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__label__wiki	0.935443	0.935443	Celebrate LGBTQ History Month at IUPUI By Mary Olk October was officially named LGBTQ History Month by various organizations only 25 years ago. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University It's been 61 years since homosexuality was decriminalized in Illinois -- the first state to do so. Fifty years ago, police raided the Stonewall Inn in New York City, which led to four days of struggle between LGBTQ people and the police. It was only 46 years ago that the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its official list of psychiatric disorders. And it's been 25 years since a Missouri high school teacher advocated for the teaching and celebrating of gay and lesbian history, which led to various groups officially supporting October as LGBTQ History Month. Although same-gender couples have existed throughout history, with a couple in 2450 BCE Egypt being considered one of the first, the societal and cultural acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community is an ongoing fight. This year, the Multicultural Center and LGBTQ+ Center at IUPUI aim to shed light on the various struggles LGBTQ+ people have endured throughout history, empower our campus community to be good advocates and supporters, and provide open spaces for discussion. "This is a great opportunity and good entry point for folks who don't know where to start learning," said AJ Young, director of the LGBTQ+ Center. "If you feel like you don't know enough, you can engage with our events this month." LGBTQ History Month events will continue through the end of October: Cultural Movie Series: "Coming Out: A 50-Year History": Oct. 10, 6 p.m., UC 101. National Coming Out Day: Oct. 11. 10th annual Harvey Milk Dinner: Oct. 12, 6 p.m., J.W. Marriott. I'm Proud to Be: Oct. 14, 6 p.m., UC 101. Diversity Speaker Series: Wade Davis: Oct. 15, 6 p.m., UC 450. We Are APIDA: "Call Her Ganda" film and discussion: Oct. 24, 3 p.m., UC 101. "Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton's Cafeteria" film and discussion: Oct. 29, 3 p.m., UC 101. "Shape Up: Gay in the Black Barbershop" film and discussion: Oct. 30, 3 p.m., UC 101. The month's centerpiece is the annual Harvey Milk Dinner, featuring Grammy- and Emmy-nominated stand-up comedian, actress and singer-songwriter Margaret Cho. This year's 10th annual dinner is recognized as one of Indiana University's celebrations of its Bicentennial Year. The event was coined as the Harvey Milk Dinner to honor American politician and gay-rights activist Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California. But wait -- didn't we just celebrate the LGBTQ+ community this summer? Pride Month, celebrated in June, is different from LGBTQ History Month. Pride Month is celebrated to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots in Manhattan, which are considered some of the most important events of the gay liberation movement in the United States. LGBTQ History Month aims to educate and celebrate the history of the LGBTQ+ community. For more information and resources about LGBTQ History Month, visit lgbthistorymonth.com and glsen.org. JagNews Welcoming Campus	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2062
__label__wiki	0.707607	0.707607	Méndez & Co.’s WorldClass program generates growth Michelle Kantrow-Vázquez February 16, 2015 Since its launch in 2009, the program has positioned Puerto Rico as a cocktail destination in the region, where consumers have also responded favorably to the Diageo portfolio of brands. The WorldClass Diageo Reserve program — an initiative that affords growth opportunities for participating professionals and establishments — has heightened Puerto Rico’s appreciation for the art of fine cocktails, Méndez & Co. executives said recently. Since its launch in 2009, the program has positioned Puerto Rico as a cocktail destination in the region, where consumers have also responded favorably to the Diageo portfolio of brands and the luxury liquor category, said Enrique Anduze, marketing director of Méndez & Co.’s liquor division. “For Méndez, the program has represented an additional $9 million in liquor sales revenue, and has given us an opportunity to develop programs around affordable luxury brands, which have a higher price and production quality,” he said. “For our participating customers [bars and restaurants] this program gives them an opportunity to make more money because the ticket value of orders is higher than what is usually consumed.” As of June 2014, a total of 54 establishments participated in the WorldClass program through their commercial relationship with Méndez & Co. This year, Méndez had 66 bars and restaurants take part in a seminar focusing on the latest cocktail trends, the executive said. For participating bartenders, the competition has meant access to tools and techniques to create high-end cocktails and stand out in the art of mixology, which “is an important part of the gastronomic experience,” Anduze said. Local bartenders have stood out in the annual competition, taking fourth place internationally once and winning the top spot in the Latin American match-ups several times. Successful bartenders have moved on to work outside Puerto Rico, gaining experience in markets such as Miami and New York that they have brought back to the island, he said. AES Puerto Rico Méndez & Co. Congress could nix Export-Import Bank by month’s end Larry Luxner September 15, 2014 Guayama energy plant named among ‘dirtiest’ in nation Michelle Kantrow-Vázquez December 7, 2011	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2064
__label__cc	0.558466	0.441534	Noteworthy: NewsTalk 1290 App Lowest Gas Prices Mike Hendren Robert Pratt The Voice of Wichita Falls Wichita Falls Weather NewsTalk Newsletter The Brian Kilmeade Show - LIVEThe Brian Kilmeade Show - LIVE Rush Limbaugh Announces He Has Lung Cancer Brandon Comeaux In a stunning development today, longtime radio host Rush Limbaugh announced he has been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. Rush says there will be days he won't be able to host his show because of treatments. LISTEN as Rush lets the world know of his fight with cancer. Transcript from rushlimbaugh.com: RUSH: Ladies and gentlemen, this… This day has been one of the most difficult days in recent memory for me because I’ve known this moment was coming in the program today. Now, I’m sure that you all know by now, I really don’t like talking about myself, and I don’t like making things about me other than in the usual satirical, parodic, joking way. I like this program to be about you and the things that matter to all of us. The one thing that I know that has happened over the 31-plus years of this program is that there has been an incredible bond that has developed between all of you and me. Now, this program’s 31 years old, and in that 31 years, there are people — you hear them call all the time — who have been listening the whole time. They’ve been listening 30 years or 25 years. I just had somebody say they’ve been here three years. But, whatever, it is a family-type relationship to me, and I’ve mentioned to you that this program and this job is what has provided me the greatest satisfaction and happiness that I’ve ever experienced, more than I ever thought that I would experience. So I have to tell you something today that I wish I didn’t have to tell you. It’s a struggle for me because I had to inform my staff earlier today. I can’t escape… Even though people are telling me it’s not the way to look at it, I can’t help but feel that I’m letting everybody down with this. But the upshot is that I have been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, diagnosis confirmed by two medical institutions back on January 20th. I first realized something was wrong on my birthday weekend, January 12th. I wish I didn’t have to tell you this, and I thought about not telling anybody. I thought about trying to do this without anybody knowing, ’cause I don’t like making things about me. But there are going to be days that I’m not gonna be able to be here because I’m undergoing treatment or I’m reacting to treatment, and I know that that would inspire all kinds of curiosity with people wondering what’s going on. And the worst thing that can happen is when there is something going on and you try to hide it and cover it up. It’s eventually gonna leak, and then people are gonna say, “Why didn’t you just say it? Why’d you try to fool everybody? ” It’s not that I want to fool anybody. It’s just that I don’t want to burden anybody with it, and I haven’t wanted to. But it is what it is. You know me; I’m the mayor of Realville. So this has happened, and my intention is to come here every day I can and to do this program as normally and as competently and as expertly as I do each and every day, because that is the source of my greatest satisfaction professionally, personally. I’ve had so much support from family and friends during this that it’s just been tremendous. I told the staff today that I have a deeply personal relationship with God that I do not proselytize about. But I do, and I have been working that relationship (chuckles) tremendously, which I do regularly anyway, but I’ve been focused on it intensely for the past couple of weeks. I know there are many of you in this audience who have experienced this, who are going through it yourselves at the same time. I am, at the moment, experiencing zero symptoms other than… Look, I don’t want to get too detailed in this. What led to shortness of breath that I thought might have been asthma or — you know, I’m 69 — it could have been my heart. My heart’s in great shape, ticking away fine, squeezing and pumping great. It was not that. It was a pulmonary problem involving malignancy. So I’m gonna be gone the next couple days as we figure out the treatment course of action and have further testing done. But as I said, I’m gonna be here as often as I can. And as is the case with everybody who finds themselves in this circumstance, you just want to push ahead and try to keep everything as normal as you can, which is something that I’m going to try to do. But I felt that I had to tell you because that’s the kind of relationship I feel like I have with those of you in this audience. I say it every Christmas, which is what I feel more thankful than as Thanksgiving. And I feel thankful at Thanksgiving, but Christmas it really gets to me. But over the years, a lot of people have been very nice telling me how much this program has meant to them. But whatever that is, it pales in comparison to what you all have meant to me. And I can’t describe this. But I know you’re there every day. I can see you. It’s strange how, but I know you’re there. I know you’re there in great numbers, and I know that you understand everything I say. The rest of the world may not when they hear it expressed a different way, but I know that you do. You’ve been one of the greatest sources of confidence that I’ve had in my life. So I hope I will be talking about this as little as necessary in the coming days. But we’ve got a great bunch of doctors, a great team assembled. We’re at full-speed ahead on this, and it’s just now a matter of implementing what we are gonna be told later this week. So I’ll be back here. I hope I’ll be back Thursday. If not, it will be as soon as I can — and know that every day I’m not here, I’ll be thinking about you and missing you. Thank you very much. Source: Rush Limbaugh Announces He Has Lung Cancer Categories: National News 2021 NewsTalk 1290, Townsquare Media, Inc. All rights reserved.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2065
__label__wiki	0.81355	0.81355	Brisson not overshadowed by ‘Super-Agent’ dad For most young hockey fans, dreaming about a chance to meet their favourite NHL stars is commonplace. For Brendan Brisson, meeting them was simply the norm. The Chicago Steel forward is the son of agent Pat Brisson, who represents some of the NHL’s elite like Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Patrick Kane, John Tavares, and many, many more. “Growing up, he was just simply my dad,” said Brendan, eligible for the 2020 NHL Draft. “When I was younger, like in elementary school, people would ask ‘what does your dad do?’ I didn’t even know he was a hockey agent. I would say he’s a ‘Super-Agent’, thinking he was doing some secret stuff. “When I came to an age where I realized that this wasn’t really normal, like shooting pucks with Nathan MacKinnon or Sidney Crosby, was when I started to grow up a little bit.” Being around that environment has paid off for Brendan, No. 79 in Future Considerations’ Spring ranking for the 2020 draft. “Just seeing now how much that impacted my development as a player,” Brendan said. “Being around those players, seeing how seriously they take the game, all the stuff they were doing to literally dominate at the highest level was something super special to me.” Despite the busy schedule of being an NHL ‘Super-Agent,’ Pat made sure that he was there for his children. While Brendan had NHL stars around him, the commitment from his dad really stood out. “With his busy schedule, working all day and then somehow finding time to drive an hour from his office to the rink to watch my brother and I skate,” he said. “Even if it was a 30-minute clinic, he was always there giving us his best support, no matter how much he had with work. He always found time to make it to the rink and to work around mine and my brother’s schedule.” On top of his father simply being there when in matters, the University of Michigan commit had the benefit of having someone with insight into the industry. “I think every parent has helped their kid at some point to help them figure out what they want to do with their life,” Brendan said. “My dad, just being what he is in the business, being able to go to him and get advice from the best in the game, is something I’ve very grateful for and I’ve for sure used to my advantage.” He’s also had a lifetime supply of advice from his father, which Brendan has followed throughout his hockey career and will continue to do so moving forward. “He’s always given me the same advice,” Brisson said. “Just keep playing. Your passion for the game is going to keep driving you, keep working at it and one day it’s going to pay off. Once I grew a little bit, the game started becoming easier for me, I got to that level where I was playing better and playing against better opponents, it was just keep going. Have the right mindset every time you step on to the ice to get better and good things are going to happen.” Of course, with some of the best hockey players in the world around you growing up, there’s bound to be a few memories that stick. Brendan has no shortage. “I remember when Nathan MacKinnon stayed at our house in his rookie season for about a week in the summer,” Brisson said. “Just seeing him shoot the puck, I was so scared that I was watching from a window. He was shooting it and it was coming back at me at full speed. “He would hit the net and it would shoot back towards me. It was crazy to watch. He was shooting pucks two to three hours every day and this was on top of on-ice and off-ice sessions. I was just seeing him push himself to the highest level. “And John Tavares, when I was a bit younger, I was always seeing him drink these protein shakes, so it became a thing around my house where I always wanted a John Tavares Shake.” Now, Brendan is looking to join those players he grew up with on the NHL ice. The center looks to be in a good position after collecting 59 points (24 goals, 35 assists) in 45 games with the Steel, and impressing with Team USA in the World Junior A Challenge with 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in six games. “I have a sense where I think I should get drafted,” he said. “I’m confident in myself and that I had a really good year. I think that should speak for itself.” And while he isn’t holding any expectations heading into the draft, the idea of hearing his named called — whenever it should happen to come — would be something very special. Especially if it is still to come in Montreal. “It’s kind of exciting,” Brendan said. “Having a French-Canadian background, my dad’s whole family is in Montreal, so hopefully the draft can still happen there. If you would have asked me this three years ago, I would have said there’s no way I’m going to be at the draft in Montreal, let alone being up for the draft at all.” On the brink of being drafted, Brisson isn’t just getting a chance to meet NHL stars that kids dream about, he’s getting a chance to see old friends as he takes the next step in his hockey journey. “It’s kind of cool to see how far I’ve come,” he said. “I’m just excited to keep going and keep getting better.”	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2066
__label__wiki	0.891085	0.891085	Neumeier Woo ready to push forward amidst injury woes Having to sit out a significant portion of your team’s games due to injury is bad enough, but having to do so when your club is absolutely tearing up the league it plays in? That’s a whole lot harder. But that was the case recently for Moose Jaw Warriors defenseman Jett Woo. Sidelined with an injury for half of November and almost all of December, the 17-year-old Woo was forced to sit and watch as his Warriors team rocketed up the WHL standings, going 12-2-1-1 despite the absence of one of their top defenders. “It was kind of a love-hate relationship a little,” Woo said. “It was good to see those guys working well…seeing the ice from a different perspective. At the same time, it kind of kills you, you want to be on the ice and help contribute to the team.” Woo is a competitive, driven player, attributes that have played an essential role in getting him to where he is today. Slotted 21st in Future Considerations’ Fall Ranking for the 2018 NHL Draft, he is a versatile blueliner that logs a lot of minutes for his club in all situations thanks to his quick feet, sturdy frame, soft hands and keen situational awareness. While some may see Woo’s stats on the year, seven goals and 20 points in 26 games, and conclude that he’s a defender that leans to the offensive side of the game, the Winnipeg native says that the opposite is the case. “Over the last couple of years I’ve been trying to work on my offense, but growing up I was always defense-first,” Woo said. “I still am that, but I’m trying to progress my game into a two-way defenseman that can see the ice well and skate out of danger.” His skill set and drive to improve certainly haven’t gone unnoticed. Woo has been a staple for Hockey Canada at international events over the past two seasons, captaining the Canada White squad at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, playing at the 2017 IIHF World U18 Championship as a 16-year-old. “It’s an honour,” Woo said. “Every time you get to wear the Maple Leaf it’s always something that you cherish. Even if it’s just for six games or seven games, whatever it is, it’s always something that you look back at and remember as something good.” Most recently, joining Canada for the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament last August. They took home gold. “It’s obviously something that I’ll never forget,” he added. “It’s a memory that I got to share with the team, the staff, the coaches. (Former Moose Jaw teammate) Luka Burzan was on the team, it was awesome to share that with him. It was a great feeling. “So far in my career it’s probably the best feeling I’ve had in hockey.” Getting to spend so much time with an organization like Hockey Canada and its staff is something that’s certainly provided a huge boost to Woo’s individual development as a hockey player. “I’ve learned everything from them, from little things like hydration, what you eat off the ice, sleep…they’ve helped me in that way,” he said. Woo, too, will help Moose Jaw. As if the Warriors weren’t a dangerous team already, getting a healthy Woo back only makes them even harder to beat. Woo says that thoughts of the 2018 draft creep into his mind every now and again, but who has time to think about that right now where there are so many more games waiting to be won? “Personally, keep playing my game, try to help my team as best as I can,” he said. “As a team, try to work our way as good as we can in the regular season and do well in the playoffs. “And hopefully look down the road to the Memorial Cup.”	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2067
__label__cc	0.698392	0.301608	Share this Story: Antiques: 1860s mahogany bureau de dame is worth a tidy sum Antiques: 1860s mahogany bureau de dame is worth a tidy sum John Sewell Feb 27, 2017 • February 27, 2017 • 3 minute read Q: This desk was in our Toronto family home from when I was a child in the 1950s. I have no idea of its age except that it’s obviously very old. It is walnut and probably from Europe, according to an acquaintance of ours. I couldn’t find any antique secretaire desks like it online. It has no identifying marks. It is 79 cm wide at the legs, 50 cm deep and 140 cm high to the top of the finial. (31 x 19.5 x 55 inches). I would love to know more about the history of the desk, if possible. — Vicki, Ottawa Antiques: 1860s mahogany bureau de dame is worth a tidy sum Back to video A: This is known as a lady’s desk, or bureau de dame, and would appear to be French in origin – likely dating to sometime between 1860 – 70. I believe it’s mahogany, rather than walnut, although the colour is certainly a bit faded. The secondary wood used in the drawer looks like mahogany as well. The many rococo design elements, including the carved cyma curves and plentiful scrolls, were popularized during the reign of Louis XV (1715 – 1774). Other French influences include the ebonized fleur-de-lis in the broken arch pediment, the cabriole legs, and the almost-hidden front drawer forming part of the apron. This delicate piece is both lovely and practical, and is worth $750. Featuring rococo design elements and carved cyma curves, this 1860s mahogany desk is worth around $750. - Q: I have recently become the fourth generation custodian of this figurine. It originated in England and was brought to Canada in the early 1920s when the family immigrated here. Moulded into the back is a name: the word ‘Depose’ and the number ‘1293.’ The figurine measures 19 cm in height (7.5 inches). It must have been of some value, possibly sentimental value, as it is one of a few items they brought with them. Do you know anything of its origin and value? Thank you. — Mike, Ottawa A: This charming little girl is the work of Belgian artist Gustave Van Vaerenbergh (1873-1927), who hailed from the town of Schaerbeek in the district of Brussels. He is most well known for sculpting busts like yours, and his models have been fashioned in terra cotta, marble, alabaster, bronze and polychromed plaster. Yours is plaster, coloured to look like bronze. This affordable material provided decorations for a much wider segment of the population, especially after the Great Depression of the 1930s. “Depose” means the design 1293 was registered, and several would have been produced. A St. Louis, Missouri company called Roman Art Company used his designs as well, although yours was likely produced in either Belgium or France. It’s worth about $75. This figurine was created by Belgian artist Gustave Van Vaerenbergh and would fetch around $75. - Q:This jam-making pan belonged to my great great grandfather, who was born in England during the early 1800s. He not only made jam but was a chandler, confectioner and grocer. The pan weighs 2.7 kg (6 pounds), is 34 cm in diameter and 17 cm high with the handles (13.5 x 6.5 inches) which are held in place with four rivets each. It is made of copper and the rim is rolled and hammered in place over an iron rod to make it more rigid. It doesn’t have any markings, so perhaps it was made locally in Wiltshire. I don’t know if he was the first to use this pan but I doubt that he was the last. I’d like to know how common a pan like this would have been, back in the day, and of course its value would be of interest as well. — Diane, Manotick A: Granddad’s jam pan (also known as a preserving pan) was likely made between 1840 – 1880. Pans made earlier would have dovetailed seams running vertically between the handles and around the bottom perimeter, and pans made later would not have been made of copper. Your provenance suggests an English manufacture. Copper items have been collected heavily for some time, but interest has leveled out in recent years. Asking prices range higher, but active selling seems to be around $300 for your wonderful and practical heirloom. This copper preserving pan was made in the 1800s and would be worth $300 today. - John Sewell is an antiques and fine art appraiser. To submit an item to his column, go to the ‘Contact John’ page atwww.johnsewellantiques.ca. Please measure your piece, say when and how you got it, what you paid and list any identifying marks. A high-resolution jpeg photo must also be included. (Only email submissions accepted.) * Appraisal values are estimates only.*	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2068
__label__wiki	0.787815	0.787815	Indian Blues American Indians and the Politics of Music, 1879–1934 By John W. Troutman Music / Ethnomusicology Social Science / Ethnic Studies / American / Native American Studies W. Turrentine Jackson Award , Best First Book on the History of the West, Western History Association From the late nineteenth century through the 1920s, the U.S. government sought to control practices of music on reservations and in Indian boarding schools. At the same time, Native singers, dancers, and musicians created new opportunities through musical performance to resist and manipulate those same policy initiatives. Why did the practice of music generate fear among government officials and opportunity for Native peoples? In this innovative study, John W. Troutman explores the politics of music at the turn of the twentieth century in three spheres: reservations, off-reservation boarding schools, and public venues such as concert halls and Chautauqua circuits. On their reservations, the Lakotas manipulated concepts of U.S. citizenship and patriotism to reinvigorate and adapt social dances, even while the federal government stepped up efforts to suppress them. At Carlisle Indian School, teachers and bandmasters taught music in hopes of imposing their “civilization” agenda, but students made their own meaning of their music. Finally, many former students, armed with saxophones, violins, or operatic vocal training, formed their own “all-Indian” and tribal bands and quartets and traversed the country, engaging the market economy and federal Indian policy initiatives on their own terms. While recent scholarship has offered new insights into the experiences of “show Indians” and evolving powwow traditions, Indian Blues is the first book to explore the polyphony of Native musical practices and their relationship to federal Indian policy in this important period of American Indian history. John W. Troutman is Assistant Professor of History at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette. While it is incredibly rare for an author's first published work to be of great significance, Troutman (Univ. of Louisiana, Lafayette) has done exactly that with this most imaginative and intellectually original book...[Troutman] enlightens and engages readers with great storytelling buttressed by a masterful command of subject... [He] delivers a riveting analysis of the interplay between the complex politics of powwows and the powerful forms of performance art that are the centerpieces of the gatherings...Summing Up: Highly recommended.—Choice John Troutman's Indian Blues is a thoroughly engaging and masterfully researched book that considers the myriad ways in which music and dance operate as expressions of resistance...It opens a new window onto how music practice tied into the politics of race, citizenship, and cultural agency in a period when Native Americans were being written out of history by politicians, composers and historians. Indian Blues attests to the moral and logical failure of that narrative, and sets a high standard for future scholarship on the historical study of Native American music in the early twentieth century.—Notes John W. Troutman argues in Indian Blues that historians ‘have traditionally . . . ignored the relationship of music to change over time’. Troutman ably challenges this deficiency with a well-researched, accessible book that “explores how the deployment of musical practice, by American Indians, OIA officials, and the non-Indian public alike, shaped the implementation of federal Indian policy" ...Indian Blues is a key work for readers interested in Native American history and the complex relationship between politics and culture.—Western Historical Quarterly For Troutman, music is more than sound; it is contested cultural terrain, the discursive product of a ‘cacophony of voices’ that ‘encompasses not only singers, dancers, and musicians but audience members,’ including the policymakers who attempt to regulate performances...[W]hat Troutman offers is a way to reconceive U.S. politics. Despite being largely excluded from congress, the courts, or the media, Native Americans were and are a part of U.S. political discourse and fully capable of steering this discourse in their favor.—American Quarterly John W. Troutman's Indian Blues is an in-depth exploration of a period too often neglected in Native American histories: from the beginnings of the reservation system through the early twentieth century and the 1934 Wheeler-Howard Act (often known as the Indian Reorganization Act or the Indian New Deal). It also focuses on a form of cultural expression that is too often unexamined by historians who feel they lack the technical expertise to engage in a sophisticated discussion: musical and choreographic expression. The result is a lovely volume that adds important insights about the new forms of community building and intercultural communication that emerged under the bureaucracy of administrative regimentation.—The Journal of American History Many historians have tackled the question of American Indian relations with the federal government and the associated issues of ethnic identity and educational policies but John Troutman has the distinction of being the first to do so from the perspective of music. His study is at once innovative, informative, and significant for offering a new way of assessing old problems with a fresh eye. While it is well understood that music and dance were (and still are) important in American Indian cultures, they are usually relegated to insignificance in reconstructing history. This volume therefore rectifies an important oversight.—Journal of Folklore Research The major contribution of this text is that, by bringing together in a single narrative all of the different elements of federal and Euro-American cultural control and repression and then juxtaposing them with Native actions of resistance, accommodation, creativity, and agency, Troutman has illuminated how disparate aspects of governmental, political, and social influence over Native musical lives actually interconnected over a period of fifty-five years. And in doing this, he has brought a unified historical vision to the subject matter, allowing it to be conceptualized and theorized in new ways. Troutman also has created an engaging account accessible to non-specialists, which fulfills one of the primary aims of Applied Native Studies in making this history available to the larger indigenous American community.—American Historical Review John Troutman provides much-needed illumination into an area of Native American studies that has been largely under-researched. In tracing the historical trajectory of how and why Native peoples utilized music and dance, both “traditional” and contemporary, Troutman gives us insight into the ways American Indians resist oppression and hold fast to their heritage, even as traditions evolve. In concentrating on the most-forced assimilative reservation period, Troutman shows us that music and dance became, for many groups and individuals, a mode of survivance.--—American Indian Culture and Research Journal Volume 3 in New Directions in Native American Studies Series 24 b&w illus. Paperback 978-0-8061-4269-2	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2069
__label__wiki	0.572098	0.572098	You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘Chicago’ tag. Ill. House speaker launches impeachment panel December 15, 2008 in Barack Obama, democrats, Obama \| Tags: Andy McKenna, Chairman, Chicago, corruption charges, House Minority Leader Tom Cross, ill, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Illinois House, Illinois Republican Party, impeachment, Mr. Blagojevich, President-elect Barack Obama, Senate seat, Springfield \| Leave a comment SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The speaker of the Illinois House took the first step Monday toward impeaching scandal-plagued Gov. Rod Blagojevich, appointing a committee to recommend whether he should be ousted after his arrest on federal corruption charges. “We’re going to proceed with all due speed, but we’re going to make sure that what we do is done correctly,” said Speaker Michael Madigan, who often has clashed with fellow Democrat Blagojevich. Once the committee makes a recommendation, the full House will formally decide whether to file impeachment charges. The Senate then would rule on the charges. Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday on federal fraud and bribery charges, including allegations of a scheme to profit from his power to appoint a replacement for the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. The state constitution gives lawmakers broad authority to impeach a governor for any reason they consider sufficient. The governor, who remains defiant and returned to work Monday to sign a tax credit bill, had no immediate reaction to the impeachment committee, spokesman Lucio Guerrero said after Madigan’s announcement. “Impeachment talk’s nothing new for this governor,” Guerrero said. “They’ve been talking about it for a long time.” Indeed, Madigan said Monday his staff has been reviewing the legal possibilities for impeachment for about a year. His office produced a memo earlier this year outlining all the arguments legislative candidates could make in favor of impeachment. Blagojevich’s administration has been under a federal corruption investigation for years. Read it all… Obama’s Effort on Ethics Bill Had Role in Governor’s Fall December 10, 2008 in Barack Obama, Obama \| Tags: Antoin Rezko, “pay to play”, Blagojevich administration, campaign donations, Chicago, Emil Jones Jr., ethics bill, Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Hyde Park, Illinois Democratic Party, Illinois governor, Illinois politics, Illinois Senate, major fund-raiser, Mayor Richard Daley, President-elect Obama, Senator John Kerry, state ethics law, State Senate rac \| Leave a comment Senator Barack Obama was joined by Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich, left, and Mayor Richard M. Daley in Chicago in April 2007. In a sequence of events that neatly captures the contradictions of Barack Obama’s rise through Illinois politics, a phone call he made three months ago to urge passage of a state ethics bill indirectly contributed to the downfall of a fellow Democrat he twice supported, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich. Mr. Obama placed the call to his political mentor, Emil Jones Jr., president of the Illinois Senate. Mr. Jones was a critic of the legislation, which sought to curb the influence of money in politics, as was Mr. Blagojevich, who had vetoed it. But after the call from Mr. Obama, the Senate overrode the veto, prompting the governor to press state contractors for campaign contributions before the law’s restrictions could take effect on Jan. 1, prosecutors say. Tipped off to Mr. Blagojevich’s efforts, federal agents obtained wiretaps for his phones and eventually overheard what they say was scheming by the governor to profit from his appointment of a successor to the United States Senate seat being vacated by President-elect Obama. One official whose name has long been mentioned in Chicago political circles as a potential successor is Mr. Jones, a machine politician who was viewed as a roadblock to ethics reform but is friendly with Mr. Obama. Beyond the irony of its outcome, Mr. Obama’s unusual decision to inject himself into a statewide issue during the height of his presidential campaign was a reminder that despite his historic ascendancy to the White House, he has never quite escaped the murky and insular world of Illinois politics. It is a world he has long navigated, to the consternation of his critics, by engaging in a kind of realpolitik, Chicago-style, which allowed him to draw strength from his relationships with important players without becoming compromised by their many weaknesses. By the time Mr. Obama intervened on the ethics measure, his relationship with Mr. Blagojevich, always defined more by political proximity than by personal chemistry, had cooled as the governor became increasingly engulfed in legal troubles. There is nothing in the criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday to indicate that Mr. Obama knew anything about plans to seek money and favors in exchange for his Senate seat; he has never been implicated in any other “pay to play” cases that have emerged from the long-running investigation of the Blagojevich administration. Read it all … Biden Has His Say (Once Again) December 3, 2008 in Barack Obama, Biden, Joe Biden, Obama \| Tags: Chicago, Governors Meeting, Joe Biden, Obama, Philadelphia, VP-elect \| Leave a comment Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. at the National Governors’ Association meeting. (Photo: Jeff Haynes/Reuters) PHILADELPHIA – Vice President Cheney always seemed to relish working in the shadows. After all, he’s the one who popularized the term “undisclosed location.” But that doesn’t seem to suit his successor. Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. appeared glad to be out in public on Tuesday when he joined President-elect Barack Obama in meeting with the nation’s governors here. In the month since the election, he has been the mostly silent sidekick, joining Mr. Obama in private meetings and standing behind him wordlessly during news conferences. But this week, Mr. Biden looks to be unleashed, at least a little bit. He was given a speaking role both at the unveiling of the national security team in Chicago on Monday and then again during the meeting with the National Governors’ Association here on Tuesday. By word count, he even had somewhat more to say to the governors than Mr. Obama did. And then there was that little moment that may or may not have been revealing. At one point during his remarks, Mr. Biden noted the presence of his former opponent, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, and greeted her warmly. “Since the race is over, no one pays attention to me at all,” Mr. Biden said. “So maybe you will walk outside with me or something later and say hello to me.” Obama caps inaugural contributions November 27, 2008 in Barack Obama, Obama \| Tags: Barack Obama, Center for Responsive Politics, Chicago, Commerce, Fundraising, Inaugural Balls, inauguration, John Rogers, Josh Earnest, Julianna Smoot, National Mall, Patrick Ryan, Penny Pritzker, Washington, white house, William Daley \| Leave a comment WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama has named a team of high-profile executives and fundraisers to oversee his inauguration and imposed limits on who can contribute to it and how much they can give. The group leading the Jan. 20 celebrations includes Chicago Bears part-owner Patrick Ryan, former Commerce secretary William Daley, and Penny Pritzker, a billionaire Chicago businesswoman who helped Obama raise record sums as his campaign’s finance chairwoman. No budget has been set. Fundraising for President Bush’s inauguration in 2004 surpassed $42 million, federal records show. While presidential candidates can collect no more than $2,300 in campaign contributions from individuals per primary and general election, federal law sets no limits on inaugural fundraising. Obama, who vowed during the campaign that special interests would not yield undue influence in his White House, is limiting inaugural contributions to $50,000 each and will not accept money from corporations, unions, political action committees, or federal lobbyists, inaugural spokesman Josh Earnest said. Individuals who raise money on behalf of the inaugural committee cannot collect more than $300,000 each, he said. Obama, however, still will accept donations from corporate executives, wealthy individuals and former federal lobbyists. “While this isn’t a perfect solution, it’s a clear indication that he’s taking serious steps to change business as usual in Washington,” Earnest said. Sheila Krumholz of the nonpartisan watchdog group Center for Responsive Politics said Obama’s move marks the tightest restrictions on inaugural giving. But wealthy donors still can try to use their contributions to gain access to the president-elect, she added. “If you have the means, you can essentially buy elite status … you may even get prime seats for the parade and (inaugural) ball tickets in the process.” Earnest said big donors will not have an inside track in the new administration. The committee also plans a grass-roots fundraising campaign to collect money from a broad cross-section of Americans, he said. Other members of the inaugural team: Obama fundraiser John Rogers, CEO of Chicago-based Ariel Investments, and Julianna Smoot, who served as Obama’s national finance director. The federal government provides $1.2 million in public funds to pay for the swearing-in and a luncheon. Private donations pay for most other activities — from the splashy Inaugural Balls to installing jumbo television screens on the National Mall, where spillover crowds will watch the ceremony. Bush imposed a $250,000 cap on inaugural donations in 2004 but did not bar corporate contributions. Source: USA Today Happy Birthday, Mr. Vice President-elect November 19, 2008 in Barack Obama, Biden, Joe Biden, Obama \| Tags: 66, Chicago, Happy Birthday, Mr. Vice President-elect, Obama Transition HQ, President-elect Obama, Vice-President Elect \| Leave a comment In Chicago today, at Obama Transition HQ, President-elect Obama surprised the Vice President-elect, who will turn 66 tomorrow. After their weekly lunch, Mr. Obama presented Mr. Biden cupcakes, Obama aides say. Here is a picture from the Obama Transition Team: Obama lit the candles on the 12 cupcakes and brought them over to Biden. “You’re 12 years old!” Obama joked, referring to the dozen cupcakes. “Maybe in dog years!” Biden laughed. Mr. Obama led the staff in singing him “Happy Birthday,” and then gifted his loquacious running mate with a Chicago White Sox Hat, a Chicago Bears Hat and a bucket of Garrett’s popcorn as gifts. Source: ABCNewsBlog William Ayers Speaks to ‘GMA’ (Video) November 14, 2008 in Barack Obama, John McCain, McCain, Obama, Palin, Republican, Sarah Palin \| Tags: 40 years ago, 60's radical, associations, barack, Barack Obama, Bill, board, bombings, book, campaign, career, Chicago, Chis Cuomo, Clinton, coffee, condemned, Cuomo, domestic, friend, GMA, Good Morning America, guilt association, guilt by association, guy, home, Illinois, John, McCain, myth, neighborhood, Obama, Palin, palling, past, Pentagon, police headquarters, professors, relationship, Sarah, terrorist, Vietnam, Weather Underground, William Ayers \| Leave a comment ‘Good Morning America’s’ Chris Cuomo Grills ’60s Radical Bill Ayers William Ayers, the 1960s radical whose violent history became a focal point in the 2008 presidential election, said today that the Republicans unfairly “demonized” him in an attempt to damage the campaign of President-elect Barack Obama. Ayers remained militant in his defense of his bomb-throwing past and repeated a statement that has infuriated his critics: “I don’t think we did enough.” The college professor also argued to “Good Morning America’s” Chis Cuomo today that the bombing campaign by the group he helped found, the Weather Underground, was not terrorism. The Weather Underground bombed the Capitol, the Pentagon and the New York City Police Department to protest the Vietnam War. “It’s not terrorism because it doesn’t target people, to kill or injure,” Ayers insisted. Ayers became a bogeyman for Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin, who demanded to know more about Obama’s relationship with his Chicago neighbor. Palin accused Obama of “palling around … with a terrorist.” Breaking his silence, Ayers told Cuomo that the GOP attack was a “dishonest narrative…to demonize me.” He added, “I don’t buy the idea that guilt by association should have any part of our politics,” he said. Ayers scoffed at the Republican effort to make his ties to Obama appear suspicious. “This idea that we need to know more, like there’s some dark, hidden secret, some secret link,” Ayers said. “It’s a myth thrown up by people who want to exploit the politics of fear.” But he was unapologetic about his militant actions during the Vietnam War. “What you call the violent past, that was a time when thousands of people were being murdered every month by our own government… We were on the right side,” he told “GMA.” The co-founder of the Weather Underground was, as McCain has claimed, unrepentant about the the bombings his group committed during the 1960s. “The content of the Vietnam protest is that there were despicable acts going on, but the despicable acts were being done by our goverment… I never hurt or killed anyone,” Ayers said. “Frankly, I dont think we did enough, just as today I dont’ think we’ve done enough to stop these wars,” he said. Ayers Says He Is ‘Family Friend’ of Obama Ayers did soften his stand on violence during the “GMA” interview. “We knew it was wrong. We knew it was illegal. We knew it was immoral,” he said, but they felt they “had to do more” to stop the Vietnam war. He urged people today “to participate in resistance, in nonviolent,direct action” to stop the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ayers, 63, currently a distinguished professor of education at the University of Illinois at Chicago, became a political piñata for McCain, R-Ariz., and Palin during the presidential campaign. Despite Obama’s attempt to portray their relationship as a distant one, Ayers, in a new afterward to his book “Fugitive Days,” describes Obama as a “neighbor and family friend.” On “GMA,” Ayers again downplayed any close ties to Obama despite the reference to”family friend.” “I’m talking there about the fact that I became an issue, unwillingly and unwittingly,” he said. “It was a profoundly dishonest narrative… I’m describing there how the blogosphere characterized the relationship.” “I would say, really, that we knew each other in a professional way on the same level of, say, thousands of other people,” he said. He added, echoing a phrase that Obama used to describe Ayers, “I am a guy around the neighborhood.” Ayers acknowledged that he held a reception in his home when Obama began his political run for state office. “He was probably in 20 homes that day,” Ayers said. During the campaign, Obama tried to defuse the Ayers issue by condemning Ayers’ past actions as “detestable.” “The notion that … me knowing somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8 years old, somehow reflects on me and my values, doesn’t make much sense,” Obama argued. Sarah Palin Still Concerned About Ayers Tie Ayers made a point of remaining silent during the presidential race, but his proximity to Obama was highlighted on Election Day when the two men nearly ran into each other in the same polling place. As recently as Wednesday, Palin was still raising the Ayers’ issue, telling NBC that she was still concerned about Obama’s relationship to the former radical. Palin was the fiercest critic of the Obama-Ayers tie, accusing Obama of “palling around with a domestic terrorist.” Ayers was a co-founder of the Weather Underground, a radical anti-war group said responsible for a militant bombing campaign against government targets. While he was a fugitive, he married Bernardine Dorhn, another member of the Weather Underground. Obama and Ayers have several connections. The two men have also served on boards together, including the Woods Fund of Chicago and the Chicago Annenberg Challenge. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton? November 14, 2008 in Barack Obama, Clinton, democrats, Health, Obama \| Tags: Bill Richardson, Chicago, Clinton, hillary clinton, john kerry, NBC, Secretary of State, SoS, Tom Daschle \| Leave a comment Though Bill Richards might be very good for relations with South America. Although I like Clinton’s stance on dealing with the Arabs on oil ~ when she say Bush begging the Arabs to lower the price that this was his administration’s energy plan. Then we have to remember that Hillary’s big thing is health ~ she might better serve here. Andrea Mitchell has a huge scoop — or a big red herring. The part that really jumps out is the secret trip to Chi-town. The Clinton camp –which has shot down these kinds of reports before — isn’t denying (read after excerpt): Two Obama advisers have told NBC News that Hillary Clinton is under consideration to be secretary of state. Would she be interested? Those who know Clinton say possibly. But her office says that any decisions about the transition are up to the president-elect and his team. Clinton was seen taking a flight to Chicago today, but an adviser says it was on personal business. It is unknown whether she had any meeting or conversation with Obama while there. Other Democrats known to want the State Department post are Sen. John Kerry and Gov. Bill Richardson. A possible compromise choice would be former Sen. Tom Daschle. Clinton, who ridiculed Obama during the primaries as inexperienced on foreign affairs, has previously poo-pooed SoS chatter. Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines: “[A]ny speculation about cabinet or other administration appointments is really for President-Elect Obama’s transition team to address.” The first Obamaaide we got on the phone wouldn’t confirm or deny. For Obama and Family, a Personal Transition November 14, 2008 in Barack Obama, democrats, Obama, white house \| Tags: Barack Obama, Chicago, hermitlike, Hyde Park, Hyde Park Hair Salon, Illinois, inauguration, Jan. 20, Jan. 20 inauguration, Secret Service, transition \| 2 comments Obamas Hyde Park home now a fortress CHICAGO — A couple of weeks ago, Barack Obama headed to the Hyde Park Hair Salon for a trim. He greeted the staff and other customers and plopped down in the same chair in front of the same barber who has cut his hair for the last 14 years. But when he wanted a trim this week, the Secret Service took one look at the shop’s large plate-glass windows and the gawking tourists eager for a glimpse of the president-elect and the plan quickly changed. If Mr. Obama could no longer come to the barber, the barber would come to him and cut his hair at a friend’s apartment. Life for the newly chosen president and his family has changed forever. Even the constraints and security of the campaign trail do not compare to the bubble that has enveloped him in the 10 days since his election. Renegade, as the Secret Service calls him, now lives within the strict limits that come with the most powerful office on the planet. “It’s always just the two of them,” said Tony Mantuano, the chef and co-owner of Spiaggia. “Now it’s just the two of them and 30 Secret Service agents.” He has chosen to spend this interval before his Jan. 20 inauguration at his home in Hyde Park, which has in some ways been transformed into a secure fortress for his protection. After two years of daily speeches and rallies, he has retreated into an almost hermitlike seclusion, largely hidden from public view and spotted only when he drops his two daughters off for school or goes for a workout at the gymnasium in a friend’s apartment building. “This is a tremendous personal transition, as well, far beyond what anyone could imagine,” said Alexi Giannoulias, the Illinois state treasurer and a close friend. “Little things, like going to the gym, going to the movies, going to dinner with his wife, none of that will ever be the same again. Things that we take for granted.” Mr. Obama is putting off the change as much as he can by remaining in Chicago during the transition. “I am not going to be spending too much time in Washington over the next several weeks,” he told someone in a telephone conversation overheard by reporters on his chartered plane heading back to Chicago after a White House visit on Monday. Catching a glimpse of Obamas motorcade Obama: Veterans Day Pics. November 12, 2008 in Barack Obama, Obama, Veterans \| Tags: Bronze Soldiers Memorial, Chicago, Iraq war veteran, Tammy Duckworth, Veterans Affairs, wreath laying ceremony \| Leave a comment President-elect Barack Obama, right, hugged Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth after a wreath laying ceremony at the Bronze Soldiers Memorial in Chicago in honor of Veteran's Day. Ms. Duckworth is the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. NYT. Obama honors veterans, lays wreath in Chicago (Video) November 12, 2008 in Barack Obama, democrats, Obama, Veterans \| Tags: ceremony, Chicago, Obama, Veterans, veterans day, wreath-laying \| Leave a comment Oprah Winfrey cries on ‘Human Hanky’ man during Obama’s election (Video) November 8, 2008 in Barack Obama, Biden, Comedy, democrats, Joe Biden, Obama \| Tags: Chicago, CNN, cried, historic election, human hanky, Jeanne Moos, man, moos, Obama, Oprah Winfrey, president, show, stranger's shoulder, supporter \| Leave a comment Obama talks dogs, refers to himself as ‘mutt like me’!! [press highlights] [Video] November 8, 2008 in Barack Obama, Biden, Comedy, democrats, Joe Biden, Obama, white house \| Tags: allergic, Barack Obama, Biden, Chicago, Chief Staff, Clinton, daughters, dog, economic adviser, mutt, Obama, president-elect, press conference, seance, transition, white house \| Leave a comment Obama meets with economic advisers [Photo-op] President-Elect to Hold Presser Friday November 7, 2008 in Barack Obama, Biden, democrats, Economy, Joe Biden, Obama, white house \| Tags: Chicago, meet press, Obama, press comference, presser \| Leave a comment Obama will discuss the U.S. financial challenges ahead of him with his “transition economic advisory board” then field questions from the press for the first time since Tuesday’s victory. Presser will kick off in Chicago at 2:30 pm ET. Read more details here. Aides say he plans to stay home through the weekend with a blackout on news announcements so he and his staff can get some rest. Senator Barack Obama Election Night Speech (Full Video) November 5, 2008 in Barack Obama, Biden, democrats, Joe Biden, John McCain, McCain, Obama, Palin, Republican, Sarah Palin \| Tags: C-SPAN, Chicago, Election, Obama, speech, victory \| Leave a comment Der Spiegel: The Serenity of Barack Obama November 5, 2008 in Barack Obama, Biden, democrats, Joe Biden, John McCain, McCain, Obama, Palin, Republican, Sarah Palin \| Tags: Chicago, Germany, Obama, world leaders \| 2 comments Barack Obama has done it. On Tuesday, Americans elected their first black president — and a genuine intellectual. It is the crowning of one of the most rapid political rises ever, but the real work is only now set to begin. Democrat Barack Obama beat Republican contender John McCain by a clear margin in Tuesday’s presidential election and made history by becoming the country’s first African-American president. “If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer,” Obama told hundreds of thousands of elated supporters in Chicago. Despite his historic triumph, the ecstatic cheering of the crowd and the scale of the challenges facing him, Obama looked as calm and collected as ever as he addressed his supporters. Just one night earlier, the comedy show Saturday Night Live took one last opportunity to lampoon the candidates. And the candidates’ doubles make it clear just how different the outcome could have been for Barack Obama. The parody is a reminder of how Obama could have featured in America’s consciousness in this crazy, never-ending campaign. The Americans aren’t just sending the first African American president to the White House. They have also elected a pensive intellectual, regardless of all the Internet euphoria and “Yes We Can” chants. “One of the striking ironies is that a man who draws tens of thousands of people to his rallies, whose charisma is likened to that of John F. Kennedy, can be sort of a bore,” wrote the Los Angeles Times. Where Are the Sweat Stains? He’s a candidate who likes to read the philosophy of Reinhold Niebuhr. And one who doesn’t get sweat stains on his ironed white shirt, even in the sweltering heat of Nevada or Indiana. He has studied the Socratic Method applied at US law schools — the principle of eliciting truth through the astute interplay of questions and answers. His wonderfully composed speeches rarely betray a sense of humor. He’s evidently a devoted family man and a proud father. Such characteristics herald a new era in the White House. The Democratic icons John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton were strong intellectuals as well, but they had rough edges and they were almost pathological womanizers. Model Republican Ronald Reagan turned his anti-intellectualism into a virtue, as of course did George W. Bush. His father George Bush senior also liked to mask his Yale education and foreign policy expertise with cowboy boots. Will Obama’s erudition help him in the White House? Or will he be easy prey for the hands-on Democratic Congressmen and women who are up for election every two years and must pay close attention to the will of the people? Will the new president’s intellectual leanings jar with the desire for action among the Internet generation that voted him into office? Will it be an obstacle to taking quickfire decisions as commander-in-chief? Obama’s curious ability to remain untouched by all the razzmatazz around him is likely to prove a source of strength. His political career has been one of the most astonishing of all times. At the Democratic National Convention eight years ago he wasn’t even invited to the important parties. He readily admits that whoever gave him the name Barack Hussein Obama cannot have expected him to become a presidential candidate. THE WORLD WELCOMES OBAMA “My heartfelt congratulations on your historic victory in the presidential elections.””At the beginning of your administration, the world faces momentous challenges. I am convinced that, with closer and more trusting cooperation between the US and Europe, we can resolutely confront the novel challenges and dangers facing us…. You can be sure that my government is fully aware of how important the trans-Atlantic partnership is for our futures.” “It is my pleasure to invite you to visit Germany in the near future.” German President Horst Köhler “In the name of my fellow citizens, I would like to offer you my heartfelt congratulations on your election to the president of the United States.” “We increasingly recognize how important it is for countries to work together. The international community has a responsibility to work together for peace, freedom and prosperity, in the battle against poverty and to protect our planet… My country is prepared to face these challenges together with the United States of America.” French President Nicolas Sarkozy “With the world in turmoil and doubt, the American people, faithful to the values that have always defined America’s identity, have expressed with force their faith in progress and the future. At a time when we must face huge challenges together, your election has raised enormous hope in France, in Europe and beyond.” European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso “We need to change the current crisis into a new opportunity. We need a new deal for a new world. I sincerely hope that with the leadership of President Obama, the United States of America will join forces with Europe to drive this new deal — for the benefit of our societies, for the benefit of the world.” Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende “The necessity for cooperation between Europe and the United States is bigger than ever. Only by close trans-Atlantic cooperation can we face the world’s challenges.” British Prime Minister Gordon Brown “It has been an important election. I think the most important thing that follows from it is that America and Europe will have to work together to deal with the international problems we face, not just the financial crisis, but also stopping protectionism, making sure we work for stability and particularly peace in the Middle East.” Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai “I applaud the American people for their great decision and I hope that this new administration in the United States of America, and the fact of the massive show of concern for hhuman beings and lack of interest in race and color while electing the president, will go a long way in bringing the same values to the rest of the world sooner or later.” Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki “We the Kenyan people are immensely proud of your Kenyan roots. Your victory is not only an inspiration to millions of people all over the world, but it has special resonance with us here in Kenya.” Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni “Israel expects the close strategic cooperation with the new administration, president and Congress will continue along with the continued strengthening of the special and unshakeable special relationship between the two countries.” Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh “Your extraordinary journey to the White House will inspire people not only in your country but also around the world.” Chinese President Hu Jintao “The Chinese Government and I myself have always attached great importance to China-US relations. In the new historic era, I look forward to working together with you to continuously strengthen dialogue and exchanges between our two countries.” Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso “The Japan-US alliance is key to Japanese diplomacy and it is the foundation for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. With President-elect Obama, I will strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance further and work towards resolving global issues such as the world economy, terror and the environment.” Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd “Senator Obama’s message of hope is not just for America’s future, it is also a message of hope for the world as well. A world which is now in many respects fearful for its future.” But now the disastrous legacy of the Bush era has transformed this man with the strange name and the dark skin into someone the whole world is pinning its hopes on. Well over 200,000 people came to listen to him speak in Berlin in July; he really is the biggest “celebrity” in the world, as McCain jibed during the campaign. But even attacks like that provoked nothing but bemusement in Obama. It made television host Chris Matthews wonder openly whether Obama was capable of ever getting worked up about anything. Obama’s sanguine nature could have been interpreted as a lack of passion in the election campasign, but the financial crisis turned that into a virtue. He suddenly appeared calm and presidential, while McCain seemed unpredictable and jumpy. Fate on His Side It was yet another example of the luck that has accompanied Obama throughout his political career. When he ran for the US Senate as a newcomer four years ago, his designated Republican opponent had to give up due to a dirty divorce dispute. Only three years later he was up against Hillary Clinton, the best-known political brand in the country, for the Democratic nomination. But she underestimated Obama for too long, was too late in slipping into the role of a fighter, and wasn’t exactly helped by her husband whose latently racist comments about Obama drove African Americans into his arms. Click for interactive When it came to the general campaign, fate provided him with a rival who didn’t play the race card. And one who, no matter how hard he tried, was unable to sell an image as an independent-minded outsider. McCain went out of his way to distance himself from Bush, but then tried to win over his supporters by naming Sarah Palin as his running mate. The Republican candidate never found a congruous strategy. Obama, for his part, proved to be lucky and strategically astute. His campaign movement was the most perfect political start-up of all time — he collected almost a half a billion dollars in campaign donations and mobilized millions of supporters, many of them making a foray into politics for the very first time. Jonathan Alter of Newsweek wrote that Obama forever changed campaigning in the US. His message of “change” remained consistent from day one. Period of Belt-Tightening Rational as he is, Obama, of course, quietly bid adieu to the promise of real change in Washington — a radical shake-up of politics as we know it — as the campaign progressed. In the final months of the race, the newness has worn off his campaign as the candidate opted for pragmatism. He secured consultation from Washington insiders and his final television spots felt conventional as they praised American ideals in Kansas or the value of hard work. Even in the debate over how to respond to the financial crisis, he benefited more from his reticence than for making courageous policy proposals. Just like other politicians in the heat of a campaign, he was wary of telling Americans that a period of belt-tightening was on its way. That, though, is exactly what he will now have to do. And he won’t have much of a grace period to get used to his new job. The criticism that he has spent his career looking for the next challenge is not entirely wrong. Now, though, there is nowhere else to go. During the campaign, Obama left little doubt that he thinks he’s ready. And he exudes an aura of calm. A friend of Obama’s recalled to the Chicago Magazine last summer how crowds of supporters were already following Obama around Boston just before his famous 2004 speech to the Democratic National Convention. The friend, Martin Nesbitt, recalled saying “this is pretty unbelievable, man you’re like a rock star.” Obama replied, “it might be a little worse tomorrow…. It’s a pretty good speech.” Now, the Democrat is set to be sworn in on Jan. 20, 2009 as the 44th president of the United States, right in the middle of one of the worst crises America has ever faced. “We’ve got to hit the ground running,” Obama said last week. The US — and the world — have a lot riding on him doing exactly that. Barack Obama Votes in Chicago (Video) November 4, 2008 in Barack Obama, Biden, democrats, Joe Biden, Obama \| Tags: 2008, Barack Obama, Chicago, Election, Election Day, Illinois, michelle, obama votes, obama_voting_raw, pol, poll, president, raw video, votes \| Leave a comment Chicago Tribune endorses Barack Obama for president /1st Democrat in history October 18, 2008 in Barack Obama, Obama \| Tags: Chicago, Chicago Tribune Endorses Obama, Obama Endorsement \| Leave a comment On Dec. 6, 2006, this page encouraged Obama to join the presidential campaign. We wrote that he would celebrate our common values instead of exaggerate our differences. We said he would raise the tone of the campaign. We said his intellectual depth would sharpen the policy debate. In the ensuing 22 months he has done just that. Many Americans say they’re uneasy about Obama. He’s pretty new to them. We can provide some assurance. We have known Obama since he entered politics a dozen years ago. We have watched him, worked with him, argued with him as he rose from an effective state senator to an inspiring U.S. senator to the Democratic Party’s nominee for president. We have tremendous confidence in his intellectual rigor, his moral compass and his ability to make sound, thoughtful, careful decisions. He is ready. The change that Obama talks about so much is not simply a change in this policy or that one. It is not fundamentally about lobbyists or Washington insiders. Obama envisions a change in the way we deal with one another in politics and government. His opponents may say this is empty, abstract rhetoric. In fact, it is hard to imagine how we are going to deal with the grave domestic and foreign crises we face without an end to the savagery and a return to civility in politics. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Source: Chicago Tribune The Quantum Physics of McCain’s Ayers Attacks ~ Now Michelle Obama is Connected October 11, 2008 in Barack Obama, John McCain, McCain, Obama, Republican \| Tags: Ayers, Bernardine Dohrn, Chicago, law firm, Mccain Ayers, Mccain Bill Ayers, McCain campaign, Michelle Obama, Ms. Dohrn, Obama Ayers, Sidley & Austin \| Leave a comment William Ayers works as a professor – and likely there are a lot of students and faculty members who associate with him. The Woods Foundation which Obama and Ayers both worked on was started by a Republican. We are truly sorry for what the Murtagh went through as a result of the Ayers attack on their family home – some 40 years ago – but these accusations being made against Obama and now his wife are based on thin ice. The McCain campaign is now broadening their attack on Obama’s past association with William Ayers to include Michelle Obama — even though McCain has repeatedly said spouses should be off limits during the campaign. McCain is ditching yet another formerly-claimed principle The attack? Bernardine Dohrn, Ayers’ wife and fellow former Weatherman, went to work in 1984 for the major Chicago-based national law firm of Sidley & Austin, and three years later, Michelle joined the mega-firm as well. That’s the entire attack. We wish we were joking. But we aren’t. In launching this latest, McCain is ditching yet another formerly-claimed principle as he faces the growing likelihood of defeat. In a statement back in June, the McCain campaign said: “Senator McCain agrees with Senator Obama that spouses should not be an issue in this campaign, and he has stated that position frequently.” The attack on Michelle came on a McCain conference call with reporters this afternoon featuring John Murtagh, who has been hitting Obama over the Weather Underground’s attack on his family’s home back in 1970. Murtagh noted that Dohrn and Michelle Obama had both worked at the firm starting in the late 1980s. The firm’s Chicago office currently employs more than 500 lawyers. Murtagh didn’t even bother alleging that the two even knew each other, instead suggesting that they might have. If so, he said, the Obamas have known the two longer than suspected. “If it is true” that the two women knew each other, Murtagh said, “the relationship is almost a decade older than Senator Obama has acknowledged. And that can very easily be resolved by Senator Obama, by Mrs. Obama, by Mr. Ayers and by Ms. Dohrn.” “And incidentally, I would emphasize that we’ve all been focusing on Senator Obama,” said Murtagh. “I think we need to speak to his wife.” Keep in mind that this wasn’t any surrogate speaking off the cuff. He was on a call organized by the McCain campaign, and he was apparently reading from a prepared statement, which would of course have been vetted by McCain aides. And so another once-cherished McCain principle gets junked in the service of self-parody. Original radio broadcast Source: TPM Embarracuda ~ McCain campaign’s descent into ugliness October 7, 2008 in Barack Obama, Biden, Debates, Economy, Joe Biden, John McCain, McCain, Obama, Palin, Republican, Sarah Palin \| Tags: AIP, Alaska Independence Party, Andy martin, Bill Ayers, campaign, Chicago, economic crisis, education, Environment, insurance system, Israel, Jews, McCain, Muslim, palling around, Sarah Palin, sean hannity, secession, union, witchcraft, Wright \| 2 comments I’m of two minds about how to deal with the McCain campaign’s further descent into ugliness. Their strategy is simple: you throw crap against a wall and then giggle as the media try to analyze the putresence in a way that conveys a sense of balance: “Well, it is bull-pucky, but the splatter pattern is interesting…” which, of course, only serves to get your perverse message out. I really don’t want to be a part of that. But…every so often, we journalists have a duty to remind readers just how dingy the McCain campaign, and its right-wing acolytes in the media (I’m looking at you, Sean Hannity) have become–especially in their efforts to divert public attention from the economic crisis we’re facing. And so inept at it: other campaigns have decided that their only shot is going negative, but usually they don’t announce it, as several McCain aides have in recent days–there’s no way we can win on the economy, so we’re going to go sludge-diving. But since we are dealing with manure here, I’ll put the rest of this post below the fold. It is appropriate that the prime vessel for this assault is Sarah Palin, whose very presence on a national ticket is an insult to your intelligence. She now has “credibility,” we are told, because she managed to read talking points off notecards in the debate last week with unwitting enthusiasm. Over the weekend, she picked up on an article in The New York Times, which essentially says that Barack Obama and the former terrorist Bill Ayers have crossed paths in Chicago, served on a couple of charitable boards together, but aren’t particularly close. To Palin–or her scriptwriters–this means that Obama has been “palling around” with terrorists. Now, I wish Ayers had done some serious jail time; he certainly needed to pay some penance for his youthful criminality–even if most people in Chicago, including the mayor, have decided that he has something of value to say about education. But I can also understand how Obama, who was a child when Ayers was cutting his idiot swath, would not quite understand the enormity of the professor’s background. (I got to know Alger Hiss twenty years after the fact–he was a printing salesman then, a friend of my father’s–and thought of him as a sweet old man, if a good deal more liberal than dad’s other friends.) In any case, this is rather rich coming from Palin, who is married to a man who belonged to a political party–the Alaskan Independence Party–that wanted to secede from the union. (I should add here that the Times may have been overreacting to the McCain campaign’s attack on its fairness here: the Ayers story was a nothingburger, but it was placed prominently in the top left hand corner of page one–a position that would seem to indicate that it contained important news, which it didn’t.) Then we have the ever-reliable Bill Kristol, in today’s New York Times, advising Palin to bring up the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Palin, of course, believes that’s a darn good idea: “To tell you the truth, Bill, I don’t know why that association isn’t discussed more, because those were appalling things that that pastor had said about our great country, and to have sat in the pews for 20 years and listened to that — with, I don’t know, a sense of condoning it, I guess, because he didn’t get up and leave — to me, that does say something about character. But, you know, I guess that would be a John McCain call on whether he wants to bring that up.” So then, I’d guess, it would be appropriate to bring up some of the nuttiness that passes for godliness in Palin’s religious life. Leave aside the fact that The Embarracuda allowed herself to participate in a cermony that protected her from witchcraft, how about her presence–she didn’t “get up and leave”– at a sermon by the founder of Jews for Jesus, who argued that the Palestinian terrorist acts against Israel were God’s “judgment” on the Jews because they hadn’t accepted Jesus. Speaking of Jews, the ever-execrable Sean Hannity has been having intercourse with a known Jew-hater named Andy Martin, who now wants to expose Barack Obama as a Muslim. According to the Washington Times: In 1986, when Mr. Martin ran as a Democrat for Connecticut’s 3rd Congressional District seat under the name “Anthony R. Martin-Trigona,” his campaign committee filed papers saying its purpose was to “exterminate Jew power in America and impeach U.S. District Court of Appeals judges in New York City.” Calling all Podhoretzs! Where’s the outrage? I mean, don’t the hateful doings at Palin’s church and Hannity’s perfidy deserve a lengthy exegesis from Pete Wehner or Jennifer Rubin or one of the other empretzled ideologues over at Commentary? As I said, I’m of two minds about this. I don’t want to give currency to this sewage, so it will remain below the fold. And I’ll try to devote the lion’s share of my time to the issues–the war, the economic crisis, the fraying health insurance system, the environment–that should define this campaign. But what a desperate empty embarrassment the McCain campaign has become. Soure: TIME	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2070
__label__cc	0.728134	0.271866	1 International Max Planck Research School (Cologne) 1.1 Concept 1.2 Program 1.3 Further Updates International Max Planck Research School (Cologne) Home Contact Students Activities Resources Events The IMPRS on "The molecular basis of plant development and environmental interactions" started in September 2001 and is organized by the Max-Planck-Institute for Plant Breeding Research together with its partners from the Institute of Botany and the Institute of Biochemistry (University of Cologne). In addition to other IMPRS’, the school at MPIZ tries to break new ground by cooperating with three international partner institutions, which provide additional expertise in the field of molecular plant biology. The list of cooperating partners is completed by the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry (Poznan, Poland), the Institute for Plant Sciences (Gif sur Yvette, France) and the Biological Research Centre (Szeged, Hungary). The addition of international partners to the IMPRS therefore provides a link to existing European networks of scientific cooperation and bridges the cultural gap between existing and future member nations of the European Union. The constellation of participating institutions provides excellent training conditions and expertise in plant genetics, structural biology/biochemistry and cell biology. The program offers an interdisciplinary education for highly motivated students. Individual projects will e.g. include: structural and functional aspects of plant enzymes and regulatory proteins, intra- and intercellular signalling, exogenous signals for cell division and differentiation, determinants of plant-microbe development, molecular genetics of plant evolution, symbiotic and pathogenic plant/microbe interactions, resistance/tolerance to abiotic stress factors. An essential characteristic of the IMPRS is, that students from all countries can apply, and that the entire program including all the lectures and training courses will be taught in English. Therefore a high proficiency in English as a second language is required to enrol in the program. In this first phase the IMPRS is a true Ph.D. program. Students who want to apply must have a Masters degree in order to be admitted by the enrolling University of Cologne. The scope of the IMPRS Molecular Plant Development is that students finish their doctoral degree within 3 years. This is achieved by replacing the classical semester structure commonly in place at German Universities by an intense and particularly oriented training program. The program includes lectures, seminar series and laboratory courses. At the end of the program a written thesis and a successful thesis defence (“Disputation”) qualify for a Ph.D. (Dr. rer. nat.) degree. However, IMPRS students have the choice to receive their doctoral degree also from a university of their home country. The training includes regular seminars, experimental work under the supervision of a thesis committee, practical courses on e.g. reverse genetics, gene isolation, advanced microscopy, 3-D-structural analysis of proteins, bioinformatics, and novel mass spectrometry-based protein biochemistry at the participating institutions, soft skill classes, social and sports activities and a lot more..... (for further details see curriculum). Further Updates Ms. Susanna Bazzani likes to further update the web pages in future. Retrieved from "https://openwetware.