades. These small computing processors control one or more functions in the element in which they have been fitted (a machine in a factory or a means of transport, for example) and have hundreds of applications, many of which are of a critical nature from the safety perspective.
One of the big challenges facing European industry is to integrate more and more functions into fewer devices and to make them more energy efficient without losing a single iota of dependability. The idea is to cut the number of devices in the various systems by incorporating functionalities of a different type, which previously required several devices, into a single device.
To achieve this, more and more work is being done to increase the processing capacity of each device. So SAFEPOWER will be developing systems equipped with multiple processors (multi-core), as opposed to those that only have one processor (single-core). This will allow savings to be made in resources and energy as a single embedded system will be capable of handling a range of functions.
The applications
Two demonstrators will be produced using the technology developed in SAFEPOWER. They will both be exploring strategies and technologies that will optimise power consumption depending on the functioning demands, and both will be of a critical nature in terms of the safety of people and property.
One will be part of a railway signalling system. These devices cannot be allowed to fail, otherwise they could jeopardise the lives of many people. So the demonstrator will need to meet strict safety requirements so that it can comply with the regulations. Energy efficiency strategies will also be developed.
The other demonstrator will be a flight control system for aircraft. This system will be capable of integrating different functions that are currently undertaken by various processors, so it will allow the same functions to be brought together in less space and using less energy, which are requisites of particular interest in onboard technology in a means of transport.
An independent certification body will be assessing the technologies developed in SAFEPOWER. This review will also be useful to validate the result and facilitate its transfer to the market, because apart from endorsing their usefulness, it will allow possible incompatibilities with the safety standards currently in force to be anticipated.
Distinctive capabilities
IK4-IKERLAN has long experience in the area of embedded systems for industry and transport, in particular, in applications capable of handling functions that are critical for safety together with others that are not critical. The centre is a benchmark on a European level in the development of devices of this type known as mixed criticality systems.
“At IK4-IKERLAN we have great experience working with embedded systems. This is borne out by the fact that we are participating in four European R&D projects in this field and are leading two of them,” said the centre’s researcher Mikel Azkarate-Askasua. “Embedded systems are of tremendous use for companies because they provide their products with distinctive capabilities such as more functionalities and greater energy efficiency,” he added.
“In SAFEPOWER we will be incorporating cutting-edge technologies into the energy management of computing devices, which until now have been used in consumer electronic devices, into critical industrial applications. We will also be cutting the number of devices that need to be built into each product,” explained Azkarate-Askasua, who is the project leader.
About IK4-IKERLAN
IK4-IKERLAN is a leading centre in the transfer of technology to companies and in providing them with competitive value, thanks to its capacity to offer comprehensive solutions by combining various technological domains. This is possible owing to its high degree of expertise in six major areas: embedded systems, power electronics, microtechnologies, energy efficiency and storage, mechatronics and advanced manufacturing.
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© IKERLAN All rights reserved.
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Industry recognition for manager of golf club
Daniel Mansfield
Published: 7:24 PM December 15, 2017 Updated: 4:32 PM November 1, 2020
Gordon MacLeod was named Newcomer of the Year. Picture: CONTRIBUTED. - Credit: Archant
The manager of a golf club in St Ives has been crowned Newcomer of the Year at an industry awards evening.
Gordon MacLeod was honoured at the Golf Club Managers Association conference held at Mercedes-Benz World, in Surrey, last month.
Mr MacLeod was a member at St Ives (Hunts) Golf Club for five years before taking on the role of general manager in July 2016, inspired by his passion for the unique golf course at St Ives – and his desire to provide a period of stability following a succession of previous managers.
Under his stewardship, membership at the club has risen 14 per cent between February and July, and he has established regular contact with England Golf and developed partnerships with local companies to spread the word about the club as well as building relationships with the local community.
With the club also the home of Titleist’s National Fitting Centre and a centenary on the horizon in 2023, St Ives are moving from strength to strength with Gordon at the helm.
Bob Williams, chief executive of the association, said “The awards reward the exceptional work that goes on in our industry. This was perhaps the hardest judging process I’ve been involved in – the standard of the finalists was exceptional across all the categories.
“Gordon is an incredibly deserving winner, and its especially satisfying that both finalists had been through the same GCMA training course together. Gordon’s work in his first year at St Ives deserves special praise, and we can’t wait to see the work he does once he’s really settled in.”
Mr MacLeod said: “I’m delighted both personally and professionally to be awarded this accolade; that said, it is clear recognition of a whole team effort by the entire staff and members at the golf club as we begin to realise the unique golfing potential of our wonderful golf course and first-class practice and social facilities.
“St Ives is now able to sit at the table with some of the bigger and better known names in the golfing world and directly benefit from engagement at the national level.”
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Father, 40, is first man to go home with artificial heart
Published: 11:17 AM August 3, 2011 Updated: 4:21 PM November 1, 2020
A 40-YEAR-OLD will become the first person in the UK to get an artificial heart and then go home.
The six-hour operation, carried out by surgeons at Papworth Hospital on June 9, replaced Matthew Green’s damaged heart with a total artificial heart.
Mr Green, of London, had been critically ill as both sides of his heart were failing. The new device, used as a temporary stop-gap before transplant, provides blood flow of up to 9.5 litres per minute through the body.
It is powered by a 13.5 pound portable driver designed to be carried in a backpack or shoulder bag, and has a life expectancy of three years.
Steven Tsui, consultant cardiothoracic surgeon and director of the transplant service said: “Matthew’s condition was deteriorating rapidly and we discussed with him the possibility of receiving this device, because without it he may not have survived the wait until a suitable donor heart could be found for him.
“The operation went extremely well and Matthew has made an excellent recovery. I expect him to go home very soon, being able to do a lot more than before the operation with a vastly improved quality of life, until we can find a suitable donor heart for him to have a heart transplant.
“At any point in time there may be as many as 30 people waiting for a heart transplant on our waiting list at Papworth, with one third waiting over a year.”
9 Man rescued from car stuck in Tilbrook flooding
Mr Green, who two years ago cycled 18 miles a day, is not the first person to receive an artificial heart, but he is the first person to go home with one.
He said “I want to thank all the wonderful staff at Papworth Hospital who have been looking after me and who have made it possible for me to return home to my family.
“I am really excited about going home and just being able to do the everyday things that I haven’t been able to do for such a long time such as playing in the garden with my son and cooking a meal for my family.”
Papworth has been using mechanical devices to support patients with end-stage heart failure since the 1980s. It is the only centre in the UK currently certified to implant the particular type of artificial heart used by Mr Green.
Man who invited children to use his hot tub breached police order
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Business & Finance, Government and Policy News, North America
McWherter sworn in by hydro power provider Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority’s board of directors has sworn in Michael McWherter as its newest member, effective yesterday during a ceremony at the Estes Kefauver Federal Building and Courthouse in Nashville.
McWherter, who received unanimous confirmation from the U.S. Senate on January 1, was the state’s Democratic nominee in 2010. He currently serves as director and former chairman of First State Bank of Union City, Tenn., and has served on the board of directors with the Jackson Energy Authority.
He has also worked in private law with focuses on banking and administrative law, and clerked for the Tennessee Supreme Court.
“I am deeply honored to have been nominated,” McWherter said. “TVA is the largest economic engine in our region, and I look forward to working with TVA to be a cost-effective supplier of services to our customers.”
McWherter is one of four newly confirmed TVA board members. Also recently included on the nine-member panel are Joe H. Ritch, V. Lynn Evans and Peter Mahurin.
HydroWorld.com reported in November 2011 that the authority had named William D. Johnson as its new president and chief executive officer, effective January 1 of this year.
Johnson succeeded Tom Kilgore, who had previously served in the same capacity since 2005.
TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority)
Togo low-carbon power supply agreement could include hydropower
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Dam Safety, North America, Rehabilitation and Repair
Underwater inspections begin after barge sections hit Marseilles Dam
Work continues as the United States Coast Guard and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continue salvage operations at Marseilles Lock and Dam, where several barges came to rest against the dam structure after breaking free from their towing vessel this past week.
The Coast Guard said the barges were being towed by the UTV Dale A. Heller through high flood waters and heavy river currents when seven broke free in the Illinois River, sending them toward the Marseilles Dam.
Four of the barges have already been removed from the area, though three remain partially submerged as crews remove iron ore in an effort to lighten them.
In the meantime, the Corps said it has mobilized crews with sonar instrumentation that will allow for underwater analysis of potential damages to the dam.
The Marseilles dam itself is a 600-foot-long concrete structure with eight, 60-foot-wide by 30-foot-high tainter gates that impounds a reservoir approximately 24 miles long with a surface area of 1,454 acres.
Preliminary inspections have already revealed that the barges broke two of the gates and are interfering with three others, though Marseilles’ remaining three gates are still operational.
The damaged gates will not increase additional flooding risks for downstream communities, the Corps said, though they could make it difficult to maintain the usual depth of the waterway between Marseilles Lock and Dam and the Dresden Island Lock and Dam.
In addition, the Corps has begun round-the-clock operations to construct a temporary rock dike that will reduce river flows and facilitate repairs to the dam.
“Our crews have already placed more than 900 tons of rock and we plan to add as much as 3,000 tons per day for about 10 days to complete the dike,” said Mike Cox of the Corps’ Rock Island District. “Assessing damage to the dam and constructing the rock dike will be the primary focus for the Corps in the coming days.”
HydroWorld.com reported in March 2012 that the Marseilles Lock and Dam is to become the eventual home of a new 10.26 MW hydropower project. The Marseilles Land & Water Company (MLWC) obtained a license for its development from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in December 2011, though work has not yet begun on the plant.
Time is running out: Submit your nomination for our Women with Hydro Vision awards
NYPA awards contract for control system modernization at 2,525-MW Robert Moses Niagara
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How to build a killer gaming PC for under $1,000
If you want to play this fall's biggest titles, this is what you need.
Evan Rodgers
Update: Just a day after this guide was published, the developers at CD Projekt Red announced that Cyberpunk 2077 is being delayed again and will now be released on November 19.
Because of COVID-19 related delays, the second half of 2020 is going to be packed with high profile PC game releases. Of particular note (to me, anyway) are Cyberpunk 2077, which was pushed back to November 19, Death Stranding, which is slated for release on July 14, and Horizon Zero Dawn, which is still listed as coming out "summer of 2020." So what kind of PC do you need to play these hot new titles? And what's the best way to get the gear you need on the cheap?
Well, last week we saw the release of Death Stranding's recommended specs, and because it and Horizon Zero Dawn share the same engine, it's likely that they'll need similar amounts of horsepower. The specs present three tiers of performance, but for the sake of this guide, we're going to focus on the "60 fps" tier. When I first saw these specs I was actually a little surprised by how modest they are, but keep in mind that these are specs for 60 fps at 1080p.
From the Steam pre-order page:
Processor: Intel Core i7-3770 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600
Graphics: GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB or AMD Radeon RX 590
Sound Card: DirectX compatible
As you can see, we're not talking about top tier hardware. The Core i7 listed above came out in 2012, and the Ryzen 5 1600 can be found for as little as $100, so we're not talking about the upper echelons of CPUs by any means. It gets a little weirder in the graphics department: The GTX 1060 6GB is a low-ish end part, perhaps something you'd find in a gaming laptop, whereas the Radeon RX590 is just a factory overclocked RX580, which was a high-end part that you can now easily find for around $150-180.
But what about Cyberpunk 2077? We don't have recommended specs for it yet, but we can make some inferences from CD Projekt Red's last game, The Witcher III. Here we see the same i7-3770 CPU recommendation as above, but the graphics cards recommended — a GTX 770 or a Radeon 290 — are just very old and definitely not worth buying. In an Anandtech benchmark, we can see that the Witcher III is getting right around 60 fps in 1080p with either a GTX 1060 or an RX580.
So if you are building a PC today to play this fall's games, you could absolutely put together a budget build with a used RX580. The GTX 1060 6GB is a little bit hard to find these days, but you could get a GTX 1660 Super for around $200-250.
Don't buy the low- to mid-tier parts of today, buy the top-tier parts of yesterday
So let me level with you: I've been on the prowl for PC parts deals since the days of the AGP video card slots (RIP) and I will impart upon you the sage advice that was bestowed upon me: Don't buy the low- to mid-tier parts of today, buy the top-tier parts of yesterday. Right now the RX580 is exactly that — last generation's top AMD card. But right now we're in the period just before AMD and Nvidia drop brand new cards. Leaks are popping up left and right about the new Nvidia RTX 30XX and AMD's "Big Navi" GPUs. So does it make sense to wait?
If you're a deal seeker? Maybe not. Instead, let me give you some tips on how to find some killer deals.
First, let's talk about the foundation of our build. Even though I know Intel and Nvidia fanboys will come after me like an angry mob, I am going to recommend a full AMD build. These days, with the resounding success of AMD's 7nm Zen 2 architecture, there just isn't much reason to spend more money on an Intel CPU with fewer cores (at the same price point). Plus, Intel seems to enjoy making its customers buy new motherboards all the time, leaving me sad and confused. What "lake" are we on?
You might be thinking, Okay bro, but what's your justification for not using Nvidia? It is true that Nvidia GPUs will give you higher performance per watt than AMD, and a lot of random stuff is optimized for Nvidia GPUs, like Yuzu, the Nintendo Switch emulator. But here's my counterargument: All current and next-gen game consoles (except the Switch) use what is essentially a souped-up AMD APU. Current Xbox One and PS4 consoles use the same Polaris GPU architecture as the aforementioned RX580. So, since we're talking about two console ports (Death Stranding and Horizon Zero Dawn) and a multi-platform title (Cyberpunk 2077), to me it makes sense to choose a GPU that these development teams have already optimized for, given their console releases.
Anyway, with that out of the way, here's what I recommend you buy right now if you're trying to get ready for these hot fall releases:
Asus B450-F AM4 motherboard ($149.99)
16GB of AMD-compatible RAM at 3,200 MHz ($65.99)
Western Digital Blue 500GB SSD ($64.99)
Ryzen 5 1600 ($115.19)
Radeon 5700 8GB ($339.99)
NZXT H510 ATX Case ($79.99)
Cooler Master MWE Gold 650w ($84.99)
I put together a sample build on PCPartPicker that you can check out here (with a few parts substitutions for what's in stock as of this writing). Yes, it comes out to a somewhat pricey $850, but there are ways to find good deals where they matter. The best way I've found is to visit /r/buildapcsales which, as the name suggests, is a subreddit dedicated to PC hardware sales and discounts, and using /u/BapcsBot to get notifications of new sales. I would do this for GPU and power supply (PSU) deals because the prices of both have inflated since the coronavirus pandemic locked up manufacturing supply chains. Using this bot will save you money and let you know when the stuff you need is in stock.
If you really need to cut costs, though, I would feel comfortable with an RX580. At the time of this writing, you can get an 8GB model for around $169, which is a pretty killer deal if you ask me. I have several of these cards (as well as some Radeon VIIs, Nvidia 1080s, and 1070s) and with a little bit of overclocking they can still manage high framerates in modern games like Control. You won't get all of the eye candy with an RX580, and you won't be playing these games in 4K, but for people like me who are fresh console converts, it'll still be a step up from what you can get on the PS4 Pro. Do not cheap on the PSU, though. Have you ever seen a PC eject sparks out of its ass? I have. Learn from my mistakes.
If you're willing to spend more money and future-proof your machine, you will probably want to wait to see what AMD and Nvidia's new graphics card offerings look like later this year, if even just to confirm that you want to buy something a little older, like a 5700 XT or an RTX 2060 KO. We're also waiting to see what AMD is cooking up with ray tracing; something that Nvidia is doing now with its RTX cards, and that we've seen demoed on the PS5, but won't make an appearance on the PC until AMD releases its Big Navi cards at the end of this year.
The games we're talking about here — Death Stranding, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Cyberpunk 2077 — these are absolutely my kinds of games. I love single-player narrative games. I watched a 40-hour playthrough of Death Stranding, saw its insane plot, and still can't wait to play it. In the meantime, keep your eyes on the deals subreddits, and I'll see you on the Chiral Network.
Review: Intel's NUC 9 Extreme mini gaming PC
The best hackintosh laptop is the Razer Blade Stealth
Take your emulator game to the next level with this smartphone controller
How to build the ultimate Sega Dreamcast
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Insight Turkey > Reviews > Book Reviews | Updated: Friday, January 1, 2010
The Museum of Innocence
Reviews | Insight Turkey Winter 2010 / Volume 12, Number 1
One of the most distinctive things about Orhan Pamuk’s writing is the playful way he tantalizes his readers by constantly blurring the boundaries between truth and fiction. By having his first-person narrators include many well-known aspects of the novelist’s own life in their tales, he keeps us guessing about which parts of the story actually happened and which are imaginary.
One of the most distinctive things about Orhan Pamuk’s writing is the playful way he tantalizes his readers by constantly blurring the boundaries between truth and fiction. By having his first-person narrators include many well-known aspects of the novelist’s own life in their tales, he keeps us guessing about which parts of the story actually happened and which are imaginary. When he published his first few novels, only people who were personally acquainted with the author or his family could participate in this guessing game. As he has become increasingly famous—and especially since the publication of his memoir Istanbul: Memories and the City—many more of his loyal readers have been drawn in. Not only have his parents, his brother, his grandmother, and even the family servants become familiar figures, but fictional characters from his early novels, such as the wealthy merchant Cevdet Bey and the newspaper columnist Celal Salik turn up with such regularity in later works that they have come to seem equally real. With The Museum of Innocence Pamuk has taken this game to another level. The cover of the novel features a photo of four people parked beside the Bosphorus in a 1956 Chevrolet just like the one described in the novel as belonging to the protagonist’s father; two of those people are easily recognizable as Pamuk’s parents. A note on the dust jacket attributes the photo to “Ahmet Isikci.” Attentive readers will remember Ahmet as the character personifying the young Orhan Pamuk in his first novel, Cevdet Bey and His Sons. Even weirder is the fact that beginning next summer, if all goes according to plan, you will actually be able to visit the museum supposedly created by Kemal Basmacı, the protagonist of The Museum of Innocence, as a monument to his lost love, Füsun Keskin. That museum will contain many mementoes of Orhan Pamuk’s own childhood and youth, such as his tricycle, as well as 4,213 cigarette butts allegedly smoked by Füsun, and many other, equally fascinating objects, such as the ceramic dog that once reposed on a doily on top of her parents’ television set. I’m sure you’ll agree that this is well worth the price of admission, but if you take your copy of The Museum of Innocence with you, you will get in free.
The Museum of Innocence is ostensibly a love story, but it is a very unconventional one, to say the least. Rather than portraying the relationship between the two lovers, it focuses on the transformation wrought in Kemal by his love for Füsun. Like most of Pamuk’s female characters, Füsun is onedimensional. That is because we see her only through the eyes of Kemal, and he doesn’t understand her at all. He himself acknowledges this when he states that “like most Turkish men of my world who entered into this predicament, I never paused to wonder what might be going on in the mind of the woman with whom I was madly in love, and what her dreams might be; I only fantasized about her” (p. 253). Some of the strangeness of The Museum of Innocence is due to the fact that it was to a large extent inspired by an equally bizarre love story, Nizami’s twelfth-century Persian romance Layla and Majnun. Nizami’s hero, Qays, became unhinged when separated from his beloved Layla, thus gaining the nickname “Majnun” (Madman). Majnun’s hopeless love purged him of egotism and worldly desires and transformed him into a great poet and ascetic. By the standards of his time and place, Pamuk’s Kemal also appears to have been driven mad by love. He falls head over heels in love with his impoverished distant relative, Füsun, who is twelve years his junior, but he cavalierly treats her with the same disrespect he has always shown toward women. When she breaks up with him and marries another man, Kemal breaks his engagement to his perfectly suitable fiancée, neglects his business, and during eight years spends most of his evenings with Füsun, her parents, and sometimes her husband as well. Additionally, he begins stealing and squirreling away objects Füsun has come in contact with, or that remind him of times he has spent with her; these will later constitute the nucleus of his museum, to which he devotes the last twenty years of his life.
The extreme suffering Kemal endures as a result of his separation from Füsun, and the guilt he feels for not having appreciated her as she deserved, sensitizes him to the plight of women in Turkey, which has one of the world’s highest rates of domestic violence. Before he fell in love with Füsun, Kemal and his wealthy friends had spent their evenings prowling Istanbul for “liberated” women who would fulfill their sexual fantasies, but on the rare occasions when they actually encountered such a woman, they despised her and made her life a living hell, while at the same time hypocritically demanding madonna-like standards of chastity from their wives and daughters. “Maddened” by love, Kemal now realizes that it is that kind of behavior, accepted as normal in his society, which is truly insane. Kemal’s mother sums up the situation very accurately when she advises him that “in a country where men and women can’t be together socially, where they can’t see each other or even have a conversation, there’s no such thing as love…By any chance do you know why? I’ll tell you: because the moment men see a woman showing some interest, they don’t even bother themselves with whether she’s good or wicked, beautiful or ugly—they just pounce on her like starving animals. This is simply their conditioning. And they think they’re in love! Can there be love in a place like this?” (450).
What is most remarkable about this novel, however, is that it manages to combine this somber view of Turkish sexual pathology with a deeply affectionate, Proustian longing to retrieve every minute detail of what life was like in the smaller, simpler Istanbul of Orhan Pamuk’s youth. In comparison with the complexity of life there today, that Istanbul seems “innocent” indeed.
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Michael McGaha
By Orhan Pamuk, translated by Maureen Freely
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Vancouver Island mayors say they weren’t consulted on B.C. fish farm phase out plan
Concerns and outrage over federal decision on Discovery Islands’ open-net pen farming continue
Several Vancouver Island mayors and members of British Columbia’s salmon farming industry say a federal decision to phase out fish farming has left them feeling “disposable and discarded.”
In an open letter to Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan, they say they weren’t consulted before she announced a plan to phase out open-net pen farming in the Discovery Islands over the next 18 months.
Jordan said earlier this month the decision came after hearing unanimous opposition to the farms from local First Nations.
“You made this decision without even speaking to the industry nor locally elected officials who deeply understand B.C.’s salmon farming communities and have a direct interest in your action,” the letter says.
“Be advised that we will no longer sit on the sidelines and will be pursuing every possible option to remedy this untenable situation.”
The Discovery Islands act as a bottleneck along wild salmon migration routes and eliminating the fish farms was a key recommendation made in 2012 by the Cohen Commission on the decline of Fraser River sockeye.
However, the recommendation was contingent on the Fisheries Department finding the farms posed “more than a minimal risk of serious harm” to the health of migrating sockeye by Sept. 20, 2020.
On Sept. 28, the department said scientific assessments had found nine pathogens from farmed salmon in the islands posed a minimal risk to wild stocks. The risk of the viruses transferring from farmed to wild Fraser River stocks was less than one per cent, it said.
John Paul Fraser, executive director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association, said instead of allowing the farms to continue, the government announced a new consultation process that excluded the industry. He learned about the phase out 15 minutes before the government announced it, he said.
