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By Jacky Habib
A Brazilian soldier puts out fires at the Nova Fronteira region in Novo Progresso, Brazil, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro sent the military to help extinguish some fires. Last week, he passed a decree banning most fires for land-clearing for a period of 60 days, although he later limited the ban to the Amazon.
Leo Correa/AP
NewsHealth
Brazilian Children Face Increased Respiratory Illnesses Due to Amazon Fires: Study
The number of children hospitalised with respiratory problems doubled from 2018 to 2019.
The UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 3 ensures healthy lives and promotes well-being for all. The Amazon rainforest fires jeopardize the health of people nearby, and children and seniors are most vulnerable. Join Global Citizen and take action now.
Children in Brazil are facing increased respiratory illnesses due to fires in the Amazon region, according to a recent study.
The number of children hospitalized with respiratory problems in areas most affected by the fire during May and June this year doubled compared to 2018 figures, according to a study coordinated by the Climate and Health Observatory of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation.
“Children are more sensitive to external factors, such as pollution, since their immune system and their respiratory system are still under development,” said Christovam Barcellos, one of the researchers involved in the study, to the Lancet.
The wildfires in the Amazon — the largest tropical rainforest in the world — caused a public outcry by environmentalists and more broadly by the public on social media. Although fires are common during the dry season, this year has been a record, with more than 165,000 fires burning.
The report states the pollutants “can worsen heart disease, inflammation of the airways, systemic inflammation and neuro-inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, coagulation, atherosclerosis, alteration of the autonomic nervous system, and damage DNA, with carcinogenic potential.”
Researchers analysed data from 100 cities in Brazil most affected by the fire, located in or surrounding the Amazon, in the states of Pará, Rondônia, Maranhão, and Mato Grosso.
They found a total of 5,091 hospitalizations of children per month related to respiratory issues, when the projected number of hospitalizations is 2,589. “These results suggest an excess of 2500 hospitalisations of children in the municipalities most affected by the burnings,” the report stated.
While the overall number of hospitalizations doubled, children in some cities bore the brunt of the impact of the fires, with an increase in hospitalizations by five times the average amount.
Barcellos said the numbers are likely to be much higher as the study sourced data from the country’s public health system, and data from private hospitals and health clinics were not included, which would account for an increase.
He also stated that many children do not have access to the public health system. “Many people in the region live in small towns, or in indigenous reservations and mining areas, kilometres away from public hospitals and healthcare facilities,” Barcello said.
In addition, the Lancet reports the vast majority of towns in the Amazon region have a population under 5,000 people and that traveling to an urban center to seek medical care is not always feasible.
In August, the World Health Organization (WHO) previously warned that the fires pose a health risk to children. At the time, it was based on anecdotal reports of increased respiratory diseases in children, rather than systemic monitoring, which this research now shows.
Related Stories Nov. 1, 2019 Brazilian Children Face Increased Respiratory Illnesses Due to Amazon Fires: Study
TopicsAt-risk childrenwildfiresAmazon RainforestBrazilrespiratory problems
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Frontiers in Earth Science
Biogeoscience
Sandra Arndt
University of Bristol, United Kingdom
William P. Gilhooly III
Indiana University, Purdue University Indianapolis, United States
Norbert Kamjunke
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Germany
Open Supplemental Data
Original Research ARTICLE
Front. Earth Sci., 18 December 2017 | https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2017.00106
Molecular Determinants of Dissolved Organic Matter Reactivity in Lake Water
Alina Mostovaya1*, Jeffrey A. Hawkes2, Thorsten Dittmar3 and Lars J. Tranvik1
1Limnology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
2Department of Chemistry–BMC, Analytical Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
3Research Group for Marine Geochemistry (MPI Bridging Group), Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany
Lakes in the boreal region have been recognized as the biogeochemical hotspots, yet many questions regarding the regulators of organic matter processing in these systems remain open. Molecular composition can be an important determinant of dissolved organic matter (DOM) fate in freshwater systems, but many aspects of this relationship remain unclear due to the complexity of DOM and its interactions in the natural environment. Here, we combine ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) with kinetic modeling of decay of >1,300 individual DOM molecular formulae identified by mass spectrometry, to evaluate the role of specific molecular characteristics in decomposition of lake water DOM. Our data is derived from a 4 months microbial decomposition experiment, carried out on water from three Swedish lakes, with the set-up including natural lake water, as well as the lake water pretreated with UV light. The relative decay rate of every molecular formula was estimated by fitting a single exponential model to the change in FT-ICR-MS signal intensities over decomposition time. We found a continuous range of exponential decay coefficients (kexp) within different groups of compounds and show that for highly unsaturated and phenolic compounds the distribution of kexp was shifted toward the lowest values. Contrary to this general trend, plant-derived polyphenols and polycondensed aromatics were on average more reactive than compounds with an intermediate aromaticity. The decay rate of aromatic compounds increased with increasing nominal oxidation state of carbon, and molecular mass in some cases showed an inverse relationship with kexp in the UV-manipulated treatment. Further, we observe an increase in formulae-specific kexp as a result of the UV pretreatment. General trends in reactivity identified among major compound groups emphasize the importance of the intrinsic controllers of lake water DOM decay. However, we additionally indicate that each compound group contained a wide spectrum of reactivities, suggesting that high resolution is needed to further ascertain the complex reasons behind DOM reactivity in lake water.
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is the quantitatively most abundant pool of organic carbon in the oceans and in most inland waters (Thurman, 1985). It is an important vector of energy and nutrients from terrestrial to aquatic systems, shaping communities and ecosystems (Jansson et al., 2007), and is a precursor of a substantial sediment carbon sink (von Wachenfeldt and Tranvik, 2008) as well as a large source of atmospheric carbon dioxide (Cole et al., 2007; Raymond et al., 2013). Accordingly, there is a considerable interest in identifying the main drivers of DOM decomposition in freshwater systems. Boreal lakes draw especially close attention in this regard as they receive and actively process increasingly large amounts of terrigenous organic matter (Sobek et al., 2003; Algesten et al., 2004; Tranvik et al., 2009). Microbial and photochemical mineralization of this organic matter contributes to the flux of greenhouse gases from lakes to the atmosphere (Duarte and Prairie, 2005; Raymond et al., 2013). Moreover, the boreal and arctic regions have the highest abundance and area of lake water bodies on Earth (Verpoorter et al., 2014), and the terrestrial export and concentrations of dissolved organic carbon in the boreal region are predicted to increase with elevated temperatures (Weyhenmeyer and Karlsson, 2009).
There is increasing evidence that the degradation of organic matter in soils is constrained largely by extrinsic, environmental factors, rather than intrinsic properties of the organic matter itself (Kleber, 2010; Schmidt et al., 2011). However, in aquatic environment intrinsic factors have been identified as important controllers of DOM fate (Kellerman et al., 2015). A number of studies suggested a link between the reactivity of DOM and its specific properties, e.g., elemental ratios (Sun et al., 1997; D'Andrilli et al., 2015), nominal oxidation state of carbon (Kattner et al., 2011; LaRowe and Van Cappellen, 2011), apparent molecular weight (Meyer, 1986; Amon and Benner, 1994), actual molecular weight (Kim et al., 2006), and aliphatic vs. aromatic content (Hopkinson et al., 1998). Notably, the ideas about the exact relationship between DOM properties and degradability are sometimes conflicting, such as in case of nominal oxidation state of carbon and molecular weight.
Commonly, to establish a link between the reactivity and properties of DOM, a comparison is made between two and three contrasting DOM fractions (Tranvik, 1990; Amon and Benner, 1996; Guillemette et al., 2013) or a limited number of reactivity pools (Hopkinson et al., 2002; Chen and Jaffé, 2016). Recent works emphasize that DOM in freshwater systems has rather a continuum of reactivity (Vähätalo et al., 2010; Sierra et al., 2011; Koehler et al., 2012; Mostovaya et al., 2016, 2017) and thus, examining the whole range of DOM constituents could be beneficial in search for connections between the properties and reactivity of DOM. Characterizing a multitude of compounds within DOM with both molecular characteristics and a specific decay rate could help to comprehensively assess major intrinsic drivers of DOM decay. In recent decades Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) has emerged as a powerful tool for resolving the composition of DOM on the level of individual molecular formulae (Marshall, 2000). Moreover, the signal intensity corresponding to each formula is in principal linearly proportional to the concentration of the corresponding isomeric mixture of compounds, as long as the sample matrix is similar (Lechtenfeld et al., 2014; Seidel et al., 2015). Therefore, following the loss of formula-specific intensity during decomposition can allow assessment of the relative rates of each individual molecular mass' decay (Mostovaya et al., 2017). Acquired individual decay coefficients can be further related to specific molecular properties, such as degree of compound saturation, carbon oxidation state, and molecular mass.
The ideas outlined above allowed us to break down the degradation of bulk DOM to behavior of a multitude of individual molecular masses, and relate the differing reactivity to their averaged structural properties. To do this, we performed a 120-day DOM decomposition experiment, using waters from three boreal lakes. One of the two experimental treatments was preexposed to UV light to accelerate the subsequent microbial decomposition (Lindell et al., 1995; Wetzel et al., 1995; Moran and Zepp, 1997). Based on the time series of intensities, we derived apparent exponential decay coefficients kexp for every molecular formula detected with FT-ICR-MS. We then explored the relationship between molecular properties of a large number (>1,300) of DOM constituents and the apparent decay rate coefficient kexp, including photochemical effects on subsequent DOM decomposition.
Water Sampling and Preparation
Three humic brown-water lakes (DOC concentration range 21.2–23.7 mg C L−1; Specific UV absorbance at 254 nm (SUVA254) range 3.3–4.1 L mg C−1 m−1), Lumpen, Ramsjön, and Övre Långsjön, were sampled in a forested area of east-central Sweden in October 2013. The catchments of the lakes are dominated by boreal forest (~20% of peat in the catchment of the Lake Lumpen) and underlain by the calcareous moraine and granitic bedrock. Mean annual precipitation in this area is 600–700 mm and mean annual temperature is 4–6°C (1961–1990, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute; http://www.smhi.se/klimatdata).
The water was collected from the surface (oxic epilimnion, 0−0.5 m depth), filtered through 0.2 μm membrane filters (Supor, Pall) and stored in the dark at 4°C. Portions of filtered water were irradiated with UV light (300−400 nm range) for 144 h, and about 30% of initial DOC was photochemically mineralized as a result (see also Mostovaya et al., 2016). Thus, the subsequent dark decomposition experiment was provided with treatments containing non-manipulated and UV-manipulated lake water.
DOM Decomposition Experiment
The experimental setup consisted of non-manipulated and UV-manipulated lake water treatments, duplicated for each lake (12 experiments in total). The DOM incubations were conducted on 0.2 μm filtered water, inoculated with a 64 μm plankton net filtered aliquot from the respective lake (5% of the volume), with addition of inorganic nutrients (480 μg N L−1 as KNO3 and 100 μg P L−1 as Na2HPO4). Lake water was incubated in pre-acid washed (10% HCl), pre-combusted (4 h at 550°C) 40 ml glass vials sealed with PTFE-lined silicone septa, at 20°C and in the dark. All vials were submersed in water to minimize the gas exchange, and incubations lasted for 120 days. The length of the experiment was motivated by the fact that humic DOM can decay very slowly (e.g., Koehler et al., 2012). At 12 different time points of the experiment individual vials were sacrificed for measuring the DOC concentration and taking the samples for mass spectrometry analysis. The DOC concentration was measured on a Sievers 900 TOC Analyzer (General Electric Analytical Instruments). Water for mass spectrometry analysis was stored in pre-combusted (4 h at 450°C) 2 ml glass vials with PTFE-lined silicone septa at 4°C. Prior to usage, the septa and screw caps were pre-soaked in methanol for 24 h and repeatedly rinsed with MilliQ water (Millipore).
FT-ICR-MS Data Analysis
Mass spectrometry analysis was performed with a 15-T Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT-ICR-MS; Solarix, Bruker Daltonics) with an electrospray ionization source operating in negative mode. Lake water samples were diluted with ultrapure water to a concentration of 10 mg C L−1 and mixed with methanol (HPLC grade, Sigma-Aldrich) in a proportion of 2:1 (final concentration 6.7 mg C L−1). The samples were injected without further treatment, i.e., without performing the solid phase extraction, at 360 μL h−1. Mass spectra were collected over 400 scans, with ion accumulation time of 0.5 s, and within a range of 150–2,000 m/z. Each sample was internally calibrated with a reference mass list generated from North Equatorial Pacific Intermediate Water (NEqPIW) (Green et al., 2014) using the Bruker Daltonics Data Analysis software package. Molecular formulae containing the elements C, H, O, N, S, and P were assigned to peaks with a signal to noise ratio greater than four and based on the following criteria: O ≤ C; O > (2P + S); N ≤ 4; S ≤ 4 and P ≤ 1. The S-, P-, and N > 1-containing formulae did not show any specific behavior (see section Formula-Specific Apparent Decay Coefficient kexp) and, since higher errors are associated with the assignments containing S, P, and N > 1, these formulae were excluded from further analysis to avoid excessive complexity. Unassigned peaks were disregarded, as they were mainly noise or isotopologue (e.g., 13C) peaks. Known contaminant peaks and peaks found in procedural blanks, as well as the peaks with unusually high intensity, were removed from the dataset. For each lake, only peaks found in both replicates of each experimental treatment were considered. For each decomposition experiment, time series of total intensity were compared to the corresponding bulk DOC loss (Figure S1). This was done to check the consistency of the data, as we expected linear relationship between total intensity and bulk DOC. One of the replicate incubations (lake Övre Långsjön, non-manipulated water, replicate 2) and four individual samples from different incubations fell out of the linear trend, possibly due to the short-term instrument or software problems, (Figure S1) and, thus, were removed from the subsequent analysis. Further, data from each lake-treatment-replicate combination (eleven in total, since one incubation time series was removed) was processed separately. A detection limit was applied based on dynamic range. The dynamic range of each individual sample was calculated as a ratio of maximum to minimum peak intensity found in the sample. Detection limit was then calculated for each sample, by dividing maximum intensity in this sample by the lowest dynamic range found among the samples. Intensities below the detection limit were removed. This left in consideration 1,654−2,045 formulae across the range of samples.
In each sample the intensities were normalized to the total intensity and multiplied to account for dilution and to estimate the equivalent intensity in the undiluted sample. In other words, the samples were normalized internally for total intensity and then externally to account for DOC concentration. This was done to correctly estimate the relative change in concentration over the course of incubation (Lechtenfeld et al., 2014; Seidel et al., 2015; Hawkes et al., 2016b; Mostovaya et al., 2017). The signal intensity we refer to further in the text (e.g., in the section Formula-Specific Apparent Decay Coefficient kexp) corresponds to DOC normalized intensity in undiluted sample.
Double bond equivalence (DBE), reflecting the degree of unsaturation, was calculated for each formula as DBE = 1 + ½(2C – H + N) and modified aromaticity index (AImod), reflecting the existence of aromatic and condensed aromatic structures, was calculated as AImod = [1 + C − ½O − ½(N + H)]/(C − ½O − N), where C, H, O, and N refer to a number of respective atoms per molecule. The formulae for DBE and AImod are adjusted from (Koch and Dittmar, 2006, 2016) as S- and P-containing formulae were not included in our analysis.
Molecular data was visualized in van Krevelen diagrams, i.e., the plots of formula-specific H/C vs. O/C ratios (Kim et al., 2003). Compound groups were assigned based on AImod and H/C ratio, with AImod > 0.66 indicating the presence of combustion derived polycondensed aromatics (Koch and Dittmar, 2006), 0.50 < AImod ≤ 0.66 delineating plant polyphenols and condensed aromatics with few aliphatic side chains (Šantl-Temkiv et al., 2013; Kellerman et al., 2015), AImod ≤0.5 & H/C < 1.5 indicating highly unsaturated and phenolic compounds (Šantl-Temkiv et al., 2013), and H/C ≥ 1 indicating aliphatic compounds (Riedel et al., 2016). We also calculated nominal oxidation state of carbon (NOSC) as NOSC = 4−[(4C+H−3N−2O)/C]. This formula is modified from Riedel et al. (2012), since S-containing compounds were not included in our analysis.
Formula-Specific Apparent Decay Coefficient kexp
For each formula, a single-exponential model (Olson, 1963) was fit into the 12-point time series of relative change in signal intensity following the equation
ItI0=e-kexpt
where kexp is an apparent exponential decay coefficient (day−1) and It/I0 is the relative change in intensity over time (Mostovaya et al., 2017). The choice of the model is rooted in the theory of reactivity continuum (Boudreau and Ruddick, 1991), which emerges as a realistic model of organic matter decay (Vähätalo et al., 2010; Koehler and Tranvik, 2015; Mostovaya et al., 2016) and assumes that each individual reactive type within bulk DOM degrades following the single-exponential kinetics. For the purpose of model fitting, only formulae that were detected on at least 8 days of the 12-point time series were considered. The model fitting was conducted using generalized least squares modeling, and the goodness of model fit was described with normalized root-mean-square error (NRMSE) (Mostovaya et al., 2017). The time series containing a lot of noise were not considered in the subsequent analysis. The threshold for noise was established at NRMSE = 35.8%–a 95% quantile of the NRMSE distribution calculated from a series of repeated measurements of DOM NEqPIW standard (Green et al., 2014) of steady concentration (15 mg C L−1). Between 89.7 and 97.3% of the formulae in the experimental datasets met this criterion. Since the context of our study was DOM decomposition, we were interested in the molecular formulae that exhibited net decay, and, hence, only used the formulae with positive kexp in the subsequent analysis. It should be remembered that the apparent exponential decay coefficient kexp represents the net of simultaneous loss and formation of the corresponding formula. The formulae demonstrating the net decay constituted the majority in our datasets (76.1−98.1% of all formulae with accepted NRMSE). The formulae demonstrating the net accumulation (Figure S2) are not discussed further.
The relationship of kexp with molecular characteristics, including the H/C and O/C ratios, DBE, AImod, NOSC, and molecular mass were approximated using generalized additive models (GAM) based on cubic splines (R function stat_smooth in package ggplot2). The model fitting, and all calculations were performed using R (version 3.3.2, R Development Core team, 2016).
Treatment Effects
We focused on two groups of formulae from the comparison between the non-manipulated and UV-manipulated experimental treatments: (1) shared formulae, found in both treatments and (2) the formulae found only in UV treatment, i.e., corresponding to photoproduced molecules. For the shared formulae, apparent decay coefficients kexp were compared between the treatments. To explore possible similarities in chemical characteristics and reactivity of photoproduced molecules, the corresponding formulae were plotted in van Krevelen space with apparent decay coefficients kexp as a third, color-coded dimension.
General Trends in Reactivity among Major Compound Groups
Between 1,308 and 1,820 formulae could be assigned an apparent decay coefficient kexp in each treatment (see Formula-Specific Apparent Decay Coefficient kexp in Methods). To compare the distribution of kexp we considered the following groups of compounds: aliphatics, highly unsaturated and phenolic compounds, plant polyphenols, and polycondensed aromatics. The values of kexp varied from 4.3 × 10−8 to 0.02 day−1. While most of kexp in this range were found within each group of compounds, the exact distribution of kexp, i.e., the prevalence of lower or higher kexp, differed between the groups (Figures 1, 2, Figures S3, S4).
Figure 1. Van Krevelen plots depicting molecular formulae color-coded by value of the decay coefficient kexp. Two additional panels isolate relationship of kexp with H/C (left), and O/C (bottom) ratios. Red lines correspond to fitted generalized additive models (GAM). (A) Lake Ramsjön, non-manipulated treatment, (B) Lake Ramsjön, UV-manipulated treatment. One of the duplicate treatments is shown in each case (two other lakes and all the duplicates are shown in the Figure S3).
Figure 2. Kernel density plots showing the distributions of decay coefficients kexp within different groups of compounds. Here, kernel density function is a non-parametrically estimated probability density function of kexp. The integral of each function over the range of corresponding kexp equals 1. (A–C) correspond to non-manipulated treatments of lake Lumpen, Ramsjön, and Övre Långsjön, respectively. (D–F) correspond to the UV-manipulated treatments of the same lakes. Note that the Y-axis scale is different for different treatments. One of the duplicate treatments is shown (data from the second duplicate is shown in the Figure S4).
The lowest kexp were mostly associated with highly unsaturated and phenolic compounds (Figures 1, 2, Figures S3, S4). This group is ambiguous with respect to aromaticity–molecules may contain aromatic rings, or may simply have a high density of double bonds in a different configuration (Koch and Dittmar, 2006). Given that the DOM of boreal lakes originates largely from terrestrial vascular plants (Thurman, 1985; Hessen and Tranvik, 1998), a reasonable assumption can be made that most of the highly unsaturated and phenolic compounds found in our experiment are lignin-derived.
In non-manipulated treatments, representing the natural lake water, the share of slowly decaying formulae was also substantial within the groups of polyphenols and polycondensed aromatics (Figures 1A, 2A,B, Figures S3, S4). In one of the lakes (Figure 2C), and in UV-manipulated treatment (Figures 2E,F) these groups were almost as reactive as aliphatics.
Relatively low reactivity of vascular plant-derived components of DOM has been reported previously (Benner et al., 1987; Moran and Hodson, 1994; Benner and Kaiser, 2011). However, we do not suggest that the low reactivity of lignin-derived and polyphenolic compounds is ubiquitous. Our results showed the presence of high apparent decay rates within each group of compounds (Figure 2, Figure S4). Accordingly, fast decomposition of lignin phenols was recently documented for Amazon River DOM (Ward et al., 2013). The fact that some fraction of phenolic compounds is likely to readily participate in decomposition at the timescales of several months was also previously reported (Mostovaya et al., 2016).
The reactivity of aliphatic compounds was predominantly high (Figures 1, 2, Figures S3, S4), which agrees with existing concepts of OM lability (Sun et al., 1997; D'Andrilli et al., 2015). Studies have shown that labile fractions of DOM are often of algal origin (e.g., Guillemette et al., 2013), and there is evidence that algal DOM is to a large extent aliphatic (H/C > 1.5) (Mangal et al., 2016). Yet, we do not imply that aliphatic compounds in our study are exclusively of algal origin, because they may also be components of fresh terrestrial DOM of increased lability. In the study evaluating the persistence of DOM in boreal lakes Kellerman et al. (2015) found that aliphatic compounds were abundant in lakes with higher water residence time. While, at first, this seems to contradict our results, it should be considered that persistence is not necessarily caused by the resistance to degradation and sedimentation, but can be also a result of the constant replenishment. This might be especially relevant for algal DOM, as the conditions for photosynthesis improve in more transparent waters of the lakes with higher water residence time.
It should be reemphasized that kexp formed a continuous distribution within each group of compounds, with both high and low kexp present (Figure 2, Figure S4). The average behavior of each compound group was, hence, determined by the character of the distribution and whether it was shifted toward lower or higher values of kexp. This gives further support to the idea that overall DOM decomposition kinetics emerges from the decay kinetics of multitude of individual constituents (Mostovaya et al., 2017). The presence of a wide range of reactivities within each compound group, however, signifies that molecular formulae with different bulk properties can be equally reactive. This likely reflects the complexity of structural constraints on reactivity and suggests that higher structural resolution is needed to further ascertain the reasons behind DOM reactivity in lake water.
Our experiment characterized the aerobic decomposition of DOM typically present in boreal humic lakes, not limited by nutrients. While it is not possible to say whether the observed trends in compound reactivity would be retrievable from the other aquatic settings, they might be characteristic of other lakes with high terrestrial DOM input. At the same time, it has been shown before that the freshness of terrestrial DOM can influence the rates of microbial DOM utilization (Berggren et al., 2010a,b). This exemplifies that the exact chemical composition might be a more universal predictor of decay patterns than the degree of allochthony. With the increasing number of studies using the ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry to understand the molecular drivers of DOM reactivity in a variety of systems (Gonsior et al., 2013; Sleighter et al., 2014; D'Andrilli et al., 2015; Kellerman et al., 2015; Hawkes et al., 2016b; Riedel et al., 2016; Kamjunke et al., 2017) a better understanding of the intrinsic controls of aquatic DOM reactivity becomes increasingly possible to achieve.
Relationship of Apparent Exponential Decay Coefficient kexp with Molecular Characteristics
We examined the relationship of kexp with compounds' saturation (H/C), modified aromaticity index (AImod), double bond equivalency (DBE), molecular mass, oxygen content (O/C ratio), and nominal oxidation state of carbon (NOSC). Despite the large variability in the data, fitting the GAM models allowed us to identify general trends (Figures 1, 3, Figures S3, S5).