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=IMPRS&oldid=45109"	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2071
__label__wiki	0.934065	0.934065	Album Review: Bruno Mars, “24k Magic” I recognize that I’m likely to be in a very small minority with my opinion. Superstar Bruno Mars has ascended to a level where fan defense prior to critical thinking is nearly an automatic trigger. It’s no wonder. After two ridiculously high-selling albums, Doo-Wops & Hooligans and Unorthodox Jukebox, and the “featured to end all featureds” on Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk” — doubtless that was the single of 2015 — he is now in a position of cracking sales for a record wide open before anyone’s heard a single track from it. This is both a great and terrible thing for an artist as genuinely ambitious and learned about pop as Mars is. Great because it puts one in a position of freedom. Terrible because…it puts one in a position of freedom. As a producer himself, making his initial bones by constructing hits for Travie McCoy and B.O.B., and for having a hand in CeeLo Green’s post-Gnarls smash “F* You,” Mars surely knows that sometimes you need someone to say, “maybe this is all a bit much.” So it is with an album with a title like 24k Magic, heavy-handed and singular in its mission, to do it to you all night long. Hard to get that impression when the record starts though, as the title track is the logical successor to “Uptown Funk.” The channel is now dialed into the late-’80s with tweeting synths and beats reminiscent of Motown at that time and, by and large, is entertaining. It isn’t until we swing to the next track, “Chunky,” which distressingly kept me flashing back to Eddie Murphy perusing the dirty magazine rack in the beginning of The Golden Child. Much as that was made a joke in the film, this song renders itself an unintentional joke, and yet another reductionist take on the female anatomy. The most obvious precursors to “Chunky” are “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-A-Lot, and even though I highly doubt this had any influence on Mars’ process, “I.L.B.Ts” from Joe Walsh’s You Bought It, You Name It — all a part of this fraternity. With the latter two songs, either they began life as novelties or time has eroded them into novelty status. That sets the scene for an uncomfortable suite of baby-makin’ jams like “That’s What I Like,” “Versace On The Floor,” “Straight Up & Down,” and “Calling All My Lovelies.” Bookending these are a couple of pretty good tracks: the James Brown-channeling “Perm” and the New Jack Swinging “Finesse.” The album closes with the nicely rendered retro of “Too Good To Say Goodbye.” That last track gets special mention because Mars collaborated with Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds on it (but of course he did). The overall effort sounds good, highly-crafted and polished. It would have to be. Aside from his own instincts, Mars has surrounded himself with quite a staff: The Stereotypes (producers for McCoy, Ne-Yo, and Justin Bieber, to name a few), Jeff Bhasker (fun., Kanye West), and the cryptically considered Shampoo Press & Curl collective which, rumor has it, is a reconfigured version of Mars’ own former production crew The Smeezingtons. No one doubts Mars’ ability to put out a collection of honed and harnessed modern pop music with a deep nod to the past. You could call 24k Magic a concept record if you take all these late-’80s and early-’90s touchpoints in aggregate, but what you’re left with is this feeling of a big step back rather than a homage to back then. The first two Bruno Mars albums felt like there was growth happening, even in those places where the naivete was thick and uncomfortable. You could tell he was a preternaturally gifted pop adherent but he was still a young man, and he approached his feelings like a young man would. He’s been through a lot since then, but 24k Magic feels regressive, like a retreat from maturity, right down to the smarmy Mack Daddy pose on the cover in silk pajamas. Just about everything here offers the voice of someone saying, “I can do what I want,” but just because you can does not mean you should. Freedom, as nearly every superhero movie has taught us, comes with responsibility. This album, while technically sounding good, sounds totally irresponsible. I suspect that’s exactly why people are going to like it and I’m on the wrong side of judgment, but I just don’t feel compelled to listen to 24k Magic again and, like him or not, that never was a problem with Bruno Mars before. CD Reviews, Music 24k Magic, B.o.B., Bruno Mars, Calling All My Lovelies, CeeLo Green, Chunky, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, F* You, Finesse, Gnarls Barkley, Jeff Bhasker, Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, Mark Ronson, Perm, Popdose album review, Popdose.com, Shampoo Press & Curl, Straight Up & Down, That's What I Like, The Smeezintons, The Stereotypes, Too Good To Say Goodbye, Travie McCoy, Unorthodox Jukebox, Uptown Funk, Versace On The Floor Dw. Dunphy Dw. Dunphy is a writer, artist, and musician. As a senior editor for Popdose he has contributed many articles that can be found in the site's archives. He also writes for New Jersey Stage, Musictap.net, Ultimate Classic Rock, and Diffuser FM. His music can be found at http://dwdunphy.bandcamp.com/. Suburban Metal Dad #589, “Raking Leaves (Or Not)” Exit Lines: “Sweet Charity”	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2081
__label__wiki	0.714338	0.714338	Philosophy & Science Einstein vs Logical Positivism Rossen Vassilev Jr. asks if modern physics has become too metaphysical. Logical positivism was a philosophical movement of the 1920s and 30s which wanted to introduce the methodology of science and mathematics to philosophy. As part of this ambition, the Vienna Circle (Wiener Kreis in German) of logical positivists tried to purge philosophy of metaphysics – by which they meant any speculation that could not be tested using the methods of modern empirical science. The members of the Vienna Circle, including its nominal leader Moritz Schlick, found the speculative claims of traditional metaphysics, especially those based on religion, to be false, uncertain, or sterile. For Rudolph Carnap, another influential member of the Circle, “the (pseudo)statements of metaphysics do not serve for the description of states of affairs.” They are, like poetry and music, “in the domain of art and not in the domain of theory” (from ‘The End of Metaphysics?’ in Western Philosophy: An Anthology, edited by John Cottingham). Carnap confidently proclaimed that in the Circle’s new materialist philosophy of science, “a radical elimination of metaphysics is attained, which was not yet possible from the earlier anti-metaphysical standpoints.” In fact, the logical positivists dismissed all non-scientific speculation altogether, not just in philosophy, insisting that all statements and theories are literally meaningless unless they can be logically verified or checked by experiment or observation. This is the so-called verification principle. A.J. Ayer was not a member of the Vienna Circle, but was powerfully influenced by it, and sprang its ideas upon the English-speaking world with his book Language, Truth and Logic. He argued that every verifiable proposition is meaningful (though it may be either true or false), and any unprovable claim, whether about science or metaphysics or the existence of God, is meaningless. Claims about ethics, he said, are also unverifiable so their only meaning can be as expressions of our emotional attitudes. According to verificationism, the meaning of any statement lies in its method of verification. Soon, Karl Popper in his Logic of Scientific Discovery pointed out a problem with verification: no number of observations that agree with a theory can ever conclusively prove it true. A classic example is the claim that “all swans are white.” Not even a large number of sightings of white swans will prove this true, but even a single sighting of a non-white swan will disprove it (‘falsify it’). He argued that a “theory which is not refutable by any conceivable event is non-scientific. Irrefutability is not a virtue of a theory (as people often think) but a vice… the criterion of the scientific status of a theory is its falsifiability, or refutability, or testability.” So for Popper falsifiability, not verifiability, is the test which distinguishes genuine science from what Popper called ‘pseudo-science’ – or ‘metaphysics’. In the second of four BBC interviews with Bryan Magee about logical positivism and its legacy, A.J. Ayer stressed that the Vienna Circle’s members “saw Einstein’s work on relativity and also the new quantum theory as a vindication of their approach.” It does seem that the replacement of Newtonian physics by Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity had a revolutionary impact on logical positivism. As John Earman writes, “a brief examination of the actual history of logical positivism reveals that one of its most fundamental inspirations is precisely this Einsteinian revolution. The early writings of the logical positivists – of Schlick, Reichenbach, and Carnap, in particular – all focus on the theory of relativity, a theory whose revolutionary impact is explicitly recognized in the course of a polemic against their philosophical predecessors.” (Inference, Explanation and Other Frustrations, p.85, 1992) But does the revolution in physics that Einstein began in 1905 really vindicate the principles of logical positivism? My contention is that it contradicts the Vienna Circle’s philosophy, particularly the Circle’s near fanatical commitment to the empiricist methodology of David Hume, Ernst Mach and Bertrand Russell, as well as Moritz Schlick’s principle of verifiability. Specifically, although many of the ground-breaking and highly exotic ideas coined by Einstein’s scientific successors – such as white holes, wormholes, dark matter, dark energy, subatomic strings, parallel universes, hidden dimensions of spacetime, and gravitational waves – may appear in the mathematical equations and calculations of theoretical physicists, in most cases no evidence has yet been found in the observable Universe to confirm their existence. Illustration © Jaime Raposo 2019. To see more of his art, please visit jaimeraposo.com Metaphysical Philosophy or Science Fiction? According to renowned physicist Lee Smolin, co-founder of Canada’s Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, this current move of physics away from Vienna Circle-style empiricism is due to “the triumph of a particular way of doing science that came to dominate physics in the 1940s. This style… favors virtuosity in calculating over reflection on hard conceptual problems” (The Trouble with Physics, 2006, pp.xxii). Mirroring the logical positivists’ devotion to empiricism, Smolin is highly skeptical of this ‘particular way of doing science’. It has led to what he calls ‘the current crisis’ in fundamental physics: “New theories have been posited and explored, some in great detail, but none has been confirmed experimentally. And here is the crux of the problem: In science, for a theory to be believed, it must make a new prediction – different from those made by previous theories – for an experiment not yet done. For the experiment to be meaningful, we must be able to get an answer that disagrees with that prediction. When this is the case, we say that a theory is falsifiable – vulnerable to being shown false. The theory also has to be confirmable; it must be possible to verify a new prediction that only this theory makes. Only when a theory has been tested and the results agree with the theory do we advance the theory to the ranks of true theories” (The Trouble with Physics p.xiii) In the light of this, many of the theories embraced by theoretical physicists today look like what Smolin calls ‘metaphysical fantasies’. One of the most prominent is the idea of multiple universes, also known as the ‘many-worlds hypothesis’ or ‘multiverse’ theory. Different versions of it have been promoted as an answer to puzzles in many branches of physics; it was the subject of an entire issue of New Scientist magazine in 2011, and among its many scientific supporters was the late Stephen Hawking, who worked on it in his last published paper. But in spite of all this, the multiverse hypothesis remains a purely speculative theory in the sense of not being checkable by direct observation. In fact it has no concrete empirical evidence to back it up. It cannot be proven using Schlick’s principle of verifiability; nor can it be falsified empirically in the way that Karl Popper believed any truly scientific theory should be. As a mere artifact of theoretical speculation and/or of mathematical models, it is more philosophy and metaphysics than testable empirical science. It borders on science fiction. Another dubious theory gained popularity as a result of problems surrounding the Big Bang theory, concerning the relatively even distribution of matter observed throughout the visible Universe. This is something one would hardly expect to result from a gigantic explosion of energy concentrated into a point far smaller than an atom some 13.8 billion years ago. But our earliest radioastronomical ‘baby picture’ of how the Universe looked 380,000 years or so after the Big Bang, shows an even distribution of matter in every direction. To explain this anomaly, Alan Guth and other cosmologists proposed the so-called ‘inflation’ theory, according to which the newly created Universe initially expanded at a rate much faster even than the speed of light for a fraction of a second just after the Big Bang. But this ad hoc adjustment or ‘theoretical crutch’ (to use Thomas Kuhn’s apt phrase) fails to explain the even distribution of matter throughout the Universe, because the debris of a Big Bang-like explosion should still be rather unevenly and chaotically spread even if the Universe initially grew incredibly fast. Additionally, the new theory created other complications such as eleven dimensions of spacetime, countless Big Bangs and, again, the existence of numerous copies of each of us inhabiting multiple parallel universes. Smolin remarks that, “The theory of inflation made predictions that seemed dubious” (p.xi), and complained that this is hardly the stuff of which Popperian science is made: “This is a sleight of hand by which they hope to convert an explanatory failure into an explanatory success. If we don’t understand… our universe, just presume our universe is a member of an infinite and unobservable ensemble of universes… There is so much wrong with this as a scientific hypothesis… it is hard to see how it could make any falsifiable predictions for doable experiments.” (quoted by John Horgan in Scientific American, January 4, 2015) Moreover, consider what is perhaps the most popular theory among theoretical physicists today: string theory. According to Smolin, string theory “proposes that all the elementary particles arise from the vibrations of a single entity – a string” which is so infinitesimal that it is invisible even to the super-sophisticated instruments of modern science. But Smolin repudiates the scientific status of string theory because it “makes no new predictions that are testable by current – or even currently conceivable – experiments… Thus, no matter what the experiments show, string theory cannot be disproved. But the reverse also holds: no experiment will ever be able to prove it true” (The Trouble with Physics, p.xiv). Smolin also sees other equally fatal flaws in string theory. “Part of the reason string theory makes no new predictions is that it appears to come in an infinite number of versions… every single one disagrees with the present experimental data” (Ibid). He goes on to demystify the metaphysical claims of string theory despite its clearly dominant position in the world of physics today. “String theory… posits that the world is fundamentally different from the world we know. If string theory is right, the world has more dimensions and many more particles and forces than we have so far observed. Many string theorists talk and write as if the existence of these extra dimensions and particles were an assured fact, one that no good scientist can doubt. More than once, a string theorist has said to me something like ‘But do you mean you think it’s possible that there are not extra dimensions?’ In fact, neither theory nor experiment offers any evidence at all that extra dimensions exist.” (p.xvi) Fundamental physics has been taken as the model for how all other sciences should develop. For dedicated empiricists like Smolin, it’s a tragedy that “despite our best efforts, what we know for certain about [fundamental physical] laws is no more than what we knew back in the 1970s” (p.viii). He blames this on the ‘arrogance’ of many of the string theorists. (p.269) It Is ‘All In The Math’? During the total solar eclipse in the fall of 1919, British astrophysicists observed evidence that the Sun’s gravity bends the path of the light from other stars, confirming a key prediction of Einstein’s general theory of relativity. An insightful article by Richard Panek in the science magazine Discover in March 2008 described how Einstein interrupted a student who was trying to congratulate him for this scientific success, saying “But I knew the theory is correct.” But what, the student asked, if the observations had contradicted his calculations? Einstein replied, “Then I would have been sorry for the dear Lord – the theory is correct.” It’s a smug rejection of the positivist principle of empirical verifiability. Einstein declared years later that “Our experience hitherto justifies us in believing that nature is the realization of the simplest conceivable mathematical ideas. I am convinced that we can discover by means of purely mathematical constructions the concepts and the laws connecting them with each other.” Panek nicely sums up the momentous implications of the leap from the more traditional method of empirical observation to Einstein’s faith in thought experiments and the ‘mathematical imagination’. “For thousands of years, researchers had studied the behavior of the heavens and sought to capture it in mathematical terms. Einstein reversed the challenge: he sought truth in equations and then trusted that studies of the heavens would back him up. Almost all of modern cosmology and theoretical physics follows from that leap of faith – or leap, perhaps, of reason.” Smolin is not buying any such ‘leap of reason’ – unless it’s backed up by solid empirical evidence: by observations and experiments that prove or disprove any proposed hypothesis in strict compliance with both the Vienna Circle’s philosophy of science and Popper’s insights. He writes, “once you reason like this, you lose the ability to subject your theory to the kind of test that the history of science shows over and over again is required to winnow correct theories from beautiful but wrong ones. To do this, a theory must make specific and precise predictions that can either be confirmed or refuted. If there is a high risk of disconfirmation, then confirmation counts for a lot. If there is no risk of either, then there is no way to continue to do science” (The Trouble with Physics, p.169). Non-Positivist Conclusions So is the theoretical physics embraced by today’s heirs to Einstein testable empirical science, metaphysical philosophy, or science fiction? Einstein’s heirs seem to have forgotten Einstein’s words of caution in 1933, that “Experience remains, of course, the sole criterion of the physical utility of a mathematical construction.” Lee Smolin adds his own warning: “Mathematics is our most useful tool, but the idea that it should be prophetic has done a lot of harm.” (Scientific American, January 4, 2015) Panek’s Discover article concludes by identifying the enormous challenges faced by the troubled field of cosmology, which is now driven more by mathematics-based theory and ‘mathematical beauty’ than by hard-nosed observation-based empiricism. “These latest concepts all exist beautifully in the mathematics, but so far observers have identified no sign of them in the real world… How to move beyond slavish devotion to experience may have been Einstein’s greatest gift to the 20th century. How to bring mathematical imagination back down to earth may rate as his greatest challenge to the 21st.” If this challenge is not faced, then future achievements in fundamental physics – a field which is clearly “suffering from a surfeit of imagination and a deficit of data” (Horgan) – may move ever further from observation and testable prediction into ever more fanciful realms of metaphysical speculation. After all, what is one to think when America’s best-known living cosmologist, Dr Neil deGrasse Tyson, following the philosopher Nick Bostrom, says that the likelihood of the Universe being a digital simulation “may be very high… And if that’s the case, it is easy for me to imagine that everything in our lives is just the creation of some other entity for their entertainment.” Indeed, is this ‘simulation hypothesis’ itself a scientific theory, or pure science fiction? © Rossen Vassilev Jr. 2019 Rossen Vassilev is studying at Ohio University, in Athens, Ohio. A Brief History of… Philosophy of Science News: January/February 2004 The Placebo Effect Climate of Disbelief Science Considered Harmful The Dappled World: A Study of the Boundaries of Science by Nancy Cartwright Sir Karl Popper (1902-1994) Philosophy of Nature by Paul Feyerabend Einstein & The Rebbe	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2084
__label__wiki	0.829483	0.829483	Hollywood (Bleep) You Posted by pcclsky in Trope Suggestions, Uncategorized bait and switch, Hollywood, lie, lies, trick, tricks, trope, tropes Fans have been waiting years and years for a film version of their favorite book, comic, or whatever. Hollywood gives out one epic preview after another promising something great will make it to the screen. Finally, the movie comes out…and the result is more than underwhelming. It’s enraging. This trope applies to a scene, character, or event that fans of a series have been waiting and hoping and praying for and led to believe would be in a film version of the series, only to have Hollywood let them down in a big way. In the worst case, this would be a “Hollywood Bait-and-Switch”, in which the filmmaker actually sells the specific idea that a certain thing will be in the movie only to have it be a major let down. In most cases, however, it’s a situation where fans hoped for the best and were severely disappointed. In this case, however, Hollywood still had to provide a reason for that hope. Under the right conditions, a movie itself can be a Hollywood (Bleep) You, but only if the fandom was led to believe the movie would play out in a certain way (i.e. led to believe the plot would be something else). The key aspect is Hollywood provides reasonable hope for one thing and then gives a let down. If Hollywood puts out a live action version of something without “making promises”, explicitly or implicitly, then the movie can’t meet this trope. Hence, as bad as the live action “Street Fighter” movie was, it never really promised to be anything other than Jean Claude Van Damme as Guile beating up some terrorist named M. Bison played by Raul Julia and is not a Hollywood (Bleep) You. In “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King”, the “Voice of Saruman” chapter was completely left out, providing no resolution with Saruman despite being the Big Bad Wannabe for two movies. Also, the “Mouth of Sauron” scene was actually merchandised prior to the film’s release but cut at the last minute. In all fairness, however, these two scenes were put back in within the Extended Version. In the “Harry Potter” series, there are many of these. (Dobby’s numerous scenes that would have made the audience warm up to him much sooner than in the next to last film as an example.) To pick on one in particular… Despite being the focal point of the third movie, the one responsible for Voldemort’s return, and the fact he receives his comeuppance in the seventh book, Peter Pettigrew’s fate was left up in the air in the film versions. In the original “Spider-Man” film series, Venom was touted in the final trailer and ended up being an underwhelming 10 Minute Villain. In “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer”, Galactus is never seen. The closest we get is a bunch of fire that vaguely resembles his helmet. “Green Lantern” and “Superman Returns” are both debatably Hollywood (Bleep) Yous. “Batman and Robin” is not because most of its campiness was apparent in the previews. Considering the “Resident Evil” series, the original movie is not a Hollywood (Bleep) You because it promised only the Umbrella Corporation and zombies. Later films, however, would introduce iconic characters from the game series only to serve as Placeholder Side Characters, such as Chris Redfield and Leon S. Kennedy. Those were Hollywood (Bleep) Yous. In the live action “Mortal Kombat” movie, Goro, who is barely motile and ultimately beaten by a few hits from Johnny Cage, is a Hollywood (Bleep) You. The entire sequel was a Hollywood (Bleep) You. The biggest one in recent history is “Iron Man 3”, which few people would dispute used the fact that the Mandarin would be the villain as one of the film’s major selling points, only for the film to be an adaptation of the Extremis storyline. This is also a Hollywood Bait-and-Switch. “The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron” is at least partially a Hollywood (Bleep) You and Hollywood Bait-and-Switch as the end of “The Avengers” clearly teased Thanos as the next villain.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2088
__label__wiki	0.97203	0.97203	News » Obituaries Eric Jerome Dickey, Bestselling Novelist, Dead at 59 Tuesday January 5, 2021 This undated image released by Joseph Jones shows author Eric Jerome Dickey in Antigua (Source:Associated Press) Eric Jerome Dickey, the bestselling novelist who blended crime, romance and eroticism in "Sister, Sister," "Waking With Enemies" and dozens of other stories about contemporary Black life, has died at age 59. Dickey's publicist at Penguin Random House, Emily Canders, told The Associated Press that the author died of cancer Sunday in Los Angeles. She did not immediately provide other details beyond listing four daughters among his survivors. Dickey was an aspiring actor and stand-up comic who began writing fiction in his mid-30s and shaped a witty, conversational and sometimes graphic prose style. It brought him a wide readership through such novels as "Sister, Sister" and "Naughty or Nice" and through his "Gideon" crime fiction series, which included "Sleeping With Strangers" and "Resurrecting Midnight." He also worked on the screenplay for the 1998 movie "Cappuccino," wrote a comic book miniseries for Marvel, and contributed to such anthologies as "Mothers and Sons" and "Black Silk: A Collection of African American Erotica." "In comedy you learn to write with flow — segue, setup, and punch line — but in a way that people won't see or notice. And in theater you learn about character," he told BookPage in 2000. "You've got to bring something to it, and what you bring is the understanding of the character you get from doing your homework, from understanding the little stuff like speech patterns and the way the character walks, and from understanding the big stuff — your character's motivation." He wrote 29 novels in all, according to his publisher, and has more than 7 million copies in print worldwide. His final book, "The Son of Mr. Suleman," comes out in April. "I am truly saddened to hear about the passing of Eric Jerome Dickey," author Roxane Gay tweeted Tuesday. "His were some of the first novels I ever read about black people that weren't about slavery or civil rights. He was a great storyteller." Dickey was a native of Memphis, Tennessee, and a computer technology major at the University of Memphis. He moved to Los Angeles after college and eventually set much of his work there. He worked as a software engineer in the aerospace industry, but found himself becoming more interested in the arts. He developed his narrative skills through creative writing classes at UCLA and through reading; favorite authors included Judy Blume. "I'm always trying to write a good story," he told NPR in 2007. "When I'm writing I'm always trying to write these twists and turns that, as you're reading the book, you get to -- it's called these oh-no-he-didn't or no-she-didn't or no-that-didn't-happen moment where, you know, you want to call your friend and say, are you on page 40? Get to page 40." Supreme Court Strikes Down Louisiana Abortion Clinic Law	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2090
__label__cc	0.604266	0.395734	24 members of EU Council request a delay in PRIIPs implementation On the 20th of September, 24 EU member states requested a 12 month delay in the PRIIPs implementation. While all of the countries calling for a delay fully support the regulation and the aims behind PRIIPs in order to protect retail investors, some of the stumbling blocks that derailed the Level 2 regulatory technical standards (RTS) and the resulting lack of clarity on how to proceed with the implementation were cited as one of the major reasons for requesting the delay. The countries that are a part of the objection are Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Austria, Croatia, Sweden, Ireland, Slovenia, Lithuania, Cyprus, Romania, Finland, Denmark, Portugal, the Netherlands, Malta, Estonia, Hungary, Greece, Belgium, Bulgaria, Latvia, Czech Republic and Slovakia. We are currently waiting for determinations in regards to when the final decision will be made. Please click here to read the objection. EU Parliament returns draft RTS to EU Commission Today, MEPs passed a resolution calling for changes to the level 2 Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS) for PRIIPs, with 602 votes for, 4 votes against and with 12 voters choosing to sit out. The European Parliament has now confirmed that the RTS is inadequate, with a focus on the future performance scenarios being problematic for investors. Therefore the next step will be to draft a new RTS. However there was no delay in the original deadline of 31 December 2016. Read the EU Parliament's Press Release. PRIIPs Regulatory Technical Standards Published by the European Commission The European Commission has adopted a delegated act supplementing the PRIIPS regulation in the form of the Regulatory Technical Standards for the production of the Key Investor Document or KID for PRIIPS. Read the Regulatory Technical Standards How PRIIPs will have an effect on UCITs funds right now Above and beyond the production aspects of the KID for PRIIPs manufactures, UCITs funds, which do not need to produce the KID until 2019, will also be immediately affected by the Directive. This is because the PRIIPs who wrap their products will need to collect extensive amounts of data to produce their KIDs and in the case of Multi Option Products (MOPs) they will need to have easy access to the UCITs KIID documents. The consequence is that UCITs funds who might have thought that their deadline was in 2019 are quickly realizing that the still have a large an important obligation to meet this year. At the same time, certain "UCITS only" groups could be tempted to anticipate the deadline of 2019 and produce from 2018 onwards the new KID for their own customers in order to avoid any confusion due to the co-existence of the KIDs and KIID's. They could in this way benefit from the first mover's advantage. Read more: How PRIIPs will have an effect on UCITs funds right now	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2092
__label__wiki	0.604321	0.604321	A Civil War II Review – Lighting Strikes Twice? TITLE: Civil War II AUTHOR: Brian Michael Bendis PENCILLERS: David Marquez, Olivier Coipel, Andrea Sorrentino COLLECTS: Civil War II #0-8 RELEASED: February 1, 2017 *WARNING: Spoilers lay ahead!* There’s a good event comic somewhere inside Civil War II. You just need to squint really hard to see it. As amazingly talented as Brian Michael Bendis is, what he turns in here doesn’t truly get going until issue #5, and by that point you regret buying in to begin with. The series is also bogged down by a certain been-there-done-that feeling. The original Civil War was one of the biggest hits Marvel has ever had. By comparison, Civil War II feels like a knock-off song played by a shoddy cover band. In the original story, the question of whether superheroes should register their true identities with the government caused a major rift, and subsequently a war. This time the divisive issue is “predictive justice,” or in essence, profiling. When a young man named Ulysses is suddenly able to see vivid visions of the future, Captain Marvel sees a crucial opportunity to stop instances of crime, injustice, and tragedy before they ever occur. Iron Man, however, can’t live with punishing someone who hasn’t done anything wrong yet. What’s more, the exact nature of these visions are unclear. Is Ulysses truly seeing the future, or just a potential future? As they search for an answer, heroes will fall in more ways than one. The predictive justice idea is a sufficient divider, and reflects recent real-world events involving police brutality. The Black Lives Matter movement specifically comes to mind, especially when we see what happens to Miles Morales. But it’s when we drill down on the notion of another war amongst the heroes that Civil War II begins to fall apart. Civil War ended when Captain America surrendered, realizing how costly and violent the conflict had become. The idea that all of these heroes, most of whom were involved in that same war, would allow things to escalate to this degree a second time makes them all look irresponsible, and even downright stupid. This is especially the case after Hawkeye straight up murders Bruce Banner with a literal crowd of heroes watching. But of course, if the heroes don’t fight, you have no story. So you have to make it work. The way you massage that into working, for my money, is to have the heroes lament having to fight each other again. The original Civil War is barely even acknowledged in this book. It’s almost as if Civil War II is trying to hide from it. While it goes without saying that this story has to stand on its own, it’s a sequel. A sequel to one of the most renowned stories Marvel has ever done, no less. Instead of dancing around it, why not embrace it? The payoff would seemingly be a deeper story. But even with that added depth, Civil War II would face the problem that it’s simply not that interesting until issue #5. Ulysses has a vision of Spider-Man clutching a dead Captain America in front of a decimated Capitol Building. Given how young Miles is, and the obvious real-world parallels, this is where the story finally starts to gain some momentum. Hindsight being 20/20, this should have happened in issue #3. You put the Miles vision in issue #3, and Bruce’s death in issue #5. That way, Bruce’s death doesn’t feel so glossed over, and it’s fresh in our minds when we get to the final confrontation. How about this: Captain Marvel puts Miles in prison following the vision in issue #3. (That opens up issues with Miles’ civilian identity. But we can work around that.) After Banner’s death and Hawkeye’s subsequent acquittal, Iron Man’s crew breaks Miles out of prison. We then get the confrontation in front of the Capitol Building as they were presented in issues #7 and #8. Would this little switch fix everything? No. But it would at least up the intrigue level earlier, and perhaps take us on more of a ride from start to finish. In truth, James Rhodes doesn’t even have to die in issue #1. As was the case with Banner, his death is almost glossed right over. Our primary artist is David Marquez, with Olivier Coipel and Andea Sorrentino tagging in for specific sequences. Marquez delivers big here, particularly in issues #5 and #6. His stuff with Miles is very strong, which makes sense, as he and Bendis worked on Ultimate Comics Spider-Man together. He gives us an absolutely gorgeous two-page spread of Spidey overlooking Times Square, watching the Hawkeye trial. And of course, primary colorist Justin Ponsor gives us the Marvel Universe in all its glory. We do, however, see a lot of what I’ve come to call the “Marquez doe-eyed pouty face.” Marquez is good with facial expressions. But we see variations of this one over and over, perhaps most notably when Hawkeye surrenders in issue #3 (shown left). We see it multiple times from Carol Danvers and Ulysses. We see it so much it becomes distracting and borderline comical. As many problems as I have with Civil War II, I’ll credit Bendis for one thing: Not killing off Tony Stark. That was what a lot of us were expecting, given Rory Williams had essentially taken up his mantle in Invincible Iron Man. Instead Tony ends up in a coma, and we get a vague explanation about how he can’t be treated. Frustrating in its lack of specifics, but better than having to go through the usual death, funeral, and resurrection routine. Civil War II could have worked. It would never have been what its predecessor was. But it could have at least been a compelling story. What they gave us had its moments. But by the time things finally got off the ground, it was too late. Given how all-encompassing Civil War II was in terms of its effect on other books, this story can be given partial credit for DC Comics regaining all that lost momentum last year. Tagged: Black Lives Matter, Brian Michael Bendis, Bruce Banner, Bruce Banner dead, Bruce Banner death, Capitol Bulding, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers, Civil War (Marvel), Civil War II, Civil War II #0 (2016), Civil War II #1 (2016), Civil War II #2 (2016), Civil War II #3, Civil War II #4 (2016), Civil War II #5 (2016), Civil War II #6 (2016), Clint Barton, comic book reviews, comic books, David Marquez, event comics, female superheroes, hardcover, Hawkeye, Hulk, Inhumans (Marvel), Iron Man, Marvel, Marvel Universe, Miles Morales, Rob Siebert, single issue reviews, Spider-Man, Steve Rogers, superhero comics, superheroes, Tony Stark, Ulysses (Inhumans) Previous Post Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe, Plus Ponderings From WWE Raw Next Post A WWE Elimination Chamber 2017 Preview – Bray Wyatt’s Big Moment? 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__label__wiki	0.822951	0.822951	Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (1) Abuses, Errors, Miscarriages (1) AdTech (22) Comms Data Retention (43) Comms Surveillance Tech (101) Communities at Risk (19) Competition and Data (12) Connected Cars (4) Cross Border Data Access (15) Data and Elections (39) Data Exploitation (81) Data Intensive Systems (22) Data Protection (143) Direct Access (11) Direct Access by Government (11) DNA and Genetic Data (10) Drones Surveillance (5) Economic, social and cultural rights (8) ePrivacy (14) Facial Recognition (18) Financial Privacy (7) Five Eyes (22) General Data Protection Regulation (30) Government Hacking (57) Health Data (16) Humanitarian Sector (18) ID Systems (21) Immigration Enforcement (9) Intelligence Sharing (36) Interception of Communications (42) LGBTIQ+ (10) Mass Surveillance (197) Micro-targeting (3) Migration and Borders (29) New forms of identity (10) Policing and Technology (31) Protecting Civic Spaces (12) Protest Surveillance (7) Public-Private surveillance partnerships (13) Public services recipients (2) Rights Defenders and Journalists (8) Security Assistance Between Governments (7) Sexual and Reproductive Rights (8) SIM Card Registration (9) Smart Cities (13) Social Media Surveillance (22) Social protection programmes (10) Surveillance Industry (32) Visual Surveillance Technology (4) What Companies Do (3) What Governments Do (2) What the Surveillance-Exploitation Complex Does (2) Who They Target (1) Workplace Surveillance (1) (-) Communications Surveillance (199) (-) News and Analysis (199) Zakharov v Russia: A refresher on how far Europe has come Sometimes it takes an unexpected stranger to remind you what you have, and what you are at risk of losing. Roman Zakharov, a Russian publisher who challenged Russia’s surveillance legislation, is that stranger for many Brits and Europeans. The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights judgement on Friday 4 December 2015 was remarkable, not because it tore up the rule book on the jurisprudence surrounding state surveillance in the Council of Europe, but because it followed that rule… You need two to tango: The responsibility of companies to respect privacy and free expression in the digital age 13 June 2016 "State capacity to conduct surveillance may depend on the extent to which business enterprises cooperate with or resist such surveillance” notes the Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression in his report on the role of the private sector to respect human rights in the digital age. The Special Rapporteur will present its findings and recommendations to the Human Rights Council on Thursday. It is no longer sufficient for companies to simply point the finger at intelligence and… Content type: Long Read Wrapping Up Data Privacy Week To celebrate International Data Privacy Day (28 January), PI and its International Network have shared a full week of stories and research, exploring how countries are addressing data governance in light of innovations in technology and policy, and implications for the security and privacy of individuals. With New Promise Comes New Perils: ICTs And The Right To Privacy In Africa One of the first things that strikes you about the chaotic East African metropolises of Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe is the blanket of adverts for mobile phone companies that covers them, from the walls of the immigration hall at Harare airport, to the rickety shacks that line the dusty streets of Kampala. Where official signage is unavailable, DIY versions are painted onto the roofs and walls of houses and small businesses. Stores selling mobile phones are rarely more than a few short steps away… Will New Government In Indonesia Bring About Surveillance Reforms? Late last year, the newly-elected government of Indonesia began to take steps which are almost unheard of today: reforming government communications surveillance powers. The much-needed development, on the back of the victory of President Joko Widodo, comes at a critical moment in the country's history as the relationships that Indonesians have with technology are changing and growing rapidly. A recent poll revealed that Indonesians consider technology to have had a mostly negative impact on… Will Ireland Be Britain’s Sister Surveillance State? The recent announcement by the Minister for Justice that serious and organised crime will receive legislative attention from the Government and the Oireachtas is most welcome. However, the stated means of achieving this are deeply concerning for the Irish public and larger digital economy. The statements indicate that the Government intends to follow the British model of surveillance where Irish companies can be compelled to betray their users. Why would any user engage with a service that… Why Do We Still Accept That Governments Collect And Snoop On Our Data? This piece was written by Ashley Gorski, who is an attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union, and PI legal officer Scarlet Kim and originally appeared in The Guardian here. In recent weeks, the Hollywood film about Edward Snowden and the movement to pardon the NSA whistleblower have renewed worldwide attention on the scope and substance of government surveillance programs. In the United States, however, the debate has often been a narrow one, focused on the rights of Americans under… What Does GCHQ Know About Our Devices That We Don't? While the initial disclosures by Edward Snowden revealed how US authorities are conducting mass surveillance on the world's communications, further reporting by the Guardian newspaper uncovered that UK intelligence services were just as involved in this global spying apparatus. Faced with the prospect of further public scrutiny and accountability, the UK Government gave the Guardian newspaper an ultimatum: hand over the classified documents or destroy them. The Guardian decided that having the… What Do Constitutional Privacy Protections Look Like Around The World? All across the U.S. on 4 July, thousands of Americans gathered at Restore the Fourth rallies, in support of restoring the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and to protest the recently-disclosed information regarding NSA spying on American citizens. Demonstrations took place in over 100 cities, calling on the U.S. government to respect the privacy rights of citizens in America and individuals around the world. With all this talk of constitutional protections to against unreasonable… Watching The Watchers: Accessing and Challenging Control Over Our Data Privacy International is celebrating Data Privacy Week, where we’ll be talking about privacy and issues related to control, data protection, surveillance and identity. Join the conversation on Twitter using #dataprivacyweek. Exercising the right to privacy extends to the ability of accessing and controlling our data and information, the way it is being handled, by whom, and for what purpose. This right is particularly important when it comes to control of how States perform these activities.… United Nations adopts resolution condemning unlawful government surveillance The United Nations today adopted an important resolution reaffirming the right to privacy in the digital age, condemning unlawful government mass surveillance and calling on member States to review their legislation and policies to ensure that they are in line with human rights law. Despite efforts by the United States, the “Five Eyes” surveillance alliance, and other states to weaken its language, the resolution reflects some of the important findings contained in the UN High Commissioner for… Une loi nigérienne donne de vastes pouvoirs pour intercepter les communications Traduction réalisée par Nadine Blum. Le 29 mai, le Congrès nigérien a voté une loi permettant au gouvernement d’intercepter largement certaines communications électroniques. La loi rend légale l’interception de communications, autorisée par le gouvernement, sans protections appropriées ni mécanismes de contrôle. La loi a été adoptée avec 104 votes pour – le Parlement nigérien compte 171 membres – et sans la participation de l’opposition qui a boycotté la loi. L’opposition a affirmé que la loi… Content type: Press release UN: Reject mass surveillance General Assembly Should Pass Strong Resolution on the Right to Privacy in the Digital Age (New York, November 21, 2013) – The United Nations General Assembly should approve a new resolution and make clear that indiscriminate surveillance is never consistent with the right to privacy, five human rights organizations said in a November 21, 2013 letter to members of the United Nations General Assembly. After heated negotiations, the draft resolution on digital privacy initiated by Brazil and … UN Report: The Link Between State Surveillance And Freedom Of Expression In a landmark report, the United Nations today has broken its long-held silence about the threat that State surveillance poses to the enjoyment of the right to privacy. The report is clear: State surveillance of communications is ubiquitous, and such surveillance severely undermines citizens’ ability to enjoy a private life, freely express themselves and enjoy their other fundamental human rights. Presented today at the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva, the report marks the first time… UK organisations brief Parliament ahead of debate on surveillance For the first time since the Snowden revelations exposed the vast reach and scope of Britain's surveillance and intelligence activities, Parliament will openly debate the need for greater oversight of the intelligence and security services. In the five months since the first of the Snowden leaks offered an insight into the government's mass surveillance capabilities, the political discourse has been disappointingly devoid of any serious discussion of the fundamental issues raised about the… Two states admit bulk interception practices: why does it matter? Six years after NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked documents providing details about how states' mass surveillance programmes function, two states – the UK and South Africa – publicly admit using bulk interception capabilities. Both governments have been conducting bulk interception of internet traffic by tapping undersea fibre optic cables landing in the UK and South Africa respectively in secret for years. Both admissions came during and as a result of legal proceedings brought by Privacy… Truly universal: concerns raised on unlawful surveillance around the world The Privacy International Network recently submitted joint stakeholder reports for seven partner countries - India, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Brazil, the Philippines and Indonesia - as part of the 27th session of the Universal Periodic Review (1 to 12 May 2017). Communications surveillance was a major area of concern, as we observed that these policies and practices remain largely opaque, complex and vague. In some countries, they fail to meet human rights standards and principles of… Tracking the global state of surveillance Today, Privacy International is publishing the result of a global effort to benchmark surveillance policies and practices in the countries that are part of the Privacy International Network. We’re calling it the ‘State of Surveillance’. We designed a survey of questions based on some key issues: statistics about the communications infrastructure of the country; what civil society organisations and groups that analyse privacy issues; the international and domestic legal framework regulating… Towards international principles on communications surveillance Communications surveillance is one of the most significant threats to personal privacy posed by the state. This is why many statements of fundamental rights across the world give special regard to the privacy of communications. For example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states in Article 12: No one should be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks on his honour or reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of… There’s still time to stop the surveillance society 31 October 2016 This piece originally appeared in The Guardian here. This government’s “neither confirm nor deny” mantra over the extent of its surveillance powers has been replaced with a new one: “Never apologise, never explain.” On Monday, the tribunal tasked with hearing complaints against our intelligence agencies found that for more than a decade our intelligence agencies had been unlawfully amassing, in bulk, vast amounts of our personal data. The official public response from the… There is no Safe Harbour from U.S. Authorities Privacy is a human right, and needs very clear legal protections. 'Safe Harbor' was clear as mud and placed privacy rights globally at risk. Today's European Court of Justice decision should be no surprise for industry or governments. For over fifteen years the U.S. Government has resisted implementing basic and effective privacy law and created absurd stopgap measures because U.S. Congress is incapable of acting upon what consumers and citizens have long asked for. The fact over 100 countries… Their Eyes On Us This guest blog is written by Hisham Almiraat, co-founder of Mamfakinch.com and Director of the 'Association des droits numériques' (ADN), an organisation working on human rights and technology in Morocco. Mamfakinch was launched in February 2011, in the wake of the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions. Its goal was to offer an open forum for all dissenting voices. The website received over a million unique visitors in the first few weeks after it was launched. It quickly became one of the main… The Trap of Simplicity: Why Analogies for Surveillance Fail Us Bad analogies about surveillance technology pervade newspaper reports, politicians’ speeches, and legal arguments. While it’s natural to want simple explanations to understand complex technology, it does us a disservice when governments, the media, or the courts mislead us through analogies that are inadequate. It is even worse if these analogies are used as a basis for policy change. Privacy International’s legal challenge against GCHQ’s mass surveillance rests on the capability of the judges… The Surveillance Industry Index: An Introduction Privacy International is pleased to announce the Surveillance Industry Index, the most comprehensive publicly available database on the private surveillance sector. Over the last four years, Privacy International has been gathering information from various sources that details how the sector sells its technologies, what the technologies are capable of and in some cases, which governments a technology has been sold to. Through our collection of materials and brochures at surveillance trade… The Steady Drip Of The Erosion Of The Right To Privacy 1984: A broad law, a broad power and a whole lot of secrecy In the wake of litigation brought by Privacy International (‘PI’) and as the Government prepared to introduce the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill (‘IP Bill’) in November 2015, there was a cascade of ‘avowals’- admissions that the intelligence agencies carry out some highly intrusive surveillance operations under powers contained in outdated and confusing legislation. It is disappointing that it has been almost six months since the… The road to surveillance is paved with good intentions – and warning signs 15 November 2013 The following is an excerpt from a Comment originally published by The Guardian, written by Privacy International's Head of Advocacy, Carly Nyst: From databases to mobile phone apps and SMS systems, GPS tracking and humanitarian drones to biometric registration, new technologies are rapidly becoming central to the delivery of humanitarian and development aid. Refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict are having their irises scanned and their identity documents digitised. Nurses… The Right to Privacy in Colombia - UPR 30 Factsheet In the lead-up to the 30th session of the Universal Periodic Review which took place on 10 May 2018, Fundación Karisma, a partner organisation in the Privacy International Network, joined a coalition of civil society groups in Colombia to raise more awareness about the country's human rights record. As part of the joint effort, the coalition produced factsheets on various human rights in the Colombian context, including the right to privacy. It is available in both English and Spanish. The NPCC is no Longer Open to Public Scrutiny - the Government Must Fix this Loophole Immediately In order to uphold the law and keep us safe, the police can seriously interfere with a range of fundamental human rights. And so transparency and public scrutiny of their actions are essential to protect against misconduct and abuse. So why is the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) now permitted to operate in secret? We all have the right to seek information from most public bodies – including the police – under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000. When the law was first proposed… The Nigerien bill giving broad powers to intercept communications On 29 May, Niger’s Congress voted on a law allowing for broad interception powers of certain electronic communications by the government. The bill makes it lawful for the government to approve the interception of communications without appropriate safeguards or oversight mechanisms. The law passed with 104 votes – the Nigerien parliament has 171 members – without the participation of the opposition that boycotted the law. The opposition claimed that the law will allow those, for whose… The Human Rights Council Has Another Chance To Take A Strong Stance To Protect The Right To Privacy. Will It Take It? Over the next two weeks, the 25th session of the Universal Period Review Working Group will take place in Geneva. The Universal Period Review is a key mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council to remind UN Member States of their responsibility to respect and implement all human rights and fundamental freedoms. Amongst others, Hungary, the United Republic of Tanzania, Thailand, and Ireland will be reviewed. Privacy International, in collaboration with national civil society organisations in each…	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2095
__label__wiki	0.824784	0.824784	I'M NOT DEAD YET Terry Gilliam on Monty Python, fighting Hollywood suits, and doing it your way Reuters/Jean Blondin A man, a myth, a legend. From our Series Our home for bold arguments and big thinkers. By Jeff Slate October 20, 2015 This article is more than 2 years old. When I catch up with Terry Gilliam to discuss his excellent new memoir, Gilliamesque: A Pre-Posthumous Memoir, I immediately tell him that after reading it, I’ve finally figured out his role in the early days of his career with Monty Python. “You were the George Harrison of the Pythons,” I tell Gilliam, whom I’ve interviewed on many occasions, and who has shared stories about his friendship with the former Beatle with me in the past. “You were the dark horse. You were able to do what you did, the animations, without anybody bothering you. Obviously it was a collaborative experience, but you were a bit of a grower, and you were able to develop your sensibility without a lot of meddling, similarly to George.” Gilliam, fit and remarkably energetic for a man approaching 75 next month, seems to like the idea, and immediately seizes on it. “Yeah, totally, that was a great thing to have, in that sense,” he says. “With the Pythons, everybody was working separately, or in their pairs, writing. Then we would meet and go through the script, and all that stuff would be read out. I would throw in an idea or a line somewhere along the line, but they could never understand what I was talking about, so I kind of gave up after a while. But they also left me alone to do my animations—whatever I wanted to do and could dream up—so that was amazing, and the other side of it. But, unlike George, who was in the background a bit in the early days, my animations got loads of press when we were first on the air in England, because it was the new element. The comedy bits people there accepted because similar things had come before, but there was so much written about my animations, as if they were the key thing, because they were completely new and totally different.” Gilliam made his mark with those groundbreaking animations for Monty Python’s Flying Circus, but it has been his films—first with the Pythons as co-director of the classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which just celebrated its 40th anniversary, and then a long string of unique and visually stunning feature films of all shapes and sizes—that have set him apart, yet again, from the rest of the troupe. Known for his visionary style and single-mindedness as a director—and as an enfant terrible by many studio executives—Gilliam, surprisingly, doesn’t see himself as someone who has railed against the suits and usually, at least artistically, won. “I wouldn’t say anybody has won,” Gilliam says, with a hearty chuckle. “Survived is more like it! Got away with murder, sometimes. But I’ve had less bad films than other filmmakers, because I wasn’t allowed. I don’t know, the only way I know how to work is to do whatever it is I think I’m able to offer. And it’s not about ego. Everything I do is always joint projects. I work with other writers, actors; it’s a lot of people agreeing that we’ve made what we think is a good film. The problem is that you’re up against the studio system, in which everyone is terrified of films not succeeding. So while their approach is to operate from fear, mine is to operate from the opposite direction: from a position of confidence.” Gilliamesque, out Tuesday (Oct. 20), which was originally intended to be an illustrated coffee-table book that pulled from Gilliam’s archives but morphed into a gorgeously illustrated and remarkably candid, breezily written memoir, is full of that sort of bluntness. In fact, it could be subtitled “What I’ve learned about dealing with Hollywood and how to get things done.” For all the intimate details of growing up in the Midwest, coming of age in California, and his remarkable days with Monty Python, in many respects Gilliamesque is a guide from someone who has been in the trenches of Hollywood who isn’t afraid to share how it really works. While it’s not a memoir that’s finely detailed, it’s also not just a bland, top-line view. Instead, Gilliam shares an enormous amount of insight into what he experienced and the way he felt during the making of his many classics, including Time Bandits, Brazil and The Fisher King, which were all recently reissued in director-approved form, as well as 12 Monkeys and Heath Ledger’s final film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. “I think what the Python experience did was it set us all apart,” Gilliam says, by way of explaining how he’s approached his career, and dealing with the Hollywood suits. “There were so many people in positions of power that neither understood what we were doing, nor liked what we were doing. But despite all of that the Python thing grew and grew. It allowed me to build up a kind of confidence, or arrogance; probably both. But I was successful—by the time I wanted to make movies seriously Holy Grail had become a success and Time Bandits was a success, so why shouldn’t I be allowed to do what I do? My problem with Hollywood then—and now—is that I want to hear individual voices, and that’s not what Hollywood tends to do, and probably never will. Except there’s enough people who slip through the system and come out of it, and there they are: the Cohen brothers, Quentin Taratino, people like that. They find a way, like I have, to make the movies they want and need to make. But you have to fight for it. For me, it was very easy in a sense, because I never thought in terms of “career.” I only thought of my films in terms of them being individual projects, and trying to make them as good as I could make them. It’s in the book: I always thought, all along, that my mistakes and even sometimes my failures were a lot more interesting than my successes.” Perhaps best known for his battle with Universal Pictures over its failure to release his film Brazil in 1985, Gilliam proudly recounts that Variety recently—and quite mistakenly—published his obituary. “The autobiography is called a ‘pre-posthumous memoir,’ and just before it came out, Variety declared me dead! It was totally coincidental, but I find it intriguing. It did say “director of Brazil dead at XXX”, though, so I suppose Brazil will always follow me around, even after I’m gone.” Quartz is pleased to present an exclusive excerpt of the chapter entitled “Brazil,” from Terry Gilliam’s Gilliamesque: A Pre-Posthumous Memoir: “The reason Time Bandits had happened in the first place was because I was trying to sell the idea of Brazil to Denis O’Brien, but he had absolutely no interest in it. That was what triggered me to say, ‘OK, if you don’t want me to do something for grown-ups, I’ll do a film for all the family.’ It took no powers of persuasion at all on my part to get that one through, and when Time Bandits ended up being the most successful film I—or HandMade—ever did in America, that inevitably led to me being offered all sorts of other Hollywood projects that I didn’t want to do. Before I and my new producer Arnon Milchan could finally get Brazil off the ground (just a couple of feet off the ground, obviously, we didn’t want to fly as high as the scale model of Jonathan Pryce would have to), there were two last big pieces to be fitted into the Monty Python jigsaw. There’d been a time somewhere around The Life of Brian when I’d started to become uncertain as to what my exact function in the group was, and the whole thing began to feel a bit frustrating. Obviously I knew I did the animations, but I wasn’t sure how many more of those I had in me, and I’d enjoyed being a solo helmsman so much that I didn’t really want to do timeshare at the wheel with Terry J. again. I think all six of us were pulling in different directions by that point, and even though there were inevitably mixed feelings when the group finally disbanded, I’m glad we had the sense to quit while we were still good. It’s always best to leave people wanting more—otherwise how can you justify getting back together for lucrative reunion shows in aid of Terry Jones’ mortgage thirty years later? And Live at the Hollywood Bowl in 1980 and then The Meaning of Life in 1983 made for a pretty good send-off. My wife Maggie made one of the great, unheralded contributions to Hollywood Bowl. She’d been due to pop out our second child two weeks before, but somehow managed to keep her knees together till the shows were finished so I could get home to London in time for the birth. How best to commemorate this achievement? It seemed unfair to saddle the newborn with the name ‘Hollywood’ outright, in honour of the circumstances of her birth, so we went with Holly Dubois instead, which ensured that even as an infant she would be unknowingly playing to a gallery of multilingual sophisticates—a precocious foundation which she would build on by making an acclaimed big-screen debut in Brazil at the tender age of four. The creative dilemma I was wrestling with in the run-up to The Meaning of Life was defined not by the sophistication but the child-like crudity of the cutout methodology I’d defined as my own over the past decade and a half. While the artwork I’d done for the various Monty Python books and album sleeves had got progressively more elaborate, it was a mark of the elemental simplicity of my animation technique that I took it to the top right from the beginning. Beware of the Elephants, which was only the second or third of those animations that I ever did, was as good as anything that came later. It was a bit like working on Photoshop—I never got past page three or four of that particular manual, either. The truth was that even if some way of adding extra layers of nuance had presented itself, I wouldn’t have wanted to develop it. Partly because I lacked the patience, but largely because it felt like the brutal directness of what I’d done had been integral to its efficacy. It’s the same with certain kinds of music that resist additional ornamentation—why would you want to get more complicated than Chuck Berry or the Sex Pistols? So once I’d got bored of working within the restrictions that stopped my mind wandering, there was no option but for me to do something else. This was how The Crimson Permanent Assurance—my segment of The Meaning of Life—started out as an idea for an animation, but then became a live-action short. Perhaps partly as a result of this formative shape shifting, it also ended up being my first experience of going over-budget. I don’t really know what the numbers were, but shortly after selflessly renouncing my directorial ambitions with regard to the film as a whole, I was deemed by the others to be totally out of control—drunk with power in charge of a limitless budget that no one had ever actually specified to me. The basic story concerned a group of accountants who get angry with their new corporate masters of the universe and decide to become pirates on the high seas of international finance. If any amateur psychoanalysts out there wish to discern a subliminal echo of my own need to break out of my restricted role within Monty Python, I suppose it would be churlish of me to deny them this pleasure, but I don’t remember that line of thought surfacing consciously at the time. And rather than being a product of anxieties about my own advancing years (I had by this point reached the grand old age of 42) the decision to use 80-year-old actors reflected my determination to do for the elderly what Time Bandits had done for dwarves, i.e. dramatically expand their employment opportunities. I’m that guy who’s all about helping the minorities . . . so long as they stay minorities of course—once they start becoming powerful, then it’s a different matter. The tone and feel of The Crimson Permanent Assurance were so different to the rest of the film that we had to remove it from its original slot in the middle of The Meaning of Life and run it as a separate mini-feature at the beginning, where it functioned like a sumptuous illustrated letter at the start of one of those medieval manuscripts I’m always banging on about, at the same time bearing witness to my increasingly marginal status within the group and growing willingness to fly the coop. Up on the big screens at the Cannes Film Festival, it looked fucking great—a real spectacle with genuine scale to it. Then when the actual film came on, it felt like you were watching TV, which given that this was how most people would ultimately end up seeing it, was probably for the best. The happy memory of Time Bandits’ big box- office numbers combined with the commercial and critical success of the last three Python films contrived to maximise my allure as a director and foster the general misconception of me as someone who knew what I was doing. But as hard as Arnon and I milked that moment, we were still struggling to get a full enough bucket to sustain Brazil. If we’d been willing to do another time-travelling dwarf comedy, we’d have been awash with Hollywood doubloons, but having recklessly decided to exploit this moment of possibility to do the thing I’d wanted to do all along, getting the investment we needed was going to be much more of a challenge. I’d never been responsible for pitching a film before—other people had always been kind enough to do the money stuff for me—but this time Arnon and I were doing the rounds at Cannes.”	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2099
__label__wiki	0.943562	0.943562	NIPSCO adds solar capacity through a 280 MW PPA The Indiana utility plans to be coal-free by 2028 by adding a combination of cleaner energy sources to its existing mix of natural gas and hydroelectric generation. December 17, 2020 David Wagman NIPSCO Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) and a unit of Capital Dynamics signed a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for 280 MW of the power generated by a greenfield solar project called Gibson Solar. The project is being developed by Capital’s Clean Energy Investment unit in Gibson County, Indiana. Arevon Energy Management and Tenaska are co-developing the project. The Gibson Solar project is one of 19 projects that Capital Dynamics acquired from Tenaska in November 2018 and April 2019. It is on around 2,400 acres in southern Indiana. The project is currently in the development stage with construction expected to start in 2022, and commercial operation in 2023. Eight renewable energy projects have previously been announced by NIPSCO, including a combination of similar purchase power agreements and joint ventures. The company plans to be coal-free by 2028, adding a combination of cleaner energy sources to its existing portfolio of natural gas and hydroelectric generation. NIPSCO said it will ask its regulators to approve adding these new projects to its supply portfolio. The company said it expects to announce more renewable projects in the coming months. In October, NIPSCO said that it would bring an additional 900 MW to Indiana with the Dunns Bridge I, Dunns Bridge II and Cavalry Solar Energy Centers. At the time, the utility said it had finalized three build transfer agreements with subsidiaries of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC. The solar projects are expected to begin construction in 2022 and enter service in 2022 and 2023. NextEra Energy Resources would construct the projects and NIPSCO will enter into joint ventures to own, and operate and maintain some facets of these assets once construction is complete. Capital Dynamics, developer of the Gibson solar project, is an independent global asset management firm focusing on private assets including private equity, private credit and clean energy infrastructure. Its CEI platform manages 7.9 GW of contracted gross power generation across more than 150 projects in the United States and Europe. Arevon Energy Management is an independent company with an exclusive partnership with the Capital Dynamics’ Clean Energy Infrastructure platform. NIPSCO ranks as Indiana’s largest natural gas distribution company and second-largest electric distribution company, serving around 820,000 natural gas and 470,000 electric customers across 32 counties. NIPSCO is one of NiSource’s six regulated utility companies. David Wagman is a senior editor at pv magazine USA. David is a seasoned energy journalist and editor. More articles from David Wagman	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2105
__label__wiki	0.757086	0.757086	Former Governor of Utah Herbert and Associates Realtors RelSci Relationships Number of Boards 05/07/1947 - American Fork, UT, United States View Relationship Details RelSci Relationships are individuals Gary Herbert likely has professional access to. A relationship does not necessarily indicate a personal connection. John W. Hickenlooper Senator at Office of the Senator from Colorado, John Hickenlooper Relationship likelihood: Strong Matthew Mead Former Governor of Wyoming Brian E. Sandoval Former Governor of Nevada Jeanette Snelson Scott Pulsipher President at Western Governors University Former Governor of Arizona Robert W. Mendenhall President Emeritus at Western Governors University Paul H. Keckley Managing Director & Head, Navigant Center for Healthcare Research & Policy Analysis at Guidehouse, Inc. (Illinois) Tom Vilsack Secretary of Agriculture at United States Department of Agriculture Ronald Humphries Trustee at Shelter The Homeless Committee, Inc. The Salt Lake Tribune George Pyle Utah has a gobs of cash on hand. Should we reinvest it or give ourselves a tax break? Utah pharmacist central to hydroxychloroquine controversy pleads guilty in federal court Here are alcohol measures on tap for Utah’s Legislature in 2021 Utah’s Grand County asks President-elect Joe Biden to restore Bears Ears monument borders EXCLUSIVE Feds accuse Utah pharmacy CEO of getting mislabeled hydroxychloroquine from China Global markets climb as investors focus on bank earnings and Yellen testimony - Fortune Trump's Inauguration Day letter to Biden; An exclusive (very real) draft - Chicago Tribune Vaccine profits lambasted; WHO chief demands elderly in poor nations get shots - Boston Herald Poll: Most Americans Think Trump Will Be Remembered As A Subpar President - npr.org Kamala D. Harris Senate Begins Biden Cabinet Confirmation Hearings As Impeachment Trial Looms - npr.org Paths to Gary Herbert Child-In-Law Ben Cahoon Former Receivers Coach at Brigham Young University - Athletic Department Brigham Young University (often referred to as BYU or, colloquially, The Y) is a private university located in Provo, Utah, United States. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and is the largest religious university and third-largest private university in the U.S. Orem High School Republican Governors Association The Republican Governors Association’s primary mission is to help elect Republicans to governorships throughout the nation, but it is also dedicated to providing governors with the resources to help them govern effectively. Founded in 1908, the National Governors Association (NGA) is the voice of the nation’s governors and one of the most respected public policy organizations in the country. The association's members are the governors of the 55 states, territories and commonwealths. Members come to the association from across the political spectrum, but NGA itself is boldly nonpartisan. Utah Association of Counties Utah Office of the Governor, Gary Herbert Utah National Guard Eastern Atlantic States Mission Corporation of The Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Corporation of The Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints operates a church. It was founded on July 13, 1916 and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT. Member, Board of Directors Provo-Orem Chamber of Commerce Member, Board of Trustees Prior - 2019 Truly a university without boundaries, Western Governors University is a nonprofit online university founded and supported by 19 U.S. governors. At no other time in the history of higher education have the governors of several states joined together to create a university. The idea for WGU was born in 1995 at a bipartisan meeting of the Western Governors Association (hence our "western" name). Going into the meeting, the chair of the association—Utah governor Mike Leavitt—had the foresight to realize that distance learning technologies had the power to tackle one of the western states’ most pressing problems: rapid population growth confronted by limited public funds for educational services. The governors decided then and there to create their own university. They agreed that this new university would make maximum use of distance learning technologies, would be collaborative among the western member states, and would use competencies rather than seat time as the measure of its outcomes. Designing an Online University To do this, the governors enlisted the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE) and the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) to help design the newly envisioned university. Five themes remained central to the effort: Responsiveness to employment and societal needs. A focus on competency-based education. Expanding access. Cost-effectiveness. Development of a technology infrastructure. WGU was chartered in 1996, was incorporated as a private, nonprofit university in 1997, and began accepting students in 1999. An Online University with a Mission WGU is very mission driven. Created to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU’s mission has remained one of helping hardworking adults meet their educational goals and improve their career opportunities. To fulfill the mission, the founding governors also insisted that WGU be affordable, flexible, and student-focused. Hence, WGU strives to serve as many students as possible—including minorities, first-generation college students, those with modest incomes, and others whose lives or geographic locations do not allow them to attend traditional, campus-based colleges. WGU has flourished into a national university, serving more than 38,000 students from all 50 states, yet remains non-bureaucratic and innovative. It continues to receive praise for its academic model and to enhance its reputation with employers for the emphasis on graduating highly competent professionals. Additional Information The Myths about Online Learning Even though online learning is growing dramatically and becoming more and more accepted among employers and academia, there are still opinions—really, myths—about online education that linger in some people’s minds Member, Executive Committee 2012 - Prior Western Governors' Association President's Export Council Under Barack Obama The President's Export Council serves as the principal national advisory committee on international trade. The Council advises the President of government policies and programs that affect U.S. trade performance; promotes export expansion; and provides a forum for discussing and resolving trade-related problems among the business, industrial, agricultural, labor, and government sectors. Member, Board of Commissioners County of Utah (Utah) Central Utah Water Conservancy District Anne-Marie Wright Lampropoulos Vice President of Corporate Communications at Merit Medical Systems, Inc. Republican Party of Utah Political Donations Received Dominion Energy Questar Corp. Utah Hospitals and Health Systems Association Vivint, Inc. Gary Herbert is affiliated with Utah Office of the Governor, Gary Herbert, Utah National Guard, Corporation of The Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus, Utah Department of Health, Herbert and Associates Realtors, Utah Office of the Lieutenant Governor Under Jon Huntsman, Jr., Provo-Orem Chamber of Commerce, Western Governors University, National Governors Association, Western Governors' Association, Truth Initiative, Shelter The Homeless Committee, Inc. This web site is not endorsed by, directly affiliated with, maintained, authorized, or sponsored by Gary Herbert. The use of any trade name or trademark is for identification and reference purposes only and does not imply any association with the trademark holder. The Presence of Gary Herbert's profile does not indicate a business or promotional relationship of any kind between RelSci and Gary Herbert.