“That’s what we’re looking at here, a decision that was not well conceived, certainly ill-informed and did not in any way contemplate the consequences not just of the Campbell River economy, but really the whole economy of Vancouver Island,” Fraser said.
Workers in the industry were classified as essential under COVID-19 restrictions, only to learn before Christmas that their jobs would be lost without a say, he said.
“Now we just feel discarded, you go from thinking you’re doing something important and we can build on it to now being treated like it doesn’t matter.”
The letter says the move will eliminate about 1,500 jobs and could put the entire $1.6-billion provincial industry at risk.
It is signed by mayors in Campbell River, Port Hardy, Port McNeill and Gold River, as well as 11 industry representatives.
Jordan said in a statement that she plans to meet with industry and community representatives in early 2021 to discuss the transition.
“The decision to phase out fish farms in the Discovery Islands was not an easy one. It was made after many consultations and weighing many factors,” she said.
Aquaculture plays an important role in British Columbia’s economy, but the farms in the Discovery Islands are a “specific case,” she said.
The licences were renewed on an annual basis — unlike others that had been granted longer tenures — “always with the understanding that a decision regarding their permanent status would be made by December 2020,” Jordan said.
Under the plan, 19 existing farms in the Discovery Islands had their licences renewed for 18 months. The farms are not allowed to add new fish during that period, and can only grow and harvest the existing stocks until they are empty.
Phasing out net-pen fish farming in B.C. waters by 2025 was a Liberal campaign promise in the federal election.
Dean Dobrinsky, director of human resources and communications for fish farm company Mowi, said the company has about 17 farms in the area, although some straddle boundaries and the department hasn’t communicated which farms are at issue.
He said the impact of the decision goes much further than the local farms, as supply chains link them with a fish processing plant in Port Hardy and distribution networks in Surrey and beyond.
The Discovery Island farms comprise about 30 per cent of Mowi’s B.C. salmon production and the company will have to assess whether that loss means cutbacks in other areas of the business.
“When you take out that production and you don’t have an obvious option to replace it, you start looking at whether our business is viable,” he said.
The Discovery Islands are in the traditional territory of the Homalco, Klahoose, K’omoks, Kwaikah, Tla’amin, We Wai Kai and Wei Wai Kum First Nations.
When the phase out was announced, Homalco Chief Darren Blaney said it was a relief to members of the First Nation.
Fish farms are one of several threats facing the salmon, alongside climate change, warming waters and habitat loss, he said.
“It feels like it’s been such a long time, you know, to watch our salmon dwindle and dwindle and our community get less and less food fish each year, it was hard to bear,” he said.
Amy Smart, The Canadian Press
Calgary police officer struck, killed during traffic stop on New Year’s Eve; suspect at large
COVID-19: Petition calls on B.C. to extend students’ winter break
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Discover the ‘Unofficial Official History of Singapore’ with Tiger Beer
Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore
Live it UpSingapore
Inspired by the very first Tiger Beer can produced in 1965 and in conjunction with Singapore’s upcoming golden jubilee celebrations, Tiger Beer’s brand new campaign looks to inspire Singaporeans to stop and take a look at themselves with a fresh perspective on the history of Singapore.
Through the two mockumentaries that will be released in the coming weeks, the latest campaign seeks to explore the origins of some of the nation’s icons in a light-hearted manner and asks us the question, “What do you think?”.
The mockumentaries in particular, will chronicle the ‘real story’ behind some of Singapore’s unique local propositions and the backstory behind two of the nation’s most distinct jewels – the ever-iconic Kallang Wave and national treasure, Chicken Rice!
Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore will also be releasing limited edition adaptations of the classic 1965 theme in cans, pints and bottles.
“Tiger Beer has been an intrinsic part of the Singapore identity and culture since 1932. As we celebrate the nation’s 50th birthday, we want Singaporeans to another great thing which was born in 1965 – the first Tiger Beer can,” said Mr. Rene de Monchy, Head of Marketing, Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore.
Food + DrinkSingaporeTravel
“With our light-hearted campaign, Tiger aims to inspire Singaporeans to uncage their creativity and think about the origins and backstories behind some of the social peculiarities that have given Singapore it’s distinctive identity in a fun way.”
The ‘Unofficial Official History of Singapore’ will kick off on 16 March 2015.
AlcoholSingaporeTiger Beer
Food + DrinkSingapore
Junior The Pocket Bar Launches New Range of Festive Cocktails
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Marvel’s Doctor Strange Begins Production
· November 25, 2015 ·2 min read
Marvel Studios announced today that production has begun on “Doctor Strange,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch (“Black Mass,” “The Imitation Game”), Chiwetel Ejiofor (“12 Years a Slave,” “The Martian”), Rachel McAdams (“Southpaw,” “Sherlock Holmes”) and Michael Stuhlbarg (“Steve Jobs,” “A Serious Man”) with Mads Mikkelsen (“Clash of the Titans,” “Casino Royale”) and Academy Award winner Tilda Swinton (“Michael Clayton,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel”).
The film, which opens in U.S. theaters on November 4, 2016, is directed by Scott Derrickson (“Sinister,” “The Exorcism of Emily Rose”). The film will be shot in several locations around the world, including London, New York, Hong Kong and Kathmandu, Nepal.
“Doctor Strange” follows the story of neurosurgeon Doctor Stephen Strange who, after a horrific car accident, discovers the hidden world of magic and alternate dimensions.
“Doctor Strange” is the latest film in Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Phase 3’s goal—over the course of four years and nine films—is to introduce audiences to new heroes and continue the adventures of fan favorites.
Marvel’s “Doctor Strange” is produced by Kevin Feige with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Charles Newirth, Stephen Broussard and Stan Lee serving as executive producers.
Based on the Marvel comic character who first appeared in “Strange Tales” Issue 110 published in July 1963, Marvel’s “Doctor Strange” continues the lineage of epic big-screen adventures chronicled in Marvel’s “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Iron Man 2,” “Thor,” “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “The Avengers,” “Iron Man 3,” “Thor: The Dark World,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Ant-Man” and the upcoming “Captain America: Civil War,” (May 6, 2016), “Guardians of the Galaxy 2” (May 5, 2017) and “Thor: Ragnarok” (November 3, 2017).
Marvel Studios continued its unprecedented success this year with the May 1st release of “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” which recorded the second biggest opening weekend of all time with a $191.3 million box office.
It has also been the #1 release in every country where it has opened and has grossed over $1.4 billion in global box office. On July 17, Marvel released “Ant-Man,” which has grossed to date over $518 million worldwide.
In 2014 Marvel Studios released “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Guardians of the Galaxy,” the top-grossing domestic film of 2014 with $333.2 million and $772.8 million worldwide. “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” which broke the opening record for an April release by earning $95 million in its first weekend, went on to gross more than $711 million worldwide.
In 2013 Marvel produced the megahits “Thor: The Dark World” and “Iron Man 3.” The two films have earned over $644 million and $1.2 billion worldwide, respectively, since their openings. In 2012 Marvel’s critically acclaimed “The Avengers” set an all-time, domestic three-day weekend box-office record at $207.4 million. The film went on to gross over $1.5 billion worldwide, becoming Disney’s highest-grossing global and domestic release of all time.
Benedict CumberbatchChiwetel EjioforDoctor StrangeMarvelMovieNewsRachel McAdams
Hail HYDRAGUN! A Massage Gun that Could be Essential for your Workout and Recovery
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Energy Dept. sets aside more oil
by MsMcDucket 4 Replies latest social current
MsMcDucket
By H. JOSEF HEBERT
WASHINGTON - The Energy Department said Friday it would continue putting oil into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve even as crude oil prices remain above $100 a barrel.
The department announced a solicitation of bids for 13 million barrels of oil, with deliveries expected to begin in August, when the current delivery contracts expire. Oil will be put into the reserve at about 76,000 barrels a day, about the same rate as current deliveries, through December.
Bids are due by May 13, the department said.
The government reserve, which was created to serve as a cushion against major oil supply disruptions, has a capacity of 727 million barrels. It now holds about 700 million barrels.
The administration's policy of diverting oil into the government reserve at a time of high prices has been criticized by some congressional Democrats. Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., has urged a suspension of deliveries to the reserve.
"Not only are taxpayers being fleeced by paying that much for oil, but the effect of taking valuable oil, like sweet crude oil, off the market has a disproportionate effect on oil prices," Dorgan has argued.
Energy Department officials have countered that the amount of oil being put into the reserve is too small to affect the oil markets, which globally consume 86 million barrels of oil a day.
The department isn't buying the oil directly. It takes oil in lieu of royalty payments on oil pumped from public lands. That oil is then traded for the type of crude needed for the reserve and delivered by the contracting company. The reserve is on the Gulf Coast.
The department also has left open the possibility of spending $584 million later this year to repurchase oil sold from the reserve in 2005 because of supply disruptions caused by Hurricane Katrina.
Two years ago, President Bush temporarily halted the delivery of oil into the reserve as part of a plan "to confront high gasoline prices" as the summer driving season was about the begin.
"When supplies are tight, every little bit counts," the White House said at the time. No shipments to the reserve were made from May 2006 to April 2007.
Weekly average gasoline prices during that period generally remained under $3 a gallon, dipping to $2.16 a gallon at one point, according to Energy Information Administration figures.
On Friday, light sweet crude oil was as high as $106 a barrel and retail gasoline prices surged to a new record of $3.30 a gallon.
http://www.kansas.com/514/story/362840.html
uwishufish
The administration's policy of diverting oil into the government reserve at a time of high prices has been criticized by some congressional Democrats.
Prices are not going to get any cheaper.
Big Oil started all this.
Its backfired. I think its fuckin funny. To quote scripture.....................who will buy their goods...................
I wonder if any "honest graft" is going on here!
Famous little article from way back when on how to get rich on "honest graft".
"Honest Graft and Dishonest Graft"
Very Plain Talks on Very Practical Politics
by Senator Plunkitt of Tammany Hall
recorded by William L. Riordon
This is one of the most famous talks on practical politics by the Democratic senator of New York (District of Tammany), George Washington Plunkitt, at the beginning of the 20th century.
It is rightly famous for the candid and straightforward manner in which politics is portrayed. Not many politicians had the courage of qualifying the behaviour and the finalities of the elected representatives as "honest graft".
For the motives behind the political activism of the electoral body see the talk on Patronage at: http://www.panarchy.org/plunkitt/patronage.1905.html
EVERYBODY is talkin' these days about Tammany men growin' rich on graft, but nobody thinks of drawin' the distinction between honest graft and dishonest graft. There's all the difference in the world between the two. Yes, many of our men have grown rich in politics. I have myself. I've made a big fortune out of the game, and I'm gettin' richer every day, but I've not gone in for dishonest graft - blackmailin' gamblers, saloonkeepers, disorderly people, etc. - and neither has any of the men who have made big fortunes in politics.
There's an honest graft, and I'm an example of how it works. I might sum up the whole thing by sayin': "I seen my opportunities and I took 'em."
Just let me explain by examples. My party's in power in the city, and it's goin' to undertake a lot of public improvements. Well, I'm tipped off, say, that they're going to layout a new park at a certain place. I see my opportunity and I take it. I go to that place and I buy up all the land I can in the neighborhood. Then the board of this or that makes its plan public, and there is a rush to get my land, which nobody cared particular for before.
Ain't it perfectly honest to charge a good price and make a profit on my investment and foresight? of course, it is. Well, that's honest graft.
Or supposin' it's a new bridge they're goin' to build. I get tipped off and I buy as much property as I can that has to be taken for approaches. I sell at my own price later on and drop some more money in the bank.
Wouldn't you? It's just like lookin' ahead in Wall Street or in the coffee or cotton market. It's honest graft, and I'm lookin' for it every day in the year. I will tell you frankly that I've got a good lot of it, too.
I'll tell you of one case. They were goin' to fix up a big park, no matter where. I got on to it, and went lookin' about for land in that neighborhood. I could get nothin' at a bargain but a big piece of swamp, but I took it fast enough and held on to it. What turned out was just what I counted on. They couldn't make the park complete without Plunkitt's swamp, and they had to pay a good price for it. Anything dishonest in that?
Up in the watershed I made some money, too. I bought up several bits of land there some years ago and made a pretty good guess that they would be bought up for water purposes later by the city.
Somehow, I always guessed about right, and shouldn't I enjoy the profit of my foresight? It was rather amusin' when the condemnation commissioners came along and found piece after piece of the land in the name of George Plunkitt of the Fifteenth Assembly District, New York City. They wondered how I knew just what to buy. The answer is - I seen my opportunity and I took it.
I haven't confined myself to land; anything that pays is in my line.
For instance, the city is repavin' a street and has several hundred thousand old granite blocks to sell. I am on hand to buy, and I know just what they are worth. How? Never mind that. I had a sort of monopoly of this business for a while, but once a newspaper tried to do me. It got some outside men to come over from Brooklyn and New Jersey to bid against me.
Was I done? Not much. I went to each of the men and said: "How many of these 250,000 stones do you want?" One said 20,000, and another wanted 15,000, and other wanted 10,000. I said: "All right, let me bid for the lot, and I'll give each of you all you want for nothin'."
They agreed, of course. Then the auctioneer yelled: "How much am I bid for these 250,000 fine pavin' stones?"
"Two dollars and fifty cents," says I.
"Two dollars and fifty cents!" screamed the auctioneer. "Oh, that's a joke! Give me a real bid."
He found the bid was real enough. My rivals stood silent. I got the lot for $2.50 and gave them their share. That's how the attempt to do Plunkitt ended, and that's how all such attempts end.
I've told you how I got rich by honest graft. Now, let me tell you that most politicians who are accused of robbin' the city get rich the same way.
They didn't steal a dollar from the city treasury. They just seen their opportunities and took them. That is why, when a reform administration comes in and spends a half million dollars in tryin' to find the public robberies they talked about in the campaign, they don't find them.
(snipped)
http://www.panarchy.org/plunkitt/graft.1905.html
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No, Mr. Netanyahu, Hamas is not exactly like ISIL
By: Belal Shobaki | Ma’an News Agency | al-Shabaka | – –
While Israel’s efforts to link Palestinian resistance to its military occupation to global terrorism are not new, it has expanded its propaganda to address Arab as well as Western audiences. By so doing, it is clearly seeking to exploit the global aversion to movements that have drifted towards extremism and terrorism while claiming to represent Islam. “Hamas is ISIS and ISIS is Hamas,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared at the United Nations in 2014. Yet better than anyone else, Netanyahu and the Israeli political establishment know that Hamas and Daesh are not related, as do those Arab regimes that also tar all Islamic movements with the same brush to serve their own ends.
Not only are Hamas and Daesh unrelated, they are bitter enemies, and Daesh has denounced Hamas as an apostate movement. Al-Shabaka Policy Analyst Belal Shobaki discusses the major ways in which Hamas differs from Daesh including its approach to jurisprudence; the position vis-a-vis the nature of the state; and relations with other religions. He makes the case that it is especially important for the Palestinian national movement to rebut the attempts to conflate Hamas with Daesh and points out the dangers of not doing so.
Serving short-term political gain.
The conflation of Hamas with Daesh ignores reality on the ground. The political environment in Palestine is defined by the occupation, whereas the political environment in the Arab countries where Daesh emerged is defined by authoritarianism and repression as well as sectarian and religious conflicts, an ideal environment for the emergence of a radical ideology motivated by indiscriminate violence.
For Israel, however, the attempt to link the two may pay off regionally and internationally. Many Arabic media outlets have no qualms about referring to this terrorist organization as an “Islamic” State although it is anything but, while many Western media outlets embrace the Israeli conflation of Hamas and Daesh without scrutiny. Arab regimes are uninterested in defending the image of Hamas. Even the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) does not seem concerned with defending Hamas’s international image given the political division between Fatah and Hamas.
Hamas is considered part of the Muslim Brotherhood, which is seen as a threat to authoritarian Arab regimes, particularly in the Arab Mashreq. Thus one way for Arab regimes to fight the Muslim Brotherhood is by claiming it shares common ground or is even synonymous with Daesh, as claimed by the Egyptian regime, and then using this as a justification for excluding the Muslim Brotherhood from participating in political life.
The rapid developments of the past five years in Egypt, the country that provides the only outlet for the Palestinian Gaza Strip, has pushed Hamas into its informal tunnels economy. The official Egyptian stance after Abdel Fattah Sisi’s coup against elected president Mohammad Morsi became tougher against the Gaza Strip, with claims that Hamas was cooperating with Jihadist groups in the Sinai, the same narrative promoted by Israel and its media. However, this narrative is flawed. It is too risky for Hamas to maintain a close relationship with Sinai jihadists, on the one hand, while cracking down on individuals embracing the same ideology in Gaza, on the other.
Any links Hamas has established with those groups is limited to securing the needs of the enclave besieged by Israel and Egypt. This interaction is not motivated by a shared ideological identity or shared enmity towards the Egyptian regime. Indeed, Hamas has been eager to keep communication lines open with the Egyptian regime even when accusations conflating Hamas with Sinai’s Salafi Jihadi groups were made in the media. Hamas has also repeatedly said that it is keen on rebuilding the relationship with Egypt in order to ensure the legal flow of goods, services and individuals into Gaza.
It is important to refute this narrative concerning one of the largest Palestinian political movements: Excluding moderate Islamists from political life carries the danger of pushing Palestinian society towards radicalism, in which case both Fatah and Hamas will find themselves fighting takfiri groups. The ensuing discussion will demonstrate the real differences between Hamas and Daesh as well as the very real enmity between them.
Differences in doctrine
Hamas positions itself as a centrist Islamic movement and an extension of the Muslim Brotherhood, with a rational jurisprudential authority, whereas Daesh adopts a text-based approach that deals with Islamic texts in isolation from their historical context and refuses to interpret them in line with current developments. Hence, for Daesh and other takfiri groups in general, movements like Hamas are secular and un-Islamic, since Hamas is primarily a resistance movement against the Israeli occupation and believes in a moderate Islamic authority.
Moreover, Hamas does not take Islamic texts literally; it allows for ijtihad — interpretation and use of discretion. Some scholars have categorized these movements along a horizontal line with the right representing advocates of the text and the left representing advocates of reason. Using this classification, the Muslim Brotherhood can be found a good way down the left of the line, while Daesh is on the far right.
Daesh characterizes Hamas and its discourse as deviant. Hamas for its part has condemned Daesh’s threats and considered these part of a smear campaign that extends beyond Palestine. When threats from Daesh and other takfiri groups materialized into action, Hamas no longer stopped at condemnations. Mahmoud al-Zahar, a prominent Hamas leader, declared “Daesh’s threats can be felt on the ground, and we are handling the situation from a security standpoint. Whoever commits a security offense shall be dealt with in accordance with the law, and whoever wants to debate intellectually shall be debated intellectually; we take this matter seriously.”
Hamas had in fact dealt decisively with a Daesh-like group. In August 2009, Abdul Latif Musa, leader of the “Jund Ansar Allah” (Soldiers of God’s Supporters) armed group, announced the creation of the Islamic Emirate in Gaza at the Ibn Taymiyyah Mosque. The group had previously been accused of destroying cafes and other venues in the Gaza Strip, pushing the Hamas government into a confrontation. Security forces, reinforced by the al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas’ military wing), encircled the Ibn Taymiyyah Mosque and, when Musa’s group refused to surrender, Hamas ended the emirate project in its infancy by killing the members of the group.
Hamas was criticized for its use of violence but justified its actions by arguing that the violence that could have been perpetrated by such groups would have been much worse than that used to eradicate extremism in the Gaza Strip.
Daesh’s supporters in Gaza are far fewer than Hamas’s, mainly due to the fact that these groups have not historically contributed to resisting the occupation. Some polls suggest that 24 percent of Palestinians think positively of jihadist movements, but this percentage is exaggerated. When some Palestinians cheer for the jihadist groups’ hostility towards the US, it is not because they believe in these groups but rather because they see the US, with its infinite support for Israel, as being playing a destructive role.
Different stances on statehood
Hamas and Daesh differ in their view of the modern state, in both theory and practice. As noted above, Hamas has always allowed for ijtihad or discretion, evolving its thoughts and opinions. It is thus unfair to assess Hamas’s stance on the civil state and democracy based on the early literature of the mother movement, the Muslim Brotherhood. Hamas maintains that it has embraced new convictions in this regard and has come to fully accept democracy and the concept of the civil state. Indeed, the Muslim Brotherhood itself has evolved. Qatar-based Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the jurisprudential authority of the Muslim Brotherhood at large, has stated on multiple occasions, including in his book “The State in Islam,” that the concept of the religious state does not exist in Islam.
According to al-Qaradawi, Islam advocates for a civil state founded on respect for the people’s Islam-based opinion, and also founded on the principle of accountability and political pluralism. Although the discussion about the relationship between Islam and democracy predates the Muslim Brotherhood, it gained clarity after the 1950s, when numerous Islamic thinkers, including al-Qaradawi, the Tunisian leader and Ennahda co-founder Rached Ghannouchi and the Algerian philosopher Malek Bennabi, affirmed that Islam and democracy were not in contradiction with each other.
At the opposite end, the movement that Daesh represents rejects democracy in its entirety and considers it an apostate system of governance. Although some jihadist groups do not denounce Islamists who take part in the democratic process as apostates, they do consider their discretion flawed. Daesh views any expression of democracy such as elections as a manifestation of apostasy and any movement or individual taking part in elections as apostates.
By contrast, the Muslim Brotherhood participated in elections from its earliest days, when its founder Hassan al-Banna decided to run in the Egyptian parliamentary elections that El-Wafd Party Government sought to hold in 1942. Although al-Banna could not run because the government rejected his candidacy, the Muslim Brotherhood has served in Arab parliaments and sometimes in the executive branch.
When Hamas decided not to participate in 1996 Palestinian Authority elections its position was based on a political and ideological stance towards the Oslo Accords. However, Hamas allowed its members to run in the elections as independents. When the circumstances changed and the 2005 Cairo Agreement became the governing framework for the PA elections instead of the Oslo Accords, Hamas decided to participate. It nominated many members in the movement and some independents to a Change and Reform list to run for the Legislative Council, winning the majority of votes.
By participating in the elections, Hamas has offered evidence that it is willing to function in a modern state and a democratic system. It has called for coalition governments inclusive of leftist and secular parties. Its government as well as its parliamentary list included women and its first government included Muslim and Christian ministers.
Daesh, on the other hand, has turned against all modern institutions in the areas under its control, refusing to recognize borders or national identity. It rules through chaotic and individual decisions. Although Daesh has been eager to use administrative terms derived from the Islamic tradition such as caliphate and shura (consultation), the essence of its governance contradicts the majority of unquestionable texts in the sources of Islamic legislation in many ways.
For example, it does not abide by the conditions established in the Quran and sunna (the Prophet Mohammad’s teachings) to declare war or the protection of civilians and treatment of prisoners in wartime. Another example is its imposition of jizya (a tax that was levied on non-Muslim subjects), which is not supposed to be applied to the indigenous inhabitants even if they are non-Muslim. Moreover, it has attacked places of worship and assaulted the faithful in their homes, in clear violation of the Quran and sunna.