Figure 3. Relationships of kexp with modified aromaticity index (AImod; A,B), double bond equivalence (DBE; C,D) and molecular mass (E,F). (A,C,E, and B,D,F) correspond to non-manipulated and UV-manipulated treatment, respectively. Red lines correspond to fitted generalized additive models (GAM). The data is shown for one of the duplicates of lake Ramsjön (data for the second duplicate and two other lakes is shown in the Figure S5).
The reactivity of aromatic compounds (H/C~below 1.1) was on average higher than reactivity in the “highly unsaturated” region (H/C~between 1.1 and 1.5) (Figure 1, Figure S3), and AImod showed curved relationship with kexp: the kexp first decreased with increasing AImod, but at AImod between 0.25 and 0.33 began to increase again (Figures 3A,B, Figure S5). As was pointed out above, highly unsaturated compounds may contain aromatic structures but their content is assumed to be lower than in the groups of plant polyphenols and polycondensed aromatics. A high contribution of aromatic structures is typical for the colored DOM of humic lakes, and traditionally considered to be associated with low reactivity (Tranvik, 1998). Hence, at the first sight our findings seem surprising. However, substantial evidence has accumulated that this material is not as persistent as often assumed (Tranvik, 1992), and in boreal lakes colored DOM disappears often faster than bulk DOM (Koehler et al., 2012; Weyhenmeyer et al., 2012). Likewise, FT-ICR-MS analysis of DOM from a large number of lakes (Kellerman et al., 2015) showed that the prevalence of aromatic compounds decreases with increasing water residence time of lakes, suggesting that they are selectively removed. The concept of universally low reactivity of aromatic DOM has been further challenged as higher-than-previously-thought lability of lignin-derived components was described in a variety of systems (Holmes et al., 2008; Spencer et al., 2008; Ward et al., 2013). The variability in reactivity observed for aromatic DOM reflects the fact that compounds that belong to a large common group (e.g., aromatics, lignin) can be extremely diverse with respect to exact structure and chemical properties.
Decay rate tended to be slightly higher for compounds with lowest DBE (Figures 3C,D, Figure S5), but generally DBE did not have a strong effect on kexp.
We did not find strong indications of the effect of molecular mass on kexp in the non-manipulated treatment (Figure 3E, Figure S5), and in the UV treatment reactivity tended to decrease with increasing mass in some cases (Figure 3F, Figure S5). It should be noted that our data covered the DOM mass range of ~150−600 Da. Other studies considered apparent masses up to 1−10 kDa (Tranvik, 1990; Amon and Benner, 1996), acquired using ultrafiltration techniques, and showed that bacteria preferentially utilize substrates of higher apparent molecular weight. A systematic comparison of apparent (i.e., assessed on the basis of separation techniques such as ultrafiltration) vs. actual (i.e., assessed based on high resolution methods targeting individual molecules) molecular weight across lakes showed that the patterns of the two are not systematically related (Kellerman, 2015). Our results indicate that in natural lake water actual molecular mass might not be important for reactivity, as opposed to other characteristics, such as compound class and, to a certain degree, nominal oxidation state of carbon (see below). The possible reasons for emerging relationship between molecular mass and reactivity in the UV treatment are discussed in section Treatment Effects.
Apparent decay coefficient kexp was positively related to oxygen content, i.e., O/C ratio (Figure 1, Figure S3), and tended to be lowest at intermediate levels of NOSC (Figure 4, Figure S6). Figure 4 and Figure S6 demonstrate that exact relationships of kexp with NOSC can differ between the groups of compounds. For all lakes, treatments, and replicates, reactivity of plant polyphenols increases nearly linearly with increasing NOSC (Figure 4, Figure S6). For other compound classes relationship of kexp with NOSC was less straightforward, but demonstrated a similar tendency in many cases (Figure 4, Figure S6).
Figure 4. Overall and compound group-specific relationship of kexp with nominal oxidation state of carbon (NOSC). (A,B) correspond to non-manipulated and UV-manipulated treatment, respectively. Red and black lines correspond to fitted generalized additive models (GAM). The data is shown for one of the duplicates of lake Ramsjön (data for the second duplicate and two other lakes is shown in the Figure S6). Color-coded are aliphatics (pink), highly unsaturated and phenolic compounds (blue), plant polyphenols (green), and polycondensed aromatics (yellow).
There is no absolute agreement in the literature on the exact relationship between oxygen content and reactivity of OM. Negative relationship between O/C and bioavailability of DOM (assessed as bacterial growth) has been reported by Sun et al. (1997). In contrast, based on the results of high resolution mass spectrometry analysis, Kim et al. (2006) concluded that biodegradation selectively removed compounds with higher O/C. However, there are also studies that did not find a strong connection between O/C and bioavailability of humic DOM (Hunt et al., 2000), or a direct correlation between NOSC and degradation rate coefficient of DOM compounds (Lechtenfeld et al., 2014).
There is evidence for a positive relationship between the degree of oxidation and apparent radiocarbon age of marine DOM (Lechtenfeld et al., 2014). It seems logical to assume that, unlike more reduced substrates, oxidized DOM has low energetic value for DOM decomposers (Perdue, 2009; Kattner et al., 2011). LaRowe and Van Cappellen (2011) challenge this concept and argue that removal of electrons from a substrate is thermodynamically more favorable at higher NOSC. Yet, the authors note that thermodynamic predictions may not match the observations due to complexity of factors affecting decomposition. Accordingly, in a conceptual model of DOM degradation in the oceans Williams (1999) proposes that there is a general mismatch between the susceptibility of DOM components toward microbial degradation and Gibb's free energy, i.e., apparently energetically favorable substrates appear to be recalcitrant, and vice versa.
Our results are corroborated by the findings of Kellerman et al. (2015) in the study of molecular composition of freshwater DOM across 109 Swedish lakes. This study demonstrated that degradation processes preferentially remove aromatic oxidized terrestrial compounds in lakes with longer water residence times. Considering how different our approach is from Kellerman et al. (2015), the similarity in the findings is striking, further emphasizing that terrestrially derived, predominantly aromatic DOM is a dynamic component within the organic matter field. There is also a possibility that both in our experiments and in the study by Kellerman et al. (2015) formulae with higher NOSC were partially lost through non-biological processes (e.g., aggregation and flocculation). It has been shown that compounds with higher NOSC are preferentially precipitated by Fe and Al salts (Riedel et al., 2012; Lavonen, 2015). Studies on the flocculation of DOM in lakes suggest that allochthonous colored DOM is a dominant precursor of organic matter settling onto the sediment (von Wachenfeldt and Tranvik, 2008; von Wachenfeldt et al., 2009). Although we lack the data to adequately assess the importance of non-biological pathways for our experiment, relationship between NOSC and non-biological DOM removal could be an interesting topic for the future studies.
All trends of kexp with molecular parameters were consistent between different lakes and replicates (Figures S3–S6 in the supplement, complementing the figures displayed in the main text). Hence, our results provide additional support to the idea that patterns of DOM utilization are in principle predictable from the intrinsic properties of DOM (Seitzinger et al., 2005; Kellerman et al., 2015), but we also acknowledge that there is high variability in reactivity which limits the potential to predict it from broad molecular properties, such as element ratios. The variability in our data could be due to the fact that each molecular formula describes a large number of potential isomers (Hertkorn et al., 2007; Zark et al., 2017), and the variations in specific structure likely translate into variations in decay behavior. Despite this limitation, our method was able to capture the general trends in reactivity of different DOM groups, including the effects of UV pretreatment on distribution of apparent decay coefficients kexp.
Between 87.7 and 97.9% of formulae found in non-manipulated treatments were also detected in the UV-manipulated treatments. Interestingly, the reactivity (kexp) of these shared compounds was often higher in the UV-manipulated treatment (Figure 5, Figure S7). Despite a general increase in reactivity, also indicated by the shift toward higher values of kexp in all compound groups (Figure 2, Figure S4), the recalcitrant core in the region of highly unsaturated compounds persisted in the UV-manipulated treatment (Figures 1B, 2, Figures S3, S4).
Figure 5. Comparison of decay coefficients kexp of the formulae shared by non-manipulated and UV-manipulated experimental treatments. Dashed line refers to hypothetical 1:1 relationship. The data points above the 1:1 line are depicted in red. Percentages refer to the share of data points above the 1:1 line. (A–C) correspond to lake Lumpen, Ramsjön, and Övre Langsjön, respectively. One of the experimental duplicates is shown in each case (data from the second duplicate is shown in the Figure S7).
A possible reason for higher DOM reactivity in the UV treatment is that the microbial community was stimulated by labile compounds produced as a result of DOM exposure to UV, and this triggered an ability to decompose formerly “recalcitrant” compounds. This phenomenon, known as the priming effect, is commonly described from terrestrial ecosystems (Fontaine et al., 2007; Kuzyakov, 2010). However, an increasing number of studies in aquatic systems have failed to corroborate its existence in aquatic ecosystems (Bengtsson et al., 2014; Catalán et al., 2015; Dorado-García et al., 2016). The main mechanisms of priming in soils are thought to involve nutrient limitations, co-metabolism, and higher enzyme production (Blagodatskaya and Kuzyakov, 2008). All our experiments were carried out with the addition of inorganic nutrients, therefore microbes should not have been limited by the availability of specific elements. Therefore, it seems unlikely that nutrient priming is responsible for increase in compounds decomposition in UV-manipulated treatment.
DOM degradation kinetics can also depend on the concentration of the individual DOM constituents (Dittmar, 2015). For example, it was proposed that the millennium-scale stability of DOM in the deep ocean is due to extreme dilution of the individual DOM compounds, and possibly not due to structural constraints (Arrieta et al., 2015). In our experiment, initial concentration of DOC was 30% lower in the UV treatment than in the non-manipulated treatment, yet decomposition in the UV treatment proceeded faster. Previous studies also showed that overall degradation and kinetics in freshwater systems are not constrained by DOC concentration within the concentration range studied here (Eiler et al., 2003; Koehler et al., 2012). Hence, changes in structural properties of DOM are most likely to be responsible for the differences in decay rates between the treatments.
We considered that UV treatment may lead to broad compositional or structural changes of the organic matter, such as loss of aromaticity (Stubbins et al., 2010) or loss of carboxylic acid functionality (Hawkes et al., 2016b) but these types of chemical change were not apparent from average H/C or O/C ratios (respectively), and loss of intensity of individual molecular masses did not show clear patterns in these respects (Figures S8, S9). It is still possible that individual isomers were affected but such changes, but not on a broad scale. As was mentioned above, each molecular formula encompasses a large number of structural isomers (Zark et al., 2017). Therefore, while the majority of formulae identified in the UV treatment were identical to those in the non-manipulated treatment, the isomeric mixture of structures underlying each molecular formulae could differ between the treatments.
Another possible explanation for different reactivity of the same compounds in the two treatments might be that specific molecules were to a different extent entangled in colloidal or supramolecular structures. For example, soil-derived humic DOM can exist in the form of supramolecular complexes where molecules are stabilized by weak hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds (Conte and Piccolo, 1999; Piccolo, 2001). Multiple studies indicated the decrease in apparent molecular weight of DOM as a result of UV exposure (Helms et al., 2008, 2014), suggesting a disruption of multiple bonds within aggregated and colloidal DOM structures.
Electrospray ionization can disperse loosely, non-covalently bound structures (Yamashita and Fenn, 1984). Accordingly, the formulae identified by FT-ICR-MS would carry no information on whether corresponding compounds were previously part of a supramolecular complex. It is possible that UV light cleaved the larger complexes into more available fragments, no longer protected from decomposition by multiple weak bonds. Supramolecular complexes of high apparent molecular weight (measured with size exclusion chromatography) can be associated with plant polyphenols and polycondensed aromatics (Kellerman, 2015). In our study, these groups of compounds increased in reactivity in the UV-manipulated treatment, which suggests that supramolecular structure could have been at least partly responsible for lower reactivity of polyphenols in non-manipulated treatment.
In the UV treatment kexp in some cases decreased with increasing molecular mass (Figure 3F, Figure S5)–the relationship that was not observed in non-manipulated treatment (Figures 3E, Figure S5). Pretreatment with UV light likely diminished the effects of steric hindrance as molecular aggregates were broken into smaller fragments, and relationship between structure of molecules and kexp became more apparent. Notably, in the UV treatment relationship of kexp with molecular characteristics had more pronounced character (steeper curves of the fitted GAMs) in many cases (Figures 1, 3, 4, Figures S3, S5, S6).
Photoproduced compounds, identified as formulae unique to the UV treatment, appeared among all compound groups and covered the whole range of apparent decay coefficients kexp (Figure 6, Figure S10). This shows that products of photoreactions are not restricted to the aliphatic region where many described photoproducts belong (Moran and Zepp, 1997) and are not necessarily highly reactive. Instead, some photoproducts can persist and act as a slowly degrading substrate on a timescale of several months.
Figure 6. Van Krevelen plots depicting variability in decay rates of photoproduced compounds. Presented are data from lake Lumpen (A), Ramsjön (B) and Övre Langsjön (C). One of the experimental duplicates is shown in each case (data from the second duplicate is shown in the Figure S10).
It should be mentioned that the most reactive compounds (such as low molecular weight carboxylic acids) were not addressed in our study, as they can disappear within a few hours. It should also be taken into account that many photoproducts tend to end up below the detection limit or are inefficiently ionized (Stubbins et al., 2010; Raeke et al., 2016) and therefore might fall outside our analytical window.
While phototransformations of lake DOM has been extensively studied before (e.g., Bertilsson and Tranvik, 2000; Moran et al., 2000; Stubbins et al., 2010; Gonsior et al., 2013), the exact contribution of photoreactions to lake carbon budgets has been rarely assessed. The existing studies on small boreal lakes suggest that sunlight-induced CO2 emission constitutes <10% of the mean annual CO2 emission from these lakes (Koehler et al., 2014; Groeneveld et al., 2015). This fact can be related to relatively low mean annual irradiance in boreal latitudes and strong light attenuation in brown humic waters. The analysis of hundreds of freshwater systems in boreal Canada, however, showed that the increased terrestrial influence increases photodegradability of DOM (Lapierre et al., 2013), hence the contribution of sunlight-induced CO2 emissions from lakes might increase with changing climate and increased terrestrial runoff. The carbon budgets (e.g., Koehler et al., 2014; Groeneveld et al., 2015) do not account for the effects of phototransformations on DOM bioreactivity and proneness to coagulation, as those are especially difficult to evaluate quantitatively. We here show that a complete loss of 30% of DOM after the UV exposure coincided with phototransformations that result in a systematic increase in compound loss rates trough biological and, possibly, abiotic removal (see also Mostovaya et al., 2016).
Our study presents a direct analysis of the relationship between molecular properties and degradation kinetics of lake water DOM. Using ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry and kinetic modeling we were able to describe the decay of individual molecular formulae with exponential decay coefficients kexp. We show that each group of compounds is characterized by a continuous range of decay coefficients kexp, and the distribution of kexp is shifted toward lower or higher values, depending on compound group. The lowest reactivity was attributed to the group of highly unsaturated and phenolic compounds, likely dominated by the products of vascular plant decay. The reactivity of compounds with higher aromatic content (plant polyphenols and polycondensed aromatics) was on average higher, and aliphatic compounds had the highest decay rates. Nominal oxidation state of carbon appeared to play a role in reactivity of DOM, with the higher NOSC often related to higher reactivity. The relatively high reactivity of aromatic and oxidized compounds is an important observation that may challenge common assumptions about the relationship between composition and decay of freshwater DOM. Molecular mass did not have a pronounced effect on reactivity, except for the DOM in the UV treatment where kexp in some cases decreased with increasing mass. Based on the comparison of non-manipulated and UV-manipulated DOM, we propose that reactivity of molecules within DOM may be constrained by the formation of supramolecular complexes, e.g., through multiple hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions, and steric hindrance.
Finally, we demonstrate that high resolution mass spectrometry can be used to assess how decay of organic matter is distributed among the numerous compounds that make up the DOM, and has the capacity to reveal the impact of factors such as solar UV exposure on the detailed dynamics of DOM. With further development and increasing access (Hawkes et al., 2016a) to high resolution techniques for DOM characterization, we foresee substantial progress in the understanding of how the dynamics of natural organic matter depends on molecular characteristics.
AM and LT designed the DOM decomposition experiment. The experiment was performed by AM. Molecular analyses were performed by AM and JH under the supervision of TD. Kinetic modeling was performed by AM. Graphics were produced by AM. The manuscript was written under the lead of AM, with the contribution of JH, TD, and LT.
The study was financed by the Swedish Research Council (grant 2011-3475-88773-67), by the Nordforsk (DOMQUA project 60501), and by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (grant KAW 2013.0091).
We thank Karólína Einarsdóttir and Jan Johansson for laboratory assistance; Katrin Klaproth and Helena Osterholz for help with the processing of mass spectrometry data; Birgit Koehler for assistance with R code and modeling.
The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2017.00106/full#supplementary-material
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Weyhenmeyer, G. A., and Karlsson, J. (2009). Nonlinear response of dissolved organic carbon concentrations in boreal lakes to increasing temperatures. Limnol. Oceanogr. 54, 2513–2519. doi: 10.4319/lo.2009.54.6_part_2.2513
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Zark, M., Christoffers, J., and Dittmar, T. (2017). Molecular properties of deep-sea dissolved organic matter are predictable by the central limit theorem: evidence from tandem FT-ICR-MS. Mar. Chem. 191, 9–15. doi: 10.1016/j.marchem.2017.02.005
Keywords: dissolved organic matter, reactivity, ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry, decomposition kinetics, phototransformations, saturation, nominal oxidation state of carbon, supramolecular complexes
Citation: Mostovaya A, Hawkes JA, Dittmar T and Tranvik LJ (2017) Molecular Determinants of Dissolved Organic Matter Reactivity in Lake Water. Front. Earth Sci. 5:106. doi: 10.3389/feart.2017.00106
Received: 12 June 2017; Accepted: 30 November 2017;
Published: 18 December 2017.
Sandra Arndt, University of Bristol, United Kingdom
Norbert Kamjunke, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung (UFZ), Germany
William Patrick Gilhooly III, Indiana University, Purdue University Indianapolis, United States
Copyright © 2017 Mostovaya, Hawkes, Dittmar and Tranvik. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Alina Mostovaya, alina.mostovaya@ebc.uu.se
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Here's what the Constitution's 10th Amendment says about Trump's claim to have total authority over states
William Cummings / USA TODAY
While discussing whether he or the nation's governors have the power to lift restrictions states put in place to fight the spread of the coronavirus, President Donald Trump declared at a news briefing Monday, "When somebody’s president of the United States, the authority is total."
The president's unprecedented claim of total power met with immediate pushback from Democrats and Republicans, many of them arguing the U.S. Constitution explicitly refutes his claim to absolute authority.
"The federal government does not have absolute power," said Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who went on to quote the text of the 10th Amendment in a tweet that went viral.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said changes to the social-distancing orders should be made by the governors. Federal guidelines "will be very influential. But the Constitution & common sense dictates these decisions be made at the state level," he tweeted.
Jonathan Turley – a law professor at George Washington University who argued against Trump's impeachment before the House Judiciary Committee and a USA TODAY contributor – said the framers wrote the Constitution precisely to bar presidents from claiming the type of authority asserted by Trump.
"Our constitutional system was forged during a period of grave unease over executive authority. After all, the nation had just broken away from the control of a tyrant," Turley said. And if there is "one overriding principle" in the Constitution, it is to avoid the concentration of power, and it does so "in myriad ways," he said.
The 10th Amendment was one instrument written to help ensure that the federal government would not be able to impose the kind of absolute authority the framers feared.
Pres Trump stated that “When somebody is President of the United States, his authority is total.” The Constitution was written precisely the deny that particular claim. It also reserved to the states (& individuals) rights not expressly given to the federal government.
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley)April 13, 2020
What the 10th Amendment says
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
Turley said federalism, in which states are granted a large degree of autonomy, was one of the ways the framers sought to avoid authoritarianism. The other was to limit the possibility of "constitutional drift" – in which individual officials or branches of the federal government slowly expand their authority – by creating "clear structural limitations" on the powers of the federal government.
He described the 10th Amendment as an "insurance policy" against such constitutional "mission creep."
"It basically mandates that the default position" in conflicts between the states and the federal government "rests with the states," he said, "So, when federal push comes to states' shove, the states are supposed to prevail."
"There is nothing particularly ambiguous about that."
Kathleen Bergin, a law professor at Cornell University, agreed.
"It's so plain and obvious it's not even debatable," Begin said. "Trump has no authority to ease social distancing, or to open schools or private businesses. These are matters for states to decide under their power to promote public health and welfare, a power guaranteed by the 10th Amendment to the Constitution."
How it applies to the coronavirus outbreak
"Federalism was not designed to combat a contagion, it was designed to combat tyranny," Turley said. But according to the principles of federalism, it is the "primary responsibility of the states to prepare for and to deal with pandemics" such as this, he added.
Previously, Trump denied it was his responsibility to supply the states with the medicine and equipment needed to contain and treat the virus when asked about governors' complaints that the federal government was not doing enough to help them. And when pressured to issue a nationwide stay-at-home order, Trump said it was up to each governor to impose such restrictions.
"What the president said directly contradicts his position of the last three weeks," said Turley, who has written columns supporting Trump's previous approach.
"One of his most unnerving statements was that governors imposed these orders simply because he let them do it and that he could have declared a national quarantine earlier," Turley said. "That's a direct contradiction of what he has previously stated, but, more importantly, what the Constitution states."
Bergin said Trump was not "powerless," however.
"He could lift international travel restrictions and issue directives to the military or federal agencies," she said. "But he doesn't get constitutional authority simply by claiming it. What he tries to do and what he's authorized by the Constitution to do are two different things."
No statutory power when it comes to social distancing
Charles Fried, who has taught at Harvard Law School since 1961, strongly disputed the idea that the 10th Amendment was relevant to Trump's claim of total authority and said the real issue was that Congress had not passed any law granting Trump authority to order a national quarantine or stay-at-home directive.
Fried said the 10th Amendment was a "bogus concern" in this instance and anyone making that argument is "barking up the wrong tree" or is a "10th Amendment nut."
"People like Cheney just want to bring federalism into everything, but it's not a federalism problem," Fried told USA TODAY.
Fried said the problem was really in the fact that Congress hadn't given Trump the power that he claimed. But he said it theoretically could under its authority to regulate business as outlined in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution.
"And that's why I don't like referring to the 10th Amendment. It's not really a 10th Amendment issue. It's a rule of law issue," Fried said. "The president can't just say, 'I am the boss.'"
Fried pointed to the 1952 Supreme Court case of Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer in which the court ruled President Harry Truman did not have the power to take control of the nation's steel mills despite a labor strike that threatened production during the Korean War.
"The President's power, if any, to issue the order must stem either from an act of Congress or from the Constitution itself," wrote Justice Hugo Black.
How would Trump enforce it?
David Cole, the national legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union, told USA TODAY that even if Congress passed a law granting the president the authority to implement a national curfew, quarantine or stay-at-home order, and it survived constitutional challenges, Trump would not be able to compel the states to enforce it.
Under what is known at the "anti-commandeering principle" the courts have ruled that states don't have to use their resources or law enforcement officials to enact federal programs.
For example, in the 1997 case Printz v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled a provision of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which required background checks for handgun sales, was unconstitutional under the 10th Amendment because it required local law enforcement officers to carry out the background checks.
"He could not direct the mayor of New York, or the governor of New York to carry out that program," Cole said. Trump could ask the National Guard to carry it out, or the FBI, but not state or local officials, Cole said.
So, despite the president's claims, his authority is far from total, Cole and other legal experts agreed.
"He can only execute laws that Congress has passed, and Congress can only pass laws that are authorized by the Constitution," Cole said.
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From Christina Aguilera to Roseanne Barr: Watch 10 Stars Flub the National Anthem
9:00 AM PDT 7/4/2015 by Kaeli Wells
Roseanne Barr Sings National Anthem 1990 - H 2015
Christina Aguilera, Roseanne Barr and Carl Lewis were among those who didn't exactly cover themselves in (old) glory.
As Americans, singing the national anthem should be second nature, especially for celebrities who are expected to perform it. However, nerves or lack of preparation — or something else — can result in a much different outcome. Below are 10 celebrities who totally messed up their performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner."
On March 31, 2010, singer, songwriter and actress Hilson sang the national anthem at a Lakers vs. Hawks game. Despite her practice, Hilson started to sing, "What so proudly we hail'd," for the second time, but then quickly fixed her mistake and switched to the original lyrics "O'er the ramparts we watch'd."