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2113
__label__cc	0.504842	0.495158	Trevor Nicholas Gomez Appointed To Board Of Directors At Republic Bank Limited Home / News / Trevor Nicholas Gomez Appointed To Board Of Directors At Republic Bank Limited Port of Spain, Trinidad, September 21, 2020: Republic Bank Limited is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Trevor Nicholas Gomez to its Board of Directors, effective September 20, 2020. Mr. Gomez is currently the Executive Chairman of Gravitas Business Solutions. A distinguished regional leader with a wealth of knowledge and experience, ranging from critical business, financial reporting and regulatory issues, Mr. Gomez has developed a robust client portfolio, including regional and domestic clients during his 30-year career. He is the former Chair of the Audit and Accounting Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as former Regional Service Line Leader at EY Assurance Services, and Country Managing Partner of EY’s Trinidad Office. The Republic Group wishes to welcome Mr. Gomez into his new portfolio and extends best wishes on his new endeavor.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2114
__label__wiki	0.546279	0.546279	Home > Academics, Expertise and Centers Boilerplate Information Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering & Computing The Paulson College of Engineering and Computing will be a recognized leader in student-centric experiential learning, applied research in engineering and computing, and service to our communities. The Paulson College of Engineering and Computing mission is to ensure student success by preparing them for lifelong learning, advance the engineering and computing disciplines, and support regional economic development. This will be accomplished by promoting excellence in faculty scholarship and teaching, fostering experiential learning, and partnering with regional stakeholders. The College of Arts and Humanities (CAH), the College of the Creative Mind, is a pillar of the academic foundation of Georgia Southern University, playing a central role in every student’s core of knowledge. Our primary goal is to shape a dedication to investigation and creativity within arts and humanities through dynamic educational offerings. This commitment involves all members of the college in a fundamental concern for excellence, innovation, and the pursuit of knowledge. CAH encourages students to address the analytical, historical, cultural, and the philosophical foundations of their disciplines. We prepare students to be vital members of their professional communities. Likewise, we promote participation in civic and public life and remain committed to preparing each of our students to be responsible global citizens. CAH has a solid reputation as a national contributor to furthering arts and humanities. The support of alumni and friends continues to help us as we maintain Georgia Southern’s commitment to academic distinction. It gives us great delight to welcome new students to our innovative and exciting programs. CBSS aims to become a recognized leader in creating safe, strong, and healthy communities through education, research and creative scholarship, and community engagement. CBSS strives for real-world impacts in enhancing cultural understanding and belonging; promoting social, behavioral, and emotional health; and fostering vibrant social, civic, and political institutions. CBSS prepares students to be life-long learners, productive citizens, and effective leaders in a diverse and global social world and uses our research expertise to improve the lives of others. Emphasizing high-impact teaching and learning strategies, our programs apply diverse scientific methodologies to behavioral and social issues and work in teams to solve complex problems. By working with faculty and our community partners to make a positive impact on social life, CBSS produces graduates and supports communities ready to meet the challenges of today AND tomorrow. Culture: CBSS values the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge about culture, the impact of culture on individuals and groups, and differences between cultures. Culture is the lens through which individuals and groups experience, understand, and evaluate social life and interactions with others. CBSS is committed to educating and increasing the understanding of the historical developments of culture; the influence of culture on behaviors, attitudes, values, and beliefs; and the ways in which culture influences design, development, and interactions across a variety of contexts. People. Belonging: Differences between people define social life. CBSS values differences in all forms. CBSS is committed to building inclusive communities and organizations that affirm, value, and engage all identities. In CBSS, everybody belongs because of the differences that each individual brings to the classroom, research settings, and community-building processes within the college and across our communities. Purpose. Science: Applying a variety of scientific methods to the study of social issues is at the heart of every discipline in the college. CBSS values science as the framework for understanding human behavior, designing spaces and materials that function effectively, analyzing public policy, increasing public safety, understanding political engagement, managing public organizations, and supporting healthy families, among the hundreds of other ways science is used across CBSS to better our communities. Action. Service: The work of CBSS is done toward one goal—making a positive difference in the lives of others and in our communities. CBSS directly engages stakeholders across our communities to improve social conditions and quality-of-life. We value the application of our scientific expertise to serving our communities in a variety of roles, including mental health support, family education programs, high-quality child care and education, community-based research, and service on a variety of impactful community organizations. Growing Ourselves to Grow Others. The mission of the College of Education is to prepare educators and other service professionals to be lifelong learners with scholarly based knowledge, skills, and experiences to meet the needs of a diverse global community. We envision a College of Education that continues to be a distinguished College of Education that prepares our undergraduate and graduate students in becoming exceptional professionals who can strengthen our dynamic and diverse society. Georgia Southern University College of Education is the premier and primary educator of teachers in Southeast Georgia, and Eagle Educators are known throughout the state and nation for their achievements and dedication to the field of education.The College of Education offers students multiple program opportunities spanning all three Georgia Southern locations and online. Programs offered by the COE prepare future teachers, school psychologists, counselors, school library media specialists, instructional technologists, researchers and leaders through intensive field experiences, cutting-edge technology and research-based instruction. With more than 100 faculty members who are experts in the field, students learn in an environment exemplified by a free exchange of ideas, high academic expectations, and individual responsibility for academic achievement. Program options include seven undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Education majors preparing students for initial teacher certification. At the graduate level, the College offers the Master of Arts in Teaching degree with six available concentrations, 12 master of education degrees, five education specialist degrees, and two doctoral degrees. The College also offers six certificate opportunities and nine graduate-level programs for educators seeking to add an endorsement to their certification. The success of the College’s initial preparation and advanced degree programs is linked to its extensive partnerships with regional schools, educational and community agencies, and other units of Georgia Southern University. These collaborations provide vital experiences and benefits to all involved. Whether a K-12 school utilizing the expertise of a COE faculty member or a counseling or school psychology graduate student working with an experienced professional in the field, partnerships are a fundamental role of the College. The College of Science and Mathematics strives for excellence and innovation in undergraduate and graduate research, teaching practice and service to our community. With an emphasis on high-impact teaching strategies, our highly-respected faculty foster learning in the classroom and beyond by promoting student engagement and offering cutting-edge research opportunities to students. Our degree programs prepare students to apply scientific discoveries that inform education, health, natural resource protection and economic development. By combining state-of-the-art research and teaching facilities with numerous regional, national and global collaborations, the College of Science and Mathematics is a leader in producing graduates to meet tomorrow’s challenges. The College of Science and Mathematics (COSM) is one of the eight colleges that comprise Georgia Southern University. The College was created as the result of the consolidation of Georgia Southern’s College of Science and Mathematics and Armstrong’s College of Science and Technology. The College offers undergraduate degree programs on both the Armstrong and Statesboro campuses and Master’s degree programs on the Statesboro campus through the Departments of Geology & Geography In addition, the College offers courses to meet the university’s general education requirements at the Liberty campus in Hinesville. Across the three campuses, the College boasts state-of-the-art teaching and research labs, including those in support of geospatial technology, an aquatics lab, two microscopy suites, a mass spectrometry suite, and additional instrumentation necessary to support our faculty members’ diverse research interests and facilitate their numerous collaborations. Our Biological Sciences Building on the Statesboro campus was recognized as a Georgia Peach Green Building. Additionally, the College houses animal care spaces, greenhouses, herbaria, and an insectary where insects can be raised and studied. The College is also home to three large research collections (Herpetology, Entomology, and Botany). Our department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is accredited by the American Chemical Society to offer the ACS-certified degree in chemistry. The Statesboro campus houses the Georgia Southern University Planetarium, a state-of-the-art digital system, and the James H. Oliver, Jr. Institute for Coastal Plain Science, which hosts the U.S. National Tick Collection from the Smithsonian Institute and operates a field laboratory, the Applied Coastal Research Laboratory, on Skidaway Island. The Armstrong campus in Savannah houses the FORAM Sustainable Aquaponics Research Center (SARC), an innovative facility where faculty and students draw upon best practices to improve the sustainability and profitability of soilless farming. Both campuses have active offices of Undergraduate Research, which promote many forms of collaborative research between faculty and undergraduate students and encourage participation in grant competitions and research symposia. The Army ROTC Eagle Battalion – housed in a new Military Science building in Statesboro and near the award-winning Military Resource Center on the Armstrong campus – is one of the largest non-military college Army ROTC programs in the southeast. Additionally, the Army ROTC Nursing program is among the largest in the nation. The COSM Office of Academic Advising and the Pre-Health Professional Programs provides advising and coaching for all students. The office also provides additional guidance for students planning for careers as physician assistants, or in the fields of dentistry, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine. On the Armstrong campus, the advising and coaching services are housed in the Student Success Center and on the Statesboro Campus, they are housed on the lower-level of the Engineering Building. Georgia Southern University is the state’s largest and most comprehensive center of higher education south of Atlanta. With 142 degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels, Georgia Southern has been designated a Carnegie Doctoral/Research university and serves more than 27,000 students from all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico as well as 102 nations. With three vibrant campuses — the Armstrong Campus in Savannah, the Statesboro Campus and the Liberty Campus in Hinesville — Georgia Southern offers an attractive campus environment that encourages learning, discovery and personal growth. Georgia Southern’s nationally accredited academic programs prepare diverse scholars for leadership and service as world citizens. A unit of the University System of Georgia, the University boasts 200-plus student organizations, outstanding Division I athletics, and state-of-the art residence halls and campus facilities. Since 1906, the University’s hallmark has been a culture of engagement that bridges theory with practice, extends the learning environment beyond the classroom, and promotes student growth and life success. Central to the University’s mission is the faculty’s dedication to excellence in teaching and the development of a fertile learning environment exemplified by a free exchange of ideas, high academic expectations, and individual responsibility for academic achievement. Faculty, staff, and students embrace core values expressed through integrity, civility, kindness, collaboration, and a commitment to lifelong learning, wellness, and social responsibility. The JPHCOPH will be the nationally recognized leader in the empowerment of rural communities and underserved populations to address public health issues, eliminate health disparities and improve health outcomes. The mission of the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health (JPHCOPH) is to improve health, eliminate health disparities and health inequities of rural communities and underserved populations globally through excellence in teaching, public health workforce development, research, scholarship, professional service and community engagement. The Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health is endowed by Dr. Karl E. Peace as a tribute to his wife and an enduring celebration of her life characterized by ‘a zeal for excellence, consideration of others, intelligence and scholarship, honesty, kindness and humility.’ In honor of Dr. Hsu, the faculty, students and staff of the JPHCOPH commit to demonstrate these values in our behavior toward one another and to those that we serve. In 2007 the JPHCOPH Students, Faculty and Staff worked together to clarify the following list of shared core values. These values serve to guide decision making for our workforce development, research, professional service and community engagement activities. We will also use these values to help us in choosing the right path. Excellence in research, service and instruction. Passion for improving the health of rural communities and underserved populations. Responsibility for promoting health equity and eliminating health disparities in rural communities and underserved populations. Commitment to community involvement. Collaboration for problem solving. Commitment to developing as a “Learning Organization.” Instructional Goals Provide five exceptional competency-based MPH degree programs in the core areas of public health that will ensure our graduates attain and demonstrate competencies that will contribute to the mission of JPHCOPH during their academic programs and throughout their careers. Provide three exceptional competency-based DrPH programs (in the areas of Public Health Leadership, Biostatistics, and Community Health Behavior and Education) that graduate leaders of the public health workforce who contribute to the mission of JPHCOPH during their academic training and throughout their careers. Provide a competency-based BSPH degree program that will ensure our graduates attain and demonstrate competencies that will contribute to the mission of the JPHCOPH during their academic programs and throughout their careers. Ensure all of our graduates develop skills for lifelong learning critical thinking, collaboration and visionary public health leadership. Expand our DrPH programs to include concentrations in Epidemiology, Environmental Health or perhaps a PhD program within five years. Research Goal Foster excellence in applied public health-related research that enhances the knowledge, processes, best practices and values to improve health in communities and eliminate health disparities and improve health of the rural and underserved populations of the state and region. Service Goals Facilitate public health-related community outreach, service learning, use of best practices, continuing education for workforce development and community service to improve health for all and eliminate health disparities and improve the health of rural and underserved populations of the state and region,. Facilitate faculty and student involvement in national service activities and professional leadership roles to enhance public health. Organizational Goal Continually enhance our sustainable college of public health with an emphasis in ongoing assessment and quality improvement processes. The Parker College of Business seeks to produce career-ready professionals by offering a broad array of high quality undergraduate and select graduate programs within a learning environment characterized by inspired teaching, relevant research and meaningful service. We search for new knowledge, both theoretical and practical, and insightful learning opportunities for our students, guided by common values of continuous improvement, excellence, integrity, accountability, respect and sustainability. We endeavor to prepare career-ready professionals. This motivates our teaching. We equip students with the knowledge, critical thinking skills, and relevant tools for professional success. Our curriculum is driven by and evolves with informed theory and best practices. The learning environment we create within the classroom and beyond attracts students to the college and inspires them to learn. This rich learning environment creates demand for our graduates. Our desire to produce career-ready professionals motivates the growth of our intellectual capital through rigorous and meaningful inquiry. Our scholarship supports our distinctiveness and represents the source of our expertise in the classroom and in the academic and business communities. We value scholarship that informs theory, practice and teaching. Our inquiry is validated through a diverse portfolio of scholarly and professional activities. Service is a professional activity and is an important way by which we renew ourselves. We value service activities that leverage our position and expertise as teacher-scholars and researchers. Service provides benefits for our students, the professions they will enter, and the brand, the College or University. Since not all service activities are equal, we assess and recognize our service in terms of its overall impact. Georgia Southern offers 119 degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level. The Parker College of Business offers 8 majors, 11 minors, 3 Master’s degrees, and a Ph.D. Georgia Southern University was founded in 1906. The Parker College of Business began offering the BBA degree during 1965, the MBA degree during 1969, an online MBA program in 2001, the MAcc degree in 1997, an online MAcc in 2013, and the MSAE degree in 2007. A Ph.D. degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management was launched in 2010. The Parker College of Business has more than 20,000 alumni located throughout the world. The mission of the Waters College of Health Professions is to prepare future health professionals through academic excellence and interdisciplinary collaboration while advancing knowledge through scholarship and serving culturally diverse communities. The vision of the Waters College of Health Professions is to become the leader in the preparation of health professionals who are engaged in transformational thinking and evidence-based practices that impact the health and quality of life for individuals, families, and communities. We will accomplish this vision through a focus on: High academic expectations, individual responsibility for academic achievement, student-centered teaching and learning, impacting regional and global communities, interdisciplinary collaboration, innovative healthcare technology, experiential learning, community-engaged service and scholarship. Georgia Southern University is an emerging research institution that not only depends on the expertise of faculty researchers but also the dynamic ideas and creativity of its students. At GS, undergraduates pursue investigation, inquiry, and creative expression across the institution. Students are able to take advantage of individual research projects in their area of interest, execute research projects as part of their class curriculum or support research efforts of faculty members. Undergraduate research focuses on conducting experiments, analyzing data, interpreting a text or a work of art within an historical and cultural context, making connections, exploring meaning, or uncovering contradictions. Doing independent research allows students to develop their own original ideas and present them to a wider audience; they become producers, not just consumers, of knowledge. There are countless opportunities in each college and department to be involved in the innovative research happening at Georgia Southern University. Follow the link to search our database of faculty expertise. University Centers and Institutes Please follow the link for more information about centers and institutes.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2115
__label__cc	0.669416	0.330584	← Space Battleship Yamato 2202: Warriors of Love (Episodes 5&6) Quick Thought: Kino no Tabi -the Beautiful World- the Animated Series (Episode 6) → Kino no Tabi -the Beautiful World- the Animated Series (Episode 5) Posted on November 5, 2017 by Jusuchin (Military Otaku) I watched this episode at work yesterday, and I absolutely loved it. To me it is classic Kino no Tabi, and there is often more than meets the eye to a people than what is presented. How do I know I liked it? I rambled on in the thoughts section. I’ll be working on the top 5 hotties post later. Episode Summary: Kino is visiting an unidentified country, where the pair of travelers are being led by an overly enthusiastic guide. The guide explains that a traveler years past had settled down in their nation and became their first president, having fallen in love with the country, helping them, then overthrowing the older corrupt government. Kino and Hermes don’t share the guide’s hero worship, though Kino has a bit more tact in this regard. They then are shown the traveler’s motorrad, who had been vocal before but stopped after the traveler had died. Asking for a moment between themselves, the motorrad finally speaks and is jealous of the pair. He asks for Kino to take him traveling, as being kept on display is not something motorrads are meant to be. Kino can’t, nor will the pair destroy him, much to the bike’s dismay. Later, as Kino is leaving, Kino is met by the son of the inn the pair had stayed at. Asking Kino how the traveler started, Kino states that it was a rather violent one, but thinking back, Kino realizes it was because it was something the traveler wanted to do even when not ordered. The kid clearly wants to start, and hates the eventual fate of him running the inn from his parents. Unable to give some sort of advice to the boy, Kino explains there is more than one way to become one, and tells the boy to ask the first president’s motorrad. -End: Tale of a Traveler Kino arrives at a country and is let in. The country seems a little strict, as there is only one entry and exit way for travelers. Entering, Kino and Hermes are met with a strange man running without much cold weather protection. The man asks Kino if the traveler has heard from his lover. His lover had gone on a journey for some reason and the man has been waiting for his return, and wondered if Kino had any news. A woman appears with a coat for him as he starts to cough from the cold, whom he introduces as his housekeeper, before being led away by the woman. In the town proper, Kino has been regaling the pair’s various travels, due to the scarcity of visitors. One of the elders around the table asks if Kino had any questions for them, and Kino brings up the man. The mood changes around the table, and one switches places with the old man. He explains that the man was his friend and used to be a police officer. A leader in the resistance movement against the nation’s old order, he had fallen madly in love with a simple farm girl prior to the revolution. When the revolution was on hand, he had forced the dissolution of their relationship to spare her any repercussion, telling his friend, the narrator, that he had ‘lied to her’. The revolution underway, the man had been the one to kill the members of the royal family with a well-placed grenade, but upon examination of the bodies, discovered his lover. The princess had been sneaking out and posing as a commoner the entire time. Unable to come to terms with the fact that the person he should’ve hated was his lover, or the fact that he killed her, the man lost his mind. Thus a hero that should’ve been a leader of their new nation was treated like a child who had lost his family. He snapped, asking where his lover was, and a doctor lied to him stating that his lover had gone on a journey. It seems that it is a codified as well as societal rule that citizens aren’t allowed outside, but in his grief, he had forgotten this and accepted the doctor’s story as truth. Given a home by the new government, housekeepers would rotate frequently, managing only for so long before they can’t stand lying to him about his lover’s fate, and has been for the past 5 years. One day, a gravely injured traveler was found three years ago, and since she didn’t know the full story, was hired into becoming his housekeeper. With no signs of improvement, the leaders of the city can only think it is the best for him and for them to keep their lie. Driving out, Kino comes across the housekeeper who had gotten her cart stuck on a patch of mud, and helping her out. The housekeeper would stop them and invited Kino for some tea. Taking up the offer, she serves tea for the three of them. It seems that the housekeeper is really good at her job from the looks of things. The man asks Kino to pass a message to his lover if they ever meet. At this point, the housekeeper says there might be someone at the gate, and the man bolts. Questioned, the housekeeper explains her story. She had led him away to tell Kino that she is happy, and that her siblings are living at another country. She also adds that she gets to live with the man she loves. The pair realizing that she was the princess, the princess explains that they had caught wind of the revolution from their spies, and had been preparing for it. She had been using the man as a source of information, so their family could escape with their assets beforehand, but in the course of her spying, she fell in love with the man who treated her like a mere farmer’s daughter. That came to an end at the start of the revolution, and with their doubles fulfilling their roles, she tried to forget about him. Their contacts at their new country though have explained the situation to her about the man, and came up with the decision to come to the nation as his caregiver. She had gone through many hoops, first persuading her parents, then becoming a traveler, then landing the job as his housekeeper. Asked about it, she explains that the man was happy to have her until his lover returns, to which she finds solace and peace, knowing that the man still loved her and was waiting for her. Every day she lies to him, knowing she can’t tell him the truth, but is content with it, knowing she’ll die with the man she loves, forever lying to him. The man returns, noting it was just the generator, and wonders when she’ll come home. Scared that she might’ve forgotten about him, the princess merely replies that his lover would never forget about him. The next day, as Kino is seen out by the man and the housekeeper. The man claims that he hears a motor and runs after Kino, even though it is just Hermes starting up. Making his way past the guards, and out of earshot, the man explains that he knows. And he prefers it this way. He doesn’t want to ruin any more things, like his friend, the one who had seemingly led the revolution, is currently a spy for the disposed royal family; or the kind feelings of the rest of the people or the new government they built. And not especially his lover, who truly loved him and not just using him. It is this where Hermes remarks that he and the rest of his nation are all liars, and they bid farewell, with Kino wishing the two of them well. Episode Thoughts: I actually watched this on my way home. At my work site, my office is quite a fair bit away from where I park, and this necessitates the need to take an internal tram and employee shuttle. Having been relieved by the PM shift, I watched this and promptly finished when I reached the stop where I parked. Yeah, it seems like it takes a bit longer for me to get to my car from my office than it is to go to work. Regardless, there were two nations explored today. The first one dealt with the hero worship of a traveler who had come to love the nation he eventually settled in, and eventually became it’s first post-revolution leader. It seems as though, that while the nation remembered him as something akin to George Washington is to Americans like me, the one that knew him the best, his motorrad, is suffering from the undue attention. Or rather, the literal pedestal he was put in. The room in which he is displayed at has pictures of the man when they were traveling, and he laments spending the remainder of his life in a fish bubble, unable to travel, and unable to be dismantled due to having no further purpose in life. The motorrad didn’t go quiet due to the man’s passing. He grew quiet due to the fact he is not being ridden anymore. This brought back memories from the first series, where the real Kino tells the young Kino on how motorrads can speak, and have personalities. Also how Hermes is very nonchalant sometimes as long as he has a rider. But there is hope, as Kino gives the son of the inn keepers hints on where to achieve his dream of being a traveler. That said, it also foreshadows a future episode it seems, talking about how Kino’s introduction to traveling was quite violent, and due to that start, she can’t give a good answer to the boy. I imagine we’d get a full recap or even elaboration of her childhood episode and the country of adults. The latter half and the main focus of the episode was the one I had a conversation with Sumeragi with. We talked about the various events we as Americans, and really, most countries, have shaped to be myths. Changing an interpretation here, glorifying a bit there. In the Country of Liars, the hero of the revolution, one who no doubt could’ve been the leader of the nation, is a mentally broken man who waits every day for a lover that he killed. Everyone is in on the act, and they can do nothing but watch him waste away. The man’s friend also has his own lies. Even as he helps run the nation, he spies for the escaped royal family, no doubt either a double agent from the get go or a sympathizer caught up in the revolution and saving his own skin. With the state of the nation as it is, it probably is best for him to continue in his public persona as one of the men who stormed the palace. The princess as well. Initially courting the man for information, she eventually falls for him, madly and deeply like he did, and was forcing herself to forget about him until news came of his deranged state. She risked everything, her life, discovery that the royals were still alive, and the friend’s life as a double agent. Only for her to come back and act as the man’s caretaker, living her own lie if only to get to live with the man she loves. And finally, the man, who had probably cured himself when the caretaker came, no doubt hearing the lies around him, and yet, everything is alright. No doubt he was truly angry at the direction the nation was going, and he put his whole heart and soul to the downfall of the old regime, only to fall in love with a plain farmer’s daughter that ended up being the princess of the regime you hate, and later, the traveler turned housekeeper who help keep up the nation’s premise of existing. Sumeragi cites the story by Ursula K. Le Guin, “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” as something that fits the story of Country of Liars. That in order to maintain the façade of a successful country, one man’s sadness must be kept up. The man knows this, and goes along with it. Having read the short story, the man, the disposed princess, his friend and the country is Omelas and its lone atrocity. The happiness and prosperity of the town held up with a single ball of darkness. In Le Guin’s story, the abuse of the child. In Kino no Tabi, the lie they tell the hero of their revolution. Kino and Hermes, and all other travelers, represent the people who left after finding out the lie that sustain Omelas. It is why the man tells Kino that he knows, if only to add one final story to the book of lies she’s been fed. Much like in Le Guin’s story, where the uncertain narrator explains that those who leave Omelas go to somewhere that they cannot comprehend, the Country of Lies has a rather strict immigration policy. With travelers only allowed to enter and exit through one entryway, it is accepted that citizens themselves aren’t allowed to leave. It explains why the royal family can live just in the next nation over and not be killed or asked to be turned over. Or it could be two fold, with the royals having seen there was no stopping the tide of revolution, placed their own sympathizers within their ranks to allow a ‘smooth’ transition in which they kept their wealth and status, and the revolutionaries had the country. Everything is fine in your country, when you have nothing to compare it to. And from the looks of the town and the people, they’re not doing that bad really. With that, why would you want to ruin that sort of lie? Everything is built on those lies, and as Sumeragi says, the country is an example of ‘letting sleeping dogs lie’. There were other things discussed, namely viewpoint differences between the two of us over Kenichi Sigsawa’s works and his online profile, but it had boiled down similarly to how I treat American entertainers. Their face value is to entertain me, not lecture me. Besides, to me at least, Kenichi Sigsawa ain’t as blatantly Japanese right wing as say, Takumi Yanai (author of GATE: Jietai Kano Chi nite, Kaku Tatkaeri). But not all of our talk was on the somewhat controversial stands the author for Kino no Tabi has, and as evidenced, it was also an insight on how Sumeragi views the episodes. Something I am appreciative of, as no one truly can spot the differences and nuances all the time by his or herself. As a side note, when we were discussing this episode and our differing viewpoints came up, the point of negative connotations was broached. In stating what I thought about it in that lens, I had said that the premise resembles something like a Potemkin village. A veneer to show the national myth and well-being when in reality the nation is dying. There have been stories in which Kino was not shown the entirety of a nation before, the most memorable one has been the Country of Illness. Kino may not have full access to everything in the country, or more over, maybe the whole lie is a lie in itself. That each and every person knows the truth and what was presented to us and Kino was just some damn good stage play. Meh, I liked it in the end though, sorry for rambling much. Episode Gallery: https://imgur.com/a/1BqD9 About Jusuchin (Military Otaku) Conservative, Patriotic and an Otaku. Recent grad of George Mason University. I am interested in firearms, politics, Japanese Anime, and military tech. View all posts by Jusuchin (Military Otaku) → This entry was posted in Anime, Kino no Tabi, Kino no Tabi -the Beautiful World- the Animated Series. Bookmark the permalink.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2119
__label__cc	0.713018	0.286982	Rob Heaton in Heresy, Life, Reflections, Theology December 24, 2010 December 23, 2010 657 Words What About Mark? John? As Christians, we generally ignore these two gospels around Christmas time unless they are otherwise advantageous to us. Mark serves us… well, by having served Matthew and Luke enough to finagle Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. (The birth story wouldn’t have been quite the same if Mary texted her midwife and gave birth to Jesus in the spare room of her Nazarene home, right?) While we can always count on John for a spoonful of divinity-speak, Mark and John certainly don’t say anything about the supposed Bethlehemic birth of Jesus, which is what we tend to be celebrating. Or are we? Is there anything about our Christmas celebration that would indicate we’re celebrating something more than Winter Solstice (or Festivus)? We like to think so, but we’re easily susceptible to the trap of materialism (believe it or not) and traditionalism. Something I look forward to around Christmas and Easter is the broadcast of religious-themed programming on TV stations like the History Channel and National Geographic purporting to explore the history behind our traditions and the historicity of the holidays in general. I was reminded last night about the pagan roots of our celebrations, from the “Christmas” tree to the candles to other nonsense that has nothing to do with the birth and life of Jesus. But these hour-long features are a topic unto themselves. Since we have no footage from many thousands of years ago, actors and actresses are hired to reinforce the stereotypes that scholarly types eventually come on screen to refute. And anytime some sort of Hebrew or Greek translation error comes into play, it is drawn out and treated like a major revelation. Six to eight minutes of solid information is stretched out into 47 minutes, and after you solicit advertising, you’ve got yourself an unnecessary hour-long block. But that’s not all! Some sort of ambiguous ending is always thrown in, so you are left with no clue why you just spent an hour of your time learning nothing in particular. But back to those not-so-Christmasey gospels. For all of the affinity that pastors have with John (hard to ignore those way and truth and life Ἐγώ εἰμι statements), it just throws a wrench into the Bethlehemic birth story. Jesus wasn’t just God’s divine son, but he even preexisted with God before coming to Earth! While the common “good” Christian thing to do is meld these accounts into an über-Gospel, it’s important we recognize that John’s community put their gospel into writing not to augment the Synoptics, but to supplant them. For Mark, it was enough that Jesus was and Jesus did. But predictably enough, the communities that heard his gospel started asking questions, and started thinking of him in terms of the history of Israel. Was Jesus the one who was to come? Was he “Emmanuel,” God with us? Certainly a man so knowledgeable and gracious had an eventful birth. I’m not going to pretend like I have all of the historical answers, but we can’t deny that those people who Jesus interacted with on a daily basis didn’t ask and didn’t care where he came from, how he was born, etc. The disciples didn’t whisper to each other about it in their spare time, and they didn’t entertain such gossip about him from outsiders (biblically speaking). Either they all knew and accepted his upbringing (which would have made it into Mark) or they didn’t care. I subscribe to the latter interpretation. Which would mean that the message of Jesus is in his message, not in his person. Not in his birth. Which would mean that we’re wasting a lot of time worrying about the acceptance of our nativity scenes. Which would mean that on his “birthday” (I say that very loosely), shouldn’t we be stressing his message – his vision of the Kingdom – rather than fables that were crafted after his death? Merry Christmas, and may we come to understand what that really means. One Semester Down! Israel? And A Quick Update…	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2120
__label__wiki	0.970202	0.970202	Events Dizzy Reed's Hookers and Blow Dizzy Reed’s Hookers And Blow With Special Guests Dead FervorDizzy Reed’s Hookers And Blow With Special Guests Dead Fervor Dizzy Reed’s Hookers and Blow with special guests Dead Fervor Artists: Dizzy Reed's Hookers and Blow and Dead Fervor February 13, 2021 @8:00 pm Rock Star University House of Rock - Santa Rosa, CA - Get Directions In the world of music, Guns N’ Roses need no introduction. Few bands in history have achieved the level of success and recognition that GNR has. The addition of keyboardist Dizzy Reed in 1990 marked a stylistic turning point in the band’s maturity, incorporating piano and the epic tones of the Hammond B-3 into their aggressive hard rock sound. Born in Hinsdale, Illinois and raised in Colorado, Dizzy started his musical journey in early childhood. His grandmother, who lived in the apartment above, played the organ, and taught Dizzy on her Lowry. Growing up, Dizzy was exposed to his father’s love of Booker T and the MGs. Once young Dizzy realised that was the same instrument he could play, he was hooked. By the age of 12 he was touring with his own band. Other early influences were John Lord, Gregg Rolie, and Grand Funk Railroad. In 1985, Dizzy moved to Los Angeles, where a wild, rich musical scene was hitting its stride. “It was the place to be. There were thousands of bands from all over the world, trying to be the next big thing. There was an incredible amount of energy and it was magic.” While rehearsing and living in a Hollywood practice room, Dizzy befriended Axl Rose and, in 1990, he joined Guns N’ Roses on keys and backing vocals for the recording of Use Your Illusion I & II. Making the transition from club rocker to a member of the biggest stadium band in the world required the majesty of the Hammond B-3, which Dizzy employed on the classic tracks “Dust ‘n’ Bones”, “Yesterdays” “14 Years”, and “Don’t Damn Me”. In 2012, Dizzy was inducted into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Guns N’ Roses. He has toured with the Psychedelic Furs and has toured, recorded and written with supergroup The Dead Daisies whose lineup has featured members of The Cult, Motley Crüe, White Snake, The Rolling Stones and Thin Lizzy. He also sings lead vocals with his side project, Hookers and Blow. Dizzy is a father of four and lives with his New Zealand-born wife, Nadja, in Los Angeles. On surviving and flourishing in rock’s ‘sharky’ waters, he says, “Never stop learning and exploring, but don’t forget what you do best. Stick to your guns.” Early 2018 saw the release of Dizzy’s long-awaited solo album through powerhouse indie rock label, Golden Robot Records. The album features players from some of the world’s biggest rock bands including fellow Guns N’ Roses members Richard Fortus, Frank Ferrer. Tommy Stinson and Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal; Thin Lizzy’s Ricky Warwick; Mike Dupke and Mike Duda of W.A.S.P.; Psychedelic Furs saxophonist Mars Williams and many more.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2121
__label__wiki	0.680057	0.680057	The Latest on Coronavirus Vaccines Here’s what you should know. Another promising coronavirus vaccine may be on the horizon, but it’s months away from being tested in people. Category Coronavirus, COVID-19 Coronavirus Vaccines The Latest on Coronavirus Vaccines \| Here’s what you should know Another promising coronavirus vaccine may be on the horizon, but it’s months away from being tested in people. Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson said on March 30 that it plans to begin testing a vaccine in human clinical trials no later than September. The company is partnering with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to speed the development of the vaccine. BARDA and Johnson & Johnson say they will commit $1 billion to the effort, which will include manufacturing more than a billion doses. Meanwhile, another coronavirus vaccine trial is already underway. Emory University in Atlanta is looking for healthy people ages 18 to 55 to receive an experimental coronavirus vaccine as part of an early-stage study. The trial began in mid-March at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. The vaccine in that study is being developed by biotech company Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. It is the first coronavirus vaccine to be tested in people. That vaccine might be available to health care workers as soon as this fall, according to recent comments made by Moderna’s CEO. NIAID director Dr. Anthony Fauci has said it could take a year to a year and a half for a vaccine to become available to the general public. Staying Sane Amid the Coronavirus Crisis Indian drug makers fit into Russia’s pharma strategy – Pharma 2020 opportunities Staying Sane Amid the Coronavirus COVID-19: Jolt to Business & Support of Credit Insurance	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2133
__label__wiki	0.842333	0.842333	Dr. Yvonne Darlene Cagle Dr. Yvonne Darlene Cagle is an astronaut for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and consulting professor for Stanford University’s department of cardiovascular medicine and its department of electrical engineering. In addition, Dr. Cagle also has served as a certified senior aviation medical examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration and a qualified advanced cardiac life support instructor. Dr. Cagle currently is the chief scientist for the Level II Program Office of NASA’s Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research program. She was assigned as Stanford’s lead astronaut science liaison and strategic relationships manager for Google and other Silicon Valley programmatic partnerships. Her groundbreaking work is preserving NASA legacy data while galvanizing NASA’s lead in global mapping, sustainable energies, green initiatives, and disaster preparedness. After earning her undergraduate degree from San Francisco State University, Dr. Cagle earned an M.D. from the University of Washington. She completed an internship at Highland General Hospital in Oakland, Calif., and a residency in family practice at Ghent Family Medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Va. Recipient of the National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, United States Air Force Air Staff Exceptional Physician Commendation and National Technical Association Distinguished Scientist Award, Dr. Cagle began her medical career as a certified flight surgeon. She was actively involved in mission support of aircraft providing medical support and rescue in a variety of aeromedical missions. Dr. Cagle has contributed ongoing data to the longitudinal study on astronaut health and served as a consultant for space telemedicine. Dr. Cagle is on the advisory committee for the Texas Medical Center National Center for Human Performance. She was a member of the NASA Working Group and traveled to Russia to establish international medical standards and procedures for astronauts. She also has served on the Volunteer Family Practice Clinical Faculty at the University of California at Davis. Astronaut Yvonne Cagle in the Apollo Moon Room of the Ames Exploration Center (943-A) Stephanie D. Wilson Margaret Collins Colonel Merryl Tengesdal Mary Elizabeth Mahoney David Satcher Marjorie Stewart Joyner	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2134
__label__wiki	0.96181	0.96181	William Pickens William Pickens was born January 15, 1881, in Anderson County, South Carolina. His parents were liberated slaves who migrated to Arkansas when he was a young boy. Young Pickens worked in cotton fields and in sawmills while attending the local segregated public school. Pickens entered Talladega College in Alabama in 1898 and left four years later as the school’s most illustrious graduate in its history. In 1902 he entered Yale University in Connecticut and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa where he won the Henry James Ten Eyek Prize over thirty-seven competitors in 1903. Pickens became an expert linguist and graduated from Yale with a second B.A. degree in classics in 1904. In 1905 Pickens married Minnie Cooper McAlpine. The couple had three children. William Pickens returned to Talladega and taught foreign languages there for the next decade. Beginning in 1914 he spent two years at Wiley College in Texas and then became Dean of Academics at Morgan State College in Baltimore, Maryland in 1916. William Pickens wrote his first autobiography, The Heir of Slaves, in 1911. In the book, he stressed the importance of education. He also credited much of his success to his family, different teachers who guided him and the techniques he used to produce his accomplishments. Pickens’s second autobiography, Bursting Bonds, appeared in 1923. Taking into consideration the widespread race-inspired attacks on African Americans both in the urban riots of 1919 and 1921 and by lynching, Pickens used the book to again describe his own remarkable odyssey but also to demand full citizenship for all African Americans. Bursting Bonds is widely considered the beginning of the transition of black autobiographies from the deferential tone of Booker T. Washington’s Up From Slavery toward the confrontational stance represented by books such as Richard Wright’s Black Boy. In addition to his academic accomplishments, Pickens was an active member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In 1918 he was named the organization’s director of branches. Pickens now traveled the country but particularly the South encouraging the creation of new branches. William Pickens would hold various posts with the NAACP for the next two decades. On January 15, 1923, for example, Pickens, as NAACP Field Secretary, was one of eight people who sent the “Garvey Must Go” letter to U.S. Attorney General Harry M. Daugherty, which is widely credited with providing crucial African American support for the arrest of Marcus Garvey. In August 1927, however, Pickens, in a public letter to the New Republic, called for Garvey’s release from prison. In the 1930s Pickens, as an NAACP official was involved in the Scottsboro Case and the campaign to support Ethiopia after its invasion by Italy. Pickens’s daughter Harriett was one of the first black Naval officers in World War II. Once charged with subversive activities by the House Committee on Un-American Activities because of his friendship with Socialist leader Norman Thomas and his work with the League for Industrial Democracy, Pickens by 1941 left the NAACP and became an employee of the U.S. Treasury Department. In 1946-1947, for example, he traveled across the United States in 1946-1947, urging the sale of U.S. Savings Bonds. Pickens once said, “Color had been made the mark of enslavement and was taken to be also the mark of inferiority; for prejudice does not reason, or it would not be prejudiced… If prejudice could reason, it would dispel itself.” William Pickens died in 1954 aboard the RMS Mauretania while taking a pleasure cruise with his wife off the coast of South America. William Monroe Trotter The Story Behind the Famous Little Rock Nine ‘Scream Image’ samepassage August 20, 2020 August 31, 2020 Patrick Healy Miriam Elizabeth Benjamin Patricia Hill Collins	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2135
__label__wiki	0.736382	0.736382	New Split-Screen Local Co-op from Stardew Valley Stardew Valley is a cooperative role-playing game that challenges budding farmers to ambitious goals. Arriving at the place, the heroes discover a ruined economy, with fields overgrown with weeds and dilapidated buildings. Taking a shovel, rake, and garden shears in our hands, we have to create a blossoming garden and good land, pleasing to the eye and soul. Stardew Valley started as a single-player game in 2016. The first multi-user features appeared in the game in 2018. However, it had several shortcomings, such as the lack of cross-platform support. Besides, the assembled users could only see their own screens. Eric Barone, also known as Concerned Ape, announced that Stardew Valley Update 1.5 will introduce a co-op game for two players who will grow crops and make money together on the same screen. Due to a July tweet from Barone, we already knew that the next game update would be big and would include some significant novelty. However, the local multiplayer is a huge surprise. The creator shared a screenshot of the co-op on Twitter. In his post, he said that while all platforms will play together with a split-screen, only on a PC, you can invite three more people. However, observant gamers remarked that there is more exciting information on the screenshots. They turned out that the creators' tweet hides several novelties. There are desert farms, chests, decorations, and the ability to light torches on the fence. Role-playing interaction will allow four players to work the land at once, so the farmers will be less tired and bring the valley into a divine form much faster. Do not forget about the NPCs inhabiting the area; they can give a profitable task or even start a family with you. All kinds of fairs often come to the valley, where you can sell the grown crops or acquire the necessary resources. Are you excited about the coming update? Share your thoughts on the game in the section below. Subscribe to find out more about the gaming world novelties and share this piece with your friends.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2144
__label__cc	0.62261	0.37739	Philosophy Undergraduate Theses Virtue In The Philosophy Of St. Thomas Aquinas As Contained In The Summa Theologica 1948_CaulfieldT_THS_000055.pdf (42.39Mb) Caulfield, Terrence For a man to live means that he must act. His life is truly a complex pattern of actions, which may be grouped into two classes: first, those actions for which he is responsible, and secondly, those for which he is not responsible. Those actions for which he is the agent but for which he is not responsible are called non-voluntary acts. Man causes them, but he is not their rationally responsible cause. These acts are properly called acts of man. But the second class of acts, those actions which are performed under man's control and for which he can be rightly held responsible are called voluntary acts. Those two classes of acts are distinguished by the fact that when a man intelligently, freely and willingly performs an act, this act is called a human act. There are many actions about which man makes no rational choice, such as the processes of growth and respiration, and these therefore cannot be called human acts. But for a man to perform a human act, he must know what he is doing, be free to do it, and finally, will to do it. Now everything that acts acts in view of an end. Therefore, when a man performs an act, whether good or bad, he has to know what he wills. The will, although it is the faculty of desire, is in itself blind, and consequently a man cannot desire what he does not know. Thus we have the important ethical principle: "Nothing is willed that is not known." The next requisite for a man to perform a human act is that he will to act. An example of this is afforded in the distinction made between winking and blinking, for when a man winks he wills to do so and thus performs a voluntary act, but when he blinks, this act is involuntary. Therefore when acts are not elicited from the will they are but acts of man and not human acts. For unless man’s acts proceed in some way from his will, they are not truly human and he is not responsible for them.For a man to live means that he must act. His life is truly a complex pattern of actions, which may be grouped into two classes: first, those actions for which he is responsible, and secondly, those for which he is not responsible. Those actions for which he is the agent but for which he is not responsible are called non-voluntary acts. Man causes them, but he is not their rationally responsible cause. These acts are properly called acts of man. But the second class of acts, those actions which are performed under man's control and for which he can be rightly held responsible are called voluntary acts. Those two classes of acts are distinguished by the fact that when a man intelligently, freely and willingly performs an act, this act is called a human act. There are many actions about which man makes no rational choice, such as the processes of growth and respiration, and these therefore cannot be called human acts. But for a man to perform a human act, he must know what he is doing, be free to do it, and finally, will to do it. Now everything that acts acts in view of an end. Therefore, when a man performs an act, whether good or bad, he has to know what he wills. The will, although it is the faculty of desire, is in itself blind, and consequently a man cannot desire what he does not know. Thus we have the important ethical principle: "Nothing is willed that is not known." The next requisite for a man to perform a human act is that he will to act. An example of this is afforded in the distinction made between winking and blinking, for when a man winks he wills to do so and thus performs a voluntary act, but when he blinks, this act is involuntary. Therefore when acts are not elicited from the will they are but acts of man and not human acts. For unless man’s acts proceed in some way from his will, they are not truly human and he is not responsible for them.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2149
__label__wiki	0.978725	0.978725	Home > ESR > Vol. 34 (2011) Ethnic Studies Review Explorations in Ethnic Studies Explorations in Sights and Sounds All Issues Vol. 37, Iss. 1 Vol. 36, Iss. 1 Vol. 35, Iss. 1 Vol. 34, Iss. 1 Vol. 33, Iss. 2 Vol. 33, Iss. 1 Vol. 32, Iss. 2 Vol. 32, Iss. 1 Vol. 31, Iss. 2 Vol. 31, Iss. 1 Vol. 30, Iss. 1 Vol. 29, Iss. 2 Vol. 29, Iss. 1 Vol. 28, Iss. 2 Vol. 28, Iss. 1 Vol. 27, Iss. 1 Vol. 26, Iss. 2 Vol. 26, Iss. 1 Vol. 25, Iss. 1 Vol. 24, Iss. 1 Vol. 23, Iss. 1 Vol. 22, Iss. 1 Vol. 21, Iss. 1 Vol. 20, Iss. 1 Vol. 19, Iss. 2 Vol. 19, Iss. 1 Virginia Commonwealth University \| VCU Libraries \| Contact Us	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2152
__label__wiki	0.911917	0.911917	The Enrico Fermi Award Martin D. Kamen, 1995 For his discovery of carbon-14 and its development as a tracer atom-one of the most powerful research tools of this century-and for his work on the problem of photosynthesis, including the discovery of new cytochromes and their role in energy conversion. The most well-known of Martin Kamen's many achievements is his discovery in 1940, in collaboration with the late Sam Ruben, of the long lived radioactive carbon isotope carbon-14 and his development of it as a tracer in biological systems. Kamen's work changed biochemistry in a fundamental way-today, carbon-14 is used to understand all biochemical reactions involving carbon. Kamen himself used carbon-14 to understand metabolism and photosynthesis, the most fundamental process on our planet. Carbon-14 is also used by countless chemists, biochemists, molecular biologists, medical scientists, archaeologists, and geologists. The technique of carbon dating has permitted scientists to date archaeological and anthropological finds as far back as 60,000 years; and carbon-14 has helped scholars determine whether pictures were painted by famous artists or by forgers. Most recently, environmental scientists have been using carbon-14 to study the distribution and turnover of carbon dioxide in our deteriorating environment. In 1937, after completing his doctoral research on neutron scattering, Kamen began his career as a radiochemist for the legendary group under Ernest 0. Lawrence at the cyclotron at the University of California, Berkeley. He used carbon-11 that he made in the Berkeley cyclotron to trace chemical and biochemical processes but was limited by the short half-life (21 minutes) of this nuclide. The existence of the nuclide carbon-14 had been postulated since 1934, but it had never been directly observed nor characterized. Kamen succeeded in preparing C-14 in sufficient amounts to determine its beta-emission energy and lifetime. Remarkably, its extraordinarily long half-life (5,700 years) differed from theoretical expectation. Two basic themes recurred in Kamen's pioneering radiocarbon studies: photosynthesis and the related general problem of CO2 assimilation. In 1938 he demonstrated, in collaboration with Sam Ruben and others, that the source of molecular oxygen in photosynthesis is water and not carbon dioxide. During the war years Kamen's liberal ideas and outgoing personality caused him to be watched by government security, including the F.B.I. In 1944, he was declared security risk and dismissed from the Berkeley Radiation Lab. A few years later he was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Kamen fought in the courts for over ten years to clear his name and to regain his passport, which had been denied whenever he had been invited to attend scientific meetings abroad. In 1945, he moved to the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, where he supervised cyclotron production of radioisotopes for medical research. He continued his study of photosynthesis and cytochromes (the respiratory proteins basic to reduction of oxygen) using carbon-14 as a tracer by collaborating with biochemists throughout the university. With keen scientific intuition, he chose to use bacteria instead of green plants as test organisms. This change, related to his earlier studies on bacteria at Berkeley, was influenced also by his familiarity with the attitudes of comparative biochemistry, a viewpoint that emphasizes general biochemical and evolutionary relationships and 'guides research accordingly. These studies, ranging over the whole field of microbiology stimulated a rapidly expanding series of studies in the laboratories of his collaborators and others. In 1947 he wrote what immediately became the primary reference work for several decades on the use of radioactive tracers, Radioactive Tracers in Biology:An Introduction to Tracer Methodology. This work, first published in 1947, went through three editions incorporating new techniques, and three reprinting, through 1965. It remains a classic reference on basic nuclear science, tracer methodology and technique. During, the 1950s and 1960s, his studies on the metabolism of photosynthetic bacteria resulted in a number of important discoveries, notably nitrogen fixation and the photoevolution of molecular hydrogen (with H. Gest, a graduate student at the time), and the so-called suicide procedure; to trace mechanisms of DNA duplication (with A.V. Hershey). After he and Leo Vernon discovered the C-tvpe cytochronie in anaerobic bacteria, he began a series of pioneering researches on bacterial iron proteins. They performed the first characterization of a bacterial cytochrome and from this there emerged a wholly new area the comparative biochemistry of cytochromes-which stimulated discoveries of many new classes of iron proteins. Kamen became Professor of Biochemistry at Brandeis University (1957-61) and Professor of Chemistry at the University of California at San Diego (1961-1978). From 1967-1970, he spent every six months as Director of Research at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Laboratorle de Photosyntheses in Gif-Sur-Yvette, France. He taught at the University of Southern California, where he was Director of the Chemical-Biolocical Development Laboratory (I 974-1977) and Director of Molecular Biology (I 978). Currently he is Professor Emeritus at the University of California at San Diego and at the University of Southern California. Professor Kamen continued to teach until his 80s. Martin Kamen was born in 1913 in Toronto. He earned his BS and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry and Physical Chemistry, respectively, from the University of Chicago. Dr. Kamen has published over 300 scientific papers, which demonstrates the range and significance of his work. His textbook on tracer methods Isotopic Tracer Methods in biology was highly influential in introducing,, tracer methodology, , to biochemistry. He textbook Primary Process in Photosyntheses (1963) is a classic work in its field. He wrote an autobiography, Radiant Science, Dark Politics: A Memoir of the Nuclear Age (1985), which focuses on his life from 1937 to 1957. He has received many honorary degrees, including those from the University of Chicago, Washington University, University of Illinois, Brandies University, University of Freilbur, in Germany, and the Welzmann Institute of Science in Israel. His awards include the C.F. Kettering, Research Award (1963-1970), the C. F. KetterinG Award for Excellence in Photosynthesis (1968) , the Merck Award of the American Society of Biological Chemists (1982), and the Einstein Award of the World Cultural Council (1990). Dr. Kamen is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society. The Enrico Fermi Award Navigation The Life of Enrico Fermi Contact The Enrico Fermi Award Email Send us a message SCFermi.Award@science.doe.gov	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2153
__label__wiki	0.786215	0.786215	A most distant signal Research establishes antibiotic potential for cannabis molecule Coercive collection of DNA is unethical and damaging to the future of medical research Semiconductor chip that detects exhaled gas with high sensitivity at room temperature New tool removes chemotherapy drugs from water systems Nonsurgical treatment for cerebral infarction using wearable wireless ultrasound devices Aluminum may affect lead levels in drinking water Researchers find aluminum in water could affect lead’s solubility — in certain cases Credit: Washington University in St. Louis It is not uncommon to find aluminum in municipal water systems. It’s part of a treatment chemical used in some water treatment processes. Recently, however, it has been discovered in lead scale, deposits that form on lead water pipes. The aluminum presence in pipes is both unsurprising and, in the quantities researchers saw in water pipes, not a health concern, according to Daniel Giammar, the Walter E. Browne Professor of Environmental Engineering in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis. But no one had looked at how it might affect the larger municipal system. In particular, Giammar wanted to find out, “What is that aluminum doing to the behavior of the lead in the scale?” As long as the lead is bound to the scale, it doesn’t enter the water system. Giammar and a team ran several experiments and found that, in a lab setting, aluminum does have a small but important effect on lead’s solubility under certain conditions. Their results were published in late April in Environmental Science & Technology. The paper was selected as “ACS Editor’s Choice” by the American Chemical Society, which makes it available to the public for free. The experiments were carried out in large part by visiting PhD student Guiwei Li, who was able to complete the work during his brief stay at Washington University before returning to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In simplified models, the researchers took a look at how phosphate, aluminum and a combination of the two, affected a strip of lead in a jar of water with a composition close to that of water found in many water systems. The aim: to better understand lead’s solubility, or the amount that would dissolve and make its way into the water when impacted by those chemicals. In the jar in which only aluminum was added, there was no effect on the solubility of the lead strip; lead had dissolved into the water at a concentration of about 100 micrograms per liter. In the jar in which only phosphate was added, the concentration of lead in the water decreased from about 100 micrograms per liter to less than one. In the jar in which both aluminum and phosphate were added, the concentration of lead in the water decreased from about 100 micrograms per liter to about 10 micrograms per liter. Ten micrograms of lead per liter of water is still below drinking water standards, Giammar said, but it’s still more lead in the water than was seen in the jar without aluminum. “This tells us what our next experiment should be,” he said. His lab will do these experiments with real lead pipes, as they have done in the past. “This showed us things that were surprising,” he said. “Some people would have thought that aluminum wasn’t doing anything because it’s inert. But then in our work, we saw that it actually affects lead solubility.” Brandie Jefferson https://source.wustl.edu/2020/05/aluminum-may-affect-lead-levels-in-drinking-water/ http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c00738 Biomedical/Environmental/Chemical EngineeringEcology/EnvironmentEnvironmental HealthTechnology/Engineering/Computer Science USC’s Mark Humayun wins IEEE Medal for Innovations in Healthcare Technology Quantum Hall effect ‘reincarnated’ in 3D topological materials Glass frogs living near roaring waterfalls wave hello to attract mates Elkhorn coral actively fighting off diseases on reef, study finds Findings showed coral has core immune response regardless of disease typeCredit: Photo: Margaret Miller, SECORE… Predicting the evolution of genetic mutations A new tool to map the flow of info within living cells A red future for improving crop production? Plant disease primarily spreads via roadsides	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2155
__label__wiki	0.581911	0.581911	Tag Archives: Eric Garner Straight to Court: The Case for Private Prosecutions Posted on August 13, 2015 by scott If there is one issue that has marked American society in the last year, it has been a lack of accountability for violence against people of color – especially by law enforcement. Men like Michael Brown, John Crawford III, and Eric Garner all died at the hands of police officers who were never even indicted, let alone tried and found guilty in a court of law. The rampant impunity that negligent police officers enjoy has been the rallying point for many protests and demonstrations since last summer. The process from investigation to indictment to trial is usually not one that favors the alleged perpetrator, but mounting evidence shows that the system protects its own as multiple police officers escape accountability for actions both minor and egregious. In the United States, if anyone commits a crime, it is up to the state to hold them accountable – even if agents of the state are the ones who stand accused. This is part of a long tradition in which crimes are seen not only as crimes against a particular victim, but against the state and society itself. State prosecutors punish suspected criminals by defending the rule of law that binds our society together, not by merely seeking justice on behalf of victims. This is one of the ideals on which our justice system rests, but in practice this turns out to be a legal version of “#AllLivesMatter” as the victim all but disappears in cases labeled “State v. Defendant,” leaving the quest for justice in the hands of a state attorney. These public prosecutors don’t always dole out justice evenly, however, and throughout history minority victims have faced huge obstacles in gaining any modicum of justice. Recently, in police killing after controversial police killing, news cameras have awaited announcements from county prosecutors and state attorneys who have decided not to file charges. More often than not, the state has failed to hold itself accountable. Black Lives Matter demonstrators in NYC last November. This is not surprising. On top of the racial disparities of the Unites States criminal justice system, the fact is that prosecutors work alongside police departments on a regular basis, and as such we should not expect them to suddenly be willing to crack down on police violence. Prosecutors have tremendous power at the early stages of an investigation if they want an indictment, but recent history shows that this isn’t always the goal. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCullough showed as much when he shepherded Darren Wilson’s case into non-existence and then reprimanded the media and demonstrators rather than make any attempt to discipline a police force responsible for preying on the residents of Ferguson. Even in the rare instance that prosecutors do indict police officers, they face incredible obstacles and costs. When District Attorney Kari Brandenburg first began considering handing down indictments for two police officers for shooting and killing a homeless man in Albuquerque, police began investigating her for allegedly bribing witnesses related to an incident involving her son in an attempt to “destroy [her] career.” Later, when Brandenburg finally did issue the indictments, she immediately paid for it. The next day, when a prosecutor from her office went to investigate a different, unrelated murder, police denied her entry to the scene, citing a “conflict of interest.” Such blatant intimidation and brazen attempts to deny victims justice is only possible because police have so much power in American society and the U.S. criminal justice system. In the face of such obstacles, we should expect most prosecutors to default to supporting police departments, regardless of the evidence or public opinion. Mass demonstrations, civil disobedience, petitions, speeches, and even a direct line to City Hall have failed to change the course of police impunity in New York as well as Ferguson. Very rarely are indictments handed down for police officers who kill people in the line of duty, and even more rarely are they found guilty. In the absence of criminal indictments, the families of victims have tried to seek some semblance of justice in civil court. Just in the last year, the relatives of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, John Crawford III, Eric Garner, Ezell Ford, and many others have filed or considered filing civil suits or wrongful death claims against those responsible for their loved ones’ murders. However, while these lawsuits may win the families of victims some compensation for their loss, there is little done to actually hold their killers to account. Protesters in Union Square this April. When civil suits are filed against police officers for excessive force or other forms of misconduct, the police officers themselves seldom pay. The penalty often doesn’t even come from the police department at all, but rather from the city’s municipal coffers. The Baltimore Sun released an investigative piece last September – spread widely in the aftermath of Freddie Gray’s murder in Baltimore this spring – that found that over one hundred people have won court settlements against the city’s police department in the last four years alone (this represents only one third of the 317 lawsuits filed against Baltimore police in the same time period). The city spent $5.7 million in pay outs in addition to $5.8 million in legal costs defending officers. Little to none of this money comes from the police officers in question, however. According to the Baltimore Sun investigation, “an agreement between the city and police union guarantees that taxpayers will pay court damages” in cases in which officers were following department guidelines on the use of force, and “in such settlements, the city and the officers involved do not acknowledge any wrongdoing.” There is some degree of restitution, but no accountability and no incentive for police officers to change their behavior. From the police officers’ standpoint, even when found guilty, nothing changes. Most recently, the City of New York reached a $5.9 million settlement with the family of Eric Garner in order to avoid a civil lawsuit. However, this money won’t come from the police department, and as a result will not give any disincentive to the NYPD – even though the officer who killed Garner, Daniel Pantaleo, did so using a chokehold maneuver banned by the department. Pantaleo remains unindicted and at his desk job, and other officers are well aware that there is no punishment for breaking the rules and killing unarmed civilians. In a study [pdf] of such lawsuits across the country, legal scholar Joanna C. Schwartz found that “between 2006 and 2011, in forty-four of the seventy largest law enforcement agencies across the country, officers paid just .02% of the dollars awarded to plaintiffs in police misconduct suits. In thirty-seven small and mid-sized law enforcement agencies, officers never contributed to settlements or judgments.” In a summary of her findings, Schwartz states that during this five year time span: Governments paid approximately 99.98% of the dollars that plaintiffs recovered in lawsuits alleging civil rights violations by law enforcement. Law enforcement officers in my study never satisfied a punitive damages award entered against them and almost never contributed anything to settlements or judgments— even when indemnification was prohibited by law or policy, and even when officers were disciplined, terminated, or prosecuted for their conduct. With such protections in place, filing civil suits against police officers only hurts the cities that employ them. While there is hope that such actions would encourage cities to discipline such officers and do more due diligence in police training, hiring, and other responsibilities, this isn’t always the case. In Baltimore, while some officers were forced to resign, many kept their jobs even after being found liable in court because the department’s internal investigation cleared them. Even the state judicial system was secondary to the police departments’ own institutions – this reinforces the idea that police are above the law in nearly every possible way. If public prosecutors won’t indict officers, and city governments shield them from the costs of civil suits, how can they be held accountable? In the case of Tamir Rice, the twelve-year-old boy shot in Cleveland for carrying a toy gun in a park, there may be an answer. In early June, more than six months after Rice was killed by Officer Tim Loehmann, the Cuyahoga County Sherrif’s Department concluded its investigation and handed over its findings to county prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty, who will present the findings to a grand jury to determine whether or not to proceed with indictments. While everyone else is awaiting the grand jury’s decision, community leaders and activists in Cleveland have taken the initiative and asked a judge to issue an arrest warrant. By doing this, these community leaders are trying to circumvent the process that we have all seen unravel in the cases of other victims of police violence, from Staten Island to Ferguson. According to the New York Times, “Ohio law allows anyone with ‘knowledge of the facts’ to file a court affidavit and ask a judge to issue an arrest warrant. If approved, the arrest would be followed by a public hearing, and community members said that was preferable to allowing prosecutors to make the decision in secret.” This attempt to secure a private prosecution rather than one through the state prosecutor’s offices may allow Rice’s family to have more control over the indictment, and may force Officer Loehmann to actually face accountability – or at least public scrutiny. If the tactic yields any success at all, it will be an important step towards attaining justice and give hope to those struggling to end police impunity. Such private prosecutions are incredibly rare in the United States, but they can be found in other parts of the world. In fact, private prosecutions have played a critical role in modern history as the foundations on which the emerging international justice movement has been built. In her book The Justice Cascade, political scientist Kathryn Sikkink points to human rights prosecutions in Greece, Portugal, and Argentina as beginning the shift towards individual accountability for serious state crimes like torture – a shift we continue to see today on the international stage. In Greece, the first human rights prosecutions were held after the right-wing government was replaced in 1974. Just a month after the transition, Alexandros Lykourezos, a Greek lawyer who had returned from exile, initiated private prosecutions against military government leaders for treason for overthrowing the democratic government seven years prior. He was followed by others who filed charges against officials for torture and for the murder of students in the Athens Polytechnic uprising. According to Sikkink, “the private prosecutions both forced the government’s hand and relieved it of the burden of having to initiate prosecutions itself.” This brought about justice even in the face of government officials who did not want to focus on accountability for their predecessors. Soon after, Argentina tried the leaders of the right-wing government that had tortured, murdered, and disappeared thousands of leftists and alleged communists in its Dirty War. Just two years after the junta stepped down in 1983, President Raúl Alfonsín’s government prosecuted several junta leaders. But it was everyday citizens and their use of private prosecutions that charged almost three hundred military officers for their actions during the authoritarian years. When the expansion of accountability led to the attempted Easter Coup in 1987, Alfonsín issued amnesties for members of the junta to satisfy powerful criminals and prevent a return to the dark years of military rule. The strength of the military had forced the government to step back through its use of force and intimidation. Years later, however, the citizens of Argentina grew tired of impunity and once again used private prosecutions to find ways to hold torturers and murderers accountable. Photos of those disappeared by the military junta commemorate the Dirty War in Argentina. (Photo by Pablo Flores, via Flickr) Led by the Madres de Plaza de Mayo, an association of mothers and grandmothers whose children had been kidnapped and disappeared by the military junta, civilians began to push for true accountability in Argentina. In addition to torture and murder, there were many cases in which murdered communists lost their children, who were given away to military families to be raised away from “subversive” influence. The mothers’ association argued that the guilty military officials had never been charged with abducting children, and as a result had never been granted amnesty for such acts. After a decade of state-sanctioned impunity, the authoritarian leaders were back in the dock thanks not to the government’s prosecutors but to citizens determined to see justice carried out. In these countries, as in Cleveland, private prosecutions served as a channel through which victims can seek not only compensation for their loss but true justice in the courtroom. As Sikkink states, “in a judicial system with strong private prosecution provisions, like that in Argentina, victims can insist that a prosecution continue, even when the state prosecutor would like it dropped.” In Cleveland, the Reverend Jawanza K. Colvin, a pastor and one of the community leaders bringing forth the charges, stated that “as citizens we are taking this matter and the matter of justice into our hands.” Walter Madison, a lawyer for Tamir Rice’s family, explained that “here we are taking some control of the process as citizens.” This is a democratic effort to do what democratically elected governments cannot – rein in police violence by ending impunity. Just as private prosecutions helped victims find justice for torture and murder under right-wing authoritarian governments in southern Europe and South America, private prosecutions offer a new avenue to accountability for victims of police violence, among other prevalent crimes – especially for the more vulnerable in our society. While perhaps different than a state campaign of torture and murder, police violence in America is an issue with a long history and tragic consequences for America’s minorities. To many people of color, the difference between the two issues is probably not very big. For this reason, the actions of activists in Greece and Argentina are more than a sufficient parallel to efforts to hold police accountable for their actions. Private prosecutions are the link that ties them together. This method of bypassing the state is not new, but it is novel. As Noah Feldman explains, an Ohio state appellate court ruled that private prosecutions were legal in 1957, and in 1960 a state law was passed codifying the practice. Feldman begins his analysis feeling uneasy about whether we should applaud such actions or not. “The law… would tend in the long run to give an advantage to families with greater means to greater political clout. They, after all, would have the resources to collect affidavits and go to court,” he says. “Tamir Rice’s family has that capacity because this case attracted national attention and the help of clergy and civil-rights leaders. But the families of other, less heralded victims might not be so fortunate.” Feldman is right that our society is unequal, and that we shouldn’t expect a provision such as private prosecutions to be any different. As much as private prosecutions would give the victims of police violence, rape, and illegal foreclosures a chance to put cops, rapists, and bankers in jail, those in power would also have yet another tool which they could use to discipline the vulnerable. But we shouldn’t convince ourselves that they don’t already do this. The nation’s rich and powerful already have all the tools – one of which is the state – on their side. That’s why police impunity, rape culture, and unregulated capitalism are the norm and accountability for their perpetrators is the exception. If we can bypass the state in these early stages, however, we could at least remove one part of the system that protects the powerful and ignores the downtrodden. Sure, those with the backing of executive boards and police unions would still have the best lawyers, but a public that was committed to accountability could rally behind victims of our society’s major ailments – inequality, racism, sexism. Private prosecutions could address issues of structural violence by indicting those responsible for carrying out direct violence and forcing the issue to be discussed in the open. Despite this worry, Feldman closes his editorial by saying that “prosecutors’ offices are always going to be tempted to go easy on the police with whom they must work. Ohio’s law deserves to be copied – not just by a few jurisdictions, but by all.” Indeed, private prosecutions should be an option for the most underprivileged in our society to seek justice. In the weeks and months that follow, Cuyahoga County’s justice system will be the next battleground for the struggle to hold police accountable. But whether County Prosecutor McGinty’s grand jury finds reason to indict officer Loehmann or not, the people have spoken, and they have asked a judge to issue indictments regardless. Just like in other countries plagued by state violence of one form or another in history, Cleveland now has a chance to move past impunity and towards real accountability. Posted in Activism, Current Events, Justice and Crime, Policing, US Politics \| Tagged Argentina, Black Lives Matter, Crime, Eric Garner, Greece, Justice, Police, Private Prosecutions, Race, Tamir Rice \| Leave a comment The Right Kind of Victim Posted on December 3, 2014 by scott Earlier today a friend and colleague argued that, although police violence and race were important issues that deserved a public conversation a la Ferguson, Mike Brown wasn’t the “right” kind of person to be the locus of this conversation. This person cited some stuff about Darren Wilson’s innocence – stuff I disagreed with, but which is not what I want to talk about here. Instead, he referenced the case of Tamir Rice – the boy who was shot for carrying a toy gun literally the moment that police arrived on the scene, and was subsequently refused care by the officers and was later pronounced dead. There is video of the police misconduct. The victim clearly wasn’t charging the officers. This is where to organize protests. Hours later, I saw news that Eric Garner’s murderer was also cleared by a grand jury. There is video of Officer Daniel Pantaleo putting Garner in an illegal chokehold. There is proof of police misconduct. The coroner ruled it a homicide. And the police officer won’t even stand trial. Earlier today, I argued that – regardless of what one thought about Mike Brown’s death – the organizing and protests should continue. If you believe that police violence is a problem and black lives matter, you should be in the streets no matter what. Because the problem of police violence is a national crisis. When protesters tried to shut down New York City two weeks ago, it was as much about the injustice of the Ferguson grand jury as it was about the impending Staten Island one. It was also about Tamir Rice. And Akai Gurley. And numerous other men of color killed by police who are sworn to protect. When we look for the right kind of victim, we will always be waiting. The anger at racist police violence has reached its breaking point, and there shouldn’t be any discussion about the right kind of victim. Victims are victims, and we need to organize now – before there are more. When Rosa Parks was arrested for sitting on a bus, she galvanized a movement against segregated buses. But Claudette Colvin should have galvanized the same movement, but she wasn’t the “right kind of victim.” When the bus driver told Rosa Parks that he would have to call the police if she didn’t get up, Parks replied, with extraordinary self-possession, “You may do that.” When the police arrived, she went without resistance. When the cops came for Claudette Colvin, she yelled at them that they were violating her rights, and refused to move. They dragged her from the bus. When they kicked her, she kicked them back. Ever since I was first made aware of Colvin’s story and others like it, I’ve been adamant that these stories are worth remembering – these lives are worth remembering. We shouldn’t only rally around the perfect symbols of resistance and victims of injustice. We should rally around every victim of injustice. Every time there’s injustice. Waiting for the right kind of victim means ignoring the actual victimization of black bodies across this country. Waiting for Tamir Rice means that Mike Brown, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Kimani Gray, Sean Bell, Ramarley Graham, Oscar Grant, and other victims of police violence. We shouldn’t wait any longer. Protesters staged a die-in at Grand Central tonight immediately after the announcement of Eric Garner’s grand jury. There is a demonstration planned at Foley Square tomorrow afternoon. If you’re against police violence, find a demonstration near you – or start one. Posted in Activism, Justice and Crime, Policing, US Politics \| Tagged Black Lives Matter, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Police, Protest, Race, Victims \| Leave a comment	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2157
__label__wiki	0.973154	0.973154	Soccer Stadium Digest What's New in the Worlds of MLS, USL, NWSL, World Cup and College Soccer MLS Stadiums NASL News NASL Stadiums USL News USL Stadiums Future Stadiums College Stadiums 2020 Attendance 2020 MLS Attendance 2020 USL Championship Attendance You are here: Home › FC Cincinnati Tabs Principal Partners for MLS Stadium Project FC Cincinnati Tabs Principal Partners for MLS Stadium Project By Soccer Stadium Digest Editors on July 2, 2018 in MLS, USL Championship FC Cincinnati has unveiled principal development partners, including lead design and construction firms, for its $200 million-plus MLS stadium project on the city’s West End. Architectural firm MEIS will design the facility, while Turner Construction will manage its construction. The Machete Group will manage all phases of FCC’s West End stadium, and U.S. Bank is the finance partner for the stadium. “We’re thrilled to secure all four of these companies for our MLS stadium project,” FC Cincinnati President and General Manager Jeff Berding said. “On the design and construction side, we had several strong options in each area. However, MEIS and Turner are trend-setters and have led the recent movement toward fan-centered facilities. To have two of the industry’s top firms joining forces to work on our MLS stadium is really exciting. Not only do they each bring experience creating iconic stadiums, they also have extensive experience working together on the same projects to build some of the greatest venues in our sport. “Having an industry leader like Machete guiding the project, and with the financial support from U.S. Bank and its experience in the sports market, we’ve assembled a stellar, collaborative group that will deliver us a venue that is fitting of the Queen City, the West End and the club’s future,” Berding said. MEIS is widely recognized as one of the profession’s most innovative firms and its work focuses on enhancing both fan experience and revenue generation. MEIS is currently designing stadiums for AS Roma and Everton FC, two highly anticipated projects that will set a new benchmark for stadia in Serie A and the English Premier League. MEIS principal Dan Meis and the firm’s key staff have led the design of a number of existing MLS stadiums, including Toyota Park (Chicago), Talen Energy Stadium (Philadelphia), Rio Tinto Stadium (Salt Lake City) and StubHub Center (Los Angeles). Other projects members of MEIS have led include Paul Brown Stadium (Cincinnati), Staples Center (Los Angeles) and Safeco Field (Seattle). “It is the rare opportunity for a stadium architect to return to a city that was so important to the development of his career,” Meis said. “Paul Brown Stadium will always be one of my most important projects of my career and the FC Cincinnati stadium is an incredible opportunity to return to a city that means so much to me. With our FC Cincinnati project, we expect to design a truly urban stadium that draws on the unique fabric of the West End.” Locally, MEIS is partnering with Elevar Design Group on some of the project’s architectural elements. For over fifty years Elevar has provided architectural, engineering, planning, and interior design services to the Tri-State area, working on a number of local projects including: the US EPA AWBERC (Andrew W. Breidenbach Environmental Research Center), University of Cincinnati Vontz Center for Molecular Studies, Baldwin Apartments, West Clermont High School and the Kenton County Administration Building. Elevar is a certified MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) and SBE (Small Business Enterprise), and also holds EDGE (Encouraging Diversity, Growth, and Equity) certification. With a backlog of more than $17 billion, Turner Construction is recognized as the largest construction management firm in the country and is the industry leader in sports facility development and construction. The firm has constructed more than 45 percent of all current MLS stadiums and is currently providing pre-construction services for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Doha, Qatar. Overall, Turner is one of the country’s top sports builders, constructing more than 450 sports facilities. Locally, Turner has worked in Cincinnati since 1903 and is recognized as the largest construction firm in the city. The group’s local sports projects include Paul Brown Stadium, Northern Kentucky University’s BB&T Arena, Miami University’s Athlete Performance Center & Indoor Sports Center, and the recent expansion and renovation of the University of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium, FC Cincinnati’s current home. Among Turner’s MLS stadium projects are CenturyLink Field (Seattle), Toyota Park (Chicago), Providence Park (Portland), Yankee Stadium (New York FC), Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (Commerce City, Colo.), Rio Tinto Stadium (Salt Lake City), Sporting Park (Kansas City) and the soon-to-be-opened Audi Field (D.C.). Turner is also recognized as one of the most diverse construction companies in the nation having received a grade of 100 percent on the Human Equality index by the Human Rights Campaign and is recognized as one of the top 50 diverse organizations in the country. Turner has a deep history of culturally significant projects such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and was recently selected to build the Barack Obama Presidential Center. “As Cincinnati’s leading downtown community builder, we are thrilled and grateful to be a part of this transformative project,” Turner Vice President and General Manager David Spaulding said. “Our efforts will be focused on not only constructing a state-of-the-art stadium for this incredible team and their fans, but also creating opportunities and an environment that is driven towards community engagement and involvement.” Turner is partnering with Jostin Construction, a local African-American owned firm, who has been a part of other significant downtown Cincinnati projects with Turner such as 84.51 Centre, Great American Tower, and the new high-rise development at the intersection of Court & Walnut that is currently under construction. Jostin Construction is MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) and SBE (Small Business Enterprise) certified, as well as EDGE certified (Encouraging Diversity, Growth, and Equity). Jostin believes in creating a diversity of opportunities for all. Machete Group will oversee and direct all aspects of the project, including site and master planning, venue program, design team assembly, project budget and project schedule, and will also assist FC Cincinnati in optimizing premium product and sponsorship assets. Machete Group is a leader in sports and entertainment venue development and operation with projects ranging from Cadillac Arena in Beijing (site of the 2008 Olympic basketball competition), to Selhurst Park in London (home of Crystal Palace F.C.), to Barclays Center in Brooklyn (home of the Brooklyn Nets), to the iconic Webster Hall performance venue in New York City. “We are honored to be a part of such an exciting project and to work for a team that has generated such enthusiasm in Cincinnati,” Machete Group President David Carlock said. “It is rare to find a site in such a dynamic urban environment and we appreciate the opportunity to help bring the new stadium to life.” U.S. Bank will provide financing to support FC Cincinnati in acquiring the team and constructing the new stadium. U.S. Bank actively supports MLS and provides capital and financial services to all five major sports leagues in the U.S. It’s considered one of the nation’s leading sports finance providers. U.S. Bank has been active in sports finance for nearly 20 years and offers a full set of solutions to support the unique business model of sports. “U.S. Bank believes in the power of professional sports to bring communities together,” said Bill Mulvihill, Senior Vice President and Head of U.S. Bank Sports and Entertainment. “We are proud to support FC Cincinnati in developing this new stadium and embarking on an important new growth initiative for the city of Cincinnati.” FC Cincinnati executives are on the bullish team assembled to design and construct the club’s MLS stadium. “We are prepared to build the top soccer stadium in the country right here in the Queen City.” Berding said. “We have two of the world’s top sports design and construction firms ready to design an iconic facility for our club and our community, and world-class management and financing partners on board to help us through the process. With MEIS, Turner, Machete and U.S. Bank working together, we’re very excited for what is ahead for the soccer community in our region.” The club will begin MLS play in 2019 at Nippert Stadium, and host home matches there for its initial MLS seasons until the new West End facility opens. RELATED STORIES: FC Cincinnati Training Academy Pitched for Milford; New for 2019: Fussball Club Cincinnati; FC Cincinnati MLS Expansion Bid Approved; FC Cincinnati MLS Expansion Announcement Could Come Next Week About Soccer Stadium Digest Editors View all posts by Soccer Stadium Digest Editors → FC Cincinnati, MEIS, MLS, MLS expansion, Turner Construction, USL Mid-Term Report Card for Pro Soccer Attendance Toronto FC II To Shift to USL Division III in 2019 Yes, We’re Social! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, email or RSS Search Soccer Stadium Digest MLS takes over Real Salt Lake sale process January 12, 2021 KC NWSL unveils crest, will develop branding this year January 12, 2021 USL League One adds Northern Colorado FC for 2022 January 12, 2021 North Carolina FC shifts to League One from USL Championship January 10, 2021 New Chicago Fire crest on tap for 2021 January 9, 2021 Garber lays out MLS expansion options, state of league March 5, 2014 MLS in 2014: Positive momentum March 12, 2014 Hartman, San Antonio Scorpions target MLS expansion March 13, 2014 MLS-USL Pro alliance expanded for 2014 March 14, 2014 Beckham’s Miami MLS stadium: allies and opponents March 17, 2014 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Anthony Precourt Atlanta United FC Austin Austin FC Canadian Premier League Charlotte Columbus Columbus Crew SC D.C. 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About August Publications August Publications is a Middleton, Wisconsin-based publisher of websites and books aimed at the sports-business and active-living markets. Learn more at August Publications. Also from August Publications © 2021 Soccer Stadium Digest. All Rights Reserved.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2158
__label__wiki	0.96796	0.96796	Ron Fair Will Executive Produce New TLC Album By Kira Tolar Courtesy of ronfair.com Ron Fair, Virgin Records chief creative officer, has agreed to be the executive producer for TLC‘s new album. The album is still in its beginning stages, according to Chilli’s recent Billboard magazine interview. During the interview, Chilli said the group is still searching for songwriters and music producers. She did mention that Dallas Austin is one of the confirmed songwriters and producers who will work on the project. Austin co-wrote and produced some of TLC’s biggest hits including “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg,” “Creep,” and “UnPretty.” As far as artist collaborations are concerned, Chilli explained she wasn’t sure who TLC may enlist to make an artist feature on the album. Fair’s extensive artist resume includes working with Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, the Black Eyed Peas, and Keyshia Cole. There is a possibility Fair will try to get one or more of those artists to do a feature on TLC’s new album. As previously reported, News Kids On The Block may be featured on the TLC album. The New Kids also announced they will be headlining The Main Event Tour this summer, and TLC and Nelly will join them on the road. Donnie Wahlberg spoke about the upcoming tour on Good Morning America, “We are bringing with us the biggest girl group in the history of music.” Wahlberg continued, “This is such a great bill and we have so many hit records and such huge followings that we just want to make it the party of the year.” In regards to their Kickstarter album project, TLC more than reached their $150,000 goal. The ladies managed to raise $235,000 dollars in just three days, and pop star Katy Perry donated $5000 towards their album. Both T-Boz and Chilli thanked Katy Perry on social media for her contribution. NKOTB allegedly donated money (reportedly $10,000) to TLC’s Kickstarter project in exchange to do a song with the group. TLC’s Kickstarter project became the fastest most funded project in Kickstarter history. Both group members shared the historic news on social media. “I get off the plane 2 find out not only did we reach our goal but we’re the fastest MOST FUNDED POP PROJECT IN #KICKSTARTER HISTORY! Thx,” T-Boz said. Chilli tweeted, “We are officially the most successful pop project of all time on @kickstarter in 72hrs!!! #TLCFANS #thelove.” An official release date for the album has not been announced yet. Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg Donnie Wahlberg Keyshia Cole News Kids On The Block NKOTB Ron Fair T-Boz The Main Event Tour UnPretty Previous articlePop Star Sia Named Performer at Grammy Awards Next articleMiranda Lambert Leads ACM Awards Nominations	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2159
__label__wiki	0.760643	0.760643	Statutes > Nebraska > Chapter54 > 54-1_107 54-1,107. Recorded brand; evidentiary effect.A recorded brand is prima facie evidence of ownership of livestock and is admissible into evidence in any court in this state if the brand meets the requirements of and is recorded as provided in section 54-199. Other documentary evidence such as bills of sale or certificates of brand clearance transferring title from an owner to another party may also be introduced as evidence of livestock ownership in any court in this state. The recording of instruments of writing evidencing the sale, assignment, or transfer of a recorded brand gives notice to all third persons of the matter recorded, and certified copies are admissible in evidence without further foundation. In all suits at law or in equity, in any criminal proceedings, or when determining the ownership of estrays wherein the title to livestock is an issue, the certified copy of the record of a recorded brand or instrument of writing evidencing sale, assignment, or transfer of a recorded brand is prima facie evidence of the ownership of such livestock by the person possessing such livestock. SourceLaws 1999, LB 778, § 38. Annotations"Prima facie evidence of ownership" means that in the absence of other evidence, proof of ownership of the brand is sufficient to constitute a prima facie case which will withstand a motion for a directed verdict on that issue. Broken Bow Prod. Credit Assn. v. Western Iowa Farms, 232 Neb. 357, 440 N.W.2d 480 (1989).Ownership of brand is prima facie evidence of ownership of animal. Bush v. Kramer, 185 Neb. 1, 173 N.W.2d 367 (1969).Brand upon cattle is prima facie evidence of title. Coomes v. Drinkwalter, 181 Neb. 450, 149 N.W.2d 60 (1967).Registration of brand in decedent's name raised prima facie presumption of ownership of branded cattle. Whiteside v. Whiteside, 159 Neb. 362, 67 N.W.2d 141 (1954).Brand on livestock is only prima facie evidence of ownership which may be rebutted. Bendfeldt v. Lewis, 149 Neb. 107, 30 N.W.2d 293 (1948).Evidence of brands, and that defendant claimed title, held to support findings that cattle delivered to sale barn were those described in financing statement and government was entitled to recover proceeds to apply on secured loan by Farmers Home Administration. United States v. Pirnie, 339 F.Supp. 702 (D. Neb. 1972).	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2164
__label__wiki	0.672383	0.672383	Emeline's story: "Left By The Indians" Summary and excerpts Submitter: CiCi (Robinson) Morse Mikki95210@aol.com Emeline Trimble and her family left Wisconsin in 1860 to go to Oregon. On the way, their wagon train was attacked by Indians, and Emeline was the only survivor in her family. Near death, she and a few others were finally found and escorted to Fort Walla Walla. Soon after, she was taken to live with her Trimble relatives in Linn County, Oregon. Many years later, she was asked to write the story of her life. She called it "Massacred by the Indians," a series of articles in the"Pardeeville Times" in Wisconsin. The first article appeared June 7, 1890. In this summary, comments in parentheses were added by the submitter. Emeline was the oldest of three children born to Hiram and Abegal (Payne) Trimble. She was born in 1847, her brother, Christopher, in 1850, and sister "Libbie" in 1852. The first unfortunate event in Emeline's life took place as the family was preparing to leave Wisconsin for Iowa in 1852. As her father was driving a nail into the wagon to hold a pail for water, the nail flew out and struck Emeline in the eye - causing nearly total loss of vision in her right eye. Next, after arriving in Iowa, both parents became ill with typhoid, from which her father did not recover. A short time after the family returned to Wisconsin, Emeline's brother accidentally cut off one of her fingers while chopping wood. (Yet, as unhappy as these events were, those to come would be worse.) In 1858, Her mother married Elijah Utter. He was a widower with six children. The next year, a baby daughter was born. The parents often talked of going to Oregon "to make themselves a home, and settle their numerous family in homes adjoining their own in that broad country, where settlers were so much needed to till the lands,..." On May 1, 1860, they were ready to leave. "Although tears were in our eyes at the thought of parting with our friends and relatives, still we were hopeful..., But I shall never forget the tearful faces of my dear old grandparents as they stood at the end of the lane,... with tears streaming down their wrinkled faces..." (they were Christopher and Elizabeth (Dawson) Payne; Christopher's brother, Aaron, had settled in Yamhill Co., OR in 1847). On the first day out, they were joined by three other teams which included John Myers, Michael Myers, and Edward Prine. Additional teams joined them along the way so that they had a large train by the time they reached Fort Laramie. From there, a large part of the train took the California cutoff. "...then we were left more lonely than before. We had felt the severity of traveling with such a large number..., but how soon all changed when we parted with our friends of the California train, and traveled westward, knowing that we were every day nearing the dangerous part of our journey." At Fort Hall, they felt that it was unsafe to go further alone and requested that soldiers be assigned to escort them. While waiting for their escort, the Commander of Ft. Hall, Col. Howe, requested that the women and girls come to a dance. They refused, and the Col., being upset, refused to send men with the train. He later changed his mind, but instructed the soldiers not to go more than half as far as they had with the previous train. "The soldiers, when they turned back, told us that we were just in the edge of danger." (a few soldiers who had been discharged, and one who had deserted, continued on with the train). About a week later, a small group of Indians visited and would not leave the camp until they had been told to do so several times. After this, the train traveled several days without disturbance. Then, at Salmon Falls on the Snake River, the same Indians who had visited before appeared. They were still friendly, but the travelers were worried as they were being followed. Another week went by with few incidents. Then, on Sept. 9, 1860, "As we came up the hill and turned down towards Snake river again, we came in full sight of the Indians, who were singing their war songs, and their shrill war whoop I can never forget." The train quickly formed into a circle. Shortly, the Chief rode up and indicated that the group could move on. After the noon meal, they started off again. "The last wagon had hardly started before they commenced their terrible war songs and dancing again, and coming toward us all the time. We corralled our wagons as soon as possible, but before we could get the last one in place, the man who was driving was shot dead. His name was Lewis Lawson, from Iowa. Shortly after two more were killed, Mr. Utley and Mr. Kithual. We fought them all that afternoon all of that long, awful night, picking them off as often as we could get a chance. We had no chance to get away under cover of night, as they were watchful, and if they heard the least noise would commence whooping and shooting at us." Believing that they were all going to die, they made plans to try to escape. "There were with us three discharged soldiers from Fort Hall, and the deserter..., They were mounted on horses and were to go ahead and clear the way for us..., But instead of doing so, the discharged soldiers put spurs to their horses..., and galloped off..., The deserter stayed as long as he could and stand any chance to save himself, and then taking with him the Reath brothers, Joseph and Jacob, they left..., In the horrible tumult of the fight we did not see them go." "The Indians now seemed to redouble their frenzy and showered upon us a continual fire, until it seemed impossible to escape. The first one to fall there was John Myers,... then my oldest step-sister, Mary Utter. The next one to go was my step-father, who had his baby, one year old that day, in his arms..., We gave up then,... leaving our wagons, we started, each one for himself." Emeline's mother refused to leave with them. Emeline left with the baby and four of the younger children. "I turned and ran a little way, and looked back, and they had all been shot down,..." At the age of thirteen, Emeline was faced with taking care of five younger children. They left without provisions and very little clothing. This was late in the day of Sept. 10, 1860. They joined a few others who had fled as well. They were terrified of being followed. They stayed away from the trail, traveling at night and attempted to cover their tracks. "Words can not describe my agony as I looked on the faces of my little brothers and sisters, poor orphans now, and heard them cry pitiously for father and mother, and if possible worse yet, cry for bread when I had none to give them." The Indians followed them for the better part of four days. Then, feeling somewhat safer, the party began to travel by day. They ate whatever they could find to sustain them, including the two dogs that escaped with them. When they reached the Owyhee river, they camped. Unable to go further due to weakness from hunger and exposure, they attempted to survive until someone would rescue them. After some time, Indians, who seemed friendly, approached them and invited them to come to their camp. The invitation was declined. However, Emeline's brother, Christopher, volunteered to go to the Indian Camp, as he was afraid that harm would come to the survivors if he did not. "He was a brave little fellow, and although only eleven years of age, had before started with a man by the name of Goodsel to see if they could not reach the fort and bring us help,..." On the way, they met the deserter soldier and the Reath boys who had taken the wrong trail and were coming back to find the right one. "When they heard that we were starving they killed their horse and roasted it.." They sent Christopher back with all that he could carry. Mr. Goodsel went with the others to find the fort and get help. Now, Christopher went with the Indians to their camp. The others feared that the Indians would come back and kill them. Some of the group decided to try and reach Fort Walla Walla. Mr. Vanornam and family, Mr. Gleason, and Charles and Henry Utter - Emeline's step-brothers. The Indians did return three days later, as agreed, and brought food. "Mr. Chase ate so much of it that he was taken with the hiccough and died..., My poor sister Libbie, nine years old, used to help me gather buffalo chips for fuel, and rosebuds, pusly and other things to eat." One day, Libbie fell behind when they were returning to camp. Emeline went back to find her, and asked her why she did not answer when called. "She said, 'I could not talk I felt too bad,' and before night she was dead." On one of the visits that Christopher and the Indians made, there was a discussion of when the soldiers would come to rescue them. The Indians seemed alarmed to hear about the soldiers, and left soon after - taking Christopher with them. Several days went by and Christopher did not return. Emeline went to look for him but upon reaching the Indian camp, saw no one there. "The next day Mr. Myers took the trail which went from our camp to theirs, and had not gone far when he found where the wolves had dragged something along, and soon he found some of his hair, and then he knew that my brother had been killed by the Indians and his body torn to pieces by the wolves..., I thought I had passed through all the suffering which I could endure, and God knows how I longed to lie down and die and be at rest, but it was not to be so, nor had I drained the cup to the dregs yet." As starvation continued to take its toll, "We became almost frantic. Food we must have, but how should we get it? Then an idea took possession of our minds which we could not even mention to each other, so horrid, so revolting to even think of, but the awful madness of hunger was upon us, and we cooked and ate the bodies of each of the poor children,..." Later, they dug up the body of Mr. Chase with the intention of eating him as well, but the soldiers arrived just in time. "One of the Reath boys came back with two companies of soldiers..., Upon nearing us, they found a sad site." The Indians had "...killed Mr. and Mrs. Vanornam, their son Mark, Samuel Gleason, and the last of our family except myself, Charles and Henry Utter." Several appeared to have been tortured before they died, and the four youngest Vanornam children had been kidnapped. "I was out after fuel as usual, when I saw the soldiers coming, but was too weak to feel much joy at seeing them. They rode up to me and a few dismounted, and coming to me asked if I did not want something to eat. I answered that I did not care. Tears stood in every eye as one of the officers gave me a part of a biscuit..., I could not have lived many days longer if help had not reached us." The survivors were taken to Fort Walla Walla where Emeline stayed until her cousin from Salem, Oregon came to get her. "It was now about the middle of December, 1860. Cousin took me to his sister's who had married Mr. T. J. Pomeroy. My cousin's father, Edward Trimble, was killed on the plains in 1846 by the Indians. From Salem, I went to Linn Co., Oregon, to my only relatives in Oregon that I had ever seen before. Uncle Pierce H. Trimble (was this Alexander P. Trimble?) and his family moved to Oregon in 1853 from Walworth Co., Wisconsin." Part of the time Emeline stayed with Mr. W. W. Allingham's family. She goes on to talk about the kindness of the people in Washington and Oregon, how they provided for her, and the beauty of the country. "If father, mother, brothers and sisters had only been with me, my joy would have been complete; but they were gone, and with all that beauty spread before me, I could not help but turn my longing heart toward them, and weep in loneliness..., Nobody know how hard it was." Emeline stayed in Linn Co. for about two years, then went to Monmouth, Polk Co. where she attended the Christian College. After two terms, she returned to Linn Co. On Nov. 12, 1863, she and John M. Wheitman were married (her name on the wedding license is Lucinda Emeline Trimble). Shortly after her marriage, "I received a letter from my mother's uncle, Rev. Aaron Payne of Yamhill Co., Oregon. His brother (Adam) was a Quaker preacher, and Blackhawk's first victim (in 1832). They captured him on his way to his appointment. He carried no arms, according to the Quaker custom. The Indians said he was a brave man to travel there in this way; but even this heroic spirit did not prevent them from taking his defenseless head and carrying it on a pole. Rev. A. (Aaron) Payne had been a widower since 1847. His family had all died with the consumption, except one son (William)." Emeline and her husband went to live on Aaron's place for two years, then to Aaron's property in Tillamook Co. before taking a "pre-emption" joining Aaron's place. They lived in that area for five years. The Coast Range of mountains "...are covered with the finest timber that can be found. The timber in Wis. looked like shrubbery beside those great trees. The fruit was abundant and delicious. The climate was very mild..., It is a great place for fishing and boating..." In 1870, they sold their property in Tillamook Co. and moved to Eastern Oregon for about two years. After this they moved into Washington Territory. "We farmed, kept a store and stage stand, or travelers' home. Many of the officers and soldiers of the late war stopped with us; Generals Howard and Wheaton I remember well..., After the death of my husband our property there was sold and passed into the hands of strangers, and now there is a city on our old place..., Since I returned to Wis. Mr. Melvin Fuller of Pardeeville, Wis., and I were married. He was a widower with seven children at home." After four years, they separated as Emeline had some problems with the older children (apparently she never had children of her own). "Now I live beside my Uncle Payne, and his family in Marshfield, Wis..., In 1861 I was converted to God and joined the Close Communion Baptist church. Since then I have found Jesus to be a 'friend that sticketh closer than a brother..., I shall meet my dear ones some sweet day in that beautiful heaven beyond, Far from a world of grief and sin; With God eternally shut in." "Left By The Indians," by Emeline L. Fuller and "Massacre On The Oregon Trail in the Year 1860: A Tale of Horror, Cannibalism & Three Remarkable Children," by Carl Schlicke, 1988, Ye Galleon Press, Fairfield, Washington "Utter Disaster on the Oregon Trail," by Donald Shannon (available through OCTA) Return to Main Oregon Page Return to Pioneer Biographies Copyright © 2000 by CiCi (Robinson) Morse, for ORGenWeb	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2168
__label__wiki	0.771886	0.771886	George Blundun Class of 1991: Builder A supporter of figure skating from the 1950s until his death in 1988, this Calgary resident became a world renowned referee, judge and administrator. President of the CFSA from 1968 to 1969, he was appointed an International Skating Union judge in 1969. From 1970 to 1980 he served on the ISU Ice Dance Committee and wrote the ISU Free Dancing Manual, working tirelessly to obtain world recognition for this discipline. Serving as the Chairman of the 1972 Worlds in Calgary and a co-founder of Skate Canada in 1973, he was named the coordinator of figure skating for the 1988 Olympic Games. In 1980 he became the first Canadian ever to be made an Honorary Member of the ISU. A true builder of figure skating, George left behind a legacy of enthusiasm and commitment for others to follow.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2170
__label__cc	0.597502	0.402498	Finding Neverland Begins National Tour in Hershey TONIGHT! Finding Neverland, the enchanting Broadway musical set to soar on tour this fall, will make its way to Hershey Theatre tonight! Tickets are on sale now at www.HersheyTheatre.com at the box office, or by phone at 717-534-3405. Based on the Academy Award-winning Miramax motion picture by David Magee, and the play The Man Who Was Peter Pan by Allan Knee, Finding Neverland follows the relationship between playwright J.M. Barrie and the family that inspired Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up – one of the most beloved stories of all time. Diane Paulus’ Finding Neverland with direction recreated by Tour Director Mia Walker and Associate Choreographer Camden Loeser with book by Olivier Award®-nominee James Graham, music and lyrics by Gary Barlow (Take That) and Grammy Award®- winner Eliot Kennedy, and original choreography by Emmy Award®-winner Mia Michaels (“So You Think You Can Dance,” Cirque du Soleil’s Delirium). Finding Neverland is packed with mesmerizing visuals, irresistible songs and plenty of laughs, it is a timeless story about the power of imagination… and spectacular proof that you never really have to grow up. Tomorrow night, Family Night On Broadway will come to Hershey Theatre, and all kids ages 18 and younger will get one FREE ticket to Finding Neverland when accompanied by one full-paying adult (available on select price levels only). The night will also be festive with kid-friendly activities and entertainment available in the lower lobby of Hershey Theatre, starting at 6:30 p.m., with the show beginning at 7:30 p.m. Click to show previous image Click to show next image The production features scenic design by Tony Award®-winner Scott Pask (The Band’s Visit, Mean Girls), lighting design by Tony Award®-winner Kenneth Posner (Mean Girls, The Coast of Utopia, Pippin), costume design by Suttirat Larlarb (Waitress, Of Mice and Men), sound design by Shannon Slaton, hair and make-up design by Bernie Ardia, projection design by Jon Driscoll, music supervision by Fred Lassen, musical direction by Patrick Hoagland, Illusions by Paul Kieve and Air Sculpture by Daniel Wortzel, animal direction and training by William Berloni, Tony Award Honoree, of William Berloni Theatrical Animals (Annie, Legally Blonde) and casting by Stewart/Whitley. Finding Neverland is Produced by NETworks Presentations. For more information, go to www.FindingNeverlandTheMusical.com. Hershey Theatre opened in September 1933. It has established itself as the area’s premier performing arts center, presenting the finest in touring Broadway shows, classical music and world-renowned entertainers.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2174
__label__wiki	0.861932	0.861932	Musical Urban Legends You Probably Believe Volume 4 Jacob Airey / April 24, 2020 Urban Legends have been a part of our culture since the dawn of civilization. Thrice now, I have put a spotlight on some musical conspiracy theories that are fun to talk about over a beer with friends, but ultimately are untrue. Here is the fourth batch of five big-time bands that developed some interesting Musical Urban Legends You Probably Believe: This Beatles song is an experimental and avant-garde number that includes Yoko Ono’s voice reading bizarre lines for some reason. A line in the song, “Turn me on, dead man” is reportedly heard when played backward. This led to speculation that fueled the debunked “Paul is dead” conspiracy theory. It has long been rumored that the Led Zeppelin hit song actually contained Satanic lyrics if you play it backward. Lead singer Robert Plant has always denied those rumors, insisting “who even has the time for that?” Did Charles Manson audition for the Monkees? Rumors circulated that before the release of the album Three Dog Night’s, notorious cult leader Charles Manson auditioned for the rock and roll band. This rumor is easily debunked since Manson was in prison (for crimes unrelated to his cultic behavior) during the time. Also, he was much older than the usual band members for the Monkees. Was Marilyn Manson a recurring actor on a sitcom? Similar to another rumor, it has been suggested that death metal singer Marilyn Manson played the role of Kevin on the hit ABC sitcom Mr. Belvedere. While the speculation is fun to think about it, the character is actually played by actor Rob Stone. Is Andrew WK a fictional character? The rock singer hit the music scene in the 90s and early 2000s. Without reason, he seemed to go on hiatus in 2007 after threatening messages from a man named Steev Mike appeared online. Mike also appeared in a photo of the UK magazine “Dazed and Confused” in an article with a photo of Andrew WK. This has led to speculation that Steev Mike created Andrew WK as a fictional character and others have played him. Rumors spread further in 2004 when audience members at a New Jersey concert claimed it was not Andrew WK singing on stage. A spokesperson denied the allegation at the time. While the rumor is false, it is worth noting that Steev is credited as an executive producer on the I Get Wet album. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. Tell me if there is a comic book, movie, or novel you would like me to review. While you are at it, check out my Musical Urban Legends You Probably Believe Volume 1, Volume 2, and Volume 3. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more posts like this one. April 24, 2020 in Articles, Entertainment, Music. Tags: Andrew WK, Articles, Beatles, culture, John Lennon, Led Zeppelin, legend, lyrics, Marilyn Manson, metal, Monkees, Music, musical, Paul McCartney, pop culture, pop music, prince, Rob Stone, Robert Plant, rock, rock music, song, Steev Mike, Three Dog Night's, urban, urban legends, Yoko Ono ← ‘Tiger King’ Miniseries Review Summer Flicks And Streaming For Your Lockdown Needs →	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2177
__label__wiki	0.75449	0.75449	Sunrise Golf Scorecard Sunrise Country Club was one of the Coachella Valley’s early developments south and east of Palm Springs. In 1971, developer Bill Bone purchased a 135-acre date plantation adjacent to the famed Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage. Situated in a cove at the foot of the rugged Santa Rosa Mountains and largely protected from the high winds that are common farther east, the scenic property was ideal for development as a desert resort community. After plans were drawn and approved, construction began in 1974. A total of 746 condominiums were built around an 18-hole, 64-par executive golf course designed by renowned California architect Ted Robinson. The development included four small lakes, 22 swimming pools, 11 tennis courts, 8 professional pickleball courts, and a gracious clubhouse housing a restaurant, grille, lounge, game rooms, and pro shops for golf and tennis. The condominiums, four to a building, were available in eight floor plans offering a variety of one, two and three-bedroom units. By the late 1970s, Sunrise Country Club was nearly sold out. Its great location and value-priced condos appealed to Southern California residents wanting a desert getaway for weekends and holidays. Sunrise also drew many “Snowbirds” from Canada, the Pacific Northwest, and other cold weather regions wishing to spend their winter months in the desert sunshine. For the first nine years, Bill Bone retained ownership of the clubhouse, golf course, and other common facilities. His success at Sunrise led to his developing additional country clubs in the valley including Rancho Las Palmas, Monterey Country Club, Palm Valley, and The Lakes. In 1981, Bone announced his intention to sell Sunrise to the California Golf and Tennis Company, which owned and managed numerous other country clubs and golf courses. CG&T had agreed to buy the club for $1,492,000 and the deal was in escrow. In fact, the would-be buyers began replacing personnel, transferring the liquor license, and initiating other changes even before the sale was finalized. Perhaps as a favor, an afterthought, or upon legal advice, Bone gave the homeowners the opportunity to buy the club, albeit on very short notice. Late in the summer, he formally notified the homeowners that they could purchase the club for essentially the same terms as CG&T: $746,000 cash down and monthly payments of $16,595 for five years. He stipulated, however, that the down-payment check had to be delivered by October 30 and escrow be closed by November 13. A committee of homeowners, lead by five extraordinary individuals, formed a corporation and immediately sprang into action. Concerned that property values would suffer and the friendly ambience of Sunrise might deteriorate if the club were owned and operated by an outside for-profit firm, the group sent letters soliciting $4,500 per household. Numerous meetings were held and telephone campaigns were waged to raise the money. Remarkably, despite short notice, the ongoing economic recession, and many seasonal owners not yet being on site, the homeowner group did come up with the required votes and down-payment to buy the club by the November, 1981 deadline. Had the homeowners had more time, they likely would have merged the Homeowners Association with the newly purchased country club to form a single entity under a single board. Instead, Sunrise operates to this day under two entities: the Sunrise Country Club Homeowners Association, Inc. and the Sunrise Country Club of Rancho Mirage, Inc. The two corporations have separate bylaws and boards of directors, but operate harmoniously under one general manager for the benefit of everyone who lives and plays at Sunrise. Over the years, many dedicated and capable individuals have served on the boards and worked hard to protect the value and financial stability of Sunrise. Bylaws have been revised to reflect the changing times and numerous improvements have been made to the facilities. The clubhouse has been modernized and an activities center was added in 2000 to accommodate meetings and physical fitness facilities. Now over four decades old, Sunrise Country Club has in many ways reached its prime. The original landscaping is gorgeously mature, and the buildings have been attractively repainted and roofs re-tiled. Sections of water-conserving desert landscaping and a major solar power installation reflect the club’s commitment to the environment and wise long-term planning. The club’s history is not only about organizational changes and the maintenance of facilities. No less important, Sunrise has developed a culture of fun and friendliness that is unique among country clubs in the Coachella Valley. The tennis and golf programs are very popular, and the tournaments fill up fast! Moreover, there is an unpretentious ambience that opens its arms to new owners and makes everyone feel valued. Sunrise Country Club, a pioneer in gated communities in the Coachella Valley, member-owned and operated, with its great location, excellent facilities, and genuinely inclusive and friendly atmosphere, is a success story by any measure. 71-601 Country Club Dr., Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 P: 760.328.6549 © 2018 Sunrise Country Club.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2179
__label__wiki	0.905442	0.905442	By: nimra SSo Insights with Mehnaaz Qureshi - Board Member Mehnaaz has been one of Sonia Shah organization’s oldest members. Read a quick Q/A with her to know why she’s part of Sonia Shah Organization and what advice she has for young ambassadors: 1) Why do you believe in SSO’s mission, what inspired you to continue being a part of this organization for over 6 years? After a certain personal experience, there was a strong desire to give back to humanity in some form of good. When I met Iram and learned about SSO, there was an instant pull towards this cause. It was and still is a perfect match for me. I feel a great sense of achievement working for Sonia Shah Organization. 2) Can you please share your role and everything that you do and the why behind it. My role is to oversee the logistics of running Sonia Shah Memorial School in Kangra, Pakistan. I am the first point of contact for any issues concerning the school. From faculty to students, uniforms, syllabus, medical needs, maintaining the filtration plant, solar panels & system, vocational centers, etc. I am in charge of making sure the operations of the school are running smoothly. I enjoy doing what I do tremendously. 3) Has SSO impacted you personally in any way? If so, how? Absolutely, I have learned a lot from SSO. I’ve gotten better at character analysis, problem solving, and open mindedness. In addition, I’ve also learned a lot from the Board Members to our Respected Donors and Young ambassadors. I’ve also had exposure to other organizations through SSO which is always cherished. I have had the opportunity to learn and understand a very young girl’s vision and personality, Sonia Shah, and I continue to be inspired by her meaningful insight on life at such a young age. 4) What separates SSO from other organizations? A lot of things; The Vision, the passion that the team has, the drive. Not too many nonprofits have been started by a late teenager. SSO is a small organization with a big mission; educating and empowering underprivileged girls in Pakistan (through Sonia Shah Memorial School in Pakistan) and U.S. (Scholarship program funded by SSO for college students). I especially like the fact that it is fully run by volunteers, without a complicated structure or overhead. This allows us to maximize donor impact.The Sonia Shah Young ambassadors are also a unique and important part of this organization, where we are developing the leaders of the future. SSO was a mission of a seventeen-year-old Sonia Shah and is run by a passionate mother with utmost dedication and clarity to honor her daughter. That itself, is what makes us different from other organizations. 5) What advice would you give to current and future Young Ambassadors of SSO? This is a difficult question. Personally, I feel that unless and until the young people don’t have the passion and desire for this noble cause, they will not do justice to it. They have to feel Sonia Shah close to their heart and have the drive to further her dream to contribute to SSO.Unless the present and future young people feel from within for Sonia Shah and her mission they will be doing half the job. This is Sonia’s cause and one has to feel her presence in it. I felt very close to this cause, which is why have lasted over six years! [divider margintop="85" marginbottom="30"] Insights with Mehnaaz Qureshi – Board Member Quarantine: A Chance to Look Within Training Tomorrow’s Leaders Today Pakistan Councel General Faisal Trimizi, “Changing the world, one girl at a time” Sonia Shah Memorial School Pictures Life in the Village Remembering Sonia Scholarship Report Scholarships in the US Taaleem Copyright © 2019 Design & Developed by Pixel Design Mr. Zahir Lavji is director of ZL Advisory LLC, a consulting service to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical-devices industries, primarily focused on commercialization. He also mentors healthcare start-up companies, entrepreneurs, university technology-transfer offices, and medical faculty. Having grown up in Africa and managed businesses globally for more than 30 years, Zahir is keenly aware of the important role education plays in personal and social mobility. In 1972, Zahir left Uganda as a refugee during the mass exodus and emigrated to Canada where he established his new roots. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in pharmacology from the University of Toronto, and his MBA from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, in Ontario, Canada. He spent much of his professional career with Abbott Laboratories, an Illinois-based healthcare-innovation corporation working in more than 150 countries, from which he retired as vice president for international marketing. His career included commercializing billion-dollar pharmaceuticals and glucose-monitoring, medical-nutrition and critical-care devices. As regional director for Abbott in Central and Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, he successfully integrated the Knoll acquisition into single Abbott entities. And as president of Abbot Japan, where he spent eight years, he also managed business alliances with major Japanese pharmaceutical companies. He devotes considerable time and expertise to mentoring healthcare startups from the Chicago Innovation Mentors group; chairs the Supervisory Board of Temple Therapeutics a development stage Biotechnology startup; is an active investor with Hyde Park Angels; is a Consultant with Breuer Partners & Company, a healthcare consulting organization; serves on the review committee for the University of Chicago’s Innovation Fund at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation; and is a panelist for PROPEL-Sikich Investment Banking’s private workshop series. In addition to pro-bono work in his field, his charitable activities include assisting the Aga Khan Foundation in the Midwest and serving as a standing member of the Alzheimer’s Association Chicago Rita Hayworth Gala. He lives in Lake Forest, Ill., with his wife Rozmin and daughter Safina. Greg Mortenson is a humanitarian and girls’ education advocate. He is the co-founder of Central Asia Institute (CAI), an international NGO that established hundreds of schools, especially for girls, in remote and often volatile regions of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. He co-authored three New York Times bestsellers about his experiences, Three Cups of Tea, Stones into Schools and Listen to the Wind. Mortenson grew up with three sisters on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, where his parents helped start a medical teaching hospital and an international school. The family returned to Minnesota in 1973, where Mortenson finished high school. He then served in the U.S. Army in Germany; studied at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., on a football scholarship; and graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1983 with degrees in liberal studies and nursing. For a decade he worked as a trauma nurse, putting in extra shifts to save money for mountaineering expeditions. The sudden death of his sister Christa from epilepsy led him to climb Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second-highest mountain, in her memory. His experiences there changed his life, prompting the creation of CAI and his enduring vision to promote girls’ education around the world. Mortenson left CAI in 2016, but continues to advocate girls’ and women’s empowerment. He says, “You can drop bombs, build roads or put in electricity, but until girls are educated, a society won’t change.” He has received many accolades for his work, including the Jefferson Award for Public Service and the Sitara-e-Pakistan (Star of Pakistan) medal, and honorary degrees from 16 universities. He lives in Bozeman, Mont., with his wife Tara Bishop, daughter Amira and son Khyber. Dr. Sairah Alvi is a scientist, lecturer and philanthropist with a passion for the written word. With a PhD in hematology/oncology and extensive post-doctoral work, she works as a consultant for large pharmaceutical companies and an adjunct faculty member at International Islamic University and Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan and Punjab University in Lahore, Pakistan. Sairah’s first love, however, is Urdu literature. She is director of the Urdu Institute of Chicago, which promotes Urdu language and literature, and an ambassador for Pakistan’s National Book Foundation, organizing events at her home for writers, poets and musicians from Southeast Asia and the United States. She was educated and has lived and worked in the United States, South Africa, England, and Pakistan. Her husband is an English South African physician and chairman of pathology at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Ill. Sairah earned her master’s degree in global management from London School of Economics, two masters’ of science degrees in immunology and molecular genetics from the University of Cincinnati, and a PhD in hematology/oncology from Rush University in Chicago. She did her post-doctoral work at the University of Cape Town and the South African Institute of Medical Research in Johannesburg. She has published over 100 original articles in peer-reviewed cancer journals, and continues to lecture extensively at various universities, medical centers and scientific conferences. Sairah hosts most SSO board meetings at her home and plays a key role in organizing annual fundraisers, SSO-related events in Pakistan, and visits to Sonia Shah Memorial School in Kangra. Her other charitable activities include support for the ARCS Foundation, dedicated to advancing women in science and technology; and HDF and TCF, which build schools and health centers in Pakistan. She is a member of Good Samaritan’s Festival Committee and her family supports numerous arts and cultural organization in Chicago, including the Chicago Art Institute and Goodman Theatre. She lives in Oakbrook, Ill., with her husband. They have three children: her oldest daughter is a physician; her son studies economics and international relations at University of St Andrews in Scotland; and her youngest daughter is in high school and aspires to be a lawyer. Ms. Iram Shah is a humanitarian and global corporate executive with a career across multiple industries and countries. A senior vice president at Schneider Electric, a global leader in energy management and automation, she also runs the Sonia Shah Organization, started by her late daughter, which focuses on educating and empowering underprivileged girls. Iram’s corporate career of more than two decades spans numerous Fortune 500 companies — including Schneider, Gatorade, Coca Cola, BP, and Zurich Financial — in five countries in industries ranging from oil and gas to financial services and manufacturing. She has served on several nonprofit organization boards, including Seeds of Peace, Central Asia Institute, Schneider Foundation and Chicagoland Habitat for Humanity. She is passionate about girls’ education and women’s empowerment and has been thought leader and keynote speaker at national and international women’s forums. Iram earned a master’s degree in business administration from University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, and is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced General-Management Program. She was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the UK in 2005; one of 11 top international Woman Leaders in Chicagoland by Chicago Women magazine in 2017; received the chancellor’s excellence award from Chicago’s East-West University in 2017. She lives in Deerfield, Ill., with her husband Mahmood, two sons, and her mother. Gianni and Giavanna Geati are 11-year-old twins in sixth grade at St. James School in Arlington Heights. Gianni plays basketball and soccer, as well as being a percussionist in the school band. And Giavanna, also a musician, plays piano and percussion in the school band. She also enjoys cooking and sewing. A year ago, when Gianni Geati was in fifth grade at Saint James School in Arlington Heights, Ill., his teacher assigned him and his classmates to each “write a news story out someone you know who has done a good deed or performed an act of kindness.” Coincidentally, Gianni, then 10 years old, had just heard about Sonia from his sisters — Giuliana, Liliana and Giavanna. They had just attended SSO’s 2016 fundraising event. “When [my sister] told me all about it, I was very inspired about all the things Sonia Shah did,” he said. “The next day in religion class I had to write about somebody who inspired me.” “This girl, Sonia Shah, went to Pakistan and built a school for girls. In the past, only boys were allowed in school. Sonia helped many other girls go and get their education. She was only 17 years old when she raised money and made the plan to build a school. Unfortunately, Sonia died in a car crash. Her mother then founded the Sonia Shah Foundation.” In an appearance onstage at SSO’s 2017 fundraiser in Chicago, Gianni explained, “I chose to write about Sonia Shah because I have three sisters and I think it’s very important for girls to get education.” Shayaan Alvi Borok,16, lives in Oak Brook, Ill., and attends Hinsdale Central High School. “My mom is one of the board members, so she told me about the organization and I wanted to get involved,” Shayaan said. “I support Sonia Shah Organization because it is truly trying to make a difference in Pakistan, a place that I have a strong connection to. I am also a woman and undoubtedly believe that all girls deserve a quality education.” Shahzmeen Hussain, 22, graduated in May 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Illinois-Champaign- Urbana, and now lives at home with her family in Skokie, IL. “I came across Sonia Shah Organization at a dinner gathering over a year ago, where Iram shared the compelling story of Sonia’s sincere vision and goals for the children of Pakistan,” she said. “I come from a family that is dedicated to primary, secondary and higher education, so it was a no-brainer for me to become an ambassador for Sonia’s dream. “It is true what they say, ‘If you educate a woman, you educate a nation.’ That change begins here, with us at SSO, and I’m proud to be able to improve the lives of children across the globe,” she said. Mehreen Zakeri, 31, immigrated to the United States from Pakistan in February 2017 and now lives in Chicago with her husband. Prior to her move, she worked at the Oil Marketing Company in Karachi, Pakistan. Her decision to volunteer for SSO was sparked by her experience at the organization’s 2017 fundraiser in Chicago. “During the event, I got to listen to one of Sonia’s letters,” she said. “It touched my heart, and her passion towards girls’ education inspired me to contribute towards this cause. I believe, as I quote John Dewey, an American educational reformer, ‘Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.’ Hence, education is the basic right of each child and specifically, an educated girl equals to an educated generation. So, this revolution is so powerful that being a part of it is an honor in itself.” Enxhi (Angie) Uzeir, 22, studies biology at East-West University in Chicago, and is one of two current SSO scholarship students. “I support SSO for the reasons of enabling me to achieve goals that might otherwise be impossible,” Angie explained. “Through it I became the first person in my family to be able to attend college and follow my dreams.” When Rory McKee, a fifth-grader in Evanston, Ill., first heard Iram Shah speaking on the radio, she was stunned to learn that there are places in the world where girls can’t go to school. “The radio person said there was someplace in Pakistan where girls don’t get to go to school because [their families] need help running the house and doing chores, so they choose their daughters to do that,” she said. That made her mad. “Girls should go to school because boys and girls are the same. Neither one is better. They should both go to school.” Guided by her mom, Rory went to the Internet to learn more about how Iram’s daughter Sonia had started a girls’ school in a rural Pakistani village “Sonia’s relatives live in Pakistan, and she visited them and was moved by meeting girls there that didn’t go to school,” Rory said. “[Sonia] wanted to do something about it. And I thought, there are a lot of people at my school. I could do something there. I wanted to get more money so more girls could go to school.” So she did. Then a fourth-grader at Lincoln Elementary School in Evanston, she raised $200 for the Sonia Shah Organization (SSO). She said she wanted to tell these girls “that other people in the world care about them, their education.” Zuleyma Cordero, 25, is a Sonia Shah Scholarship Program recipient, attending Harper Community College in Palatine, Ill. and on track to graduate in spring 2018 with a double major in accounting and business. She also works full-time and volunteers for SSO. The first person in her family to go to college, she has said that Sonia’s legacy provides constant motivation, she added. “I think of what a great inspiration Sonia was and still is to this day,” Zuleyma said. “I like to reflect on how she is changing lives of young girls, including myself. And that it all started with the passion she had, and with the idea of making history. She didn’t give up at the sight of any difficulty, she pressed forward to achieve her goal.” Zuleyma’s volunteer work includes help with fundraising campaigns and events.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2181
__label__wiki	0.571958	0.571958	Slippery Rock High School Single Goes Viral Opponents give the graduating team manager a game to remember as he get his first high school hit. It was a Senior Day to remember for the Slippery Rock High School baseball team. They were visiting Neshannock High School for the last game of the season on Saturday, and a rain out the day before had forced them to cancel their senior day celebration so the teams decided to have a joint ceremony. One of the seniors who was honored was team manager Nolan Holtz. According to the New Castle News, Holtz was born in China, and suffers from a debilitating limp due to club feet that were never surgically repaired. He was adopted and moved to the United States when he was 13. But despite his limp, Slippery Rock manager Fred Pryor gave Holtz a chance to play an inning in right field. Then, at the end of the 2-0 Neshannock win, Holtz got his chance to bat. Holtz worked a 3-2 count before connecting with a pitch and taking off for first base. It was his first high school hit, and he was mobbed by his teammates! Neshannock tweeted out the video, where it quickly went viral. As of Tuesday morning, it has nearly 390,000 views and has been retweeted more than 1,900 times. Pryor thanked the Neshannock coach and team for giving Holtz such a special moment. "Here is a kid who got to run to first base for the first time in his life," Pryor told the New Castle News. "He had never done it before and will probably never do it again. We were all making that run right with him." It looks like Holtz, a Straight-A student, will also graduate with a 1.000 batting average! Videos courtesy @NHS_LANCERS on Twitter.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2184
__label__wiki	0.898	0.898	CIRCLE OF ADVISORS Tony Penikett Former Premier, Yukon Tony Penikett spent 25 years in public life, including: two years at the House of Commons as Chief of Staff to federal New Democratic Party Leader Ed Broadbent; five terms in the Yukon Legislative Assembly; and two terms as Premier of Canada’s Yukon Territory. His government negotiated settlements of Yukon First Nation land claims and the first third-order aboriginal self government agreements in Canada as well as passing pioneering education, health, language legislation, plus organizing Yukon 2000, a unique bottom-up economic planning process. Between 1997 and 2001, Penikett served as Deputy Minister of Negotiations and, later, Labour for the B.C. Government. In 2006, Douglas & McIntyre published his book, Reconciliation: First Nations Treaty Making. He is also the author of two films: The Mad Trapper for BBC TV/Time Life Films and La Patrouille Perdue, for ORTF France. As a mediator and negotiator, Penikett has worked in devolution issues in the NWT, Nunavut, and Yukon, and lectured on the history of aboriginal treaty negotiations at both Simon Fraser and Queen University Public Policy schools. In September 2013, Penikett became Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in Arctic Studies at the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2190
__label__wiki	0.906676	0.906676	LTTE activity in Jaffna Town SLA sources in Jaffna said yesterday that the army in Jaffna Town discovered that more than forty landmines, a pistol and some army uniforms have been removed from a house used by troops to store materiale in Koddady, Northeast of the town centre. They said they believe Tigers had infiltrated the SLA's high security zone in the area and made off with the goods despite the sentry points which surround the area. In another incident in the Jaffna town a SLA soldier was shot dead on Tuesday, when he entered an unoccupied house, by a suspected member of the Liberation Tigers. The Army launched a search operation in the town following the incident. However no arrests were made, said sources. At 5.30 a.m. yesterday the SLA launched a search operation in the villages of Kopay, Neervely and Atchelu north of Jaffna town, said sources. SLA personnel searched houses in the villages and made a list of the names of the households. It is not known whether any arrests were made.