Daesh, to some extent, resembles hybrid regimes in the Third World that use modern and democratic vocabulary to describe their political process, even though they remain authoritarian in essence.
Polar opposites in treating the other
The most significant difference between Hamas and Daesh is their position towards followers of other religions. During its formation, Hamas published a charter that used religious vocabulary to describe the conflict. Following severe criticism, Hamas effectively sidelined this Charter and no longer considers it an authoritative reference as some of its leaders have confirmed.
In his interview with The Jewish Daily Forward deputy head of the Hamas politburo Moussa Abu Marzouk confirmed that the Charter was marginal to the movement and not a source for its policies. He added that many members were talking about modifying it because several of Hamas’ present policies contradict it. Hamas’ politburo leaders abroad were not the only ones to disclaim the charter. Gaza-based Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad went even further in an interview with the Saudi Okaz newspaper in which he said the charter was subject to discussion and evaluation in opening up to the world. Sami Abu Zuhri, a young Hamas leader who was the movement’s spokesperson during the Second Intifada, urged in an interview with The Financial Times that focus be shifted away from the 1988 charter, and that Hamas be judged on the statements of its leaders.
Today, Hamas adopts the Quranic verse that reads: “Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes — from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.” This verse urges kindness and justice when dealing with people of other religions. Unlike Daesh, Hamas has applied this in practice. In addition to appointing Christian ministers to its cabinet, it has celebrated Christmas with Palestinian Christians by sending official delegations to visit during the feast. Meanwhile, Daesh has threatened the lives of those who celebrate Christmas across the world.
Some may argue that these steps are ways in which Hamas tries to beautify its authoritarian rule. However, there is little difference between Hamas’ rule and Fatah’s. The human rights violations committed by Gaza’s government cannot be considered an indication of Hamas’ resemblance to Daesh, but rather an indication of misgovernment. The political leadership of Hamas has spoken out against such practices on occasion, for example as those committed by the Ministry of the Interior under Fathi Hammad.
When some individuals were attacked by extremist groups in Gaza, Hamas and the government acted to ensure their safety and punish the aggressors, as in the case of British journalist Alan Johnston who was freed by Hamas from his radical captors and the killing of Italian solidarity activist Vittorio Arrigoni.
The movement’s position towards the Shiites is similar to that towards Christians. At a time when the Middle East is experiencing a media war between Shiites and Sunnis, Hamas refuses to denounce Shiites as apostates, and has interacted with them politically. When the relationship with Iran became strained during the Syrian crisis, the disagreement was political rather than doctrinal. Daesh, on the other hand, not only thinks of Shiites as apostates, but also all other Sunni groups that hold a different ideology, and believes they must be fought.
Even the two organizations’ treatment of the enemy differs. Hamas identifies the Israeli occupation as the enemy, while Daesh considers everyone else its enemy. Daesh has boasted of its numerous crimes against humanity in its treatment of its abductees and the civilians under its rule, including burning Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasasbeh alive. It has attempted to legitimize its inhumane conduct by distorting or misinterpreting religious texts. Hamas paid its condolences to al-Kasasbeh’s family and condemned Daesh’s actions. Contrast Daesh’s brutality with Hamas’ treatment of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit during his captivity, as even the Jerusalem Post reports.
Moving forward in relations with Hamas
Both Hamas and Daesh are on the list of terrorist organizations in many countries, including the member states of the European Union and the United States. However, the listing of Hamas is clearly politically motivated: Unlike Daesh, Hamas has neither targeted nor called for targeting any entity other than the Israeli occupation. Hamas was added to the list of terrorist organizations following the events of Sept. 11, 2001, even though it had nothing to do with this terrorist attack. The political nature of the position against Hamas is underscored by the fact that the General Court of the European Union issued a decision on Dec.17, 2014, urging the removal of Hamas from the list of terrorist organizations. The Court argued that the order to list Hamas in 2003 was based on media reports rather than solid evidence.
In addition, many European and American dignitaries that are known for their stance against terrorist organizations worldwide have met with Hamas leaders on more than one occasion. Those include European parliamentarians and former US president Jimmy Carter, who met with Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza in 2009 and Khalid Meshaal in Cairo in 2012.
The bottom line is that Israel’s attempt to exploit a chaotic Middle East by implicating Hamas as a terrorist group linked with Daesh is baseless. Hamas is ideologically, intellectually, jurisprudentially and politically different from Daesh. Media outlets that adopt the Israeli narrative hurt their professionalism and credibility.
Palestinian movements must not allow the disagreement with Hamas to justify the accusations that harm the Palestinian cause internationally and create tensions locally. Hamas must also realize that the differences between them and Daesh do not mean that its rule of Gaza is free of abuses and human rights violations, and must therefore revisit its conduct and be more careful in its political discourse. It should move beyond the approach of having one discourse for local consumption and another for global consumption since every word uttered by any Hamas leader is marketed abroad as a message from Hamas to the world.
When the Fatah-led Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Arab regimes, especially in Egypt, do not oppose the efforts to link Hamas with Daesh – or, indeed, occasionally contribute to these efforts – they may “benefit” in the short-term by weakening Hamas as a political opponent. However, this carries the dangers of destabilizing Palestinian society in the medium and long-term. Excluding moderate Islamists could push Palestinian society towards radicalism, in which case both Fatah and Hamas will find themselves fighting takfiri groups.
The views expressed in this article are the authors and do not necessarily reflect Ma’an News Agency’s editorial policy.
Via Ma’an News Agency
Al-Shabaka is an independent non-profit organization whose mission is to educate and foster public debate on Palestinian human rights and self-determination within the framework of international law.
This policy brief is authored by Al-Shabaka Policy Member Belal Shobaki.
Filed Under: Israel/ Palestine
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Edward Love
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Edward A. Love was raised in Florence where he graduated from South Florence High School. Then he attended the Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. While there, he was a member of the Summerall Guards, President of the Rugby Club, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice in 2000. He received his Juris Doctor from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in 2003. While at Mercer, Ed participated in and coached for the Moot Court Board. He also served as Chief Justice of the Honor Court
Ed practiced law in Macon, Georgia with the law firm of Almand & Wiggins before returning home to Florence. He has continued to practice in Florence since that time. He is married to Martina Palatto Love and together, they attempt to raise three mischievous boys: Andrew (2004), Henry (2007) and Jacob (2009).
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Gateway site improvement works to start in new year
From a new car park and coach parking, to a refreshed bus station and landscaping, a site off Birmingham Road in Lichfield is set to get a new lease of life in 2020.
Lichfield District Council is pleased to announce that the short-term improvements to the Birmingham Road site will get underway in January 2020. They will improve the look and feel of the area, as well as prepare it for later development, and provide a better route into the city from the train and bus stations.
The council has appointed The Coleman Group to carry out the works, which will be completed in the following phases:
Fencing will go up and the site compound will be set up. This will include fencing off the former police station and the car parking spaces at the front of the building. A tree next to the building will also be pruned to protect it from the trucks that will be accessing the construction site from Frog Lane.
The interior fittings of the former police station will be taken out, including asbestos removal, before the demolition of the building. This is expected to take around nine weeks.
Street furniture will be removed from the bus station and the bus station car park. This will be followed by the closure of the 50-space bus station car park, expected towards the end of January/early February. This space will be turned into new coach parking. Temporary bus stops will be in use while the area is re-tarmacked and the bus station is refreshed. The bus station will remain open throughout the works, although parts of it will close in phases. While the car park is closed, the council is recommending nearby car parks, including on The Friary and Lombard Street. For the city centre car park map, visit www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/carparkmap.
Following the demolition of the police station, the replacement 56-space car park, footpaths and street furniture will be installed. New Healthmatic temporary toilets will be opened, ahead of the demolition of the bus station shops and toilets. The former sites of the police station and bus station buildings will be landscaped.
The fencing will come down and the replacement car park and improved site will be launched.
Councillor Iain Eadie, Cabinet Member for Investment, Economic Growth & Tourism, said:
“We know everyone is keen to see more than empty lots and boarded up buildings as the entrance to Lichfield city centre. I am really pleased to see something happening with the old police station and improvements to the bus station and coach parking being delivered.
“The works will help us make a better first impression for anyone visiting the city, particularly if they have come by train or by bus. By demolishing the derelict buildings, opening out the space and ensuring modern toilets continue to be provided, we will be making the area safer and preparing the site for our future long-term development, which we are working on through our master-planning exercise.
“The scale of the works means they will take a little bit of time to complete and we expect they will be finished in the spring. We would therefore ask that residents, workers and visitors bear with us while the works are taking place. There may be some concerns over the temporary loss of the 50-space car park, but we want to reassure everyone that there is plenty of capacity in nearby car parks, including the multi storey on The Friary, which is a long-stay car park.”
The improvements are a step towards improving the Birmingham Road site, while the long-term masterplan is completed, which will shape the future growth of Lichfield city centre.
In partnership with David Lock Associates, the council is running a public consultation on the draft masterplan from 6 January to 3 February 2020.
This will include an online survey, the launch of a consultation app, and two public drop-in events. These will take place at Lichfield Library on Friday 17 January between 9am and 5pm and on Saturday 18 January between 9am and 4pm.
“The draft masterplan sets out proposals for the long-term future of the Birmingham Road site and its interaction with the overall city centre.
“It envisages a mixed use of the site - from public buildings, open space, places for business and leisure activities, as well as a cinema, a new car park, and housing to reflect city centres are changing from just being single focus.
“We would encourage everyone to get involved with the masterplan consultation, as we want to hear the feedback from our residents, visitors and stakeholders in the new year on what they want Lichfield's city centre to look like for the future,” continued Cllr Eadie.
To find out more about the improvement works and the masterplan consultation, visit www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/citycentreplan.
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Ride-sharing firm Lyft says it has improved insurance
A cable car passes a line of taxicabs in San Francisco. The San Francisco Cab Driver Assn. says that nearly one-third of the city’s licensed taxi drivers have started to drive for ride-sharing services such as Lyft, Uber and Sidecar.
(Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)
By Marc Lifsher
SACRAMENTO — Ride-sharing company Lyft is improving its insurance coverage for drivers and passengers after state regulators complained that there could be holes in the coverage that Lyft and its competitors provide.
Critics questioned whether the policy goes far enough to fully protect people involved in accidents.
Lyft announced this week that it’s giving drivers the option of getting collision insurance to repair damage to their cars. It’s also offering protection against being hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver to its basic, $1-million commercial liability coverage.
The announcement came after insurance trade groups in Sacramento and the state Department of Insurance raised questions about potential gaps in the insurance required of ride-sharing companies by their new regulator, the California Public Utilities Commission.
Lyft spokeswoman Erin Simpson said the newly offered coverages should satisfy the Insurance Department’s concerns. She stressed, however, that they only are in force when a Lyft passenger is traveling in the vehicle or the driver has accepted a fare on his or her smartphone and is en route to a pickup.
The Lyft coverage takes effect when damages exceed the limits or are not covered by the driver’s personal policy, Simpson said.
Lyft, she said, will continue to work with the insurance industry, regulators and other players to provide support to the fledgling ride-sharing industry.
Insurance industry lobbyists, though, said they are skeptical about whether insurance offered by Lyft and its competitors, Uber and Sidecar, is sufficient to protect the public.
They pointed to the New Year’s Eve death of a 6-year-old pedestrian, who was hit by an Uber driver not carrying a passenger, as a cause for concern.
“Personal policies are not going to cover you when you’re engaged in a Lyft commercial activity,” said Mark Sektnan, president of the Assn. of California Insurance Cos.
Uber has had similar coverage for accidents with uninsured and under-insured drivers since December, spokesman Andrew Noyes said. Although the company doesn’t yet carry collision protection, it does have a policy of reimbursing its drivers if their personal insurance denies a claim for damage to the ride-sharing car.
Sidecar said on its website that it does not offer collision coverage. It did not specify whether its policy covers damages caused by uninsured and underinsured drivers.
marc.lifsher@latimes.com
Twitter: @MarcLifsher
Marc Lifsher
Marc Lifsher is a former business reporter for the Los Angeles Times, based in Sacramento. He previously worked for the Wall Street Journal, Orange County Register, Dallas Times Herald and United Press International. He spent a decade as a foreign correspondent, covering most of the nations of Latin America.
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The “Witches” of Massachusetts – D
Witches of Salem: Index A B C D E F-G H I-J K-N O-P Q-S T U-Z
Reverend Frances Dane (1615-1697) – Decidedly against the concept of witchcraft, the Reverend himself was accused of being a witch but, was never charged. The second pastor of the North Parish Church in Andover, Massachusetts, he served for 48 years before he died in 1697. See Full Article HERE.
Deliverance Haseltine Dane (1653-1735) – Living in Andover, Massachusetts during the witch hysteria of 1692, Deliverance was originally from Rowley, born on January 15, 1653. She grew up to marry Nathaniel Dane, who was the son of the Reverend Frances Dane. Deliverance was accused of witchcraft on September 7, 1692, during the “touch test” meeting conducted by the Reverend Thomas Barnard. Examined the next day, she would confess to witchcraft and even say that she and some and some other witches had brought her father-in-law’s specter along with them to torment the afflicted. As a result of her confession, she was indicted and sent to prison. Later; however, she would recant her confession, insisting that she had “wronged the truth.” She was released in December 1692, when the case against her was dismissed. She died in Andover on June 15, 1735.
Dane Male Slave – Though his name has been lost in history, a male slave who belonged to Nathaniel Dane, the son of the Reverend Frances Dane, was accused of witchcraft. It is known that he was imprisoned, but, beyond that, no other information is known.
Mary Bassett DeRich (1657-1712) – The sister of Elizabeth Bassett Proctor, who would be found guilty of witchcraft and sentenced to die for the crime of witchcraft, Mary also got caught up in the hysteria. More information HERE.
Lydia Dustin/Dastin (1626?-1693) – Accused as a witch during the Salem hysteria, Lydia was found not guilty, but, died in prison before she could be released. Thought to have been born about 1626, little is known of Lydia Dustin, but, at the time that she was arrested, she was a widow, her husband, Josiah, having died in 1671. Though her husband had been one of the founders and leading landowners of Reading, a complaint was filed by Captain Jonathan Walcott and Thomas Putnam alleging that she had afflicted Mary Walcott, Ann Putnam, Mercy Lewis, and Abigail Williams. She was arrested in Reading, Massachusetts on April 30, 1892, and examined on May 2nd by magistrates Jonathan Corwin and John Hathorne. She was then sent to Boston’s jail. Later, her daughters, Sarah Dustin and Mary Colson were also arrested. Though a warrant was issued for her granddaughter, Elizabeth Colson, she had fled and couldn’t be found. It is unknown why Lydia was not immediately tried; but, she remained in prison throughout the year. Both Lydia and her daughter, Sarah, were later found not guilty by the Superior Court of Judicature in January 1693. However, they could not be released until they paid jail fees. Unable to pay the fees, Lydia died in jail on March 10, 1693.
Sarah Dustin/Dastin – The unmarried daughter of Lydia Dustin, Sarah was arrested shortly after her mother. Her father was Joshia Dustin, who had been one of the founders and leading landowners of Reading, Massachusetts. She was arrested for witchcraft shortly after her mother (who was arrested on April 30, 1892). She was accused of afflicting Elizabeth Weston, the daughter of John Weston of Reading. Neither Sarah or her mother were immediately tried, and both remained in prison throughout the year. In January 1693, they were found not guilty. Her mother died in jail, unable to pay the prison fees. However, Sarah must have found a way to pay and was released. Nothing more is known of her.
John Durrant (??-1692) – Though no legal documents remain for Mr. Durrant, he was known to have lived in Billerica at the time of the witchcraft trials and died in the Cambridge prison on October 27, 1692. On November 16, 1670, John Durrant married his neighbor, Susanna Dutton, the daughter of Thomas Dutton. Just months after his wife, Susannah, died on August 27, 1684, he married a widow named Ruth Hooper on November 10, 1684. Ruth’s step-daughter was Sarah Hooper Hawkes Wardwell, of Andover, who was accused of witchcraft in August, 1692. Sarah’s husband was Samuel Wardwell, Sr., who was hanged for witchcraft on September 22, 1692. Sarah and Samuel’s daughter, Mercy Wardwell was also accused of witchcraft. Because of the timing and family ties to other alleged “witches”, historians believe that John Durrant was imprisoned for the charge of witchcraft.
Thomas Dyer – From Ipswich, Thomas Dyer is known to have been accused of witchcraft and imprisoned, but, no further information is known about him.
©Kathy Weiser-Alexander, updated November 2020.
The Salem Witchcraft Hysteria (Main article)
Accused “Witches”
The “Afflicted” Girls
Procedures, Courts & Aftermath
Timeline of the Witchcraft Hysteria
Towns Involved
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Implicit bias training may be flawed
On behalf of Lawrence N. Lavigne, Esq., L.L.C. | Jan 21, 2020 | Workplace Discrimination |
Large companies such as Google and Papa John’s have used implicit bias training in an effort to make their organizations more inclusive. However, there is some question as to whether their employees in New Jersey and throughout the country actually benefit from it. Research has shown that attempt to teach people about their biases may actually work to further affirm their views. Ultimately, implicit bias training may only be effective if people want to learn about stereotypes and how to overcome them.
There is also some question as to whether it’s possible to determine a person’s implicit biases. One test revealed that people who had racist tendencies behaved in much the same way as those who didn’t show them. Telling a person who hasn’t acted in an overtly racist manner that he or she could still be a racist may not be the best idea.
Some believe that it may be more effective to alter a person’s behaviors as opposed to his or her thoughts. It is not uncommon for workers to be nice to their colleagues or otherwise act in a positive manner even if they aren’t doing it for altruistic reasons. It may also be more effective for company’s to focus more on creating inclusive policies than trying to force people to think or feel a certain way about their fellow humans.
Individuals who face harassment at work because of their gender, national origin or religion may wish to pursue legal action. It is generally illegal for an employer to subject an employee to any behavior that could constitute a hostile work environment. These behaviors could include jokes at a worker’s expense or anything else that could cause mental anguish or otherwise make it difficult to focus on doing a job well.
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Core investment: At least 80% of the fund is invested in the shares of companies, across any sector and of any size, from anywhere in the world , including emerging markets. The fund is concentrated and usually holds shares in fewer than 40 companies.
Companies are assessed on their investment credentials and ability to deliver positive social and/or environmental impact, based on M&G’s impact assessment methodology. Companies that are deemed to be in breach of the United Nations Global Compact principles and/or involved in industries such as tobacco, controversial weapons or nuclear power or coal-fired power are excluded from the investment universe.
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The benchmark is a comparator against which the fund’s performance can be measured. It is a net return index which includes dividends after the deduction of withholding taxes. The index has been chosen as the fund’s benchmark as it best reflects the scope of the fund’s investment policy. The benchmark is used solely to measure the fund’s performance and does not constrain the fund's portfolio construction.
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You can find more information about the objective and investment policy of the fund in the Prospectus.
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The value and income from the fund's assets will go down as well as up. This will cause the value of your investment to fall as well as rise. There is no guarantee that the fund will achieve its objective and you may get back less than you originally invested.
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John William Olsen - Fund manager
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Veronique Chapplow - Investment specialist
Véronique Chapplow is Investment Specialist for M&G’s Select Franchise. Prior to joining M&G, Véronique worked as product specialist at Zadig Asset Management for two years and Deutsche Bank for six years, servicing institutional equity clients specialised in the insurance sector. Before this, she worked at GAM, initially in the capacity of equity analyst before becoming deputy fund manager of GAM’s European Equity Funds. Véronique started her career at NatWest Securities as equity analyst covering the oil and gas sector. She is an Associate member of the Institute of Management and Research, the precursor of the CFA Institute. Véronique graduated from French business school EPSCI and obtained an MBA from Heriot Watt University.
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Small window of opportunity for business rates refunds?
Viewpoint - 10/12/2015
Many businesses across the UK could still receive a full five years’ worth of refunds in respect of their business rates owing to a small window of opportunity in the current appeal system. However, there is an element of caution to be applied. Beverley McDougall, Director of Business Rates in Lambert Smith Hampton’s Manchester office, explains:
In his 2014 Autumn Statement, the Chancellor introduced a highly unpopular change to the backdating of business rates appeals and refunds, effectively removing ratepayers’ ability to claim backdated refunds of up to seven years. Instead, refunds from any appeals made to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) after 1 April 2015 would only stretch back as far as this date.
Instead of its intended effect of reducing the backlog of appeals in the system, the changes resulted in a huge surge in appeals made before 31 March 2015, further exacerbating the problem!
However, it is important to note that, up until 31 March 2016, the VOA can still make alterations to the 2010 Rating List which can be backdated to an earlier effective date – potentially as far back as 1 April 2010.
This has two ramifications:
If it can be identified that a Rateable Value is incorrect and too high, there is a small window of opportunity between now and 31 March 2016 to request that the VOA alter the Rating List back to an earlier effective date. While the VOA is under enormous pressure in dealing with current outstanding appeals and preparing for the 2017 revaluation, it does have a statutory duty to maintain a fair Rating List. Therefore, if an error in a rating valuation can be identified and is demonstrable, then every opportunity to try to secure an earlier effective date of alteration should be taken. No guarantees are offered as we are at the mercy of their resources!
On the flip side, if a Rating List entry is wrong and too low by virtue of, say, an alteration or extension which has not been identified and picked up by the VOA or, indeed, if the whole property has not been assessed for business rates, the VOA has until 31 March 2016 to rectify this with backdating to the appropriate effective date up to 1 April 2010. After 31 March 2016, they are restricted to 1 April 2015. This could potentially have very serious consequences for an organisation which may find itself landed with a substantial (and unbudgeted) bill for backdated business rates.
Given the complexities involved, occupiers who believe that any of these circumstances are applicable to them are urged to seek professional advice from a qualified Rating Surveyor.
Small window of opportunity for business rates refunds? Viewpoint
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Medina Funeral Home & Cremation Service
Plant a Tree for Gilbert
Gilbert Thomas Ballew, Jr.
October 3, 1952 ~ April 17, 2020 (age 67)
Gleason, Tennessee
Mr. Gilbert Ballew, Jr., age 67, passed away Friday, April 17, 2020 in Jackson, Tennessee.
He was born on October 3, 1952 in Nashville, Tennessee to the late Gilbert T. Ballew, Sr. and Virginia Ballew.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Gilbert was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Ballew; brother, William Ballew; and sister, Wanda Landreth.
He is survived by his son, Richard (Lisa) Ballew; daughter, Debra (Dustin) Baker; two brothers, Robert Ballew and James Ballew; two sisters, Cathy Bailey and Janie Bell; eight grandchildren; and one great grandchild.
There are no services scheduled at this time.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Gilbert Thomas Ballew, Jr., please visit our floral store.
You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Gilbert Thomas Ballew, Jr.