At the Pepsi 500 in 2009, McCartney sang the national anthem — well, part of it. The "Beautiful Soul" singer was so nervous that he completely skipped the line, "What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming" and continued with the song.
Bolton was asked to sing the national anthem at Game 4 of the 2003 ALCS. However, for him, practice did not make perfect. After getting through the first couple of lines, which are usually the ones that get forgotten or switched, Bolton took a quick breather, in the middle of the lyrics, and not so nonchalantly looked at his cheat sheet, which he'd written on his hand.
The five-time Grammy winner got off to a bumpy start when he sang the anthem at Game 2 of the 2013 World Series. Not quiet sure how it happened, but Taylor started off singing "America the Beautiful" but then switched songs after a few words and finished strong.
The singer-songwriter was asked to sing at Super Bowl XLV; however her amazing voice could not get her out of this mess. After singing the lyrics, "Through the perilous fight," she back tracked and sang the verse, "What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming" a second time.
Alexis Normand
Canadian jazz singer Normand epically failed at singing the national anthem at a Memorial Cup hockey game. While most people forget a word or two or even rearrange the lyrics, Normand's mind went so blank that she resorted to humming the tune until the crowd helped her out.
During a Padres game in 1990, comedian Roseanne Barr sang — well, fast-talked/screamed — the national anthem. If that wasn't bad enough, Barr started laughing in the middle, and to finish it off, she spit on the ground right before walking off the field.
During a 1993 game at the Brendan Byrne Arena, Olympian Carl Lewis murdered the national anthem. While the song is short, Lewis made it seem like it went on for a lifetime. He is pretty on tune for an Olympian until he gets to — well, screeches to — "and the rockets' red glare" and then laughing at himself and telling the audience "Uh oh, I'll make up for it now" but he definitely didn't make up for it.
Eighteen-year-old American Idol winner, Scotty McCreery had a little trouble with the national anthem at a 2011 World Series game. The performance started out rough when his microphone malfunctioned, causing him to restart the song. Then, McCreery sang the wrong lyrics. Although subtle, you can definitely hear that he sings, "No Jose does that star-spangled banner yet wave" instead of, "Oh say does that star-spangled banner yet wave."
During the U.S. Open's 9/11 memorial, Cyndi Lauper sang the national anthem, or her version of it. Although she got past the part everyone messes up on, she completely botched the song by singing, "O'er the ramparts we watched, was the flag was still streaming (or gleaming)" and then singing under her breath making it very difficult to understand.
Kaeli Wells
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Antonio Banderas Keeps Chilean Miners' Hopes High in 'The 33' Trailer
8:00 AM PDT 7/29/2015 by Ashley Lee
Warner Bros./Screenshot
The 33 Trailer Screenshot H 2015
"You're my brother — we're going to pull together to get out of here."
Antonio Banderas aims to keep his fellow Chilean miners' hopes high in the new trailer for The 33, which Warner Bros. Pictures and Alcon Entertainment revealed Tuesday.
"You're my brother — we're going to pull together to get out of here," he tells the men below ground. "I believe we'll make it out of here because I choose to believe it!"
Directed by Patricia Riggen, the drama is based on the true story of the 33 Chilean miners who were trapped more than 200 stories underground for 69 days in 2010, following the collapse of the San Jose copper and gold mine. The film, which was shot in real working mines in Colombia and Chile, recounts some of the emotional personal stories behind the gripping incident, which became a global broadcast news event and is considered the longest underground survival story in history.
The film also stars Juliette Binoche, Mario Casas, Lou Diamond Phillips, Rodrigo Santoro, Gabriel Byrne and James Brolin, and features one of the last scores by late composer James Horner.
The 33 his theaters Nov. 13.
Watch the trailer below.
Ashley.Lee@THRs.com cashleelee
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German Cinemas to Stay Shut Till Mid-January
7:57 AM PST 12/3/2020 by Scott Roxborough
Warner Bros. Entertainment
Warner Bros.' 'Wonder Woman 1984.'
Warner Bros.' 'Wonder Woman 1984,' set to bow in Germany on Dec. 23, will now have to reschedule its release.
German cinemas hoping for an end-of-year holiday treat instead received the equivalent of lump of coal this week as the government extended COVID-19 lockdown measures that will keep theaters closed until at least Jan. 10.
Germany went into a second partial lockdown in November in response to rising rates of coronavirus infection. The lockdown — which applies to restaurants, bars, and public entertainment venues such as cinemas, clubs, and concert halls, but not most other shops —was initially set to lift Dec. 1. German chancellor Angela Merkel and representatives of Germany's state governments first pushed the re-opening date back to Dec. 20 and, in an announcement Wednesday night, further extended the lockdown measures to Jan. 10.
Merkel and state authorities will meet again Jan. 4 to reassess the situation.
The shutdown means local cinemas and distributors will have to scramble to reschedule releases. Warner Bros.' Wonder Woman 1984, the only big studio title still left on the schedule for this year, was set to bow in German theaters Dec. 23. In the U.S., Warners are doing a joint theatrical and streaming release for the title, releasing the film simultaneously in theaters and on its streaming platform HBO Max. They won't have that option in Germany, since HBO Max is not available there and Warners has yet to announce when it will be launching.
The lockdown extension could also impact the 2021 Berlin Film Festival, which is scheduled to run Feb. 11-21, 2021. Festival organizers say they are "watching the situation closely" but have not yet made a final decision. The European Film Market, which runs alongside the festival, is planning a hybrid physical/online event.
Scott Roxborough
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'Ratatouille' sales chart's main course
4:00 AM PST 11/15/2007 by Thomas K. Arnold , AP
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment topped the national DVD sales chart with the animated theatrical hit "Ratatouille" for the week ending Nov. 11, while Universal Studios topped the rental chart with the comedy "I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry."
"Ratatouille" easily topped the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert sales chart, selling about 40% more units than the previous week's top seller, Sony's "Spider-Man 3."
The third film in the "Spider-Man" franchise, however, remained in high sales demand in its second week in stores, finishing at No. 3 on First Alert. "Chuck & Larry," which grossed almost $120 million in theaters, debuted as the week's No. 2 seller.
"Chuck & Larry" zoomed to the top of Home Media Magazine's video rental chart for the week with estimated earnings of $9.3 million.
"Ratatouille" debuted at No. 3 with $7.6 million, a surprisingly high debut for a title with such strong kid appeal.
"Spider-Man" was No. 2 in its second week with rental earnings of $8 million.
Another new release, Fox's "Deck the Halls," debuted at No. 5 on the First Alert sales chart and at No. 4 on the rental chart with $6.2 million in rental revenue.
DreamWorks/Paramount's "Transformers" remained at the top of the HD DVD sales chart, while "Ratatouille" was at No. 1 on the Blu-ray Disc chart. Both titles are only available in their respective formats.
Thomas K. Arnold
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Green Bay challenges Baylor but Lady Bears prevail
Brittney Griner had a career-high 40 points.
DALLAS – In their first real challenge of the NCAA tournament, the Baylor Lady Bears survived the tenacious defense and second half 54.5 percent three-point prowess of Green Bay for a 86-76 win. Led by a career-high 40-point performance from sophomore center Brittney Griner, Baylor managed to turn back the Phoenix and emerge victorious to reach the Elite Eight in the second game of the Dallas regional semifinals Sunday night at American Airlines Center in front of a crowd of 9,522.
While Green Bay (34-2) entered the contest after a fairytale season of 34 wins and only one loss, they failed to capitalize on the momentum that helped them reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. However, Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey was quick to give credit to Green Bay for their efforts even as the game waned in the second and defeat was imminent for the Phoenix.
“That is a good basketball team,†said Mulkey. “And the thing that’s so impressive to me as a coach is they didn’t quit. They made it a 10-point game. So they have to feel good about themselves in the sense that it was really on the verge of being a 20-point game and they never quit playing, and I respect that very much.“
After the first half, Baylor led 43-34 after accumulating a 58.6 field goal percentage. Green Bay shot 33.3 percent in the first half and was 6 of 17 from three-point range.
While there were no lead changes during the game, Green Bay managed to narrow the deficit by three points three times in the second half. The last three-point margin between the teams occurred at 13:32 before Baylor surged to a double-digit lead which topped off at 18 before the coming back down to ten when the game ended.
Griner also had ten rebounds to add to her night’s statistics. Freshman point guard Odyssey Sims, who battled a respiratory illness that evening, finished with 18 points.
Kayla Tetschlag led Green Bay with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Teammate Celeste Hoewisch added 20 points and six assists.
Baylor is set to meet Texas A&M Tuesday night at 8 p.m. to determine who will advance to the Final Four in Indianapolis.
Baylor advances to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite 8 for the second straight season and third time in program history (2005, ’10, ’11).
Baylor is now 22-8 in NCAA Tournament games.
Baylor shot a season-high 58.9 percent from the floor, hitting 33-of-56 shots.
Griner’s six blocks marks her 38th game with five or more blocks.
Sims recorded her 23rd double-digit scoring effort of the season and eighth 20-point game.
Slideshow: NCAA Tournament Sweet 16: Baylor vs. Green Bay, Sunday, March 27, 2011
Baylor coach Kim Mulkey talks about meeting Texas A&M yet again
For Green Bay, the plan to stop Baylor’s Brittney Griner begins with contesting Odyssey Sims. Baylor does not underestimate the Phoenix.
Video Highlights: West Virginia vs. Baylor
Baylor looking for its sixth Sweet 16 while West Virginia looks for its first under Mike Carey
Slideshow: NCAA Tournament First Round: Prairie View vs. Baylor, March 20, 2011
Video Highlights: Prairie View A&M vs. Baylor
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The Magdalena: Volume 1
"The Magdalena: Volume 1" Trade Paperback Review
Published by Top Cow Productions
Written by Ron Marz
Illustrated by Nelson Blake II & David Marquez
2011, 162 Pages
Trade Paperback released on August 23rd, 2011
The world of Witchblade is one of several key Artifacts. The Spear of Destiny is one such weapon and it is wielded by the Magdalena, an ancient order of warrior women with the bloodline of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdelene. It has been the duty of the Magdalena to serve the church for thousands of years, but Patience, the current holder of the Spear, has rebelled against organized religion, but not her calling to kill demons.
That is until a new mission comes down that she just can't stay away from. The Antichrist has been born. The church wants Patience to kill the child. This is her last chance. If she does not succeed or goes off the reservation again, she will be hunted and replaced by the very organization she is supposed to be serving.
Kind of a weird setup, huh? It does seem a little complicated and slightly annoying for anyone that's not a fan of Christianity or the Vatican, but Magdalena just works. It does so due to Patience. She's a powerful female lead, which is getting more and more rare in today's comics. She is strong enough to stand on her own and make her own decisions.
The situation that Patience finds herself in is an interesting twist on the time travel / Hitler idea. If you haven't heard it before, it's the idea that if you could go back in time and kill Hitler as a child, would you do it? Sure, you'd be killing a mere boy, but you'd be saving the lives of millions of people. The Magdalena is put in a similar version, but the stakes are much higher. She has the chance to kill the Antichrist and stop Satan from coming to Earth. She just has to kill a young boy to make that happen.
The powerful story is helped along with some pretty clean art from Nelson Blake II and David Marquez. Blake handles the bulk of the issues with Marquez coming in towards the end to help out. Blake's style is very precise and detail oriented. There's no confusion in his panels. Everything is there for a reason. There are a variety of demons and other creatures that pop up throughout this volume and Blake delivers on the scare factor. Giant hulking beasts, ram-headed possessed women, and that incredibly creepy child that would make the kid from the Omen think twice before performing a sacrifice to Lucifer.
While it can be a little heavy handed at times with the religious overtones, Magdalena never feels preachy. This is a good vs evil story, but the sides are not clean cut. There's a lot of grey area in the middle and Patience questions which side is right, especially when a child's life is on the line. This volume sets up the current status of the Magdalena and her quest against the forces of darkness. I'm definitely onboard for the rest of the ride.
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First home buyers bounce back in NSW and VIC markets
According to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the number of first home buyer and owner occupier housing finance commitments has bounced back during the month of August.
August 2017 saw 10,227 first home buyer and owner occupier finance commitments, which is the greatest number since December 2009. This number also represented 17.2% of all owner occupier housing finance commitments which is its highest proportion since July 2013.
What has caused the number of first home buyers to rebound?
So, what has caused this number of housing finance commitments for first home buyers and owner occupiers to rebound? One of the key drivers is the recent policy changes in both NSW and VIC for first home buyers in terms of stamp duty. From 1 July 2017, first home buyers who purchase a property in NSW under $650,000 or under $600,000 in VIC no longer have to pay stamp duty, which is a massive saving.
For first home buyers who purchase a slightly more expensive property, then there are stamp duty concessions available. In NSW, stamp duty concessions are available up to $800,000, whilst stamp duty concessions in VIC are available on properties up to $750,000.
ABS data showed that the number of owner occupier and first home buyer housing finance commitments increased by 59% in NSW and 34% in VIC between the months of June and August. This reflects how stamp duty is still one of the major costs besides the property itself that is stopping first home buyers getting onto the property market, especially in NSW and VIC markets where stamp duty on a $700,000 home in NSW would cost almost $27,000 for a home buyer. As a first home buyer, this is now just $10,490.
The data also shows that first home buyers outside of NSW and VIC make up a greater proportion of the owner occupier segment, helped by the more affordable housing supply. In QLD, eligible first home buyers can also receive the First Home Owner Grant of $20,000, but only until 31 December 2017, where this reverts back to $15,000.
In August 2017, NSW had 2,426 first home buyer commitments, the greatest monthly number since January 2012. First home buyers made up 12.9% of owner occupier commitments during August which was the highest proportion since October 2012 and up from February’s low of 7.5%.
In Victoria for August 2017, there were slightly more first home buyer commitments, with 3,162 first home buyers, accounting for 18.3% of all owner occupier commitments. This was the highest number of commitments since December 2009, and the highest proportion since August 2013.
For Queensland, August 2017 saw an increase in first home buyer finance commitments, sitting at 2,190, but the number of commitments was lower than those in June. However, the number of commitments in August was 17.9% higher than its long-term average. In August, first home buyers made up 19.4% of all owner occupier finance commitments, which was down from 20.1% in July.
Overall, the number of first home buyer housing finance commitments in NSW and VIC has seen an increase, helped by the changes in stamp duty, making purchasing a new home slightly more affordable in these states which are recording some of the country’s highest property prices.
Although first home buyers no longer have to pay stamp duty on properties below $650,000 in NSW, there are still many properties valued at more than this. However, iBuyNew does have some excellent new properties in Sydney under $500,000, allowing you to take advantage of the full stamp duty concessions. Contact iBuyNew on 1300 123 463 to learn more about these affordable Sydney property opportunities.
With Spring selling season well and truly here, it is expected that the number of first home buyer finance commitments will continue to rise in NSW and VIC as buyers take advantage of these offers and concessions to get a foothold on the property ladder.
Are you a first home buyer looking to purchase your first home in NSW, VIC or QLD? We have a great number of new property opportunities available right now which might be of interest to you. From boutique apartments and generous house and land packages to stunning high rise apartment developments with all your lifestyle amenities to lead a luxurious and prestigious lifestyle, we have a property for you. Contact iBuyNew today to let us help you find the property that’s right for you.
Give us a call on 1300 123 463 to learn more.
Published on 26th of October 2017 by Marty Stanowich
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Bebe Rexha Poses For ‘Nylon,’ Talks Writing “Last Hurrah”
Mike Nied @mikeynied | April 1, 2019 12:37 pm
Bebe Rexha is kicking off April with a new photoshoot for Nylon magazine. Out today (April 1), the 29-year-old stuns in the glam set. Shot by Ramona Rosales, she serves supermodel vibes in a variety of chic, structural outfits. The end result is one of her best collections to date. And the accompanying interview is just as strong. In it, the “Meant To Be” hitmaker offers some insight into her creative process. Reflecting on current single “Last Hurrah,” she explained how the lyrics ended up mirroring her current outlook. “Sometimes, when I write songs, I have to be really careful,” she explained. “I can write them in a moment when I’m not really going through it at that very moment, and then the song comes to life.”
“And this song, it’s literally like, ‘I’m done with the drinking, I’m done with the smoking/ I’m done with the playing, I’m done with the joking/ I’m done with the ladies, I’m done with the fellas.’ And it’s, like, me, right now!” Clearly, the song also resonates with the masses. Since dropping in February, it dominated streaming services. With more than 48 million Spotify streams alone, it could very well become the diva’s next mega-hit. That’s not all, though. In the interview Bebe also speaks about the importance of using her voice to stand for what she believes in. “I don’t need to be just another pretty girl that makes a million dollars. There’s nothing wrong with that, to make money and be pretty and make music, but I want to know that I’m doing something out in the world.”
Scroll through a gallery of looks from the shoot up top and check out the rest of the interview here!
Do you love the photos? Let us know below, or by hitting us up on Facebook and Twitter!
Bebe Rexha Covers 'EUPHORIA.' Magazine
Tags: Bebe Rexha
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Iran human rights monitor – Monthly Report – September 2020
Forbidden Freedom
News / Atrocities Human Rights Violation / Saudi Arabia ; United States ;
INVOLVED IN THIS ARTICLE:
Mohammad Yazdi
Ebrahim Raisi
IRGC – Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
September saw the third wave of the coronavirus sweeping across Iran. The scale of the disaster is such that the regime is no longer able to deny it. The Iranian regime’s deputy Minister of Health asserted: “The situation we have is beyond the wave. We are engulfed in a stormy sea. It is meaningless to speak of different color zones. The entire country is in the red zone.”
The regime has been trying over the past months to fend off anti-regime protests by deliberately sending people to their death by early opening of businesses, and the reopening of schools without providing the necessary hygienic equipment and sanitary facilities. Seemingly, this tactic has not worked out as the regime has failed to contain the volatile society.
IRGC seeking to secure presence in every neighborhood
In step with the growing social disgruntlement, the Iranian regime officials have resorted to new means of imposing repression. The IRGC put up a show of force by announcing formation of “hit squads” and “Bassij local patrols” to preserve the “security of neighborhoods.”
Mohammad Yazdi, Commander of Tehran’s Mohammad Rasoul-ollah Corps, announced on September 14, that they had formed “hit squads” to patrol various neighborhoods and districts in Tehran. He said they would use the potential of Bassij bases to this end.
IRGC commanders initially declared that the patrols had been formed to confront “mischievousness of American elements and insecurity in cities.” Later, however, they said the patrols had been formed to confront “thugs, thieves, and pick purses.” This is while according to the law, protecting the security of neighborhoods is the duty of the State Security Force (SSF).
Based on this news, it seems that the IRGC is planning to increase its presence in various districts and neighborhoods. In this way, it is preparing to prevent the eruption of major anti-regime protests by crushing the first nuclei at their inception in a neighborhood.
In the southwestern province of Khuzestan, the IRGC announced in a statement issued in the evening of September 15. It declared that new security patrols called Razaviyoun will soon start their work in Ahvaz and all cities across the province.
The clerical regime’s officials say that Khuzestan Province and its capital, Ahvaz, top the list of regions where gatherings and calls for protest, particularly by workers and other working sectors, have increased over the past year.
Humiliating the youth, another means of terrorizing the public
September also saw an appalling show of inhuman and humiliating treatment of people by parading them in the streets of Tehran.
It is all but clear that the regime is seeking to escalate the atmosphere of fear and terrorize the public because of the volatile social and political situation.
The experience of widespread protests in recent years which have targeted the regime’s top leadership however attest that the mullahs have not succeeded in pushing back the protests. On the contrary, their own forces are terrified.
On September 1, 2020, the Interior Ministry’s deputy for security and order, Hossein Zolfaqari, announced that the number of general calls for protest in Iran had increased three-fold compared to the previous year.
Zolfaqari said “there were 519 calls for protest in the first five months of the previous year, while in the same period this year, there have been 1,702 calls which is a 227 percent increase.”
Violation of the right to life
21 executions in September included a wrestling champion turned protester, two women, a juvenile offender, a man whose verdict had not been upheld for 29 years
The Iranian regime continued to execute more people in September, seeking to repress and terrorize a volatile society.
The Iranian regime executed national wrestling champion Navid Afkari on September 12, 2020, turning a blind eye on all the domestic and international appeals to stop his execution.
Immediately after the announcement of the execution of Navid Afkari, the mullahs’ Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Raisi tweeted, claiming responsibility for carrying out the verdict on the personal order of Ali Khamaenei. Raisi who is notoriously known as the “1988 murderer” when he was a member of the Death Commissions ordering the massacre of 30,000 political prisoners, shamelessly boasted of acting to fulfill “the rights of people” and of granting the wishes of the “owners of the blood.”
The execution of Navid Afkari, however, provoked a wave of outrage all across the country as well as in the international community.
The Iranian regime executed at least 21 persons in September. The victims included two women and a juvenile offender.
At dawn on Sunday, September 20, 2020, prison authorities carried out the death penalty for a young man by the name of Mo’ayyed Savari. He had been detained since 2016 in the Prison of Ahvaz on the charge of murder. Born in 1999, he was accused of committing murder in 2016, when he was only 17.
Another shocking case among those executed was that of Mo’in Salavarzi Zadeh, 55. He had been detained 29 years on the death row before being executed. Twenty-nine years after being arrested allegedly for killing his brother, his death verdict was upheld by Branch 13 of the Supreme Court on September 7, 2020.
“My father has been condemned to death after 30 years,” said Mr. Salavarzi Zadeh’s son. “We are under the poverty line. We did not afford to hire a lawyer. This verdict is very unfair, oppressive and utterly unjust.”
Further statements by the young man revealed how unfair the trial had been as they deprived the accused of the right to defend himself. Mr. Salavarzi Zadeh’s son pointed out, “They kicked me out of the trial session. They said you cannot say anything. And then they did not allow my father and his lawyer (appointed by the court) to defend him before the Supreme Court.”
Torture and other ill-treatment
Four men were ordered to have four fingers on their right hands amputated. The sentences against the four men, Hadi Rostami (33), Mehdi Sharfian (37), Mehdi Shahivand (42) and Kasra Karami (40), have been upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court and referred to the Centre for the Implementation of Sentences. The sentences may be carried out at any moment.
The prisoners previously claimed that they were forced to confess under torture, and one of the prisoners, Rostami cut his wrists in June to protest the upholding of his sentence earlier this year.
Persecution of religious minorities in Iran continued in September.
In at least three cases this month, Sunni citizens and clerics were targeted for arrest, summoning, and interrogation.
At least 35 members of Baha’i religious minority have been arrested, tried, and prosecuted solely for practicing their faith.
Meanwhile, at least six Christian converts were summoned or sentenced to prison and exile.
An Iranian court in southwestern Iran took away the custody of the 2-year-old adopted daughter of an Iranian Christian couple last month. Maryam Falahi and Sam Khosravi adopted Lydia when she was just 3 months old. The Bushehr Court of Appeals said on September 22 that the child was born to Muslim parents and therefore a Christian family could not adopt her.
the judge presiding over the Bushehr family court initially said on July 19 that 2 year old Lydia had a strong bond with her Christian parents, adding that the child, who has serious health issues, would have “an unknown future” if returned to the orphanage. The judge also said that due to her health issues, the chances of another family adopting her was “zero”.
Lydia suffers from heart and digestive problems and the Welfare Origination, through which children are adopted, had not informed the Iranian Christian couple of her health issues. Despite this, they tried their best to care for her. A supervisor at the Welfare Organization and forensic medicine also confirmed that during this time, Maryam Falahi, a nurse of several years at the Bushehr Cardiac Hospital and her husband, had taken very good care of Lydia.
Repressive measures against Iranian people
On Saturday, September 26, Iranian authorities ordered the residents of six border villages near the city of Sardasht, Kurdistan province, to relocate and forcibly evacuate their hometowns. These villages are Nokan, Harzaneh, Gaki, Bardan, Gooreh Shir and Tit Sofla.
According to the order, the residents of these villages must leave their residence, which is located in the red border area, immediately. The regime has offered no solution to the people who will now be homeless.
State security forces attacked a group of citizens in the county of Likak, in Bahmaei district, southwest Iran, and open fire on them, according to reports obtained on Sunday, September 27.
The clash occurred when traffic police in Likak, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, wanted to fine a driver. Security forces assaulted the driver after he protested. People who witnessed the clash came to help the driver, but police opened fire and shot tear gas at them.
The security and regulations committee of Bu-Ali university in the city of Hamadan, western Iran, summoned 15 students, according to a September 26 report by the state-run Etemad website. According to state-run media, the students were summoned because they held rallies last year and chanted anti-regime slogans.