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2193
__label__wiki	0.545858	0.545858	Initiative by Finland's Presidency of the Council of the EU: Finland to invest in the future skills of Europeans – training one per cent of EU citizens in the basics of AI Image: Reaktor During 2020–2021, Finland will provide European citizens with free access to a successful online course, the Elements of AI. The course will be made available in all the official EU languages. This initiative by the Finnish Presidency aims to respond to the challenges posed by the transformation of work and to reinforce the digital leadership of the EU. The Elements of AI is a series of free online courses realised by the University of Helsinki and the Finnish tech company Reaktor. It is designed to encourage people to learn the basics of artificial intelligence, whatever their age or education. The initiative was made public in Brussels on 10 December 2019, in the margins of the meeting of the EU employment ministers. “Our investment has three goals: we want to equip EU citizens with digital skills for the future; we wish to increase practical understanding of what artificial intelligence is; and by doing so, we want to give a boost to the digital leadership of Europe,” said Minister of Employment Timo Harakka. “The significance of AI is growing. To make use of it, we need digital skills. Changing labour markets, the transformation of work, digitalisation and intensifying global competition all mean one thing for the EU: we must invest in people. Every EU citizen should have the opportunity to pursue continuous lifelong learning, regardless of age and educational background,” the Minister said. “As our Presidency ends, we want to offer something concrete. It’s about one of the most pressing challenges facing Europe and Finland today: how to develop our digital literacy," the Minister said. Research-based online course contributes to a critical understanding of AI As generators of new ideas and innovations, universities play a key role in the efforts to build Europe’s future on competences and education. Research and higher education not only produce commercial applications, but also new social innovations – such as this AI course – that have the potential to benefit everyone. The Elements of AI is the result of both sustained research and teaching excellence at the University of Helsinki. “Our University has a policy of making its research and expertise benefit society at large. As research into artificial intelligence is highly advanced in Finland, it came naturally to us to make AI teaching more widely accessible,” says Teemu Roos, Associate Professor in Computer Science at the University of Helsinki. Artificial intelligence, and technology at large, carry an enormous potential for Europe’s future. “It is therefore vital that more and more individuals can understand how different solutions work and what they can be used for. We are very excited that this course will be widely adopted in Europe, in many language versions,” says Ville Valtonen, Managing Director at Reaktor Education. First published in 2018, the Elements of AI is already available in English, Finnish, Swedish and Estonian. The original goal was to have one per cent of Finns, equalling some 55,000 people, study the basics of AI. That goal was reached in just a few months, and today the Elements of AI is the most popular course ever offered by University of Helsinki. The initiative was launched in the context of Finland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The Finnish Presidency has been working with the member states to reach a shared understanding of the conditions for sustainable growth. Finland has stressed the importance of future development of the single market; taking full advantage of research, development, innovation and digitalisation; and investing in the competences of European citizens. The cost of the initiative, a total of 1 679 000 euros, will be funded from the budget of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland. Pilvi Torsti, State Secretary to the Minister of Employment, tel. +358 40 719 1206 Janne Känkänen, Director for EU and International Affairs, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 50 396 4990 Sari Lindblom, Vice-Rector, University of Helsinki, tel. +358 400 846 672 Teemu Roos, Associate Professor, University of Helsinki, tel. +358 445 231 238 Ville Valtonen, Managing Director, Reaktor Education, tel. +358 50 323 7203 Leila Vilhunen, Specialist in EU Affairs, Prime Minister’s Office, tel. +358 50 324 9719 Elements of AI Finland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union Elements of AI; an initiative of Finnish Presidency: Questions and Answers Timo Harakka EU competitive strength confederations of states digitalisation enterprises know-how presidency of the Council of the EU work	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2195
__label__wiki	0.686212	0.686212	4 of the Safest Robinhood Stocks Investors Can Buy Volatility has been the name of the game for investors in 2020. The historic uncertainty created by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic sent equities into a first-quarter tailspin and caused the benchmark S&P 500 to lose 34% of its value in under five weeks. This was followed by a rally back to new highs that took less than five months. When volatility surges, short-term traders and novice investors pile into the stock market. If you need proof of this, just look at Robinhood's surging membership in 2020. The online platform, which is best known for commission-free trades, fractional-share ownership, and gifts of free stock to new members, has gained millions of new customers this year. With a sitewide average age of 31, these investors tend to be inexperienced, often chasing awful companies. Yet among the dozens of terrible businesses that Robinhood investors have piled into are a handful of high-quality and — dare I say — exceptionally safe stocks. These are four of the safest Robinhood stocks investors can buy right now. Never bet against America or Warren Buffett. This maxim can make investors a lot of money. It's also why Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK-A)(NYSE:BRK-B) is such an intriguing investment. Since 1965, Berkshire Hathaway has returned an average of 20.3% per year for shareholders. That's more than double the 10% total return of the S&P 500 over the same period. In aggregate, Buffett's company would have turned a $100 investment in 1965 into more than $2.7 million by Dec. 2019. Buffett and his right-hand man Charlie Munger know what they're doing. What's the key to Berkshire Hathaway's success? Buffett and his team have bought into cyclical businesses and aligned the company's portfolio and roughly five dozen subsidiaries with the health of the U.S. and global economy. Recessions are inevitable, but periods of economic expansion last considerably longer than periods of contraction. Warren Buffett is simply playing the odds. Berkshire Hathaway's significant investments in money center and regional bank stocks could prove to be a bit of a drag over the next year or two as interest income is constrained. However, an expected economic rebound from the COVID-19 recession should allow Berkshire to outperform the broader market this decade. When I think of safe stocks, I think of industry leaders. In the financial space, that perfectly describes payment processor Visa (NYSE:V). Like most financial stocks, Visa isn't immune to the COVID-19 recession. It is, however, positioned exceptionally well to handle recessions generally. Visa is purely a payment facilitator for merchants and has chosen not to be a lender. While this means it's not able to earn interest income during periods of robust economic expansion, it also protects the company from credit delinquencies during economic contractions and recessions. Visa's profit margin is regularly at or above 50% largely because it doesn't have to put its operating cash flow aside to cover loan losses. Visa is also the most dominant credit card payment processor in the U.S. Between 2009 and 2018, the gross purchasing volume traversing its payment network grew by 156%, with its share of the U.S. credit card purchasing network market rising by close to 10 percentage points to 53%. The U.S. is the No. 1 economy in the world by gross domestic product and relies heavily on consumption. Visa's growth story isn't finished, either. With the vast majority of global transactions still conducted in cash, the company has a long runway to expand its reach in underbanked regions of the world. IMAGE SOURCE: COCA-COLA. Forget safe — owning beverage giant Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) borders on boring. But that's not a bad thing, because boring businesses have a knack for making a boatload of money. Coca-Cola offers its investors incredible geographic diversity. This is a company with operations in every country around the world, save North Korea and Cuba. This reach allows Coke to take advantage of its 10% share of the cold beverage market in faster-growing developing countries, while reaping the rewards of steady cash flow from its 20% share of the cold beverage market in developed countries. Coca-Cola also benefits from its exceptional marketing and world-renowned brand. Coca-Cola is one of the most recognized consumer packaged goods on the planet, transcending generational gaps. It also has strong holiday tie-ins and has been known to create viral campaigns through digital advertising. Best of all, Coca-Cola provides consistency. It's increased its base annual dividend for 58 consecutive years. It often sees little impact from economic contractions given how mainstream its beverage-focused product portfolio has become. IMAGE SOURCE: AMAZON. You might not think of highflier Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) as a safe stock given its history of wild share price swings, but it's time to toss that old way of thinking out the window. The Amazon you see today remains a high-growth company that's now entrenched as a critical cog in the success of the U.S. economic machine. Amazon is best known as the kingpin of e-commerce. Amazon controls in the neighborhood of 40% of all U.S. online sales, though estimates vary. Although retail margins tend to be very small, having such an enormous share of U.S. online sales makes Amazon the go-to destination for consumers in the No. 1 economy in the world. Amazon has also been able to leverage its popularity into more than 150 million Prime memberships worldwide. The fees collected from these memberships provide an even larger margin buffer that allows Amazon to undercut brick-and-mortar retailers on price. Over the long run, it's Amazon's cloud infrastructure segment that'll be responsible for significantly growing its margins, cash flow, and profitability. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown businesses the importance of having an online presence, and Amazon stands at the ready with Amazon Web Services to aid small- and medium-sized businesses in their quest to build out their clouds. As AWS grows into a larger percentage of total sales, Amazon's bottom-line growth could vastly outpace its sales growth. Bonus: 5G Surprise – Even Bigger Than my Extraordinary 20,130% Apple Trade? I think of this 5G opportunity as the “new Apple” If you joined me back when I first recommended Apple, you could have enjoyed an extraordinary 20,130% price explosion if you had held on over the years. That’s enough to turn a $10,000 stake into $2,023,000! Now that 5G is ready for takeoff… My research suggests we’re staring at an opportunity of this magnitude again — if not even greater. It all hinges on this shiny device… Go Straight to the Exciting Story It’s tiny, less than 1 inch wide by one-quarter inch tall… But I have compelling new evidence that this so-called “smart antenna” could become the #1 tech sensation of the decade! Remember, I’m the guy with a knack for spotting the Next Big Thing — just look at these extraordinary examples our firm spotted… Amazon… before it shot up 3,972% Intel… before it shot up 1,516% Netflix… before it shot up 24,221% Apple… before it shot up 20,130% This one could be the granddaddy of them all! Go HERE to see why.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2199
__label__wiki	0.85382	0.85382	New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Legendary queen of rock and roll Tina Turner, 80, has come out of retirement and returned to the studio for a collaboration with international hitmaker, Kygo, for a remix of her iconic track What's Love Got To Do With It" Kygo announced the news on Monday, writing, "Can't believe I'm releasing a collab with @tinaturner this Friday!" He added, "'What's Love Got To Do With It' is one of my all time favorite songs, and it feels surreal to get the opportunity to work with such a legendary artist! Can't wait for you all to hear." The DJ - real name Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll - made music history last year when his remix of Whitney Houston's cover Higher Love gave the late singer her first posthumous hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. That track was nearly 30 years in the making, as Houston - who died in 2012 - had previously recorded the cover of Steve Winwood's 1986 no. 1 hit in 1990, which was then given the remix treatment by Kygo. Hamilton Original Broadway Cast Recording Rises To #2 On Billboard's 'Top Albums' & 'Top 200' Charts Page gen. in 0.0190680 secs // 4 () queries in 0.0047879219055176 secs	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2205
__label__wiki	0.755482	0.755482	The Classic Rock Show The Classic Rock Show ~ Thursday's at 7pm (UK time) Bex Rocks Tag Archives: asia theclassicrockshow NEWS: Back To The Future? This time it’s no accident we’re going 30 years into the past DeLorean’s, flux capacitors and Casio calculator watches aside, it’s no accident we’re going 30 years into the past! This Thursday ‘The Classic Rock Show’ is going to take you back to 1985 in Part 6 of our series of shows entitled ‘Back To The 80s’. Join us for little musical trip down memory lane (interspersed with news events from the year): Dio, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Magnum, Gary Moore, Eric Clapton, Asia, Uriah Heep, The Power Station, Heart, Pat Benatar, Kiss, Saxon, Dokken, Ratt, ZZ Top, Mike + The Mechanics, Dire Straits, Rush, Aerosmith, The Firm, Marillion, Night Ranger, Simple Minds, The Cult, AC/DC, with plenty more besides, it’s sure to be a bit of a belter. Tune in from 7pm (2pm EDT) this Thursday, 21st May. Website: www.TheClassicRockShow.co.uk Twitter: @ClassicRockShow Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/theclassicrockshow NEWS: ‘Back To The 80s’ Part 3 – Classic Rock from 1982! This Thursday night, from 7pm GMT, we’ll continue our journey through the 1980s with Part 3 in our series of ‘Specials’; three hours of great music from the year 1982. ‘Back To The 80s’ has been a bit of a trip down memory lane and it’s reminded us all, me included, of just how great the music scene was “Back in the day”. This week’s show includes music from a time where Rock Music was an ever present on MTV, national radio and mainstream TV from the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Asia, Nazareth, Survivor, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, REO Speedwagon, Tygers Of Pan Tang, Samson, Mama’s Boys, Judas Priest, Night Ranger, Gary Moore, Rush, Queen, Cheap Trick, Golden Earring, Tank, Gillan, Triumph, Motorhead, UFO, Magnum, Pat Benatar, Dire Straits, Status Quo, Uriah Heep, The Michael Schenker Group, Y&T, Krokus, Iron Maiden along with a few more besides. Join us from 7pm this Thursday for a trip down memory lane. Listen links are on our homepage www.theclassicrockshow.co.uk Twitter: www.twitter.com/ClassicRockShow @ClassicRockShow Facebook Group:www.facebook.com/groups/theclassicrockshow Asia’s ‘High Voltage’ live album out soon! Recorded on the 24th July 2010 at the inaugural High Voltage Festival in Victoria Park, London, this ASIA live CD / DVD captures the band, in the original line-up (Geoff Downes – keyboards, Steve Howe – guitars, Carl Palmer – drums, John Wetton – lead vocal and bass), performing classic material from the 80s, plus songs from the first two albums of its reunion, “Phoenix” and “Omega”. The show was performed to an enthusiastic festival crowd ready to hear the world’s biggest selling album of 1982 performed in its entirety for the first time in Europe. In fact, this remains the only video document of the original line-up performing the debut album in full. This live CD / DVD is an irreplaceable companion to the original studio album and the reunion that saw the original members of ASIA return to and stay at the top of their game, this time in front of a ‘home audience’. Since then of course, Steve Howe has stepped aside and Asia brought in Sam Coulson who went on to record the superb ‘Gravitas’ album, released in March. Our interview with John Wetton is here. “High Voltage” will be released by Frontiers Records in a glossy digi-pack CD / DVD digi-pack format with Roger Dean artwork and the track listing includes: Only Time Will Tell, Wildest Dreams, One Step Closer, An Extraordinary Life, Time Again, Cutting it Fine, Without You, I Believe, Here Comes the Feeling, Sole Survivor, Heat of the Moment Release dates: EU: August 22nd 2014. NA: August 25th 2014 For all things ASIA, please visit: www.originalasia.com Follow ASIA on Facebook: www.facebook.com/asiatheband Make sure you catch them on tour! Website: http://www.TheClassicRockShow.co.uk Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/theclassicrockshow Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/theclassicrockshow.co.uk Interviews, News #Gravitas A new album from @originalasia and a new lease of life. John Wetton tells us why. A new album from Asia and, seemingly, a new lease of life, that’s what John Wetton tells ‘The Classic Rock Show’. We spoke to John not long after the release of their sensational new album, out on Frontiers Records, called Gravitas. John talks about the Wetton-Downes songwriting partnership, the writing and recording process, how they came to choose guitarist Sam Coulson, the choice of album title and the video for the album’s opening track Valkyrie. Asia is a band which has, since its formation back in 1982, continued to create some of the most inspirational and catchy songs ever to come out of what is often described as the genre of Prog Rock. Their latest offering – Gravitas – has all the ingredients Asia fans have come to expect and enjoy, but there’s something else at work here. Listen to the interview and it will soon become apparent that the band has a fresh outlook, rejuvenated by the new line-up, and they are keen to get back in front of fans across the world. The album Gravitas, produced by Wetton and Downes with John Mitchell (It Bites, Kino, Arena), is being hailed as Asia’s punchiest and freshest album since its classic early 80’s releases. Keep ahead of all things Asia by visiting their website, and via Twitter @originalasia You can listen to the interview here… ‘The Classic Rock Show’ playlist December 20th 2012 #ClassicRockShow Here’s what we got up to this evening!! Thanks for tuning in…and my word, you turned up in some numbers tonight!! The Classic Rock Show playlist 20-12-2012 TEASER: So, who’s playing on The Classic Rock Show tonight…? Just a few names who we’ll be belting out on the show tonight: Status Quo, The Black Crowes, KISS, Hinder, Rammstein, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, Biffy Clyro, Nickelback, 5FDP, the brand new single from Asia ft. John Payne, along with one or two Christmas tunes…plus a whole heap of your requests 🙂 Visit www.theclassicrockshow.co.uk and click on the ‘Listen Link’. Showtime at 7pm (GMT)…see you then!! 300th and FINAL 'Classic Rock Show' 7pm GMT / 8pm CET / 2pm EST / 11am PSTJanuary 28, 2016 TuneIn link Today is tinged with a little sadness as ‘The Classic Rock Show’ makes its last hurrah. 300th and final edition of ‘The Classic Rock Show’ to end on a high! NEW YEARS EVE – We’ll be counting down our ‘Top 10 Albums of 2015’ this Thursday 7pm GMT Get a flavour of what the 80s brought us #NEWS Calling time on ‘The Classic Rock Show’ in 2016. But a brand new show is coming soon… Tune in from 7pm GMT tonight! ► http://ow.ly/Qi6Rc The Classic Rock Show’s ‘Top 10 Albums of 2015’	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2208
__label__wiki	0.791548	0.791548	£12 million of Russian salmon shares for sale 15 November 2017, at 9:56am Shares in Russian Aquaculture are now on sale, as the country’s largest aquaculture company seeks to raise RUB 2 billion (£12.6 million). The company is prepared to sell between 14 million and 18 million shares to implement its corporate strategy. This includes a plan to produce up to 30,000 tonnes of Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout by 2025 – up from its current level of around 15,000 tonnes. In the longer term, the company also plans to build a smolt plant in Russia and to become one of the world’s largest producers of Atlantic salmon. The company has recently announced its intention to conduct its secondary public offering of new ordinary shares, with the price range for the offering set at between RUB 110 and RUB 140 per share. The average weighted share price year-to-date on the Moscow Exchange falls approximately in the middle of this range. As a result of the offering, the company’s free float is expected to increase to as much as 23 percent of its total share capital. Otkritie Bank and Gazprombank are acting as the joint global coordinators and bookrunners for the offering. In 2016 Russian aquaculture’s entire business was restructured, the composition of the Board of Directors and shareholders changed, and a new long-term strategy was approved. As part of the transformation plan, the company sold its distribution business in order to concentrate on aquaculture. It has since acquired two Norwegian smolt production companies and now has 29 licences for salmon and trout production – the former in the Murmansk region of the Barents Sea and the latter in the lakes of Karelia.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2212
__label__wiki	0.75537	0.75537	JTB 2021 Love Is... 2021 Forgiveness is Hard: Part 1 Past Executions Archive - Ongoing Archive - Other IDPN 2017 Issue 09 Egypt: A human rights committee in Egypt has declared that they will never ask the Egyptian parliament to abolish the death penalty, as it goes against “Islamic Sharia and the country’s constitution.” This announcement was made in response the repeated calls from foreign rights groups to abolish capital punishment. They furthered explained that Egyptian legislation is based on Islamic Sharia, which firmly supports capital punishment. The humans rights group also announced that they do not support gay marriage, as homosexuality is also against Islamic Sharia. Malaysia: Thirty-three-year-old Shahrul Izani Suparman has been spared from execution by Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idrs Shah. The Sultan granted Shahrul a pardon. Shahrul was sentenced to death for being in possession of cannabis. Nigeria: Sulaiman Olalekan has been sentenced to death for the murder of his wife, Chika Egbo, on November 20, 2012. Sulaiman is convicted of pouring acid on his wife after discovering she had returned to prostitution. The two met while she was a prostitute. Philippines: Jurgen Kantner, a German nations, has allegedly been beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants in the southern part of the Philippines. Jurgen was murdered at the age of 70, after the deadline to pay his ransom had passed. Jurgen and his wife, Sabine Merz, were both captured in November of 2016. A body believed to belong to Sabine, was discovered shortly thereafter. Abu Sayyaf is a Muslim group seeking to establish and independent Islamic state on a southern island. The Philippines is a predominately Catholic nation. United States of America: Three Pennsylvania executions were scheduled this week - that of Wayne Smith, Richard Poplawski, and Aric Woodard. All three executions have been stayed by various courts to allow time for further appeals. All three men were convicted of separate murders. Lawmakers in Mississippi are exploring alternative execution options, should lethal injection be ruled unconstitutional. The bill, which has not yet been approved, was recently changed to exclude firing squads as a means of execution. Nitrogen gas chambers and electrocution remain as alternative options. Many states have, in recent years, passed similar alternative execution method legislation. States continue to struggle to find drugs to be used in executions, as many manufactures refuse to sell to prisons. Two lawmakers from Las Vegas, Nevada have introduced legislation that would abolish capital punishment in the state and commute all death sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Nevada currently has around 80 inmates on death row. Since the death penalty was reinstated in 1979, only 12 inmates have been executed, all of whom voluntarily dropped their appeals. The last execution occurred in 2006. Stevie Lamar Fields, a death row inmate in California, has died after being found unresponsive in his cell on Tuesday, February 28, 2017. He was 60 years of age. The cause of death is currently unknown and an autopsy is pending. Stevie was sentenced to death row in 1979, for numerous crimes, including the kidnapping, robbery, rape, and murder of 26-year-old Rosemary Janet Cobb; the kidnapping, robbery, and rape, of Gwendolyn Elaine Barnett, Cynthia Marie Smith, and Colleen Coats; and the robbery of Clarence Gissendander. Lawmakers in Alabama are attempting to end the controversial practice of allowing judges to sentence and inmate to death, even if the jury has recommended life in prison. The state Senate supported a bill to end this practice by a vote of 30-1. The bill will now move the House, which has already been considering a similar measure. If the measure passes, it will not be applied retroactively. For more information regarding financial support, please click here. The Forgiveness Foundation 455 Massachusetts Ave NW contactus@tffcm.org Sunday, January 17, 2021 - Romans 5-6 Monday, January 18, 2021 - Genesis 8-11 Tuesday, January 19, 2021 - Joshua 11-15 Wednesday, January 20, 2021 - Psalms 6-8 Thursday, January 21, 2021 - Job 5-6 Friday, January 22, 2021 - Isaiah 12-17 Saturday, January 23, 2021 - Matthew 5-7 Copyright 2014 - 2020, The Forgiveness Foundation Christian Ministries, Inc. – All Rights Reserved.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2213
__label__wiki	0.978661	0.978661	PM cancels interview, slaps down ‘lie’ on alleged anti-Muslim chat News National PM cancels interview, slaps down ‘lie’ on alleged anti-Muslim chat 3:11pm, Mar 20, 2019 Updated: 1:26pm, Mar 21 Mr Morrison has hit back at suggestions he wanted to exploit anti-Muslim sentiment in the community. Photo: AAP Samantha Maiden Scott Morrison has cancelled a planned appearance on The Project after host Waleed Aly aired “a disgraceful smear” that he once discussed capitalising on anti-Muslim sentiment in a 2010 shadow cabinet meeting. After terminating a press conference on Wednesday when he was asked about the claims, first published in 2011, Channel Ten revealed the Prime Minister’s office had pulled him from the schedule after a viral editorial relating to the New Zealand mosque massacre by broadcaster Aly. That video has now been viewed more than 12 million times. The New Daily first reported on Monday the Prime Minister’s office had called The Project after the broadcast on Friday night and threatened to sue. Prime Minister Scott Morrison terminated his press conference on Wednesday. The Project’s Hamish Macdonald on Wednesday night confirmed the “furious” call live on air during the program. “On Friday night, in the wake of the most horrific events in Christchurch, our colleague [Waleed Aly] referenced that report in a powerful, personal reflection on what had just occurred,” Mr Macdonald said. “And another fact, later that night the Prime Minister’s office, in a furious exchange, said Aly’s comments were defamatory. “Now, we offered Mr Morrison the opportunity to respond, live on this desk, when he was due to appear on this program on Monday. “Not only did he decline, but his media team pulled him out of the scheduled media appearance altogether.” Government sources insisted on Wednesday night the planned interview was never locked in. Mr Macdonald said The Project’s offer to give the Prime Minister an on-air right-of-reply remained open. He also revealed New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s response was to offer Aly a sit-down interview about the tragedy. "The PM says he wants the truth. Well, here are some facts." – @hamishnews responds to the PM. #TheProjectTV *Correction: The first report was in 2011, the Shadow Cabinet meeting was in 2010. pic.twitter.com/r49JRKApK4 — The Project (@theprojecttv) March 20, 2019 Earlier, Mr Morrison had shut down questions about whether he ever sought to capitalise on “anti-Muslim sentiment” in a shadow cabinet meeting, describing the claim as a “repugnant lie”. At the time, a Liberal colleague told The Sydney Morning Herald, “He put it on the table like a dead cat,” at a meeting called to formulate political attack lines and asked the shadow cabinet: “What are we going to do about multiculturalism? What are we going to do about concerns about Muslims?” Mr Morrison said when questioned by The New Daily on Wednesday: “I’m going to stop you there. It is a repugnant lie, 100 per cent, and my working record with the Muslim community, in particular, speaks volumes.” “Any suggestion to the contrary, I find utterly offensive.” Three current and former cabinet ministers – Greg Hunt, Peter Dutton, and David Johnston told The New Daily on Sunday they backed Mr Morrison’s recollections that he never made the comments. The public denial of private discussions within the shadow cabinet by multiple ministers is highly unusual and underlines deep concerns within the party the Coalition is vulnerable to political attacks on the claims. However, it has emerged that Mr Hunt did not attend the relevant meeting, calling into question his recollections. On Monday, Mr Hunt told The New Daily Mr Morrison did not make the comments. “As someone who was in the shadow cabinet at the time, the story was clearly categorically and unequivocally false then and remains clearly, categorically and unequivocally false to this day,” Mr Hunt said. But Mr Hunt was not actually there, telling ABC radio at the time: “Unfortunately I wasn’t at the meeting. But I know Scott [Morrisoson], and his style is deep compassion. He is deeply compassionate.” Mr Morrison also confirmed on Wednesday he would not sue TV network Ten. Allegations of that possibility arose after his chief press secretary Andrew Carswell warned The Project that Aly’s words were “defamatory”. “I have no intention of doing that. I just simply want people to report the truth and that is an ugly and disgusting lie. I reject it absolutely,” he said. “Over the last decade I have spent my time as a public figure working with the Muslim community in south-western New South Wales. I have walked the Kokoda Track with my Muslim brothers and sisters, I’ve done it on the Sandakan Death March. I have done it on the Salamaua Track in Papua New Guinea and organised, together with my good friend Jason Clare, similar visits to Turkey for the centenary of Anzac. “That’s why I’m welcomed when I attend mosques in south-western Sydney, with warm embraces. Perhaps if people focused a bit more on the story they don’t want to tell about my relationship with people of all faiths in this community, then perhaps they wouldn’t leap to make prejudiced conclusions.” “You’ll have to forgive me, these won’t be my best words…” On this heartbreaking day, Waleed reflects and calls for unity. #TheProjectTV pic.twitter.com/mIOI0eGamb PM calls for Turkey travel warning review after Erdogan threats	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2214
__label__wiki	0.596851	0.596851	Does a Face Have Ears? Posted On 17 December 2018 10 December 2018 By Sophie Battell In this review of Mat Collishaw’s art installation ‘The Mask of Youth’, Queen’s House, Greenwich, Emily Cock reflects on portraiture and facial difference through the ages Mat Collishaw’s The Mask of Youth[1] is part of a new installation at the Queen’s House, Greenwich, in which Elizabeth I’s animatronic face squares off against the idealised image of official representations—in this case, the Armada Portrait. In the painting, the fifty-five year old queen appears as the ever-youthful Regina, her white face glowing against a voluminous gown and framed by an ornate ruff whose edge matches almost perfectly with the line of her wig. The mask, in contrast, is entirely separate from any body or staging, its edge formed at the forehead by what would be a very high hairline. A mirror ensures the viewer sees both the Armada portrait and the robotic mechanism in tandem with the face. Elizabeth’s skin is slightly pitted, apparently by the famous lead-based cosmetics rather than the smallpox scars she may have carried after an illness in 1562. Distinct hairs glint on her lip and chin. The close cropping of the face has produced a further disturbing result: the queen has lost her ears. Image credit: Emily Cock Collishaw and his collaborators’ reflections on the work[2] emphasise their belief that it is “abnormalities”, “asymmetry”, “the imperfections, which are the things that wouldn’t have been in the painting, it’s what they tried to remove” that have the potential to make this the “real” face of Elizabeth. It’s important that these background process videos are visitors’ first exposure to the exhibition, guiding our reactions and inviting us to really peer into the queen’s pores. Public reaction on Twitter has largely stressed the ‘spookiness’ of the lifelike mask, but one user[3] was instead caught by a sense of disrespect: “She was such a proud woman you shoulsd [sic] have given hr some hair and make-up and teeth.” (For the record, she does have white teeth). It’s also worth noting that, bar her maids, no one would have seen this ‘real’ face of Elizabeth. Any portrait of a political figure speaks to some extent about the relationship between the state and the face. Collishaw’s deliberate juxtaposition of the idealised portrait with a ‘warts (or hair) and all’ face engages with questions of image and power, and the relation of what was known in Elizabeth’s day as the monarch’s ‘two bodies’—the physical, fallible individual, and the monarch as embodiment of immortal regnal power. Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I The loss of Elizabeth’s ears is ironic because ear cropping was one of the disfigurement punishments used by early modern monarchs. Punishments that disfigure rather than kill are designed to cause ongoing humiliation, above all testifying to the power of the inflictor. Recently, surgeon Dr Munjed Al Muderis spoke in an interview[4] on Australian television about being forced to flee Iraq after refusing orders for the punishment of deserters that included branding and ear-cropping “humanely, under anaesthetics. So ironically, it has to be done in a hospital.” The framing of the punishment as being carried out in controlled medical conditions carries an eerie echo of Henry VIII’s rule in cases of “malicious striking” within certain royal areas that the right hand would be cut off with the king’s surgeon standing by to sear and bind the wound. Such stipulations serve to maintain the image of proportionality and justice, and the preservation of life. Elizabeth’s own laws included provisions for ears to be nailed to the pillory for perjury, and ears cut and nostrils slit for specific forgery offences. The use of ear-cropping continued, and spread into British colonies. In America, its use actually expanded in the eighteenth century after it had been dismissed by the British legislature. To give just one example, North Carolina’s laws in 1795 included ear-cropping among its penalties for perjury: those guilty were fined up to £500, ineligible to give testimony in any court, and “shall stand in the pillory for one hour, at the expiration of which time both the ears of the person so offending shall be cut off, and severed entirely from the head, and the ears so cut shall be nailed to the pillory by the officer, and there remain until the setting of the sun”.[5] The severity of the punishment is evident in the fact that Henry VIII added to the extant legal protection for the tongue and eyes with fines for maliciously cutting off another’s ear/s (with the necessary exception for ears cut “by authority of law”). The ears were an important part of the face, which is what gave their removal such power. How individuals could negotiate the presentation of their visible differences, and how this changed in transnational contexts, forms part of my ongoing research into facial difference across Britain and its colonies in Virginia, Massachusetts, and Australia. There are a significant number of portraits that show elite men’s battle scars, but for men without such narratives (or often, social status and wealth), or women, the negotiation of facial difference proves more ambivalent and elusive. The shifting extent to which facial difference—now a protected characteristic under the UK Equality Act (2010)[6]—was ‘disabling’ in these historical contexts is one of my project’s big questions. I want to finish today’s brief interjection with one of the very few first-person responses (I can only hope to find more!) to the infliction of disfiguring punishments like ear-cropping in early modern Britain. Alexander Leighton[7] (c.1570–1649) was born in Scotland, and practiced as a trained but unlicensed physician, and a minister. He was arrested for sedition in February 1630. In his own account of his trial he alleged that he missed the sentencing because he had been poisoned while imprisoned in Newgate (London) and “his hair and skin came off in a sickness (deadly to the Eye)”. Despite a temporary, disguised escape from prison, he was quickly recaptured. He was fined, and on 26 November the rest of the sentence was carried out. He relates: Your Petitioners hands being tyed to a stake (besides all other torments) he received thirty six stripes with a terrible Cord, After which, he stood almost two houres on the Pillory, in cold Frost and Snow, and suffered the rest; as cutting off the Eare, firing the Face [i.e. branding with hot iron], and slitting of the Nose; so that he was made a Theater of Misery, to Men and Angels.[8] He was then returned to Newgate prison. Leighton reasoned that the sentence was “imposed (as on a dying man) to terrifie others.” He was originally supposed to go through the ordeal twice (thus on both sides of his face), but this doesn’t seem to have occurred. In Newgate he served paying prisoners as a physician, and he was freed and appointed keeper of Lambeth Palace by Parliament during the interregnum. In this, his Laudian sentence and subsequent reclamation echoes that of the more famous puritan martyrs William Prynne, Henry Burton, and John Bastwick. In addition to his public proclamations from the pillory, Leighton offered further reflection on his sentence and appearance in two unpublished poems.[9] He describes his “Dismemberd nose, [and] eares” as “stigmatized”, and himself as “A dismale, savage spectacle”. Though he may have written the poems while still imprisoned, Leighton emphasises the power of being stared at, describing himself as “A gazing stocke become to younge and olde”, just as in his printed work he called himself a “Theater of Misery”. There are elements in the poem reminiscent of Rosemary Garland Thomson’s framework of ‘staring back’[10], which flips—or at least troubles—the power of spectacle in the face of visible difference. Leighton attempts to cast his survival as his opportunity to play the ghost at the feast, continuing to “rise” and “eternize” the cruel act. Nevertheless, as Frances Condick notes, the poems’ overall tone of despair (which was understood as a sinful repudiation of God’s will) stands in contrast with the stoic one set on the pillory and in his published Petition. Elizabeth’s portraits, including Armada, almost always show her ears. Whatever the reason for excluding Elizabeth’s ears from The Mask of Youth, their omission echoes an imposed loss well-known to her people. The monarch facing the imposing Armada portrait also faces the experiences of people like Alexander Leighton. Dr Emily Cock holds an early career fellowship from the Leverhulme Trust at Cardiff University for the project Fragile Faces: Disfigurement in Britain and its Colonies (1600–1850), exploring the threat, experience and representation of facial disfigurement in Britain and its colonies in Virginia, Massachusetts and Australia from 1600 to 1850. She has recently edited Approaching Facial Difference: Past and Present (Bloomsbury, 2018) with Patricia Skinner. [1] Link: https://matcollishaw.com/exhibitions/queens-house/ [2] Link: https://www.rmg.co.uk/see-do/we-recommend/attractions/mat-collishaw-queens-house [3] Link: https://twitter.com/Jenieness/status/1056986261599203329 [4] Link: https://tinyurl.com/yaj3u45k [5] The Acts of the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina (Newbern: Francois Martin, 1795), chapter VI. [6] Link: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents [7] Link: http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-16395 [8] Alexander Leighton, An Epitome or Briefe Discoverie (London: I.D, 1646), sigs. N1r–v. [9] The poems are in manuscript in the British Library and transcribed by Frances Condick in ‘The self-revelation of a puritan: Dr Alexander Leighton in the 1620s’, British Institute for Historical Research 55 (1982): 196–203. [10] Link: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/2448 #Exhibition Review #Featured Tagged: Armada portrait art Elizabeth I facial difference Mat Collishaw The Mask of Youth Speaking into Silence: Adolescent Illness Narrative Getting mental illness right in gaming Posted On : 30 November 2018 ILLNESS: A Narrative in Four Parts (Part One) Posted On : 4 May 2020 Imagining Abortion: Foetal Personhood and Leni Zumas’ Red Clocks (2018) Breathing and Nothingness Posted On : 12 September 2019 Previous post: Hope, expectation and interoception (Review) Next post: The Madness of Fear: A History of Catatonia	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2216
__label__wiki	0.625041	0.625041	The Unmuffled Auto News Tag: Volkswagen September 12, 2016 zoomvroom Random, Tech Talk, The auto dictionary. Look it up here!, World News Volkswagen Engineer Pleads Guilty for Involvement in Dieselgate A VW engineer pleaded guilty today in a federal court in Detroit for his involvement with the automaker’s diesel emissions cheat device. This makes him the first person to face any criminal charges in connection with the emissions scandal. According to Bloomberg, Volkswagen engineer James Liang is being charged with “conspiracy to commit fraud against U.S. regulators and customers and to violate the Clean Air Act.” He will be sentenced in January, and he could face up to five years in prison. Bloomberg‘s report states that Liang’s guilty plea comes after a year-long investigation by the Justice Department, which has faced tremendous pressure to hold more individuals accountable in high-profile cases, such as this diesel emissions cheating scandal, which has been dubbed “Dieselgate” by the automotive community. James Liang is a long-time VW employee who reportedly worked on the team that developed the diesel cheat device for the VW Jetta back in 2006. He is also accused of assisting Volkswagen in its attempt to deceive U.S. regulators during their investigation into how the cheat devices worked. Liang told the judge, “I know VW did not disclose the defeat device to U.S. regulators in order to sell the cars in the U.S. That’s what makes me guilty.” His plea comes after VW has agreed to pay at least $16.5 billion to settle a whole host of claims. They also face ongoing investigations in Europe where the European Commission is encouraging consumer groups to take legal action against VW. Here’s my opinion on what’s going on so far: In addition to fines, if VW executives are to be paid for the responsibility of overseeing the manufacturing and sales of products, then they should be held fully responsible for such gross negligence. They have already been caught not telling the truth numerous times. James Liang is just a scapegoat for VW executives, who use a lot of money, power, and influence to get off squeaky clean. This scandal comes amid the Takata airbags scandal and the GM ignition switch scandal, among other things. How many people have died from those? Far too many. Millions of people a year die from respiratory ailments, while millions more are diagnosed with asthma. How many asthma attacks have been triggered by Volkswagen’s emissions cheat device? Liang is essentially saying “I would have gotten away with it, if it weren’t for those meddling kids!” The judge and attorneys were soon seen peeling out in a green van marked “Mystery Machine.” In my eyes, it should be former VW chairman, Martin Winterkorn, who should be dragged off to prison. James Liang was following orders given to him by greedy pricks on the other side of the Atlantic. He was ultimately the one who gave the emissions cheating project a green light, but he’s got enough money and influence in the European Commission to stay out of court. Winterkorn must surrender his golden parachute and his gigantic pension, and serve the rest of his life in a federal prison for the crimes he and Volkswagen committed against governments and consumers. I’m wondering how much VW is going to pay Liang’s family in exchange for his agreeing to fall on the sword for the emperor. It certainly isn’t out of the realm of possibility. It seems that VW was on top of the world, and now their empire is going to slowly come crashing down on their heads. It was a wicked and wild wind (filled with the emissions their cars spewed out) that opened the doors that has brought down the end of an era. It’s only a matter of time before VW is forced to sell off their many assets – they own Porsche, Audi, Lamborghini, and other automakers. They’re a true giant in the world’s automotive market, but it’s only a matter of time before they’re a shell of what they once were. July 23, 2016 July 23, 2016 zoomvroom Car Culture, Random, The auto dictionary. Look it up here!, The History of Autos Why Porsche Placed a Bet on Front-Engine Sports Cars When you hear the word “Porsche,” what car do you think of? Of course it’s the 911. However, Porsche owes much more credit than it is given for the front-engine 944 and 928. Why’s that? In the mid-1970s, Porsche executives were imagining a vastly different future for Porsche than where it is now. The rear-engine 911, was in their eyes, a flawed and rapidly aging design. They started developing two front-engine cars to replace it. What were those cars? the 924 and the 928. My grandfather owned a 924 at one point, but that’s a story I won’t tell now. Anyways, back to the point. We all know that the future those Porsche executives had planned out didn’t happen. The 911 still remains in production, and is a true masterpiece of automotive engineering and design. However, the 924 and 928 played a vital role in Porsche’s storied history. The front-engine cars, especially the 944 , were the knight in shining armor for Porsche in the 1980s. They certainly stumbled with the slow, VW-derived 924, but they had a truly runaway success with the 944, which was what kept the 911 in production. In my eyes, it was unfortunate that the big, V8-powered 928 never really caught on with Porsche’s intended audience, but it has gained somewhat of a cult following in the past 15 years or so. While the 928, and 944 are dearly departed, their spirit lives on, albeit in a different form. The 718 Boxster/Cayman occupy the same space that the 944 did. One can make the case that the 928 was reborn as the Panamera. What about the 924? While it’s popular for budget track day enthusiasts, it never became as popular as the 928 and 944. Even though it had a VW engine, Porsche was in charge of developing the head for the engine. They played around with a 16-valve head, which meant it had four valves per cylinder (two intake, two exhaust), a turbocharger (which made the 924 quite formidable on a windy road), among other things. This is a 1976 Porsche 924. You can definitely see the VW design in it, right? The Porsche 944 was just a 924 with a bigger engine and better suspension. It was aimed at cash-rich, young professionals who wanted a nice sports car. It sold in droves. This is a 1991 Porsche 928 GTS. It had a V8, lots of power, and I think, might have been the ultimate iteration of the front-engine Porsche sports cars born in the mid-1970s. July 13, 2016 July 13, 2016 zoomvroom Car Culture, Random, World News VW Refuses to Offer Dieselgate Compensation Program in Europe Volkswagen agreed to a hugely expensive compensation plan for their TDI diesel car owners here in the U.S., but it looks like that compensation plan won’t be making it across the pond. According to Reuters, VW CEO Matthias Mueller recently told a German newspaper that they can’t easily afford a similar payout plan for European owners. “You don’t have to be a mathematician to realize that compensation at arbitrarily high levels would overwhelm Volkswagen.” That’s a massive problem for VW, but they do have something to use in their defense – European emissions regulations are much more relaxed than the laws in the U.S. “In the U.S. the [emission] limits are stricter, which makes the fix more complicated. And taking part in the buyback is voluntary [for customers], which is note the case in Germany, for example,” Mueller said. Even though there might be different emissions regulations, the Industry Commissioner of Europe, Elzbieta Bienkowska, has told VW to drain their coffers and pay European owners, saying it would be unfair to treat them differently than U.S. customers. VW has already set aside at least $10 billion to settle it’s so-called “Dieselgate” scandal Stateside. Owners can choose to have their TDI vehicles repaired, or sell them back to VW. Most owners will receive anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 as compensation. VW has agreed to put $2.7 billion into an environmental trust to offset their excess diesel emissions, and they will also invest $2 billion to bolster the United States’ EV (electric vehicle) charging infrastructure and promote other clean vehicle programs. What’s my two cents on VW’s refusal? I certainly see their point, and I get that they want to save money. However, they are a gigantic market player in Europe, and are gaining traction here in the U.S. But, owner satisfaction should always come first, and treating European owners differently just because European emissions laws aren’t as stringent as U.S. emissions laws is straight-up foolish. If they want to lose customers, owners, and more importantly, their reputation, then going forward with this plan is a great idea. In the light of Brexit, the European Union is going to go through massive economic changes in the months to come, and to me, it seems like Bienkowska won’t back down from her position on forcing VW to pay European owners as well. VW is already facing massive scrutiny and pressure from both the U.S. government, as well as U.S. owners. It should come as no surprise that the European Union is going to come after them as well. It’s only going to be a matter of time before European owners jump on this bandwagon also. February 9, 2016 zoomvroom Car Culture, Random, The History of Autos, World News The Cursed Blessing of the Death of Scion When Toyota started Scion in 2001, nobody expected it to do much of anything. It didn’t. Well, yes, the original xB was an all star smash hit, and the tC was a great combination of bulletproof reliability combined with an astonishingly low asking price, but everything else they did, let’s be honest here, was a massive flop. The 2001 xB was an excellent car. It was fun to drive, affordable, and instantly lovable. It was, in my eyes, the modern version of the original VW Type 1 Beetle. It was originally marketed towards Gen X, but everyone from teenagers to seniors bought it. It was just that kind of car. Every 10 years or so, there’s a car like that. It comes out of nowhere, sells like cocaine in the 1980s, and is fondly remembered by many. The “toaster,” as it was affectionately called wasn’t fast – it was far from it. It was safe, it had almost as much space as a minivan, thanks to its boxy shape and was easily customizable – from the dealer! It’s cute, right? I really love the original xB. Can you see why? Yes, you could walk into a Toyota dealership that sold Scions (I’ll get to that in a bit, I swear), and get a Scion xB, then go over to their customizing desk, and decide how you wanted to customize your xB, all within 20 feet of each other! There were so many options, you had to fill out a questionnaire so the customizing agent could help you out! The great part about this was that you could customize the car to your specific taste, not worry about voiding the warranty and walk out within two hours. The 2001 Scion xB was the car that kicked off the dealer accessory craze. It was a great marketing tool for many brands. Want a roof rack? You had a choice between Thule and Yakima, and between the two, literally 50 different roof racks to choose from. Want a wrap on your xB? The techs could slap it on in 20 minutes. The list goes on. All these accessories were affordable – you could walk out of the dealership with a Scion xB, customized the way you wanted it, with a good warranty, fully registered and insured, for $22,000. That’s what the appeal was. As I said, everyone from teenagers to seniors, and everyone in between bought the car. It shocked Scion’s marketing team, and even Toyota. Nobody predicted so many cars would be sold. Unfortunately, Scion failed to deliver with the second-generation xB. It had gigantic shoes to fill, but it had baby feet. It was heavier – almost 500 pounds heavier. It was more expensive; to the point that people walked over to the Toyota sales desk and bought a Matrix. It used to be that the Matrix was just a hatchback Corolla (the xB was too), but it was kind of like trying to differentiate between twins. The Matrix was cheaper, but it didn’t have the instant customizability that the xB had. The difference showed in sales – Scion still had all their repeat buyers, but the Matrix was just a better car overall. Buyers went to the Matrix, until Toyota killed it in 2013. Onto the tC. It was a perfectly fine car, but by no means was it on the same level as the Mazda 3 or the Honda Civic. The build quality was great, no doubt about that. It just left something to be desired. But, it was cheap. Dirt cheap. That’s why every 8th car you see on the road is one. Well, maybe not that many, but it sure seems like it. It wasn’t as easily customizable as the xB, but it certainly had it’s benefits. It was cheap enough for those starting to get into the automotive scene to modify it like no tomorrow, but drive it to school or work every day. The Mazda 3 could do that too, but was more expensive. It was also marketed towards college students and above. The original Scion tC was a smash hit. The second generation wasn’t as wildly popular, but it certainly sold a lot. Let’s talk about the stupidity of selling Scions next to Toyotas that were similar in price. Seriously, who at Toyota, when they were planning Scion, thought that was a good idea? It’s like selling candy bars next to each other. You can’t choose the right one. That’s what happens when there are too many options. Scion sales would go sky-high for a couple months, then Toyota compact car sales would overtake them like you wouldn’t believe. It was just a constant game of tug-of-war. Imagine walking into an Armed Forces recruitment center, with all the recruiters standing there, all trying to give you “the best deal you’ll get.” The truth is, they all offer the same thing, but they disguise it well. Just choose the one you like best and the others will find somebody else. This was Scion’s ultimate downfall in my eyes. They simply couldn’t compete with the elephant in the room. Yes, they had other problems. Their other cars were practically carbon copies of Toyotas. Why buy a Toyota Yaris hatchback when you could buy a Scion xD? The Yaris was cheaper, and had essentially the same things going for it. The xD had a bit more power, but the Yaris at least looked halfway decent. The xD looked like someone chiseled a block of concrete with an ax, slapped wheels and a price tag on it, and pitched it to Scion. What might have been the best car Scion made, apart from the 2001 xB, was the FR-S. It was cheap, which was Scion’s main selling point. It was an incredibly fun car to drive, and the perfect one for the budding autocrosser or track day enthusiast. It’s biggest downfall is that Subaru and Toyota sold the exact same car, but with different badges. Yes, I know it was badge engineering, but why buy the Scion when you could buy the Subaru? That was the dilemna many prospective owners faced. It offered more utility and just as much fun as the Miata, but it was a price difference of $2000 between the Scion and the Subaru. So, what was Scion’s downfall? Poor sales after the redesign of the first-generation xB, offering similar, if not identical products, and no dedicated dealers. Will I miss Scion? Yes. I will miss the magic that the 2001 xB brought to the automotive world, the affordable performance the FR-S brought wailing and burbling into the automotive world, the instant and easy customizability that any Scion brought, and the ferocious sibling rivalry between Toyota and Scion. Will Scions keep their value? Who knows. Only time will tell. The resale value of the 2001-2007 xB has certainly held up, and likely will for a while. They are cheap, but the price hasn’t gone up or down, like most cars. The tC, a fantastic car in it’s own right, may hold up. It’s hard to tell with that one. The FR-S? Maybe, maybe not. It was a worthy Miata competitor, but it’s identical siblings, the Subaru BR-Z and Toyota GT86 (non-North America markets only), will still be in production. The FR-S/BR-Z/GT86 was a failed design opportunity. They had a golden opportunity to make a stunning car, and the result is, quite frankly, kind of meh. It doesn’t look like much. Sure, it looks nice, but you don’t point at one and know exactly what it is, like you do with the 2001 xB.tf I am saddened that Scion couldn’t clean up their act, but they obviously weren’t competitive. Their market went away. They had a nice run though, and there are certainly other choices. August 25, 2015 zoomvroom Car Culture, Gifts for the Car Enthusiast, Random, The auto dictionary. Look it up here!, The History of Autos Some of the Best Cars with V10s Around! They have a great engine note. They have a lot of power. They come in sizes ranging from relatively small to large. Here are some of the best you can buy. 2009 Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro: The V8 version of the R8 came out in 2008. It was stunningly beautiful, and offered great performance at a reasonable price. The 5.2 FSI Quattro version added two more cylinders, 105 more horsepower, and even better looks. The 5.2-liter V10 was a slightly-detuned version of the Lamborghini Gallardo’s V10. 2005 BMW M5: The early 2000s were an era when manufacturers could shoehorn massive engines into big sedans without complaint. The 2005 BMW M5 is a relic of that era, and boy is it a good one! It bellowed and roared up to a redline of 8,250 RPM. This 5.0-liter V10 was derived from Formula 1, which is why it sounds so damn magnificent. 2006 Audi S8 5.2 FSI Quattro: This might be one of the ultimate sleepers. This big sedan is a beauty, but it’s a fast one. It got to 60 mph in a scant 4.8 seconds. The magnificent trim inside and out, plus the everyday utility of a large sedan made this quite possibly the best balance between work and play. 2006 Dodge Ram SRT-10: Need I say more than it was a truck that put down 500 horsepower stock? No, I don’t. Oh, and it’s engine came straight out of the Viper. 2003 Lamborghini Gallardo: The first baby Lamborghini was an absolute sweetheart. It was also the car that really saved the brand. It was an Italian beauty with a German heart. The engine started out as a 5.0-liter V10, but ended up as a 5.2-liter V10. It also spanned 10 years. It birthed countless iterations and special editions, while becoming a tuner favorite. 1999 Dodge Viper ACR: It had one of the biggest engines available when it came out, and that engine is still one of the largest around. It sounded more primal than mechanical. It sounds like a dinosaur fighting Slash. Yes, I know, I love to bash Slash. 2011 Lexus LFA: It doesn’t matter that this was a terrible supercar. It sounded like nothing else. Lexus teamed up with Yamaha’s musical instrument division, who tuned the engine note like a guitar. That would explain why it sounds godly. It was described by Lexus engineers as “the roar of an angel.” I think it sounds more like the roar of Satan. 2011 Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI: It must be a good life to be a diesel V10. Good enough for U.S. emissions regulations to cancel sales on our shores twice. Yeah, twice. Thanks Uncle Sam. That being said, it had twin turbochargers force-feeding air into those 10 hungry cylinders. 2004 Porsche Carrera GT: Where do I start with the “Widow-Maker?” I don’t know. Yes, it has killed people, notably Paul Walker and Roger Rodas, but that was more user error than anything. This car can trace it’s heritage back to Le Mans and Formula 1 cars. That engine note is out of this world. It reminds me of the Bad Company song “I Can’t Get Enough of Your Love.” Except this is I Can’t Get Enough of Your Engine Note. That’s all folks! May 29, 2015 zoomvroom Car Culture, Random, Tech Talk, The auto dictionary. Look it up here! How Porsche DNA is in Your Car Porsche and the rear window wiper are forever linked in the annals of automotive history, and for good reason. While rear window wipers were accessories as far back as the early 1940s, they never became commonplace for a variety of reasons that I’ll talk about in a bit. Italy became slightly interested in them in the mid-1950s. Ferrari installed a pair of them on a 1955 Ferrari 250 GT Europa by Pinin Farina. Interest had picked up sufficiently that, in 1957, rear wipers made their next public appearance at the 1957 Salon de Genève on the new Lancia Flaminia Berlina, another Pinin Farina creation. While they were highly praised for their functionality by the press, nobody quite caught onto the idea. This should come as no surprise: outside mirrors, which greatly aid rear visibility were considered superfluous to Italians. Eight years later, a wealthy German industrialist contacted Porsche with a request. He wanted a wiper installed on the rear window. Porsche set about developing a rear window wiper. You can only imagine what other Porsche enthusiasts thought when they saw this fine gentleman cruising the boulevards with his fancy new car and it’s rear window wiper. The factory began to receive an increasingly large number of requests for similar installations. The demand was so great that Porsche offered a dealer-installed or DIY retrofit kit. This wasn’t even enough – Porsche decided to make it a factory option in 1966. The early rear wipers were rudimentary at best, but they did the job. The early wiper arm pivot shafts had bushings angled inward and outward, which enabled it to be mounted to the edge of the air intake recess on the existing engine lid. In 1967, as the rear wiper option gained massive popularity, engine lid pressing dies were slightly modified to incorporate integral mounting pieces for the rear wiper installation. This eliminated the need for the angled adapter bushings. These were included on both sides of the engine lid to accommodate both left-hand-drive and right-hand-drive applications. Volvo took note of Porsche’s little invention, and added one to the 145 in 1969. The time for rear window wipers had finally arrived. By the time the OPEC oil crisis arrived in the mid-1970s, rear wipers had become commonplace on hatchbacks, station wagons, and off-road machines like the Chevy Blazer and Ford Bronco. These body styles were perfect applications for the rear window wiper: because of the lack of a rear deck (a trunk), a rear window is bound to collect more dirt and grime than a sedan or pickup truck’s. Since 1965, Porsche has remained a devout follower of the rear window wiper, offering it on every single fixed-roof production car after the 911, with the exception of the 914, as it had a recessed rear window and long rear deck, which eliminated the necessity of a rear window wiper. It doesn’t matter how old the Porsche is to make this option desirable. It goes far beyond a functionality statement. It’s a perfect visual metaphor of the classic Porsche essence and character that has carried through today. You can still feel the original Porsche character today. The 356 and 911 (through the 993 generation), with their air-cooled reliability (their engines were souped-up VW Beetle engines), rear-engine traction, fully-independent suspension with incredibly long travel, and generous ground clearance meant that these were not cars to be taken lightly. They were not smooth-road sports cars like the Triumphs of the same era. They were truly all-weather, go-anywhere-on-any-road cars. This set them far apart from the other sports cars of the era, which generally had low ground clearance, borderline-at-best weather sealing, limited traction, horrifically unreliable everything, and marginal-at-best cooling systems. It should come as no surprise to you that early Porsches were even better for all-weather capabilities than most standard sedans when the weather got yucky. Those early Porsches don’t care about the meteorological conditions or terrain. They will get a driver and their passenger to almost any destination in comfort. They truly have the functionality of a Swiss Army knife. The stark functionality of a rear window wiper expresses this. Almost every Porsche that went rallying was fitted with a rear window wiper until high-speed rallying and weight reduction made them somewhat obsolete. Anybody who has ever gone rallying or bombing up and down a fire road knows just how important a rear window wiper is, especially after a big slide. Most Ferraris, Jaguars, and Corvettes are taken out when the weather is nice. It’s always been that way. Porsche owners have never been afraid of taking their Porsche out when it’s rainy or snowing. A rear window wiper, in addition to it’s functionality, signals to the casual observer that they are gazing upon a car that earns it’s keep. While it’s great to have a car that wins trophies, how often is that car driven? To the uninitiated Porsche enthusiast, a rear window wiper would seemingly ruin the looks of the car. Let me explain it this way: a Porsche with a rear window wiper is like seeing Sean Connery as James Bond in black tie slipping a steel Rolex Submariner onto his wrist. It’s a seemingly incongruous functional instrument that seems out of place, but it hints at capabilities at his beck and call. December 17, 2014 zoomvroom Car Culture The Vehicles That Forever Changed the Automotive Landscape These are not the best cars ever made. Rather, they are the cars that have shaped modern cars. I hope that you enjoy my list. Please share any corrections if you feel necessary. Ford Model T: This was the car that made the production line possible. It was also the car that made cars affordable to the American public. Ford produced well over 15 million of them before production ended in 1927. They are fairly simple to own, and they can keep up with city traffic if you want. With so many built, there are many clubs and associations for the Model T all over the country. Just look up “Ford Model T club <insert your area here>” on Google. I can practically guarantee you that there is at least one club that you can join if you are the new owner of a Model T. People drive them all over the place on tours. You can take one into Alaska if you so please. There are always plenty for sale anywhere between $10,000-40,000. If you want to daily drive one, all you need is a good arm to crank-start it, and some adjustments to the timing. Just retard the timing a big, be gentle with the gas, and you’ll have a car that gets up to 35 mph. That’s plenty good for most city driving. 1916 Cadillac Type 53: Every single modern car owes a lot to this Caddy. It was the first car EVER to come from the factory with an electric starter and a modern control layout, both of which we take for granted today. The Type 53 wasn’t popular with Americans or the world, mostly because of it’s price (about $3,000). However, the Austin Seven copied the Caddy and set the die for all cars to come. Yet, I still credit the Cadillac. 1932 Ford: This was the first affordable car available to the American public with a V-8 engine. It had a flathead V-8 making a whopping 85 horsepower. Today, that’s comparable to a car making 500 horsepower from a V-6 (not unheard of). Anyhow, it was affordable to some Americans. It became known as “The Deuce,” as did the third-generation Chevrolet Nova. It was the fastest affordable car of it’s day, which is why it was the escape vehicle of choice for Bonnie and Clyde. It’s unclear how many were made, but it’s estimated that well over 1.5 million were sold. Remember that Ford was selling these cars in 1932, right before the peak of the Great Depression! It became one of the most popular cars to hot rod. I want one, and we can call ourselves lucky that there are reproduction steel bodies, chassis (yes, that is plural and singular), and used engines aplenty. How’s that for cool? You can build your very own reproduction Deuce for about $20,000. It’s going to be so much more fun than that Corolla you’ve had your eye on. Willys/Bantam/Ford Jeep: WWII veterans say that the Jeep was the vehicle that won WWII. They are right. It can still embarrass most purpose-built vehicles on a dirt road or in mud. It was the first 4X4 to be sold to the American public en masse, and it proved to be popular. After WWII, Willys decided to market the Jeep as an alternative to a tractor for farmers. Chrysler still rakes in hundreds of millions on new Jeep Wranglers every year. It’s truly an iconic vehicle. 1948 MG TC: This little wood-framed British roadster is what allowed such amazing cars as the Lotus Elise, Mazda Miata, and even the mighty Shelby Cobra to be. Every single great American racing legend – Carroll Shelby, Phil Hill, Richie Ginther, and many others got their start in an MG TC. On a winding road, this little car that only made 55 horsepower and 64 lb-ft of torque would simply run away from any American car, regardless of power output. Much of what we hold dear as an automotive enthusiast was started by this little car. It’s influence on every single sports car from 1948 on is immeasurable. It’s still fast enough to embarrass a modern Chevy Camaro Z/28 on a windy road. That’s pretty damn fast for a car that makes 450 less horsepower. VW Beetle Type 1: It’s the single most-produced car in history. It’s an elegantly simple design that has stood the test of time better than most cars produced at the same time. It was the foundation for the legendary Porsche 356, Meyers Manx dune buggy, and VW Transporter bus. It was FWD, came as either a convertible or a coupe, had a tiny rear-mounted four-cylinder engine, and cost far less than any new American car on the road. It became extremely popular with people of all ages and demographics. Many new parents went out and bought a Beetle, and it would serve millions of families around the world faithfully for 20 years or more without major problems. Most new cars can’t say that. In the hippie movement, it became extremely popular. Once the off-roading community got their hands on one, the legendary Baja Bug was born. It is still fast enough to keep pace with a modern Trophy Truck in the horrible dirt roads of Baja, or the sand dunes of Pismo Beach. Almost every desert town in the world will have at least several Baja Bugs running around. It’s fast, sturdy, and capable, yet can be driven around town without complaining. And the best part is you can build yourself one for about $5,000! That’s not including a starter vehicle, by the way! My grandparents owned one. You probably know somebody who’s owned one. Toyota 2000GT: This was the car that put the Japanese automotive industry on notice with the world. It was a more expensive alternative to the Jaguar E-Type, Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Thunderbird, Porsche 911, and the like. It’s achingly gorgeous, and only a handful were built. It’s also achingly expensive. Toyota proved that they could hang with whatever Europe happened to build. James Bond drove one. Lamborghini Miura: It’s not the quintessential Lamborghini – that goes to the equally-amazing Countach, but it set the standard for supercars. It came around because Ferrucio Lamborghini wanted to build a better Ferrari. When Lamborghini was going to debut the Miura concept car at the Geneva Motor Show in 1965, they didn’t even have a body! They had a chassis with a V-12, a transmission, and wheels. That was it. However, the Miura looks absolutely stunning. It’s one of the most beautiful cars ever built, and every single supercar owes a lot to the Lamborghini Miura. Citroen DS: When it debuted in 1955, it was the most technologically-advanced car in the world. It had hydraulic suspension, a streamlined fiberglass body shell, four wheel disc brakes, a twin-cam V6, and many other technological innovations. It was one of the first truly modern cars. One can compare it to the Tesla Model S. That’s how revolutionary it was. 1955-1957 Chevrolet 210/Bel Air: The Tri-Five Chevrolet’s are some of the most beautiful cars ever produced. My personal favorite is the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air coupe. The 1955 Chevy became forever immortalized with Two Lane Blacktop and American Graffiti. Yes, the sinister ’55 is the same car in both movies! The 1955 Chevrolet introduced the revolutionary Chevrolet small-block (Mouse motor) V-8 to the world. The 1957 Chevy Bel Air with the 283 cubic-inch V-8 and Rochester mechanical fuel injection became legendary on NASCAR tracks and dragstrips around the country. It was as fast the Jaguar E-Type 10 years later. I’m still wanting one! Austin Mini: Alec Issigonis sketched it on a bar napkin. He never knew that it would become one of the most popular vehicles of the 20th century. Let’s forget that it’s a cultural icon for a moment. It was the first FWD car to come with a transversely-mounted engine (the engine was mounted sideways), which means that it’s the template for most FWD cars on the road today. It became a motorsports icon in everything from endurance racing to rally racing. It also became iconic in several movies – The Italian Job, The Bourne Identity, Mr. Bean, and Goldmember. It’s also a major cultural icon. Ford Explorer: This was the vehicle that kicked off the SUV craze of the 1990s-today. It was based off of the lowly Ranger pickup, but had a comfortable interior and the second generation had good looks. It’s still a best-seller today. It’s popular with the off-road community because it’s a Ranger with more space for people. My parents owned one. You probably know somebody who’s owned one. Shelby Cobra: Yeah it’s an obvious one for this list. Carroll Shelby took a British roadster, and put a small-block Ford motor from the Mustang into it. Then, he went hog-wild and put a big-block Ford into it. That catapulted the Shelby Cobra into automotive fame. Anybody who knows something about cars knows of the Shelby Cobra. It could hang with anything. It could beat a Chevrolet Corvette with the coveted L88 big-block V-8 in the curves and straightaways. It dominated endurance and road racing for a glorious 3 years before Shelby stopped production of it. It also dominated the NHRA Pro Stock drag racing class for a few years. Today, there are at least 20 different companies who will sell you a Cobra replica. Get a Factory Five replica. It’s Shelby of North America licensed, and it comes with modern mechanical parts, yet can still hang with a modern hypercar. Chevrolet El Camino: In it’s first generation, it was quite a looker. Chevy didn’t sell too terribly many of the Impala-based ute, but you’ve probably seen a few driving around your town/city. The second generation proved to be much more popular. It was based off of the massively popular Chevelle, and you could get one with the rare, coveted LS6 V-8. I remember reading an article about an owner of an LS6 Elco (a nickname for the El Camino), and he said that he has to drive it around with sandbags in the bed to keep it from spinning out. That’s what happens when you have a massively-underrated 450 horsepower and no weight over the rear tires. If you could get it to hook up, it would go through the 1/4 mile in 13 seconds flat at 125 mph. That’s about as fast as a modern sports car. I’ve heard driving one isn’t any different than driving a Chevelle, except for throttle modulation. Flooring it from a stop, even with the still-powerful 327 cubic-inch V-8 will give a glorious burnout. I want one. 1968-1970 Dodge Charger/Charger 500/Daytona: The second-generation Dodge Charger is one of the most beautiful cars ever built. It’s got muscular elegance. It had curvy “Coke Bottle” styling, and a plethora of engine choices. The base engine was the “poly” 318 cubic-inch small-block V-8 that stayed in production in one form or another from 1959-2004. The next step up was the 383 cubic-inch “Commando” big-block V-8. After that, it was the 440 “Super Commando” big-block V-8. One rung above that was the 440 Six Pack – a 440 with three two-barrel Holley carburetors. The top of the ladder was the mighty 426 HEMI “Elephant Motor” big-block V-8. The Charger 500 was designed for NASCAR, so it had a rear window flush with the body, along with other small aero modifications. The Daytona was truly legendary. Only 503 were sold to the general public, only 70 of which had the 426 HEMI. The rest had the 440 Six Pack. It was designed for NASCAR superspeedways, and it truly dominated. It looked comical with it’s 19-inch long nose cone and nearly two-foot tall rear wing. The only reason the wing was so high is that anything shorter and the trunk wouldn’t close! The Charger was catapulted into fame by The Dukes of Hazzard for one generation, and for the millenials, they were captivated by the supercharged 1968 Charger used in Fast & Furious. Datsun 240Z: This little Japanese sports car wasn’t a smashing success, but it certainly left it’s mark on sports cars. It was light, looked drop-dead gorgeous, had a reliable, powerful engine, and a five-speed manual transmission. Very few cars at the time had a five-speed. All of that combined meant that it was a serious threat on a windy road. Today, they are becoming collector cars, which is a shame, as they are built to be driven. That’s not to be said that you can’t find a cheap one – you still can. Hot rodders who are enamored by Japanese cars, but love the power of an American V-8 put a Chevy small-block V-8 and some suspension bits in, and have one hell of a ride. My grandparents and dad owned one. Audi Quattro: This AWD notchback with a turbocharged 5-cylinder engine was so successful on the rally circuit that AWD was banned from the sport for about 10 years. Stock, it’s not at all reliable (except for the first two years of production), but upgrading the engine internals will give you a strong, reliable, fast, and cool daily driver. It’s truly an all-weather car. I chose this car because of the impact that it had on rallycross and rally racing. Any car with AWD past 1985 would have been much worse if it weren’t for the Audi Quattro. My uncle owned one. He should have kept it and given it to me. Ford Mustang: This was the car that started the ponycar craze. No matter how much Ford hypes it as a muscle car (and Chevy with the Camaro), it IS NOT and never will be. It is a pony car. The Dodge Challenger is a muscle car. Sorry Ford, but I’m just stating the truth. Don’t shoot the messenger. That being said, Ford introduced a whole new type of car to America. Buying a Mustang with the base six-cylinder engine meant that you were carefree but had to watch your cash. Getting it with the V-8 meant that you were carefree, but who cared about money – you only live once! Getting it as a convertible only reinforced that. The Shelby GT350 Mustang of 1965 was part of a deal with Hertz where you could rent the car on Friday, drive it to the racetrack on Saturday, race and win, go again on Sunday and win, and then drive it back to the rental lot. It was somewhat streetable, but it really did well on the racetrack. Carroll Shelby originally didn’t want to do it – he told Lee Iaccoca that “Lee, you can’t make a racehorse out of a mule.” Yet that so-called mule became a massive racing success. It’s still in production 50 years later. Many American moms went from a station wagon to a Mustang and never looked back. Pontiac GTO: Originally offered as a package on the mid-size Tempest in 1963, the GTO took the thundering 389 cubic-inch V-8 from the Le Mans and shoved it into the considerably smaller Tempest. It was a smashing success, so Pontiac decided to turn it into it’s own model in 1964. It was much more popular that way, and the ultimate model was the 1969 Judge Ram Air IV. It came with the then-new 455 cubic-inch V-8 and a functional Ram Air hood (the Ram Air package came in four stages), a Muncie M-22 “Rock Crusher” transmission, and bodywork that let you know that you really were king of the street. It was truly stunning, especially in green. It went dormant for 20+ years before appearing as a rebadged Holden Monaro in the US. It wasn’t very popular. It’s probably because Ford launched the retro-styled S197-generation Mustang right around the same time. The 2004-2006 GTO looked nothing at all like any other GTO. It didn’t look very good. Nowadays, the modern “Goat” is popular with hot rodders who want to have all of the modern conveniences and glorious power. Some even take the body off of the GTO and put on a classic car’s body. Voila, you have a car that looks like a classic, but handles and drives like a new car. Plus, they are easy to put bigger engines in. Drifters are starting to find them. Beware. Lexus LS400: This big Lexus was the car that sent Germany scrambling back to the drawing board. The LS400 competed with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7-Series. The German cars were stodgy cruisers that were heavy, large beasts on the street, but smooth on the highway. The Lexus took that trademark Japanese agility and feeling of being a smaller car, threw in a buttery-smooth engine and transmission (the ads showed a champagne flute on the hood while the engine revved. The champagne never overflowed – or came close to that!), a sumptuous leather interior, and made it a fun car to drive. Lexus kept it in production from 1989-2000 in one basic form or another. It sold well, and is a completely bulletproof car in terms of reliability. Chevrolet S-10: OK, I am a bit biased on this, but hear me out. The Chevrolet S-10 replaced the dismal LUV pickups of the 1970s in 1982. It came with an underpowered 4-cylinder engine or a more powerful 2.8-liter V-6. In 1988, Chevy added their new 4.3-liter V-6 to the S-10. It literally doubled the towing and hauling capacity, as well as making it a far more enjoyable truck to drive. My S-10 is a 1989 Tahoe model. That means that it was top of the line. It has a cloth interior, an AM/FM radio, air conditioning, and it has fuel injection (the 1988 model had a carburetor). You could get it as a regular cab or an extended cab. Bed sizes were a 5-foot bed or a 6.5-foot bed. That’s not huge, but for somebody in a crowded city who needs a pickup, it’s perfect. You could get it in 2WD or 4WD. Mine is 2WD. It was wildly successful, and you can still see a lot on the road. Some people are taking modern Chevy LS3 E-Rod engines (smog-legal V-8’s) and stuffing them into an S-10. They’re quite the sleeper. Porsche 911 Turbo: When it first debuted in 1975, it was a total animal of a car. Lift off of the gas going into a corner, and you’d hit the guardrail with the backside of the car. You had to keep your foot in it. It made an underrated 276 horsepower (think closer to 350), had no ABS, a clutch that was so stiff that some had to literally push their leg down to depress the clutch, and a 5-speed manual transmission. It was a total monster of a car that dominated the racing circuits, but was completely and totally unstreetable. But, put one on a windy canyon road, modulate the throttle, and you had a recipe for speed. Porsche still makes it. However, it now makes a ridiculous 520 horsepower, and is truly the ultimate all-weather supercar. Ford GT40: This was the car that dominated endurance racing during the 1960’s. It was the result of Enzo Ferrari refusing to sell his company to Ford in 1964. Henry Ford II decided to beat Enzo Ferrari at his own game on his own turf. Talk about owning a bully. The GT40 was aerodynamic, muscular-looking, and was built for racing. Ford built about 20-40 for the street (it’s unclear how many). The first models came with a Shelby-tuned 289 cubic-inch V-8 that made 300 horsepower via a tri-power (three two-barrel carburetor) setup and forged internals and an Isky cam. This engine was so durable that when Ford disassembled the engine after the season was over, it looked brand-new. Later models came with Ford’s mighty 427 cubic-inch FE-Series “Cammer” engine. This engine was the same one in the Shelby Cobra. It made about 500 horsepower. Both engines were mated to a four-speed manual. The GT40 simply dominated the 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Nurburgring. It was insanely fast, and it could be heard from over a mile away. It beat Ferrari at their own game for years, before the FIA changed the rules, and both Ferrari and Ford had to comply. Ford pulled out of Le Mans endurance racing for 20+ years and let Ferrari dominate. Yes, that is a young Harrison Ford standing next to one of the most iconic hot rods ever. It’s a 1932 Ford Hi-Boy (the body was lifted off of the frame so the frame could be tweaked). It has a Chevy 283 cubic-inch small-block V-8 with crackling sidepipes. This was the car that made me appreciate the little deuce coupe. This is a fuelie 1957 Chevy Bel Air. It became known as the “Black Widow” because it only came in black with white tape stripes, a black-and-white interior, and the red center caps on the wheels. This is a gasser. Gassers got their name because of the drag racing class they were in (B/Gas or blown/gas). They had big engines with no supercharger, or smaller supercharged engines. Look up “Roadkill Blasphemi” on YouTube for the build and cross-country blitz of one of my favorite cars – “Blasphemi.” This is probably the ultimate Shelby Cobra. It’s called the “Super Snake” because it has twin superchargers on top of an already-powerful engine. Bill Cosby almost bought one, but took it on a test drive and thought he was going to die. Carroll Shelby bought it. Only two were made, but it was incredibly fast. It’s rumored that in testing the car hit 210 mph – in 1966! To me, it’s the ultimate factory hot rod. This is a 1969 Dodge Daytona replica made by a host of the /DRIVE Network, Mike Musto. It’s one of my favorite cars ever. He took a 1969 Charger and turned it into a Daytona. It’s the ultimate cross-country cruiser. Just looking at it sends shivers down my spine. The only stock part about this Mustang is the roof, A-pillar, and C-pillar. It’s the latest creation from the brilliantly mad folks at RTR and Hoonigan. Ken Block had it built. It’s got a stroked NASCAR-spec engine that makes 850 horsepower that goes to all four wheels. That’s right, this car is AWD. You need to watch “Gymkhana 7” if you haven’t already. It’s simply amazing. April 4, 2014 April 4, 2014 zoomvroom Car Culture, Car Reviews, Vehicle repair 10 Cars That You Just Have to Love, Even if They Were Lemons Lots of cars are reliable. Lots of cars aren’t reliable. A lot of British and German cars fall into the not-so-reliable category. My uncle can attest to that with the fact that his 2001 Jaguar XK8 has spent about half of its life in the shop. On the other side of reliability, another one of my uncles had an Audi Quattro for something like 10 years, and he never had any reliability issues. My dad’s had trouble with his 2003 GMC Sierra 2500 HD with the Duramax diesel engine. My 2003 Chrysler Town & Country is just a few hundred miles away from hitting 200,000 miles, and it’s been one of the most reliable cars that I’ve ever seen. Anyhow, the basic premise of this blog post is to tell you the top 10 cars that we all love, even if they were (or still are) lemons. 