© 2021 Medina Funeral Home & Cremation Service. All Rights Reserved. Funeral Home website by CFS & TA | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
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MENAbytes Live
MENAbytes
Term Sheets 101: A beginner’s guide to VC term sheets
By Mubariz Siddiqui
Posted on April 7, 2019 - Like & Follow Us Follow @MENAbytes
I get a lot of questions from founders (and some investors) on term sheets. I have seen quite a few founders accept onerous terms without really understanding the implications. While this is a pretty detailed topic I have attempted to make a concise guide to explain what some of the major terms to focus on are.
Term sheets are not binding (unless they specifically say so) except for the exclusivity provision which restricts founders from negotiating with other investors for a certain period (usually 30–60 days) after signing the term sheet.
The term sheet is followed by a more detailed shareholders agreement which is binding and enforceable.
This guide aims to provide a brief overview of what some of the major terms mean, and what is usually the ‘standard’. I would still advise that a lawyer is engaged to ensure that the language of the document accurately captures the arrangement.
Equity v Debt
Equity investment means the investor is investing money in the company for a fixed percentage of shares. Debt means borrowed money which will have to be repaid.
A convertible note is debt that converts into equity upon the occurrence of a trigger event – usually a subsequent round of funding.
Economics and Control
In any investment, negotiations focus on whether the term/issue being discussed pertains to economics or control.
Economics refers to the terms that relate to financial returns that the investors and founders will get in various scenarios.
Control refers to terms that restrict or affect the founders ability to take decisions and requires the founder(s) to obtain the investor’s consent before taking certain decisions.
All other terms are not worth spending too much time over unless they affect the economics or control provisions.
Two important concepts to understand:
Pre-money the value of the company before the investment is made.
Post-money the value of the company after the investment is made.
An investment offer of $5 million at a valuation of $20 million could mean that the investor is seeking 25% equity if the valuation is pre-money and 20% equity if the valuation of the company is post-money. It is important to understand the difference between the two when negotiating valuation.
Liquidation Preference
Essentially a liquidation preference gives the investor a right to take out money before any other shareholder in a liquidation or an exit event.
In the above scenario, the Investor invested $150,000 in the startup for 10% with a 1x participating liquidation preference. At an exit event, the investor will first receive the $150,000 and the remaining amount would then be distributed amongst the shareholders in proportion to their shares. In the event the Investor had a non-participating preference, she would be entitled to the higher of the amount invested ($150,000) or value of the 10% of the sum the company is being acquired for ($215,000).
While there are different kinds of liquidation preference, the two important concepts to understand are participating and non-participating liquidation preference. In a participating preference (illustration above), the Investor first has the right to receive a multiple of the amount invested (typically 1x, anything more is onerous) and then shares the remaining amount pro rata with the other shareholders. In a non-participating preference, the investor gets the higher of a multiple of the amount invested (typically 1x) or the pro-rata share of the amount for which the company is being acquired for.
Given the high risk associated with startup financing, a lot of investors in MENA & Pakistan opt for a participating 1x liquidation preference. However, in more advanced markets (and some for some investors in MENA & Pakistan), the norm is non-participating 1x liquidation preference.
The Employee Stock Option Program (ESOP) is set up to give certain employees an option to buy shares of the company at a certain (subsidised) price within a particular time. The objective is to incentivise certain employees with shares which in future could be very valuable. Depending on the nature of the business and the number of employees that may need to be incentivised, investors can require the founders to set aside anywhere between 5%–20% for the ESOP from the founders’ equity.
It is important to discuss the ESOP when negotiating the term sheet to ensure both parties are aligned.
Anti-dilution
The objective of this provision is to protect the investors in the event of a ‘down round’ i.e. a fundraising round where the company has been valued lower than the previous round.
Formula for the broad based weighted average anti-dilution provision.
A broad-based weighted average anti-dilution is standard. It is calculated in accordance with the formula given above. Another kind of anti dilution provision which a founder needs to be wary of is the full ratchet. In a full ratchet, the existing investor’s investment converts at the valuation of the company in the down round. This results in the investor getting more equity than she initially did.
Since an early stage venture investment is essentially an investment in the team, the investors are keen to ensure that the founders earn their equity over a period of 3–4 years. Typically there is a cliff (e.g. a 12 month period after which the founder gets 1/3 or 1/4 of her equity) followed by monthly/quarterly periods over which the remaining equity is earned.
Board of Directors run the company. All strategic decisions are made by the board. The CEO (who handles day to day operations) is appointed by the board. All major authorisations are given by the board.
Investors typically ask for a board seat. That is normal. Voting in the board is on a majority basis. Some investors ask for more than one board seat. As long as the founders have a majority, they will retain control of the company.
Reserve Matters
Given investors in an early stage venture investment take a minority equity stake, it is important for them to protect their investment. Reserve matters are a list of matters that can only be done with the consent of the investor. Most of these matters are focused on limiting the founders ability to take cash out of the business (except for what has been agreed is required for the business) and any alteration of the rights attached to the shares held by the investors.
Founders must ensure that while the concept of reserve matters is reasonable, some items in the list may not be reasonable. Certain matters that may make it difficult for the founders to operate the business must be negotiated.
Tag/Drag Along
This is another term to carefully evaluate. These exit provisions are typically used to protect shareholder rights. Tag along allows a party (usually a minority shareholder) to ‘tag’ along with the other shareholder in the event the other shareholder is selling her shares to a third party. What this means is that the other shareholder will have to ensure that the third party also buys the shares of the party with the tag right for the same price. In the event the third party cannot buy all of the shares then they can either sell proportionately or there is no sale at all.
The investors usually keep a tag along right to prevent the situation where the founders sell the company to a third party and leave. Some founders also ask for such right to be reciprocated. This right is not onerous as no one can be forced or compelled to sell.
Drag along on the other hand can be onerous. Drag along right allows the party to force the other shareholders to sell their shares at either a price agreed between the parties or at the price being offered by a third party. It is very important to negotiate and fully understand such a clause as it could give another party a right to sell the founders’ equity.
This article was first published here and has been reproduced on MENAbytes with author’s permission.
Update: The ‘Liquidation Preference’ part of the article was updated (by the author) to include more details.
Mubariz Siddiqui
Guest Author at MENAbytes
An independent legal practitioner with a demonstrated history of working with the technology industry. Co-founder of Pakistan-based Wukla, a Pakistan-based legal contract automation platform. Mubariz can be reached on Twitter.
Latest posts by Mubariz Siddiqui (see all)
Term Sheets 101: A beginner’s guide to VC term sheets - April 7, 2019
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Is California's Drought Finally Ending?
BY Dennis Mersereau
Konrad Fiedler/AFP/Getty Images
One of the most devastating weather disasters in the past decade wasn’t a tornado tearing through the Plains or a hurricane swirling ashore, but rather the slow-motion dehydration of the most populous state in the United States. California has spent the past five years mired in its worst drought in centuries, which devastated crops and water supplies across the state. While the adverse effects of the drought will take much longer to wear off, the state recently got some good news about its improving liquid fortunes.
The latest issue of the United States Drought Monitor (USDM) shows that just over half of California is still in a drought. More than half of an enormous state steeped in drought sounds pretty bad, but conditions have actually improved tremendously over the past couple of months.
The United States Drought Monitor for California on January 31, 2017. Image Credit: Dennis Mersereau
At the end of January 2016, 95 percent of California was in some level of drought, and 40 percent of that area was in that scale-topping "exceptional drought" category. Today, one-fifth of the state is still in a severe drought, and a tiny portion—just under 2 percent—is in an extreme drought. No part of California is experiencing an exceptional drought anymore, the most urgent level on the five-point scale used to determine drought status.
The USDM is a weekly analysis drawn by scientists who look at precipitation, groundwater, and soil data to determine how dry the ground is across the entire country. The lowest categories—abnormally dry and moderate drought—are usually transient and can come and go with unusual dry spells. But in the case of California’s water troubles, extreme and exceptional drought conditions have become commonplace over the past few years.
The worst drought in the modern history of California began at the beginning of 2012 and steadily worsened over the next five years. The intensely dry weather came to a head in 2014, leading some scientists to declare the presence of a “megadrought”—a lack of rain in the western United States so extreme and long-lasting that such conditions haven’t occurred in this region since the 12th century. But then conditions improved somewhat during the winters of 2015 and 2016, culminating with this winter’s drought-busting deluge.
The progression of California’s drought as seen through the USDM’s weekly drought analyses. Image Credit: Dennis Mersereau
The solution to drought is always a prolonged period of steady, soaking rainfall and, in the case of mountainous regions, decent storms with accumulating snow. Weather patterns began to shift early this winter into a configuration that let ample moisture flow over drought-stricken areas of the West Coast. A steady flow of tropical moisture, a phenomenon known as an “atmospheric river,” helped storm systems wring out as much precipitation as possible over areas that needed it the most.
The recent period of much-looked-for rain in California started in earnest around the middle of December 2016 and continued through the end of January. After just above average precipitation in December in San Francisco, the Bay Area saw nearly twice its normal January rainfall by the end of January. It’s a similar story across the rest of California.
Precipitation between November 3, 2016 and February 1, 2017, as compared to normal. Image Credit: Dennis Mersereau
There’s even better news in the mountains, where springtime runoff contributes significantly to reservoirs and groundwater in lower-lying areas of the state. The storms that brought rain to the rest of California brought even greater amounts of snow to the mountains. Some mountainous towns have snow depths taller than most houses. A ski resort near Lake Tahoe saw so much snow in one January snowstorm that their chair lifts were buried.
But the latest forecast from the Climate Prediction Center calls for a general trend of below-average rainfall during the month of February and equal chances for below- or above-average precipitation through the early spring months. It’s worth noting that another long period of dry weather could erase the gains California has seen over the past month or two. More often than not, drought begets drought, and it can be a tough cycle to break once it begins. Still, the recent rainfall is a welcome sign nonetheless, and one that will hopefully continue in rainy seasons to come.
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5 Questions: Get in the Swing
The Volkswagen Golf was released in the US and Canada in 1974 under what nameplate?
Pepsi introduced Slice soda pop in 1984 to replace which of their beverages?
Who portrayed the adult Peter Pan in the 1991 film Hook?
Gerard Depardieu
What was the first name of the teen idol who was drafted into the Army in the Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie?
What was Tonight Show host Jack Paar's oft-repeated catch phrase?
Trust me.
Don't worry about that.
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Writer / Director: Anthony Pietromonaco
Genre: Action / Horror / Comedy
Logline: A group of friends stumbles upon a shack in the Arizona desert, and quickly find themsleves caught in the middle of a war between heaven and hell.
Synopsis: Using some questionable directions on an old cell phone, a small group finds themselves lost in the Arizona desert. The only sign of life is an old abandoned shack, which upon closer inspection reveals a note. It reads: “If I catch you inside, I will kill you.” Signed ‘Bob’” Naturally, this inspires the desire to enter the shack. This story takes its real life origin and drives it to the limits of imagination as the group enters the shack and discovers the origins of the note, and the true purpose behind it’s warning. Full of twists and turns that leave the audience guessing what is really going on, Bob is an action/horror/comedy that targets a wide variety of audiences. It never takes itself too seriously, and evokes themes reminiscent of films such as Army of Darkness, Hellboy, Aliens, and This is the End.
Genre: Thriller / Drama / Horror
A new age approach to the werewolf genre, this is a story of a man who, while defending a wounded werewolf in the wilderness becomes afflicted with a condition known as "Lycanthropy."
Before the following full moon, his forced to choose between two warring tribes. One that controls their primal nature through the power of will, and the other who revels in it, allowing themselves to be taken over by their instinct without restraint.
Likend to Interview with the Vampire but with a new twist, this story asks the question: "At your core, what do you value most?"
Deja Vu
Writer / Director : Anthony Pietromonaco
Four souls cross paths over the course of 4 lifetimes, bridged by the experience of Deja Vu. This is an epic story that takes the position that we are drawn to the same people over multiple lifetimes, and that each time one comes back, it is to learn the lessons they missed the last time.
When you experience a Deja Vu, it is the moment when you have fulfilled your previous life's purpose, and through these moments we are able to travel through the various lifetimes of the four main characters as they continue to repeat the same mistakes, until they develop the courage to change them.
Writer / Director: Anthony Pietromonaco
Original Content: SQUAREENIX
Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy
"Materia" is a live action remake of the classic video game Final Fantasy 7. As a major creative influence on Manifest Founder Anthony Pietromonaco, it has been a long time dream of his to give the fans of this classic the remake they have been demanding for over a decade.
This project is slated for development, and Manifest is currently seeking an initial round of funding to create a pilot demonstrating our ability to accurately re-create the characters and world in a live action format.
Genre: Adventure / Drama
A stowaway running from his past assumes the identity of the navigator of a ship set on a seminal voyage across uncharted waters. Shortly thereafter he becomes aware of the gravity of the position to which he is entrusted.
Risking the lives of the entire crew, he must then quickly learn the most critical position on the ship, and in so doing, realize his own destiny.
© 2019 by Manifest Film. All Rights Reserved
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Markey Statement on Foiled Al Qaeda Bomb Plot
Congressman is author of law that requires 100 percent screening of all cargo on passenger planes WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), author of the 2007 law that requires 100 percent screening of all air cargo transported on domestic passenger planes and all international passenger planes entering the United... Read More
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressmen Edward J. Markey (D-Malden), dean of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation, and William Keating (D-Bourne) sent a letter to Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman Greg Jaczko urging the Commission not to move forward with its decision on whether to issue the twenty-year license extension for... Read More
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WASHINGTON, DC— Today Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman, Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Edward J. Markey, and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Diana DeGette released the following statement in response to new EPA draft guidelines on use of diesel fuel in oil and gas hydraulic... Read More
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health & wellnessKevin O'Neill Feb 12, 2019
Article from independent.ie - Tuesday 12 February 2019
Reports suggest that a healthy digestive system is key to overall physical wellness. Barry Smith tells Joy Orpen that good bacteria, delivered correctly to the gut, can eliminate conditions like irritable bowel syndrome
Currently, statistics suggest that far too many people are suffering from disorders of the gut.
Take irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), for example. In Ireland, it affects about 15% of the population. It's a digestive problem that can cause stomach pain, bloating and diarrhoea. These symptoms can lead to insecurity and embarrassment. Someone who is working hard to help combat IBS, and other related conditions, is Barry Smith, the founder of a UK company manufacturing a particular probiotic.
How this health supplement came about is a saga in itself. Barry was born in Tripoli; his father was a soldier in the British Army. He went to 11 schools in different countries. His most abiding memory is a year as a boarder in Malaysia, when he was just 13 years old.
"It was a very wild place," he recalls. "The flora and fauna were just fantastic. For a boy that age, it was magical." Clearly the nomadic life suited Barry, because a few years later, he signed up with the Royal Army Medical Corps and became a nurse and trainer. However, 11 years later, he returned to civilian life. By then he had married Ann Keen, a teacher. They have been together 48 years, and have two grown-up children.
As luck would have it, Ann's father had a small farm in Wales. Having been exposed to rural living, Barry became interested in agriculture. So much so, he and Ann took on a derelict farm near Farnham in Surrey. However, in spite of their undoubted enthusiasm, the venture didn't go well. Bankruptcy was only narrowly averted when the couple opened a farm stall.
"In 1976, the idea was to make fresh produce more affordable for the general public, and that's what we did," explains Barry.
His next venture was growing sweetcorn. "I ended up with 250 acres of it and never lost a single crop," he says proudly. He then diversified into spuds. At one point, they were delivering 120 tons of potatoes a week to fish-and-chip shops. Then the Smiths began to keep cattle. This proved to be a milestone in their lives - and, as time would tell, it would become a turning point in the lives of thousands of others as well.
In those early days, Barry became despondent about the poor quality of feed available. "Back then, it could contain bone waste, brain and spinal-cord tissue, and was laced with antibiotics and other harmful substances," he explains. Not surprisingly, the animals didn't thrive. On the contrary, poor feeding practices in the 1980s caused an alarming outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease, putting humans who ate contaminated meat at serious risk.
So, Barry, who is innately innovative, rowed in with his own research into ways to give his animals a better diet. He discovered that germinating certain grains resulted in an increase in protein values, enzymes and vitamin content. "The animals loved their new feed, but after 10 days it became a mouldy mess," he recalls.
Then a friend suggested using a cocktail of bacteria to 'pickle' the germinated grain, and, hey presto, the feed now had a decent shelf life. "As soon as we started using it on animals, we could see their health improve," says Barry. "Juvenile growth was strong; more of the young stock survived and were generally healthier."
He was then asked to try out his feed on some ostriches in Zimbabwe who had a very poor rate of survival. "We took their mortality rate from 40pc-to-50pc, down to one or two per cent," he says, adding, "Ironically, vets in the UK were learning about a British product from a project in Zimbabwe." Around this time, one of those same vets urged Barry to look into the possibility of applying the same protocol to benefit humans. So he embarked on yet another long-term research project.
The end result is Symprove, an innovative supplement containing multi-strain live, active bacteria normally found in a healthy gut. The formula is based on an extract of barley, and because it has a water delivery system, rather than being dairy-based, it doesn't trigger any digestive challenges.
This means it's not destroyed by "the strongly acidic and hostile environment of the stomach" and so beneficial bacteria can be delivered to the gut, still alive, active, and of most benefit.
It has been extensively studied in relation to a range of disorders at King's College London. For example, the researchers were asked to "assess the efficacy of a liquid, multi-strain probiotic (Symprove) in IBS".
The researchers concluded that "the multi-strain probiotic was associated with a statistically significant improvement in overall symptom severity in patients, and was well tolerated. These results suggest this probiotic confers benefit in IBS."
Further research was conducted by King's College research teams into the efficacy of Symprove in treating inflammatory bowel disease (which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) and diverticular disease. In both cases, the results indicated that the product under review was of benefit.
For Barry, these investigations were a gamble. "When the results of the IBS study came in, it was described by King's as 'spectacular' - not a word that a scientist uses lightly," he says. "For us, if it [the result] had been negative, that would have been the end of our dream. Independent, randomised, controlled tests are the real thing."
This journey of discovery has taken Barry and his loyal team 30 years of soul searching, a huge investment in terms of finances, sheer hard work and sleepless nights. Yet it's a road they mightn't have embarked on, if it hadn't been for the ostrich experiment in Zimbabwe.
The impressive results prompted a world-renowned gastroenterologist at King's to urge them to push on with their project. "He said the weight of the data that had already been collected from agriculture was enough to encourage proceeding on to human evaluation," Barry says.
But this is not a quick fix. "Improving the balance in the gut takes time and commitment," explains Barry. While Symprove has shown a significant positive outcome over a 12-week period, it can also be used as part of a maintenance plan.
Tags: Health & wellness
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Hitches & Winches
Lifts & Suspension
Misc Auto
Cutting & Machining Tools
Hand Tools for Cutting
Misc Cutting
15 Common Kinds of Wood and What They’re Used For
Posted by Beau Black · Leave a comment
Woodworking is one of the most prolific hobbies among handymen and DIY experts across the United States. It has a relatively low barrier to entry, the tools for it are affordable, and it gives you the satisfaction of creating something with your hands — and it’s uniquely yours.
But one of the hardest parts of woodworking is understanding different kinds of wood.
On this page, we’ll take a look at the 15 most common kinds of wood, some of their characteristics, and what they’re used to commonly create.
We’ll start with the woods that everybody knows and continue to some less common forms.
Infographic by MechanicalCaveman.com
1. Pine
Pine is the most common kind of wood in the United States. It’s all over the place, and it’s so versatile that you can use it in just about every capacity — including building a house from scratch!
Pine is characterized as a soft wood, and you’ll find that it’s useful for pretty much everything. On the downside, pine has a characteristically pale appearance that can, in some ways, look “cheap.” With that in mind, it’s not a great choice if you want to make a centerpiece for a room — but it’s excellent for framing and structure.
2. Oak
Oak is another common American wood, though it’s a hard wood. Most of the time, you’ll hear of oak used in furniture and flooring, but you may also find it in cabinetry and butcher blocks.
Generally speaking, oak has a darker, richer, and more pleasing appearance than pine. It’s also incredibly strong, so if you’re going to use nails or screws with it, pre-drill your holes first! You’ll save your screw gun bit.
3. Spruce
Spruce has fallen out of style these days, but it’s still a useful soft wood to use in your handywork. Spruce was more common in the 1970s and 1980s when it was used frequently for house siding.
Today, you’ll mostly find musical instruments made of spruce because of its ability to produce a pleasant, consistent musical tone.
4. Poplar
Poplar is a hard wood that’s becoming more and more popular in the 2020s. It has an incredible range of applications, including uses in creating shipping pallets, crates, upholstered furniture, and — most recently — paint wood.
Many lumber mills had an issue with poplar where they didn’t know what to do with its sawdust since it’s such a unique wood. Most of the time, they threw it in with their plywood blends. But poplar has a tendency to take paint exceptionally well, and ever since then, scrap poplar has been re-cut, joined together, and sold as paint wood for new construction.
5. Fir
Fir is a soft wood that’s most often used in accenting or outlining elements in a room. You’ll find it frequently used as the “box” for a window sash, and it may also be the structural part of a window frame.
Aside from that, many interior doors are made of fir since it’s fairly lightweight. This allows door manufacturers to create a hollow, lightweight product that’s easy to hang and kind to wall hinges.
6. Ash
Ash is a hard wood that’s best known for its use in baseball bats. However, it’s also used in room trim, cabinetry, and furniture.
Ash tends to be more expensive than the previous woods we’ve discussed in this list. Still, it’s well worth the expense if you want an attractive, durable kind of wood for your work.
7. Beech
Beech is an exceptionally hard wood that is most often used in structural creations. This includes flooring, furniture, and even railroad ties.
If you want a tough and rugged wood for your work, beech may be more affordable (depending on your area). Regardless, it’s worth buying for its fantastic appearance as upholstered furniture.
8. Teak
Teak is a soft wood that is best known as a semi-luxury wood in furniture, flooring, kitchen utensils, and boat decks.
Teak is a “gentle” wood that holds up surprisingly well outdoors. It also has a natural beauty that makes it great for salad spoons, bowls, cutting boards, and other practical items in the kitchen.
9. Alder
Alder wood is a hard wood that is the main choice of woodworkers who create decorations.
As a result, it’s used frequently in trim, cabinetry, and furniture where there can be fine details. Alder is soft enough to receive decoration well, but it’s also firm enough to retain that decoration for years to come. It’s perfect for the craftsman who also considers themselves an artist.
10. Balsa
Balsa wood is a hard wood, despite its reputation for being incredibly easy to bend and break.
Still, it has its purposes in modeling, packing, lamination, and even core stock for multi-layer wood composites. It’s definitely not going to be in your floor boards, but it’d make a great model or accent wood.
11. Cedar
Cedar is a soft wood that’s surprisingly durable. It also has a handful of remarkable properties, including the use as a natural insect repellent and a distinct odor that’s either wonderful or disgusting (depending on who you ask).
Cedar often forms the structure of chests, trunks, decking, and outdoor furniture since it naturally keeps pests like mosquitoes away.