The news comes on the heels of increased repression against students and activists and the issuance of heavy sentences to intimidate potential protesters.
Source » iran-hrm
Iran oil exports on the rise despite sanctions
Iran – Top executioner per capita demands world’s appreciation for its achievements
Iran’s global campaign to silence journalists
March 20, 2018 ifmat ifmat Comments Off on Iran’s global campaign to silence journalists
Iranians manage to surf the web despite tide of censorship
July 26, 2019 ifmat ifmat 0
UN watchdog claims Iran may have three undeclared nuclear sites
March 3, 2020 ifmat ifmat 0
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Download file as PDF
Insurance Bulletin, 17 March 2016
In this issue: Regulation and legislation; Court cases and arbitration; HFW publications and events
1. Regulation and legislation
Europe: The Insurance Distribution Directive: changes to EU law on insurance intermediaries
The Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD), a key piece of EU legislation in regulating insurance intermediaries, came into force on 22 February 2016. ‘Directive (EU) 2016/97 on Insurance Distribution (Recast)’ focuses on practices for selling insurance products and in particular seeks to establish a level playing field between participants in insurance sales in order to improve customer protection, strengthen competition and facilitate market integration. The IDD updates the 2002 Insurance Mediation Directive 2002/92/EC (the 2002 Directive), which introduced a framework for regulating EU insurance brokers, agents and other intermediaries.
The IDD has a wide scope of application, applying to all sellers of insurance products (including those that sell directly to customers and price aggregator comparison websites), anyone who assists in the administration and performance of insurance contracts (e.g. claims management activities, Lloyd’s managing agents, service companies dealing with customers) and ancillary insurance intermediaries. It applies both to insurance and reinsurance distribution.
The overriding aim of the IDD is to ensure that insurance intermediaries act professionally, honestly, fairly and in the best interests of their clients. Some of its specific provisions include:
Professional development: employees of insurance intermediaries must complete at least 15 hours of professional training or development per year.
Disclosure: before the conclusion of a contract, intermediaries must disclose to their customers the nature and basis of their remuneration (e.g. fee and commission).
Remuneration: intermediaries must not remunerate or assess the performance of employees in a way which conflicts with their duty to act in the best interests of their clients.
Provision of information: intermediaries must provide certain information to their customers (e.g. product information document, which summarises the main features of the proposed contract).
The IDD is not ‘directly applicable’. As is the case with all EU directives, this means that it must be implemented into domestic law by each EU Member State. The deadline for domestic implementation is 22 February 2018, at which point the 2002 Directive will be repealed.
Generally speaking, if the UK leaves the EU, it would of course no longer be required to implement EU directives after it ceases to be an EU member state. However, in the event of a vote for Brexit, the UK is unlikely to leave the EU until after 22 February 2018, meaning that it would in theory still be under an obligation to implement the IDD into UK law. The 2002 Directive would continue to apply to the UK through domestic implementing legislation unless it is specifically repealed.
In the UK, the 2002 Directive was implemented into UK law through the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) (Amendment) Order 2003. This statutory instrument was subsequently replaced by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005/1529, which does not specifically refer to the 2002 Directive and does not depend on the 2002 Directive being in force at EU level. This means that if the UK votes for Brexit but does not implement the IDD or repeal the implementing legislation for the 2002 Directive, the 2002 Directive will continue to apply in the UK after 2018 when it has been repealed at EU level. This is likely to be one of the many issues to be decided in the event of a vote for Brexit and an example of the complexities that a vote for Brexit could create.
Assuming that the IDD is implemented into UK law, anyone involved in selling insurance products should take note of the new IDD. In particular, (re)insurers should be aware that the IDD widens the scope of EU regulation by replacing “mediation” with “distribution” to reflect the fact that (re)insurance distribution is carried out by (re)insurers themselves as well as brokers and other intermediaries. In the UK, we expect that the practical effect of this change will be minimal: the UK “gold-plated” the 2002 Directive when implementing it, so the current UK rules and regulations on mediation already catch (re)insurers. However, (re)insurers and intermediaries should review their internal business protocols to ensure that they are compliant with the new requirements.
The IDD is available here1.
For more information, please contact Simon Banner, Associate, on +44 (0)20 72648289, or simon.banner@hfw.com, or your usual contact at HFW.
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32016L0097&from=EN
2. Court cases and arbitration
England and Wales: Insurers’ liability for claimants’ costs of claims made against insureds: Legg v Sterte Garage Ltd1
In this case the Court of Appeal held that a judge had been entitled to make a non-party costs under s.51(3) of the Senior Courts Act 1981 against insurers which had (so the court held) determined that a case would be fought by their insured against a third party, exclusively to defend the Insurers’ own interests.
The substantive proceedings in this case related to the contamination of certain residential properties caused by diesel oil escaping from an adjacent garage. As originally pleaded, the claim was that the contamination was the result of a spillage from an above-ground tank. If made out, liability for such a claim would have been within the cover under the insured’s liability policy with the insurers, which excluded liability for losses caused by pollution or contamination “other than caused by a sudden identifiable unintended and unexpected incident which occurs in its entirety at a specific time and place during a period of insurance.” On this basis, insurers, despite denying that the contamination was in fact caused by the above-ground spillage, nonetheless appointed solicitors to defend the claim on behalf of the insured.
Having obtained an expert report on the cause of the contamination, the claimants subsequently amended their case to include an alternative plea that the contamination had been caused by the gradual escape of diesel oil from underground tanks on the Insured’s property. Liability for such a claim was, in view of the exclusion described above, not within the scope of the Insured’s policy with the Insurers. The original claim based on a sudden spillage from an overground tank remained intact.
Shortly after service of the amended claim, the Claimants’ solicitors were informed that insurers had “confirmed that the policy of insurance does not respond to the claims” and that the solicitors appointed by insurers were no longer instructed to act on behalf of the insured.
The defence of the claims was abandoned by the insured, damages were assessed and judgment was entered for a total sum of £191,654, with the insured being ordered to pay all of the claimants’ costs. In the meantime, the insured had gone into creditors’ voluntary winding-up.
The insurers were subsequently ordered to pay the claimants’ costs both in exercise of the court’s discretion to order costs to be paid by a non-party pursuant to s.51(3) of the Senior Courts Act 1981, and under the Third Party (Rights Against Insurers) Act 1930.
In considering an appeal by the Insurers against this order, the Court of Appeal noted that, as per TGA Chapman Ltd v Christopher2, the following features justified the “exceptional course” of making a costs order against insurers:
The insurers determined that the claim would be fought.
The insurers funded the defence of the claim.
The insurers had the conduct of the litigation.
The insurers fought the claim exclusively to defend their own interests.
The defence failed in its entirety.
The Court of Appeal determined that the crucial question in this case was whether the insurers were acting “exclusively or predominantly in their own interests” in defending the claims. The Court of Appeal held that they were so acting because as the insurers knew from the start, the Insured would be unable to meet any award of damages if it was not covered under the policy. The purpose of the insurers in defending the claim was therefore not to protect the insured. The only reason for the conduct of the defence and the Insurers’ only interest in it was to avoid a claim falling within the cover provided by the policy. In addition:
Had the claimants abandoned their claim based upon the spillage from an above-ground tank, the insurers would have had a good argument that they had in substance funded the successful defence of such a claim. However, the claimants had not abandoned that claim.
There was no foundation in the evidence for the Insurers’ suggestion that, if they had not funded the defence, the insured would have done so.
The insurers’ suggestion that the judge should have determined the issue of fact as to whether the contamination was caused by the above-ground tank spillage was wholly unrealistic, there being insufficient evidence upon which this issue could have been determined.
Insurers were therefore unable to demonstrate that the judge’s exercise of his discretion was flawed in any way. On the contrary, there was ample material to justify the order made.
The Court of Appeal also held that, on a construction of the policy, liability for the claimants’ costs was within the cover, meaning that the claim against the insurers under the Third Party (Rights Against Insurers) Act 1930 (which gives a third party certain rights to claim directly against an insurer in circumstances in which the insured is insolvent) also succeeded.
The case is an important reminder to insurers of their potential exposure to third party costs orders in circumstances in which they determine that claims made by third parties should be defended. As the reasoning described above illustrates, a crucial factor will be whether or not the decision to defend the claim has been taken purely in the insurers’ own interests. This potential exposure is accordingly one of the factors that insurers must have in mind in deciding whether or not to defend a claim on behalf of an insured. The case suggests that an important factor may be the question of whether or not the insurers are protecting the insured from any exposure, or are simply acting to prevent a claim under their policy.
For more information, please contact Ben Atkinson, Associate, on +44 (0)20 7264 8238, or ben.atkinson@hfw.com, or your usual contact at HFW.
[2016] EWCA Civ 97
[1998] 1 WLR 12
3. HFW publications and events
HFW sponsors Multaqa Qatar reception
HFW Partners Sam Wakerley, Costas Frangeskides and Wissam Hachem, and Consultant Carol-Ann Burton attended Multaqa Qatar from Sunday 13 to Tuesday 15 March 2016. Multaqa Qatar is the MENA region’s leading risk and insurance forum and is designed to provide senior executives with a platform from which they can do business. HFW sponsored the reception for this year’s event.
HFW hosts Insurance/Reinsurance Conference in association with the British Consulate in São Paulo
On 16 March 2016, HFW Partners Chris Cardona, Geoffrey Conlin and Paul Wordley hosted an Insurance/Reinsurance Conference in São Paulo in association with the British Consulate. Chris chaired a panel on D&O, Geoffrey chaired a panel on Claims in Brazil and Paul chaired a panel on Global Insurance and Reinsurance programmes.
Brexit: a competition law perspective
The March 2016 edition of HFW’s Competition Bulletin1 considers Brexit and the ramifications of a “leave” vote from a competition law perspective. The article explains how the competition regimes in the UK and EU currently overlap and what the potential alternative arrangements are if Brexit does occur.
For more information, please contact Anthony Woolich, Partner, on +44 (0)20 7264 8033, or anthony.woolich@hfw.com, or your usual contact at HFW.
http://www.hfw.com/Competition-Bulletin-March-2016#page_0
Bandurka
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Full profile of William Reddie william.reddie@hfw.com Download VCard
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What he did was park the ball over the right-field wall for a grand slam that helped Clemson to a 9-2 victory over the Spartans, who Tigers coach Monte Lee said came into the game ranked No. 2 in RPI.
“We were swinging the bats really well, so I felt like I had no pressure,” Beer said. “Our team has been feeling it a little bit I guess with the bats, and that’s been a good thing. I just stepped in there, tried to do my job and get a guy in, if that was a pop-up to the outfield — whatever I had to do to get a guy in.”
Beer now has five homers on the season and 23 in 74 career games.
Against the Gamecocks, he had just two hits all series, but they were big enough to earn him the Bob Bradley Clemson MVP Award.
His two-run shot last Saturday got the Tigers on the board in the first inning, and the team rallied for an 8-7 victory to even the series with the Gamecocks.
The next day at Founders Park, he tied the game with Clemson down to its last out, last strike, and the Tigers went on to win 5-3 in 11 innings to clinch the coveted series.
There seems to be little pressure this team can’t overcome right now. After a 1-2 start opening weekend, Clemson’s won eight of its last nine games heading into Friday's three-game series against Notre Dame (3-8) at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
“It was all about the big inning (Wednesday),” Lee said. “Chris Williams hit the big double for us, scored a few runs, three in (the third) inning, and then Seth Beer hit the moonshot grand slam to give us a five-spot there in the (fifth).”
Clemson also played well in the field, got nine strikeouts and just one earned run allowed by Tyler Jackson in 6.1 innings and a solid effort from the bullpen.
The win over Michigan State is another confidence builder for a team that’s outscored its opponents 47-21 the last seven games.
Lee still wants to see an offense that struggled with runners in scoring position at times this year improve in that area. Against a Notre Dame team that’s last in the ACC with a 6.75 ERA, the Tigers have a chance to do just that Friday at 6:30 p.m., Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
“Very proud of our guys, and hopefully we can continue to carry this momentum into this weekend,” Lee said.
Freshman phenom: Seth Beer already one of college baseball’s best hitters
Clemson’s Beer first freshman awarded Dick Howser Trophy
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Ship Bunker
HandyBulk
The 1993 Act and the 1993 Regulations principally came about due to the impact of the EC and complex litigation in R v Secretary of State for Transport, ex parte Factortame Ltd and Others (No 3) European Court of Justice (1991). It is beyond the scope of this update to go into the full details of this case, but, broadly speaking, the ECJ held that it is contrary to the provisions of Community law for a Member Sate to stipulate conditions as to the nationality, residence and domicile of a fishing vessel. In determining the conditions which have to be fulfilled in order for a vessel to be registered in this register and granted the right to fly their flag, Member States have to comply with the rules of Community law. Thus, the provisions of the 1988 Act and 1988 Regulations which treated the plaintiffs’ existing registration of their fishing vessels (under the 1894 Act) as having ceased were contrary to the provisions of Community law. The 1993 Act has been repealed by the 1995 Act. The Merchant Shipping Act 1995 – a brief overview. Registration of a British ship is (still) an entitlement and not an obligation. S 1(1) provides, inter alia, that a ship is a British ship if: The ship is registered in the United Kingdom under Part II; or the ship is registered under the law of a relevant British possession; or the ship is a small ship other than a fishing vessel and certain conditions in s 1(1)(i) – (iii) are complied with. Section 9(1) provides for when a ship is entitled to be registered and when an application is duly made. Section 10(1) provides that the Secretary of State shall, by registration regulations, make provision for and in connection with the registration of ships as British ships. No regulations have, at the time of writing (February 1998), been made and, as already stated, the 1993 Regulations, are still in force.
HEADQUARTERS REGISTERED
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Airport Operators Take Action Against Rising Seas, Powerful Storms as Climate Changes
By Jamie Freed | October 1, 2018
Global airport operators, faced with rising sea levels and more powerful storms as the climate changes, are starting to invest in measures including higher runways, seawalls and better drainage systems to future-proof immovable assets.
In early September, a seawall at Japan’s Kansai International Airport built on a reclaimed island near Osaka, was breached during Typhoon Jebi.
The runway was flooded and it took 17 days to fully restore airport operations, at a high cost to the region’s economy as well as the dozens of airlines that canceled flights.
Major airports in Hong Kong, mainland China and North Carolina were also closed due to tropical storms last month.
Such incidents highlight the disaster risks to investors and insurers exposed to a sector with an estimated $262 billion of projects under construction globally, according to Fitch Solutions.
“There is a kind of one-way direction with regards to the frequency and severity of climate change-related events,” said Fitch Solutions Head of Infrastructure Richard Marshall. “If people aren’t taking that seriously, that is a risk.”
Fifteen of the 50 most heavily trafficked airports globally are at an elevation of less than 30 feet above sea level, making them particularly vulnerable to a changing climate, including rising sea levels and associated higher storm surges.
“You see it at individual airports that are already seeing sea rise and are already dealing with water on their runway,” Airports Council International (ACI) Director General Angela Gittens said, citing examples in island nations including Vanuatu and the Maldives.
“But even in some of these mature economies they are having more storms, they are having to do more pumping. My old airport in Miami is in that scenario.”
A draft copy of an ACI policy paper reviewed by Reuters and due to be released this week warns of the rising risks to facilities from climate change. It encourages member airports to conduct risk assessments, develop mitigation measures and take it into account in future master plans.
The paper cites examples of forward-thinking airports that have taken climate change into account in planning, such as the $12 billion Istanbul Grand Airport on the Black Sea, set to become one of the world’s largest airports when it opens next month.
Investor Interest
Debt investors in particular have high exposure to airports, most of which are owned by governments or pension funds. Ratings agency Moody’s alone has $174 billion of airport bonds under coverage.
Earl Heffintrayer, the lead analyst covering U.S. airports at Moody’s, said the risk of climate change became apparent to investors after Superstorm Sandy closed major New York airports for days in 2012.
Sandy led to the cancellation of nearly 17,000 flights, costing airlines $500 million in revenues and disrupting operations around the world, according to a 2017 presentation by Eurocontrol on climate change risk.
Investors are increasingly asking about mitigation plans at low-lying airports like San Francisco and Boston as they look to invest in bonds with terms of up to 30 years, Heffintrayer said.
San Francisco International Airport, built on reclaimed land that is slowly sinking, has completed a feasibility study on a $383 million project to make the airport more resilient to sea level rises on its 8 miles (12.9 km) of bay front shoreline by 2025.
“We are seeing a lot more thought going into protection against flood damage, catastrophe, making sure that the storm drains around the airport are fit for purpose,” said Gary Moran, head of Asia aviation at insurance broker Aon. “There definitely is a lot more thought going into potential further worsening in weather conditions further down the line.”
Singapore’s Changi Airport, which has analyzed scenarios out to 2100, has resurfaced its runways to provide for better drainage and is building a new terminal at a higher 18 feet (5.5 meters) above sea level to protect against rising seas.
Moran said such steps were prudent and would provide comfort to insurers.
“If you were to look at Singapore, if something was to happen at Changi in terms of weather-related risk, Singapore would have a problem,” he said. “There isn’t really too much of an alternative.”
Singapore expects sea levels to rise by 2.5 feet (0.76 meter) by 2100. Changi Airport declined to comment on the cost of the extra protection.
ACI, Fitch, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s were unable to provide Reuters with an estimate of the global cost of climate change protection at airports. The protective action is often folded into larger refurbishment and expansion projects, ratings agency analysts said.
In Australia, Brisbane Airport and located on reclaimed land on the coast at just 13 feet (4 meters) above sea level, is constructing a new runway 3.3 feet (1 meter) higher than it otherwise would have done, with a higher seawall and better drainage systems as sea levels rise.
Paul Coughlan, the director of Brisbane Airport’s new runway project, said the incremental cost of such moves was relatively low – for example the seawall cost around A$5 million ($3.6 million) more than without taking into account sea level rises – but the potential benefits were big.
“At the end of the day, whether you are a believer in climate change or a disbeliever, doing a design that accounts for elevated sea levels, more intense rainfall, flooding considerations, that is just prudent,” Coughlan said.
“If you build it into your design philosophy from day one, you don’t pay that much of a premium and you have bought a lot of safeguards.”
($1 = 1.3841 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Jamie Freed. Editing by Lincoln Feast)
Low-Level Airports at Risk from Flooding by Rising Sea Levels: Opinion
Copyright 2021 Reuters. Click for restrictions.
Lemonade Eyes Sale of 3 Million Shares in Secondary Offering
Categories: International NewsTopics: airports, Aon, aviation insurance, Climate Change, Climate change risks, climate risks, flooding, Floods, global warming, rising sea levels
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You are at:Home»Features»Country focus»Austria»Austria: MuTh
Austria: MuTh
By Andrew Anderson on May 15, 2013  Analysis Austria, Country focus
The Vienna Boys’ Choir took to the stage of their new home, MuTh, last month for an intimate performance for a group of artist managers, part of the 2013 IAMA conference in the Austrian capital. It was a cheery, light concert, where the delicate sound of the boys’ collective voices was enhanced by the near perfect acoustics in the small hall, opened only last year. Introducing the singers, MuTh director Elke Hesse entertained the crowd by demonstrating that her microphone was superfluous: her quiet voice travelled easily to every seat in the house.
MuTh is based in the city’s Augarten, and positions itself as a venue that champions young performers, where music and theatre meet. The building is a unique blend of existing baroque structures (the gatehouse and wall) and modern architecture – it makes for a striking, unusual addition to the elegant Viennese district.
At the heart of MuTh is the Concert Hall with seating for 400 people. It has an optimally designed orchestra pit and acoustics to rival the city’s renowned music venues, where its resident group – the Vienna Boys’Choir – is programmed alongside rock and jazz concerts, drama, and other cultural events.
Elke Hesse explains why there was a need for such a project: ‘MuTh offers the choir the first practice and performance site of its own, opening up new and exciting opportunities and perspectives.’ With initial resistance from the public, and an overall cost of €15m, the venue is now considered to be flourishing, with guaranteed funding from the WSK Foundation.
Tickets for all events reportedly sell well, and opinion has gradually changed with strong feedback from members of the public and the media. Hesse goes on to explain how the venue specifically targets and encourages their local youth. ‘In designing a corporate style for the Vienna Boys’ Choir’s new concert hall, the starting point was the venue’s independence and its openness to other genres and other players,’ she says. ‘MuTh was founded and built for supporting children, promoting and challenging them,’ Hesse adds. ‘So we want to become the most important stage in Vienna for well-educated young talents starting an international career – MuTh is supposed to be the gate leading big talents to a hopeful future.’
I will pay someone to write my paper
A gala concert with a difference
Light switch – Bergen International Festival
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InfoQ Homepage Articles What is the Ruby Way?
What is the Ruby Way?
Oct 18, 2006 13 min read
Hal Fulton
Author Hal Fulton has updated his modern classic, The Ruby Way. The publication of the second edition, due the third week of October to coincide with RubyConf 2006, marks the launch of Addison Wesley's Professional Ruby Series. In this InfoQ exclusive excerpt, Hal answers the question which sets the tone for his entire book:
Let us prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all.
— Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency
What do we mean by the Ruby Way? My belief is that there are two related aspects: One is the philosophy of the design of Ruby; the other is the philosophy of its usage. It is natural that design and use should be interrelated, whether in software or hardware; why else should there be such a field as ergonomics? If I build a device and put a handle on it, it is because I expect someone to grab that handle.
Ruby has a nameless quality that makes it what it is. We see that quality present in the design of the syntax and semantics of the language, but it is also present in the programs written for that interpreter. Yet as soon as we make this distinction, we blur it.
Clearly Ruby is not just a tool for creating software, but it is a piece of software in its own right. Why should the workings of Ruby programs follow laws different from those that guide the workings of the interpreter? After all, Ruby is highly dynamic and extensible. There might be reasons that the two levels should differ here and there, probably for accommodating to the inconvenience of the real world. But in general, the thought processes can and should be the same. Ruby could be implemented in Ruby, in true Hofstadter-like fashion, though it is not at the time of this writing.
We don’t often think of the etymology of the word way; but there are two important senses in which it is used. On the one hand, it means a method or technique, but it can also mean a road or path. Obviously these two meanings are interrelated, and I think when I say “the Ruby Way,” I mean both of them.
So what we are talking about is a thought process, but it is also a path that we follow. Even the greatest software guru cannot claim to have reached perfection but only to follow the path. And there may be more than one path, but here I can only talk about one.
The conventional wisdom says that form follows function. And the conventional wisdom is, of course, conventionally correct. But Frank Lloyd Wright (speaking in his own field) once said: “Form follows function—that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union.”
What did Wright mean? I would say that this truth is not something you learn from a book, but from experience.
However, I would argue that Wright expressed this truth elsewhere in pieces easier to digest. He was a great proponent of simplicity, saying once, “An architect’s most useful tools are an eraser at the drafting board and a wrecking bar at the site.”
So one of Ruby’s virtues is simplicity. Shall I quote other thinkers on the subject? According to Antoine de St. Exupery, “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
But Ruby is a complex language. How can I say that it is simple?
If we understood the universe better, we might find a “law of conservation of complexity”—a fact of reality that disturbs our lives like entropy so that we cannot avoid it but can only redistribute it.
And that is the key. We can’t avoid complexity, but we can push it around. We can bury it out of sight. This is the old “black box” principle at work; a black box performs a complex task, but it possesses simplicity on the outside.
If you haven’t already lost patience with my quotations, a word from Albert Einstein is appropriate here: “Everything should be as simple as possible, but no simpler.”
So in Ruby we see simplicity embodied from the programmer’s view (if not from the view of those maintaining the interpreter). Yet we also see the capacity for compromise. In the real world, we must bend a little. For example, every entity in a Ruby program should be a true object, but certain values such as integers are stored as immediate values. In a trade-off familiar to computer science students for decades, we have traded elegance of design for practicality of implementation. In effect, we have traded one kind of simplicity for another.
What Larry Wall said about Perl holds true: “When you say something in a small language, it comes out big. When you say something in a big language, it comes out small.” The same is true for English. The reason that biologist Ernst Haeckel could say “Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny” in only three words was that he had these powerful words with highly specific meanings at his disposal. We allow inner complexity of the language because it enables us to shift the complexity away from the individual utterance.
I would state this guideline this way: Don’t write 200 lines of code when 10 will do.
I’m taking it for granted that brevity is generally a good thing. A short program fragment will take up less space in the programmer’s brain; it will be easier to grasp as a single entity. As a happy side effect, fewer bugs will be injected while the code is being written.