2001-2005 Porsche 911 and Boxster: The 996-generation Porsche 911 was the first Porsche to ever have a water-cooled engine. For Porschephiles, that’s the equivalent of the Pope converting to Buddhism. The 2001-2005 Porsche 911 and Boxster had a teeny, weeny, little problem with their engines where the faulty intermediate shafts could fail, turning a fine sports car into a very expensive paperweight. Even after enough owner complaints, Porsche started fixing the problem, but only on a case-by-case basis, which meant that many owners were left out to dry unfairly. It’s easily one of the largest black spots in Porsche history, which is a true shame, because these cars were otherwise some very nice drives. 2001-2003 Subaru WRX: The first Subaru WRX to be offered in the U.S. had a massive problem with the transmission. The five-speed manuals were extremely fragile, and the tuner-friendly engine often meant that the tiny boxer four-cylinder engine was tuned to within an inch of its life. All Subarus have problems with their head gasket, but the 2001-2003 WRX often gave its head gasket up before it even reached 100,000 miles. I can forgive all of this, because aside from these two problems, it’s a reliable daily driver that’s a LOT of fun. The purity of these WRX’s means that your inner Swedish rally driver fantasies can come true. 1993-1995 Mazda RX-7: One of the last rotary-powered cars (the last was the Mazda RX-8), the Mazda RX-7 was a true driver’s car. However, apex seal failure hangs over every owner’s head like a cloud. Apex seal failure means a complete engine rebuild or replacement if the car is not maintained at the proper intervals. The massive amounts of premium fuel and oil going into the engine didn’t help matters, either. Still, the 3rd-generation Mazda RX-7 is an amazing driver’s car. Plus, many owners say that there’s truly nothing like spooling up the second sequential turbocharger. Mazda had made the RX-7 with two turbochargers – one for the lower rev range only, and the other for the upper rev range only. It’s been a long, long time since the last RX-7 was built, and I really hope that Mazda gets their act together and builds an RX-9. 1999 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra: This was a one-model-year special put on by Ford, and it was supposed to be a drag racing special for the street. However, it didn’t take long for enthusiasts, mainly drag racers, to figure out that it was making WAY less than the 320 horsepower that Ford advertised. Ford traced the problem to aluminum residue in the intake and exhaust systems. Ford did well by fixing the problem free of charge. However, the public snafu on Ford’s part caused Ford to drop production of the SVT Cobra after just one model year. The upside is that there are no other reliability problems with the SVT Cobra Mustang. Because it’s a single-model-year special-edition Mustang, it’s got potential to be a future classic. Don’t be intimidated if you see one for sale with lots of modifications – Ford designed this car to be tuner-friendly. Just make sure that there’s good documentation of the car. 2008-2010 Nissan GT-R: Like many supercars, the Nissan GT-R came with launch control. The difference was that the launch control function could potentially blow up the transmission and void the warranty, leaving the unlucky owner with a $20,000 repair bill. Nissan settled a class-action lawsuit in Decemer 2010, and the launch control was dialed back on 2011-up models. It’s impossible not to love the GT-R and it’s mind-altering ability to be an absolute freight train on race tracks of any kind, just avoid the hard launches. 2001-2006 MINI Cooper S: Anybody who was (or is) an owner of the 2001-2006 MINI Cooper S felt more like a beta tester for a video game than anything else. Here’s the relatively short list of, uh, ‘bugs:’ Electric power steering pumps that could catch fire, supercharger failure after just 80,000 miles, and head gaskets that seemed to be timed to blow up as soon as the warranty expired. Despite it being a sub-$20,000 car new (and used), it’s got maintenance costs of a 2001-2005 Porsche 911 or Boxster (see #1 on this list for reference). If you can forgive those faults, the handling is some of the best this world has ever seen. 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia: Most mid-engine Ferrari’s have a wholly undeserved reputation for spontaneous combustion. However, with the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia, the argument was valid. The adhesive bonding between the wheelwell and the engine heat shield would melt and catch fire. Reports vary, and if Ferrari is to be believed, only 11 cars were affected by this. All 1248 Ferrari 458 Italias sold until that point were recalled. Ferrari still claims that this only happened during hard driving, but asking owners of Ferraris to not drive their car hard is laughable. After the concerns of owners becoming BBQ, the Ferrari 458 Italia once again ascended to its rightful place as the best mid-engine car the world has ever seen. 2003 GMC Sierra 2500HD: These things are supposed to be bulletproof, right? Think again. The fuel injection systems on the Duramax diesel-engine trucks are notorious for the fuel injectors cracking. My dad has a 2003 GMC Sierra 2500HD, and the engine’s been rebuilt something like 4 times. If you buy one of these vehicles, make sure to get it with the LQ4 6.0-liter V8. The Allison 1000 heavy-duty transmissions will go over 150,000 miles without trouble. Just DON’T get it with the Duramax! Not only are engine rebuilds expensive, but they are frequent. If you buy one, make sure you find one with good documentation, as many of these were used for hauling and towing, both of which put phenomenal stress on the engine and transmission. 1996-2005 Volkswagen Passat: This was the infamous era of VW unreliability. The B5-generation of the Passat had steering problems – the rack-and-pinion assembly was prone to stripping, which means no steering. When it stripped, it would burn out the power booster, which means that other parts are brought into the mix. Volkswagen made a lot of these cars, and some of them are good. Other family sedans are good choices. 2003 Land Rover Freelander: This is quite possibly one of THE most unreliable vehicles EVER! It was quite simply bad. The engine was bad, the cheap interior fell apart after just a few thousand miles, and forget replacing parts for it. The replacement parts were usually just as bad as the stock parts. Avoid this car at ALL costs! February 21, 2014 zoomvroom Humor, World News The Best Ads of 2013 (and 2014!) 2013 was a great year for many of us auto enthusiasts, and the automakers were great in their ads. I’d like to share my favorite ads of 2013 with you. I also found a couple of good ads during the Super Bowl, so those are included for your viewing enjoyment! Enjoy! Mercedes Benz Chicken Ad: Mercedes-Benz is right up there with Volvo in terms of how amazing their safety tech, as well as other features is. To demonstrate just how good the Magic Body Control (don’t ask, I don’t know the answer!) system is, Mercedes-Benz used a chicken. Yes, a real, living chicken! For those of you who don’t know what Magic Body Control is, Magic Body Control is a fancy name for a high-tech suspension system. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfgBA8Iw9C8 Jaguar Eats Chicken Jaguar USA Ad: In an obvious thumbing of its nose to Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar shot a laugh-out-loud ad of a chicken being moved around by a Mercedes-Benz engineer dancing around to some groovy music. The chicken gets eaten by a real-life Jaguar. Not the car, mind you. The Jaguar from the jungles of South America. If that grosses you out, there’s no blood, just a LOT of feathers, and one really unhappy Mercedes-Benz engineer…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAgJVIC9QSw I couldn’t find the Mercedes-Benz ad that made fun of Jaguar. It’s a shame, because it was a very funny commercial. It showed a 2014 Mercedes-Benz S550 going along a dusty jungle road at night, when the S550 brakes to a stop. As the S550 is stopping, the camera focuses on a jaguar (the jungle animal) running across the road, directly in front of the S550. The S550 has a night-vision feature, which shows the jaguar bounding across the road…directly into a tree. The Mercedes-Benz punchline? Cat-like reflexes? We prefer Pre-Safe Braking. If you can find this ad, please post the link to the commercial in the comments section so that other readers can enjoy it. Kia Sorento How Babies are Born Ad: This cute ad from Super Bowl XLVIII somehow showcases the Kia Sorento. I don’t get how either. But, it’s a cute commercial, and I think that you’ll enjoy it. It shows a LOT of babies, and it’s got lots of clever CGI. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4uW4lNjW4g Volkswagen How Volkswagen Engineers Get Their Wings Ad: Volkswagen was pretty clever with this commercial. It makes people laugh as Volkswagen engineers get wings. Volkswagen used to be clever…and funny in the 1960s with their commercials, and it seems like they’ve found their clever and funny bones again. Volkswagen engineers grow wings, and at the end, one farts a rainbow. When you’re done laughing, watch the ad. This ad is from Super Bown XLVIIII…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns-p0BdUB5o Chrysler 200 Bob Dylan Ad: This ad from Super Bowl XLVIIII showcases Bob Dylan and the stylish 2015 Chrysler 200. It has great footage, and some cool vintage footage of Dylan back in the day. As Bob Dylan said in the commercial, “Let Germany brew your beer, let Switzerland build your watches, let Asia assemble your phones. We’ll build your cars.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlSn8Isv-3M Hyundai Santa Fe Every Boy’s Dream Team Ad: This commercial is a nice one. It’s got boys of all sizes, ages, and races jammed into it, and I like the vibe of this commercial. While I don’t get how it showcases the Santa Fe, I still like this commercial. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlSn8Isv-3M That’s all that I have for you, but I think that this should be enough for you. If you have any that you’d like to have others see, please post them in the comments section. I’ll watch them! December 19, 2012 zoomvroom New car info Own a Volkswagen? Get $1,000 from Chrysler – Trade-In or Not! Fiat and Volkswagen have been going through a public feud in Europe, due to the fact that there is a large financial crisis going on there. The effects of the crisis can mean manufacturing over-capacity. Fiat’s Sergio Marchionne is currently president of the ACEA (basically the European Automobile Manufacturer’s Association). VW has repeatedly called for Marchionne to resign. However, Marchionne and VW CEO, Martin Winterkorn “buried the hatchet” last year at the Paris Motor Show. The rivalry may not be completely buried, as Chrysler is offering $1,000 to current VW owners and/or lessees. Since Fiat owns 58% of Chrysler, you get the connection. Unlike most programs, this doesn’t even require owners to trade in their VW! The offer applies to most Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/SRT/Ram/Fiat products, excluding the VW Routan. Why the Routan? Because it is essentially a Chrysler Town & Country with a VW badge on it. You have until January 2, 2013 to make use of this offer. All you need to do is go to your local Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram/SRT/Fiat dealer and show them your proof-of-ownership/lease papers and get the cash. Fiat only holds a skimpy 6.4% of the European car market, while Volkswagen holds a massive 24.5% of the European car market. However, the tables are turned on Volkswagen in the U.S., where they hold a tiny 4.0% of the U.S. car market, while Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/SRT/Ram/Fiat holds 11.4% of the total U.S. car market. Is this a sign that Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram/SRT/Fiat is struggling in the U.S.? Nope, Chrysler has sold almost 375,000 units of every model that is currently offered in the U.S., and earned $381 million dollars in this quarter alone. Car Review Time! Buy a New Acura NSX, Get a Custom Film! Audi Will Reportedly Buy Back 25,000 Vehicles Biographies or "the who" in the auto industry Book reviews and good reading cars and music Gifts for the Car Enthusiast I Challenge You! New car info Out N' About People's first car's and funny stories Recall Alert! The auto dictionary. Look it up here! The Car Forum The History of Autos Website Reccomendation Email Subscription. I post Tuesdays and Fridays.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2225
__label__wiki	0.856604	0.856604	The Rangers Tax Case: Then, Now & Forever by Mark \| Jul 8, 2017 Between 2001 and 2010, Rangers FC participated in an Employee Benefit Trust (EBT) scheme, the “Murray Group Management Remuneration Trust (MGMRT). “So far as Rangers were concerned,” this scheme “enabled the Club to attract players who would not otherwise have been obtainable,” the “Murray” of the Murray Group, Rangers ex-chairman David, admitted to a “First-Tier Tax Tribunal” (FTT). On Wednesday, the Supreme Court declared that scheme unlawful. In February 2013, Lord William Nimmo-Smith reported on his Scottish Premier League (SPL)-commissioned investigation into Rangers’ alleged breaching of league rules in the operation of the now-unlawful scheme. The good Lord noted that it was not a breach of Scottish club football rules “for a club to arrange its affairs, within the law, so as to minimise its tax liabilities.” The FTT had “held (subject to appeal)” that Rangers acted “within the law in setting up and operating the EBT scheme. Accordingly, we proceed on the basis that the EBT arrangements were lawful.” On Wednesday, the Supreme Court declared those arrangements unlawful. Rangers were not acting within the law. Rangers cheated. For years. Even the Supreme Court’s legalese, and that of the Inner House of Scotland’s Court of Session, upon whose 4th November 2015 ruling the Supreme Court ruled this week, could not mask Rangers’ cheating. They cheated with the specific intention of gaining an unfair sporting advantage. Just as cyclist Lance Armstrong…who had titles stripped as a result. Over the next few days, I can say with some certainty because it has started already, a number of narratives will be thrust into the public domain, with the specific intention of leaving Rangers unpunished for a decade of cheating. Some Rangers supporters will claim that it wasn’t cheating at all, they just paid the wrong amount of tax. To the tune of £24m over a decade. But, hey, we all make mistakes. Some hands will get sore from clutching at straws, such as those complaining about an STV website headline claiming Celtic were “calling for a review” of decisions connected to Rangers’ cheating to win titles. They were right. But only because Celtic were more than “calling” for a review. “Sure” that “the footballing authorities will wish to review this matter,” they said they are awaiting its “outcome.” Other Rangers supporters will claim they have suffered and been punished enough and that any desire for further punishment is born of hatred and anti-Rangers bigotry, which I can say with some certainty because it has started already. Others still will consult their list of “whatabouteries,” and select “what about that Celtic Tax Case?” (link to my article) and various forms of “what about Celtic’s child abuse?” Which I can say with some certainty because, yes, even that shit has started already. Scotland’s football authorities will claim there is no mechanism and no appetite for stripping Rangers of the titles they won while cheating. I can say that with some certainty because it has started already. And it isn’t because there IS no mechanism. There was in 2012 when they offered a grubby title-stripping deal to grubby new Rangers owner Charles Green, so that must be in a cupboard somewhere…unless they gave it to a jumble sale. And title-stripping was one of the 19 sanctions available to the LNS commission. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Nor because there is no appetite. It is too early to judge, although the fan activism of “No to NewCo,” which fought successfully against the new Rangers’ insertion into the SPL in 2012, has clicked into gear again. A “Strip the Titles” movement is beginning to burgeon as I type. The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) “will take time to examine the judgment in detail and consider any implications for the SPFL.” I can say with some certainty because it has started already. And it won’t be because they WANT time to examine the ruling and consider any implications. There are none, the league titles Rangers cheated to win predate the organisation. But because they don’t want to respond. And Scotland’s mainstream football media. Well, they will cherry-pick from all of the above, plus whatever line Rangers’ PR department are pushing, because original thought and proper investigation appear to be as beyond their pay grade as they have been claiming it has been throughout the seven years of the “Rangers Tax Case.” I can say that with some certainty, not only because that has started already (the BBC’s Chris McLaughlin the early pace-setter, despite the problematic relationship between club and broadcaster) but also because it hasn’t ever stopped throughout the seven years of the “Rangers Tax Case.” To them, I shall return. And you ALL know I can say THAT with some certainty. And all of them…the excuse-making fans, the dishonest, clueless authorities and the spineless, clueless mainstream football media…they can all stick their spineless, dishonest, clueless excuses up the River Clyde and **** OFF while they’re doing it. Rangers cheated pure and simple. The Rangers scheme upon which the Supreme Court ruled this week, the MGMRT, was the second tax avoidance scheme used by the club this century. The first scheme, the validity of which was never in legitimate formal dispute, has its own on-going narrative, concerning the award to Rangers of a licence to play in European competition during the 2011/2012 season. Regular readers may recall one or two words of my own on the subject. Resolution 12 and all that. This licence award was seen by the football authorities as vital to the club’s financial well-being, as demonstrated by Rangers’ subsequent earliest possible exits from the Champions and Europa Leagues and descent into administration on 2012’s St Valentine’s Day and liquidation exactly four months later. (There are echoes of 2011/12 in 2017/18, given the new Rangers’ declared reliance on loans to fund their close-season transfer splurge, despite the recent influx of season-ticket millions. But would I stoop so low as to shoehorn this comparison into this article solely to facilitate reference to Rangers’ humiliating Europa League defeat to Luxembourg’s fourth-best team, Progres Niederkorn, this week? Damn right, I would). The validity of the MGMRT, and Rangers’ active, decade-long participation in it, has never NOT been in legitimate formal dispute. Scotland’s national mainstream media (MSM) picked up on the case on 27th April 2010. The Herald newspaper’s Darrell King offered via headline to reveal the “tax claim that could cripple the club,” as part of the wider contemporary story of Rangers’ £30m debts and struggles to find a buyer. The following day’s Herald went large on the tax case. King was away focusing on potential Rangers buyers, including namesake Dave (South African-based chap, talks shte to the press a lot…oh, YOU know him). So, Chris Watt, not primarily a sports journalist, penned a piece headlined “Rangers face £24m tax bill for offshore payments to players” and an analysis entitled “Tax move may come back to hit Rangers where it hurts.” Answering the question “What exactly have Rangers done?” Watt wrote: “The club have been paying some players in part through an Employee Benefit Trust (EBT). Instead of incurring hefty income tax and national insurance bills, Rangers have paid the money into an offshore account. This is then ‘loaned’ to players at a low interest rate, currently 4.5%, with no expectation of players repaying it.” (4.5% as “a low interest rate.” Different days). The question “Is this legal?” was as vexed then as the MSM continue to try to make it to this day. Watt answered, confusingly: “Yes, although it is a matter of opinion,” adding that HMRC had “pursued cases against firms that do it, claiming they are breaking the law.” The money involved at Rangers was “about £46m, according to figures obtained by the Herald” (conceivably from Rangers’ published accounts, which included annual overall contributions, thus allowing defenders of the scheme to this day to claim that “they were in the accounts”). And “assuming that all players were on the top rate of tax” (a fair assumption given Murray’s famous 1998 declaration that “for every £5 Celtic spend, we will spend ten”), Watt suggested that Rangers owed “roughly £24.3m” in “PAYE and National Insurance Contributions,” an estimate which has stood the test of time. The big miss from Watt’s otherwise impressive analysis was the fact that certain players received “side-letters” confirming what was to be paid into the trusts. At face value, this strongly suggested that the funds in the trust were entitlements, rather than the “discretionary” and “bonus” payments Murray would later excuse them as. And players’ agents appeared to be driving the demand for these so-called “second contracts, perhaps anxious to maintain the value of their proverbial “ten percent.” Rangers responded at the time by acknowledging the “on-going query raised by HMRC, which is part of a pending court case,” adding that “on the basis of expert tax advice provided to Rangers, the club is robustly defending the matters raised.” Standard stuff, and bog-standard accuracy, the “court case” being the Tax Tribunal. On the subject of bogs, Rangers then-chairman Alistair Johnson said “This is not a new problem. It has been there for a long time,” which was truer than Rangers had been pretending to the outside world. Indeed, the world of offshore trusts and side-letters was exposed largely by accident, during investigations into other murky football dealings. All went quiet in the mainstream, although Rangers’ general finances were still under scrutiny as Motherwell-born businessman Craig Whyte’s bid to buy the club snaked towards conclusion in May 2011. And a smaller, seemingly undisputed £2.8m tax liability which emerged on April Fools’ Day 2011 briefly appeared to be the major threat to Rangers’ financial future. However, on 28th March, the “Rangers Tax Case” blog started filling in the gaps in the story left by the MSM, i.e. pretty much all of it. The blog’s home page reprinted with undisguised pride, Whyte’s view that “what they are saying is 99% crap.” Whyte was, we now know, 99% out. The case loomed large as Whyte’s Rangers regime struggled appallingly to pay bills after Rangers’ European dual-exits, giving up on the tax bill entirely. However, Rangers entered administration AND liquidation while the (three-person) FTT mulled at unforeseen length over the minutiae of tax law as it applied to Rangers’ scheme. The corpse was ponging a bit by the time the FTT upheld Rangers’ appeal against Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC’s) claim for £24m in unpaid tax, plus at least half as much again in interest and penalties for late payment. The decision was announced on DAY November 2012. Rangers’ actual tax liability for improper operation of part of the scheme was, in the words of the judgment, “substantially reduced.” To what, we still don’t know. The FTT ruled by a majority verdict of two-to-one. The scheme was ruled lawful for a number of reasons. Surprisingly to many observers, HMRC had not argued that the trusts were a sham. And the FTT ruled that the payments into the trusts were loans, not entitlements, which were not “unreservedly at the disposal of” the EBT holder because the scheme did not include any obligation to make loans to trust holders when they requested them. Having been “told” by all and sundry that their overall liability might have been anything up to £75m had liquidation not intervened, the new Rangers claimed victory and vindication on behalf of the old Rangers and called for widespread apologies and retribution. The fact that HMRC sought and obtained leave to appeal the decision was reported perfunctorily, when it was reported at all, with HMRC’s prospects of success dismissed. Indeed, HMRC lost an appeal to an Upper Tribunal in July 2014, although some parts of the case were referred back to the FTT stage. But truth changed last November when the Inner House of Scotland’s Court of Session ruled, and I’m paraphrasing here, that “Of course the trust’s funds were entitled earnings for playing football, what else could they be? Of course they are taxable.” The fact that BDO, the accountancy and business advisory firm appointed as the old Rangers’ liquidators in 2012, sought and obtained leave to appeal co-headlined the story this time. Calls for apologies and retributions were slapped down with references to the Supreme Court There is SOOOO much to write about the RTC denouement. However, like the SPFL, I “will take time to examine the judgment in detail, consider any implications for” my next rant article (on a few days’ holibobs by the time you read this). And I will comment further upon how this whole sordid affair has exposed two major fault lines connected to Scottish club football. They are the usual/same old ones, don’t get your hopes up. The fundamental weaknesses in the governance of Scotland’s club game and the two men with most responsibility for that governance and those weaknesses, SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster and Scottish FA counterpart Stewart Regan. And the appalling coverage of the affair, on about every conceivable level, by mainstream Scottish football journalists and analysts. For now, though, it is only fair to acknowledge and thank those few who were “right all along” about the “Rangers Tax Case.” The RTC blog for a start, which won the Orwell Prize for political writing in 2012, having exposed and explained the true story of Rangers’ EBT use, a story which Scotland’s mainstream media – football, financial and general – would not expose and would, or could, not explain. The late Paul McConville’s “Random Thoughts on Scottish Law” often randomly turned to the RTC, allowing him to write, at his trademark terrifying length (and sometimes more) and with his trademark easy wit, on the case’s legal complexities and ramifications. His conclusions and opinions did not always match expectations. But they were expertly-informed, methodically thought-through and constructively thought-provoking. And, much to the chagrin of the more, ahem, ‘committed’ elements of Rangers’ fanbase, Irish-based journalist Phil Mac Giolla Bhain, who broke the story seven long years ago and kept with it when mainstream journalists who had written about it thought it best, for whatever reasons, not to write about it anymore. Mac Giolla Bhain has the right, and will not be shy to take up that right, to say “I told you so” about the RTC. Because, well, he did. And he will also reference “herrenvolk hubris” at some stage. In fact, I can say that with some certainty because he has referenced it already. These are not the only few who were “right all along.” And it is surely significant that it took a “mainstream” journalist based outside Glasgow, Alex Thomson of Channel 4 News, to call things as they are. Thomson’s incredulity on Radio Clyde on 16th April 2012, when faced with Glasgow journalists’ excuses for “missing” swathes of the Rangers story, remains the stuff of legend. All three, however, were treated with particular disdain by Rangers “people” (as in “We are the People,” the supremacist-sounding Rangers slogan which continues to mean two-tenths of five-eighths of *** all). The “Rangers Tax Case” blogger had to keep their identity under complete wraps for genuine fear of reprisals (just think about that for a second) from those who didn’t like the blog’s fact-based criticism of Rangers’ tax conduct. Rangers fans sought to discredit McConville and Mac Giolla Bhain as people, rather than discredit their arguments through, you know, argument. “Playing the man, not the ball,” as Mac Giolla Bhain often described it. As a result, although they were told, they wouldn’t listen. More fool them, now. Because Rangers cheated. For years. The Supreme Court confirmed that this week. And because the club went bust even though they cheated, they will be listed as cheats forever more. So, while the Rangers Tax Case may be over, for as long as Rangers keep the benefits of that cheating, the story is not. You can support independent football writing on Twohundredpercent by supporting us through Patreon. PreviousFIFA’s Garcia Report: Reaction & Ridicule NextPodcast 99: Fast Food Mark Murphy supports Kingstonian and is a former chair of the club's supporters trust, the Ks Trust, although he also holds a candle for both Tottenham Hotspur and Celtic. He lives in Surrey. Match Of The Past: Newcastle United vs Fulham, October 1982 Chester City Reportedly Sold To The Danes Barcelona: Football As Art Liverpool’s Day Of Reckoning	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2227
__label__cc	0.525885	0.474115	The Poet X - WINNER OF THE CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL 2019 WINNER OF THE THE CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL 2019 SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE 2019 THE WINNER OF THE 2018 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD THE WINNER OF THE MICHAEL L.PRINTZ AWARD THE WINNER OF THE PURA BELPRE AWARD THE WINNER OF THE BOSTON GLOBE-HORNBOOK AWARD 'I fell in love at slam poetry. This one will stay with you a long time.' - Angie Thomas, bestselling author of The Hate U Give 'This was the type of book where "I'll just do 50 pages" turned into finishing it in 2 reads. I felt very emotional, not just because the story and the words themselves were so beautiful but because I knew it was going to make so many teens who felt like no one cares about them or listens to them feel seen.' - Tomi Adeyemi, bestselling author of The Children of Blood and Bone THE POET X - THE WINNER OF THE CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL. A stunning New York Times bestseller with a powerful and unforgettable YA voice. Perfect for fans of Tomi Adeyemi's The Children of Blood and Bone , Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give and Sarah Crossan's One. Xiomara has always kept her words to herself. When it comes to standing her ground in her Harlem neighbourhood, she lets her fists and her fierceness do the talking. But X has secrets - her feelings for a boy in her bio class, and the notebook full of poems that she keeps under her bed. And a slam poetry club that will pull those secrets into the spotlight. Because in spite of a world that might not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to stay silent. A novel about finding your voice and standing up for what you believe in, no matter how hard it is to say. Brave, bold and beautifully written - dealing with issues of race, feminism and faith. "Crackles with energy and snaps with authenticity and voice.... Justina Ireland, author of Dread Nation "An incredibly potent debut.... Jason Reynolds, author of the National Book Award Finalist Ghost "Acevedo has amplified the voices of girls en el barrio who are equal parts goddess, saint, warrior, and hero.... Ibi Zoboi, author of American Street 'A story that will slam the power of poetry and love back into your heart.' - Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak and Chains 'Acevedo breathes words instead of air' - Lisa Heathfield, author of award-winning Paper Butterflies 'Powerful, finely crafted verse ... Readers will yearn to finish this verse novel in a single sitting, but its echoes will remain with them much longer' Guardian ELIZABETH ACEVEDO was born and raised in New York City and her poetry is infused with Dominican bolero and her beloved city's tough grit. The Poet X is her debut novel and a National Book Award winner. With over twelve years of performance experience, Acevedo has been a featured performer on BET and Mun2, as well as delivered several TED Talks. She has performed internationally and her poetry has been featured in Cosmopolitan, The Huffington Post and Teen Vogue. Acevedo is a National Slam Champion, Beltway Grand Slam Champion, and the 2016 Women of the World Poetry Slam representative for Washington, D.C, where she lives and works. Egmont UK Ltd Romance & relationships stories (Children's / Teenage) BAME VIEW LIST (86 BOOKS)	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2229
__label__wiki	0.981809	0.981809	Titanfall creator invests in mobile-gaming startup Nuclear Division (exclusive) Dean Takahashi@deantak April 28, 2014 10:30 AM Nuclear Division logo Image Credit: Nuclear Division The siren song of mobile gaming has drawn a couple of more video game veterans. Vince Zampella, the co-creator of Titanfall and the Call of Duty franchises; and Larry Pacey, the former product head of slot machine maker WMS, are teaming up to form mobile game startup Nuclear Division. Above: Vince Zampella of Nuclear Division and Respawn In an exclusive interview with GamesBeat, Zampella and Pacey said they are forming a new mobile gaming platform company in order to test the waters for some new ideas in game development. It’s a big deal, since one of the game industry’s most talented console game makers is recognizing the value of the fast-growing mobile gaming business. Zampella will continue his main job as head of Respawn Entertainment, the developer of the smash sci-fi hit Titanfall first-person shooter for the Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC. His role in Nuclear Division is more as an investor, adviser, and board member, Zampella said. Nuclear Division will be based in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, near Respawn’s headquarters. “Larry is someone I’ve worked with for a long time,” Zampella said. “He got me my first job in the industry. From 2001 to 2013, Pacey held various roles at WMS, the maker of networked casino slot machines. His final role was executive vice president of global products and chief innovation officer. Scientific Games bought WMS for $1.5 billion in the fall, and Pacey has served as an adviser to Scientific Games since then. “There is this whole other marketplace in mobile that can take advantage of innovative creative content,” Pacey said. “The two of us are starting a new venture to create this.” Zampella said he considered doing the venture as part of Respawn, but he decided that the mobile gaming content wasn’t a good fit for his studio, which focuses on console games. Titanfall debuted in March as the No. 1 console game in the U.S., and it’s an early bellwether for the Xbox One-PlayStation 4 console generation. But mobile is growing so fast, it’s “silly to ignore,” Zampella said. “It’s a device that I play on because I always have it with me,” he said. “It always connected. You’re engaged with it. There’s something you can do with that. I’m not saying one is better than the other, in terms of console versus mobile. It’s a different gaming experience. Both interest me.” Pacey added, “Mobile is where the eyeballs are at.” Nuclear Division is working on technology for a new platform as well as a couple of games that will take advantage of it. “We have been talking about what kind of products we would make if we were able to pursue that channel,” Pacey said. Above: Larry Pacey of Nuclear Division Zampella said, “This is something I believe in very strongly. I look at Larry’s passion and drive, and it syncs up closely with what we want to do. This is a model of gaming that is growing and that I am interested in.” Nuclear Division isn’t describing its games yet. But it will focus on new opportunities to build community across multiple games. It includes new solutions and services that go beyond being a game studio. “The goal is to build the kind of product that Vince and I know,” Pacey said. “It is based on things we like, and is more for the core gamer. If you look at our careers, we like to find new players experiences that are differentiated and unique.” The idea got going last year and Nuclear Division began recruiting its employees in January. It has less than a dozen people, but it could grow to about 50 employees over time, Pacey said. “Everyone we are hiring is experienced in mobile,” Pacey said. “So far, mobile gameplay hasn’t been for the core gamer. As devices get more powerful, it’s possible to bring core content to this platform. It’s becoming attractive for a lot of reasons.” It may be a year or so before Nuclear Division’s games start coming out. “If you look at where we came from, developing games with small teams, this is the way to get back to that,” Zampella said. “You can get back to the core of what matters to you and the values of what makes a game great.” Asked if he will switch to mobile games, Zampella said that is not likely. “I would apply learnings from this back to Respawn, and I think that would help future-proof both of these companies,” he said.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2233
__label__wiki	0.509667	0.509667	Equality Still Elusive for Women in the Federal Workforce Updated: 6 Jan 2014 Joanna L. Grossman Posted in: Employment Law In the 1983 movie Nine to Five, Dabney Coleman plays the perfect feminist foil. He’s that boss. The one who propositions his secretary, takes credit for the work of his female subordinates, and never met a sex-based stereotype he didn’t pick over the truth that is staring him in the face. Coleman’s character, Mr. Hart, unleashes his sexism most intensely on three women at the office, played by famous stars Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, and Dolly Parton. Though the film is a farce, which revolves around the women’s accidentally poisoning the boss and then kidnapping him to avoid the misperception of attempted murder, the movie hits on the most prevalent gender problems in the workplace. The opening scenes show what’s wrong with the workplace from a woman’s perspective—it’s definitely a man’s world at their company—and the rest of the movie suggests how it might be fixed. During the period of time when Coleman is the women’s prisoner and they run the office, the women implement changes like flex time, on-site childcare, and equal pay for equal work. Thirty years later, aspects of this movie seem dated, to be sure: The hairstyles (ouch), the polyester, the casual and shameless nature in which Coleman spews hostility and misogyny under the guise of managing his employees. But if we peel back those layers, we might find that the same types of gender issues still exist in the American workplace. Less obvious, and less shocking, but very real barriers to equal opportunity nonetheless. Although some proclaim that the fight for gender equality has been won, all evidence is to the contrary. Federal anti-discrimination laws were central to opening the doors of the American workplace to women and to eradicating the most common and overt forms of sex discrimination that consigned women to traditional female (and lower-paying) jobs or excluded them from work altogether. But real questions still remain about what women find once they cross those thresholds and join the ranks of the working man. A recent report by the EEOC Women’s Work Group on the experience of women in the federal workforce reminds us of the continuing struggles that working women endure. Gender and the Federal Workforce In 2010, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) convened a working group to “identify the obstacles that remain in the federal workplace that hinder equal employment opportunities for women.” The EEOC is broadly charged with implementing federal anti-discrimination laws in the workplace, including in both the public and the private sector. Although federal employees have the same substantive protections as other employees, they are subjected to different procedural requirements for claiming them. There is thus a separate office within the EEOC to deal with the federal workforce, and it is this office that convened the working group as part of the EEOC’s “overall mission to eradicate discrimination in both the federal sector and private sector workplace.” Given that the federal government is the nation’s largest employer—employing nearly four-and-a-half million people—it makes sense to focus a bright light on the challenges that still face female employees. (By comparison, even Walmart, the nation’s largest private sector employer, employs only 1.3 million people in the United States.) The Working Group gathered together federal EEO Directors, federal “affinity” groups like Federally Employed Women (FEW), non-federal advocacy groups, and a social scientist from Harvard. Together, these “dialogue partners” considered the most serious impediments to women’s equality and came up with suggestions for eliminating them. In broad brush, the Working Group found that while women have made significant advances in the federal workforce, they still experience inequality on a variety of fronts. The report highlighted six “obstacles” to equal opportunity, as follows: Inflexible workplace policies create challenges for women in the federal workforce with caregiver obligations; Higher-level and management positions remain harder to obtain for women; Women are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields in the federal workforce; Women and men do not earn the same average salary in the federal government; Unconscious gender biases and stereotypical perceptions about women still play a significant role in employment decisions in the federal sector; and There is a perception that federal Agencies lack commitment to achieving equal opportunities for women in the federal workplace. Women and Caregiving Responsibilities The report documents the basis for each conclusion and the collateral consequences, and identifies proposals for change. For example, with respect to inflexible workplace policies, the report notes that while the number of women (and mothers) in the workplace has dramatically increased, their caregiving responsibilities have hardly changed at all—they are still the primary caregivers in most families. This leads to greater conflicts for women than for men between caregiving and work and, according to a GAO report from 2003, a greater chance for women of foregoing advancement or greater earnings in exchange for positions with more flexibility. Inflexible workplace policies, the report concludes, lead to a variety of consequences, including dissatisfaction for female employees; dampened productivity, morale, and attendance; difficulty in the recruitment and retention of women; and leaves of absence while women tend to caregiving responsibilities that can hinder their ability to acquire necessary training and experience for advancement. The report thus recommends that federal agencies should add flexibility to jobs, including flexible start and end times, job-sharing, telecommuting, and more generous leave and benefits. (For what it’s worth, Lily Tomlin’s character in 9 to 5 was a big advocate in the movie of job-sharing.) It also recommends that training and other measures should be undertaken to ensure that those who take advantage of flexible features should not be “penalized or stigmatized for doing so.” The problem of conflicts between caregiving responsibilities and work is not unique to the federal government. The EEOC has tried more broadly to tackle these issues with the adoption in recent years of an enforcement guidance on caregiver discrimination, and a list of “best practices” (discussed here) designed to eliminate the most common features of the workplace that disproportionately impact women with caregiving responsibilities. Likewise, many advocacy groups and academics have worked hard to bring attention to these issues and to propose model workplace policies that would make for a more level playing field for women. Women, Unequal Pay, and the Glass Ceiling The report also focuses attention on the problem of unequal pay and the difficulty that women have in ascending to the highest levels of management. Within the federal workforce, women comprise 43 percent of the workforce, but only 37% of GS-14 and GS-15 positions and only 30% of Senior Executive Service positions. The average grade for women is a full level below the average for men. And women are paid, on average, eleven cents less on the dollar. Neither the pay gap, nor the glass ceiling, is unique to the federal government. Indeed, the problems seem to be worse in the private sector and common across all fields. The gender wage gap remains both stark and stagnant. Researchers disagree about the size of the wage gap, but not about its existence or significance. Most estimates hold that a woman, on average, earns less than 80 cents for every dollar a man earns. The wage gap is much larger for African-American women and Latina women, who earn even less than white women do, when compared with white men. Indeed, virtually every economist who has crunched the numbers, regardless of his or her ideological slant or background, has concluded that the gender wage gap is at least partially created by pay discrimination—which means paying women less to do the same job simply because they are women. (The problem of pay discrimination is discussed here.) Likewise, the glass ceiling is a real and documented reality in virtually every field, leading to a “pyramid” formation for women in many of them. (Women hold only 4.2 percent of CEO positions in Fortune 1000 companies.) The Working Group report focuses on possible solutions to these problems in the federal workforce. It recommends specific measures to increase the availability and effectiveness of mentoring and networking. It encourages agency-by-agency self-audits to identify specific obstacles to women’s advancement. With respect to unequal pay, the report encourages better and more data collection about the particularized problems. It also encourages an amendment of the Equal Pay Act—one of the two statutes that can be used to combat unlawful pay discrimination—to allow for attorney’s fees and costs, the lack of which currently makes it difficult for discrimination victims to find lawyers. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the report concludes that “the federal government should take on the role as the Model Employer and implement a strategy to eliminate the gender pay gap among federal employees.” As the nation’s largest employer, the federal government should assume this role in all respects. Pay discrimination in many workplaces goes undetected because employees do not have access to the information that would reveal the disparities; and even when such disparities are detected by employees, employees face many obstacles in trying to enforce their substantive rights. Moreover, there is nothing in anti-discrimination law that gives employers any incentive to take proactive measures to ensure equal pay. There’s no reward for implementing fair-pay practices when setting starting salaries, nor any for conducting self-audits that would reveal unintended, but discriminatory, pay patterns. To the contrary, looking for problems might set employers up for lawsuits, creating incentives not to do so. If the federal government were to make good on this recommendation, it would set an example for other, smaller employers that might make a real difference in pay equity. Unconscious Bias and Reticence to Enforce Anti-Discrimination Norms The final two obstacles to equality that were identified in the Working Group report are (1) the persistence of unconscious gender bias and stereotyping, and (2) the perception by employees that federal agencies are not truly committed to equal employment opportunity. The report notes that “prejudiced actions are often the unconscious manifestation of mental processing and stereotypical associations,” which may result in management’s “viewing female applicants and current employees in predetermined ways.” One particular practice identified in the report is the “mini-me” syndrome, in which hiring employees are unknowingly in search of candidates with similar characteristics to their own. Unless the hiring employees are themselves diverse—recall the glass ceiling problem, however—this results in unequal opportunities at the hiring and promotion stages. The report recommends measures such as unconscious bias training—and the use of something called the Implicit Association Test—to bring these biases to the conscious level and make those who are hiring employees more attuned to their own prejudices. Evidence of a lack of commitment to equal opportunity included the failure by some agencies to fund EEO programs, failure to comply with existing regulations and directives, and the failure to hold agencies accountable when discrimination is proven. Although the problems identified were specific to the federal government, many other private-sector employees have a similar perception of their own employers, and feel that trying to enforce their rights against discrimination will be futile. For the federal workforce problems, the report suggests a variety of specific responses, including funding guarantees, audits to assess compliance, adequate punishment of offenders, and publicizing findings of discrimination. Other private sector employers would be wise to do their own self-audits and figure out how to clean up their own shops. The failure to do so, as we see in highly-publicized cases of discrimination and harassment, can be costly. (The costly mistakes problem is discussed here.) The most important thing about this report is that it exists. All employers—particularly those employing millions of workers—should take stock of the role that gender continues to play in their workplaces. If we simply count heads—e.g., how many women are in the workforce, how many are the sole or primary breadwinner in the family—we might reach the mistaken conclusion that equality is damn near achieved. But the true state of gender equality turns not on whether women are hired, but whether they can succeed once they have been hired. This report suggests that we still have some distance to travel. Author: Joanna L. Grossman Joanna L. Grossman, a Justia columnist, is the Ellen K. Solender Endowed Chair in Women and Law at SMU Dedman School of Law. Her most recent book is Nine to Five: How Gender, Sex, and Sexuality Continue to Define the American Workplace (Cambridge University Press 2016). She is the coauthor of Inside the Castle: Law and the Family in 20th Century America (Princeton University Press 2011), co-winner of the 2011 David J. Langum, Sr. Prize for Best Book in American Legal History, and coeditor of several other books. Her columns focus on sex discrimination and family law. Follow @JoannaGrossman on Twitter 3 responses to “Equality Still Elusive for Women in the Federal Workforce” Joe Barnes says: What an Incredible piece of BS. Many departments of Federal government haven’t hired a white male in the past two decades. Virtually all hiring officials get “brownie points” for hiring women and minorities, do do. All the “human resources” departments are dominated by women, inn public and private sectors. The “perceptions” quoted are just that, perceptions, fed by constatnt repetition by false prophets pushing their victimization agenda while a war on boys and men goes on unabated. I’d like this expert to take a poll of how may men feel dominant respected and wealthy because of the supposed preferences she “Perceives.” Aberrant Lawyer says: To Mr Joe Barnes: RIGHT ON!!!! GENXer says: I have been trying to get a promotion to a 13 for 8 years! I am female, I am over 40 and I have 15 years of DoD STEM field service and perfect performance ratings, awards, lots of achievments to list , more than enough experience all relevent to the jobs I apply for and I get referred for consideration frequently but NEVER interviewed, NEVER. After dozens of referrals as highest qualified and no interviews you start to wonder why. I am sick of this, trying for 3 years now and I cant even get a chance. Always find out a white middle aged male got the job I was referred for, when I even find out that is. Not once was it a woman that I lost out to, not one time. I am thinking about contacting the EEO and filing a complaint. Maybe my gender is filtering me out of the interview process. More Commentary by Joanna L. Grossman Remembering Deborah Rhode: Co-Author, Friend, and Feminist Co-Conspirator Joe, Joey, Joe-Baby, Sexist: Where’s Your Imposter Syndrome? What’s Not the Matter with Kansas: State Supreme Court Broadly Recognizes the Rights of Lesbian Co-Parents Election Day 2020: A Good Day to End the GOP’s War on Women “Might as Well Carry a Purse with That Mask, Joe”: COVID-19, Toxic Masculinity, and the Sad State of National Politics In Ruth We Trust: How the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Can Promote Women’s Equal Citizenship and Justice Ginsburg’s Legacy Publications by Joanna L. Grossman Family Law in New York Edited by Barbara Stark and Joanna L. Grossman Gender Equality Dimensions of Women's Equal Citizenship Edited by Linda C. McClain and Joanna L. Grossman Inside the Castle: Law and the Family in 20th Century America by Joanna L. Grossman and Lawrence M. Friedman Gender & Law: Theory Doctrine & Commentary, Sixth Edition by Katherine T. Bartlett, Deborah L. Rhode, and Joanna L. Grossman Nine to Five: How Gender, Sex, and Sexuality Continue to Define the American Workplace by Joanna L. Grossman	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2234
__label__wiki	0.61695	0.61695	Hudson High School Marching Band Performs at Pearl Harbor 75th Anniversary Ron Ramos, VFW Post 10818 - 1/24/2017 On December 7, 2016 the Hudson High School Marching Band performed during the 75th Anniversary of the infamous Japanese attack Pearl Harbor on this day in 1941. The Hudson High School Marching Band was chosen by the Pearl Harbor Memorial Committee to represent the ENTIRE state of Wisconsin. All states with a battleship named for it were represented during the ceremony. Hudson High School marched in the 58th spot of more than 100 units in the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade. The band performed "This Is My Country” on the parade route as well as other selections, including the Navy hymn, for other scheduled concerts. The band was led by Band Director Ryan McCarthy. Of the entire Marching Band, only 60 members made the once-in-a-lifetime trip to perform in Hawaii. Of those band members, one of our own Auxiliary members performed. Samantha Yonan is not only a member of the Hudson High School Marching Band, but is also one of our youngest Auxiliary members! Samantha shared with us a few words about her trip: "I enjoyed participating in the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. On our trip we went to the U.S.S Missouri and explored the ship. While we were there we got to look out over the whole harbor which held the ships that lay in the harbor. As we explored the ships we got to see just a glimpse of what it was like being on the Missouri. After our exploration on the ship we performed our chosen pieces of music. While we played in front of the ship it truly set in that we were playing for all those who lost their lives. When we finished our performance we made our way to the theater where we watched a documentary about December 7, 1941. When the nearly hour long video ended we made our way to the boats which would carry us to the U.S.S Arizona. On our boat we had the honor of sitting along side of a survivor of the horrific attack. As we set foot on the floating memorial it felt like another world. Everyone was so sad. You could see the oil as it continues to spill from the ship. The rusted Arizona lay on the floor of the ocean and as you walk over the ship you get truly strange feeling. When you get to the back of the memorial there lays a wall which hold all the names of those who died on the ship. As you read over the names you start to think about how lucky you are. For me, I started to think about all of those who lost someone that day, who lost a father? A mother? A sister or brother? What about an uncle? 1,102 people lay in that ship, buried at sea. Never again to say "I love you" to their family or loved one. They lay on the ship never to be moved, to mark the spot of one of the most tragic events in our American History. It was truly an honor to have been part of the 75th anniversary Pearl Harbor because it showed me how to be thankful to all those men and women who laid down their lives to protect mine.” VFW Post 10818 and its Auxiliary are immensely proud of Hudson High School for their great performance and their once-in-a-lifetime trip. A great job was done representing Wisconsin, Hudson, and St. Croix County! Photos courtesy of Shannon VerDuin	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2235
__label__wiki	0.873259	0.873259	ADULT GOLF: Golfers raise $12,000 in marathon fundraiser By Submissions Thomas Steinhoff and Nic Weber produced ironman performances Monday in the first Arbuckle Golf Club Solstice fundraising event to help fight Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) and to benefit junior golf. Steinhoff of Arbuckle and Weber of Colusa squeezed in 198 holes from 5:20 a.m. to 9:01 p.m. at the Arbuckle course to spearhead the push to help raise about $12,000, which easily surpassed their goal. Kevin Wood, Jake Spooner and David Henriques profited from 126 holes and Bobby Martinez went 108. “I don’t know if I can explain how Nic and I felt,” Steinhoff said. “Our feet and hands were sore, but I don’t know if tired is the right word.” They easily surpassed their goal of $1,000 per player. “I am over the moon,” said event director Derick Strain, who had to watch because of an injury. He estimated the final four nine-hole segments were played in 30-35 minutes each. “All in all, it was awesome.” The event was introduced by greens director Wood and quickly seconded by fundraising director Andi Anderson. “It was absolutely great,” said Anderson, whose husband Jim has ALS. “So many people are diagnosed with ALS every year and progress (to find a cure) has been slow.” Participants were encouraged to raise as much money as possible by seeking out sponsors who would pledge to support them and/or donate money themselves. Many of the pledges were made based on performance, incentivizing the participants. Strain is optimistic the marathon will become an annual event. “It wasn’t a completely original idea,” said Strain, who heard the story of his father Rick playing a fundraising event for a similar cause with pro Carl Funk, Brady Myers and Andy Geyer several years ago. At the end of the day they played 182 holes, had rounds in the 60s and averaged about 75 per 18 holes. This time Steinhoff and Weber traversed the course 22 times with the others playing the course 12 to 14 times, being fed food and drink on the move. “Toward the end, we had a bunch of support,” Steinhoff said. “We surpassed our goal and I think everybody will be itching to do it again. If it’s up to me, we’ll do it every year.” ■	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2236
__label__cc	0.515226	0.484774	It goes without saying that 2020 was a hell of a year. We had a lot of cool plans fall through because of Everything Going On, but still managed to accomplish a lot. Every year when I sit down to write these posts and reflect on what we’ve done, I’m a little surprised. It ends up being more than I expected, and this year has been no exception, especially given the circumstances. Our biggest release of the year was Highway Blossoms: Next Exit. What originally started as a short side story ended up being the length of a full game, and set a new standard for the series as a whole. Will there be more of Amber and Marina’s (and Cassi and the Trio’s) story to come? We don’t really know yet. Either way, this little roadtrip has been a journey for us as much as the characters, and we’re glad to have taken it. We also launched our new Bellhouse publishing wing and put out two great titles through it already. Both Without a Voice and First Snow have been very well-received. It’s nice to see that you guys liked these stories as much as we did, which is why we wanted to help share them with the world. We’ll be publishing more Bellhouse titles in the future! Our first game as a full studio, Heart of the Woods, got a major upgrade with the voice acting patch that came out over the summer. We worked with an amazing cast to bring our girls to life, and we still can’t shut up about how happy we are with the results. Alongside that, we released I Told You So! a free and dubiously canon spinoff to HotW. While we didn’t manage to release the Nintendo Switch port for the game this year like we’d hoped,that’ll still be coming soon. We’re just as excited to get our hands on the Switch version as y’all are. On Patreon, we’re coming to the end of Celeste Academy, and soon Carida will discover who her true love is. We also announced and have released a few chapters of two upcoming light novels (well, I guess they’re webnovels for now): Cherry’s Story, the first entry in our Celestaria Records collection, which is the same universe and setting as Celeste Academy. There’s also Honorine’s Run to Save the World, an adventure story by our newest writer. Looking towards the future, we also announced two future titles. Please Be Happy will be our next game to come out. We’d been aiming to release it this year, but uh, that’s not gonna happen. PBH is a slice-of-life story about a very special fox, set in a slightly magical version of Wellington, New Zealand. Summer at the Edge of the Universe, a solarpunk game, is the other one we announced. It’s full of good vibes as Summer and her friends reunite and go on a journey around, well, the universe. We started this one with the concept of “what if Yuru Camp, but in space” and it’s grown a lot since then. Those two games join Lock and Key, which we first announced just a little over a year ago, on our “upcoming” list. As you can see, we have a lot of stuff in the works, even more than just those three games, in fact. Not all of these titles are slated to come out next year, but we’re hoping to have more than one release. We’re not letting the disappointment that 2020 turned out to be stop us from dreaming big for 2021. Those big plans that fell through didn’t get cancelled, we only set them aside for the time being. We’ve got a lot to look forward to next year, and as always, we’re super grateful to everyone who’s been supporting us along the way. Just below, there’s a few messages from some of our team members. On behalf of everyone here at Studio Élan, we wish you a very happy new year 🎉 P.S. Happy birthday Maddie! Hey everyone, it’s adi! First of all go give yourself a pat on your back. If you have friends let them give you a pat on the back too (even if it’s metaphorical or through the internet.) You got through this year! And hey – we did too. I mean this in total, absolute seriousness – we got through this year because of you all, too. Thank you. It’s been a wild time… and filled with so much stuff. We’ve been pretty busy this year! Remember the announcement of Summer At the Edge of the Universe? This year! Heart of the Woods with VOICES? This year too! Highway Blossoms: Next Exit – also this year! 2020 feels fake sometimes, and time really is a human concept wibbly-wobbly but we did our best. Take your time to really reflect on everything you accomplished… At first, it might feel like a whole lot of nothing. It does for me when I don’t think too hard. But this isn’t nothing. We’ve all at least gone through the herculean effort of making it through this year, anything on top of that is amazing. Thanks for sticking around, I’ll continue to do my best (and hopefully deliver Please Be Happy next year)! See y’all in 2021. – adirosa Hello friends! Rachel here to wish you a happy new year and a positive 2021! This was one hell of a year, but you made it. Mazel tov! Despite all the chaos of 2020, it was also a year of excitement for our studio. New announcements, new updates, new releases…and all of it made possible by your support! You kept us all writing, drawing, designing, programming, making music, and more! I know I already said a bunch about this in my year-end Lock and Key post, but I want to once again say how much I love all of you and how much you inspire us every day. And we won’t be stopping any time soon! So once again, thank you. From the bottom of my heart. Let’s make 2021 MAGICAL! – Rachel Hi, it’s Adri, and… wow, end-of-year retrospectives. This is the third time I’m writing something of the sort for Élan, but this time it feels more of a formality than tending to the important task of yearly reflection. If anything, 2020 was THE year of retrospective & reflection (among a myriad of other choice nouns, I’d bet), given that this year, pretty much everyone had to rethink and reevaluate how they went about pretty much everything. We’ve had people writing retrospectives about 2020 since as early as May, probably. If you’re half as plugged in as I am, you’ve probably already had your fill of retrospectives on 2020. Eh, one more couldn’t hurt. Studio Élan already works remotely, as we’ve got team members from New York to New Zealand, so when it comes to working together as a studio, not much really changed. We shipped a bunch of cool stuff this year (as adi has mentioned already), and we also stepped out a bit with the introduction of Bellhouse and publishing titles like Without a Voice and First Snow. We also branched out with other content like Celestaria Records, Cherry’s Story, & Honorine’s Run To Save The World. It certainly hasn’t been an empty year for us! That being said, it wouldn’t exactly be true to say that means we’ve been wholly unaffected by, er, events. Nothing, nor anyone, exists in a bubble, and as we are (last I checked) real humans existing in the physical realm, our personal lives have doubtless been tossed here and there just as much as yours probably has. However, we’re still here. That’s got to count for something. When the clock strikes midnight on January 1st, 2021, it’s not like all of the problems from this year are going to magically go away (just like how you can’t just magically change your lifestyle by just writing down a resolution for the new year). All of the things that are happening right now will continue to happen. However, even with all of the bad carrying over, we’re taking all of the good from 2020 with us, too. That includes all of the progress we’ve made, all the things we’ve learned, all the ways we’ve grown, and all of the things we’ve started and we’re still working on. This year, we’ve committed ourselves to making sure we take two steps forward for every step backward. For all of the things that have made this year tougher, your continued support has made it that much easier. If we could help you find peace, joy, safety, or whatever positive state of mind you’d like in one of our stories this year, then we’re glad. We might not have been able to vanquish the struggles of this past year, but, at the very least, we hope we could find a way to give you a reason to smile. Here’s to more smiles in 2021. – Adri When I started Studio Élan, it was with the plan of waiting 5 years and seeing how things turned out at the end of that. As we head into the beginning of our fifth year as a studio now, I have to say, I’m feeling pretty optimistic. I’m extremely proud of what we’ve already created with HotW and HB and everything else, but I find myself even more excited what for what comes next. Thanks for being a part of our year, through both the good and the bad. Here’s to a better, brighter 2021, and many more years beyond that. – Josh Meowdy there, it’s Miko. September was my one year anniversary here at Élan, and it’s been a wild and fun ride the entire time. Like Adri said, we all work remotely so not much changed for us studio-wise, but rather in our personal lives. It’s been a rough year for some of us and our friends, but there is some nice closure in the year being over- I’ve always been the type to be hopeful and set New Years Resolutions, even though nothing is really “changing” aside from the calendar date. But the mindset is what I think is important- if you want to change something, do it. Make small steps towards that, and keep moving forward. Every day we wake up is a new chance to try something new, to become a better person, and I look forward to that. Visual novels are something I hold near and dear to my heart, so I’m so excited to share with you all what the team has been working on next year. Thank you for being a part of this journey with us, and please keep moving forward with us. — Miko It’s exciting to look forward to the new year. While setting resolutions isn’t my cup of tea, my favorite part of this change of the year making a small promise to do my best in the coming 365 days. I’ve struggled a lot in 2020 (as so many of us have), and while 2021 isn’t going to magically leave every problem behind, I hope you can find it in yourself to be hopeful for the future with me. Thank you always for supporting us here in Studio Élan, take care, and be kind to yourself. – minute Hi, it’s Stella, 19, and this is my first time writing one of these! 2020 has been a huge year for us at Studio Élan in ways everyone else has already talked about, and I get the feeling 2021 will be much the same; there’s plenty of exciting stuff going on—some of which I’m contributing to!—and I simply cannot wait for you all to see what we’ve got in store. I… don’t really have any more to say than this that hasn’t already been said but thank you for sticking with us so far, and I’m confident you’ll find us just as worthy of your continued support next year as you did this one. Happy new year! – Stella Welcome to the Studio Élan developer blog! Minrosin’ Hanna’s CG It’s Technically Winter and Quinn is Love	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2238
__label__cc	0.641735	0.358265	« Desert Daze: October 11-13, 2019 \| Main \| Rocktober: October 17 to October 20, 2019 » Tegan & Sara 2019 Tour Tegan and Sara are back with their "Let's Make Things Physical Tour." The last time we saw the Quin sisters at First Avenue last year, they played practically every song from their latest album Heartthrobs. … TEGAN AND SARA Fitzgerald Theater Sun 10/13/2019 (7pm/$40.50) thefitzgeraldtheater.com The very popular Tegan and Sara will be playing the Fitzgerald Theater in St Paul on Sunday, October 13th. The show is sold out… but if you’re willing to buy their new book High School - you can meet them for a book signing at Next Chapter Booksellers before the concert. We last saw them in Chicago in June 2014 and said, “With Warner determined to sell the girls as hip, lesbian older sisters to Taylor Swift and Katy Perry, Tegan and Sara were soon everywhere: performing on Ellen, having a version of “Closer” performed on Glee, appearing onstage with Taylor Swift, even recording an Oreo commercial. They spent most of 2013 as a support act for The Killers and fun. and will end 2014 with a support slot on Katy Perry’s Prismatic tour. They nearly swept the Canadian Juno Awards this year, winning the pop album, single, and group of the year awards. By all accounts, it’s a triumphant time for the Quins.” T&S’s new album Hey, I’m Just Like You is out now on Sire Records. 10/9 – Edmonton, AB – Myer Orowitz Theatre 10/10 – Calgary, AB – Bella Concert Hall (early & late shows) 10/12 – Winnipeg, MB – Garrick Centre 10/13 – St. Paul, MN – Fitzgerald Theatre 10/15 – Evanston, IL – Northwestern University 10/16 – Columbus, OH – Lincoln Theatre 10/17 – Detroit, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre 10/19 – Toronto, ON – Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre 10/22 – Ottawa, ON – Algonquin Commons Theatre 10/23 – Montreal, QC – Corona Theatre 10/25 – Boston, MA – Wilbur Theatre 10/26 – Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre 10/27 – Washington, DC – Lincoln Theatre 10/29 – Nashville, TN – CMA Theater 10/30 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse 11/1 – Austin, TX – State Theatre (early & late shows) Cigarettes After Sex at First Ave Jidenna at First Ave Sleater-Kinney at Palace Theatre Jay Som at 7th Street Starcrawler at Turf Club What are you doing on V-Day? If you're a Sleater-Kinney fan, you'll be at this sold out show. According to my bad memories and physical ticket stubs, I've seen Sleater-Kinney at least three times, and have expressed sadness ... The show was opened up by Jay Som from San Francisco, California. Her sweet and quiet demeanor was met with cute songs about real life events such as riding a bus. ... Cigarettes After Sex is currently on tour in support of their sophomore album Cry (available October 25 on Partisan Records). What is interesting about this upcoming show, is that there won’t be an opening band … instead fans are invited to watch a short film called “You’re the Only Good Thing In My Life”. 