12. Cherry
Cherry wood is a distinctive hard wood with a deep, colorful appearance. Formerly a luxury wood, cherry is now used in dozens of different ways, including furniture stock, room trim, flooring, boat interiors, and even musical instruments.
Cherry is an ideal multipurpose wood for someone who wants something more attractive than pine for their creations.
13. Mahogany
Mahogany is a hard wood famous for its reputation among the wealthy as an indicator of status and class. It’s in everything from high-end furniture to artisanal violins.
If you want to use mahogany, prepare to deal with one of the hardest woods that you’ll ever encounter. It’s tough, but once you get it just the way you want it, it’s absolutely gorgeous.
14. Maple
Maple is a common hard wood that’s mostly used in furniture and flooring. At times, you may also find it in cabinetry.
Fun fact: Maple is also the preferred wood for bowling alleys because it tends to be smooth (even before sanding) and outstandingly strong. It’s a little tough to drill and nail, but it’s phenomenally durable.
15. Plywood
Plywood is a composite wood pulp plank that is used as a general purpose structural aid. It’s almost always used as sub-flooring, and it forms the walls of affordable, pre-made sheds.
If you work with wood, you should always have a stock of plywood handy. It can be used in almost any capacity, it’s easy to cut, and it holds up surprisingly well against weather (though not for very long).
Who Else Needs to Know about Wood?
Do you know someone in your life who needs to know about the intricacies of these common types of wood? Share our infographic with them today!
Choosing the Right Wood to Build With | Lumber Explained
Founder of Mechanicalcaveman.com, Beau is an unrepentant tool enthusiast and, sporting deadlift-callused hands and incongruously a beer belly, all-around macho guy. When he doesn’t know re tools, he consults with his handyman and car-repairman buds to give you well-reasoned and cutting-edge info. Email him.
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Jeff Sessions and Marijuana: What has Trump's attorney general said about legal pot?
By Alison Durkee
On Nov. 8, Americans across the country showed their support for marijuana legalization, as four states voted in favor of recreational marijuana and four states voted to approve or expand medical marijuana legislation.
The votes came as part of a larger wave of popularity for marijuana legalization, which is now legal for recreational use in eight states and the District of Columbia (medical marijuana is legal in 28). A Gallup poll released in October revealed that 60% of Americans are in now favor of legalization — a far higher number than the 12% in favor when Gallup first polled on legalization in 1969. Furthermore, polls released in August 2015 found 64% of Iowa GOP voters and 67% of New Hampshire GOP voters believed states should be able to enforce marijuana legalization without federal interference.
American voters, however, also voted on Nov. 8 for Donald Trump. While the president-elect has largely voiced his support for medical marijuana and states' rights, he may have also issued the death knell for marijuana legalization by appointing Jeff Sessions as attorney general.
Jeff Sessions Carolyn Kaster/AP
As attorney general, Sessions will now have the power over federal drug policies — which, despite the recent surge of state legalizations, still classify marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug.
Given Sessions' longstanding anti-drug stance — a "ridiculous anti-drug crusade," as the Washington Post put it — his appointment has legalization proponents and those in the marijuana industry worried.
"Jeff Sessions is a drug war dinosaur, which is the last thing the nation needs now," said Ethan Nadelmann of the Drug Policy Alliance in a statement, the Washington Post reported. "Those who counted on Donald Trump's reassurance that marijuana reforms 'should be a state issue' will be sorely disappointed."
Activists protest Sessions' appointment as attorney general in November in Washington D.C. Leigh Vogel/Getty Images
Sessions' statements on marijuana
Sessions, a U.S. senator representing Alabama, has made a number of statements on marijuana — and none have been in favor of it.
In April, Sessions spoke out against the drug at a Senate hearing, in which he declared that "good people don't smoke marijuana."
"We need grown-ups in charge in Washington to say marijuana is not the kind of thing that ought to be legalized, it ought not to be minimized, that it's in fact a very real danger," Sessions said at the hearing.
"I think one of [President Barack Obama's] great failures, it's obvious to me, is his lax treatment in comments on marijuana," Sessions continued. "It reverses 20 years almost of hostility to drugs that began really when Nancy Reagan started 'Just Say No.'"
Noting that the Department of Justice — which Sessions is now set to lead — "needs to be clearer" on the issue of marijuana legalization, Sessions said at the hearing: "I can't tell you how concerning it is for me emotionally and personally to see the possibility that we would reverse the progress that we've made and let it slip away from us. Lives will be impacted, families will be broken up, children will be damaged."
A medical marijuana dispensary employee in Sacramento, California waters marijuana plants in 2015. Rich Pedroncelli/AP
In his anti-drug rhetoric, Sessions cited statistics showing more drivers were testing positive for marijuana component THC in certain states, and perpetuated the pervasive belief that marijuana is a "gateway" for harder drugs like cocaine or heroin.
The trouble is, that just isn't true. A 2015 study conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation determined that there was no increased crash risk associated with marijuana use after controlling the data for demographics and alcohol use. The "gateway drug" myth, meanwhile, was debunked as far back as 1999 in a Congress-commissioned report on the dangers of medical marijuana. The report, conducted by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, notes:
In the sense that marijuana use typically precedes rather than follows initiation of other illicit drug use, it is indeed a "gateway" drug. But because underage smoking and alcohol use typically precede marijuana use, marijuana is not the most common, and is rarely the first, "gateway" to illicit drug use. There is no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs.
Sessions' statements on marijuana go back far earlier than April, however. In the 1980s, the New York Times noted, Sessions jokingly said that he thought the Ku Klux Klan "was OK until I found out they smoked pot."
Jeff Sessions at the Republican National Convention Win McNamee/Getty Images
What this means for marijuana legalization
As attorney general, Sessions now has the opportunity to take action regarding the marijuana legislation he calls a "tragic mistake."
Marijuana legalization in states is currently not formally protected by the law, but rather by two memos issued by the Department of Justice: the Ogden memo, which allows for those using and distributing medical marijuana to not face federal prosecution, and the Cole memo, which told U.S. attorneys to not prosecute marijuana use that are in accordance with state legalization measures. Sessions now has the power to rescind them both.
Jeff Sessions in Nov. 2016. Molly Riley/AP
State marijuana legalization rights are also protected by the Rohrabacher-Forr amendment, which prohibits the DEA and Department of Justice from using funds to prosecute or target medical marijuana businesses that are legal under state laws. However, this amendment is attached to the annual appropriations bill, which has to be renewed each year — and could easily be changed in the incoming Republican-controlled Congress.
"If I were a betting man, I'd be shorting the marijuana industry," Kevin Sabet, president of anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, told NPR. "Generally markets don't like uncertainty, and [Trump's attorney general] announcement has made a murky issue even more unclear."
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Trumpcare vote count: A running list of House Republicans voting against the AHCA
By Emily C. Singer
One of President Donald Trump's signature campaign promises to repeal and replace Obamacare hangs in the balance, as Republicans try and corral enough votes for their Obamacare replacement bill.
Things are not looking good for the House GOP's bill — formally called the American Health Care Act — with more than two-dozen House Republicans on all ends of the ideological spectrum saying they are either voting against or strongly leaning toward voting against the bill.
Republicans can only afford to lose 21 Republican votes for the legislation, assuming that no House Democrats vote for the bill.
Republicans already delayed the vote on Thursday, and rescheduled it for Friday afternoon.
Still, ahead of Friday's scheduled vote, it appears they will lose more than the 21 Republicans needed to kill the bill.
Here's a running tally of the House Republicans who have said they are leaning against or voting no on the AHCA.
Strong no (36)
Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), who tweeted on March 20, "While I've been in Congress, I can't recall a more universally detested piece of legislation than this GOP health care bill."
Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) said, "The legislation that's proposed right now will do nothing to enable me to go back to Nevada and tell people their rates are going to go down any time in the near future, that their choices are going to go up or deductibles are going to go down," according to a video obtained by the Nevada Independent.
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) is a no, saying in a statement he, "cannot support anything less than a clean repeal of Obamacare."
Rep. Rod Blum (R-Iowa), who tweeted March 21, "#AHCA doesn't do enough to lower premiums for hardworking Americans. I'm a "no" on current version - need to drive down actual costs!"
Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.), who voted against the bill during a vote in the House Budget Committee, calling the bill "malpractice."
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), who tweeted on March 21, "I'll vote NO on #AHCA b/c it doesn't deliver on the promise I made to #AL05 to fully repeal ObamaCare."
Rep. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), who said in a statement on March 21 that, "As currently written, I cannot support the American Health Care Act."
Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.), through a spokesperson, tells the Washington Post she's a no.
Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), who tweeted Wednesday he's "still a no vote."
Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) tweeted Wednesday he's against the bill because, "In its current state, AHCA doesn't fully repeal and replace Obamacare. GOP needs to follow through on their promise."
Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.) told the Hill he's voting against the bill, saying, "We've got to have a means to bring the premiums down."
Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.), a moderate Republican, came out against the law Wednesday night after meeting with Speaker Paul Ryan.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), who said in a statement that he cannot support the bill "in its current form."
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) announced Friday, the day the House was set to vote on the bill, that he can't support it. "The legislation before the House today is currently unacceptable as it would place significant new costs and barriers to care on my constituents in New Jersey," he said in a statement.
Rep. Tom Garrett (R-Va.) told CNN on March 21 that he is "still a no vote."
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), who is against the bill and says changes need to be made.
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) is a no, according to a local news outlet.
Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), whose spokesman told NBC News that Harris is a no.
Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.) said he's against the bill, writing in a Facebook post, "In it's current form, I do not believe it delivers on lowering health care costs or fully eliminating many of Obamacare's most harmful provisions."
Rep. Jaime Herrer Beutler (R-Wash.) is a no, saying it will increase costs for "millions of children" on Medicaid.
Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) is among Republicans not backing the bill, per NBC News.
Rep. Dave Joyce (R-Ohio) announced ahead of Friday's vote that he's a no.
Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.), a moderate Republican running in a district Hillary Clinton carried in November, said in a statement that, "Despite some promising reforms, I do not support the proposal before the House in its current form."
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said on Fox News the bill does not actually repeal Obamacare, and thus he is a no.
Rep. Raúl Labrador (R-Idaho), tweeted on March 16 that, "Our goal is to reduce the costs of healthcare for every American. This bill doesn't do that."
Rep. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.) told reporters on March 21 that he is voting against the AHCA.
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) tweeted Wednesday, "Regrettably, current healthcare proposal falls far short & is not better for #SouthJersey. I will be voting no on American Health Care Act."
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) is voting against the bill, citing a number of calls to his office from folks against the legislation.
Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), chair of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, has been a vocal critic of the bill. Trump even threatened him during a meeting on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, saying he would lose his seat in 2018 if he voted no. Still, that did not move Meadows to support the bill.
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), another moderate Republican in a district Clinton carried in November, tweeted earlier this week, "I intend to vote NO on #AHCA as written due to its negative impacts on #SoFla's poor and elderly."
Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) voted against the AHCA in the House Budget Committee.
Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), told the Asbury Park Press that, "The overriding concern I have is the Medicaid expansion being significantly altered. It affects so many of our disabled individuals and families, and the working poor."
Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.), told the Centre Daily Times that he won't vote for the bill because of, "concerns with any proposal that would increase costs for older Americans."
Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) said in a statement, "After reviewing this legislation and receiving the Congressional Budget Office score today, it is clear that this bill is not consistent with the repeal and replace principles for which I stand."
Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) said it's possible he could vote for the bill, but is currently a no, according to the Hill, a Capitol Hill publication.
Rep. David Young (R-Iowa), who represents a swing seat in Iowa, said in a statement on Wednesday that, "I cannot support it in its' present form."
Leaning or likely to vote no (1)
Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) said in a statement that he's, "Not convinced this is the best approach. I remain committed to repealing Obamacare, but right now we have to see if this bill is the right approach to solving the Obamacare problems. As written, I'm not convinced it does."
March 24, 2017 1:33 p.m.: This article has been updated
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How E-sports Could Fit Within The Olympic Framework
e-sports in olympics
gaming at olympics
The president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, said in an interview that while genres like sport simulators are still in the running to be considered for 2024, the Olympics have no interest in promoting anything to do with violence and killing.
The message communicated by the committee is commendable. One can easily imagine a major back clash if the Olympic Committee suddenly began giving out medals for most kills in a Call of Duty team deathmatch.
There is a Call of Duty deathmatch mode and there is an Olympic Spirit. And then, there is, or could be, compromise. Games that have originally stemmed from some sort of violent background could be reimagined for the Olympic setup, to promote the physical and psychological skill of the game, rather than its setting and context. After all, it wouldn’t exactly be the first time that violence has been reimagined for the Games.
If the Olympic Committee really wants to use the zero violence argument as a leading reason not to allow such games, then Fencing, Boxing, Judo, Shooting, Archery, and so on, should be so contested. None of these Olympic sports exactly come from peaceful rose gardens but, they have been recreated in the Olympic framework to measure the actual skill involved, while the more gruesome context has been removed. The comparison is all the more applicable because some traditional Olympic sports evolved from activities involving death of real people or animals, whilst in ‘violent video games’, the only death that occurs is one of a virtual character. Thus, the historical roots of a first shooter game are arguably less violent in its core than the roots of fencing, for example. It is the advancements in graphics and realistic simulation that makes us question video games so much more.
As mentioned, context can be adjusted while retaining competition in the skills involved. Brands could hypothetically develop an Olympic-approved version of a shooter game, whereby players don’t appear as people, but as bullseye targets, and characters don’t visually ‘die’. Scores would be kept in ‘Hits’ and not ‘Kills’, there would be paint, not blood etc.
Common ground can be found, if there is will. It is a matter of time and negotiations. And while we may see sports games like Fifa included in the Olympics much sooner than shooter games, I expect shooter gamers will also eventually make it in some way or form.
The real long term challenge for the Olympic Committee will be how to treat and introduce a sport, in which each discipline is branded. I.e. Fifa, Call of Duty, League of Legends, instead of the 400meter sprint, javelin throw, or high jump.
The commercial dynamics would be unprecedented: for the first time, one could be rewarded with an Olympic medal for being the best at mastering consumption of a specifically branded product.
It would be incredible for any games company to land a slot at the Olympics, but it may be less favourable for the Olympic side because of the power these individual brands could grow to hold over an Olympic discipline. Of course there is the promise of viewership due to the popularity of the games, but, the Olympic association could have a better play at hand. It could partner up with major developers and publishers to create a single official Olympic-friendly version of a first shooter, or a sports game, or a role-playing game, etc. The Olympic sport would then include a number of disciplines (similar to athletics) with separate events, as well as decathlon equivalents. These game could be available for sale, with royalties going to developers, publishers and the Olympic committee.
This would create a greater degree of independence for the Olympic committee in how they envisage introducing games as an Olympic sport, while eliminating conflict of interest against other disciplines.
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Home News Morocco Morocco’s new draft constitution is revolutionary, Fox News says
Morocco’s new draft constitution is revolutionary, Fox News says
Washington, June 21, 2011 (MAP)
Morocco’s new draft constitution is “revolutionary” as it puts forward “a modern, constitutional monarchy in the mold of Western Europe,” said Tuesday US news channel Fox News in its website.
“On Friday June 17, we got our answer- a modern, constitutional monarchy in the mold of Western Europe,” underlined Fox News, noting that “Morocco seems poised to become a wholly modern state.”
While other countries in the Middle East and North Africa have been hit by violent social uprisings, Morocco, thanks to “the willingness of its far-seeing King”, has met the people’s aspirations “without bloodshed or instability,” said the US channel.
The new draft constitution enjoys a widespread national consensus as the “political parties are united in support for the King’s proposed new constitution,” said the article’s author Charai Ahmed Charai, who sits on the board of trustees of the Foreign Policy Research Institute and The Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington D.C.
The draft constitution “guarantees every citizen the free exercise of worship” and puts forward Morocco’s plural and rich identity, including Arabic-Islamic, Amazigh, Saharan, African, Andalusian, Jewish and Mediterranean components, he added.
Fox News also highlighted enshrining into the constitution the Amazigh as an official language, with an obligation to take the necessary steps for this to happen in schools and government offices.
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Renault Kiger to Make Its India Debut on January 28
Home News Mahindra Sanyo Special Steels Limited JV Announcement
Mahindra Sanyo Special Steels Limited JV Announcement
September 8, 2012 | Amit Chhangani
The Board of Directors of Mahindra Ugine Steel Company Limited (MUSCO) has announced the financial closure of the 51:49 Joint Venture with Sanyo Special Steel Co. Ltd. and Mitsui & Co. Ltd. The new Joint Venture company will be called Mahindra Sanyo Special Steel Private Limited.
MUSCO had approved the slump sale of its steel business into its 100% owned subsidiary, Navyug Special Steel Private Limited (Navyug Steel) in November 2011.
Following the board meeting of Navyug Steel, the allotment of shares has been completed against cash infusion by Sanyo of approximately Rs. 129 crore for their stake of 29%, while Mitsui paid approximately Rs. 89 crore for their 20% stake in Navyug Steel (JV Co). MUSCO holds the balance 51% of equity in the JV.
With financial, technical and operational inputs from Sanyo Special Steel Co. Ltd. and Mitsui & Co. Ltd., the JV expects to enhance both its current production from the existing level of 120,000 tons per annum, the value it adds to the steel and therefore the special applications which the JV can now address.
“The Mahindra Group welcomes this JV which will create a strong value proposition and enable MUSCO to leverage Sanyo’s technical expertise and Mitsui’s international footprint. This new venture will help the company to emerge as one of the most profitable, high quality speciality steel producers in the coming years,” said Anand Mahindra, Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra Group.
“Sanyo is looking forward to working with Mahindra & Mahindra, Mitsui & Co., and all the people of India to make this project a successful one. We consider the future of the special steel market in India to be bright and are happy to be given a chance to make our contribution toward the project. We would try our best to make Mahindra Sanyo Special Steel Pvt. Ltd. a successful entity by unlocking the value of this company and making it the best in India with respect to quality, productivity and customer satisfaction. In order to achieve these targets, we would work together with the shareholders, the board, the management and of course with the people who actually work on the scene.” said Y. Takeda, President and Representative Director, Sanyo Special Steel Co. Ltd.
“This joint venture is indeed a testament to our longstanding partnership with Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. and Sanyo Special Steel Co. Ltd., which has been built through broadening cooperation and converging synergies. It also reflects our confidence in the Indian market where we believe the ongoing transformation presents real growth opportunities. This project aims to evolve strategies so as to make
Mahindra Sanyo Special Steel Pvt. Ltd. reputable both in terms of quality and service in India. Together with our partners, we shall match combined competencies with sustained efforts to make this vision a reality. With this additional platform, I am confident our relations will flourish and we will continue to seek new areas of cooperation.” said M. Takahashi, Executive Managing Officer, Iron & Steel Products Business Unit, Mitsui & Co. Ltd.
“Over the last 18 months that we have had the pleasure of working with Mitsui and Sanyo, we have developed a common vision of the future of our joint venture that leverages the strengths of all three partners and the opportunity to move up the value chain while addressing the growing needs of the Indian market for Speciality Steels,” said Hemant Luthra, Chairman, Mahindra Sanyo Special Steels Private Limited.
A dedicated team has been drawn from Sanyo to lead the manufacturing function and is supported by Mitsui which will contribute its marketing skills and Musco which will provide the general management skills to support the growth of the new JV. MUSCO, Sanyo and Mitsui will collectively utilize their brands, technologies and networks to meet customers’ needs through this joint venture.
The joint venture is expected to deliver its goal of operational excellence, improved productivity and enhancement of both cost and quality to international standards to enable it to achieve its full business potential.
Sanyo’s technical assistance will enable the JV to strengthen and differentiate its product portfolio with the introduction of new products for niche and emerging market segments in India like the oil & gas, power, engineering industries among others. This is expected to further strengthen the profitability position of the company
Mitsui will assist the JV in strengthening its sales and marketing footprints in the aforesaid niche and emerging segments as well as the existing alloy steel market in India and will help the JV to access global customers.
Through this JV, Sanyo expects to strengthen its global growth expectations by having a share of the growing special steel demand in India through the joint venture.
For Mitsui, this transaction is expected to strengthen its ties with the Mahindra Group which is one of Mitsui’s important business partners in India. Mahindra is one of the biggest business groups in India, with diversified operations across many business sectors like automobiles, tractors, IT, auto components, real estate, hospitality, non banking finance etc. Mitsui expects further opportunity for collaboration with the group across various business sectors where it is present
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Home » the puppet master: the littlest reich
the puppet master: the littlest reich
Interview: Producer Dallas Sonnier Talks Pushing Boundaries & Making Great Movies Away From Hollywood
Dallas Sonnier is one of the bravest and most exciting film producers working today. Through his company Cinestate, Sonnier he has delivered a roster of punchy movies including the Kurt Russell western Bone Tomahawk, Vince Vaughn crime-thriler Brawl [...]
Interview: Actress Barbara Crampton Discusses PUPPET MASTER: THE LITTLEST REICH, Horror & Writing For Fangoria
Actress Barbara Crampton is a horror icon, She made her movie debut in Brian DePalma’s 1984 thriller Body Double before segueing into horror, going on to star in many of the genre’s most beloved films over the last thirty-five years. [...]
Review: Sparks Fly Between Barbara Crampton and Michael Paré In Horror REBORN
A refreshingly straightforward horror film, Reborn ticks all the right boxes and delivers a fun eighty-ish minutes of mayhem. Director Julian Richards’ film opens with a stillborn child being brought back to life following an electrical storm. [...]
Mayhem Film Festival 2018: Days One & Two
Kicking-off in Nottingham’s Broadway Cinema, the first two days of the 14th Mayhem Film Festival brought together a wonderful selection of genre films introduced by Chris Cook and Steven Sheil. Movies In Focus was once again on-hand to bring [...]
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36 Clark School Students Accepted into NIST Summer Research Program
The A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland is proud to announce that 36 of its students have been accepted into the National Institutes of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program in Gaithersburg, Md.
The NIST SURF program allows students majoring in engineering, science and mathematics to work side by side with leading researchers, use cutting-edge technology and gain valuable hands-on research experience in NIST’s six laboratories: Material Measurement Laboratory; Physical Measurement Laboratory; Engineering Laboratory; Information Technology Laboratory; Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology; and NIST Center for Neutron Research.
More than 600 student applications from 136 schools were received for the summer 2013 program. Of the approximately 190 students accepted into the program, 43 attend the University of Maryland, a record high -- last year, a total of 30 UMD students were accepted. The 36 Clark School of Engineering students participating in SURF represent seven of the Clark School’s eight departments.
Learn more about NIST’s SURF program here.
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For the Poor, the Safety Net in a Shutdown Doesn't Feel Safe
Two agencies crucial to the federal safety net —the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Agriculture Department —remain largely shuttered
By Juliet Linderman • Published January 21, 2019 • Updated on January 21, 2019 at 2:57 pm
Doris Cochran, a disabled mother of two young boys, is stockpiling canned foods these days, filling her shelves with noodle soup, green beans, peaches and pears—anything that can last for months, or even years. Her pantry looks like she's preparing for a winter storm. But she's just trying to make sure her family won't go hungry if her food stamps run out.