Of course, we must remember Einstein’s warning about simplicity. If we put brevity too high on our list of priorities, we will end up with code that is hopelessly obfuscated. Information theory teaches us that compressed data is statistically similar to random noise; if you have looked at C or APL or regular expression notation — especially badly written — you have experienced this truth firsthand. “Simple, but not too simple”; that is the key. Embrace brevity, but do not sacrifice readability.
It is a truism that both brevity and readability are good. But there is an underly- ing reason for this, one so fundamental that we sometimes forget it. The reason is that computers exist for humans, not humans for computers.
In the old days, it was almost the opposite. Computers cost millions of dollars and ate electricity at the rate of many kilowatts. People acted as though the computer were a minor deity and the programmers were humble supplicants. An hour of the computer’s time was more expensive than an hour of a person’s time.
When computers became smaller and cheaper, high-level languages also became more popular. These were inefficient from the computer’s point of view but efficient from the human perspective. Ruby is simply a later development in this line of thought. Some, in fact, have called it a VHLL (Very High-Level Language); though this term is not well-defined, I think its use is justified here.
The computer is supposed to be the servant, not the master, and, as Matz has said, a smart servant should do a complex task with a few short commands. This has been true through all the history of computer science. We started with machine languages and progressed to assembly language and then to high-level languages.
What we are talking about here is a shift from a machine-centered paradigm to a human-centered one. In my opinion, Ruby is an excellent example of human-centric programming.
I’ll shift gears a little. There was a wonderful little book from the 1980s called The Tao of Programming (by Geoffrey James). Nearly every line is quotable, but I’ll repeat only this: “A program should follow the ‘Law of Least Astonishment.’ What is this law? It is simply that the program should always respond to the user in the way that astonishes him least.” (Of course, in the case of a language interpreter, the user is the programmer.)
I don’t know whether James coined this term, but his book was my first introduction to the phrase. This is a principle that is well known and often cited in the Ruby community, though it is usually called the Principle of Least Surprise or POLS. (I myself stubbornly prefer the acronym LOLA.)
Whatever you call it, this rule is a valid one, and it has been a guideline through- out the ongoing development of the Ruby language. It is also a useful guideline for those who develop libraries or user interfaces.
The only problem, of course, is that different people are surprised by different things; there is no universal agreement on how an object or method “ought” to behave. We can strive for consistency and strive to justify our design decisions, and each person can train his own intuition.
For the record, Matz has said that “least surprise” should refer to him as the designer. The more you think like him, the less Ruby will surprise you. And I assure you, imitating Matz is not a bad idea for most of us.
No matter how logically constructed a system may be, your intuition needs to be trained. Each programming language is a world unto itself, with its own set of assumptions, and human languages are the same. When I took German, I learned that all nouns were capitalized, but the word deutsch was not. I complained to my professor; after all, this was the name of the language, wasn’t it? He smiled and said, “Don’t fight it.”
What he taught me was to let German be German. By extension, that is good advice for anyone coming to Ruby from some other language. Let Ruby be Ruby. Don’t expect it to be Perl, because it isn’t; don’t expect it to be LISP or Smalltalk, either. On the other hand, Ruby has common elements with all three of these. Start by following your expectations, but when they are violated, don’t fight it. (Unless Matz agrees it’s a needed change.)
Every programmer today knows the orthogonality principle (which would better be termed the orthogonal completeness principle). Suppose we have an imaginary pair of axes with a set of comparable language entities on one and a set of attributes or capabilities on the other. When we talk of “orthogonality,” we usually mean that the space defined by these axes is as “full” as we can logically make it.
Part of the Ruby Way is to strive for this orthogonality. An array is in some ways similar to a hash; so the operations on each of them should be similar. The limit is reached when we enter the areas where they are different.
Matz has said that “naturalness” is to be valued over orthogonality. But to fully understand what is natural and what is not may take some thinking and some coding. Ruby strives to be friendly to the programmer. For example, there are aliases or synonyms for many method names; size and lenght will both return the number of entries in an array. The variant spelling indexes and indices both refer to the same method. Some consider this sort of thing to be an annoyance or anti-feature, but I consider it a good design.
Ruby strives for consistency and regularity. There is nothing mysterious about this; in every aspect of life, we yearn for things to be regular and parallel. What makes it a little more tricky is learning when to violate this principle.
For instance, Ruby has the habit of appending a question mark (?) to the name of a predicatelike method. This is well and good; it clarifies the code and makes the namespace a little more manageable. But what is more controversial is the similar use of the exclamation point in marking methods that are “destructive” or “dangerous” in the sense that they modify their receivers. The controversy arises because not all of the destructive methods are marked in this way. Shouldn’t we be consistent?
No, in fact we should not. Some of the methods by their very nature change their receiver (such as the Array methods replace and concat). Some of them are “writer” methods allowing assignment to a class attribute; we should not append an exclamation point to the attribute name or the equal sign. Some methods arguably change the state of the receiver, such as read; this occurs too frequently to be marked in this way. If every destructive method name ended in a !, our programs soon would look like sales brochures for a multilevel marketing firm.
Do you notice a kind of tension between opposing forces, a tendency for all rules to be violated? Let me state this as Fulton’s Second Law: Every rule has an exception, except Fulton’s Second Law. (Yes, there is a joke there, a very small one.) What we see in Ruby is not a “foolish consistency” nor a rigid adherence to a set of simple rules. In fact, perhaps part of the Ruby Way is that it is not a rigid and inflexible approach. In language design, as Matz once said, you should “follow your heart.” Yet another aspect of the Ruby philosophy is: Do not fear change at runtime; do not fear what is dynamic. The world is dynamic; why should a programming language be static? Ruby is one of the most dynamic languages in existence.
I would also argue that another aspect is: Do not be a slave to performance issues. When performance is unacceptable, the issue must be addressed, but it should normally not be the first thing you think about. Prefer elegance over efficiency where efficiency is less than critical. Then again, if you are writing a library that may be used in unforeseen ways, performance may be critical from the start.
When I look at Ruby, I perceive a balance between different design goals, a complex interaction reminiscent of the n-body problem in physics. I can imagine it might be modeled as an Alexander Calder mobile. It is perhaps this interaction itself, the harmony, that embodies Ruby’s philosophy rather than just the individual parts. Programmers know that their craft is not just science and technology but art. I hesitate to say that there is a spiritual aspect to computer science, but just between you and me, there certainly is. (If you have not read Robert Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, I recommend that you do so.)
Ruby arose from the human urge to create things that are useful and beautiful. Programs written in Ruby should spring from that same God-given source. That, to me, is the essence of the Ruby Way.
Hal Fulton has two degrees in computer science from the University of Mississippi. He taught computer science for four years at the community college level before moving to Austin, Texas, for a series of contracts (mainly at IBM Austin). He has worked for more than 15 years with various forms of UNIX, including AIX, Solaris, and Linux. He was first exposed to Ruby in 1999, and in 2001 he began work on the first edition of this book, which was the second Ruby book in the English language. He has attended six Ruby conferences and has given presentations at four of those, including the first European Ruby Conference in Karlsruhe, Germany. He currently works at Broadwing Communications in Austin, Texas, working on a large data warehouse and related telecom applications. He works daily with C++, Oracle, and of course, Ruby.
Hal is still active daily on the Ruby mailing list and IRC channel, and has several Ruby projects in progress. He is a member of the ACM and the IEEE Computer Society. In his personal life, he enjoys music, reading, writing, art, and photography. He is a member of the Mars Society and is a space enthusiast who would love to go into space before he dies. He lives in Austin, Texas.
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Peter Alan Hussey
Lewis & Clark Community College
Peter is a music/percussion educator and performer in the St. Louis area and is currently a tenured associate professor of music/percussion studies at Lewis & Clark Community College in Godfrey, IL, where he received the nomination for the 2014 ICCTA Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Member Award. Prior to this appointment he held positions on the music faculty of McKendree University in Lebanon, IL and Eastern Illinois University where he received his BM and MA in Percussion Performance. Peter is trained as a REMO-HealthRHYTHMS facilitator. He has served on the staff of the Alton, Illinois school system as a percussion specialist and serves as an adjudicator, clinician and arranger of marching, concert, jazz and world percussion throughout the country. Performance credits include Grammy Award Winners - Aretha Franklin, Amy Grant, Bernadette Peters, Peter Cetera, Arnie Roth, Maria Schneider and Bob Newhart, Tony Award Winning Musical - "Pippin", internationally acclaimed vocalist - Charles Glenn, the St. Louis Muny Opera, the Ballet Orchestra of St. Louis, the Illinois Symphony, the Danville Symphony, the Alton Symphony, the St. Louis Philharmonic, Percussionist & Composer Nebojsa Jovan Zivkovic, the Louis Michael Jazz Ensemble, the St. Louis Brass Band, and The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps. Peter is an educational endorser for the Zildjian Cymbal Company and for Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets.
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Law Society calls for radical shake-up of rules governing conduct of Scottish solicitors
Professional body argues current system is falling behind global developments
Graham Matthews, President of the Law Society of Scotland, argues that reform is needed
The rules governing solicitors' conduct need to be radically reformed, according to the Law Society of Scotland.
The professional body for solicitors in Scotland is arguing that the regulation of the profession is in urgent need of modernisation.
The Law Society says that wide-ranging reforms are needed for the profession to keep up with global developments within the legal sector and expanding consumer protection into currently unregulated areas of legal services.
Scottish Law Commission recommends changes to defamation law
It calls for the regulation of firms operating beyond Scotland and overhauling the legal complaints system which it says is overly complex, expensive and lacks proper oversight.
The changes proposed would include:
New powers to suspend solicitors suspected of serious wrongdoing;
Expanding consumer protections to include currently unregulated areas of legal services;
Better regulation of legal firms as entities in addition to the regulation of individual solicitors to better protect consumers;
Widening the Law Society's membership to seek to improve standards among other legal professions;
Protection of the term 'lawyer' to mean those who are legally trained and regulated.
Graham Matthews, President of the Law Society of Scotland, said that the body had long argued for reform to the current patchwork of regulation governing legal services in Scotland.
Smaller Scots law firms' financial fortunes 'enjoy boost'
He said: “There has been enormous change within the sector in recent years and the current system – some of which is almost 40 years old - is struggling to meet the demands of today’s fast-changing legal market.
“That’s why we have called for completely new, flexible legislation which will allow much needed reforms and ensure we have a regulatory framework that is fit for purpose, addresses the challenges of modern legal practice – from cross-border working to technological advances enabling AI legal advice - and which puts protecting consumers at its core over the long term.
“We believe the scale of the changes needed justifies a new, single piece of enabling and permissible legislation that can adapt to changes within the sector over the next four decades and beyond. Any new prescriptive legislation, or simply making further amendments to existing legislation,will quickly be outdated.”
The Law Society is seeking the ability to regulate law firms operating beyond Scotland and to strengthen its regulation of firms as entities, as well as its individual solicitor members.
Law Society of Scotland chief executive Lorna Jack wins UK Association Excellence Award for Leadership
Matthews said: “There is a strong economic case for the Law Society being able to seek to become a regulator of legal services beyond Scotland, as having a single regulatory model for cross-border firms could make Scotland a more attractive jurisdiction for a firm to base its operations. ''Additionally, as firms must meet robust financial compliance and new anti-money laundering requirements are due to come into effect in June, it makes sense to extend the regulatory regime on a firm-wide basis to help improve consumer protection.”
Matthews added that new legislation should encompass the unregulated legal advice sector. He said: “No one knows the full scale of the unregulated legal sector, but many consumers who believe that they have obtained advice from a qualified, regulated legal professional only find out they have no recourse to redress when things go wrong.
Lawyers urge rethink on employment tribunals after fee system leads to slump in number of cases
“As we look to the future, there is no doubt that technological advances will mean increasing use of artificial intelligence in delivering legal services around the globe and it’s our view that any new regulatory framework must be flexible enough to make provision for this."
In its submission, the Law Society has criticised the current legal complaints system as being complex and confusing and has called for the creation of an independent legal ombudsman which would have oversight of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) .
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Darwin on Trial
Tue, 19th March 2013
Phillip E. Johnson
IVP, $22.95
Written by Phillip E. Johnson (Professor of Law), this is the 20th anniversary edition of his rebuttal of the theory of Charles Darwin in his Origin of the Species (1859).
It is suggested in the foreword that the evidence for and against evolution “is much better evaluated by a generalist, trained to evaluate the logic of arguments”.
Johnson states that the original Darwinian concept of “natural selection” is a denial of the belief that life is directed by any purposeful intelligence. He points to the tautology in the underlying principle that the fittest of the species produces the most offspring, when the fittest of the species is defined as those who produce the most offspring.
Darwin avoided systemic mutations in which an organ appears in a single generation; but prefers “the gradual operation over long periods of time of familiar natural forces that we can still see operating in the present”.
He proposed that favourable micro-mutations can accumulate and produce new characteristics of formidable complexity, such as wings and eyes. Mammals split from reptiles and one of those lines took to water and ultimately became whales. A different line took to the trees and caves, and here we are today.
The author points to the lack of evidence of gradual changes, from fossils so far unearthed. He concedes that mutations may account for variations within a species but not for the development of an entirely different species. He remains dissatisfied with the recent DNA similarities found in living matter as a sufficient and necessary condition for the acceptance of natural selection.
His original edition attracted a lot of criticism and he frequently castigates those who attempt to fit evolution, as depicted by Darwin, into the recognition of a purposeful creative force. He also denounces the widespread acceptance in the scientific community of Darwinian Theory as scientific fact, without requiring the rigours usually expected in scientific circles.
In going through the book, chapter by chapter, it is helpful to look up the Author’s Notes, which are grouped at the back of the book and to have a dictionary at hand. In reading the Epilogue, it is clear that this has become, for him, not simply a case to argue, but a matter of conviction.
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Is an engine change enough to revive this franchise?
Wed, 8th November 2017
Review: Cars 3
(G) Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Cheech Marin
Since the beginning of Pixar studios, at the heart of this organisation was the reinvention of animation and imaginative story lines. Cars was a fascinating world of cars living out their lives on an earth where only cars exist. In 2006, the legendary producer and director John Lasseter brought to life the iconic figures of Mater, Doc Hudson and Lightning McQueen. Lasseter has gone on to not only redefine animation, but to reshape the Disney Animation department into the powerhouse that is was for generations. Pixar has suffered through with minimal original titles and a multitude of sequels that pale in comparison to the originals. Cars 2 is considered to be a critical failure, but it did keep the franchise humming around the track. When Pixar announced the production of Cars 3, the question was if the studio could reconstruct the engine of this franchise and deliver a Piston Cup winning film?
From the opening of Cars 3, things seem familiar in the world of Lightning McQueen and his faithful followers. He is out on the track, continuing to be the champion race car that audiences have come to know over the past decade. Then a new breed of racer shows up on the oval. Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer) represents a new generation of cars who have specialized training on simulators, individual trainers and technologies that have left cars like Lightning behind. After sucking the fumes of defeat by losing to Storm, the veteran racer experiences a horrific accident and eventually goes into hiding. Eventually, he convinces himself to re-enter the racing circuit and with the backing of the new Rust-eZe owner, Sterling (Nathan Fillion). Along with training by Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo), Lightning sees his chance to beat Storm. The only issue is that the new high-tech methods do not fit with McQueen’s means of getting faster and he looks for ‘old-school’ techniques to get his racing mojo back.
Cars did not have the same emotional elements of Toy Story or Inside Out, it did however, contain a magic that captured the imagination of all those who dream of race cars coming to life. First-time director and co-writer Brian Fee has managed to recapture the magic of the inaugural film and put this franchise back on track. The characters of old provide the nostalgic components and the new players proved the new oil to get this engine running again. Pixar continues to set new standards for animation and even though the story line was predictable, it did deliver the sentimental undertones that help to differentiate these films from other studios. Some of the scenes seem so real, it is hard to believe this is animation.
https://www.insights.uca.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/60-Second-Verdict_-Cars-3.mp4
The challenge that this film faces is determining what age bracket that they desire to reach. The characters and the marketing set up a film for the younger viewer, but the story is about an ageing ‘athlete’ coming to terms with his need to consider the next season of his life and career. It takes contemplative and thought provoking paths that keep most of the ride far away from any racing. This may cause younger viewers to lose focus, but may capture the heart of the parents who may be considering some of the same questions in their lives. Brian Fee and Pixar have delivered a mature story about animated race cars who are wrestling with some of life’s bigger issues. This does not detract from the value of the film, merely may cause this film to lack the same appeal for the target audience of younger boys.
The overall experience was a visual spectacle that led to a vast array of unexpected introspection. It was good to see this franchise to get back on track, but the hope was that they would choose to allow this series to go out a winner. Like the story-line goes, look at retirement as not an end, but making room for new blood to enter the race. To the Pixar team, please allow this franchise to speed off into the sunset.
What should parents know about Cars 3?
This is a film for all ages, but if the screening we attended provided any insights, this is not going to capture the hearts of little ones. When the cars were racing on screen the audience was fully engaged, but throughout the more contemplative moments, most of the young ones lost interest. It does not contain any objectionable material, but the themes were a bit too mature to keep the younger set’s attention. This is a lesson in disconnect between the marketing and the intended audience.
One of the best elements of most Pixar films continues to be the introductory shorts. Lou is no exception; this heart-warming film about a ‘creature’ that inhabits the lost and found box at a primary school is a treasure to find. It provides something to celebrate and anticipate for all of the sceptics who may be weary of Cars 3. All ages will be wrapped with attention at the story of the school bully whose life is dramatically changed by this unique creation. Warning: Lou is only five minutes long, but it does deliver Pixar’s trademark emotive moments that will require tissues. Mum, come prepared.
Looking Deeper
Grey hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life. – Proverbs 16:31
It is interesting that a children’s film would provide a lesson in the value of the ageing process. In Cars 3, Lightning McQueen must come to terms with getting old. His glory days are behind him, but that does not mean that he offers no value to his community. It merely means a new season of life. The Bible is filled with this example. Moses, Elijah, Peter and Paul all proved the example of how we can be utilized throughout our life. Each stage of life presents a new opportunity to serve God. So, what season of life are you in and what are you doing with the life you have been given?
What does God have to say about the different seasons of life? (Ecclesiastes 3, Proverbs 16:31).
Why does the Bible have to say about mentorships? (Proverbs 27:17, 2 Timothy 2:2, Titus 2:3-5).
Is quitting sometimes the best option? (Psalm 23, Acts 20:24, Philippians 4:13).
Russell Matthews works for City Bible Forum Sydney and is a film blogger.
Tags: cars 3
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ITAA Calls for Covid-19 Tests Before Flight Departures
The Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) has called for the development and implementation of routine Covid-19 testing for passengers boarding flights out of the country, as an alternative to quarantine measures on arrival at their destination. The Association believes that this will help to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus and work towards re-establishing global air connectivity after a difficult six months for the travel industry.
The ITAA believes that, as well as reopening borders within the EU, this form of testing will help to rebuild consumer confidence in travel. The Association supports Covid-19 testing before departure, as this will ensure a ‘clean’ environment throughout the travel process. The ITAA believes testing on arrival has a negative impact on passenger confidence, as a positive test result will mean that the passenger will have to go into quarantine when they reach their destination.
While this type of Covid-19 testing is unlikely to become a permanent fixture in air travel, the ITAA believes that it is a necessary measure to re-establish air travel. Covid-19 testing has progressed rapidly since March and the ITAA believes that the use of quick, accurate, easy to use and affordable testing measures could be an interim solution and have a positive effect on air travel in the coming weeks and months.
Pat Dawson, the ITAA’s Chief Executive, said: “First and foremost, the safety and comfort of our customers is paramount to all ITAA member travel agents. We expect that there would be certain challenges involved in integrating these kinds of tests into the travel process. However, we believe that this method is worth implementing in order to restore consumer confidence in international travel. It is essential that a global standard is developed and maintained for these tests so that all relevant parties can adhere to testing protocols.
“The current travel restrictions provide no relief to either inbound or outbound travel, which will have a knock on effect on the Irish travel industry well into the future. We believe that with the introduction of these testing measures, we will be able to restore a level of consumer confidence and begin to rebuild our industry. Irish people love to travel and as soon as it is declared safe to travel again we believe that consumer confidence will be restored. Until that happens, we must look into alternative measures to ensure that passengers have a safe and comfortable journey.”
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Royal Caribbean announces updates to 2021 Summer cruises
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China Net sector to surpass Japan's near 2010: expert
BEIJING – The value of China’s Internet industry will surpass Japan’s in five to 10 years because it is more dynamic and not dominated by one company, an analyst with the investment bank giant Morgan Stanley said Monday.
The $15.1 billion equity value of China’s Internet industry, which includes 13 portals, online game services and auctioneers, lags the approximately $40 billion value of Japan’s market, said global Internet analyst Mary Meeker.
But she said the balance would change because China’s growing online population — now about 94 million people — is the second-biggest in the world and the biggest for people under age 30.
At a Beijing news conference, Meeker said that Yahoo! Japan controls much of Japan’s Net sector, but China has no dominant player so far.
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National / Social Issues
Like in Rio, Tokyo Paralympics can transform Japan into a 'for all' society: IPC chief
RIO DE JANEIRO – Hosting the Paralympics has the potential to change people’s outlook before and after the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2020, according to the president of the International Paralympic Committee.
“Japan will be amazed by Paralympians, and we’ll be amazed by the Japanese people,” Philip Craven said in an interview Monday in Rio de Janeiro.
“I think the opportunities for Japan through the Paralympic Games are quite amazing, both for the athletic performance, but in the transformation of society to become even more positive. For every member of society in Japan, to be recognized by every other member as equal and different, and similar. We’re all members of one society, and that’s what will be imprinted upon every member of Japanese society in the run-up to the Games and then in the legacy after the Games.
“The wider legacy is not just accessibility, it’s a transformation of people’s minds to the positive, and that’s not just people with an impairment. But people with an impairment will know that they’ve got an opportunity. When the different flames came together to make the (Rio) Paralympic flame a few days ago, before the Opening Ceremony, I think on the 6th of September, the first athlete to illuminate a torch from the cauldron was a young judoka.
“He spoke very well. He said ‘education for all in Brazil.’ So it’s this ‘for all’ that counts, it’s not, ‘What can we do for the disabled over here?’ It’s, ‘We’re all a part of one society,’ and that’s what will happen in the legacy.”
Asked what challenges Tokyo will face, he said, “I never talk about challenges, I always talk about opportunities.”
With the first-ever Paralympics to be staged in South America, there were initial concerns about the finances and logistics before the Games began, but the Paralympics are now exceeding the expectations of many.
This, however, does not come as a surprise to Craven.
“I knew that if we could connect with the Carioca, with the passion and with the hearts of the Brazilian people, these Games were going to be a great success,” he said.
Since they opened on Sept. 7, more than 100 world records have been broken, a feat Craven attributes to the groundbreaking success of the London Games four years ago.
“I think a lot of the world only got to know about Para sport in London in 2012 and then many, many countries said we want some of that,” he said.
“The investment that’s taken place has been considerable and the finding of new athletes in many countries of the world.”
Craven said the IPC’s development arm has helped countries discover new talent and get them into proper training, “not in a professional manner, but in a very strong, sporting manner.”
A recurring question in Para sport in recent years has been the extent to which the equipment — such as prosthetic limbs — contributes to the athlete’s performance.
Paralympic long-jumper Markus Rehm, for instance, has already surpassed the performances of able-bodied athletes, including the 2012 Olympic gold medalist’s jump. When Rehm said he wanted to participate in the 2016 Olympics, it raised questions on whether he would enjoy any possibly unfair advantages from his prosthetic leg.
Craven stressed that technology has no role in the rising levels of performance in Para sport, noting his organization monitors the situation to ensure a level playing field.
“We always look very closely at the developments of equipment, but really it’s not technology that’s making the athletes jump longer or run faster or wheel quicker. It’s the athletes themselves, and that’s how it always has to remain,” he said.
“If it’s technological support that provides the performance, we’re not interested in that.”
This monitoring will result in new rules following Rio.
“There’s going to be some new rules coming in after these Games with regard to the length of prosthetics, used primarily for double amputees,” he said. “So we realized that change needs to happen there, it’s something we’re looking at all the time.
“Technology supports the Paralympic Games, just like it does the Olympic Games, but it’s the athletes and their performance that counts.”
The Paralympic Games in Rio will continue through Saturday, where the closing ceremony will see a handover made to the Tokyo 2020 organizers, who will next host the global event.
Tokyo 2020, Philip Craven, Paralympic
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Bioshock>
Bioshock: Infinite>
BioShock Infinite – Burial at Sea Episode 1 Steam CD Key>
Buy BioShock Infinite – Burial at Sea Episode 1 Steam CD Key
ActionFPSStory rich
Requires the base game Bioshock Infinite on Steam in order to play.