10/8/19 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater 10/10/19 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theater 10/11/19 – Kansas City, MO – The Truman 10/12/19 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown 10/13/19 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue 10/15/19 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee 10/16/19 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall 10/18/19 – Covington, KY – Madison Theater 10/19/19 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue + Kelechi GRAMMY® Award-nominated multiplatinum rapper, singer, producer, artist, and actor Jidenna will be playing First Avenue this Monday, October 14th, in support of his second album 85 To Africa. 10/8 Boise, ID 10/11 Salt Lake City, UT 10/12 Denver, CO 10/14 Minneapolis, MN 10/15 St. Louis, MO 10/17 Louisville, KY 10/18 Chicago, IL 10/19 Milwaukee, WI 10/20 Cincinnati, OH + Shamir Tue 10/15/2019 (7pm/$32.50/Sold out) Of course, Sleater-Kinney has sold out their tour, including the upcoming Palace Theatre in St Paul. We’ve seen the group numerous times, but unfortunately, the band took a long break (and eventually their original drummer Janet Weiss left the band). Angie Boylan is now the new drummer. We caught SK in Feb 2015 and wrote, “As expected, SK mostly played songs from their latest record, No Cities to Love (Sub Pop). I've seen SK three other times (2000, 2002, and 2005) and they've always played First Avenue. This fact was mentioned by Carrie Brownstein who said, "Perhaps it's true that we never place a place as much as First Ave..." then quickly followed by "Don't quote me on that though!" She could be right, including a cancelled date and last night's date, SK booked First Avenue at least 6 times.” SK’s new album The Center Won’t Hold is out now. 10/09/2019 Martin Woldson Theater Spokane, WA 10/11/2019 Knitting Factory Boise, ID 10/12/2019 The Depot Salt Lake City, UT 10/15/2019 Palace Theatre St. Paul, MN 10/15/2019 Palace Theatre New York, NY 10/16/2019 Riverside Theatre Milwaukee, WI 10/18/2019 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL 10/20/2019 Old Forester's Paristown Hall Louisville, KY 10/21/2019 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN + Boy Scouts Jay Som (aka Melina Duterte) is back with her new album Anak Ko. We caught her in March 2017 and wrote, “San Francisco’s Jay Som closed out the night. Jay Som (aka Melina Duterte) has been in Minneapolis a few times, including July 2016 and October 2016, but this time has a headliner.... and with a debut album called Everybody Works finally out on Polyvinyl Records. The record is so good that as soon as it came out, Pitchfork declared it as “Best New Music”.” Show up early to check out Boy Scouts (aka Taylor Vick)… she’ll be playing tracks from her new album Free Company. 10/15 – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theatre 10/16 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th St Entry 10/17 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon 10/18 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall 10/19 – Columbus, OH – The Basement 10/21 – Detroit, MI – El Club 10/22 – Toronto, ON – Velvet Underground 10/23 – Montreal, QC – Bar le Ritz PDB 10/25 – Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere 10/26 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair 10/27 – Burlington, VT – ArtsRiot 10/29 – Philadelphia, PA – The Foundry 10/30 – Washington DC – Rock & Roll Hotel 10/31 – Raleigh, NC – Kings 11/1 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade 11/2 – Nashville, TN – High Watt + Poppy Jean Crawford Los Angeles-based Starcrawler is headlining the Turf Club this Wednesday, October 16. We saw them at Desert Daze 2017 and frontwoman Arrow de Wilde makes the band looks insane! Starcrawler’s Devour You will be out October 11 via Rough Trade. If you collect vinyl, be aware that there’s a scratch and sniff sleeve! Poppy Jean Crawford to open. 10/8/19 - Vancouver, BC - Fortune Sound Club 10/9/19 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile 10/11/19 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge 10/12/19 - Denver, CO - Lost Lake Lounge 10/14/19 - Kansas City, MO - The Riot Room 10/15/19 - Omaha, NE - Reverb Lounge 10/16/19 - Saint Paul, MN - Turf Club 10/17/19 - Chicago IL - Lincoln Hall 10/19/19 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern 10/22/19 - Montreal - Bar Le Rtiz PDB 10/23/19 - Somerville, MA - ONCE Ballroom 10/25/19 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg 10/26/19 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle 10/27/19 - Washington, DC - Pie Shop Posted by W♥M on 10/08/2019 at 11:29 PM in Boy Scouts, Cigarettes After Sex, Jay Som, Jidenna, Kelechi, Minneapolis, Minneapolis Music Guide, Poppy Jean Crawford, Rocktober, Shamir, Sleater-Kinney, Starcrawler, Tegan and Sara, Vu \| Permalink	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2243
__label__wiki	0.561336	0.561336	[browser scripting must be enabled in order to view this e-mail address] Site Map & Rules San Antonio River Walk EXPLORE THE OFFICIAL - SAN ANTONIO RIVER WALK Walk, shop, dine, and enjoy the hospitality of our world-renowned urban waterway. Hop aboard a riverboat and discover why 13 million people visit every year. In Texas, water has been a lifeline for many generations for centuries past. The San Antonio River is a source of a South Texas Treasure, The San Antonio River Walk. Development of San Antonio and its most popular tourism attraction has come a long way. Texas Air Museum at Stinson Field Since 1999, the Texas Air Museum at Stinson Field has been dedicated to telling the story of Texas and San Antonio’s vital role in the developement of military air power. It also pays tribute to aviation pioneers, technical acheivements in the realm of aviation, and above all, pays respect and honor to those who gave their lives to defend freedom. Most attention in the area of vintage aircraft centers around World War II, and the Pacific and European theaters of that conflict. The Texas Air Museum not only represents that era, but is unique in also covering in detail the early period and “golden-age” of aviation. Here you can also learn about the famous “Flying Stinson Family”, and why San Antonio is considered to be the birthplace of American military aviation. Medina Base - Skate Park Whether you're an avid skateboarder who knows all the latest tricks or just a beginner, the Parks and Recreation Department offers plenty of opportunities for you to work those muscles and burn calories at its skate plazas. This park consist of Skatewave equipment on a concrete slab. The park features benches, ledges, a picnic table, a quarterpipe, a bank ramp and fun box. San Antonio Missions One Park. Four Missions San Antonio Missions National Historical Park embodies nearly 300 years of rich history and culture. Within the park grounds, four separate mission sites offer recreation opporunities for the whole family. Step back in time while never leaving the city at Mission San Jose, Mission Concepcion, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. All four of the mission sites at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park also still contain active catholic parishes. The churches hold regular services in these historic buildings. They are open to park visitors during park hours, except for during special services, such as weddings and funerals. The Alamo Mission in San Antonio, commonly called The Alamo and originally known as the Misión San Antonio de Valero, is a historic Spanish mission and fortress compound founded in the 18th century by Roman Catholic missionaries in what is now San Antonio, Texas, United States. The Alamo is so much more than a battle cry trapped in the pages of your old American History book. It’s a must-see attraction which, if done the right way, can be one of the most memorable stops on your tour of San Antonio. Located in downtown San Antonio, the 750-foot-tall Tower of the Americas provides guests the most spectacular view of the Alamo City. Enjoy the gorgeous panorama from the Tower’s revolving Chart House Restaurant, take in the scenery from the Observation Deck or experience the thrilling 4D Theater Ride. Aquatica San Antonio South Seas–inspired water park with thrill rides, beaches & an underwater grotto with tropical fish. Aquatica San Antonio is one of Texas’s best family-friendly water parks. This tropical paradise next to SeaWorld offers water rides from serene to extreme, crashing surf and unforgettable opportunities to meet stingrays, tropical birds and other amazing animals. Open year-round, San Antonio Zoo houses more than 750 species (from alligators to zebras), cageless habitats, exhibits & a train on 56 acres. As proud stewards of our planet, they welcome more than 1 million guests annually! The Market Square Market Square is a three-block outdoor plaza lined with shops, and restaurants in downtown San Antonio, Texas. Market Square is the largest Mexican market in the United States. The “El Mercado” section has 32 specialty shops and the “Farmer’s Market Plaza” section has 80. Enjoy the sights and flavors of old Mexico at Historic Market Square, a favorite of locals and tourists for generations. Explore over 100 locally owned businesses that provide a unique market place experience. The Japanese Tea Garden The Japanese Tea Garden has a glorious history of over 90 years, from the time it was an operating rock quarry to today, as one of the most loved, educational and cultural resources in San Antonio. The quarry was shaped into a complex that included walkways, stone arch bridges, an island and a Japanese pavilion. The garden was termed the lily pond, and local residents donated bulbs to beautify the area. Exotic plants were provided by the City nursery and the City Public Service Company donated the lighting system. The pavilion was roofed with palm leaves from trees in City parks. Santikos Entertainment Palladium Upscale movie theater with a full food & drink menu, plus table seating & wait service. The newly remodeled Palladium is the premiere entertainment destination for San Antonio and South Texas. Palladium features 100% recliner seating in 18 of its 19 luxurious, stadium-style auditoriums. It features an enormous IMAX screen for the premium movie going experience. Four of the auditoriums feature Santikos’ own AVX projection. AVX is the “Ultimate Audio-Visual Experience” and boasts oversized, floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall screens, 4K digital projection accompanied by premium sound. Guests over 18 can enjoy the new MEZZ experience upstairs featuring a craft bar, private recliner seating for couples and seat service with call button. Back in the late 1970s, Buster opened a restaurant known for its tasty food and friendly service. A few doors down, Dave opened an outrageous place for entertainment and games where adults were irresistibly drawn for fun. The two young entrepreneurs noticed people rotating between their establishments, and an idea started to form: WHAT IF THEY PUT BOTH UNDER ONE ROOF? GO RIO San Antonio River Cruises Discover the Soul of San Antonio on GO RIO Cruises along the San Antonio River. GO RIO offers narrated cruises, as well as chartered excursions, dinner cruises and river shuttle service from Downtown to the Museum Reach. Just steps below street level, escape into San Antonio’s rich history, colorful culture and exciting future! San Antonio Aquarium Come Experience Thousands of Species and Interactive Exhibits! San Antonio Aquarium has been the premier family entertainment center in Leon Valley since 2014. They love providing once in a lifetime experiences that include everything from sharks to Sloths! Among the exhibits featured throughout the aquarium are a wide variety of amphibians, an interactive lorikeet and parakeet aviary, and a variety of cold water and tropical fish. Also, San Antonio Aquarium features sharks, a stingray touch tank, a rainforest with hundreds of reptiles and our newest addition to the family, Kiwi the sloth! The Buckhorn Saloon & Museum Located right in the heart of downtown San Antonio, they are two blocks from the Alamo and one block from the Riverwalk. For over 131 years, The Buckhorn Saloon and Museum has been known as a gathering place and for the spectacular wildlife exhibits. Enjoy their Cafe, Gift Shop, Shooting Gallery and 2 museums; The Buckhorn Museum and the Texas Ranger Museum. The Buckhorn Saloon is where it all began—where history was made and legend lives. It is where Teddy Roosevelt recruited Rough Riders and Pancho Villa is rumored to have planned the Mexican Revolution. Many of the original furnishings still grace today’s Buckhorn Saloon, including the back-bar which was hand-crafted of marble and cherry wood. Natural Bridge Caverns Twisted Trails - Open Daily — Family Owned and Operated - Naturally cool things to do — for everyone! Natural Bridge Caverns, Texas – a premier natural attraction – where you’ll find adventure and fun around every bend. Like on the Discovery Tour, where you’ll see massive, otherworldly formations formed by single drops of water and the slow passage of time. Or, explore the Hidden Passages Tour, where shadows dance over delicate formations and mystery awaits in every shadow. Take to the skies high above Texas, as you ascend the Canopy Challenge, or for a true test, try tackling one of their adventure tours. Experience a sense of discovery finding your way through their AMAZEn’ Ranch Roundup, a 5,000 square foot outdoor maze. If you want some good old-fashioned fun, look no further than the Mining Company, where you mine and pan for gems, fossils and other treasures. Whether you are a first time visitor, an avid caver or someone in between, Natural Bridge Caverns awaits with a once in a lifetime experience you’ll never forget. After your adventures, check out the new Shops of Discovery Village. Indulge yourself at Big Daddy’s Sweets, Treats and Brew, an old-fashioned parlor and general store. Then shop for amazing gifts, jewelry and souvenirs in the Discovery Village Trading Post. Brackenridge Park Founded in 1899, Brackenridge Park is rich with history. Located below the headwaters of the San Antonio River, Brackenridge Park has been a gathering place since prehistoric times. The park shows evidence of human habitation dating back to 11,000 years ago. Native American artifacts dating as early as 9200 B.C. have been found in the Olmos Basin and near Hildebrand Avenue within the park. The park has been called the most significant archaeological site in Texas. Pearsall Park Pearsall Park is 505 acres and is designed to offer a dynamic open space with fitness and recreational amenities ideal for facilitating health/wellness/sports activities and outdoor family/social gatherings. Park expansion efforts doubled the total size of the park from 243 acres through City purchase of an additional 262 acres as part of the 2012-2017 City Bond Program. Kiddie Park Kiddie Park, one of San Antonio’s most treasured landmarks, is the perfect way for children and adults to enjoy a nostalgic day of old-fashioned fun. Established in 1925, and renovated in 2009, Kiddie Park is the oldest children’s amusement park in the country! While modern updates have been made, the park has preserved it’s 1920’s style by maintaining all of the original rides. Guests can enjoy the park’s old-fashioned ferris wheel, famous hand-carved Herschell Spillman carousel, and other classic children’s rides that have made Kiddie Park an iconic San Antonio attraction for over 90 years! Six Flags Fiesta Texas the biggest, most popular themed attraction featuring dozens of thrill rides, shows, and activities, formerly Fiesta Texas, is a theme park located in La Cantera, San Antonio, Texas. The park was built by Gaylord Entertainment Company and opened on March 14, 1992 as the first business in the district of San Antonio. The premier entertainment and event venue in San Antonio with fun point-scoring golf games for all skill levels, upscale bar food and drinks, music and more! By entertainment destination, they’re talking about a place where you can go for birthday parties, bachelor or bachelorette parties, corporate events, date nights, or just a night out with friends, and everyone will have a great time. Since Marion McNay’s original bequest in 1950, the museum’s collection has expanded to over 22,000 works. The McNay Art Museum is a modern art museum in San Antonio specializes in 19th- and 20th-century European and American art. Plan your trip today. At her death in 1950, Marion left her collection of more than 700 works of art, along with the house, the surrounding 23 acres, and an endowment to establish the first museum of modern art in Texas. In 1954 the McNay opened its doors to the public. The Jane and Arthur Stieren Center for Exhibitions, built in 2008 and designed by French architect Jean-Paul Viguier, added 45,000 square feet to the museum and created gallery space for major exhibitions, a sculpture gallery and garden, a lecture hall, and classrooms for the museum’s many educational programs. • Northstar Mall • Bluestar Contemporary • La Villita • Traders Village • The Quarry Market • Seaworld • Botanical Gardens • Bolners Fiesta Products • The Doseum • The Witte Museum • San Antonio Museum of Art • The Pearl Brewery • San Pedro Springs Park • Walmarts in the Area • Restaurants in the Area • Closest Hospitals 16221 Shepherd Rd Atascosa, Texas 78002 © Western Sky RV Park. All rights reserved.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2245
__label__wiki	0.786124	0.786124	Top 10 Casper Competitors In 2021 Casper is an American sleep company headquartered in New York City. It deals in mattresses, pillows, bed frames, and bedding such as duvets, sheets, and quilts. The company operates both retail locations and an eCommerce platform. Casper was founded in 2014 by Philip Krim, Gabriel Flateman, Jeff Chapin, T. Luke Sherwin, and Neil Parikh. Within its first month of launch, Casper sold sleep products worth $1 million. As of 2019, the company had 831 employees worldwide and a revenue turnover of $441.3 million. Casper closed down its European stores at the beginning of the year to focus on the North American market. NAME Casper Sleep Inc. HEADQUARTERS New York City, New York STATUS Public INDUSTRY SECTOR Household Furniture TRADING SYMBOL NYSE: CXPR Casper competitors include: Leesa Sleep, Tuft & Needle, Purple Innovation, Sleep Number, Tempur Sealy International, Helix Sleep, Kingsdown, Saatva, Mattress Firm, and FloBeds. How Casper Makes Money Leesa Sleep Purple Innovation Tempur Sealy International Helix Sleep FloBeds Competitors Stats When Casper launched in 2014, it made $1 million in revenues within their first 28 days. It became an instant hit after endorsements from a number of celebrities including Kylie Jenner. The company packs its mattresses in a small box which is then shipped directly to the client. There are no middlemen. Buyers have up to 100 days to commit to the purchase or return the shipment. Customers can order the mattresses through Casper’s websites. The company has also partnered with top retailers such as Amazon and its products are available in over 2,000 locations in the US. The mattresses are made from memory foam and latex which makes their cost cheaper than an average mattress. They come in six different sizes and with a 10-year warranty. After the success of its mattresses, the company also ventured into other sleep products such as pillows, bed frames, and bedding. Leesa was founded in 2015 by Jamie Diamonstein and David Wolfe. The start-up manufactures and sells mattresses besides other sleep products such as pillows. It is one of the pioneers of bed-in-a-box technology. Leesa sells its products directly to consumers and was awarded the Best Memory Foam Mattresses by the Wirecutter. Buyers don’t get charged for shipping and returns. Leesa donates one mattress to charity out of every ten sales. Headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, the company had 70 employees as of 2019. Leesa made $400 million in revenues. Leesa and Casper came to disrupt the mattress industry with their innovative products. They both use memory foam on their mattresses. But that’s just where similarities between the two companies end. Most mattress review sites rate Casper mattresses as having a softer feeling while Leesa mattresses are firmer. The construction of Leesa mattresses also makes them cooler. Overall, Casper slightly pips Leesa to the top spot in terms of revenue. John-Thomas Marino and founded Tuft & Needle in 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona. The company manufactures mattresses and bedding which it sells directly to consumers. Tuft & Needle also earns its revenue from the sale of furniture bed frames, dog beds, and pouches. In 2018, Serta Simmons Bedding merged with the company even though it continues to operate as a brand of its own. Tuft & Needle earned about $200 million in revenues. As of 2019, the company had 123 employees. Tuft & Needle’s revenue has not been made public since its merger with Serta Simmons Bedding despite operating as a brand of its own. The last reported revenue was $170 million (2017) which analysts projected to rise to $200 million the following year. In spite of that, Casper posted better revenue than Tuft & Needle. Tuft & Needle seems content with living in the shadows of its parent company. Headquartered in Lehi, Utah, Purple Innovation is an American comfort technology company that produces mattresses, pillows, platform bases, seat cushions, and back cushions. It also sells its products directly to consumers. The company was established by the Pearce brothers Terry and Pearce in 2015. They had started out in 1989 by creating carbon fiber wheelchairs and sporting goods. They later registered EdiZone LLC which patented 23 trademarks for hyper-elastic polymers, cushioning materials, and fluids. In 2013, they patented Mattress Max machine that enabled them to use larger pieces of polymers for making mattresses. A king-size mattress in 2015 marked the entry of Purple Innovation into the mattress industry. Its revenue for 2019 was $428.4 million. The company employs 875 people. Purple innovation is almost at the same level as Casper when it comes to revenues. But Casper just edges it out with a small margin even though Purple has a broader product portfolio compared to the former. While the two companies are some of the largest brands in the mattress industry and all make foam mattresses, Purple uses a hyper-elastic polymer grid which makes its mattresses feel weightless. It is more popular among backpackers than regular users. Sleep Number has its headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota. But it also operates manufacturing and distribution centers in Utah and South Carolina. Besides its Sleep Number 360 and Comfortaire bed brands, the company also makes foundations and bedding accessories. Sleep Number was founded in 1987 by Bob Walker and his wife as Sleep Comfort. It rebranded to its current name in 2017. With operations in the US and Canada, Sleep Number runs about 579 stores. It had 4,476 employees as of 2019. Its revenue turnover was $1.69 billion. While Casper is the new kid on the block, Sleep Number has been around for quite some time. Casper came to interrupt the mattress industry with its direct-to-consumer business model. But going by Sleep Number’s revenues, the hit had no impact on it. The company is popular for its adjustable air beds’ ability to adjust the support and firmness. Sleep Number also offers buyers the choice of choosing from four different types- Classic, Performance, Innovation, and Sleep Number 360 series. Tempur Sealy International was established in 2012 after Tempur-Pedic International bought off Sealy Corporation. At the time, Sealy Corporation was Tempur-Pedic International’s biggest competitor when it came to manufacturing foam mattresses. Tempur Sealy International manufactures mattresses, pillows, foundations, and other sleep products. The company operates in the US with third-party retailers selling its products outside of the US. Some of its brands include Tempur, Sealy, Tempur-Sedic, Stearns & Foster, and Posturepedic. Tempur Sealy International is headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. It has 7,400 employees. Its revenue for 2019 was $3.1 billion. While Casper is a trend-setter in the mattress-in-a-box space, Tempur Sealy International is a household name in the industry. It has a range of sleeping products that are suited to almost every type of sleeper. Casper’s revenue is only a fraction of that of Tempur Sealy International. There have been rumors of Tempur Sealy International acquiring Casper. The company said there has never been a discussion about purchasing Casper. Helix Sleep serves customers both in the United States and Canada. It expanded to Canada in 2016. The US buyers get to have their orders shipped for free. The company makes custom-made mattresses that can be personalized to an individual buyer’s preferences. It has a showroom in Soho, Manhattan where buyers get the opportunity to test their personalized products. Jerry Lin, Adam Tishman, and Kristian Von Rickenbach founded Helix Sleep in 2015. Headquartered in New York City, New York, the company employs 27 people. Its revenue for 2019 was $50 million. Helix Sleep and Casper came into the market at almost the same time with Casper slightly ahead. But Casper caught on immediately and was an instant hit. Perhaps the celebrity endorsements it got helped propel it to the top. Five years into the industry and Casper makes more than 8 times what Helix Sleep generates in revenues. Kingsdown specializes in making handcrafted mattresses. It has manufacturing plants in Virginia, Texas, Florida, and California. A.N Scott and W.W. Cobert founded the company in 1904 in Mebane, North Carolina, under the name The Mebane Bedding Company. It was later rebranded to Kingsdown. The company has since then expanded its operations to the international markets with operations in China, South Korea, UAE, and Taiwan. As of 2019, Kingsdown had 350 employees on its payroll and a revenue turnover of $350 million. Kingsdown has been in the mattress industry for over 95 years. It has also expanded its operations into the international markets where its products are sold through licensed partners. But the new kid on the bloc, Casper, has easily overtaken it since its entry into the industry five years. If it is ever said that Casper disrupted the mattress industry, then Kingsdown is one of the casualties of the disruption. Headquartered in New York City, New York, Saatva’s specialty is in luxury mattresses. The company offers three mattress brands including the Saatva Luxury Mattress, Loom and Leaf Memory Foam Mattress, and Zenhaven Natural Latex mattress brand. Founded in 2011 by Ron Rudzin and Ricky Joshi, the Saatva Luxury Mattress brand was its initial product before it expanded to the other brands. Saatva sells its products exclusively online without any brick-and-mortar store. The company had a revenue turnover of $375 million in 2019. It had 190 employees. Saatva and Casper have been a hit since they came into the market. They both provide their customers with high-value sleeping products and their economic pricing models have won them fans. On any other level, it is a tough call deciding which of the two companies has an upper hand over the other. But when it comes to revenues, Casper is clearly leading the way. Mattress Firm was founded in 1986 by Steve Fendrich, Harry Roberts, and Paul Stork. The company was established with the aim of helping buyers find sleep products within their budgets. Mattress Firm has since grown into one of the largest specialty mattress retailers in the US. It has operations in 19 states and offers a wide selection of bedding accessories besides mattresses. Steinhoff International Holdings acquired Mattress Firm in 2016 and the company now operates as its subsidiary. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Mattress Firm had 10,000 employees as of 2019 and $3.4 billion in revenues. In the last four years, Mattress Firm’s revenue has stagnated around the $3 billion mark. As a mattress retailer, Casper’s direct-to-consumer business model is a big threat to its existence. In 2018, Mattress Firm filed for bankruptcy and has since been closing down a number of stores across the US. The company is one of the mattress industry players feeling the heat of the disruption caused by mattress start-ups such as Casper. FloBeds was founded in 1971 by Dave, a Stanford University student, in Palo Alto, California. It was a specialty sleep business selling waterbeds. The company, family-owned, has since morphed into a personalized mattress manufacturer. FloBeds sells its products both within and outside the US. as of 2019, the company had 597 employees and posted $357.89 million in revenues. FloBeds is another early starter in the mattress industry that has been overtaken by Casper. But is holding up quite well. The fact that it is family-owned means it has the flexibility to adapt to changes in its business environment. Casper, being a public company, will have to seek the approval of investors before making any major investment decisions. FloBeds can overtake Casper in a few years’ time. The top 10 Casper competitors are: Leesa Sleep, Tuft & Needle, Purple Innovation, Sleep Number, Tempur Sealy International, Helix Sleep, Kingsdown, Saatva, Mattress Firm, and FloBeds. Their combined revenue for 2019 was $10.35 billion. They had a total of 24,108 employees among them. While many of Casper’s competitors focus on mattresses and cushions, younger companies keep up and develop in the field of more affordable but equally useful sleep accessories. Companies like Mela are winning the weighted blankets market and their products like Mela Premium Weighted Blankets are now at their peak. That’s why big brands shouldn’t relax. As companies are developing much faster in the modern world, the balance of power may soon change. NAME FOUNDED HEADQUARTERS EMPLOYEES Leesa Sleep 2015 Virginia Beach, Virginia 70 Tuft & Needle 2012 Phoenix, Arizona 123 Purple Innovation 2015 Lehi, Utah 875 Sleep Number 1987 Minneapolis, Minnesota 4,476 Tempur Sealy International 2012 Lexington, Kentucky 7,400 Helix Sleep 2015 New York City, New York 27 Kingsdown 1904 Mebane, North Carolina 350 Saatva 2011 New York City, New York 190 Mattress Firm 1986 Houston, Texas 10,000 FloBeds 1971 Palo Alto, California 597	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2247
__label__wiki	0.612157	0.612157	Kerri-Anne Kennerley relives the moment.. Kerri-Anne Kennerley relives the moment she almost shot her husband AutobiographyKerri-Anne Kennerley Australia’s queen of television Kerri-Anne Kennerley is one of the country’s most public people, but behind the glitz and glamour is a remarkable woman who’s spent her entire life battling to survive. It started with her abusive first husband Jimmy Miller who she stood up to, pointing a gun at him at their home in New York. Kerri-Anne joined 2GB’s Alan Jones in studio saying she was ready to pull the trigger. “I still remember that moment vividly. “When he got into a rage he wasn’t a nice person… and I just got to the line, that’s it, no more. “I do remember picking up the gun and saying don’t come anywhere near me.” While forging a 50 year television career, the girl from Queensland continued to fight adversity, surviving a battle with breast cancer before her greatest challenge yet. In 2016 a freak fall left her second husband John a quadriplegic. On their long road to recovery Kerri-Anne has penned the autobiography, reflecting on a lifetime of memories, good and bad. ‘A Bold Life’ is out now… click here for more information. EntertainmentLifestyle	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2251
__label__cc	0.644039	0.355961	https://www.aacsb.edu/events/conference/2020/europe-middle-east-and-africa-annual/sponsors-exhibitors/exhibitor-showcase Events for Business Educators>Business Education Conferences>Europe, Middle East, and Africa Annual Conference>Sponsors & Exhibitors>Exhibitor Showcase Europe, Middle East, and Africa Annual Conference Visit our virtual exhibitor showcase at the EMEA Annual Conference to chat live with exhibitors as they present innovative solutions and the latest products and services in business education. Europe, Middle East, and Africa Annual Conference Exhibitors American University of the Middle East, College of Business Administration The American University of the Middle East (AUM) is a private university established in 2008. The University became within the last 10 years a landmark in the private education sector in Kuwait and the region through its curricula, its integrated campus, and its embracing culture. The College of Business Administration (CBA) at AUM is a model of excellence in innovation, learning and engagement in Business Education. It offers a BS degree in Accounting and a BS degree in Business Administration with concentrations in Finance, Marketing, Management Information System and Human Resources Management; in addition to a Master’s degree program in Business Administration (MBA). Learn more: www.aum.edu.kw Educational Testing Service (ETS) At nonprofit ETS, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating high-quality assessments based on rigorous research. Business schools rely on ETS to help them to meet assurance of learning and continuous improvement requirements, and achieve mission strategies and expected outcomes to satisfy AACSB accreditation (Standard 5.1). Learn more: www.ets.org/highered Dedicated exclusively to the education sector, Higher Education Marketing has been a trusted partner of leading global business schools, universities, and educational organizations for over a decade. We combine digital marketing, CRM, consulting services, and our custom-built Student Application Portal to provide everything you need to convert more students online. Learn more: www.higher-education-marketing.com Peregrine Global Services Peregrine Global Services develops leaders and provides higher education assessment, educational, and support services. We combine technical ability with expert consulting to provide organizations the information and resources they need to accomplish their goals. Agile and responsive, we strive to understand your needs to improve individuals and organizations. The world is complex; problems are dynamic. By leveraging our expertise from various backgrounds, cultures, and industries, we offer a diversity of perspectives to address challenges. We generate results that work with practical solutions to solve today’s problems for tomorrow’s success. Learn more: www.peregrineglobal.com QED – The Accreditation Experts QED is a higher education advisory firm that provides tailored, strategic advice to Higher Education internationally. Our key services include: - Accreditation Support and Best Practice Advisory Services; - Mock Peer Review Panels; - Best-practice workshop and training seminars; - Leadership Development Workshops and Programmes; - Executive Coaching Learn more: www.qedaccreditation.com In today's quickly evolving, global competitive markets, every decision is only as good as the intelligence used to make it. We invest in the right technology and people, so we can turn raw data into actionable insights. That's why we're critical to governments, companies and individuals the world over. We mine through billions of data points to uncover what matters, to empower you with critical information. Our essential data, analytics and benchmarks empower the decisions that set the world in motion. Learn more: www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) provides the leading business intelligence, data analytics, and research platform to global institutions ̶ enabling comprehensive thought leadership, historical analysis, and insight into the latest innovations in research. WRDS democratizes data access so that all disciplines can easily search for concepts across the data repository. Partnering with global vendors, WRDS hosts the broadest collection of data on the most robust computing infrastructure to give users the power to analyze complex information. Learn more: wrds-www.wharton.upenn.edu Sponsorship and Exhibit Opportunities	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2252
__label__wiki	0.775242	0.775242	Abbotsford man guilty of sex assault involving two girls ages 12 and 13 An Abbotsford man was found guilty on Wednesday in Chilliwack Supreme Court of sexual offences involving two girls aged 12 and 13. Vikki Hopes Shaun Michael Sloat, 33, is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 13 on two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual interference, occurring in November 2007. Sloat was charged in August 2009 after an extensive investigation by the Abbotsford Police Department (APD). Const. Ian MacDonald said the matter was brought to the APD’s attention in February 2009, when a youth worker reported that an older man was befriending some young girls to whom she was providing support. MacDonald said police then conducted an extensive investigation, and allegations began to emerge that there had been sexual contact between the man and girls aged 12 to 14. The abuse had apparently taken place at the man’s house, where he invited the teens to hang out. MacDonald said the difficulty was in finding victims who were willing to talk to police. Some did not trust authority figures, while others viewed the man as a friend and did not want to “rat him out,” he said. Two victims were willing to testify, and did so during Sloat’s trial. Crown prosecutor Sylvia Domaradzki praised the two girls – now ages 15 and 17 – for their strength and courage. “They did very well (at the trial). I’m very proud of them,” she said. In addition to the sexual offences, Sloat was initially charged with two counts of administering a noxious substance, but they were stayed because there was not enough evidence to call an expert to testify, Domaradzki said. Sloat is not currently in custody. According to the provincial court database, he has an extensive criminal record in Abbotsford, including previous convictions for assault, possession of a controlled substance, uttering threats, possession of stolen property and theft. Jaaja Barb’s Home of Angels: Children already receiving help Pilot being sued over collision	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2253
__label__cc	0.621118	0.378882	Steve Anderson is Executive Vice President responsible for developing investing and banking solutions for affluent retail investors and end clients of independent investment advisors. Anderson has been in the financial services industry for more than 35 years and has extensive management, sales, and client service experience. He joined The Charles Schwab Corporation ("Charles Schwab") in 1999. In prior roles, Anderson was head of Schwab Retirement Plan Services and managed various business units in Schwab Investor Services ("Schwab"). His responsibilities in Schwab Retirement Plan Services included overseeing plan sponsor services, consultant relations, and national sales. In August of 2004, he joined the leadership team of Schwab Investor Services and was responsible for the sales, service, and investment advice efforts of Schwab's retail branch network, with more than 325 U.S. locations as well as international offices. He rejoined Schwab Retirement Plan Services to lead the enterprise in 2008. Prior to joining Charles Schwab, Anderson provided insurance planning for businesses and high-net-worth individuals. Anderson has served in many community leadership positions, including director for a community hospital board, trustee of a hospital foundation, trustee and board president of a hospice organization, and trustee of a city school foundation. He is on the Board of Directors of the Charles Schwab Foundation and Miami University Foundation. He is a graduate of Miami University and has completed the Harvard Business School General Management Program. The Charles Schwab Corporation provides a full range of securities brokerage, money management and financial advisory services through its operating subsidiaries. Its broker-dealer subsidiary, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., offers investment services and products. Schwab Advisor Services™ serves independent investment advisors and includes the custody, trading, and support services of Schwab. Independent investment advisors are not owned, affiliated with, or supervised by Schwab. Schwab Retirement Plan Services, Inc., and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. are separate but affiliated companies and subsidiaries of The Charles Schwab Corporation. Schwab Retirement Plan Services, Inc. provide recordkeeping and related services with respect to retirement plans. 0719-9T7W	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2254
__label__wiki	0.821788	0.821788	Walter W. Bettinger II President and CEO \| Director since 2008 Mr. Bettinger has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Charles Schwab Corporation and a member of the Board of Directors since 2008. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Charles Schwab Bank and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., subsidiaries of the company, and as a trustee of The Charles Schwab Family of Funds, Schwab Investments, Schwab Capital Trust, Schwab Annuity Portfolios, Laudus Trust and Schwab Strategic Trust, all registered investment companies and affiliates of the company. Prior to assuming his current role, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer of the company. He also served as Executive Vice President and President – Schwab Investor Services from 2005 until 2007, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer – Individual Investor Enterprise from 2004 until 2005, Executive Vice President and President – Corporate Services from 2002 until 2004 and Executive Vice President and President – Retirement Plan Services from 2000 until 2002. Mr. Bettinger joined the company in 1995 as part of the acquisition of The Hampton Company, which he founded in 1983. Mr. Bettinger has significant financial services experience, having served in a senior executive role overseeing sales, service, marketing and operations for over 35 years. As Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Bettinger works closely with the board in evaluating and enhancing the strategic position of the company.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2255
__label__wiki	0.907178	0.907178	Reminder: DNC lawyers told the court they do not owe voters an 'impartial' or 'evenhanded' primary election / Reminder: DNC lawyers told the court they do not owe voters an 'impartial' or 'evenhanded' primary election Screengrab via Lorie Shaull, Wikipedia. Thomas Neuburger This is your periodic reminder that the "Democratic Party" is not an organization that Democratic voters belong to or have any right to control. The Democratic Party is instead a private organization, much like a club, that non-members support by giving it their money, their time and their votes. (The same is true of the "Republican Party.) All other "rights" and promises offered by the Party to its supporters, including those obligations described in the DNC charter, are not obligations at all, but voluntary gifts that can be withdrawn at any time. At least, that's how the DNC sees it. Consider this report of a 2017 court filing, one that almost no one noticed, in which Sanders supporters sued the DNC for violating the section of its charter that requires DNC-run elections to be "impartial" and "evenhanded." The DNC's defense was, in essence, "So what?" (emphasis added below): DNC Lawyers Argue DNC Has Right to Pick Candidates in Back Rooms Attorneys claim the words 'impartial' and 'evenhanded'—as used in the DNC Charter—can't be interpreted by a court of law. On April 28 the transcript [pdf] was released from the most recent hearing at a federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on the lawsuit filed on behalf of Bernie Sanders supporters against the Democratic National Committee and former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz for rigging the Democratic primaries for Hillary Clinton. Throughout the hearing, lawyers representing the DNC and Debbie Wasserman Schultz double[d] down on arguments confirming the disdain the Democratic establishment has toward Bernie Sanders supporters and any entity challenging the party’s status quo. Shortly into the hearing, DNC attorneys claim Article V, Section 4 of the DNC Charter—stipulating that the DNC chair and their staff must ensure neutrality in the Democratic presidential primaries—is “a discretionary rule that it didn’t need to adopt to begin with.” Based on this assumption, DNC attorneys assert that the court cannot interpret, claim, or rule on anything associated with whether the DNC remains neutral in their presidential primaries. The attorneys representing the DNC have previously argued that Sanders supporters knew the primaries were rigged, therefore annulling any potential accountability the DNC may have. In the latest hearing, they doubled down on this argument: “The Court would have to find that people who fervently supported Bernie Sanders and who purportedly didn’t know that this favoritism was going on would have not given to Mr. Sanders, to Senator Sanders, if they had known that there was this purported favoritism.” ... “People paid money in reliance on the understanding that the primary elections for the Democratic nominee—nominating process in 2016 were fair and impartial,” [Jared] Beck [the attorney representing Sanders supporters in the class action lawsuit] said. “And that’s not just a bedrock assumption that we would assume just by virtue of the fact that we live in a democracy, and we assume that our elections are run in a fair and impartial manner. But that’s what the Democratic National Committee’s own charter says. It says it in black and white. And they can’t deny that.” He added, “Not only is it in the charter, but it was stated over and over again in the media by the Democratic National Committee’s employees, including Congresswoman Wassermann Schultz, that they were, in fact, acting in compliance with the charter. And they said it again and again, and we’ve cited several instances of that in the case.” According to this report, attorneys for the DNC argued that the DNC was not liable to Sanders supporters if they threw the primary race to Clinton, or tilted it toward her, because: (a) Sanders supporters already knew the primary was rigged (did DNC lawyers really say that?), and (b) the DNC charter requirement that elections be "impartial" and "evenhanded" is discretionary and not a requirement. Shorter DNC lawyers: "We don't have to run an evenhanded primary, even if we say we're going to." About the second point, let's look at the court transcript itself. In this section, the court asks: If Sanders supporters give money to an election run by the DNC, and if the DNC violates its charter and runs an election that unfairly disadvantages Sanders, do Sanders supporters have standing to sue? DNC's response is below. "Mr. Spiva" is Bruce Spiva, one of the DNC's defense lawyers (emphasis mine): THE COURT: All right. Let me ask the defense -- we're going to go into the issue of standing now at this point. Let me ask counsel. If a person is fraudulently induced to donate to a charitable organization, does he have standing to sue the person who induced the donation? MR. SPIVA: I think, your Honor, if the circumstance were such that the [charitable] organization promised that it was going to abide by some general principle, and the donee -- or donor, rather, ultimately sued, because they said, Well, we don't think you're living up to that general principle, we don't think you're, you know, serving kids adequately, we think your program is -- the way you're running your program is not adequate, you know, you're not doing it well enough, that that -- that they would not have standing in that circumstance. [On the other hand] I think if somebody -- a charitable organization were to solicit funds and say, Hey, we're gonna spend this money on after-school programs for kids, and the executive director actually put the money in their pocket and went down the street and bought a Mercedes-Benz, I think in that circumstance, they would have standing. I think this circumstance is even one step further towards the no standing side of that, because here we're talking about a political party and political principles and debate. And that's an area where there's a wealth of doctrine and case law about how that -- just simply giving money does not give one standing to direct how the party conducts its affairs, or to complain about the outcomes, or whether or not the party is abiding by its own internal rules. And I should say, your Honor, I just want to be clear, because I know it may sometimes sound like I am somehow suggesting that I think the party did not -- you know, the party's position is that it has not violated in the least this provision of its charter. THE COURT: I understand. MR. SPIVA: So I just want to get that out there. But to even determine -- to make that determination would require the Court to wade into this political thicket. And -- you know, which would invade its First Amendment interests, and also, I think, would raise issues -- standing issues along all three prongs of the standing test. After a legal discussion of the "three prongs," the court asks this: THE COURT: And then one other question on the issue of standing for the defense. Is there a difference between a campaign promise made by a political candidate and a promise that pertains to the integrity of the primary process itself? In other words, President George H.W. Bush's -- MR. SPIVA: "Read my lips." THE COURT: -- promise -- "read my lips, no new taxes," and then he raised taxes. Well, he could not be sued for raising taxes. But with respect to the DNC charter, Article V, Section 4, is there a difference between the two? MR. SPIVA: Not one -- there's obviously a difference in degree. I think your Honor -- I'm not gonna -- I don't want to overreach and say that there's no difference. But I don't think there's a difference that's material in terms of how the Court should decide the question before it in terms of standing, in that this, again, goes to how the party runs itself, how it decides who it's going to associate with, how it decides how it's going to choose its standard bearer ultimately. In case after case, from O'Brien, to Wymbs, to Wisconsin v. LaFollette, Cousins v. Wigoda, the Supreme Court and other courts have affirmed the party's right to make that determination. Those are internal issues that the party gets to decide basically without interference from the courts. You know, again, if you had a charity where somebody said, Hey, I'm gonna take this money and use it for a specific purpose, X, and they pocketed it and stole the money, of course that's different. But here, where you have a party [the DNC] that's saying, We're gonna, you know, choose our standard bearer, and we're gonna follow these general rules of the road, which we are voluntarily deciding, we could have -- and we could have voluntarily decided that, Look, we're gonna go into back rooms like they used to and smoke cigars and pick the candidate that way. That's not the way it was done. But they could have. And that would have also been their right, and it would drag the Court well into party politics, internal party politics to answer those questions. To this day the DNC believes that if it wanted to "go into back rooms" and "pick the [presidential] candidate," this would "have been their right," and no one outside the organization would have any right to enforce the DNC charter or interfere in any other way. Good to know as we watch the 2020 machinations unfold before us. Inside the Capitol riot: What more than 500 Parler videos reveal Here's why the NRA is really filing for bankruptcy and moving to Texas	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2257
__label__wiki	0.801507	0.801507	DOGS TO GET UPGRADED KENNEL SHINBONERS BOUNCING BACK Clubs at the forefront of creating respect in our community through the AFL Leading for Change initiative Published by AFL Yarra Ranges on November 15, 2018 The Wandin Football and Netball Club will finally have their clubrooms upgraded after a quarter of a century wait, off the back of a successful Pledge Night at the Gardner’s Run last Friday. The Club had over 100 people in attendance with a percentage from each ticket going towards the funding of the proposed multipurpose facility. Ex-Wandin President , Rob Bayliss, spoke about the variety of people in attendance at the event on Friday from across both junior and senior clubs and the wider community. “People from all different sections of the community were in attendance, not just people from the two football clubs,” “The club has been waiting almost 25 years for the new rooms, so we always knew there would be a pretty big deal made about it.” The total raised from the Pledge night finished at $315,000, $65,000 more than their desired target of $250,000 with notable contributions from the Wandin Junior Football Club, Porter Davis Homes, Methven Real Estate and the Byrne, Bayliss, Napolean and Leech-Hines Families. However the most notable contribution was that of the Wandin – Seville Community Bank Branch, who pledged $100,000 to the cause and have committed to helping the club with any future needs. It’s not the first time that the Dogs have attempted to get their rooms upgraded. Over the course of this 25 year wait they’ve had many failed attempts, before Bayliss and a few others (Dannie McKinnon, Joe Napolean and Terry Leech-Hines) were able to get ex-Yarra Ranges Council Mayor David Hodgett to make the Wandin upgrade a high priority. “It’s taken us three and a half years since then (involvement with Hodgett) with design plans and permits, but we should start building in July, possibly April,” Bayliss said about the final stages of planning. Wandin will still need Federal funding, which the expect to be linked to the election early next year, meaning the July start is the more likely one. The new facility will consist of two buildings, one being club centric, including change rooms, umpires rooms, committee rooms and a super box, whilst the second will be the social rooms which can be neutralised for any event, without all the football memorabilia usually associated with sporting club rooms. The two buildings will be separated by a courtyard. “Our focus has been to not just build a pub for the sporting clubs (Football and Cricket), but to build a facility that can be used for any event, such as local school graduations,” said Bayliss. The rooms are expected to hold up to 170 people. Not only will the rooms help the club off the field, Bayliss expects it will effect the on field as well. The old rooms had often been a deterrent for prospective signings. “Troy Simmonds, who played some of his junior football at Wandin, came down for a look after his AFL retirement and he had a look at our rooms, before driving down to Montrose to have a look at theirs,” “I’m pretty sure he rang them straightaway and said I’ll play footy for you blokes.” The club is still on the campaign trail, as they seek to raise more funds to ensure that the kitchen and alike will be ready to cope with any large scale events that the rooms could host, whilst they expect the clubrooms to be ready for the first round of the 2020 season. Beyond that the club will continue to find ways to improve their set-up. “We want a second netball court as well. We’ve got five strong teams and we want them to all train together,” “We’re just a club and committee that wants to grow with the league and its expansion.”	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2260
__label__wiki	0.942789	0.942789	USA: Nate Parker’s 'American Skin' Takes #BLM to New Levels CAR: UN mission repels rebel attack in Bouar Copyright © africanews By Rédaction Africanews Last updated: 10/01 - 15:40 The rebels on the offensive in the Central African Republic against the power of President Faustin Archangel Touadéra, freshly declared re-elected after a controversial election, attacked Saturday Bouar, a major city 340 km from the capital Bangui, announced the UN peacekeepers. Two French fighter jets were dispatched for a "mission of overflight" of the country by President Emmanuel Macron who reaffirmed his support for the electoral process and "strongly" condemned the rebels' attempts to "undermine" it. These aircraft "flew over" Bouar, to "support the military" Central African Republic whose an important base has been taken to task, assured in a message to AFP the Detachment of Operational Assistance in the Central African Republic (DETAO-RCA), French soldiers who are securing the Bangui airport. In mid-morning, "armed elements attacked the positions of the Central African Armed Forces (FACA)" in Bouar, which houses Camp Leclerc, the army headquarters in the western region, the most densely populated in the country, said Lieutenant-Colonel Abdoulaziz Fall, spokesman for the military component of the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), to AFP. The peacekeepers "came in support and were also taken to task," he added without further details. The attack began at 10:30 am when armed elements attacked the FACA base and Minusca who were fired on by rockets, but told AFP UN officials on condition of anonymity. Two attack helicopters of Minusca were engaged and the fighting stopped at around 12:30, according to the same sources. "UNMIN has regained control of the situation," said to AFP a high-ranking peacekeepers in Bouar. Six of the most powerful of the armed groups that have occupied two-thirds of the country since the start of the civil war in 2013, allied themselves in mid-November in a Coalition of Patriots for the Central African Republic (CPC). Then they launched an offensive to disrupt the elections, 10 days before the presidential and legislative elections on 27 December. Faced with the FACA strongly supported by the Blue Helmets and significant reinforcements of Russian paramilitaries and Rwandan soldiers, the rebels have so far made little progress towards Bangui and their attacks are generally confined to towns hundreds of km from the capital. But Bouar is the fifth largest city in the country with 40,000 inhabitants and occupies a strategic position on a crucial road for supplying Bangui from Cameroon. Mr. Touadéra, who has ruled the country since 2016, was declared re-elected on 4 December, but only one out of two voters had the opportunity to go to the polls on 27 December because of insecurity in a country two-thirds of which is occupied by armed groups, rebels or simple predators of its resources. Ten opposition candidates called for the presidential and legislative elections to be cancelled, which they said were "discredited" by "massive fraud" and low voter turnout. The results must be validated by the Constitutional Court before 19 January, after the study of appeals. The announcement three weeks ago of a rebel offensive to prevent the elections has rekindled tensions in the country, which has been plagued since 2013 by a civil war that will continue until 2018, before easing to a low level. In his statement on Saturday, Mr Macron called for "respect for the forthcoming decisions of the Constitutional Court, while stressing the need for an open and inclusive political dialogue". Uganda: Bobi Wine Calls on the International Community Violent Clashes Continue in Tunisia for Fourth Night UN says death of Rwanda soldier in CAR likely a 'war crime' CAR: Attacks from Rebels Subdued by Combined Military Forces Rebels attack Central African Republic's capital	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2262
__label__wiki	0.960797	0.960797	AirCalculator.com Flight Routes, Distance and Maps for Every Airport on Earth Map a new flight route: Browse Flight Routes Airport information and maps for Uberlândia–Ten. Cel. Av. César Bombonato Airport: Share this airport: UDI Airport Information: IATA / ICAO Codes: UDI / SBUL Airport Names: Uberlândia–Ten. Cel. Av. César Bombonato Airport Aeroporto de Uberlândia–Ten. Cel. Av. César Bombonato Location: Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil GPS Coordinates: 18°53'0"S by 48°13'31"W Area Served: Uberlândia Operator/Owner: Infraero Airport Type: Public Elevation: 3,094 feet (943 meters) # of Runways: 1 View all routes: Routes from UDI Facts about UDI Map of Nearest Airports to UDI List of Nearest Airports to UDI Map of Furthest Airports from UDI List of Furthest Airports from UDI Facts about Uberlândia–Ten. Cel. Av. César Bombonato Airport (UDI): In 1980 the administration of the airport was taken over by Infraero and on June 8, 2001 the name was officially changed to include a tribute to the aviator César Bombonato. The closest airport to Uberlândia–Ten. Cel. Av. César Bombonato Airport (UDI) is Uberaba–Mário de Almeida Franco Airport (UBA), which is located 63 miles (102 kilometers) SSE of UDI. The furthest airport from Uberlândia–Ten. Cel. Av. César Bombonato Airport (UDI) is Minami-Daito Airport (MMD), which is located 11,955 miles (19,239 kilometers) away in Minami Daito, Okinawa, Japan. Uberlândia–Ten. Cel. Av. César Bombonato Airport handled 1,011,073 passengers last year. Uberlândia–Ten. Cel. Av. César Bombonato Airport (UDI) currently has only 1 runway. In addition to being known as "Uberlândia–Ten. Cel. Av. César Bombonato Airport", another name for UDI is "Aeroporto de Uberlândia–Ten. Cel. Av. César Bombonato". Map of Nearest Airports from Uberlândia–Ten. Cel. Av. César Bombonato Airport: List of Nearest Airports from Uberlândia–Ten. Cel. Av. César Bombonato Airport: Rank Distance & Direction Airport Name & IATA Code Airport Location Further Actions 1 63.18 miles (101.68 km) SSE Uberaba–Mário de Almeida Franco Airport (UBA) Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil 2 71.47 miles (115.03 km) WNW Francisco Vilela do Amaral Airport (ITR) Itumbiara, Goiás, Brazil 3 83.95 miles (135.11 km) NNW Nelson Ribeiro Guimarães Airport (CLV) Caldas Novas, Goiás, Brazil 4 94.56 miles (152.18 km) ESE Romeu Zema Airport (AAX) Araxá, Minas Gerais, Brazil 5 114.36 miles (184.04 km) E Pedro Pereira dos Santos Airport (POJ) Patos de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brazil 6 120.04 miles (193.18 km) SSW Chafei Amsei State Airport (BAT) Barretos, São Paulo, Brazil 7 130.03 miles (209.27 km) SSE Ten. Lund Presetto State Airport (FRC) Franca, São Paulo, Brazil 8 153.96 miles (247.77 km) SSW Prof. Eribelto Manoel Reino State Airport (SJP) São José do Rio Preto, Brazil 9 158.35 miles (254.84 km) S Dr. Leite Lopes State Airport (RAO) Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil 10 169.09 miles (272.13 km) NNW Santa Genoveva/Goiânia Airport (GYN) Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil 11 201.88 miles (324.90 km) S Bartolomeu de Gusmão State Airport (AQA) Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil 12 207.83 miles (334.47 km) S Mário Pereira Lopes State Airport (QSC) São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil 13 209.24 miles (336.74 km) N Brasília–Pres. Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport (BSB) Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil 14 211.69 miles (340.67 km) SW Dario Guarita State Airport (ARU) Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil 15 236.18 miles (380.09 km) ESE Brigadeiro Cabral Airport (DIQ) Divinópolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil Map of Furthest Airports from Uberlândia–Ten. Cel. Av. César Bombonato Airport: List of Furthest Airports from Uberlândia–Ten. Cel. Av. César Bombonato Airport: 1 11,954.59 miles (19,239.00 km) N Minami-Daito Airport (MMD) Minami Daito, Okinawa, Japan 2 11,948.09 miles (19,228.53 km) N Kitadaito Airport (KTD) Kitadaito, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan 3 11,867.12 miles (19,098.23 km) NNE Naha Airport (OKA) Okinawa, Japan 4 11,861.16 miles (19,088.64 km) NNE Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō (DNA) Okinawa Prefecture, Japan 5 11,858.04 miles (19,083.61 km) NNE Kerama Airport (KJP) Kerama Islands, Okinawa, Japan 6 11,854.91 miles (19,078.58 km) NE Miyako Airport (MMY) Miyakojima, Okinawa, Japan 7 11,845.94 miles (19,064.15 km) NE Shimojishima Airport (SHI) Shimojishima, Japan 8 11,838.72 miles (19,052.52 km) NNE Iejima Airport (IEJ) Iejima, Japan 9 11,830.98 miles (19,040.08 km) NNE Aguni Airport (AGJ) Aguni, Japan 10 11,820.66 miles (19,023.46 km) NE Ishigaki Airport (ISG) Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan 11 11,815.23 miles (19,014.72 km) NE Virac Airport (VRC) Virac, Catanduanes, Philippines 12 11,812.15 miles (19,009.77 km) NE Hateruma Airport (HTR) Hateruma, Okinawa, Japan 13 11,790.50 miles (18,974.93 km) ENE Basco Airport (BSO) Basco, Batanes, Philippines 14 11,789.06 miles (18,972.60 km) NE Catarman National Airport (CRM) Catarman, Northern Samar, Philippines 15 11,774.35 miles (18,948.93 km) N Kikai Airport (KKX) Kikaiga Shima, Kikai-Shima Island, Japan ©2021 AirCalculator.com. All rights reserved.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2264
__label__cc	0.542518	0.457482	Fractional Detailed Stock Photos and Images Five-cent US Postal Currency, first issue, featuring Thomas Jefferson. Gold, silver and copper coins were horded at the start of the Civil War and postages stamps became a popular form of currency; however the adhesive back was a serious impediment. On July 17, 1862, Congress authorized printing of Postal Currency notes in the denominations of 5, 10, 25 and 50 cents. These notes could be redeemed for postage stamps or for a US bank note in the amount of five dollars or more. The Postal Currency was succeeded by Fractional Currency in 1863. The Post Office kept detailed records and 44,857,78 Five-cent US Postal Currency, first issue, featuring Thomas Jefferson. Gold, silver and copper coins were horded at the start of the Civil War and postages stamps became a popular form of currency; however the adhesive back was a serious impediment. 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__label__wiki	0.658863	0.658863	Expansion of Islam and Military Campaigns - Battle Of Bahrseer Home > History > Khalifa Umar > Expansion of Islam and Military Campaigns-Expansion of Islam and Military Campaigns - Battle Of Bahrseer In the second week of January 637, Zuhra advanced with his corps and reached Sabat four miles from Ctesiphon. It was a Persian cantonment, but there was no garrison there. The Mayor of Sabat, Sheerzad waited on Zuhra and offered allegiance to the Muslims. The residents were given protection on the usual terms. Now the entire land upto the very gates of Ctesiphon belonged to the Muslims. Ctesiphon the capital of Persia was not one city; it was a conglomeration of several cities. Indeed the Arabs called Ctesiphon 'Al-Madain', meaning the cities. The main city I lay on the eastern bank of the Tigris. One of the cities forming part of 'Al-Madain' lay on the western bank of the Tigris and was known as Bahrseer. Bahrseer had been prepared for defence, and a deep ditch had been dug round the perimeter of the suburb. As the Muslim advance guard approached Bahrseer, the Persian garrison within the fortified city hurled stones at the Muslims through ballistas and catapults. The Muslims pulled back beyond the range of the stones and decided to lay siege to the city. The siege began in January 637, and dragged on for two months. The supplies from the countryside on which Bahrseer depended were entirely cut off, and the citizens were reduced to eating cats and dogs. Things for the Persian force became still worse, when some of the Persians who had accepted the Muslim rule, built for the Muslims engines which could throw stones. Equipped with these engines, the Muslims were able to answer the Persian military fire, stone for stone. That caused considerable havoc among the besieged citizens. One day in March 637, cut to sore straits, the Persian garrison called forth from the city in the determined effort to break through the Muslim ranks. The Persian forces were led by a fierce lion which had been specially trained for war. The lion rushed at the Muslim front, and the Muslim horses bolted causing considerable harms. Hashim who was commanding the vanguard of the Muslim forces rushed at the lion with his sword and dealt it such a well directed blow that it fell dead. Saad the Commander-in-Chief of the Muslim forces stepped forward to kiss Hashim bin Utba on the forehead as a mark of admiration for his act of unparalleled heroism. The Commander of the Persian force gave a challenge for a personal duel. The challenge vies accepted by Zuhra bin Al-Hawiyya. In the exciting duel that followed, Zuhra killed the Persian Commander. Then the two armies clashed, and the fight continued till the night set. In the battle an arrow struck Zuhra, the hero of the march to Ctesiphon, and the great hero died. He was buried with full military honours. After the break in fighting, a Persian emissary came to the Muslim camp to convey a message from the Persian emperor. The Persian emissary said: "Our emperor asks if you would be agreeable to peace on the condition that the Tigris should be the boundary between you and us, so that whatever is with us on the eastern side of the Tigris remains ours and whatever you have gained on the western side is yours. And if this does not satisfy your land hunger, then nothing would satisfy you." Saad the Muslim Commander-in-Chief told the emissary that the Muslims were not hungry for land; and that they were fighting in the name of Allah. He added that if the Persian emperor wanted peace it was open to him to accept Islam, or to pay Jizya. If both the alternatives were not acceptable then peace was out of question, and only the sword could decide the issue between them. When the day dawned, it was found that the Persians had evacuated Bahrseer. In withdrawing the Persian garrison had destroyed all bridges on the Tigris. They had also taken away all the boats from the western bank of the Tigris, and anchored them on the eastern bank. The Muslim forces occupied Bahrseer, The town was empty. All the residents had during the night managed to cross over to Ctesiphon on the other bank of the Tigris.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2269
__label__wiki	0.618981	0.618981	Professor Dan Segal MA, MSc, PhD, DSc I work on finite groups and compact topological groups, recently exploring possible applications to pseudofinite groups. dan.segal@all-souls.ox.ac.uk Senior Research Fellow, All Souls College and Professor of Mathematics, University of Oxford (from 1991 to 2015) Research Fellow, All Souls College (from 1984 to 1991) Research Lecturer then Reader in Mathematics, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (from 1979 to 1984) Wissenschaftlicher Assistant, University of Bielefeld (from 1976 to 1978) Lecturer, Queen Mary College, London (from 1975 to 1976) 1851 Research Fellow, Queen Mary College, London (from 1972 to 1974) Postgraduate, Queen Mary College, London (from 1969 to 1972) Undergraduate, Peterhouse, Cambridge (from 1966 to 1969) Algebra: infinite groups, profinite groups, polycyclic groups, Diophantine decision problems, related topics in number theory, commutative algebra, Lie algebras Link to Maths Web Page and publications Link to Segal Conference Link to unpublished papers	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2274
__label__cc	0.620597	0.379403	ASH Patron Rt Hon Helen Clark leads a celebration of 25 years of progress on youth smoking ASH – Action for Smokefree 2025 has released the 25thanniversary results of their year 10 smoking survey. The results were released by Health Minister David Clark at Parliament this morning. The release was hosted by ASH Patron, the Rt Hon Helen Clark and attended by Associate Health Minister Jenny Salesa. The 2017 results show that daily smoking rates for year 10 students remain at a low of 2.1%, with a record 82% of year ten students having never even taken a puff of a cigarette. The first survey was conducted in 1992, and the latest results can track a quarter century of progress on youth smoking. Back when the survey was piloted in 1992, the daily youth smoking rates were still 11.5% and on the rise. They continued to rise unto a peak of 15.6% in 1999 and have declined steadily ever since. ASH Patron, former New Zealand Prime Minister the Rt Hon Helen Clark talked about the contribution of the survey to New Zealand’s health over the last quarter century: ‘This survey has helped inform almost every major tobacco control policy in the last 20 years. This includes increasing the age of purchase to 18, minimum pack sizes of 20 cigarettes, smokefree workplaces, banning tobacco displays, mandating plain packaging and driving major investment into smokefree media campaigns targeting young people. ‘Ten years ago, as Prime Minister I announced the results of the 2007 survey which were at a record low of 7.3% at the time. Ten years on, I’m delighted to say that youth smoking has fallen even further to only 2.1%. Whilst we still have some way to go, it is a credit to this survey that it has kept the pressure on successive governments to address youth smoking and been able to show them the results’. ‘Even though youth smoking is at a record low, it is vital that we do not get complacent. New Zealand only has 7 years left to achieve the Smokefree 2025 goal. We still have a long way to go, especially considering that Māori students are still twice as likely to smoke than non-Māori” said Clark. Not only has the survey given 25 years of insights on youth smoking, but the survey has helped inspire the careers of those who have been part of it’s history. Dr Bridget Wilson spent the summer of 2011 as an undergraduate medical student working on the survey. She said: ‘The work I did allowed me to understand that doctors, in addition to having a clinical role, are also in a position to improve the health and wellbeing of communities through participation in research, health policy, and advocacy. This led me to specialise in public health and following three years of clinical medicine, I am currently a public health registrar, training with the New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine.” ASH Chair, Emeritus Professor Robert Beaglehole said: ‘Since the survey began in 1992, almost 600,000 New Zealanders have taken part. We believe it is the biggest ongoing survey of youth smoking in the world, and the second largest national survey after the New Zealand census. We are especially proud of the contribution this survey has made to reducing youth smoking over the last 25 years’. ‘We need to achieve what we have achieved for year ten smoking for all adults. Year ten smoking has dropped by two thirds in a decade. If we can achieve the same result for adult smoking, we will achieve our goal of Smokefree New Zealand by 2025’, concluded Professor Beaglehole. The results can be found here.