For those like Cochran who rely on federal aid programs, the social safety net no longer feels so safe. As the longest government shutdown in U.S. history stretches into a fifth week with no end in sight, millions of poor Americans who depend on food and rental assistance are becoming increasingly worried about the future. Most major aid programs haven't dried up yet. But each day the stalemate in Washington drags on, the U.S. inches closer to what advocates call a looming emergency. Those dependent on the aid are watching closely under a cloud of stress and anxiety.
"I just don't know what's going to happen," Cochran said, "and that's what scares me the most."
Joe Biden 7 hours ago
With no indication of an imminent compromise, the Trump administration in recent weeks has scrambled to restore some services across the government. But two agencies crucial to the federal safety net —the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Agriculture Department —remain largely shuttered.
USDA announced earlier this month that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food aid to roughly 40 million Americans, will be fully funded through February. But should the shutdown stretch into March its status is unclear: with just $3 billion in reserves, USDA won't be able to cover the roughly $4.8 billion it pays in monthly benefits.
The department was able to stretch the program for another month based on a loophole in a spending bill. But as a result of congressional rules, food stamp benefits allotted for February are being given out early, before Jan. 20. There is no guarantee recipients will get food stamps for March, but if even if the program continues without a lapse, recipients would have to stretch their current allotment for at least six weeks, rather than four.
The impact of any lapse in these programs would be dramatic and unprecedented: USDA says there has never before been a break in food stamp benefits since the program was made permanent in 1964.
Food banks are already stretched thin thanks to a notable spike in demand from furloughed federal employees, contractors and others out of work due to the shutdown, said Carrie Calvert, the managing director for government relations at Feeding America, a hunger relief organization. For every meal Feeding America's network of food pantries serves, federal food aid provides 12.
"This is a potentially catastrophic situation. This could be an immediate emergency that grows exponentially," Calvert said.
Since the shutdown began, HUD has been unable to renew hundreds of contracts with private building owners who receive significant federal subsidies to provide housing to low-income families, the elderly and people with disabilities. Under these contracts, tenants pay a portion of the rent and the federal government covers the rest. But between December and the end of February, roughly 1,700 contracts are slated to expire, meaning that HUD won't be able to make their payments. The agency has asked landlords to dip into their reserves to cover rental costs until the government reopens, with a promise of reimbursement.
Similarly, come February, 700 rental assistance contracts administered through a USDA program that offers aid to low-income people in rural areas, will also expire. A spokesman said the office "is exploring all options to mitigate any potential negative impact" to tenants.
Those unknowns are causing anxiety and anguish among America's most vulnerable.
Eneaqua Lewis, 36, lives in a HUD-subsidized apartment on Roosevelt Island in New York City. She said she found out earlier this month her building's HUD contract expired January 9. A single mother raising a 10-year-old, Lewis was laid off from a construction job in December. Without an income or any significant savings, Lewis said she'd be forced to drain her meager retirement fund to cover the full amount due with no rental assistance subsidy offsetting the expense.
"People are really afraid right now and just don't know what to do," Lewis said. "I can't afford market rate rent here. Where would I go, where would everyone go? One side of the building is all elderly or handicapped. The other side is all families. Where would we all go?"
For Cochran, the mother stockpiling food, a disruption could throw her life into chaos.
She lives in subsidized housing in Arlington, Virginia, with her six- and eight-year-old sons. She used to drive a truck, but recent health issues have left her unable to work. She relies solely on government subsidies to survive, cobbling together just enough to support her children using social security payments, food stamps and cash assistance payments. If any one of those federal programs were to stall, Cochran could end up on the street.
Cochran said she's trying to sell some homemade crafts, and clothes to secondhand stores to squirrel away a few extra dollars. She returned the toys she'd bought for her sons for Christmas_a Hot Wheelz racetrack for the eight-year-old, a Mighty Beanz game for the younger boy_so she could buy them shoes.
"It was hard, but you have to make choices," she said. "I'm experiencing quite a bit of anxiety."
Copyright AP - Associated Press
foodspokesmanNew York CityDaniel MachtDepartment of Housing and Urban Development
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Emeritus Professor of Paediatric Surgery, University of Aberdeen
Department Research Surgical Grand Rounds Teaching
Friday, 10 June 2016, 8am to 9am
Lecture Theatre 1, Academic Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital
Hosted by Tarryn Ching - 01865 617 126
'Non-technical skills for surgeons: a hard time for soft skills'
George Youngson graduated in medicine from Aberdeen University in 1973; he was appointed a Consultant General Surgeon in 1984 and Consultant Paediatric Surgeon at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital in 1988. He was awarded a personal chair in paediatric surgery by Aberdeen University in 1999 and appointed as Emeritus Professor in February 2010. He was made CBE in June 2009 for services to Child Health in Scotland.
He was Vice President and Council member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and lead in professional activities with responsibilities in revalidation, patient safety, surgical standards and surgical education. He is co-convener of the colleges’ Safer Operative Surgery Course and Non Technical Skills (NoTSS) Master Classes
As past chairman of the Intercollegiate Specialty Examination Board in Paediatric Surgery and member of SACs in General Surgery and Paediatric Surgery, his major interests are in surgical education, research into human factors related to surgical performance, and service configuration for children's specialist care.
He has been a member of The ARCHIE Foundation since its inception and was part of the working group that started the charity. In the 1990s he was involved in the planning of the current Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital and has been consistently involved in the charity in all its different affiliations. He is co-chair of the Clinical Advisory Committee and was a founding member of the Raigmore project.
The lecture will be chaired by Professor Freddie Hamdy, Head of Department at the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences.
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Home Chemistry CHEMISTRY: FORM THREE: Topic 4 - THE MOLE CONCEPT AND RELATED CALCULATIONS
CHEMISTRY: FORM THREE: Topic 4 - THE MOLE CONCEPT AND RELATED CALCULATIONS
✔ Msomi Bora Diterbitkan July 09, 2018
TOPIC 4: THE MOLE CONCEPT AND RELATED CALCULATIONS
The Mole as a Unit of Measurement
The Mole with Other Units of Measurements
Compare the mole with other units of measurements
When carrying out an experiment, a chemist cannot weigh out a single atom, ion, electron, proton or molecule of a substance. These particles are simply very small. A counting unit that is useful in practical chemistry must be used.
The standard unit is called one mole of the substance. One mole of each of these different substances contains the same number of the particles (atoms, molecules, ions, electrons, protons, neutrons, etc). That number per mole has been worked by several different experimental methods and is found to be 6.0 × 1023. The value 6.0 × 1023 is called Avogadro’s constant or Avogadro’s number and is abbreviated as L. It is named after the nineteenth-century Italian chemist, Amedeo Avogadro.
The value 6.0 × 1023 is obtained through the following relationship.The mass of one atom of carbon-12 is 1.993 × 10-23g. Then, the number of atoms present in 12g of carbon-12 is derived as follows:
1 atom = 1.993 × 10-23g
X atoms = 12g
\ X = 6.0 × 1023 atoms.
Therefore, the number of atoms in 12g of carbon-12 and hence the number of particles in a mole are 6.02 × 1023 atoms.
Hence, Avogadro’s number is the number of atoms in exactly 12g of carbon-12 isotope.One mole of any substance contains as many as many elementary particles as the Avogadro’s number (constant).
So, from the above explanation, the mole can be defined as the amount of a substance that contains as many elementary particles as the number of atoms present in 12g of carbon-12 isotope.
Substance Formula Relative formula mass, Mr Mass of one mole (molar mass) This mass (1 mole) contains
Carbon C 12 12g 6.0 × 1023 carbon atoms
Iron Fe 56 56g 6.0 × 1023 iron atoms
Hydrogen H2 2 × 1 = 2 2g 6.0 × 1023 molecules
Oxygen O2 2 × 16 = 32 32 6.0 × 1023 molecules
Water H2O (2×1) + 16 = 18 18g 6.0 × 1023 formula units
Magnesium oxide MgO 24 + 16 = 40 40g 6.0 × 1023 formula units
Calcium carbonate CaCO3 40+12+(3×16) = 100 100g 6.0 × 1023 formula units
Silicon oxide SiO2 28 + (2 × 16) = 60 60g 6.0 × 1023 formula units
Fe3+ Fe3+ 56 56g 6.0 × 1023 iron(III) ions
Cl- Cl- 35.5 35.5g 6.0 × 1023 chloride ions
e- e- - - 6.0 × 1023 electrons
The other substances, which also exist as molecules, include ozone molecule (gas), O3; phosphorus molecule (solid), P4; sulphur molecule, S8, etc.
In real life, when dealing with large numbers of small objects, it is usual to count them in groups. The objects are grouped and counted in unit amounts. For example, we buy a carton of soap, a gallon of kerosene, a crate of soda, a dozen of pencils, a ream of papers, etc.
Some units of measurement
Unit Number of objects per unit
Pair 1 pair = 2 objects, e.g. gloves, shoes, socks, scissors, etc are always sold in pairs.
Dozen 1 dozen = 12 objects e.g. a dozen of cups, plates, spoons, etc.
Gross 1 gross = 144 objects, e.g. a box of blackboard chalk contains 144 pieces of chalk.
Ream 1 ream = 500 objects, e.g. papers are sold in reams of 500 sheets.
Mole 1 mole = 6.02 ×1023 particles. In chemistry, extremely small particles are expressed in moles. For example:1 mole of atoms = 6.02 ×1023 atoms1 mole of electrons = 6.02 ×1023 electrons1 mole of protons = 6.02 ×1023 protons1 mole of ions = 6.02 ×1023 ions1 mole of molecules = 6.02 ×1023 molecules
Molar Quantities of Different Substances
Measure molar quantities of different substances
The mass of one mole of any substance (its molecular mass) is the atomic mass or molecular mass expressed in grams (or kilograms). For convenience, chemists prefer to express mass in grams, although the SI unit of mass is the kilogram. This is because the amount of substances which chemists usually work with in science laboratories, is quite small and if their masses are expressed in kilograms, the numbers used would be extremely small.
You can calculate the molar mass (M) of any substance by summing up the relative atomic weights of its constituents atoms. For example, ethanol, C2H5OH, contains two carbon atoms, six hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. So, the molar mass of ethanol can be calculated thus: Molar mass of C2H5OH = (2 × 12) + (6×1) + 16 = 46g.
In a similar way, molar masses of other compounds can be calculated. For example, the molar mass of sodium chloride, NaCl, is calculated by adding together the relative atomic masses of the constituents elements (Na = 23 and Cl = 35.5) = 23 + 35 = 58.5g (g mol-1).
It is important to note that relative atomic mass or relative molecular mass has no unit while molar masses are always expressed in grams or kilograms.
The molar mass of a compound is the same as the relative molecular mass and the molar mass of an element is the same as the relative atomic mass (Ar) of that element. The only difference lies in the units.
M(CO2) = 44g (or g mol-1) = molar mass of carbon dioxide
Mr(CO2) = 44 = relative molecular mass of carbon dioxide
M(Fe) = 56g (or g mol-1) molar mass of iron
Mr(Fe) = 56 = Relative atomic mass of iron
Similarly, the molar masses of each of the following substances can be calculated using values for the relative atomic masses of the elements.
Molar masses of different substances
Substance Formula Molar mass
Ammonia NH3 14 + 1×3 = 17g
Ammonium chloride NH4Cl 14 + (1×4) + 35.5 = 53.5g
Lead (II) nitrate Pb(NO3)2 207 + (14×2) + (16×6) = 331g
Sulphuric acid H2SO4 (1×2) + 32 + (16×4) = 98g
Calcium carbonate CaCO3 40 + 12 + (16×3) = 100g
Potassium dichromate K2Cr2O7 (39×2) + (52 ×2) + (16×7) = 294g
Application of the Mole Concept
Known Masses of Elements, Molecules or Ions to Moles
Convert known masses of elements, molecules or ions to moles
In experimental work, chemists work with varying masses. They cannot always use one mole of a substance. The equation that links the mass of a substance to the number of moles present is:
Convert 49g of sulphuric acid, H2SO4, into moles.Given:Mass = 49g; molar mass = 98g
Solution:49g of H2SO4= 49/98= 0.5 mol.
Known Volumes of Gases at S.T.P to Moles
Convert known volumes of gases at S.T.P to moles
The volume occupied by one mole of a gas at standard condition of temperature and pressure has been scientifically determined, and it is found to be 22.4 dm3. This volume is called the molar volume of a gas. The molar volume of a gas, therefore, has the value of 22.4 dm3 at s.t.p. Remember that 1 dm3 (1 litre) = 1000 cm3. One important thing about this value is that it applies to all gases. Therefore, at s.t.p. 32g of oxygen (O2) or 17g of ammonia (NH3) or 44g of carbon dioxide (CO2) or 40g of argon (Ar) will occupy a volume of 22.4 dm3. This makes it easy to convert the volume of any gas at s.t.p. into moles, or moles into volume. However, it is important to note that as the conditions of temperature and pressure change the molar volume will also change.
The number of moles of a given sample of gas is obtained by dividing the volume of the gas by molar volume (22.4 dm3).
For example, 4.4d m3 of carbon dioxide gas at s.t.p. = 4.4/22.4= 0.196 mol.Similarly, 2.24 dm3 of neon gas at s.t.p. = 2.24/22.4= 0.1 mol.
If the volume of the gas is given in cm3, then it should be divided by the molar volume of a gas expressed in cm3. For example, 560 cm3 of nitrogen gas = 560cm3/22400cm3 mol= 0.025 mol.
Alternatively, the volume may, first, be converted to dm3 and then divides by the molar volume, expressed in dm3, that is, 0.46dm3/22.4dm3 = 0.25mol
Masses of Solids or Volumes of Known Gases to Actual Number of Parties
Change masses of solids or volumes of known gases to actual number of parties
The number of particles in one mole of any substance is 6.02 × 1023. To find the number of particles in a substance, we use the expression:
N = n.L, where
N = the number of particles in that substance;
n = the amount of substance (moles); and
L = the Avogadro’s constant (6.02 × 1023).
This conversion requires two steps: first convert the mass of solid or volume of gas to moles, and then multiply the number of moles by the Avogadro’s constant. For example, to convert 5.6 dm3 of ammonia gas to the actual number of ammonia (NH3) molecules, change 5.6 dm3 of ammonia to moles =0.46dm3/22.4dm3=0.25 mol. Then multiply by the Avogadro’s constant to get the total number of molecules0.25 × 6.02 × 1023 = 1.5 × 1023 molecules
Similarly, 1.12 dm3 of hydrogen gas = 1.12/22.4= 0.05 mol. This is equal to 0.05 × 6.02 × 1023 = 3.0 ×1022 molecules
Alternatively, we may find out the number of particles by converting the given volume to the number of molecules straight forward without passing through the number of moles first. We know that one mole (22.4 dm3) of a gas at s.t.p. = 6.02 × 1023 molecules. So, 5.6 dm3 = 5.6×6.02 × 1023/22.4= 1.5 × 1023 molecules
Molar Solutions of Various Soluble Substances
Prepare molar solutions of various soluble substances
A molar solution is a solution which contains one of the compound in one litre (1 dm3 or 1000 cm3) of the solution.Let us consider the case of sodium hydroxide, NaOH. The molecular weight of this compound is 40g. Therefore, a molar solution of sodium hydroxide will contain 40g in 1000 cm3 (1 dm3) of the solution.
Also, consider anhydrous sodium carbonate, Na2CO3. 1 mole of this carbonate weights 106g. Hence, its molar solution will contain 106g of the anhydrous salt in 1000 cm3 of solution.If, however, 0.1 moles (10.6g) of the solute is dissolved in 1.0 dm3, the solution is 0.1 molar. But if 0.1 moles is dissolved in 0.1 dm3 of the solution, the solution is still 1.0 molar (since 1 dm3 of solution would contain 1.0 mole of the solute).
The molecular weights of some common substances are shown below:
Compound Molecular weight (1 mole)
Potassium hydroxide, NaOH 56g
Hydrochloric acid, HCl 36.5g
Sulphuric acid, H2SO4 98g
Sodium chloride, NaCl 58.5g
Sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3 84g
Calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2 74g
The molar solution of each of these substances can be prepared by dissolving one mole of each substance in 1000 cm3 (1 dm3) of distilled water. We see, therefore, that 40g of sodium hydroxide in 1000 cm3 of solution will give a 1.0M solution. Hence, 20g of the hydroxide should give a 0.5M solution. In a similar way, we can make derivative solution concentrations ranging as follows: 0.1M, 0.2M, 0.3M, 0.4M….1M, 2M, etc.
However, in each case the amount of solution should always be 1000 cm3. The concentration ranges like these are known as molarities of solutions. Hence, 0.5M sodium carbonate can also be read as “a sodium carbonate solution with a molarity of 0.5M.”
The Concentration of Solutions
When a chemical substance (the solute) is dissolved in a given volume of solvent, we can measure the “quantity” of solute in two ways; we can measure either its mass (in grams) or its amount (in moles). The final volume of the solution is usually measured in dm3.
When we measure the mass of the solute in grams, we obtainthe mass concentration in g/dm3
Calculate the concentration (g/dm3) of sodium chloride solution (NaCl) that contains 20g of sodium chloride in a final solution of 100 cm3
First, convert the given volume to dm3
Volume (dm3) = 100/1000= 0.1 dm3
Then, work out the concentration of the solution by dividing the mass (weight) of solute (g) by the volume (dm3).
=20g/0.1dm3
= 200g/dm3
Alternatively, we could calculate the concentration straightforward without having to convert the given volume into dm3, e.g.:If 20g of the solution are contained in 100 cm3 of the solution, then the amount of solute in 1000 cm3 (1 dm3) of the solution would be
1000×20/100 = 200g/dm3
Calculations Based on the Mole Concept
Perform calculations based on the mole concept
A chemist always wants to know how much of one substance would react with a given amount of another substance. This is achieved by use of balanced chemical equations. Such equations are called stoichiometric equations.
A stoichiometric equation is the one in which the reactants and the products are correctly balanced; all the atoms, ions and electrons are conserved. Such an equation gives correct mole ratios of reactants and products in chemical reactions. This quantitative relationship is called stoichiometry.
Consider an equation for the reaction between hydrogen and nitrogen to produce ammonia:
3H2(g) + N2(g)→ 2NH3
This can be read as follows:
three moles of hydrogen reacts with one mole of nitrogen to yield two moles of ammonia.
The numbers 3, 1 and 2 are called stoichiometric coefficients. They tell us the proportions in which the substances react and in which the products are formed.
What volume of carbon dioxide (CO2) measured at s.t.p. will be produced when 21.0g of sodium hydrogencarbonate (NaHCO3) is completely decomposed according to the equation.2NaHCO3(s)→ Na2CO3(s) + CO2(g) + H2O(l)
First, find the weight of carbon dioxide that will be produced by the hydrogencarbonate.
Mass of 2NaHCO3 = 2 × 84 = 168g
Mass of CO2 = 44g
The weight of carbon dioxide produced can be obtained from the following relation:
168g ≡ 44g
21g ≡ X
X = 21×44/168 = 5.5g
The weight of carbon dioxide produced = 5.5g
Then, convert this weight of CO2 to volume at s.t.p.We know that one mole (44g) of carbon dioxide at s.t.p. occupies 22.4 dm3
That is, 44g ≡ 22.4dm3
5.5g ≡ X dm3
X = 5.5×22.4/44 = 2.8dm3
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Colors of Rainbow: Blogs of Engr Maqbool Akram
WhatsApp’s: Inspiring Success Story of Jan Koum Founder of WhatsApp’s From Rags To Riches.
WhatsApp story is live example of innovation in true terms. This is Jan Koum’s Story “Rising from Rags to Riches”, the Co-founder and CEO of globally famous mobile messaging application–WhatsApp.
Can we imagine a world without WhatsApp, can we keep our smart mobiles without WhatsApp? Obviously, answer is great “No”.
WhatsApp was acquired by Facebook in February 2014 for a huge US $19.3 Billion.
Story of Struggles, sufferings and desolations
Jon Koum co-founder of WhatsApp was born in Kiev, Ukraine in a Jewish family. He faced a life of true hardship. He knew the meaning of living in the throes of deprivation. Koum was so poor that his house did not even have electricity.
His mother moved with him and grandmother to California in 1992, where a social support program helped the family to get a small two-bedroom apartment, at the age of 16.
His father had intended to join the family later, but he never left Ukraine, and died in 1997. Koum and his mother remained in touch with his father until his death.
At first Koum's mother worked as a babysitter, while he himself worked as a cleaner at a grocery store. His mother died in 2000 after a long battle with cancer.
The great American dream did not make its way to Jan’s life as quickly as he hoped. Everything in the United States was expensive.
By 18, Jan knew he wanted to learn to program. He knew this was his destiny. Jan studied by buying second hand books and stationary and returning them after he was done.
He was hit with a major blow when his mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2000 and Koum was left to fend for himself in a strange and unknown country.
But life’s adversities only made Jan Koum stronger and resilient. By 18, he learnt computer networking all by himself with the help of manuals from a used book stores.
Little did he realize that this was the beginning of an illustrious career. Meeting Brian Acton was a turning point in his life.
Along with that, he also began working with Ernst & Young as a Security Tester.
Jon Koum and Yahoo
After working there for roughly six months, Jon Koum got the biggest opportunity of his life. He was selected to work at Yahoo as an Infrastructure Engineer. Now this was when he was still studying at San Jose State University. Soon he dropped out of college.
However, Koum did not stay on the job for long. In 2007, Koum and Acton bid farewell to Yahoo and decided to unwind and travel around.
In 2007 after giving nine years of his life to Yahoo, Koum and Acton left Yahoo and took a year off. And this is when it all began! But they weren’t sure what to do next. They took a year off traveling around South America to refresh their minds.
Origins of WhatsApp
In 2009, after purchasing an iPhone, Koum had the vision to see that an entire industry was about to form based around mobile apps.
The app store was just a few months old, but Koum saw it starting an entire new industry. He started thinking about building an app.
At the time, Koum was living off of his savings from Yahoo!, with little direction as to where his next career path would take him.
Looking to capitalize on this up-and-coming industry, Koum began to explore the possibility of creating an app that would let mobile users better interact and engage with their friends, family, and business contacts without ads.
Koum almost immediately chose the name WhatsApp because it sounded like "what's up", and a week later on his birthday, February 24, 2009, he incorporated WhatsApp Inc. in California.
WhatsApp was initially unpopular, but its fortunes began to turn after Apple added push notification ability to apps in June 2009.
Koum changed WhatsApp to "ping" users when they received a message, and soon afterwards he and Fishman's Russian friends in the area began to use WhatsApp as a messaging tool, in place of SMS.
The app gained a large user base, and Koum convinced Acton, who was then still unemployed, to join the company. Koum granted Acton co-founder status after Acton managed to bring in $250,000 in seed funding.