Come back to Rapture in a story that brings Booker and Elizabeth to the underwater city on the eve of its fall from grace. Developed by Irrational Games, the studio behind the original BioShock and BioShock Infinite, this DLC features Rapture as you’ve never seen it before—a shining jewel at the bottom of the ocean, built almost entirely from scratch in the BioShock Infinite engine. The combat experience has been rebalanced and reworked with a greater emphasis on stealth and resource management to give the player a combat experience that merges the best parts of BioShock and BioShock Infinite. It includes a new weapon, an old favorite weapon from the original BioShock as well as the return of the weapon wheel, a new Plasmid, new Gear and Tears. Explore the city when it was at the height of its beauty, meet some old “friends,” and make some new ones, all through the eyes of Booker DeWitt. Why are Booker and Elizabeth in Rapture? What was the city like before everything fell to pieces? The answers to these questions and more will be found in BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode 1.
This pack is included in the BioShock Infinite Season Pass and will contain new Achievements.
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SEC Releases Updated Public Company Cybersecurity Disclosure Guidance
U.S. Complex Commercial Litigation and Disputes / Investigations, Enforcement and White Collar Alert
By: Steven L. Caponi, Vincente L. Martinez
On February 21, 2018, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released a “Commission Statement and Guidance on Public Company Cybersecurity Disclosures” to help public companies understand their obligations to disclose cybersecurity risks and incidents. According to SEC Chair Jay Clayton, the new guidance interpretation “reinforces and expands” the SEC Division of Corporation Finance’s 2011 “CF Disclosure Guidance: Topic No. 2 ─ Cybersecurity.”
While the SEC’s new guidance confirms that the 2011 guidance remains valid and repeats and amplifies many of its ideas, the new guidance adds two significant topics for consideration. Specifically, the new guidance (i) discusses the importance of maintaining robust cybersecurity policies and procedures to ensure a company’s ability to make accurate and timely disclosures, and (ii) makes clear that trading by company personnel ahead of the disclosure of a cybersecurity incident can constitute illegal insider trading for which public companies should adopt safeguards. It is safe to assume these areas of concern will be focuses of SEC scrutiny going forward, and they provide important clues about the circumstances under which the SEC might bring enforcement actions. Therefore, public companies would be wise to carefully review their cybersecurity policies, procedures, and disclosures to ensure compliance with the new guidance.
Disclosure Controls and Procedures: The new guidance points out that certain rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 require (i) public companies to maintain disclosure controls and procedures, (ii) management to evaluate the effectiveness of those controls and procedures, and (iii) certifications by a company’s principal executive and principal financial officers regarding the design and effectiveness of those controls and procedures. The new guidance emphasizes that timeliness in discovering material information is critical to effective disclosure. Accordingly, the new guidance suggests that:
companies should consider whether such controls and procedures will appropriately record, process, summarize, and report the information related to cybersecurity risks and incidents that is required to be disclosed in filings. Controls and procedures should enable companies to identify cybersecurity risks and incidents, assess and analyze their impact on a company’s business, evaluate the significance associated with such risks and incidents, provide for open communications between technical experts and disclosure advisors, and make timely disclosures regarding such risks and incidents.
Through this discussion, the SEC is arguing that if a company does not have robust cybersecurity policies and procedures, it may not learn of and disclose material information as required and, therefore, that cybersecurity is essential to a company’s ability to make required disclosures. This linkage between cybersecurity and disclosure gives boards of directors an enhanced oversight obligation to ensure that management has policies and procedures in place to ensure that relevant information about cybersecurity risks and incidents is processed and reported to the appropriate personnel so that senior management can make disclosure decisions and certifications in a timely manner. This includes an obligation not only to disclose current cybersecurity events but to update prior disclosures to ensure they remain accurate and complete.
Through the new guidance, the SEC is strongly urging companies to adopt comprehensive cybersecurity policies and procedures and to assess their compliance regularly. Importantly, the new guidance requires that, following a cyber incident, organizations should “disclose the extent of its board of directors’ role in the risk oversight of the company, such as how the board administers its oversight function and the effect this has on the board’s leadership structure.” This language significantly increases the pressure on boards to engage with the C-suite to ensure cyber risks are managed effectively.
The SEC’s new guidance provides examples of factors boards should consider when evaluating their cybersecurity risk disclosures: (i) the occurrence of prior cybersecurity incidents, including their severity and frequency; (ii) the aspects of the company’s business and operations that give rise to material cybersecurity risks and the potential costs and consequences of such risks; (iii) the costs associated with maintaining cybersecurity protections, including, if applicable, insurance coverage relating to cybersecurity incidents or payments to service providers; and (iv) existing or pending laws and regulations that may affect the requirements to which companies are subject relating to cybersecurity and the associated costs to companies.
The SEC has clearly elevated cybersecurity risks to the status of a required disclosure when material. However, given the broad definition of materiality and the wide-ranging impact of cybersecurity events, practically speaking, there is likely to be a low threshold to disclosure of some sort. When considering the materiality of an event, companies should consider the potential harm a given cybersecurity risk or incident could cause. This includes the impact on reputational harm, financial performance, customer and vendor relationships, litigation, and regulatory investigations or actions by state and federal agencies.
Insider Trading: Adding teeth to the 2011 guidance and enhanced disclosure requirements, the new guidance contemplates the adoption of policies to prevent trading in company securities when insiders are aware of material nonpublic information related to a cyber incident. While the general warning not to trade ahead of bad news is not novel, the SEC was clear in noting that, when a public company has uncovered a cybersecurity incident or risk that would be material to investors, it must make appropriate and timely disclosure of such items sufficiently prior to any offer or sale of securities. Additionally, the company must take suitable steps to prevent officers, directors, and other insiders from trading in the company’s securities until appropriate public disclosure has been made. Again, tying this guidance to disclosure creates another element of pressure to urge companies to report cyber incidents publicly and quickly; in this case, it is the pressure to avoid the possibility of insider trading by company personnel.
The SEC has stated in the 2018 guidance that companies should consider “the ramifications of directors, officers, and other corporate insiders trading in advance of disclosures regarding cyber incidents that prove to be material.” By addressing the ability of insiders to trade in securities when facing a cyber incident or when aware of material nonpublic cybersecurity risks, the SEC is clearly seeking to put teeth behind its enhanced disclosure requirements. The new guidance will most likely result in a trading “blackout” until such time as the public is informed of all material cybersecurity risks. In turn, these blackouts will place added urgency on companies to ensure they timely disclose all known cybersecurity risks and update prior disclosures so they remain current and accurate.
Steven L. Caponi
This publication/newsletter is for informational purposes and does not contain or convey legal advice. The information herein should not be used or relied upon in regard to any particular facts or circumstances without first consulting a lawyer. Any views expressed herein are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the law firm's clients.
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Karmanos researchers publish article in ‘Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology’
Karmanos Cancer Institute|News|Karmanos researchers publish article in ‘Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology’
Karmanos Cancer Institute is pleased to announce that the work of Ramzi Mohammad, Ph.D., member, Molecular Therapeutics Research Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute and Wayne State University School of Medicine (WSU SOM) and Asfar Azmi, Ph.D., co-leader, Tumor Biology and Microenvironment Research Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute and assistant professor, WSU SOM, has been published in a comprehensive review article in “Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology.”
This publication, which is co-authored by Hafiz Uddin, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow, Department of Oncology, WSU SOM, continues their successful basic, translational and clinical research on nuclear protein transport pathways. The comprehensive article covers the biology of protein transport and the pre-clinical and clinical development of small molecule inhibitors that target this important protein. The article is published here.
This group has spent more than a decade researching the pre-clinical development of nuclear transport inhibitors. Their work was critical in developing Selinexor (XPOVIO), a drug that is now Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for the treatment of cancer patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The drug was also introduced in a global COVID-19 clinical trial. Karmanos served as one site for the study. Selinexor is now being developed further under the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP). Several national clinical studies are planned.
“Protein movement within cells is important for their normal function,” explained Dr. Mohammad. “Such movement is guided by specialized carrier proteins or transporters. Exportin 1 or XPO1 is the major exporter of nuclear proteins. In cancer, XPO1 becomes hyperactive and displaces the tumor suppressors to the incorrect compartment, thereby inactivating their function. XPOVIO is a drug that blocks such transport and retains the tumor suppressors in the correct cellular compartment and allowing them to control tumor growth.”
“This is a joint effort beginning from our basic science group, which was supported by collaborative pharma partner Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc., as well as clinical investigators at Karmanos who collectively helped move a concept from the lab to FDA approval. We continue to find ways to improve the efficacy of this drug through the discovery of novel combinations. There is a need to identify prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers that could guide a more tailored XPOVIO therapy and is currently being intensively investigated by our group,” Dr. Azmi said.
In line with this project, the team is currently conducting correlative research on two active clinical studies at Karmanos. The first is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award-funded study on pancreatic cancer. This study is being led by Philip Philip, M.D., Ph.D., F.R.C.P., leader, Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Tumor Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) at Karmanos Cancer Institute, professor, WSU SOM. The second study is on non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and is led by Erlene Seymour, M.D., member of the Malignant Hematology MDT, Karmanos Cancer Institute, assistant professor, WSU SOM, and Jeffrey Zonder, M.D., leader of the Multiple Myeloma and Amyloidosis MDT, Karmanos Cancer Institute, and professor, Departments of Hematology and Oncology, WSU SOM.
“I am very proud that work done by our investigators on nuclear transport biology continues to bring success to this institution. Their tremendous work is emphasized by the publication of this high-impact article. I congratulate the Karmanos team for helping the development of a drug and for playing such a significant role in the FDA approval of Selinexor,” said Gerold Bepler, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Karmanos.
In addition to the work conducted by Dr. Mohammad and Azmi’s team, several other Karmanos investigators contributed to the development of the drug. These clinical investigators include Karmanos physicians Anthony Shields, M.D., Ph.D.; Elisabeth Heath, M.D., FACP; and Ammar Sukari, M.D.
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Mars and the Mojave: Death Valley & NASA Announce Festival Dedicated to The Red Planet
SoCal Wanderer
By Zach Behrens
Audiences around the world were taken there in 1977. It was the home of a teenager named Luke, who lived with his aunt and uncle, both farmers. In the hills nearby, an old hermit by the name of Ben took residence. Of course, this is a story from "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away," a story that beget a legion of fans of the Star Wars franchise. Luke Skywalker and Ben "Obi-Wan" Kenobe (as well as Jabba the Hut) were all residents of Tatooine. In real life, the area of the Mojave Desert that is now Death Valley National Park stood in for parts of this small planet (Tunisia was also used).
But what creator George Lucas saw as a stand-in for an alien planet is what scientists today see as a location for planetary analog research (analog as is in finding places where research on Earth could be applied to other planets) -- specifically Mars.
As the National Park Service explains:
The barren landscape of Death Valley, almost devoid of vegetation, evokes the red planet's surface. The dry, but not completely rainless climate is similar to conditions on Mars three billion years ago. Other-worldly features like the Badwater salt flat and Ubehebe Crater embody the extreme environments in which scientists seek the building blocks of life on other planets. For these reasons and others, scientists from NASA and universities have flocked to Death Valley for decades, testing equipment and hypotheses bound for rocky spheres beyond our earthly home. In other words, Death Valley is an ideal planetary analog site - a place on earth that mimics the conditions of places like Mars.
And with a rover named Curiosity scheduled to land on the planet in August to help determine if life can or has sustained life, there's no better time for a festival called Mars and the Mojave, a three-day event by the Park Service and NASA scheduled for the weekend of March 9.
Festival activities include telescope viewing, lectures and panels, and field trips to Badwater Basin, Mars Hill and Ubehebe Crater. The full schedule, which is currently in draft form (meaning more might be added and event times may switch), can be found here.
"Astronomy doesn't end when the sun comes up," explains Dr. Tyler Nordgren, author of "Stars Above, Earth Below: A Guide to Astronomy in the National Parks," and a featured speaker at the festival. "This event is the perfect embodiment of that idea."
Say hello: "Like" SoCal Wanderer on Facebook and follow @SoCal_Wanderer on Twitter to talk about the latest in outdoors with other enthusiasts.
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Batman: The Enemy Within – Episode 3: Fractured Mask review
by Marcos Thadani ● Posted on Dec 4, 2017
Telltale Games’ episodic adventures have covered everything from The Walking Dead to gaming classics like Monkey Island, and last year’s venture into DC Comics’ territory with an episodic Batman game was well-received by most.
So it makes sense that fans of Telltale’s adventure games were happy to hear that the developer would be releasing another episodic adventure starring the Caped Crusader titled Batman: The Enemy Within, the first three episodes of which are already out.
But while episodes one and two had their share of thrills, I was left mostly indifferent by this episode, as sadly Episode 3: Fractured Mask is an uneventful middle chapter in this Batman series.
Like the earlier two episodes, this mainly focuses on Bruce Wayne, with his masked alter ego Batman being mostly relegated to the sidelines. Batman does show up in some scenes, though, the highlight of which is one in which the masked vigilante gets to meet John Doe for the first time in the series.
And like in episode one, John Doe steals the show here. Actually, his edgy and unpredictable nature makes interacting with this proto-Joker a lot of fun, and deciding how far you let him go at certain points (such as allowing him to knock out a detective in one scene or not) is one of this episode’s strong points.
Another key character in this episode no doubt is Selina Kyle, and some of this episode’s key choices involve Selina, such as deciding whether to tip off the police about the woman in black’s whereabouts, or deciding how close you want to be with her when playing as Bruce Wayne (there’s the possibility of romance too…).
He’s not the Joker yet, but you get to know more about John Doe’s motivations while playing as Bruce Wayne and Batman in this episode.
The game does let you be both playful and deceitful with certain characters, and when asked by Catwoman about your reasons for hanging out with a group of criminals known as “The Pact”, you can answer that you’ve “switched to a life of crime” for instance, or opt to reveal the truth instead…
And Bruce Wayne’s relationship with the collection of supervillains known as The Pact continues in this episode, and this clearly is the reason why Telltale choose to focus on Bruce Wayne and less on Batman here as well.
Because obviously Bruce Wayne could not infiltrate the criminal underground as Batman, as the Caped Crusader would not stand idly by as the likes of Bane punch a suspected mole to death, or watch Mr. Freeze shatter bodies to pieces after freezing them in ice. But playing as Bruce Wayne, you can cross the line and enter the villains’ amoral world and go along with them in order to discover their plans, something which so far has been a nice touch in Batman: The Enemy Within.
It’s a pity, though, that most of the supervillains are not particularly interesting here, and even Harley Quinn lacks the edge she had in episode two. Nonetheless, the artwork and animations are still great, and this no doubt is a great onscreen representation of some of the best-known characters from the DC universe.
Other aspects of the game are not so great though, and aside from the fact that there are hardly any major plot developments in this episode (except for the Empire Strikes Back-style cliffhanger at the end) there are some issues with the narrative here.
One such case is when Alfred starts communicating with Batman all of a sudden on a rooftop scene halfway into this episode. I had completely forgotten about Bruce’s trusty butler at this point in the episode, and this conversation with Batman seemed to come out of the blue.
The game’s QTE fights are fun to watch, but not as interactive as they seem.
Also, while the quick time event-based fights look great and are superbly choreographed, I’m still a bit stumped by the lack of control in these sequences, as actions are performed no matter whether I push a button or move the thumbstick in the specified direction. Although at least sometimes I got to make a choice during the fight (such as attacking a character in one way or another), even if this is something that only adds to what is an illusion of control as you’re mostly a passive spectator in these fights.
The same is true at some point in the game when you’re prompted to move the controller’s thumbstick or press certain buttons in order to perform an action, such as in one early scene in order to help another character lift a heavy object, for instance. The thing is that these actions are carried out anyway without your input after a brief pause, something which is understandable as this improves the flow of the game, although I still felt cheated that this adventure really isn’t as interactive as it appears to be.
This is also the case in conversations, which only give you a limited time to respond after which Bruce Wayne or Batman will just stare at the other character in silence and the conversation will move on. This makes conversations in The Enemy Within feel more natural, although I still wish I had the time I liked to respond in dialogue as was the case in earlier Telltale adventures such as The Walking Dead.
There’s also the fact that the game keeps constantly reminding you at certain points that a character will remember what you said, or that your relationship with another character has changed after picking a certain dialogue choice. This is supposed to have consequences later on and alter the flow of the story, but I can’t help but feel that the main story arc is moving in only one direction despite all the choices I’ve been making throughout.
Bruce Wayne’s alliance with the villains of The Pact continues in this episode.
But at least it’s fun to decide how much you want to reveal to others about your motivations throughout this episode, lying as you see fit or even telling another character you’re the masked vigilante of Gotham himself at some point if you so choose. Actually, how much you reveal to characters like Tiffany Fox and others like Catwoman or John Doe surely is part of the fun here.
Although sadly some major characters from the Batman universe such as Commissioner Gordon don’t feature much in this episode either, and Batman is a secondary player as this is mostly about Bruce Wayne and his attempts to figure out what Harley Quinn and the other supervillains of The Pact are up to, even if the truth is that the story is not as engaging as that of the earlier episodes.
And aside from the fact that this episode felt shorter than the others and the lack of interesting plot developments, I also noticed a few performance issues throughout, with the frame rate would dropping quite a bit, even if this only happened rarely during my playthrough.
But still, despite this episode not being as interesting as the two that came before it, I’m still looking forward to the following episodes in order to see what’s next for characters like John Doe and the rest of the cast, even if admittedly this middle chapter of Batman: The Enemy Within does fail to impress overall.
Batman: The Enemy Within - Episode 3: Fractured Mask
Score: 60 / 100
Available on: PS4 | Xbox One | PC | Android | iOS
Reviewed on: PC (System: AMD Phenom II x4, 8 GB of RAM, Nvidia GTX 970, SSD Drive)
Publisher: Telltale Games
Next: Here’s what’s next for Assassin’s Creed Origins: nightmare difficulty, new items and Chocobos
Here’s what’s next for Assassin’s Creed Origins: nightmare difficulty, new items and Chocobos
Square Enix explains why it dumped IO Interactive, as development on new Hitman game gets underway
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Podcasts/Archives
Author: Quinton Kornegay
PODCAST 1PM LC-USA 1-13-21
By Quinton Kornegay on January 13, 2021 in Culture, Economy, News, Podcasts, Rights
https://www.larryconnersusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2p-11321.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadHour two of Larry Conners USA begins with news and commentary. He further dives into the racial argument of the past riot as newly elected Congresswoman Cori Bush pushes her stance of getting rid of Trump and all his supporters. Larry then reacts to…
https://www.larryconnersusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/1p-11321.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWednesday, January 13th, 2021, Larry Conners addresses the left’s attempt to impeach him again. He reacts to individuals on both sides of the aisle as they provide reasons for and against a second impeachment. Later, Larry provides remarks from George Washington Law Professor, Jonathan…
https://www.larryconnersusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2p-11221.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadLarry Conners opens hour two with news and commentary. He discusses the left’s narrative of “deprogramming” whites who supports Trump. Larry reacts to those speaking out in favor of “deprogramming.” Later, Chris Bedford, Senior Editor at The Federalist, joins Larry to provide his opinion…
By Quinton Kornegay on January 12, 2021 in News
https://www.larryconnersusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/1p-11221.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadTuesday, December 12th, 2021, Larry Conners addresses the left’s plan to “cleanse” Trump supporters and also how they will invoke and weaponizing the 25th amendment. He then discusses the cancel culture and reacts to a prominent Hollywood figure who responds to those wanting to…
https://www.larryconnersusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2p-11121.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadHour two of Larry Conners USA begins with news and commentary. He discusses the left’s idea to impeach Trump again and then Larry addresses his Facebook post, written early this morning, as he dives into the meaning behind the post as well as the…
https://www.larryconnersusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/1p-11121.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadMonday, January 11th, 2021, Larry Conners addresses the swirling rumors of a second impeachment for President Trump as he reacts to Nancy Pelosi and AOC who are heading the charge. Security has been in question for the inauguration since the storming of the Capitol…
PODCAST 2PM LC-USA 1-8-21
https://www.larryconnersusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2p-10821.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadHour two of Larry Conners USA begins with Trump speaking on a smooth transition, yet Larry does not agree with his decision not to show up to the inauguration. He continues to discuss the media’s difference in reporting from this past summer compared to…
https://www.larryconnersusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/1p-10821.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadFriday, January 8th, 2021, Larry Conners reacts to Trump’s statements from last night, as he calls for calmness. He criticizes Trump for then following up those remarks with his announcement of not attending. Larry also addresses the poor planning that went in place ahead…
https://www.larryconnersusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2p-10721.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadHour two of Larry Conners USA does not begin with the typical news and commentary, but instead continued reaction from the riots in D.C. yesterday. He discusses the racial tension following the riots, and then later, John Davidson, from the Heritage Foundation, joins Larry…
https://www.larryconnersusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/1p-10721.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThursday, January 7th, 2021, Larry Conners addresses yesterday’s riot at the Capitol building. He criticizes Donald Trump for his lack of actions and reacts to others responding on the different factors from the riot. Later, Tom Jipping, from the Heritage Foundation, joins Larry to…
THIS IS SCARY
July 10, 2014By Larry
Featured Dolor Ipsum Post
October 01, 2013By Larry
DEMOCRATS FRUSTRATED WITH OBAMA
January 20, 2021By Quinton Kornegay
http://Larry on HUMAN TSUNAMI SECRET Ted, you are correct… Read More
http://Larry on DEMOCRATS FRUSTRATED WITH OBAMA Jim, thank you very… Read More
http://Larry on THIS IS SCARY Eva, you raise some… Read More
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St. Francis of Assisi: His Life, Teachings, and Practice (The Essential Wisdom Library)
by Jon Sweeney
Paperback|Oct 2019
An introduction to St. Francis's life and his most profound teachings of faith St. Francis of Assisi is one of the most venerated Christian figures, and his profound teachings, deep love of nature, and commitment to simplicity have resonated with...
Expected to ship February 2021.
Complete Francis of Assisi, The: His Life, the Complete Writings, and the Little Flowers (Paraclete Giants Series)
Francis Of Assisi, Jon Sweeney
The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi
Ungolino Di Monte Santa Maria
Francis of Assisi in His Own Words
Francis Of Assisi, Jon M Sweeney (Trans)
The Complete Francis of Assisi
Jon Sweeney
Augustine and His World - Francis of Assisi and His World
Andrew Knowles, Luke Penkett, Mark Galli
Studying the Life of Saint Francis of Assisi
William Hugo
Little Flowers of Saint Francis ,The
Saint Francis of Assisi (Paraclete Heritage Edition Series)
G K Chesterton
The Essential Works of John Wesley
Alice Russie (Ed), John Wesley
The Practice of the Presence of God (Hendrickson Christian Classics Series)
An introduction to St. Francis's life and his most profound teachings of faith St. Francis of Assisi is one of the most venerated Christian figures, and his profound teachings, deep love of nature, and commitment to simplicity have resonated with generations of followers. St. Francis of Assisi, the latest title in the Essential Wisdom Library, offers a simple and universal introduction to Francis's life, his key teachings, and the spiritual practices that enriched his faith and the lives of those who follow his legacy. Author Jon M. Sweeney, one of the most popular Francis interpreters, introduces the iconic Christian as a man of his time and as one whose wisdom transcends eras. Beginning with a timeline of the saint's life, St. Francis of Assisi includes the teachings that made Francis such a unique and powerful figure. His words apply to a diverse set of situations-from advice for people in positions of power, to teachings on gratitude, and the Rule of Life which governed every facet of life for Franciscans. The book concludes with explanations of some of his most powerful practices, which can offer wisdom and insight for our own lives. St. Francis emphasized the importance of living a simple, truthful life, making his spiritual practices just as impactful and relevant in the modern day as they were centuries ago. St. Francis of Assisi is the perfect guide for anyone looking to learn more about the saint or hoping to incorporate his wisdom into their own spiritual lives.