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2275
__label__cc	0.54676	0.45324	Member Research and Reports June 25, 2015 Consumers of Commercial Genetic Tests Understand More Than Many Believe, Michigan Researchers Find Those who have doubted the ability of customers to understand results of personal genomic testing may have been selling them short, researchers at the University of Michigan School of Public Health have found. [Photo: Ms. Jenny Ostergren] In one of the first large studies to measure customer comprehension of health-related genetic test reports from personal genomic testing companies, Michigan researchers found that overall people were able to understand this information. “Our main research aim was to assess how well customers understood several hypothetical genetic test reports. We found, for the most part, they were able to correctly interpret the scenarios we presented,” said Ms. Jenny Ostergren, lead author and doctoral candidate in health behavior and health education at Michigan. Participants in the research were the customers of 23andMe Inc. and Pathway Genomics. Results of the research are reported in the current issue of Public Health Genomics. Since the first personal genetic testing company started in 2006, questions have been raised about sharing this kind of information with the public without someone to interpret it. Several leading governmental agencies have said that such information in the hands of the public could lead to psychological harms and misuse of health-care system resources. [Photo: Dr. Scott Roberts] The Food and Drug Administration sent a warning letter in November 2013 to 23andMe raising concerns that misunderstandings of the tests could lead to patient noncompliance or mismanagement of medications. The genetic testing company stopped selling its health-related reports from personal genetic tests to customers in the U.S. shortly thereafter, and now only provides ancestry data. Earlier this year, the FDA approved one of the company’s tests, which allows a healthy person to find out if he or she has a genetic variant that could lead to a serious disorder in offspring. In this study, the Michigan led team presented four hypothetical scenarios with sample genetic test reports to 1,030 customers of the two companies. The reports included genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease and type 2 diabetes, carrier screening results for more than 30 conditions, specific carrier screening results for phenylketonuria (PKU) and cystic fibrosis, and drug response results for a statin drug. Participants had high overall comprehension of the information presented, with an average score of 79 percent correct across scenarios, and scored extremely high on their understanding of statin drug response and carrier screening results, ranging from 81-to-97 percent. They were less certain about specific screening results for PKU, with scores from 64-to-75 percent, which the researchers said may be due to a lack of understanding about recessive traits. Participants also scored lower on questions about the diabetes scenario, which researchers believe was because the description of the hypothetical person as “obese” clouded the bigger picture of the results. “In general, people did fairly well across these scenarios so some of the concerns that people won’t be able to handle the information on their own might be unfounded,” said senior author Dr. Scott Roberts, Michigan associate professor of health behavior and health education, who added, however, that the relatively high education level of the population taking the survey must be considered. “This was a highly selected group of people overall, so we can’t really say how a more diverse group would fare,” said Roberts, who also is director of the Genomics, Health and Society Program at the Michigan Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine. Overall, the customers of these services are predominantly white and have higher levels of education and income than the general population, Ostergren said. “We found those with better comprehension had high numeracy skills, more genetic knowledge and higher education overall. Older age was associated with lower comprehension,” she said. “Because of this, there may not be a one-size-fits-all approach to communicating this kind of genetic test information. Tailoring the presentation of this information based on individual characteristics or preferences and the type of test results could potentially enhance comprehension of results.” June 25, 2015 "Washington Study Examines Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Provision in Seattle School-Based Health Centers" June 25, 2015 "UAB Examines Applicability of Sample Size Re-estimation in Alzheimer’s Disease"	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2276
__label__wiki	0.708468	0.708468	Faculty & Staff Honors June 8, 2017 Harvard Faculty Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences Business leader and philanthropist Dr. Gerald Chan and Dr. John Quelch, professor of health policy and management at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, are among 228 new members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The recently elected members include some of the world’s most accomplished scholars, scientists, writers, and artists, as well as civic, business, and philanthropic leaders. Thirteen are from Harvard University. Dr. Chan is chairman and CEO of The Morningside Group. He co-founded the private equity and venture capital firm in 1986 with his brother Ronnie, chairman of the Hang Lung Group, Limited, Hong Kong, who was also elected to the Academy. The Morningside Group invests in real estate, industry, technology, and life sciences companies in China and the U.S. He is also a Distinguished Visiting Fellow in the School’s Division of Policy Translation and Leadership Development. In 2014, The Morningside Foundation — the philanthropic arm of The Morningside Group, established by the family of the late Mr. T.H. Chan — pledged $350 million to support Harvard’s School of Public Health, which was renamed the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in recognition of the gift. Dr. Quelch, along with his Harvard Chan School appointment, is Charles Edward Wilson Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. His research focuses on how deep understanding of consumer behavior is essential to shaping decisions by managers and policy makers in the healthcare sector. He is the author, co-author, or editor of twenty-five books, most recently Consumers, Corporations and Public Health and Building a Culture of Health: A New Imperative for Business. The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is one of the country’s oldest learned societies and independent policy research centers, convening leaders from the academic, business, and government sectors to respond to the challenges facing — and opportunities available to — the nation and the world. Read more: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/gerald-chan-john-quelch-elected-to-american-academy-of-arts-and-sciences/ June 8, 2017 "Rutgers Faculty to Chair Assembly on Environmental, Occupational, and Population Health for the American Thoracic Society" June 8, 2017 "GW Study: Livestock-Associated MRSA Causes Serious Blood Infections in People"	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2277
__label__cc	0.564223	0.435777	School and Program Updates School and Program Updates February 21, 2014 Pittsburgh Officially Opens New Laboratory Pavilion The University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health marked the completion of Phase I of its $75 million construction and renovation project with the opening of its four-story 58,000-square-foot laboratory pavilion. The pavilion contains three stories of open, sunlight-filled research laboratories and a new 215-seat auditorium. The official ribbon cutting was performed by Dean Donald S. Burke, Dr. Stephen Wisniewski, senior associate dean, Mr. Mark A. Nordenberg, chancellor, Dr. Arthur Levine, senior vice chancellor for the health sciences, and several dignitaries, before the cheers of a standing-room-only crowd of hundreds. February 14, 2014 "UNC Student Selected to Speak at TED Conference" February 28, 2014 "ASPPH/NBPHE Exhibit at ACPM Annual Conference"	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2279
__label__wiki	0.51466	0.51466	Member Research and Reports November 19, 2015 Safe Spaces Play Important Role in Community-based HIV Prevention, Oregon State Research Finds The creation and sustainment of “safe spaces” may play a critical role in community-based HIV prevention efforts by providing social support and reducing environmental barriers for vulnerable populations, a new study from an Oregon State University researcher has found. [Photo: Dr. Jonathan Garcia] Safe spaces often are run by community-based organizations working with vulnerable populations. They can be used to provide social support and services such as job and education assistance and health testing and treatment. Such spaces appear to be an important but under-used public health tool for prevention and treatment of HIV, said Dr. Jonathan Garcia, lead author of the study and an assistant professor in OSU’s College of Public Health and Human Sciences. “These safe spaces serve as surrogate homes, creating an environment with a brotherhood or family undertone for men who have often been marginalized by their families and communities and do not trust public institutions such as churches, schools or law enforcement agencies,” he said. “Often they have no other place to go.” Dr. Garcia studies how social experiences influence health, with a focus on developing new public health approaches to address needs of vulnerable populations and communities. His latest research was published recently in the journal PLOS ONE. Co-authors of the paper are Drs. Caroline Parker, Richard G. Parker and Patrick A. Wilson and Jennifer S. Hirsch of Columbia University and Ms. Morgan M. Philbin of the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. The research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health. For the study, researchers spent nearly a year conducting observations and in-depth interviews with 31 Black men who were gay or bisexual, or who may not have identified as such but who had sex with other men. They also interviewed 17 others with knowledge of the men and the safe spaces they frequented in the New York City area. They focused on black men who have sex with other men because that population is considered particularly vulnerable to HIV, Dr. Garcia said. While these men make up just 2 percent of the U.S. population, they accounted for about 75 percent of new HIV infections between 2008 and 2010. About half of the men interviewed were homeless or were living in unstable housing situations and nearly half were unemployed. About two-thirds of the men had some kind of health insurance, with 17 receiving federal Medicaid. The researchers found that these men were using safe spaces as places to hang out and connect, but they also served to address vulnerabilities, including exposure to violence; lack of social support; feelings of fear or mistrust against institutions or law enforcement; and limited employment opportunities. http://synergies.oregonstate.edu/2015/safe-spaces-play-important-role-in-community-based-hiv-prevention-research-finds/ November 19, 2015 "Arizona Researchers Explore Community Health Worker (CHW) Professional Advocacy" November 19, 2015 "Minnesota-led Team to Design and Run Major New RWJF National Interdisciplinary Research Leadership Initiative"	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2280
__label__cc	0.711221	0.288779	Member Research and Reports July 17, 2014 UAB Assesses Age of Driver as Factor in Injury Risk among Child Passengers Ms. Samantha G. Bromfield, graduate research assistant, and Dr. Gerald McGwin, Jr., professor and vice chair, in the department of epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, explored the relationship between injury risk among child occupants involved in motor vehicle collisions and the age of the vehicle driver. [Photo: Ms. Samantha G. Bromfield] [Photo: Dr. Gerald McGwin, Jr.] A total of 10,797 participants in the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System between 2000 and 2009 were used to identify demographic-, vehicle-, collision- and injury-related characteristics among motor vehicle collision occupants equal to or less than 15 years of age. The association between the age of the driver (older versus younger, defined as individuals under 50 years of age versus individuals equal to or greater than 50 years of age, respectively) and injury occurrence was estimated using logistic regression adjusting for the potentially confounding effect of occupant, vehicle, and collision characteristics. Of the child occupants in motor vehicle collisions, 2.9 percent were driving with an older driver and approximately 2.9 percent were injured while driving with a younger driver. After adjusting for child occupant age, gender, restraint use, seat position, and vehicle type, there remained no significant association between the age of the driver (older versus younger) and the risk of injury. These findings add to the body of literature indicating no difference in injury risk found among children when considering the age of the driver. The researchers concluded that additional research is needed to ascertain the association and to further evaluate characteristics more specific to the relationship being explored in this study. “Injury Risk among Children in Motor Vehicle Crashes: Older versus Younger Drivers” was published in the June issue of the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. Read more: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jpc.12645/abstract July 17, 2014 "Iowa Professor Named American Statistical Association Fellow" July 17, 2014 "UNC Professor Receives Grant to Study Workplace Health"	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2282
__label__wiki	0.924743	0.924743	State confirms wider investigation into Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony By Lisa J. Huriash, Sun Sentinel on Nov 24, 2020 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida's top law enforcement agency confirmed Tuesday that it is investigating Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony over a wider range of issues than it acknowledged six months ago. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said in May that it was conducting a "preliminary investigation" into allegations that Tony lied on an affidavit to become sheriff. Now, in a court document filed Tuesday, an FDLE inspector reveals that the investigation also involves "other undisclosed matters that will remain confidential." Inspector Keith Riddick did not elaborate in his affidavit, except to call the investigation "open and active." Riddick's affidavit was filed in connection with a lawsuit filed by four former candidates in the sheriff's election: H. Wayne Clark, Al Pollock, Santiago Vazquez Jr. and Charles Whatley. They allege that Tony is ineligible to serve as sheriff because he has a criminal past. The lawsuit, filed in October, included no documents proving that Tony had a criminal record. It cited only "conversations with authorities from Philadelphia." Tony's attorney, Mike Moskowitz, could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening. He stressed earlier that the lawsuit against his client includes no evidence of crimes. Tony has admitted that he shot an 18-year-old man to death in 1990, when he was 14 years old and living in a crime-ridden neighborhood in Philadelphia. But he said he acted in self-defense and was found not guilty in court. However, Pennsylvania courts and police have refused to release records detailing the case, and Tony did not disclose the killing when screened to become sheriff in January 2019. In a sworn affidavit, he stated that he had never had a criminal record sealed or expunged. Tony not only withheld the information from the FDLE, he never revealed it when he applied earlier for his first cop's job with the Coral Springs Police Department. (c)2020 Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC Thailand sold itself as a paradise COVID retreat. No one came It’s hard to imagine a more luxurious place to spend two weeks of quarantine than the Anantara Phuket Suites & Villas in Thailand, where visitors are pampered in private residences that can have their own pool and ...Read More	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2288
__label__cc	0.601349	0.398651	Visual Perception and Cognition in the Rock Carvings of Northern Russia Director: Dr L. Janik This project is intended to increase understanding of how archaeologists, as observers, are able to "see" in visual depictions created over four thousand years ago. In order to achieve this, the study draws on the ideas and methods used in art history to approach the understanding of visual perception and cognition of vision. The area of research encompasses Karelian rock art created by the prehistoric fisher-gatherer-hunters of Northern Europe. Among various images located in the area of "White Sea petroglyphs", the two complexes of so-called Old and New Zalavruga have been focused upon. They are located on the Great Malinin Island, one of the few islands located in the estuary of the River Vyg just by the White Sea, both complexes are dated between 4300 and 3300 BP. This research also contributes to understanding the prehistoric heritage and early art of Northern Europe by collaboration with Russian (Dr. N. Lobanova, Russian Academy of Science, Petrozavodsk Branch, Russia), Polish (Ms. K. Szczesna, College of Applied Arts, Rzepczyn, Poland) and Norwegian scholars (Prof. K. Helskog, and J-M. Gjerde, University of Tromso, Norway). First Season: Summer 2002 The research season aimed to explore the role of rock surface in the creation of visual images by prehistoric fisher-gatherer-hunters, by producing three-dimensional images of rock surfaces. The main questions were: Were the carvings adjusted to produce pictures without distortions on an otherwise uneven rock surface? Was the rock surface included in the composition? What role did the rock surface play in composition? The brief answer to these questions can be introduced in this short presentation by looking at two visual presentations of the fragment of Composition IV, New Zalavruga where the skier is sliding down-slope in pursuit of the elk. The first image presents an up-to-date understanding of the rock surface as a flat entity, where the three dimensions of the rock surface and their use in the context of cognition and vision are ignored. The second image is a result of current research reflecting the three-dimensional image of rock surface and rock carving placement upon it. The image has been generated by Dr C. Roughly by correlating photographic images of the rock surface with the relative height of the rock face. Such an approach allows us to conclude that the prehistoric fisher-gather-hunters of Northern Europe used the rock surface as an active part of the visual image, e.g. when the rock face falls downwards the skier slides down the slope, when the surface rises he uses his skis to walk up the hill. Such an example indicates the deliberate use of the rock face as a landscape and demonstrates the cognitive aspects of visual perception used in North European prehistoric art. Second Season: Summer 2003 This year we concentrated on particular imagery relating to the plant kingdom. Plants in general are rarely represented in visual depictions by prehistoric fisher-gatherer-hunters. Among of all of the known White Sea carvings, in total about two thousands images, only three are considered to be of trees. These images are all located in the complex of New Zalavruga, Groups IV, XII and XX. We once again used the recording techniques developed during the previous season, in which the rock surfaces were surveyed and subsequently reconstructed in virtual form using GIS and digital imagery with orthorectification. The latter allowed us to correct lens distortion during the virtual reconstruction of the rock surfaces. In addition, this year's recording strategy included taking rubbings of the rock surfaces, which will help with understanding the nuances of the carvings of the trees and possibly in distinguishing the species of particular trees. Rubbings of the rock surfaces were obtained by placing paper on the rock surface and rubbing on it powdered graphite. This technique permitted us to copy the image as carved into the granite surface by the prehistoric carver, while at the same time recording all marks on the rock, thus providing a one to one copy of the carvings and their background. In trying to interpret the role of plants in the art of food procuring communities, it is significant to differentiate between the narrative contexts in which trees appeared, and the possible relationship between plant imagery and the place it occupied within the overall visual composition. The trees in Groups IV and XX are the part of hunting scenes. Group IV portrays a winter scene where the hunter on skis walks with the bow ready to release another arrow into the animal sitting on top of the tree; the animal is already struck by a number of arrows. The tree appears low in height as though it is a shrub. That this is indeed a winter scene, besides the hunter's use of skis, is further indicated by the lack of leaves on the branches sticking out of the single stem. The tree in Group XX is standing alone in the midst of a hunting scene. As in the previous image there is a creature at the top of the tree. This time it is a bird struck by one arrow while hunters peruse other birds, and pictured by wounded or dead birds are carved nearby. That the hunters are without skis suggests that this scene is not taking place in winter. However, the tree looks similar to that in the previous Group IV scene, with one stem out of which stick short leafless branches. The trees seem not to be the subjects of the depictions, but part of wider visual narratives linked with hunting. Another possible image of a tree is seen in Group XIII. In the case of this depiction it is difficult to conclude that it is a tree due to its location and association with other elements, like boat and an unspecified object. Petroglyphs are amongst the few archaeological remains deliberately created in such form by prehistoric carvers, which have survived almost untouched until the present day. Karelian rock carvings therefore provide us with a unique opportunity to search for the cognitive, artistic, and social role that they played in the visual narratives of prehistoric peoples. All contents © L. Janik - website by rmb51@cam.ac.uk - September 2003	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2289
__label__cc	0.648667	0.351333	Home Cardinal Statements and Addresses 2001 29 Apr – Ordination of Auxiliary Bishop Donal McKeown, Down & Connor 29 Apr – Ordination of Auxiliary Bishop Donal McKeown, Down & Connor ORDINATION AS AUXILIARY BISHOP OF DOWN & CONNOR OF RT REV. DONAL McKEOWN ST PETER’S CATHEDRAL, BELFAST ADDRESS OF WELCOME BY CARDINAL SEÁN BRADY PRESIDENT, IRISH BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE Your Eminences, Your Excellency, Bishop Donal, Sisters and Brothers in Christ. I gladly welcome Bishop Donal McKeown into the ranks of the Irish Bishops’ Conference. I warmly congratulate him on his appointment. The presence of so many bishops here this afternoon indicates our delight at the news of his nomination. I congratulate his mother, brother, sister and all the family on this great occasion. In his homily Bishop Walsh has already assured his new Auxiliary Bishop of the support and loyalty of the priests, religious and faithful people of Down & Connor. I want to assure him of the support and confidence of his brother bishops. We have heard in the rite of ordination that bishops are called to give leadership. I have known Donal since 1975. It was a Holy Year. He was then a seminarian at the Irish College, Rome. I remember how each week over the year he gave generously of his time and energy to help Irish pilgrims give praise to God in the Basilica of St John Lateran. Many of those pilgrims were loud in their praise of his wonderful proclaiming of the Scriptures in word and song. The signs of leadership potential were already to be seen. Since then of course he has given outstanding service and leadership in St Patrick’s, Knock, St Macnissi’s, St Malachy’s, and in many other areas of the life of the Church. The experience will stand him in good stead now as he is called to take his place alongside Bishop Farquhar in assisting Bishop Walsh in the pastoral and spiritual leadership of the Diocese of Down & Connor. Today there is rejoicing not just in Randalstown, not just from Rathlin Island to Carlingford Lough, but especially in Killossy, the Titular See of the new Auxiliary Bishop. Our prayers are with you Donal as you begin a new chapter of your life of service to the Church. We look forward to working with you in the Conference and especially to the valuable contribution which we know you are certainly going to make.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2291
__label__cc	0.739933	0.260067	CAS > Physics Seminar: Laser Nano-structuring of Metals in Different Media Physics Seminar: Laser Nano-structuring of Metals in Different Media Venue: P216, Physics Building Admission: Free Admission Surfaces structured with ultra-short pulse laser irradiation have found a number of applications in IT- and bio-technology. The physical mechanism of materials surface restructuring, however, involves a lot of fast, non-equilibrium and interrelated processes. While the experimental investigations of the material restructuring mechanism can be limited to post-priory observations, the theoretical methods working within classical computational approaches with corresponding spatial and temporal scales, cannot address all physical aspects of the process. In this work a combined atomistic-continuum approach suitable for the investigation of nano-structuring mechanism of solids on the experimental scale is proposed. In this model the kinetics of laser induced phase transitions is addressed with atomic precision while the processes of laser light absorption, fast electron heat conduction, and strong electron-phonon non-equilibrium are described in continuum and directly accounted for in MD calculations. The combined model is applied to investigate the nanostructuring mechanism under vacuum and ambient conditions and in the regime of spatial confinement due to a thick layer of water above the target. The experimental and theoretical results are compared directly on the same temporal and spatial scales for selected fluencies. Good agreement between the modeling and the experimental results justifies the proposed approach as a powerful numerical tool revealing the fundamental physics underlying the nanostructuring process. The proposed approach can be used for predicting the material response in experiments on nanostructuring of material surfaces with predesigned properties. The model can also be applied for predicting the formation mechanism of nanoparticles in different media with inclusion of plasmonic effects as well. Dr. Dmitry S. Ivanov, Senior Research Scientist, Department of Theoretical Solid State and Ultrafast Physics, University of Kassel and Technical University of Kaiserslautern, Germany Dr. Dmitry S. Ivanov received his PhD from the Materials Science and Engineering Department at the University of Virginia (Charlottesville, USA). He is an expert in high-performance computing, and in his research, he employs variety of computational techniques including molecular dynamics, finitedifferences (explicit/implicit), Metropolis Monte Carlo and other methods. In 2005 he successfully developed the atomistic-continuum model for investigating short laser pulse interaction with metals. He worked at and visited several prestigious universities and research institutes (National Centre for Laser Applications, National University of Ireland Galway, the Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Germany, the Bio-Nano-Photonics Laboratory at Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, and Moscow Lebedev Physical Institute of RAS, and the ITMO University in Saint-Petersburg-Russia). Since 2012 he has been a Senior Research Scientist at the Department of Theoretical Solid State and Ultrafast Physics at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern and the University of Kassel, Germany. He is a reviewer for many leading journals such as Applied Physics A, Applied Physics B, International Journal of Thermal Sciences, Applied Surface Science, International Journal Solids and Structures, and others. For more information, please contact [email protected].	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2301
__label__wiki	0.672272	0.672272	« July Currency Determination for the Royal Australian Mint Number 3 2013 \| Main \| 6 Coin Animals of The Zoo Coloured Australian 1 Dollar Series of 2012 » 2013 Polar Bear Coloured 1 Dollar $1 Polar Animals Series Australia 2013 Polar Bear Coloured 1 Dollar The first coloured dollar coin released in the Royal Australian Mint's Polar Animals series is the Polar Bear coin. The majority of people will never have the opportunity to visit the Arctic Circle surrounding the North Pole to witness these magnificent animals in their natural habitat. Which is probably just as well - besides being cold and not very hospitable, I can't imagine being up close and personal to such a huge, heavy (anywhere from 340 to 544 kilograms), carnivorous animal - you've only to picture the fearsome Polar Bear character, Lorek Byrnison, from the movie Golden Compass and you'll probably agree. Sadly, the most disturbing common thread amongst all the animals portrayed in this coin series is that populations and habitats are being threatened as a result of human intervention - the two biggest culprits being hunting and global warming. As the ice caps melt, it's harder and harder for the bears to find food, with the search for food bringing the Polar Bears into close contact with the sparse human populations that also call the Arctic Circle home. Which in turn leads to conflict - the Polar Bear more often than not being the loser. However, there's hope for the Polar Bear population. Like most other threatened species, their numbers may be revived because of "breeding in captivity" programs in zoo's and animal sanctuaries around the world. While it's a controversial option, with exorbitant costs incurred to simulate animal habitats, "breeding in captivity" programs do allow threatened species to become more accessible to the general public, as well as these programs serving as an educational tool to enlighten us about their plight. Which is why, after 13 years of hard work, Sea World Gold Coast Australia can be very proud to welcome it's first polar bear cub borne in captivity in May 2013. And that's a big accomplishment indeed, as the newborn is only the second ever polar bear cub to borne in Australia, the first being born in South Australia in 1985. There's such interest by the general public that Sea World has installed 6 cameras and multiple TV monitors adjacent to the Polar Bear den affectionately called "Cub Kindy". The cub's daily activities and the magical relationship developing between mom "Liya" and her cub are being closely monitored. Plans are underway to present the pair to the general public in September 2013. It's also anticipated that the cub's name and sex will be revealed at the same time. This coin is the first of six NCLT (non-circulating legal tender) one dollar coins in this series. Other coins in the Polar Series are the Weddell Seal dollar, Rockhopper Penguin dollar, Walrus dollar and the Humpback Whale dollar. These 1 dollar coins are 25 millimetres in diameter, weigh 9 grams and are struck on an aluminium bronze planchet. This reverse design depicting the Polar Bear has been designed by Aaron Baggio and is presented in pad-printed colour with a frosted uncirculated finish. The obverse depicts the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. The Polar Bear coin retails at $15 and is presented in a colourful collector's card. Mintage is unlimited at this time and will be determined by collector demand. See the 2013 1 dollar coin mintages table for the most up to date information. Posted by harrisk at August 6, 2013 9:52 PM	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2302
__label__cc	0.648785	0.351215	George Chase THE ARCADIAN General Aviation: Vital to Floridians Tourism is the largest industry in Florida; nearly every community across the state has a thriving tourism industry, and Arcadia is no different. Our community has a lot to offer such as the Peace River, where visitors can canoe, kayak, and take airboat tours along the river. Additionally, the Peace River is a part of The Peace River Formation, a geological formation that has developed over the course of tens of millions of years. Tourists walking the shores of the river can find countless fossils; some of which are 25 million years old and can include sharks’ teeth, whale fossils and mammoth bones. Another major attraction to our community is the Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo, which dates to 1928 and attracts spectators and competitors from all over the nation. The rodeo has an economic impact of over $1 million and, in 2014, approximately 15,700 people traveled to the rodeo from out of town. Our general aviation airport, the Arcadia Municipal Airport, provides a vital connection to our community, bringing tourism dollars and so much more. After tourism, agriculture is the second largest industry in Florida. Our state is number one in the production of citrus, and more than 90 percent of America’s orange juice is made from Florida-grown oranges. Our airport supports this industry through its connection with the Peace River Citrus plant. For Peace River Citrus, which is based in Vero Beach and has facilities across the state, general aviation provides a fast and efficient means to travel and oversee production across multiple sites in a short amount of time. The Arcadia Municipal Airport also houses an agricultural flight school, which trains pilots who protect Florida’s agricultural production. Agricultural pilots, more commonly known as crop-duster pilots, fly over the citrus groves throughout Florida and apply crop protection products. Assisting farmers and the agricultural industry is just one of the ways that general aviation supports our local economy and food production. Additionally, an unfortunate reality to living in Florida is the threat of devastating natural disasters. All too common we are hit with multiple hurricanes each year. After a major disaster, airports play a vital role in getting aid to those in need. After Hurricane Charley hit in 2004, the Arcadia Municipal Airport was transformed into a local command center. For about four weeks, FEMA, state troopers, volunteer firefighters and a host of other organizations used the airport as a staging area. From there they delivered water, meals, and assisted local police and fire departments with the recovery efforts. Beyond disaster relief, local airports are important for urgent medical care. Here in Arcadia, after a terrible car accident, it’s not uncommon for emergency services to go from the scene of the accident to the airport by ambulance, where they will transport the patient by helicopter to Sarasota Memorial Hospital or other nearby trauma centers so they can receive the urgent, lifesaving treatment they need. For many communities across the country, the local airport serves as a critical lifeline. There are over 100 public-use airports across the state of Florida, and each of them plays an important role in supporting their community. Local airports like ours are vital to supporting industries across the state with an economic impact of $7.7 billion each year, and when hurricane season hits, local airports are crucial to recovery efforts. These airports are a literal lifeline to our communities, in great part because our members of Congress and FAA oversee these airports and ensure that airports and aircraft of all sizes have access to our transportation system. But that may not always be the case. In the last couple of years, there has been a movement afoot, pushed predominantly by the biggest airports and airlines to privatize our air traffic control system, putting a governing board of private stakeholders in charge and almost ensuring that our system would cater to the biggest urban cities instead of communities of all sizes. Our nation’s small and mid-size airports are the backbone of our local communities economically and support many critical services. I’m proud of the work of our organization, the Friends of Arcadia Airport, in conjunction with the Recreational Aviation Foundation, has done to renovate and revitalize Arcadia Municipal. Friends had the vision to develop, fund and construct a 3-acre Fly-In/Camp-Out Center right on the airport that attracts many out of town pilots to visit. These are pilots that probably would not have done so if not for the beautiful on airport campsite that we call Aviation City. These visits help improve the airports fuel sales, operation numbers and showcases what the airport has to offer as well as having a positive impact on the local restaurants, shops and attractions. Friends recently held a capital campaign to add a full-service restroom with hot showers in support of Aviation City. We applied for grants, solicited donations from local businesses and our members and raised over $45,000 to build the new facility without using any taxpayer dollars. Add this to the over $30,000 we contributed in developing the Aviation City campground and that means a small local airport support group can have a substantial impact on any airport. By thinking outside the box Friends of Arcadia Airport has managed to gain national recognition and have pilots visit from as far away as Scotland to camp out here with their airplane. Small airports are closing at an alarming rate and once closed they are gone forever. Those communities then find it hard to attract new businesses. Local volunteers are vital to maintaining the health of all our small airports. Let’s make sure to keep the Air Traffic Control System under government control as privatization will threaten sources of funding for small GA airports. George Chase is president of the Friends of Arcadia Airport, www.foaa.us, www.aviationcity.org.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2303
__label__wiki	0.963815	0.963815	Dec 31, 2018 - Politics & Policy Netanyahu asked Trump for a gradual pullout from Syria Barak Ravid, author of from Tel Aviv Netanyahu on the phone with potential voters during the 2013 Israeli elections. Photo: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked President Trump for a gradual pullout of U.S. forces from Syria — implemented over a lengthy period of time — in their Dec. 20 phone call, an Israeli official told reporters who traveled with Netanyahu to Brazil for the inauguration of Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro. The big picture: Israel is concerned that a rapid U.S. withdrawal will embolden and encourage Iran to continue its military entrenchment in Syria. The official's statement echoed what Trump tweeted earlier Monday about U.S. forces "slowly" coming home from Syria. Israel was updated about Trump's Syria decision several days before the official announcement, according to the official, who added that Netanyahu spoke twice with Trump before and after the announcement and twice with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. In addition, the IDF's chief of staff, Gadi Eizenkott, spoke several times over the last two weeks with Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Netanyahu will meet with Pompeo on Tuesday in Brasilia to further discuss the issue. After returning to Israel, Netanyahu will meet national security adviser John Bolton for dinner at his residence on Sunday and another working meeting next Monday. The Israeli official said Netanyahu is also planning on attending the World Economic Forum in Davos at the end of January and wants to meet Trump, who is also planning to attend. Netanyahu is set to discuss Israeli policy in Syria both during and after the planned U.S. pullout with Pompeo and Bolton. The Israeli official said, "We are going to continue the airstrikes against Iranian targets in Syria regardless of the U.S. policy. We have shown this already, and it is a message to the Iranians that we are not going to back down." Go deeper: Netanyahu rejected Russian plan to work with U.S. on Syria, Iran	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2304
__label__wiki	0.564908	0.564908	Posted in \| Water \| Sustainability \| Recycling New Recipes for Cost-Effective Desalination Using Fewer Ingredients Written by AZoCleantechAug 1 2019 As population explosion and prolonged droughts continue, coastal cities like Carlsbad in Southern California have gradually opted for ocean desalination to make up for a declining freshwater supply. The Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant near U.S. Route 101 (the Pacific Coast Highway) in the northern portion of San Diego County; Carlsbad, California. (Image credit: Art Wager/iStock) Recently, researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) who have been exploring how to make desalination less costly have discovered promising design rules for enabling so-called “thermally responsive” ionic liquids to separate water from salt. Ionic liquids are liquid salts that bind to water, rendering them beneficial in forward osmosis to isolate contaminants from water. A better option would be thermally responsive ionic liquids as they use thermal energy instead of electricity, which is essential for conventional reverse osmosis (RO) desalination for the separation. The new Berkeley Lab research, reported recently in the journal Nature Communications Chemistry, examined the chemical structures of numerous types of ionic liquid/water to establish what “recipe” would be suitable. “The current state-of-the-art in RO desalination works very well, but the cost of RO desalination driven by electricity is prohibitive,” said Robert Kostecki, study’s co-corresponding author. “Our study shows that the use of low-cost ‘free’ heat—such as geothermal or solar heat or industrial waste heat generated by machines—combined with thermally responsive ionic liquids could offset a large fraction of costs that goes into current RO desalination technologies that solely rely on electricity.” Using Food Waste to Develop Sustainable Plant-Based Ingredients Could Nuclear Power be the Answer to Fresh Water Supplies? A Realistic Option for Increasing Water Supplies Kostecki, deputy director of the Energy Storage and Distributed Resources (ESDR) Division in Berkeley Lab’s Energy Technologies Area, collaborated with co-corresponding author Jeff Urban, a staff researcher in Berkeley Lab’s Molecular Foundry, to explore the performance of ionic liquids in water at the molecular level. Applying nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering offered by scientists in the ESDR Division, as well as molecular dynamics simulation methods at the Molecular Foundry, the team came across a surprising finding. It was long believed that a successful ionic liquid separation depended upon the overall ratio of organic components (parts of the ionic liquid that are neither positively nor negatively charged) to its positively charged ions, explained Urban. But the Berkeley Lab team learned that the number of water molecules an ionic liquid can separate from seawater relies on the closeness of its organic components to its positively charged ions. This result was completely unexpected. With it, we now have rules of design for which atoms in ionic liquids are doing the hard work in desalination. Jeff Urban, Study Co-Corresponding Author and Staff Researcher, Molecular Foundry, Berkeley Lab A decades-old membrane-based reverse osmosis technology initially created at UCLA in the 1950s is experiencing rebirth—presently there are 11 desalination plants in California, and more have been recommended. Berkeley Lab researchers, through the Water-Energy Resilience Research Institute, are following a range of technologies for enhancing the dependability of the U.S. water system, including modern water-treatment technologies such as desalination. Since forward osmosis uses heat in place of electricity, the thermal energy can be supplied by renewable sources such as solar and geothermal or industrial low-grade heat. Our study is an important step toward lowering the cost of desalination. It’s also a great example of what’s possible in the national lab system, where interdisciplinary collaborations between the basic sciences and applied sciences can lead to creative solutions to hard problems benefiting generations to come. Robert Kostecki, Study Co-Corresponding Author and Deputy Director of ESDR Division, Energy Technologies Area, Berkeley Lab Scientists from UC Berkeley and Idaho National Laboratory also contributed to this study. The Molecular Foundry is a DOE Office of Science User Facility that focuses on nanoscale science. This study was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Source: https://www.lbl.gov/	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2305
__label__wiki	0.694957	0.694957	How Cobalt is Used in Lithium-Ion Batteries By Brett Smith, B.A.Aug 6 2018 Image Credits shutterstock.com/Fishman64 Discovered in 1739, cobalt is a hard, glossy, silver-grey metal that is a by-product of nickel and copper mining and at least one half of the world’s cobalt is mined from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Cobalt is generally used as a cathode material in Li-ion batteries, but is also used to create many other things, including powerful magnets, cutting tools and strong alloys for jet engines. Cobalt and lithium are both recyclable, although little to no recycling of lithium-ion batteries currently takes place. Cobalt in Lithium-ion Batteries A rechargeable lithium ion battery includes two electrodes that are submerged in an electrolyte solution and divided by a permeable polymer membrane. When a lithium-ion battery is being charged, lithium ions move from the positive cathode to the negative anode through the polymer membrane. During discharging, the lithium ions pass back from the anode to the cathode. In the process, electrons are sent to an electronic device, powering it in the process. Carbon graphite is the typical anode material used in a lithium-ion battery as it has a layered structure that can support and store the small lithium ions in between its layers. Since the working voltage of a battery is based on the difference in electrochemical potential between the cathode and the anode, the cathode cannot be graphite, and most of the performance characteristics of a lithium-ion battery are based on the cathode material. New Report on Global and China Cobalt Industry Western Lithium and Lithium Americas Enter Merger Agreement Western Lithium and Tenova Bateman Technologies Continue Optimization Studies for Nevada Lithium Deposit The cathode stores the lithium ions through electrochemical intercalation; a sequence by which the lithium ions are put into or pulled from lattice locations inside the cathode material structure. Among the most basic cathode materials is lithium-cobalt-oxide (Li-Co-O2). When a battery made using this material is charged, lithium ions are pulled out of the oxide and inserted into a graphite electrode. During discharging, the reverse process takes place. When a lithium ion is removed from the oxide in the cathode, it has a positive charge, so the cobalt alters its oxidation state and the oxide stays electrically neutral. A small quantity of the cobalt shifts in oxidation state from 3 to 4 to make up for the removal of the lithium ion. Maintaining Battery Integrity Lithium-cobalt-oxide is an intercalation compound with the lithium, cobalt and oxygen arranged in two-dimensional layers: a layer of lithium, then a layer of oxygen, a layer of cobalt, a different layer of oxygen and a different layer of lithium. In an intercalation compound, the lithium can be removed, and the basic structure should remain unchanged. If the structure shifts, it becomes very challenging to put the lithium back in. A cobalt-enhanced structure can tolerate about 60 percent of the lithium being removed before it starts to change, which occurs over a long period of time. To get a lithium-ion battery to behave in a predictable manner, the framework structure should remain constant. This allows these batteries to remain useful for years to decades. Replacing the cobalt with considerably cheaper nickel still creates an intercalation structure. However, if substantial quantities of lithium are taken out of a nickel-oxide structure, it will release considerable amounts of oxygen, which can be a fire hazard. Aluminium, which has a significant affinity for oxygen, can be included in the structure to scale back the hazard. This balances out the structure, but it decreases the capacity of the cell by a small amount. Lithium-ion batteries are crucial to the on-going development of electric vehicles. Advancements in battery technology could possibly lead to a reduction in the use cobalt of in lithium-ion batteries, decreasing the pressure to mine this metal out of developing nations like the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, it appears cobalt will remain essential to this type of battery for the foreseeable future. Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author expressed in their private capacity and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and conditions of use of this website. Brett Smith Brett Smith is an American freelance writer with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Buffalo State College and has 8 years of experience working in a professional laboratory. Smith, Brett. (2019, February 25). How Cobalt is Used in Lithium-Ion Batteries. AZoMining. Retrieved on January 19, 2021 from https://www.azomining.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=1421. Smith, Brett. "How Cobalt is Used in Lithium-Ion Batteries". AZoMining. 19 January 2021. <https://www.azomining.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=1421>. Smith, Brett. "How Cobalt is Used in Lithium-Ion Batteries". AZoMining. https://www.azomining.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=1421. (accessed January 19, 2021). Smith, Brett. 2019. How Cobalt is Used in Lithium-Ion Batteries. AZoMining, viewed 19 January 2021, https://www.azomining.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=1421.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2306
__label__wiki	0.83894	0.83894	How the Dagenham Post reported the news this week in 1949, 1979 and 1999 Published: 10:00 AM July 20, 2019 Updated: 7:24 AM October 14, 2020 Our front page, July 20, 1949 - Credit: Archant Our front pages were splashed with the news in 1949 of a devastating summer storm, police tearing apart a bungalow in 1979 looking for the loot from a £50,000 robbery and the government injecting £500m in 1999 to bring Barking and Dagenham into the next century. Dagenham Post, July 20, 1949: A storm hits a show staged for 30,000 Ford Motor workers and their families which ends up flooded at the Kent Avenue sports ground. Watchman Charlie Taylor is struck by a bolt of lightening on duty at Heath Farm estate and is lucky to be alive. He had been wearing rubber-soled canvas shoes which prevented the bolt being earthed through his body and saved his life. A family "suffers calamity" when their week's food ration tokens are covered in soot when the lightening strikes. But the borough council's food officer promises the spoilt ration tokens would be replaced "provided a certificate is obtained from the sanitary inspector". The Turner family at 11 Temple Avenue vow never to live in another house with that number after it is struck. "Two houses we lived in during the War were numbered 11," Mrs Turner explains. "We were bombed out of both!" At the flicks is Whisky Galore starring Basil Radford at Odeon cinemas at Chadwell Heath, Dagenham and Barking, along with Flanagan and Allen in Here Comes the Sun. 9 Town hall to decide on bid for Dagenham freeport 10 GPs roll up their sleeves to support colleagues at Queen's Hospital Barking & Dagenham Post, July 18, 1979: A macabre secret is uncovered at a council house in Beacontree where a woman's body lay unburied for five weeks. Her next-of-kin couldn't accept her passing and continues collecting her pension at the post office. She had died of natural causes. The first anyone knows of it is five weeks later when a man walks into Dagenham police station and confesses, saying he didn't know what to do. He ends up before magistrates and admits obtaining money by deception. Meanwhile, police are stripping a secluded bungalow behind St Thomas's Church looking into a £500,000 robbery. Rumours of bodies emerge because the bungalow is close to where a man disappeared three years before. A round-the-clock search is being carried out with floorboards being torn up and carpeting taken away for forensic examination. But police deny any connection with the disappearance and aren't looking for bodies. The government gives the green light to a massive investment "to take the borough into the next century" with £500m to create thousands of jobs. The Post gets the news directly by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. A letter is sent home to parents from Sydney Russell Comprehensive after a senior girl is admitted to hospital with meningitis. Medical officials give a cautious warning about anyone in contact with her. Another letter arrives at the paper from a kindhearted reader with £20 after reading about a paper boy attacked in the street who had his bike and phone stolen. A police officer who is handed the cash to pass on to the boy remarks: "This is the first time in 30 years I've seen anyone do this." A 21-year-old sheet metal worker on his stag night out ends up with his mates giving him a send-off by stripping him naked and leaving him manacled to a bus-stop in Chadwell Heath. But he manages to get to the church on time.	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2307
__label__wiki	0.546414	0.546414	Geoff Cook , Don’t be mediocre. Geoff guides companies in their overarching business strategy, brand strategy, and marketing. As a partner at Base, he also oversees external affairs and public relations for the agency. In his two decades in branding, Geoff has worked with his amazing partners, team, and best-in-class collaborators to create some of the world's most iconic brands: MILK, NeueHouse, JFK Terminal 4, the Museum of Sex, The New York Times' Times Talks & Food Festival, NYCxDESIGN and countless others. His entrepreneurial spirit has led him to collaborate with numerous startups, many of which have become household names (Storr, Kidbox, FromRoy, Sensei, Lifekind) and to serve for nearly a decade as a lead mentor at the NYC chapter of TechStars. With an international perspective and a proficiency in four languages, Geoff has been integral to the continued expansion of Base’s international reach. He is a regular speaker at top business schools and conferences, a mentor-in-residence at the renowned tech accelerator program TechStars, and a contributor to Fast Company. He is a board member of the Children's Museum of the Arts. View project(s) Geoff worked on: From Roy NeueHouse Greene Hill Food Co-op Geoff’s social networks Next team member: Louise Froidevaux, Office Manager	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2308
__label__cc	0.648591	0.351409	汽车与出行工程产品与基础设施医疗保健支付方和服务提供方媒体与娱乐医疗器械与技术金属与采矿电力和公共设施本金投资和私募投资加工业和建筑材料公共部门技术与行业交通运输与物流企业发展与财务创新战略与交付营销与销售并购与剥离员工与组织智能简化社会影响力和可持续发展数字化、技术与数据企业转型关于BCG Related Expertise: Divestitures, Growth, M&A Investors Brace for a Decline in Valuation Multiples 2014-04-02 By Jeff Kotzen, Tim Nolan, and Frank Plaschke This is the second in a series of articles published in advance of The Boston Consulting Group’s 2014 Value Creators report. In February 2014, we described the strong performance of global equity markets in 2013. In the spring of this year, we will publish a full report that will include detailed rankings of the top performers, both worldwide and in 26 industries, from 2009 to 2014. After a second year of The Flight to Equities Continues, investors are bracing themselves for a decline, on average, in valuation multiples and for below-average total shareholder return (TSR) in 2014. This new atmosphere of caution is the key finding of BCG’s latest annual investor survey. In early 2014, BCG invited approximately 1,000 portfolio managers, buy-side analysts, and sell-side analysts to participate in BCG’s annual online investor survey. The survey is the sixth in a series that BCG has conducted since 2009 to understand investors’ views on the global economic environment and on priorities for business value creation. We received 131 responses to our survey this year (a response rate of about 13 percent) from individuals at firms that are collectively responsible for approximately $1 trillion in assets under management and that cover a wide range of industries and locations. Four key themes stand out: Growing Concern That Equity Markets May Be Overvalued. After two years of double-digit TSR in global equity markets—approximately 16 percent in 2012 and 26 percent in 2013—the percentage of respondents who believe that valuations have outpaced fundamentals has more than tripled this year compared with last year. Decline in Valuation Multiples Likely. Given their estimates for 2014 earnings growth, dividend yield and share repurchases, and average TSR, these investors seem to be assuming a significant decline in average valuation multiples. More Focus on the Short Term. This cautious outlook is causing investors to focus more on how companies are going to weather market turbulence in the short term. They want company value-creation strategies to have a dual focus: to defend against valuation-multiple compression in the near term while continuing to pursue value-creating growth opportunities in the long term. More Scrutiny on Core Management Processes. Investors are heightening their scrutiny of companies’ core management processes. They are seeking to invest in companies with strong management credibility and solid track records. Key indicators of credibility include the degree to which a company’s business, financial, and investor strategies are aligned with and mutually reinforce one another; strategic capital stewardship; and the strength of a company’s value management and strategic-planning capabilities. Signs of Overvaluation A number of indications in this year’s survey signal that investors believe valuations are reaching an upper limit. Every year, we ask our survey respondents their opinions of the current valuation level of whichever equity market they follow most closely. Exhibit 1 shows the responses of participants who are most familiar with the S&P 500 (about three-fourths of our total sample). Although the majority of this group (61 percent) see the market as fairly valued, more than one-third (36 percent) consider it overvalued—the highest percentage since we began our survey in 2009 and more than a threefold increase over the percentage of respondents who chose that option last year. And respondents who consider the market undervalued have almost disappeared, dropping from 23 percent in 2013 to a mere 3 percent in 2014. Further evidence that investors expect valuation multiples to decline can be found in their estimates of the likely levels of earnings growth, dividend yield and share repurchases, and average TSR in 2014. When asked to estimate the level of TSR this year, the average of their answers was a modest 6.5 percent. An even more meaningful indicator is the trend of the annual TSR estimates, which have declined in nearly every year since 2009. This seems to reinforce the belief that valuations are nearing their peak, especially when one considers that this year’s respondents estimate that earnings will grow by 5 percent in 2014 and that the combination of dividend yield and share repurchases will contribute another 3.4 percentage points of TSR. If these investors estimate a TSR of 6.5 percent and a combined contribution of earnings growth, dividend yield, and share repurchases of 8.4 percent, then, by implication, they are assuming that valuation multiples will decline. (See Exhibit 2.) A Dual Focus for Value Creation Investors’ concerns about a near-term decline in valuation multiples have an important impact on their priorities for company capital deployment. In particular, they appear to be developing a dual focus for value creation strategy. Our annual survey asks respondents to react to a series of statements about the preferences for the strategic agenda of a hypothetical company with “strong free cash flow and a healthy balance sheet.” Over the years, a strong majority of respondents has consistently agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “short term should not dominate.” We have taken this response as a sign that investors want companies to ignore market volatility and Investors Look to the Long Term. This year, 70 percent of respondents again either agreed or strongly agreed with this statement—a substantial decline from the 80 percent who did so in 2013. This result may suggest a growing caution among investors about any value creation strategy that does not also have a plan for dealing with the likely drop they see coming in average valuation multiples. A further clue comes from respondents’ preferences for how companies use their excess cash. Organic investment was a high priority, the first or second choice of 68 percent of respondents, up from 59 percent last year and slightly above the average since the first survey, in 2009. The choice to increase dividends came in second, selected by 45 percent of respondents—10 percentage points higher than the average of those who chose this answer in previous years. (See Exhibit 3.) We take these results to be an indication that investors want companies to pursue a dual strategy. They want companies to increase dividends, both as a guaranteed return in an environment where yield is scarce and as a signal of management’s confidence in its long-term agenda. At the same time, they want companies to invest in value-creating growth opportunities in order to deliver the fundamental value over the long term that will justify the expectations currently embedded in those companies’ stock prices. Investors’ shifting attitudes about M&A reinforce this dual focus. Strategic M&A was the third-highest priority for uses of free cash flow, selected as a first or second choice by 41 percent of respondents. Although this percentage equals the average of all six surveys, it is 11 percentage points higher than last year’s result. This heightened interest in M&A is confirmed by answers to another set of questions about whether companies should focus more aggressively on M&A and divestitures. Exhibit 4 shows the responses to these questions from surveys in 2012, 2013, and 2014. For the first time, a clear majority of respondents (61 percent) either agrees or strongly agrees that companies should be more aggressive about M&A. At first glance, it may seem curious that investors are becoming more interested in M&A while also assuming lower TSR and a decline in average valuation multiples. But as Exhibit 4 shows, an even higher percentage of respondents (80 percent) believes that companies should also be more aggressive about divestitures. These two responses taken together suggest that investors want companies to aggressively manage and reshape their business portfolios, when appropriate, in order to improve their growth and margin trajectories and deliver stronger and more sustainable TSR—in other words, to beat the average through more effective management. The Management Challenge Pursuing a dual value-creation strategy that carefully balances the short term with the long term will be challenging for many companies, especially in an environment where the top investment criterion for respondents was the management team’s track record and credibility. One indicator of management’s credibility is how well it has aligned its business, financial, and investor strategies. A full 60 percent of this year’s respondents said that the companies they follow or invest in are only partly aligned or even poorly aligned. Another indicator of credibility is the professionalism of a company’s management processes associated with value creation. Nearly half of the respondents (45 percent) said that there are either significant or very significant opportunities for improvement in value management (including metrics, target setting, budgeting, resource allocation, and incentives) at their portfolio companies, while 43 percent said the same for strategic planning. We believe that four steps are especially important in determining companies’ value-creation strategies in today’s investment environment: Define a long-term growth strategy. Because delivering profitable growth has become more difficult, companies must work harder to identify the most promising growth opportunities and successfully implement growth strategies. In addition to pinpointing the most likely sources of organic and acquisitive growth, an effective long-term growth strategy will require many companies to substantially retool their business portfolios and develop strong execution skills. Understand what drives differences in the valuation multiple. To combat multiple compression, a company needs to understand what has driven differences in valuation multiples in its peer group. In our experience, roughly 80 percent of the factors that drive differences in valuation multiples among similar companies can be identified and managed. Develop a disciplined approach to cash payout. A company’s dividend and share buyback policies are too important to be mere afterthoughts. A dividend policy, in particular, can help stabilize and put a floor under a company’s valuation multiple in an environment where there is likely to be downward pressure on multiples. Investors are looking to invest in companies that are careful and strategic stewards of their capital. Upgrade core management processes. Companies also need to do more to improve the alignment among their business, financial, and investor strategies. To support this, they should revisit core management processes such as target setting, budgeting, planning, resource allocation, risk management, and incentives to ensure that they reflect the company’s value-creation agenda. Download a copy of the complete findings of the BCG 2014 Investor Survey. Jeff Kotzen Tim Nolan	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2309
__label__cc	0.592784	0.407216	Healthcare news (industry news) Elderly among growing number of people hospitalised for malnutrition The number of people ending up in hospital due to undernourishment has nearly tripled in the last year, according to official figures and the elderly are a key demographic in the additional cases. Some 184,528 hospital bed days last year were as a result of poor diet or a lack of food, compared to 65,048 measured across the same timeframe in 2006-2007. In many of the cases, a fall or infection was the catalyst for treatment, but doctors detected malnutrition as the underlying cause. In some instances, malnutrition was the primary cause of admission, with the total reaching 17,166 for the 2015-2016 period. This is up from 6,704 a decade earlier and such a significant rise that it is raising alarm bells among experts. Simon Bottery, director of policy at the charity Independent Age, said: "These new figures on malnutrition are genuinely shocking. “As a society, there is no excuse for us failing to ensure that older people are able to eat enough food of the right quality to stay healthy. "Yet we have been cutting back the meals on wheels services and lunch clubs on which so many vulnerable elderly people relied and reducing the numbers who receive home care visits.” Four out of five people being admitted for malnutrition were brought in as emergencies, denoting a sudden deterioration in health. Mr Bottery said that this was due to care professionals not having the time or skills to identify malnutrition. The official figures come in the wake of the Autumn Statement when the government failed to grant the NHS or social care services any extra budget. This has been seen as an oversight by many in an area that is in need of additional cash. On average, a person admitted to hospital with malnutrition will stay in for 22-23 days. It costs the NHS £400 a day from them to be there, showing how expensive it is to allow an avoidable situation to spiral out of control. As 42 per cent of patients being admitted were over-65, the official figures highlight the importance of looking after the elderly. While this can sometimes be achieved in their own homes, living in a care home ensures that they are properly looked after, fed and monitored all of the time. The figures were obtained by Jonathan Ashworth, the health spokesman for Labour. He said: “Real poverty is causing vulnerable people, particularly the elderly, to go hungry and undernourished, so much so that they end up in hospital.”	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2312
__label__wiki	0.93926	0.93926	Report27 Feb 2016 Dasaolu and Philip win dramatic 60m finals at British Indoor Championships More than usual is at stake at this year’s British Indoor Championships, coming as they are immediately before the national selectors decide on their team for the IAAF World Indoor Championships Portland 2016. News23 Jun 2015 Britain's best sprinters face top opposition in London – IAAF Diamond League Britain's European 100m champion James Dasaolu and world indoor champion Richard Kilty will take on an international line up at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games that will include 2003 world champion Kim Collins and Commonwealth champion Kemar Bailey-Cole at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in London on 24-25 July. US trio head Eugene men's 100m field – IAAF Diamond League Ryan Bailey was one of the most familiar faces of the IAAF World Relays, Bahamas 2015, as he anchored the USA to a national record 37.38 earlier this month. He will be hoping to show off his prowess as an individual sprinter in the 100m at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Eugene on Saturday (30). News17 Dec 2014 Dasaolu looking for fast times again in Birmingham Great Britain’s European 100m champion James Dasaolu will compete at the 2015 Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix, an IAAF Indoor Permit meeting, in Birmingham on 21 February, the organisers announced on Wednesday (17). Report: men's 100m – IAAF Continental Cup, Marrakech 2014 James Dasaolu won the closest ever men’s 100m at an IAAF Continental or World Cup to become the first British winner of this event since Linford Christie completed his World Cup hat-trick in 1994. Europe lead overnight as hosts Africa have brief moments in spotlight at IAAF Continental Cup, Marrakech 2014 Although they were never expected to be in the hunt for overall victory at the IAAF Continental Cup, Marrakech 2014, being the host nation certainly didn’t harm Africa as they got off to a good start on the first day of action in Marrakech on Saturday (13). Zurich press conference highlights – IAAF Diamond League The traditional press conference the day before any IAAF Diamond League meeting saw four athletes who had made their mark in Zurich at the European Championships earlier in August take the stage to talk about their achievements in the Swiss city and look ahead to the first of this year’s IAAF Diamond League finals. From Hussein to Usain, Zurich boasts best athletes in Europe and the world – IAAF Diamond League Just days after the conclusion of the European Championships, the Letzigrund Stadium is getting ready for yet another athletics highlight on 28 August as Zurich prepares to host the first of two IAAF Diamond League finals. Report13 Aug 2014 Three golds for Britain and a world lead for Krauchanka at European Championships A triple gold medal haul for Great Britain and a world-leading performance in the decathlon highlighted a wet, windy and unseasonably chilly second day at the European Championships in Zurich on Wednesday (13). Feature27 Jun 2014 Dasaolu happy to play the waiting game For a man used to running fast, James Dasaolu isn’t in a hurry. While the 26-year-old’s sprint rivals have already made their seasonal debuts, the quiet Londoner is in no rush to get his summer campaign under way. Dibaba smashes two miles world best in Birmingham Genzebe Dibaba made it three from three in 15 days as she produced her third breath-taking world record performance to bring the Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix to a scintillating climax in the British city of Birmingham on Saturday (15) Johnson-Thompson jumps to attention with big marks in Sheffield Katarina Johnson-Thompson has set her sights on the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland, next month after a spectacular weekend at the British Athletics Indoor Championships in Sheffield where she broke the national high jump record on Saturday (8) and added a championship record to win the long jump on Sunday (9).	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2316
__label__cc	0.59092	0.40908	Home / Unlabelled / Few Facts About Press Release Sites Few Facts About Press Release Sites Every day around the world, there is some important event or there, about which people need to be informed. There are some important events, about which, the world needs to be informed, and there is some information, about which, a particular group of people needs to be informed. Affordable Press Release Network come in to play at such instances. A PR is an event where, some information, which has been deemed to have news value, is announced to the people present there. But, nowadays, thanks to the widespread availability of the internet, one can conduct press releases using PR sites. PR's are of great value, when it comes to public relations, or establishing some company in the market. For example, let us suppose there is a company, which has just been formed. This company has just come up with a new product and wants the news agencies to know, so that, they can write about the company in their papers, and the company gains recognition through these. But, instead of conducting a full out press release, press release sites can be used to the same effect. The present-day world is immensely busy. No one has enough time on their hands, ever! Everyone is in a hurry always. So, if you plan to hold a press release, the old fashioned way, by sending out invites to people, and renting a venue, where everyone will come and listen, and then refreshments will follow afterward, then you are sadly mistaken. For one, people hardly have ties on their hands to go to a venue to listen and attend a press release, let alone spend 3 hours of their valuable time sitting and listening to a lecture. So, the smartest thing to do would be to make use of the press release sites, which we can nowadays find on the internet. If you are to search the internet, you can find hundreds and hundreds of PR sites there. There are so many sites, that they can even be found in order of rank, and this list is updated almost regularly. And more importantly, in these rankings, you can even find comments of the people who have used these sites for press release purposes. These comments can be of great help and will help you to choose which Free Press Release Distribution Services you would want to make use of. If you have something to announce to the public, then the best way to go about it, would be to make avail of the press release sites on the internet. In this way, all you need to do is look up the internet, choose a site which suits you best, and then write out your PR. And the best part is, that, most of these sites are free of cost, and they cost you nothing if you are announcing anything over them. And since this is an online release, everyone can come to know about your PR peacefully sitting back at home! A professional copywriter is one that can provide you with the best copywriting, content writing, and creative writing services. You need to ensure that your website can have content that would grab the attention of your users. Through such content writing Affordable Press Release Website, you can be sure that your website would have its desired content made available. I have been a professional content writer for many years and today I wish to share some of my information with others. The fact that such knowledge is extremely vital to share means that you have to complete certain of your wordings and just what exactly you wish to speak out. Contact me if you wish to have any further information on effective content writing services Few Facts About Press Release Sites Reviewed by Press Release Power on 8/28/2020 06:42:00 PM Rating: 5	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2317
__label__wiki	0.97103	0.97103	The Farr Side: Taylor Swift: The evolution continues Taylor Swift might be the biggest pop star on the planet. Everyone is talking about her and the release of her highly anticipated seventh studio album, “Lover.” This record is huge. I love Swift, and that’s coming from listener/critic who wasn’t always on-board with her fame. She has evolved and grown with each album. It’s exciting to see where she’ll go next. “Lover” features 18 quality tracks and is her first release on Republic Records, since parting from Big Machine. Eighteen tracks? Who does this anymore, especially in the digital world? Swift is not afraid of hard work. “Lover,” the album, makes me happy for her. She’s in a good place, personally and musically. What a treat for fans. She’s light-hearted again, breezy and wanting to have some fun, while still managing to tackle some social truths. The album’s first single, “Me,” features Brendon Urie from Panic! At The Disco. The song and video showcased the fun side that emerged from her previous album, “Reputation.” “Me” had its debut at the Billboard Music Awards. The song quickly rose up the charts, adding to speculation about what was to come. She uses social media better than most music artists. “You Need To Calm Down” could not have been better. This song is awesome and, frankly, needed to be said. She cleverly frames the lyrics, “You just need to take several seats/And then try to make peace/And control your urges to scream/’Cause shade never made anybody less gay.” I wouldn’t call this album revolutionary like “1989” was, but this one is more evolutionary. She has grown more as a person and the songs on this collection aren’t confined to a single motive, but more like individual thoughts or feelings. The title track is, by far, the standout. It is such a beautiful song and she does it so well and with incredible style and class. It’s gorgeous. This track could clean house come awards season. It’s that good. Swift delivers this love song like no other we’ve ever heard from her. The lyrics are pure and completely from the heart of someone who knows what it means to have that someone, a lover. It’s one of the finest new songs this year. “The Archer,” “The Man,” “London Boy,” “I Think He Knows” and “I Forgot That You Existed” demonstrate her ability to craft pop gems, but ”Paper Rings” and “Soon You’ll Get Better” (featuring Dixie Chicks) illustrate how talented Swift is. Hendersonville Times-News ~ 106 Henderson Crossing Plaza, Hendersonville, NC 28792 ~ Do Not Sell My Personal Information ~ Cookie Policy ~ Do Not Sell My Personal Information ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service ~ Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2319
__label__wiki	0.595417	0.595417	BOOKS OF THE WEEK - SATURDAY, 21ST DECEMBER, 2019 The Absent Dialogue By - Anit Mukherjee Cost Rs. 1100.00 Civilian control over the military is widely hailed as one of the major successes of India's democracy. Because it is so rare, especially among post-colonial states, this control is rightfully celebrated. But has this come at a cost. in the absent dialogue, an it Mukherjee argues that the pattern of civil-military relations in India has hampered its military effectiveness. Diving deep into understanding the organization and internal processes within the Indian military, he explains how Indian politicians and bureaucrats have long been content with the formal and ritualistic exercise of civilian control, while the military continues to operate in institutional silos. Yet, there has been little substantive engagement between the two. To support this claim, Mukherjee closely examines the variables most closely associated with military effectiveness-weapons procurement, jointness (the ability of separate military services to operate together), Officer education, promotion policies, and defense planning. Further, Mukherjee shows how India's pattern of civil-military relations-best characterized as an absent dialogue-adversely affects each of these processes. While the book focuses on India, It also highlights the importance of civilian expertise and institutional design in enhancing civilian control and military effectiveness in other democracies. informed by more than a hundred and fifty interviews and recently available archival material, the absent dialogue sheds new light on India's military and will reshape our understanding of both the history and contemporary dynamics of civil-military relations and recurring problems therein. Anit Mukherjee is Assistant Professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and a Non-Resident Fellow at the Brookings Institution India Center. He has a Ph.D. from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University and was formerly an officer in the Indian Army. www.ebdbooks.com Our mail order service ships books in India and Overseas Email: sales@ebd.in, Phonae: +91 135 2655192	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2320
__label__wiki	0.921248	0.921248	Julianne Moore & Kaitlyn Dever to Play Mother & Daughter in Benefit Reading of Good As New by Lindsey Sullivan • Jul 1, 2020 Julianne Moore & Kaitlyn Dever (Photos: Matt Winkelmeyer/Amy Sussman/Getty Images) MCC Theater has announced a special benefit reading and discussion of Peter Hedges’ Good As New, starring Julianne Moore and Kaitlyn Dever. Directed by Hedges, the presentation will take place on MCC’s YouTube channel on July 16 at 7PM ET. Tickets can be purchased here. All ticket proceeds of this benefit reading will support MCC’s Be Our Light campaign and will be matched 2-for-1 by the MCC Board. In addition, 10 percent of add-on donations will be split between The Artists Co-op and The Okra Project. The one-act comedy Good As New centers on a learning-to-drive daughter (Dever) who comes face-to-face with the mother (Moore) she thinks has let her down. The production first played in 1993-94 as part of MCC’s (then called Manhattan Class Company) One Acts. It was then extended to a full-length work and presented by MCC in 1997. Moore won a 2015 Oscar for her performance in Still Alice; she has four additional Academy Award nominations for The Hours, Far from Heaven, The End of the Affair and Boogie Nights. She received a 2012 Emmy Award for Game Change. She appeared on Broadway in 2006 in The Vertical Hour. A musical adaptation of her children’s book Freckleface Strawberry premiered at New World Stage in 2010. Dever, who landed laughs alongside Beanie Feldstein in the 2019 comedy Booksmart and earned a 2020 Golden Globe nomination for starring in Netflix's Unbelievable, is in talks to play Zoe Murphy in the upcoming Dear Evan Hansen movie. She was also previously announced to appear in HBO's upcoming politics and pandemic series Coastal Elites. The previous reading of Alan Bowne’s Beirut, starring Marisa Tomei and Oscar Isaac, also benefitted MCC's Be Our Light campaign. What To Do (Without Broadway!): A Day-to-Day Schedule	cc/2021-04/en_head_0023.json.gz/line2322

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