It was a bit of a rocky start for WhatsApp, though. After numerous crashes and failures, Koum grew frustrated with the app’s development and reportedly considered giving it up entirely.
Luckily for the both of them, the duo did indeed stick it out and saw the app through to its eventual success. By February of 2013, WhatsApp boasted 50 staff members and 200 million users.
Shortly thereafter, the app was bought out by Facebook for a staggering $19 billion—a number that stands as the largest acquisition in the world to date.
Another fascinating aspect is; WhatsApp runs lean with just 32 engineers. One WhatsApp developer supports 14 million active users, a ratio unheard of in the industry.
The most remarkable aspect of the company is that, “It doesn’t even employ a marketer or PR person. Yet like the world’s greatest brands, it’s created a strong emotional connection with consumers.
Written by Engr Maqbool Akram with help of Wikipedia and other write-ups available on net. Photos are from sources with thanks.
Labels: WhatsApp.
Engr.Maqbool Akram
Travelogue-Varanasi Ke Ghats:The City of Kaal Bhairav, the City of Nirvana
Art Niche 2018-Art Carnival of CEC,AMU. Aligarh:Through my Lense
129th Annual Horse Show 2018 (MURC) of A.M.U.Aligarh.
Pamban Bridge: A Hair Raising Train Ride To Rameswaram
Aligarh Wale Ahmad Said Khan Nawab Chhatari: First Indian Governor, Chief Minister of the United Provinces
AMU. Aligarh के छात्रों की कोरोनोवा काल के दौरान एक विचित्र,भयानक ट्रेन यात्रा
AMU Tarana:The Breath of Aligs-In Camera Of Engr Maqbool Akram
Niloufer: The beguiling Last Ottoman princess of Hyderabad
Jinn of Jinnah in AMU. Aligarh
Koti Womens College Hyderabad: Epitome of Love of a British Resident Officer and a Hyderabadi Princess.
उसने कहा था “Usne Kaha Tha”:A story of love, loss ...
WhatsApp’s: Inspiring Success Story of Jan Koum Fo...
Aligarh ka Shakeel Badayuni: A Poet of Romane in W...
Falaknuma Palace: Gem of Hyderabad: --The Epitome ...
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Wreck-It Ralph (Wii)
30th Oct 2012 (USA)
Sorry, no review of Wreck-It Ralph yet.
Get ready for classic arcade video game action with a whole new modern look and feel as Activision Publishing Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard Inc., (Nasdaq: ATVI) and Disney Interactive today announced a collaboration to produce and distribute a Wreck-It Ralph™ video game.
As a story extension to the highly anticipated upcoming blockbuster film of the same name from Walt Disney Animation Studios, the Wreck-It Ralph video game is set to inspire a whole new generation of young gamers as a classic, arcade-style side scroller featuring Ralph – the misunderstood villain of his own arcade game who sets out to prove he can be a hero too. Debuting this autumn to tie into the film release, Wreck-It Ralph will bring all the fun from the big screen right into the living room for the Nintendo Wii™ system and the Nintendo 3DS™ and DS™ hand-held systems.
“Wreck-It Ralph, as a brand, is perfectly suited for video game stardom,” said David Oxford, Executive Vice President, Activision Publishing. “With the fantastic characters and creative atmosphere envisioned by Walt Disney Animation Studios, we know fans are going to love seeing their newfound favourite characters embark on an all-new side scrolling adventure.”
From the mind of Director Rich Moore (“The Simpsons,” “Futurama”), the film chronicles the journey of Ralph, the bad guy in an arcade game who sets out to prove he can be the hero after all. However Ralph mistakenly reverts to his clumsy nature and “wrecks” everything once again, unleashing a deadly enemy threat onto his video game neighbours. The film hits cinemas on 2nd November, 2012 and features an all-star voice cast, including John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch.
The game picks up where the movie leaves off as Ralph partners with Fix-It Felix and sets out to save their friends and home from a huge Cy-Bug invasion. Pounding through all-new levels in the “ Wreck-It Ralph ” universe, like Sugar Rush, Hero’s Duty, and Fix-It Felix, Jr., players will have to use Ralph’s destructive strength to beat by the Cy-Bugs, while switching back to Felix to repair the damage. With story campaign and two-player co-op on the Wii platform, players can switch between Ralph and Felix to solve action-packed puzzles and collect “Hero Medals”.
themac0
Sun 9th Dec 2012
one word: wow
Thu 10th Jan 2013
I simply don't know what to say...
Tap here to load 2 comments
Clubhouse Games Outsold Ring Fit Adventure, Hyrule Warrio...
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Polish poster exhibit open at Jack Olson Gallery
“Contemporary Polish Poster in Context: Jakub Stepien aka HAKOBO and Bogna Otto-Wegrzyn” runs through Friday, Oct. 22, at the Jack Olson Gallery.
Below is a curatorial statement from guest curator Aleksandra Giza:
“Poster art in Poland has chronicled more than a century of social, political and cultural life. There are recognizable stages directly influenced by the two world wars, communism, and the post war, post communism period. What is clear in Polish Poster design, aside from the images which may seem simple, vivid, minimal, albeit rife with hidden messages, is that the posters of any given period were directly influenced by the cultural and political landscape of that time.
Exhausted by the Second World War and ruled by communist regime, for many years Poland was deprived from beauty. There were years of overpowering grayness where any manifestation of art and color was a luxury. The time that became known as the “Polish School of Poster” is the work done during the 50’s and 60’s when color began to again dot the streetscape but with a new type of artistic poster. Instead of political posters, which had to be nationalistic in form and socialist in content as prescribed to inspire the public, these posters were created for cultural events, concerts, films, opera, and even the circus. Artists insisted that the work be based on their own artistic terms and not the advertising of the past. Realism, political propaganda and symbolism that had arisen out of the war no longer seemed relevant. The artists who make up the Polish Poster School shared an emotional engagement in the development of poster design instead of a specific stylistic approach.
Each poster from that time is a genuine expression of the artist’s interpretation of the subject. Their work varied in style from expressionistic to subtle. A painterly background, hand written text, and an acute visual metaphor, often witty or even derisive, were the elements of artistic posters of this period. The limited access to technology determined the look of almost all these posters. Most of them were silkscreen printed on cheap paper with hand drawn illustrations.
Today, like a few decades ago, many new poster masterpieces are still made in Poland with brushes, pastels, and paints. At the same time, a great number of young artists decided to seek the new adventure of the computerized world and succumbed to a world that once was forbidden fruit for all those from the Eastern Block.
The works of both artists presented here indisputably follow in the tradition of the School of Polish Posters and share the same principles and values as the artists who worked behind the Iron Curtain in Poland during the 1960’s. Bogna Otto-Wegrzyn and Jakub Stepien (Hakobo) have similar ideological desires to express the complications and temptations of our world through their own visual language. The difference, however, is that the radical changes that happened in Poland within last 3 decades forced artists to make a clear statement about their involvement in the new reality. The artistic personalities of both artists/designers clearly fall into the canon of Polish poster design because they have been exposed to and saturated with Polish history, culture and aesthetic. While the principles of creating a message remain constant, they both create completely new visual values, very different from those seen on posters from the communist era.
Jakub Stepien’s design work is meant for and fits into poster’s original environment – streets of a city and is still visible there despite the overwhelming presence of commercial billboards. He focuses on communicating a clear message using an appropriately intriguing, very contemporary form. Unlike Hakobo’s posters, Bogna Otto-Wegrzyn’s works make their way to displays in art galleries rather than in the streets. She consciously denies commercialization, which has pushed her artistic posters from the streets to galleries and museums, and thereby “forsakes” the original mercantile function of the medium. Her thinking process, unusual sense of humor, use of mockery/taunt/sneer, and, finally, retro/vintage-like graphic form that she uses to draw viewer attention to these unusual pieces.
While providing a commentary on contemporary society, she resents working for commercial clients and chooses to stay away from the open market atmosphere.
As successors of the Polish Poster School and strong proponents of the credo, Creation of a poster is magic, both Bogna Otto-Wegrzyn and Jakub Stepien comment on everyday life, reflecting strong personal believes through their personalized formal visual language.”
The Jack Olson Gallery is located in Room 200 of the Visual Arts Building. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to noon Fridays. For more information, call (815) 753-4521.
« ITS issues new password requirements
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Lambourn poppy fields: Peter Orr
The AONB Team supports and works with the Management Working Group and the Council of Partners to:
provide a focus and central information base for the North Wessex Downs AONB
raise awareness of and promote the unique identity of the AONB
provide the strategic approach to deliver the North Wessex Downs AONB Management Plan
be a catalyst for and project-manage activities that deliver the Management Plan
provide planning advice to planning officers at the relevant local authorities and Natural England.
If you know who you need to contact see below. For general enquiries call 01488 685440 or email: info@northwessexdowns.org.uk
Henry Oliver, Director
Henry leads the AONB Team, working with the AONB Chairman, the Council of Partners and the Management Working Group. He also represents the North Wessex Downs in national and regional protected landscapes forums. Trained as a planner, he worked for urban and rural councils, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, the New Economics Foundation and the Empty Homes Agency before arriving in the North Wessex Downs. Among other stuff he works on heritage, landscape character, dark skies, water and forestry. Having grown up in darkest North Devon, he still finds the big skies (and huge tractors) of the North Wessex Downs both exhilarating and slightly scary.
Email: henryoliver@northwessexdowns.org.uk
Rebecca Davies, Principal Landscape and Planning Officer
Rebecca was raised in Wiltshire and has a strong interest in the rural environment having lived within or on the edge of an AONB since childhood, and being Welsh, it’s in her genes to love the countryside. After studying Geography she completed a Masters in Town and Country Planning and then started her career with Bath and North East Somerset Council as a Conservation and Planning Officer. Rebecca joined the North Wessex Downs team in November 2015 from South Derbyshire District Council where she was Area Planning Officer. At the North Wessex Downs her role is primarily to provide advice on the impact of development proposals on the AONB. In her spare time Rebecca loves being active and outdoors and can be found either walking with family and friends in the countryside, on a hockey pitch or out on the water kayaking.
Email: rebeccadavies@northwessexdowns.org.uk
Corinna Woodall, Senior Project Development & Funding Officer
Corinna joined us in June 2020. Originally from Yorkshire, Corinna did a joint degree in Geography and Biology. She subsequently worked for the legacy bodies to Natural England, latterly living and working in the North Wessex Downs. In 2001 she went to went to work for the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), taking the lead nationally on landscape and biodiversity and developing the Landscape Partnership Schemes. In 2010, she joined the North Wessex Downs AONB team (for the first time) as the Programme Manager for LEADER, leaving in 2012 to become Manager of the Tamar Valley AONB, she feels very privileged to have worked in such a special place and although sad to have left, is happy to have returned to family and friends and the North Wessex Downs. Corinna loves the countryside and in her spare time will be found out and about walking with her dogs, horse riding and you may even find her on the Kennet and Avon Canal on her Stand Up Paddle Board.
Email: corinnawoodall@northwessexdowns.org.uk
Jacky Akam, Project Officer
Jacky joined in January 2019 and works alongside Corinna, developing and delivering a range of priority projects that promote and enhance the landscape and heritage of the North Wessex Downs, helping to deliver the priorities of the Management Plan for 2019-2024. Her role includes planning, organising and running events to support the projects. Recently, Jacky successfully completed the development of an HLF Landscape Partnership Scheme for the Chilterns AONB and previously spent 10 years working on landscape conservation in West Berkshire for the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust. At the weekends, Jacky can often be found exploring the area by bicycle.
Email: jackyakam@northwessexdowns.org.uk
Dawn Hamblin, North Wessex Downs LEADER Programme Manager
Dawn took up the position of North Wessex Downs LEADER Programme Assistant in June 2011 and since May 2012 has been the Programme Manager. She works to the NWD Local Action Group (LAG) which acts as the “board” and decision making body. Her main responsibilities are to provide advice and support to the LAG, manage the programme budgets and administration and to work with project holders to help ensure their projects are effectively delivered.
Dawn was born and raised in the Wiltshire end of the North Wessex Downs. After completing a geography degree and then working as a HR professional for 12 years she returned to Wiltshire in 2000 with her family. During an extended career break to look after her children she worked as a volunteer for local community organisations and charities. She loves the countryside, especially walking in her local patch around Martinsell and in Savernake and exploring further afield whenever she can.
Email: dawn.hamblin@wiltshire.gov.uk
Susan Clarke and Claire McCorquodale, Partnership Coordinators (Job Sharing)
Susan and Claire joined the team in October 2016. Susan's background in local authority governance and administration is an ideal fit for taking on the role of Co-ordinator for the Council of Partners and the Management Working Group. Claire's background in IT and finance has led her to look after the finances of the team and develop the IT to meet the challenges ahead.
Email: susanclarke@northwessexdowns.org.uk clairemccorquodale@northwessexdowns.org.uk
Ann Shepley, Communications Officer
Ann's role within the AONB team encompasses all areas of communications including supporting project work. She joined in October 2018 and her previous experience has included marketing and communications in this country and overseas, working in the arts, airline, and education sectors as well as local government. Ann spends as much time as possible walking or cycling in the area and her perfect holiday would be taking up the challenge presented by a long-distance path.
Email: annshepley@northwessexdowns.org.uk
Usual working days: Monday, Tuesday & Thursday
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Mattis Takes Swipe At Trump: 'I Earned My Spurs On The Battlefield' In a speech blending humor with a serious message, the former secretary of defense also quoted a warning by Lincoln against a leader "unfettered by conscience, precedent or decency."
Mattis Takes Swipe At Trump: 'I Earned My Spurs On The Battlefield'
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October 18, 20192:52 AM ET
Scott Neuman
Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis delivers the keynote address during the 74th Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner on Thursday in New York. Mary Altaffer/AP hide caption
Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis delivers the keynote address during the 74th Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner on Thursday in New York.
President Trump fired him (after he submitted his resignation) and earlier this week reportedly called him "the world's most overrated general," but former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis had a few barbs of his own to sling in a speech he gave in New York on Thursday.
Delivering the keynote address at the 74th Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, Mattis — a retired four-star U.S. Marine general — said he felt he had finally "achieved greatness."
"I'm not just an overrated general, I am the greatest, the world's most overrated," he said to laughter.
Trump Says Jim Mattis Will Leave By Jan. 1, Announces Acting Defense Secretary
"I'm honored to be considered that by Donald Trump, because he also called Meryl Streep an overrated actress," Mattis continued. "So, I guess I'm the Meryl Streep of generals. Frankly that sounds pretty good to me."
The jibes were a departure for Mattis, whose book Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead, published last month, was met with criticism from some who said he had pulled punches in characterizing the president's erratic leadership style.
In Book, Former Defense Chief Mattis Sideswipes President Trump's Leadership Skills
In an interview with NPR promoting his book, Mattis declined to discuss his relationship with Trump. "I don't discuss sitting presidents," Mattis said. "I believe that you owe a period of quiet."
Thursday's annual gala, named after the former New York governor who won the Democratic nomination for president in 1928, was hosted this year by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York.
Mattis said he had been asked what he thought of Trump's remarks, which reportedly came during a White House meeting with congressional Democrats on Wednesday.
"I earned my spurs on the battlefield ... Donald Trump earned his spurs in a letter from a doctor," he said in a reference to a medical deferment for bone spurs that kept Trump from serving in the military during the Vietnam War.
Although Trump's nickname for Mattis was "mad dog" — a nickname the former general despised — Mattis said these days he feels more like "an emotional support animal."
Jim Mattis: 'Nations With Allies Thrive, Nations Without Allies Wither'
"And that's really great, because now the airlines allow me to fly for free," he said.
But Mattis quickly moved on from the jokes and picked up a more serious tone, citing a speech that Abraham Lincoln gave in 1838 to the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield, Ill.
In it, Lincoln "observed great nations crumble for one of two reasons," the first being foreign invasion, Mattis said, which the future president dismissed as "inconceivable."
The second, he said, paraphrasing Lincoln, "was corrosion from within – the rot, the viciousness, the lassitude, the ignorance."
"Anarchy is one potential consequence of all this. The other is the rise of an ambitious leader, unfettered by conscience, or precedent or decency, who would make himself supreme," he said.
Decrying the lack of bipartisanship, Mattis warned of a "national paralysis" that has "supplanted trust and empathy with suspicion and contempt."
"We have scorched our opponents with language that precludes compromise and we have brushed aside the possibility that the person with whom we disagree might actually sometimes be right," he said.
"We owe a debt to all who fought for liberty, including those who tonight serve in the far corners of our planet, among them the American men and women supporting our Kurdish allies," the retired general said.
In conclusion, Mattis again paraphrased Lincoln, this time that president's famous Second Inaugural speech, delivered in the closing days of the Civil War: "With malice for none and charity for all, let us restore trust in one another."
Correction Oct. 18, 2019
In a previous version of this story, we incorrectly said Jim Mattis spoke at the 75th Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner. It was the 74th event. In addition, we incorrectly said Mattis' book was published in August. It officially came out in early September, according to the publisher.
defense secretary jim mattis
defense secretary james mattis
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Companies pledge to add at least 1 Black director to board
by: STAN CHOE, Associated Press
Posted: Sep 9, 2020 / 02:16 PM CDT / Updated: Sep 9, 2020 / 03:15 PM CDT
FILE – In this Nov. 9, 2019, file photo, Brad Gerstner, CEO of Altimeter Capital and a co-founder of The Board Challenge, speaks at Summit LA19 in Los Angeles. More than a dozen companies, including Zillow and M.M.LaFleur, are promising to add at least one Black director to their boards within the next year, as businesses across America slowly get their leadership to look more like the customers they serve. The companies all made the pledge as part of the launch of an initiative by The Board Challenge, which is pushing to get more diversity into boardrooms. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — More than a dozen companies, including Zillow and M.M.LaFleur, are promising to add at least one Black director to their boards within the next year, as businesses across America slowly get their leadership to look more like the customers they serve.
The companies all made the pledge as part of the launch of an initiative by The Board Challenge, which is pushing to get more diversity into boardrooms. The Board Challenge’s co-founders will check in with each of them after six months and again at 12 months to monitor their progress, while also helping them to find candidates.
“America has been reminded again in tragic fashion that we must redouble our efforts to build a more inclusive society,” Brad Gerstner, CEO of Altimeter Capital and a co-founder of The Board Challenge, said in a statement. “Business leaders can’t let this moment pass us by without playing our part and taking this tangible step to build a more diverse boardroom.”
Companies have been making slow progress in getting people who aren’t white men into leadership positions. Across the big companies in the S&P 500 index, more than a third did not have a single Black director in 2019, according to Black Enterprise. The rate of 37% was down slightly from 39% a year before.
In many cases, forces outside the companies are pushing for better representation in the board room and in senior executive ranks. Shareholders, governments and other proponents say it makes business sense for companies’ leadership to reflect the customers they serve and the workforces they oversee. It can get a more diverse set of opinions and experiences into the decision-making process.
In recent years, shareholders and governments have been putting heavier pressure on companies to add women in particular to their boards. California, for example, requires companies that are headquartered in the state and whose stock is publicly held to have at least one woman on their board.
One reason is that investors and others say it’s easier to track the numbers on gender diversity than on racial or ethnic diversity. But The Board Challenge is the latest example of the pressure moving toward better representation for racial minorities as well.
State Street Global Advisors, which is a major shareholder in more than 10,000 companies around the world through its funds, late last month sent a letter to companies asking them to offer details about the racial diversity in their boardrooms and workforces, for example. State Street is the company that commissioned the “Fearless Girl” statue that faced down Wall Street’s famous “Charging Bull” statue.
Shareholders have been increasing pressure on businesses to improve their diversity, an effort that may have reached a tipping point this year, according to analysts at Morgan Stanley. They found that 20% of diversity-related proposals at annual shareholder meetings passed this year, as of early August. That’s up from zero just two years ago.
The 17 companies that pledged to add a Black director in the next 12 months are Accolade, Altimeter Growth, Amperity, Bolster, Gusto, Heritage-Crystal Clean., Heritage Environmental Services, HopSkipDrive, Kin, M.M.LaFleur, Nextdoor, PagerDuty, RealSelf, Ripple, Senreve, Vinyl Me, Please and Zillow.
Another 27 companies that already have at least one Black director also pledged to encourage corporations broadly to accelerate efforts to get full representation on boards. They include Nasdaq, Nordstrom, United Airlines and Verizon.
More Business News Stories
by ZEYNEP BILGINSOY, Associated Press / Jan 18, 2021
ISTANBUL (AP) — Facebook announced Monday it has begun the process of assigning a legal entity in Turkey to comply with a controversial law governing social media companies.
The law, which passed in July, requires social media companies such as Facebook and Twitter to maintain representatives in Turkey to deal with complaints about content on their platforms. Companies refusing to designate an official representative are subject to fines, advertising bans and bandwidth reductions that would make their networks too slow to use.
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‘Last Chance U’ Season 2 continues to shed light on college football system that so easily leaves some behind
By Evan Grossman
In its second season, the gritty Netflix documentary series "Last Chance U" takes a hard look at the college football industrial complex, profiles a cast of deep and sometimes troubled characters, and, unafraid to dig deep into the social issues impacting sports, remains one of the most gripping football shows anywhere.
Picking up where the first season left off, Season 2 chronicles the 2016 East Mississippi Community College football season as the program looks to rebound from a wild brawl that made national headlines. The brawl ended Season 1 and EMCC's 2015 playoff run and made it difficult to prove to the world they aren't a team of thugs.
For the uninitiated: "Last Chance U" follows a junior college football powerhouse with a reputation for taking castoffs with off-field baggage, getting them academically eligible, and back on what they hope is a track to the NFL.
Super Bowl champion LaGarrette Blount is among the most decorated EMCC products. Blount was a guy who didn't have the grades to win a scholarship at a D1 program, attended EMCC for two years, and got one to play at Oregon. He eventually made it to the NFL. Mission accomplished.
The program turns kids around with more problems than just bad grades. EMCC takes some of the worst of the worst, athletes who have been kicked out of schools for anything from flunking too many drug tests to, in the case of Season 2 star De'Andre Johnson, punching a woman in the face.
Johnson, whose barroom punch got him kicked out of Florida State two years ago, is one of many players who come to EMCC, located in tiny Scooba, Miss., in search of a second or last chance (hence the title) to play ball. The unflinching inclusion of Johnson, with such a horrific crime on his record, made Season 2 much darker. Domestic violence remains the lightning rod issue in football, and "Last Chance U" offers a rare tick-tock of a player looking to put his life back together in the aftermath of his highly publicized incident.
Should a player lose his livelihood for doing something as despicable as slugging a woman in the face? This is among the heavy issues "Last Chance U" deftly examines, mostly through the eyes of academic advisor Brittany Wagner. While some faculty at EMCC voiced concern about a player with a violent history on campus, Wagner, who doubles as an advisor and team mom of sorts, vouched for Johnson throughout the series.
"I did take up for him and did stand up for him and I think you pay a penance and then you should be able to move on and make a better life for yourself," Wagner said. "Just like anyone, I think he deserved that opportunity."