Department Academic
Category Classic
Publisher St Martin's Essentials
Publication Date Oct 2019
Dimensions 209 x 136 x 7mm
Jon M. Sweeney is an author, editor, and popular speaker with a wide range of interests. For many years, he was the co-founder and editor-in-chief of SkyLight Paths Publishing. Since 2004, he has been the associate publisher at Paraclete Press. The author of several books including The Road to Assisi and Light in the Dark Ages, both about St. Francis, Jon is a Catholic living in Woodstock, Vermont. He wrote about his evangelical childhood in the memoir, Born Again and Again, which received an Award of Merit from Christianity Today. You can follow Jon on his King James Bible fan blog, www.kingj
Bestsellers in Classic
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The Practice of the Presence of God
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Thomas A'Kempis
The Glory of Christ (Puritan Paperbacks Series)
The Attributes of God
Arthur W Pink
The Expulsive Power of a New Affection (Crossway Short Classics Series)
Thomas Chalmers, John Piper (Fwd)
The Christian in Complete Armour
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North Carolina State University. Tompkins Textile Student Council
North Carolina State University. College of Textiles
North Carolina State College. School of Textiles -- History
Filters: North Carolina State CollegeNorth Carolina State University -- HistoryNorth Carolina State University -- Societies, etc.North Carolina State College2010-20191930-19391980-1989North Carolina State CollegeNorth Carolina State College. School of Textiles -- HistoryNorth Carolina State University. College of Textiles
North Carolina State University, Student and Other Organizations, Tompkins Textile Student Council Records, 1940-1980
Size: 0.25 linear feet (1 archival half box) Collection ID: UA 021.506
The records of the Tompkins Textile Student Council at North Carolina State University contain correspondence, meeting minutes, and other general information on the Council, its members, and its activities. The Council is student-run, and acts as the chief governing body over all other student clubs and organizations within the ... More
The records of the Tompkins Textile Student Council at North Carolina State University contain correspondence, meeting minutes, and other general information on the Council, its members, and its activities. The Council is student-run, and acts as the chief governing body over all other student clubs and organizations within the College of Textiles, as well as providing a liaison between student interests and the interests of the College. The Tompkins Textile Student Council (formerly known as the Tompkins Textile Council) was established in the School of Textiles (later, College of Textiles) at North Carolina State in or before 1940. Membership is open to any student enrolled in the College, and the Tompkins Textil Student Council remained active as of 2008. Less
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North Carolina State University. University Extension
North Carolina State University. Office of Research and Innovation. Research Operations Council
North Carolina State University. Office of Research and Graduate Studies
North Carolina State University -- Administration
Filters: North Carolina State University. Office of Research and Innovation. Research Operations CouncilNorth Carolina State University. University ExtensionNorth Carolina State University. University Extension1960-19691930-19391980-19891990-19991970-1979North Carolina State University. University ExtensionHas digitial content
North Carolina State University, Research Operations Council Records, 1970-1994
Size: 1.5 linear feet (1 carton); 1 website Collection ID: UA 011.003
This collection contains minutes, reports, memoranda regarding research and its funding; arranged chronologically. The Research Operations Council (ROC) provides leadership at the college and university level for NC State research endeavors. The council’s monthly meeting agenda is set by the Vice Chancellor of Research and ... More
This collection contains minutes, reports, memoranda regarding research and its funding; arranged chronologically. The Research Operations Council (ROC) provides leadership at the college and university level for NC State research endeavors. The council’s monthly meeting agenda is set by the Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation. Members include the associate dean for research (or comparable chief research officer) from each college, the Vice Chancellor’s senior staff and the University Research Committee’s chair (https://research.ncsu.edu/about/committees/research-operations-council/, accessed 7/30/2020). Less
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History, Things To Do
Re-Thinking Thanksgiving
Re-Thinking Thanksgiving: A Native American Perspective on an American Holiday at Humphrey Nature Center at Letchworth State Park
On Saturday, November 3, 2018 the Genesee Region of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation will be hosting a lecture titled “Re-Thinking Thanksgiving: A Native American Perspective on an American Holiday.”
The lecture will take place at the Humphrey Nature Center at Letchworth State Parks from 1 to 2:30 p.m.. Native American Storyteller Perry Ground of the Onondaga Nation of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy will discuss the actual events of 1621 including the feast, the relationship between the English settlers and the Wampanoag and how this story became the holiday we know today. This lively, engaging and content-based presentation will give an overview of the history of this misunderstood holiday. Based on the only primary source documents that chronicle the “First Thanksgiving,” participants will learn accurate and culturally appropriate information about the English settlers at Plymouth and the Wampanoag, the Native people who inhabited that area.
The Humphrey Nature Center is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Visitors can enjoy year-round programming and interactive exhibits that highlight how the Genesee River plays a crucial role in the biodiversity of Letchworth State Park.
For further information call 585-493-3600 or write to Letchworth State Park, One Letchworth State Park, Castile, NY 14427.
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which are visited by 71 million people annually. A recent study found that New York State Parks generates $5 billion in park and visitor spending, which supports nearly 54,000 jobs and over $2.8 billion in additional state GDP. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.parks.ny.gov, connect with us on Facebook, or follow on Instagram and Twitter
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Sky and Stone
04/16/2020 story and photo by Bethany Snyder Saturday afternoon stretches out, heavy with the potential of unwritten stories, baseboards waiting on the swipe of…
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SECTION 228A IPC - Indian Penal Code - Disclosure of identity of the victim of certain offences, etc
Whoever prints or publishes the name or any matter which may make known the identity of any person against whom an offence under section 376, section 376A, section 376B, section 376C, section 376D or section 376E1 is alleged or found to have been committed (hereafter in this section referred to as the victim) shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years and shall also be liable to fine.
Nothing in sub-section (1) extends to any printing or publication of the name or any matter which may make known the identity of the victim if such printing or publication is
by or under the order in writing of the officer-in-charge of the police station or the police officer making the investigation into such offence acting in good faith for the purposes of such investigation;or
by, or with the authorisation in writing of, the victim; or
where the victim is dead or minor or of unsound mind, by, or with the authorisation in writing of, the next-of-kin of the victim:
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Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Care of Churches Measure 2018
Church Measures
2018 No. 3
The list of places...
Open whole Measure
Open Measure without Schedules
Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Care of Churches Measure 2018, Section 38 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 21 January 2021. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
View outstanding changes
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 38:
s. 38(4) words inserted by 2020 No. 1 s. 1(5)
38The listE
(1)The Church Buildings Council must continue to maintain the list (“the list”) which it was maintaining under section 1 of the Care of Places of Worship Measure 1999 immediately before the commencement of this section, being a list of eligible buildings which are, as a result of their inclusion in the list, subject to the faculty jurisdiction.
(2)A building is eligible for inclusion in the list if (subject to subsection (3))—
(a)it is subject to any peculiar jurisdiction and is used for worship according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England;
(b)it is a chapel forming part of an episcopal house of residence;
(c)it is a chapel or other place of worship owned or leased by or held in trust for a religious community;
(d)it does not come within paragraph (a), (b) or (c) but is part of a university, college, school, hospital, Inn of Court, almshouse or other public or charitable institution and is primarily used—
(i)for worship according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England, or
(ii)for joint worship by members of the Church of England and one or more other Churches;
(e)it is subject to a sharing agreement made on behalf of the Church of England in pursuance of the Sharing of Church Buildings Act 1969 and is used for worship.
(3)But a building is not eligible for inclusion in the list if—
(a)the Care of Cathedrals Measure 2011 applies to it,
(b)it is subject to the faculty jurisdiction of a consistory court, or
(c)it comes within Article 7(1)(a) to (d) of the Ecclesiastical Exemption (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (England) Order 2010 (ecclesiastical exemption: buildings used by other Churches).
(4)In this section and sections 39 to 44—
“building” does not include plant or machinery in the building;
“episcopal house of residence” has the same meaning as in section 3 of the Episcopal Endowments and Stipends Measure 1943.
I1S. 38 in force at 1.9.2018 by S.I. 2018/720, art. 2
PrintThe Whole Measure
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Love Sound Ltd
steve@lovesoundlimited.com
As a young man I was lucky enough to leave secondary education in the mid eighties when jobs were plentiful.
I secured an apprenticeship with a large electrical contractor and spent the next five years building the Broadgate group of buildings in the City of London. I then went on to complete my engineering qualifications for the same company. On successfully completing my HNC, I promptly handed in my notice and went travelling, as the office life was definitely not for me.
Myself and a friend explored Israel, Egypt and Jordan on our travels and that pretty much took up most of 1994 and a bit of 95.
On my return I went back into the trade and spent the next 10 years as a self employed electrical contractor, carrying out industrial, commercial and domestic jobs.
In 2000 I had a bit of a midlife crisis (a very young one). I went back into full time education and completed a BTEC National Diploma in Broadcast Audio Engineering, not really having any idea where it would take me!
Fast forward a couple of years and friend asked me to price for some electrical work at a then small facilities house in South London, Procam Television. After completing the electrical job I asked Cal Barton for a job, he said yes and so began the next chapter in my life.
Whilst working at Procam I had a well rounded education in all aspects of television
broadcast equipment, with hugely experienced figures like Perry Mitchell and Mike Parkin. I soon moved on to crewing jobs and that's when things really started to take off, the exposure to the industry was invaluable, but all good things must come to an end. I left Procam and entered the freelance world. Since then I've been very fortunate to work with some of the best people in the industry, along with all the major networks from the UK and the US.
When I'm not dangling my boom over the great and the good I like to be out of the house. I cycle, run, swim and have been involved in karate on and off for the past 20 years. Im also an advanced skier and snowboarder and have on occasions been able to combine business with pleasure.
I'm married with 3 boys, so as you can imagine life is full on! Luckily for me my wife and the boys aren't far behind on any of the adventures we get involved in.
ms83587686.txt
© 2023 By Henry Cooper. Proudly created with Wix.com
Competitive Mum and Dad
Silly games on the green.
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The Only Good Indians (Hardcover)
By Stephen Graham Jones
(HORROR)
“I loved this book. Jones has a unique narrative voice, allowing ‘the entity’ to step in and take over unexpectedly, amping up the horror. Also, each character has a distinct voice that brings them to life. Jones combines the culture and traditions of the Blackfeet and Crow people with the social truths of their contemporary life. It is refreshingly different from any other horror novel I’ve read. This book is gruesome and honestly scary. I couldn’t put it down.”
— Kristine Jelstrom-Hamill, Buttonwood Books and Toys, Cohasset, MA
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
“One of 2020’s buzziest horror novels.” —Entertainment Weekly
A “Most Anticipated Books of Summer” selection in Esquire, Elle, Vulture, Time, AV Club, Bustle, and Literary Hub
“Gritty and gorgeous” —The New York Times
“Jones is one of the best writers working today regardless of genre, and this gritty, heartbreaking novel might just be his best yet.” —NPR
“Jones’s latest horror novel sprints from start to finish.” —The Washington Post
“[A] stark page-turner.” —Los Angeles Times
“More than I could have asked for in a novel.” —Tommy Orange, Pulitzer Prize finalist, author of There There
“A masterpiece.” —Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts and Survivor Song
A tale of revenge, cultural identity, and the cost of breaking from tradition in this latest novel from the Jordan Peele of horror literature, Stephen Graham Jones.
Seamlessly blending classic horror and a dramatic narrative with sharp social commentary, The Only Good Indians follows four American Indian men after a disturbing event from their youth puts them in a desperate struggle for their lives. Tracked by an entity bent on revenge, these childhood friends are helpless as the culture and traditions they left behind catch up to them in a violent, vengeful way.
Stephen Graham Jones has been an NEA fellowship recipient, has won the Jesse Jones Award for Best Work of Fiction from the Texas Institute of Letters, the Independent Publishers Award for Multicultural Fiction, a Bram Stoker Award, four This is Horror Awards; and has been a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and the World Fantasy Award. He is the Ivena Baldwin Professor of English at the University of Colorado Boulder.
“Fans of Stephen King's It and Peter Straub's Ghost Story should find plenty to love in this tale of friends who are haunted by a supernatural entity they first encountered in their youth.” —Silvia Moreno-Garcia, bestselling author of Mexican Gothic
“Jones boldly and bravely incorporates both the difficult and the beautiful parts of contemporary Indian life into his story, never once falling into stereotypes or easy answers but also not shying away from the horrors caused by cycles of violence.”—Rebecca Roanhorse, bestselling author of Trail of Lightning and Black Sun
"The Only Good Indian is equal parts revenge thriller, monster movie, and meditation on the inescapable undertow of the past. A gripping, deeply unsettling novel."—Carmen Maria Machado, National Book Award finalist and Guggenheim Fellow and author of Her Body and Other Parties
"The best yet from one of the best in the business. An emotional depth that staggers, built on guilt, identity, one's place in the world, what's right and what's wrong. The Only Good Indians has it all: style, elevation, reality, the unreal, revenge, warmth, freezing cold, and even some slashing. In other words, the book is made up of everything Stephen Graham Jones seemingly explores and, in turn, everything the rest of us want to explore with him." —Josh Malerman, New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box and A House at the Bottom of a Lake.
“Stephen Graham Jones is a literary master who happens to write horror, and you've never read a book quite like The Only Good Indians.”—Tananarive Due, National Book Award winner, author of The Good House
“The Only Good Indians is scary good. Stephen Graham Jones is one of our most talented and prolific living writers. The book is full of humor and bone chilling images. It’s got love and revenge, blood and basketball. More than I could have asked for in a novel. It also both reveals and subverts ideas about contemporary Native life and identity. Novels can do some much to render actual and possible lives lived. Stephen Graham Jones truly knows how to do this, and how to move us through a story at breakneck (literally) speed. I’ll never see an elk or hunting, or what a horror novel can do the same way again.”—Tommy Orange, Pulitzer Prize finalist of There There
“The Only Good Indians is the most American horror novel I've ever read.”—Grady Hendrix, New York Times bestselling author of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires
“A heartbreakingly beautiful story about hope and survival, grappling with themes of cultural identity, family, and traditions.” —Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“Subtly funny and wry at turns, this novel will give you nightmares. The good kind, of course.”—Buzzfeed
“This novel works both as a terrifying chiller and as biting commentary on the existential crisis of indigenous peoples adapting to a culture that is bent on eradicating theirs.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
"I like stories where nobody escapes their pasts because it's what I fear most."—Terese Marie Mailhot, New York Times bestselling author of Heart Berries
"Stephen Graham Jones is one of our greatest treasures. His prose here pops and sings, hard-boiled poetry conspiring with heartbreakingly-alive characters." —Sam J. Miller, Nebula-Award-Winning author of Blackfish City
"How long must we pay for our mistakes, for our sins? Does a thoughtless act doom us for eternity? This is a novel of profound insight and horror, rich with humor and intelligence. The Only Good Indians is a triumph; somehow it’s a great story and also a meditation on stories. I've wondered who would write a worthy heir to Peter Straub's Ghost Story. Now I know the answer: Stephen Graham Jones."—Victor LaValle, author of The Ballad of Black Tom and The Changeling
"THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS is a masterpiece. Intimate, devastating, brutal, terrifying, yet warm and heartbreaking in the best way, Stephen Graham Jones has written a horror novel about injustice and, ultimately, about hope. Not a false, sentimental hope, but the real one, the one that some of us survive and keeps the rest of us going. And it gives me hope that this book exists and is now in your hands."—Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts and The Cabin at the End of the World
“Jones hits his stride with a smart story of social commentary—it’s scary good.”—Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“Jones... has written a masterpiece. The book is… as instinctive and essential as it is harsh. Despite the blood and bleakness, The Only Good Indians is ultimately also about hope and the promise of the future...Read it.”
— Locus Magazine
Publisher: Gallery / Saga Press
Fiction / Horror
Fiction / Native American & Aboriginal
Fiction / Thrillers / Supernatural
Kobo eBook (July 13th, 2020): $9.99
Paperback (January 26th, 2021): $16.99
Compact Disc (July 14th, 2020): $39.99
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MaJaa.Mobi
Download Tamil Movies. Watch Online New and Classic Films.
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6-Candles-2013-Tamil-Movie
6 Candles (also known as 6 Melugu Varthigal or 6) is a 2013 Tamil crime thriller film written and directed by V. Z. Durai. It stars Shaam and Poonam Kaur…
Uri:-The-Surgical-Strike-2019-Tamil-Movie
Uri: The Surgical Strike is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language military action film. It is the directorial debut of Aditya Dhar who also wrote the film. It features Vicky Kaushal, Paresh…
Nenjamundu-Nermaiyundu-Odu-Raja-2019-Tamil-Movie
Nenjamundu Nermaiyundu Odu Raja (Eng: You’ve got a heart, you’ve got integrity, so run boy) is a 2019 Indian Tamil-language comedy-drama film written and directed by Karthik Venugopalan in his directorial…
Thumbaa-2019-Tamil-Movie
Thumbaa is a 2019 Indian Tamil language fantasy adventure comedy-drama film written and directed by Harish Ram on his directorial debut. The film stars Darshan, Dheena, and newcomer Keerthi Pandian…
100-2019-Tamil-Movie
100 is a 2019 Indian Tamil-language action film written and directed by Sam Anton in his third directorial venture. The film features Atharvaa and Hansika Motwani in the lead roles,…
Sathru-2019-Tamil-Movie
Sathru is a 2019 Indian Tamil language action thriller film written and directed by Naveen Nanjundan on his directorial debut. The film stars Kathir, Srushti Dange in the lead roles…
Aghavan-2019-Tamil-Movie
Aghavan is a 2019 Indian Tamil-language mystery-thriller film written and directed by APG Elumalai on his directorial debut. The film stars Kishore Ravichandran, Chirashree Anchan and Nithya Shetty in the…
Nethraa-2019-Tamil-Movie
Nethraa is a 2019 Indian Tamil thriller film co-produced and directed by A. Venkatesh. The film features a cast including Vinay Rai, Thaman Kumar and Subiksha in the lead roles…
Kuthoosi-2019-Tamil-Movie
Kuthoosi is a 2019 Indian Tamil language action drama film written and directed by Siva Sakthi. The film stars Dileepan and Amala Rose Kurian in the lead roles while Yogi…
Avan-Ivan-2011-Tamil-Movie
Avan Ivan (Eng; Those 2 Guys) is a 2011 Tamil comedy-drama film written and directed by Bala, who with this project directs his fifth feature film. The film stars Vishal,…
Ezhumin-2018-Tamil-Movie
Ezhumin is a 2018 South Indian martial arts film which primarily focused on the importance of martial arts and self-defense. This film is written and directed by V.P. Viji, who…
Sei-2018-Tamil-Movie
Sei (Eng: Do!) is a 2018 Indian Tamil action thriller film directed by Raj Babu. Sei features Nakul and Aanchal Munjal in the lead roles, while Nassar, Prakash Raj and…
Madhu-2006-Tamil-Movie
Madhu is a 2006 Tamil-language Indian feature film directed by K. Thennarasu and produced by K.Kaliya Moorthy, starring Jithan Ramesh, Priyamani and Ashish Vidyarthi. The film was released in 12…
Billa-Pandi-2018-Tamil-Movie
Billa Pandi is a 2018 Indian Tamil language romantic action drama film written and directed by Raj Sethupathy. The film stars R. K. Suresh, Chandini Tamilarasan and Indhuja Ravichandran in…
NOTA-2018-Tamil-Movie
NOTA is a 2018 Indian Tamil-language political thriller film directed by Anand Shankar. It stars Vijay Deverakonda, making his debut in Tamil cinema and Mehreen Pirzada, in the lead roles.…
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HOTTER ON METALS: Fee differentiator plan aims to drive liquidity
HOTTER ON METALS: Shining a light on green aluminium
The London Metal Exchange recently reiterated its willingness to facilitate spot trading of low carbon aluminium.
While not a new concept for the exchange, it would serve two important purposes. First, it would provide more transparent, digitalized data on the specification of its aluminium brands and determine whether people are actually paying more for low carbon metal.
Second, it would provide an additional tick in the responsible sourcing box for the exchange, which has launched an initiative designed to build on the core requirements of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) principles in requiring minimum standards and transparency from its brands.
Large producers such as Alcoa, Norsk Hydro, Rio Tinto and UC Rusal have been producing metal with a low carbon footprint, nicknamed ‘green aluminium,’ for the past several years. They are building on the work of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI), which began around a decade ago and now has several performance and chain-of-custody standards applicable to the entire supply chain.
green aluminium
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MathsThroughStories.org
On-line Contributors
Teacher Training / CPD Services
BOOK REVIEWS >
CREATE YOUR OWN MATHEMATICAL STORIES >
GUIDELINE FOR MATHEMATICAL STORY AUTHORS
INTERVIEWS WITH MATHEMATICAL STORY AUTHORS
'HOW TO' BOOKS
PRACTITIONER-ORIENTED ARTICLES
2020 YMSA WINNING, SHORTLISTED AND LONGLISTED ENTRIES
2019 YMSA WINNING AND SHORTLISTED ENTRIES
EDWARD EINHORN
CLICK HERE FOR MORE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS
Edward Einhorn (New York) has authored two of our favourite mathematical stories, both of which were published by Charlesbridge, and included in its 'Math Adventure' series. 'A Very Improbable Story' (2008) and more recently 'Fractions in Disguise' (2014) cover the topics of probability and fraction respectively. To learn more about these stories, read our reviews, and find out where you can purchase them, simply click on their covers below.
We hope you enjoy reading Edward sharing his experience of working on these two mathematical book projects with you!
Connect with Edward:
First thing first, three interesting/weird facts about you :-)
I also run a theater company in New York City, called Untitled Theater Company No. 61. We often do plays about science.
My first book was a sequel to the Wizard of Oz series on its 100th anniversary. It was called Paradox in Oz, after the character Tempus the Parrot-Ox, who could do anything as long as it was impossible.
In high school, I was both President of the Chess Club and Chief Editor of the school newspaper. Math and writing again!
What inspired you to write picturebooks with a mathematical focus?
I have always had a love of math and science as well as writing. When I first came to the city, I worked as a tutor, and teaching kids math was my favorite type of tutoring. It felt like this was a way to combine my interests.
How long did it take you to work on each of these books?
From the time I first wrote the book to the time it was published took about three years, both times.
'Fractions in Disguise' and 'A Very Improbable Story' focus specifically on fraction and probability respectively. What prompted you to focus on these topics?
I was at a writing conference, and a school librarian told me she wished someone would write a picture book about probability. So I decided it would be fun to write one. Then, when visiting schools to promote my first book, I noticed that fractions came up a lot. So I wrote a book about that.
What were some of the key stages that you went through in creating these picturebooks?
First - decide which mathematical concept to focus on, then the characters and plot developed. There were many stops and starts with 'A Very Improbable Story', but 'Fractions in Disguise' came out almost the way it was published in the end. It just flowed. The illustrations came at the end, and the publisher found both illustrators.
Which of these stages did you find most difficult, and why?
For these two books, I wouldn't say that one aspect of the creative process was more difficult than another. But I have come up with some intriguing math topics and tried to write a story about them, only to find the story was a bit hard to come by. What I have done is put that first idea aside to work on another. I have learned that just because something is my first idea, it doesn't mean it is my best idea, and rather than try to force something that isn't working, being willing to try a lot of ideas quickly to see if they work can be a technique to find the perfect fit of idea and story.
I also found the waiting most difficult. You have to wait for comments on the book, wait for the illustrations to be created, wait for it to be printed, wait for it to be released. But there are two great moments - when you first see the illustrations and when you hold the published book in your hand.
For some maths picturebooks, the author is also the illustrator. In your case, you worked with illustrators. Did you find the experience tricky in having to communicate to other people what you had in your mind?
The editor does most of the talking to the illustrator. I wrote a few illustration notes and clarified things when needed. After the pencil sketches came back, I made a few suggestions, and the editor told the illustrator. But both illustrators were very skilled, thank goodness, and I was pleased and excited by what they created.
When you worked with your illustrator(s), what key points did you ask them to bear in mind when creating illustrations for mathematical picture books?
I just wanted to check that the math was reflected correctly. The editor also looked out for that.
The characters in both of your books are human characters. Do you find working with human characters easier than non-human characters (e.g. talking animals, animated objects, etc.)?
There is one talking cat! I do tend to work with human characters more, but my main rule is I try to do whatever the story needs. In my Oz books, I have talking animals, and one of my favorite characters is a talking hat stand, called The Earl of Haberdashery.
Closely related to the above point, some maths story authors prefer to have a context and setting as close to children’s real-world experience as much as possible. Others prefer fantasy. In the context of maths stories, what is your preference, and why?
My preference is a world once removed from reality. Enough removed that there is a talking cat or fraction auctions, but close enough that kids still can relate. Our world, but cooler.
On reflection of your maths picturebooks, how would you comment on the diversity of the books’ characters? Would you have done anything differently in terms of the diversity of the books’ characters?
I’m a little sad that both of my published math books have a male protagonist, though it was partly the way that things worked out. There was a book with a female main character, but it never made it to print, unfortunately. It got close, but marketing decided against it (not because of the girl character, but because there was another similar book). I recently wrote another math-related book with a girl as the protagonist that I’m very excited about, and I’m hoping my agent gets it published. I do very much want to have a math picturebook with a female protagonist, I think it’s important to have equal representation. I decided after 'Fractions in Disguise' came out that any future math-related book would have a female main character, to balance out my first two books.