Other players seeking redemption in Season 2 include Isaiah Wright, a tormented running back whose meltdown across injuries and personal issues led to a fallout with head coach Buddy Stephens that was tough to watch; Kam Carter, a 6-5, 310-pound defensive lineman kicked out of Penn State for a violation of team rules, also frustrates coaches with his aloof and childish behavior to the point of being excommunicated; and Dakota Allen, 6-2, 220-pound linebacker booted out of Texas Tech three years ago after he was busted for burglary and stealing a gun is shown on his path to putting his own life back together that includes reconnecting with religion while on campus.
While the players and their heavy baggage are central to "Last Chance U," Wagner and hard-headed Stephens again steal every scene they appear in. Their relationship, and its ultimate disintegration, are also central to Season 2's story arcs.
(Netflix)
While Stephens is painted as a bit of a villain in Season 2, ejecting one player's mother from a game because she was heckling him, Wagner is ever the hero, working to get players to pass their classes, imploring them to bring a pencil and a notebook to school, and shining a light on the college football system that so easily leaves players behind.
"I think the system is broken and I think it's based on socio-economic status, which I think is unfortunate in this country," Wagner said, noting that many college athletes arrive on campus grossly underprepared for the academic rigors of school.
"They're a product of the system, and a product of their environment, and they are unfortunately not given the same opportunity," she said. "So they may get to a point where they kind of outkick their coverage. Unfortunately for a lot of athletes, that ends up being college because they're shuffled on through and they land in college and we expect them, just because they're enrolled in a college and given a football scholarship, to be at the academic level of everyone else sitting in the classroom with them. But that's just not the reality of the situation.
"The fact of the matter is they're there, they're sitting in those college classrooms, they're enrolled in that university and it's our job as educators to help them. It's unfortunate in this country that we have students who want to make a better life for themselves and they are just not given that opportunity."
EMCC is a school that, for better or worse, offers that opportunity. College football can be a brutal business the way it uses athletes, chews them up and spits them out. By the end of Season 2, Stephens appears to have lost some of his players and does not seem to have their best interests at heart because of his role in that equation. "Last Chance U" offers some understanding behind why some players lash out, why some can't control their emotions, and why so many don't get the kind of guidance schools are obligated to offer all students.
But it is the relationship between Stephens and Wagner that frays the most before the end credits roll.
"I think that our relationship was strained for several years," Wagner said. "I don't think it all happened in Season 2. We had a strained relationship for a while. I think me being thrown into the spotlight after Season 1 created a little bit of, I don't know, jealousy, or hurt the relationship even more for him. I think we both wanted to help players, I think we both wanted players to go on and do bigger and better things. I think our philosophies of how we wanted to get there were polar opposite.
"For me, I think I really helped build that program," she said. "I was there from the beginning and I felt like my job and what I was doing was just as important in building that program as his. I got to the point where I didn't feel respected or appreciated or valued at all."
Director Greg Whiteley said he's "hopeful" Netflix signs up for a third season. We're hoping they do, too, because of all the content out there about football, there isn't a show that profiles the reality of the game and those who play it as well as "Last Chance U" does.
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COVID-19 Level 1 Update
Under Alert Level 1, the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame is now OPEN. Our hours are 10am to 3pm (Wednesdays to Sundays). We are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays (open by appointment only on these days).
Visit the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame Museum in Dunedin, New Zealand
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Netball, 1987
Inducted in 1996
Many in the team had played in the previous world championships, in Singapore in 1983, in which they were beaten in the final by Australia, and vowed that the championships in Glasgow in 1987 would be vastly different.
Sporting Category:
No opponents got closer than nine goals to the New Zealanders as they exhibited almost faultless netball.
Defending champions Australia were beaten by 11 in the round-robin final series and in the last match, against Trinidad and Tobago, the margin was a healthy and unheard-of 12.
The team was captained by Leigh Gibbs and coached by Lois Muir.
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Val Young
If Yvette Williams can justifiably be labelled New Zealand’s best woman athlete, Val Young runs her a close second.
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This Is Why You Don’t Advertise Movies In Schools
Right now there is a “children’s” movie in the theaters that features a main character abusing inhalants. “Huffing” is the term and it is a real problem for a growing number of children. Huffing kills kids. It is irresponsible for a movie aimed at kids to normalize inhalant abuse.
The movie is “Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.”
It was advertised on Channel One News.
It was advertised to high school students and middle school students.
The movie was heavily promoted on Channel One’s web site. Channel One News ran a contest to encourage children to see the movie.
Obligation’s Jim Metrock said, “Channel One News never previews movies that they advertise on their show. Channel One executives are too lazy, too insensitive and too greedy to dare preview a movie. They don’t want to know what is in the movies they advertise, because if they knew, they would have to turn down some ad revenue and ad revenue is in short supply at Channel One. Principals and teachers can’t preview these movies either because they are usually advertised before they premiere. Schools may have legal liability if they continue to help Hollywood pitch their movies to a captive audience of students. What happens if a 12-year-old boy becomes brain damaged because he copied the huffing he saw in the movie his middle school repeatedly encouraged him to see? If a school had Channel One News in March 2004, then that school indirectly promoted inhalant abuse.”
Some comments about Channel One News-advertised “Scooby-Doo” movie:
From the Center for Health and Health Care in Schools:
April 6, 2004 – Scooby Doo Movie Criticized for Showing Nitrous Oxide ‘Huffing’ Charging that Warner Brothers’ new kid movie, “Scooby Doo 2—Monsters Unleashed” includes a segment showing the character Shaggy inhaling nitrous oxide from a whipped cream can, the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition alerted its members last week to check the episode out with their children and to try to make sure it is deleted from future releases of the film.
From Hobbsonline.com (a conservative web site):
Huffing and Puffing Blake Wylie spotlights the unconscionable decision by Warner Bros. to include a scene in the new Scooby Doo 2 movie that portrays “huffing” – inhaling nitrous oxide – in a humorous light. Wylie provides a link to a clip from the movie. In the scene, “Shaggy” huffs nitrous oxide from a whipped cream can. What’s so bad about that? Huffing can kill you – and its incidence among children is on the rise. I’m going to say this as plain as I can: If one child sees the new Scooby Doo 2 movie and is motivated by the scene to inhale nitrous oxide from a whipped cream can, and is injured or killed, Warner Bros. will have blood on its hands. It used to be that “kids’ movies” were really okay for kids, but this movie actually endangers children. Do not let your children see this movie.
from WindyCity Media Group: Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (Universal): The de-dyking of Velma (Linda Cardellini), the frumpy, brainy and bespectacled member of the crime-solving group Mystery, Inc. continues in this sequel to the live action, big-screen adaptation of the popular ‘70s Hanna-Barbera cartoon. Coolsonian Museum curator Patrick (Seth Green) is the object of her affections (and suspicions), and when she isn’t distracted by trying to track down the array of monsters and ghosts that are taking over Coolsville, Velma finds the time to slip into a noisy red leather jumpsuit for the purposes of seduction. Adding insult to injury is blatant product placement (from the tarnished crown of Burger King) and a scene in which the computer-generated dog Scooby Doo and his “human” counterpart Shaggy (Matthew Lillard) are huffing a can of whipped cream, making this “monstrosity” inappropriate for discriminating children and adults. (D-)
A PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE. IMPORTANT. It is important that you take the following into consideration before you take your kids to see Scooby Doo 2.
Reports are coming into the NIPC, NATIONAL iNHALANT PREVENTION COALITION that the new Warner Brothers’, PG rated, Scooby Doo movie, “Scooby-Doo 2, Monsters Unleashed,” has a scene with Shaggy huffing nitrous oxide from a whipped cream can for “fun” (one Mom told me she saw this in the movie’s trailer on a Saturday morning during a cartoon TV show, see link below). On March 26th, the Saint Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press newspaper reported “… but they still can’t resist having Shaggy huff spray-can fumes …” This movie promotes inhalant abuse. I and other parents who are concerned of the prevalence and seriousness of inhalant abuse in children and teens strongly recommend that you not let your children see this movie. If you absolutely insist that they see it, be prepared to have a serious talk about the dangers of inhalant abuse with them.
Drug abuse is no laughing matter. It can injure, maim, and even kill, regardless of age. It can destroy families and lives. Please send a message to Hollywood – we will not condone such portrayals of drug abuse in our entertainment! Posted by pietro at
Scooby Doo Bill Hobbs has more on the Scooby Doo inhalation scene that I mentioned here. If you’ll remember, in the first Scooby Doo movie several scenes were edited out of the final cut to make the movie more children-friendly which included a possible drug-reference of Shaggy and Scooby getting high.”
We played on all those things,” said actor Matthew Lillard, who portrays creaky-voiced Shaggy. “Is Velma gay? Is Shaggy high? Are ( Fred and Daphne) hooking up? All those jokes were in there, but we found at the end of the day it was more important to go the other way … and that was to be more family oriented.”
That was the first Scooby Doo. Now comes the sequel, and the fact remains that this movie is still marketed toward kids. When you take on that role, you have to act responsibly. Bill Hobbs referenced a good excerpt from Phoebe Flowers in the Sun-Sentinel. Monsters Unleashed is a kids’ movie, which explains its frenetic pacing. It feels, at times, like a prototype for a theme-park ride. But that doesn’t explain its multiple examples of bad influences. This is not the sort of movie to which you really want to bring an impressionable child, unless you’re cool with your elementary-schooler learning about recreational nitrous oxide inhalation or the ignition of flatulence. You should not take your kids to go see this movie. It’s as simple as that.
**Is Scooby Doo Sending the Wrong Message? Warner Brothers’ new movie, “Scooby Doo 2, Monsters Unleashed,” reportedly has a scene with Shaggy huffing nitrous oxide from a whipped cream can for fun — a dangerous image for children that ignores the deathly potential, warns the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition. For more information, E-mail Harvey Weiss at http://www.inhalants.org
Tags: advertising movies with drug content, inhalant abuse, Warner Brothers
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Calendar reform
Well, this is an interesting idea.
Feb. 29ths, like the one tacked to the end of [last] month, exist because Earth’s orbit and human calendars are slightly out of sync. The planet completes its 584-million-mile loop around the sun in 365 days — plus 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds. Leap days are designed to compensate for the excess time.
But, if two Johns Hopkins University professors had their way, this leap year would be the last of its kind.
They would replace the calendar with a new version. Theirs, the Hanke-Henry Permanent Calendar, is 364 days long. It is consistent: The year always begins on a Monday. Your birthday always falls on the same day of the week.
“The calendar will be exactly the same, every year,” said Richard Conn Henry, an astronomer at Johns Hopkins University and one of the calendar’s designers.
February would always have 30 days, as would January, April, May, July, August, October and November. The other four months would have 31 days. There would be no February leap days. Instead, “every five or six years,” Henry said, “we’ll have an extra week at the end when you can party.”
“The Gregorian calendar was set up by astronomers, people who knew what they were doing, and it is very accurate,” Henry said. “That’s the problem. We don’t need a terribly accurate calendar. What we need is a calendar that is suitable for human beings to order their lives by.”
Henry enlisted his colleague at Johns Hopkins, economist Steve H. Hanke, to help. “Dick brought this up and basically gave me an assignment: ‘Hanke, find out the economic implications of this thing,’ ” Hanke said.
Hanke estimates the upfront costs would be less than the Year 2000 adjustment, which, in the United States, was about $100 billion.
“The benefits, from just not having to reproduce calendars every year, physical calendars, would pay for the thing right away,” he said.
Having the date fall on the same day of the week every year eliminates inefficiencies with planning and scheduling that the “herky-jerky” Gregorian calendar has, Henry said.
Every so often, in the Gregorian calendar, companies add a week to their fiscal quarters. Apple did so in the first quarter of 2012, and reported “very good, strong earnings,” Hanke said. “Of course, they had an extra week of revenues coming in.”
A year later, Apple’s first quarter of 2013 appeared comparatively weak — because it lacked the benefit of an extra week, Hanke said — and the company’s stock dropped.
“Our calendar fixes that problem,” Hanke said, because business would consistently operate on 91-day quarters.
Holidays and your birthday would fall on the same day of the week every year, which if nothing else simplifies things. The story doesn’t delve into the mechanics of that “bonus week”, which would seemingly be every six years. Would it actually be a national week off, or just another work week? What would we call it? And if you think being a Leap Day baby is weird, imagine being a kid born during Bonus Week.
Hanke and Henry think their calendar could be implemented via presidential executive order. I have a hard time imagining that would actually happen. The rest of the world would adjust if the US did something as eccentric as this – they would have to, in the same way everyone adjusts to Daylight Savings Time, which occurs at different times around the globe – but I doubt they would follow suit, and having to deal with two different business calendars might just eat into the cost savings these guys envision. It’s an interesting idea, and if we were designing a new global system from scratch I’d like it, but as things stand I’m fine with the status quo.
Posted in: Society and cultcha, Technology, science, and math.
Tagged: calendars · Hanke-Henry Permanent Calendar · leap year
← Trautman apologizes for the long lines It’s even harder to prosecute pot cases now →
ken roberts says:
I instinctively hated this and, upon thinking about it further, hate it more.
I’d be very surprised if the up-front cost of this were less upfront costs would be less than the Year 2000 adjustment. A lot of it would be fairly simple due to the way computers store time. Windows keeps track of the number of 100ns ticks since Jan 1, 1600. Updating the functions for displaying the date based on that 100ns granularity time should be easy. Likewise, any programs using the Windows, Linux, etc. helper functions should be fairly easy.
However, there is a lot of code out there that does it’s own things with dates that would need to be updating. Having to do a special handling for an intercalary week is much more difficult than what was done for a leap day. Ignoring intercalary week is much more significant than just a day.
Meanwhile, this would make statistics using time significantly more cumbersome. There error from ignoring a leap day is 1/365 or 0.27%. For a leap week, it’s 1/52, which is 1.92%. It’s worse if you’re trying to compare a quarter with 13 weeks vs. one with an intercalary 14 weeks.
Then there’s the matter of how to handle this week for things that are based on months like rent, subscriptions, etc.
It has some advantages like not needing to figure out what to do with a Wednesday, July 4 (though it has it on a Thursday, which makes July 5, awkward). Australia and New Zealand would have to deal with ANZAC Day on a Wednesday each year. Once they figure it out for one year, that just becomes the way it’s always done.
Dealing with history would be more obnoxious than the Old Style/New Style difference switch from the Julian to Gregorian. I’m not sure if people would bother with a Proleptic Hanke–Henry Permanent Calendar or not (meaning extending it backwards in time). IOW, July 4, 1776 was a Thursday as it would be on the HHPC. Bastille Day was Tue, July 14, 1789. On the Proleptic HHPC, it would still have to be a Tuesday, but on July 9 or 16. Armistice Day, which arguably has to be 11/11 (at 11 a.m.) would move to the 6th or 13th.
Anyway, it’s an interesting thought experiment about what would happen. Given that we couldn’t get Americans to adopt the Metric System, I don’t seem them accepting this.
p.s. They might finally be forced to fix that song from “Rent” as no year would have 525,600 minutes (365 days). The song already doesn’t accommodate leap years.
Mainstream on Legislative diversity report 2021
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Contract sharing scheme in Laval: Michel Lavoie struck off the roll for 11 months
Montreal, March 21, 2018 – The Disciplinary Council of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec rendered its decision on guilt and sanction in the case of Michel Lavoie, who will be struck from the OIQ’s roll for a period of 11 months. In its decision, the Disciplinary Council also ordered Mr. Lavoie to pay all costs in connection with the processing of the complaint, including publication costs.
Mr. Lavoie was found guilty of violating several provisions of the Code of Ethics of Engineers, which specifically concern conflicts of interests and a lack of integrity, for going along with a contract sharing scheme that made it possible to circumvent the competitive bidding process of the City of Laval.
Mr. Lavoie’s alleged offences were committed between 2008 and 2009, while he was manager of the infrastructure department for the metropolitan region at CIMA.
About the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec
Founded in 1920, the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec has a membership of some 63,000 engineering professionals in all fields, except forest engineering. The OIQ’s aim is to be a unifying organization and a reference for professionalism and excellence in engineering. Its mission is to protect the public by acting to ensure that engineers serve society with professionalism, compliance and integrity in the public interest. For more information, go to www.foiq.qc.ca.
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The politics of ethnic diversity: Scotland, Brexit and inequality
This week the Equality and Human Rights Commission published a study demonstrating that people born into an ethnic minority household in Scotland are twice as likely to face poverty.
Robert Somynne Fuad Alakbarov
Communities United Advice centre,Govan,2008:"Raising Awareness of the Opportunities and meeting needs and demands of the Ethnic Minority Community". Wikicommons/Richard Webb. Some rights reserved.With the rise of Brexit, Scottish politicians and proponents of independence are at pains to emphasise the absence of an anti-immigrant block in Scotland as a driving force of politics.
This week the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon met with EU nationals to reassure them that they are welcome in Scotland and valued as a community. But in the obvious gap this and the concern for post-referendum racism has created, leaves us wondering about the position of Arab, black and south Asian ethnic minority groups.
In recent years, while the gender balance in Scottish politics has steadily improved, ethnic diversity remains low on the agenda and it has always been a question between whether what is unseen goes unheard or constitutes a deep institutional malaise.
New immigrants have always had a vibrant relationship to Scottish society, adapting to its already diverse cultures and values, just as society adapts to the immigrants, their traditions and perspectives. However despite popular conceptions, most public benefits are not available to asylum seekers. For immigrants who do qualify, these benefits provide a safety net for the neediest, aimed at preventing the most abject poverty. Meanwhile multiculturalism is intended to deepen the understanding of the diversity already present in Scotland by recognising the positive contributions of different immigrant and non-immigrant communities.
When standards are subjective, such as pride in ‘British identity’, people from ethnically-diverse backgrounds often subscribe uncritically to the dominant views, and are under greater scrutiny. For instance, after the 9/11 and 7 July London bombings Muslim citizens of the country were called on to prove their loyalty. Economic and linguistic indicators are more quantifiable. Nevertheless, the focus on assimilation ignores how discrimination closes off opportunities to many immigrants, forcing them into segregated communities, denying them quality education, and keeping them economically disadvantaged. The dismantling or defunding of affirmative action, bilingual education and English language programmes has posed a significant obstacle to the economic and linguistic integration of new immigrants. It also impedes their access to equal opportunity and economic justice.
This has not only an effect on many communities of ethnic minorities UK wide but also specifically in Scotland. This week the Equality and Human Rights Commission published a study demonstrating that people born into an ethnic minority household in Scotland are twice as likely to face poverty and unemployment and four times more likely to face conditions of overcrowding. The report also found a growing awareness among children of prejudice along racial lines, with a quarter of school children surveyed saying they knew of racial or sectarian incidents or bullying. Called, Race report: Healing a divided Britain, this report is, according to the commission, the "biggest ever analysis of existing evidence into race equality in Scotland" and focuses on poverty, education, employment, and housing.
However during the Brexit campaign, many Scots did oppose the official Leave campaign’s toxic xenophobic campaign and signalled this by voting against it. Setting aside for the moment the essentially undemocratic belief that the result should be ignored and the process rerun, there were nevertheless a number of impressive pro-Remain demonstrations following the referendum results, in Glasgow as in Edinburgh. Mainly young Scottish protesters made it clear that their main focus was fundamentally positive: solidarity with migrants both in the EU and elsewhere.
In addition, while English parties demand controls on immigration, Scottish parties say we need more migrants to balance our ageing population and repair our skills shortages.
Unlike the rest of the UK, the debate in Scotland over Brexit was not about migration. As a result, we need to argue both for Indyref2 and for a new referendum on EU membership in which the actual nature of the EU can be openly discussed. It should go without saying that EU migrants and sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds should be allowed to vote in both. Additionally we need to also build on the positive view of immigrants and the political rejection of racism as a vote-winner in Scotland, but campaigning particularly hard for improvement in the institutional racism against ethnic minorities.
Language factor
Many anti-immigrant groups advocate for federal and state laws declaring English the official language of the UK. However, there is no danger of English losing dominance within the UK. Over 98 per cent of the population speaks English exclusively or very well. Immigrants to the UK are learning English as quickly today as they have in the past. In fact, almost all second-generation immigrants are fully fluent in English. By the third generation, fluency in the language of origin is extremely rare.
In fact, there is much more reason to be concerned about the rapid loss of immigrants' languages of origin. Multilingualism is a valuable resource given the increasing economic and cultural ties between different nations. In fact, many native-born English speakers are seeking to learn second and third languages to assist them in their work and travel; and studies show that fluent bilinguals do better in all aspects of their academic performance. In many countries, such as Canada, Germany and India, children are taught multiple languages in school or at home and become highly fluent in more than one language.
Offering government services in multiple languages does not prevent immigrants from learning English. Multilingual services merely allow first generation immigrants to advocate for themselves by gaining access to the political system and services to which they are fully entitled. English language acquisition is still essential to holding many jobs and participating in many aspects of society. Indeed, the demand for English language classes outstrips the availability in many immigrant communities.
In the nineteenth century, despite most immigrants being of European descent, there was interethnic tension and competition, stemming from real or perceived inequalities. For example, Irish immigrants were seen as not loyal to the country because of their Catholicism and were explicitly discriminated against in employment. The right-wing group's solution of restricting immigration does not deal with the present reality of diverse cultures in Scotland. It also ignores the racism experienced by all people of colour, as a significant factor in this problem.
When groups and parties such as the UKIP and Britain First blame multiculturalism for increased tensions between different communities, it reinforces people's resentment of other ethnic groups and adds to these tensions. It also ignores the root causes of the tension, such as perceived and real injustices.
Multiculturalism seeks to reduce tensions by teaching values that support diversity and acknowledge the contributions of all communities. Other programs, such as affirmative action and redistricting to create "majority-minority" districts, are created to counter institutional racism and of course right-wing groups have consistently opposed these programmes. Ultimately, these toxic groups take advantage of racist sentiments to drive wedges between various communities and to garner support for their goal of restricting immigration.
What Brexit has shown us in the Scottish context is that the country is at the moment well fortified against the widespread culture of contempt for immigrants with EU, non-EU or ethnic minorities in general. However much has to be done to transform this vocal good will into a firm pledge to ensure all groups are not just welcome in Scotland but can thrive as citizens whether in an independent Scottish state or not.
As a result, Scottish political parties should look seriously at introducing BME shortlists. The latest Scottish parliament election showed that ethnic minority representation in Scottish parliament has declined, when you consider the increase in the growth of BME population.
We need bold measures to tackle inequality issues in Scottish politics, not just more tinkering around the edges. But also look at reforms to police interaction with ethnic minority communities and a more vocal voice for BME groups to be part of mainstream Scotland as more visible and undoubtedly welcome.
The fact that women are now so much better represented gives cause for optimism. From that struggle we know that parties still tend to appoint in their own image, whether consciously or unconsciously. We also know that assumptions about workplace ambitions are often made about a potential candidate based on little more than prejudice. These lessons need to be reapplied so that we have local institutions that represent the people they serve.
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