I have also been thinking about the issue of other types of diversity in my picture books and trying to find ways to include that. The book that got stalled in marketing also had an Arab character (Al Gebra) and I envisioned the girl as black, though nothing in the text specified it. The new book is set back in ancient times and I envision a culturally diverse mix. These are important questions that I have been thinking about more and more.
"I’m a little sad that both of my published math books have a male protagonist, though it was partly the way that things worked out. [...] I decided after 'Fractions in Disguise' came out that any future math-related book would have a female main character, to balance out my first two books. [...] These are important questions that I have been thinking about more and more."
What do you think are some of the key benefits of helping children to develop their mathematical understanding by encouraging them to read maths picturebooks?
I think that everyone learns differently, but one way that is very effective is through story telling. The same information presented in a dry textbook or in a more typical class setting can sometimes feel alienating. I want kids to be excited about math. I’m excited about math, and I hope that my joy about the subject comes through in my stories.
What do you think are some of the key benefits of helping children to develop their mathematical understanding by encouraging them to produce their own maths picturebooks?
I love the idea of having kids write their own books. I have learned so much through writing, because I love creating stories and that love extends to the subject I am writing about. It’s a way of discovering passion.
Do you think the use of storytelling in mathematics learning is only applicable to young children? Do you think this could be used in maths lessons in secondary schools too?
I think they can and should be used with kids in secondary schools and, for that matter, adults. As I mentioned in my earlier answer, I have a theater company that is geared towards adults, and we try to combine math and stories quite often! One never stops learning.
For teachers and parents who want to encourage their children to create their own maths picturebooks at school or at home, but are not sure how to guide them through the process, what would be your advice?
Find the metaphor. Let’s say the subject is odd and even numbers. If numbers were people, what would they be like? How would odd people be different than even people (or would they)? What happens when they come together? Ask questions based on the initial math concept, then let your imagination run wild. After you’ve done that for a while, start shaping it into a story. The most fun part is often the imagining. Even if you don’t put it in the story, you learn from all the ideas that come up.
For teachers and parents who want to have a go at having their own maths picturebook published by a publisher, what would be your advice?
I got lucky. Someone suggested an idea, I wrote a book, and the first publisher I sent it to published it. But I did do a lot of research, looking at what publishers liked and reading submission guidelines before I sent out my story. Often, it’s good to try to get an agent first, they can help shape the book, and they know the different publishers and editors well.
What do you think of the research that we do and the resources that we provide to teachers and parents on our MathsThroughStories.org website?
I love MathThroughStories.org. It’s incredibly interesting for me to see these mathematical books and how they work for kids. Partly because I want to write better books myself, but also because I deeply believe that the split between math/science and the arts is an artificial one. I think we learn better and think better when we integrate knowledge from every discipline. A science writer I admire named EO Wilson wrote a book about it, called Consilience, which was one of the early inspirations for my work.
Illustrations copyright © 2008 by Adam Gustavson from A Very Improbable Story by Edward Einhorn. Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.
Illustrations copyright © 2014 by David Clark from Fractions in Disguise by Edward Einhorn. Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.
Have comments about this interview or Edward's books?
Feel free to leave your comments below.
mathsthroughstories.org
MathsThroughStories.org is a non-profit and research-based initiative, based at the University of Reading's Institute of Education (UK).
It sets out to help mathematics learners around the world develop their conceptual understanding in mathematics and to help them foster positive attitudes towards the subject through the power of storytelling.
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DVD Reviews: A Potpourri of Music DVDs
Culled from two performances at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in late October 1964, the legendary TAMI (Teenage Music Awards International) Show film—which was released theatrically in December ’64, been excerpted often through the years for various videos about pop music, but never released in its entirety until now—is a fascinating glimpse of the teen music scene at a pivotal moment. It features representatives from the still-new British Invasion (Rolling Stones, Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas), Motown (The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles), the SoCal surf movement (Jan & Dean, The Beach Boys), a rock ’n’ roll pioneer (Chuck Berry), a top pop singer of the day (Lesley Gore), and the (still young) King of Soul (James Brown).
It’s been a while since we’ve checked in with some commentary on DVD releases, so let’s quickly play some catch-up!
Various Artists: TAMI Show Collector’s Edition (Shout Factory!)
Culled from two performances at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in late October 1964, the legendary TAMI (Teenage Music Awards International) Show film—which was released theatrically in December ’64, been excerpted often through the years for various videos about pop music, but never released in its entirety until now—is a fascinating glimpse of the teen music scene at a pivotal moment. It features representatives from the still-new British Invasion (Rolling Stones, Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas), Motown (The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles), the SoCal surf movement (Jan & Dean, The Beach Boys), a rock ’n’ roll pioneer (Chuck Berry), a top pop singer of the day (Lesley Gore), and the (still young) King of Soul (James Brown). I remember seeing The TAMI Show at a rock film festival in the mid-’70s and being most impressed with Brown, The Stones and Marvin Gaye, and indeed when I watched the DVD, those are the acts that jumped out at me 35 years later. (It’s hard to believe when I saw it the first time it had only been about ten years since it was filmed—it’s such a document of a different, more innocent time; pre-hippies, pre-Vietnam War, a different generation of musicians, really, even though many enjoyed long careers after this. The go-go dancers behind the musicians—choreographed in part by Toni Basil—and the screaming girls are all quaint artifacts of the pre-psychedelic age.)
Chuck Berry kicks things off with fast versions of “Johnny B. Goode” and “Maybellene,” backed up by the huge house band—members of what would later be known as the Wrecking Crew, conducted by Jack Nitzche—and they give real heft to many of the acts here. Gerry & the Pacemakers pick up “Maybellene” from Berry, play a handful of their songs, including “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying,” and then trade off a couple more times with Chuck. It works surprisingly well. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles are smooth and soulful on a trio of tunes (the best is “You Really Got a Hold on Me”), and then Marvin Gaye (or “Mr. Soul” as he’s introduced) tears it up with four brief numbers, including “Pride and Joy” and “Can I Get A Witness.” What a singer! The middle part of the show sags a bit with six tunes by Lesley Gore—a fine singer saddled with mediocre pop material—and Jan & Dean (Beach Boys Lite). Then things pick up again with the Beach Boys (in their striped shirt era), who play rockin’ versions of “Surfin’ USA” (their nod to Chuck Berry), “I Get Around” and “Dance, Dance, Dance” but are most effective on “Surfer Girl,” which is warbled beautifully by Brian Wilson et al.
On the back half of the film, Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas are a pale Beatles rip and The Barbarians (who?) forgettable on their one number. But The Supremes (with ultra-large hairdos) sound fine during their segment (highlighted by “Where Did Our Love Go”) and then things get really interesting: James Brown is simply magnificent in his four-song set—he’s the most explosive singer, the best dancer, the best entertainer by far, and he and his group, The Flames basically lay waste to the Santa Monica Civic. “Please, Please, Please” features the classic JB shtick—dropping to his knees, having one of his singers put a cape around him, etc.—and it’s a crack-up, but also fabulous entertainment. And then he follows that showstopper with the dangerous, almost incoherent rumble known as “Night Train”—amazing! And a tough act to follow, for sure, but the youthful rough-and-tumble Rolling Stones are magnificent in their own way, opening with another Chuck Berry tune (“Around and Around”) and then rattling through (the now largely forgotten) “Off the Hook,” a plaintive “Time Is On My Side” (that gets the girls screaming and weeping… it doesn’t take much), Bobby Womack’s “It’s All Over Now” and closing with “I’m Alright,” Mick snakin’ about while shakin’ his maracas. Finally, all the acts and dancers join the Stones for a chaotic closing vamp: “Let’s Get Together” repeated endlessly (but with tremendous spirit, of course).
All in all it’s a pretty great concert. At times the loudness of the screaming girls overwhelms the music and I wished I could hear the music more distinctly, but it’s also a gas to see these fresh-faced L.A. teenagers being swept away by the music. That’s what rock and soul music is all about! Bonus features include trailers for the film and a commentary track by original director Steve Binder with music historian Don Waller (who also contributed the very informative notes in the illustrated 20-page booklet).
Little Feat: Skin It Back (Eagle Vision)
Eagle’s “Rockpalast” series of late ’70s/early ’80s concerts taped for German television has been a real bonanza for rock lovers, and this title is easily my favorite to date. It captures the great L.A. band Little Feat at an undeniable peak in the summer of ’77—indeed this concert from the Grugahalle in Essen, Germany, was captured shortly before the group recorded its epic live album, Waiting for Columbus (released in 1978). The repertoire is similar but unlike the Columbus concert, this one features just the sextet; no horn players, and frankly that’s how I prefer my Feat! The crystal clear audio and video show the band at its best—rockin’ hard but with a funky edge, with one foot in New Orleans, the other in some magical Little Feat world of their own creation. Lowell George is magnificent on slide guitar throughout, but this has always been a true group of equals—they’re all virtuosos, and they lock in together like precious few bands can. (This is even true of the post-Lowell Little Feat, who are still amazing audiences coast to coast.)
Most of the “hits” (“favorites” is probably a better word for this band that never had a true hit) are here: “Skin It Back,” “Fat Man in the Bathtub,” “Dixie Chicken,” “Willin’,” “All That You Dream,” etc. I’ve always been partial to the instrumental “Day at the Dog Races” and that performed sensationally here. Basically, if you loved (or love) Little Feat, this is essential viewing. An added bonus is a handful of rehearsal tracks, which give a further look at this extraordinary band in action. Is it really possible this band is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
The Willie Nelson Special with Special Guest Ray Charles (Eagle Eye)
This hour-long TV special from 1985 finds two old pros in fine form. Willie gets to work it out with his always-excellent band on seven tunes, ranging from “Always on My Mind,” “My Window Faces South,” “Whiskey River” and (of course) “On the Road Again,” but the heart of this show is the collaboration wit Ray Charles, who sounds fantastic here as he trades verses with Willie, plays soulful piano and rolls through a handful of tunes, including the beautiful “Seven Spanish Eyes,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” and “Georgia on My Mind.” Willie has always been loose (in a good way) and it’s nice to see Ray being so casual, too: When they get to “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” they figure out what key to do it in on the spot—so this is hardly a slick, over-produced concert. (Also included is a cool version of “Mountain Dew” that starts at the afternoon rehearsal and the cuts to night show version effectively. Other featured guests are guitarist Jackie King and fiddler Johnny Gimble.
Louis Armstrong: Live In Australia (Medici Arts)
There are, not surprisingly, many DVDs featuring Louis Armstrong at different points in his career, but for money there can’t be too many—I always enjoy Satchmo, even when he’s singing a lot more than he’s playing (always the case in his later years). This black and white (and mono) concert taped for Australian TV in 1964, finds Armstrong fronting a solid quintet (clarinet, trombone, bass, drums, piano; they all get ample space to blow) rolling through such tunes as “Blue berry Hill,” “Mack the Knife,” “Sweet Georgia Brown” (a showcase for clarinetist Joe Darensbourg), “Now You Has Jazz,” and, naturally, “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Louis is a genial and funny host, and the group is every bit as relaxed as he is; still they play with a purposeful intensity, and Louis’ solo spots are uniformly hot. His singing is spot-on, too, whether he’s deliciously drawing out the syllables on a ballad, or joyfully scatting away. An unexpected treat is a pair of tunes sung a lovely young woman named Jewel Brown: “Did You Hear About Jerry” and “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” which, believe it or not, was still a new song at the time. Good stuff.
Seen anything cool lately? Let me know at blair@blairjackson.com.
Pacifica Music Catalog Launched by RipTide Music & PigFactory As A Collection of Modern Music for TV, Film & Other Productions
Magix Announces Music On CD & DVD Software
Warner/Chappell Music Acquires Renowned Production Music Company 615 Music
Manhattan Production Music Establishes First-Ever Los Angeles Office and Names Long Time Production Music Executive Andrew Robbins, Senior Director of Film/TV Music
Warner/Chappell Production Music Acquires Music Assets of Frank Gari Productions and Gary Communications
Ah2 Music Reveals “Filtered Music” Catalog, and Names Longtime Universal Music Publishing Group Executive Scott James as VP, Business Development
“Beyond the Jingle: How to Get Your Music into Film Trailers and Commercials” Special Panel Held May 6 during Music Biz 2014 Event in Century City, CA
Warner/Chappell Music Unites Award-Winning Production Music Companies Under One Roof; New Unit to be Called Warner/Chappell Production Music
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Roundup Weed Killer
Roundup in Beer and Wine
Toxic Tort Lawyers Advocating for Injured Consumers
One of the most commonly used weed killers is Roundup. It is likely a carcinogen, and it is linked to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Monsanto, the manufacturer of Roundup, has been sued on the basis that glyphosate, Roundup's active ingredient, is connected to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. However, Roundup is not only found in weed killer. A recent study shows that it is also found in beer and wine. If you have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma as a result of Roundup in beer or wine, you should talk to the Roundup injury lawyers at Moll Law Group. Our toxic tort attorneys have been involved in lawsuits around the country in which billions of dollars have been recovered.
PIRG Report on Weed Killer in Beverages
Recently, a report was released by a public interest advocacy group that shows the test results of 15 beers and five wines. U.S. PIRG's report shows that there were traces of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, in 19 out of 20 alcoholic beverages that were tested. The beer brands tested were Peak Organic IPA, Samuel Smith Organic Lager, Stella Artois Cidre, Samuel Adams New England IPA, New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, ACE Perry Hard Cider, Stella Artois, Guinness Draught, Heineken, Corona Extra, Budweiser, Miller Lite, Coors Light, and Tsingtao, with Tsingtao having the highest trace levels of glyphosate of the beers tested. The wine brands tested included Frey Organic Natural White, Inkarri Malbec, Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon, Beringer Founders' Estate Mercato, and Sutter Home Merlot, which had the highest trace levels of glyphosate.
Weed killer products are prohibited when making organic wines and beers. Even so, according to PIRG, glyphosate was found in three out of four organic alcoholic beverages.
U.S. PIRG stated that the levels of glyphosate were not dangerous per se, but they were a matter of concern because of the link to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is a branch of the World Health Organization, has stated that Roundup is a probable human carcinogen.
The spokesperson for the Beer Institute told USA Today that its members work with farmers who try to raise their crops safely and sustainably. It remarked that the federal testing shows that farmers' use of glyphosate is much lower than federal limits. A spokesperson for the Wine Institute noted that someone would need to drink more than 140 glasses of wine each day, and that wine would need the highest glyphosate level measured to get to the level noted as "No Significant Risk Level" by California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.
Other companies whose products had been tested told USA Today that they contested the PIRG study's accuracy regarding the presence of Roundup in beer or wine. However, some acknowledged that it was possible that there were trace amounts of herbicides, and this was outside their control. An organic winery stated that it had never used herbicides in its farming practices, but glyphosate in trace amounts can be found in rainwater because it is applied to conventionally farmed agriculture. Trace amounts of glyphosate are thus found in many food products.
Through the lead author of the study, Kara Cook-Schultz, PIRG responded that regardless of the efforts of those who make alcoholic beverages, the likelihood is that consumers will drink glyphosate at each barbecue and happy hour around the country. Coors Lite had the highest concentration of American beers,with 31.1 parts per billion, but this was far below the greatest value reported, 51.4 ppb, which would require someone to drink 308 gallons of wine each day in their life to get up to the EPA's glyphosate exposure limit.
The EPA regulates which pesticides can be used on any crop that will be consumed. It also restricts how much glyphosate can stay in or on food. In the United States, glyphosate can go up to 400 parts per million for certain types of animal feed that are not grass. The EPA did not find a meaningful risk to humans if a product was used according to the pesticide label.
However, in October, a San Francisco judge upheld a jury verdict that the weed killer, Roundup, made a 42-year-old groundskeeper sick from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The damages were reduced from $289 million to $87 million. The first federal lawsuit against Monsanto has started in San Francisco; the plaintiff claims that Roundup caused him to develop non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Around 9,300 people have sued throughout the country.
Ms. Cook-Schultz has stated that since the federal court is examining the link between Roundup and cancer, Americans deserve to know that glyphosate presents a risk and is everywhere, including in beverages that they love.
Claims brought by plaintiffs and their attorneys in connection with the glyphosate in Roundup hinge on theories of strict liability, breach of implied warranty, and willful negligence. Some plaintiffs claim that Roundup could have been designed to be less dangerous. Plaintiffs in these lawsuits sometimes also claim that Monsanto falsely claimed that Roundup was safe and harmless for humans.
Consult an Experienced Roundup Injury Lawyer
If you were harmed by Roundup in beer or wine, you may have a basis to sue for damages by pursuing a lawsuit against the manufacturer. Moll Law Group is a Chicago-based firm that is familiar with the nuances of these cases. Call us at 312.462.1700 or use our online form to set up a free consultation with an attorney.
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Home » About Us » Our Principal
KNOW OUR PRINCIPAL
Prof: C.V.Dileepkumar started his primary education in SNKLP School in Talikulam a village at Thrissur District. His High school education from Government High School Talikulam in the year 1976, Pre- Degree from SN College Nattika in the year 1978, Bachelor of Architecture from College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram in the year 1983, Post Graduated in Architecture ( housing) from the College of Engineering Trivandrum in the year 1993 with University First rank. Graduated in law from Government Law College Trivandrum in the year 1996, Post Graduate diploma in Vasthuvidhya from Vasthuvidhya Gurukulam Aranmula in the year 2005. Post Graduate Diploma in Medical Law in the year 2018 and Post Graduate Diploma in Human Rights in the year 2019 from Kerala University Kariyavattom Campus.
Prof: C.V.Dileepkumar has been started his profession from1983 to 1988 as Practicing Architect and from 1988 to 2016 he entered in various capacities in Architecture Wing of Public works Department and his superannuation retirement as Chief Architect of Kerala was in the year 2016. And he had been nominated to the Council of Architecture as State representative from 2010 to 2016.
Prof: C.V.Dileepkumar has been nominated as Member of Heritage Committee constituted by Govt. of Kerala.
Prof: C.V.Dileepkumar is also member of various Professional bodies like Indian Institute of Architects, Institute of Valuers, Institute of Town planners India, Indian Institute of Technical Arbitrators. And he also an Advocate in Profession.
Prof: C.V.Dileepkumar has been awarded as Best Architect in Government Service from South India by Indian Institute of Architect in the year 2014. He has included in the panel of Arbitrators by Honorable High Court of Kerala in the year 2019.
Prof: C.V.Dileepkumar joined in Marian College of Architecture and Planning as a professor in the year 2017 and 5th May- 2019 he has been elevated as Principal of Marian College of Architecture and planning Kazhakuttam.
Prof: C.V.Dileepkumar has organized and participated in various technical seminars like Capacity Building of Architects in Earthquake Risk Management.2008. Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment-2011. Practicing Green Architecture-2012. Infrastructure Conference-2012. Inspection reforms- Experts- 2014 by COA. Interdisciplinary Research in Human Rights-2016. Technology in Architecture- 2016. International Interdisciplinary Seminar on Impact of Globalization on Human Rights- 2017. Contract management and Dispute Resolution “Current trends”-2018. Alternative Dispute Resolution with Special Focus on the Arbitration And Conciliation Act1996 and its Amendments.2019
"Architecture being a basic human need, we strive to equip our students to play an essential and innovative role in improving human habitat."
"MCAP empower students to intervene critically into the social and environmental issues with deep understanding of the Principles of Design and inspiring them with a spirit of innovation and creative experimentation in shaping the built environment."
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Media Play News
Bringing Entertainment Home
Tag: Bradley Whitford
Sci-fi Thriller ‘Songbird’ to Debut Via PVOD Dec. 11
The STX Films sci-fi thriller Songbird, produced by Michael Bay, will premiere in the United States as a premium VOD release Dec. 11.
The film will be available at $19.99 for a 48-hour rental.
Songbird is the first film to shoot in Los Angeles entirely during the coronavirus pandemic, according to the studio.
Directed by Adam Mason (Into the Dark), the film is about fighting for love at the end of the world. It stars K.J. Apa, Sofia Carson, Craig Robinson, Bradley Whitford, Peter Stormare, Alexandra Daddario, Paul Walter Hauser and Demi Moore.
Songbird will bow on a “major streaming service” in 2021, according to the studio.
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Author Stephanie PrangePosted on November 16, 2020 November 29, 2020 Categories Digital, News, VODTags Alexandra Daddario, Bradley Whitford, Craig Robinson, Demi Moore, K.J. Apa, Michael Bay, Paul Walter Hauser, Peter Stormare, Premium Video-on-Demand, Premium VOD, PVOD, Sci-Fi, Science-Fiction, Sofia Carson, VODLeave a comment on Sci-fi Thriller ‘Songbird’ to Debut Via PVOD Dec. 11
Shout! Factory, IFC to Issue ‘Three Christs’ on DVD, Blu-ray Disc June 16
Shout! Factory and IFC Films have set a June 16 release date for Three Christs, an American drama directed, co-produced, and co-written by Jon Avnet and starring Richard Gere, Peter Dinklage, Walton Goggins, and Bradley Whitford.
The film will be issued on both Blu-ray Disc and DVD, and can be pre-ordered now on ShoutFactory.com.
The 2017 film, based on Milton Rokeach’s nonfiction book The Three Christs of Ypsilanti, is set in 1959 and follows the story of Dr. Alan Stone (Gere), a psychiatrist who arrives at a mental hospital in Ypsilanti, Michigan, with the belief that schizophrenic patients should be treated with empathy and understanding rather than confinement and electroshock therapy.
As his first study, he takes on a particularly challenging case of three men — Joseph (Dinklage), Leon (Goggins), and Clyde (Whitford) — each of whom believes they are Jesus Christ. Hoping to get them all in the same room to confront their dillusions, Dr. Stone begins a risky yet unprecedented experiment that will push the boundaries of psychiatric medicine and leave everyone involved profoundly changed.
Three Christs originally premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2017, and went on to a limited theatrical release. It became available on video-on-demand (VOD) on Jan. 10.
Author Justin K. ArnoldPosted on May 7, 2020 May 10, 2020 Categories DVD/Blu-ray Disc, News, Product NewsTags Bradley Whitford, IFC Films, Jon Avnet, Peter Dinklage, Richard Gere, Shout! Factory, Three Christs, Walton GogginsLeave a comment on Shout! Factory, IFC to Issue ‘Three Christs’ on DVD, Blu-ray Disc June 16
Lionsgate’s ‘The Last Full Measure’ A True-Blue American Hero’s Tale
It’s the tale of a true-blue American hero, one who didn’t have superpowers, but was exceptional nonetheless.
Sebastian Stan (left) and William Hurt
The Last Full Measure, its title echoing the words of Abraham Lincoln about the ultimate sacrifice, is based on the true story of the three-decade effort to have William H. Pitsenbarger recognized for an act of selflessness in the Vietnam War that cost him his life on April 11, 1966.
The film is available now on Digital, and arrives on Blu-ray (plus Digital), DVD and On Demand April 21 from Lionsgate.
The story follows Pentagon staffer Scott Huffman (Sebastian Stan), who investigates a Congressional Medal of Honor request made by Pitsenbarger’s mission partner and parents to posthumously recognize the U.S. Air Force medic (played in flashback by Jeremy Irvine) who saved more than 60 men before making the ultimate sacrifice in the bloody Vietnam battle Operation Abilene. Huffman interviews Army vets to learn more about Pitsenbarger’s courageous acts — and uncovers a high-level conspiracy behind the medal’s denial.
Christopher Plummer (left) and Diane Ladd play parents looking to honor their son.
“We never know in life when we show a random act of kindness or a random act of sacrifice what the effect might be 20, 30 years down the line,” says writer-director Todd Robinson in the extras.
“There’s a lot of remarkable courage out there, but Bill’s story is one at the top,” adds historian William Chivalette.
In addition to Stan, the star-studded ensemble cast includes Christopher Plummer, William Hurt, Peter Fonda (in his last big screen performance), Diane Ladd, Amy Madigan, Bradley Whitford, Ed Harris and Samuel L. Jackson. Plummer and Ladd portray Pitsenbarger’s long-suffering parents, who wait patiently for their son to be properly recognized. Jackson, Hurt, Fonda and Harris play former servicemen who witnessed Pitsenbarger’s heroism and are still haunted by their war experiences.
Peter Fonda plays a haunted vet in his last big-screen performance.
“This is the struggle that all of our veterans face every day, is finding purpose and reason, and that’s really what the movie is all about,” says writer-director Todd Robinson in the extras. “I wanted to tell a story that transcends the Vietnam War — and frankly transcends war. They had a search for purpose that took 32 years, and in that purpose, came their healing.”
A featurette among the extras explores the film’s original score by composer Philip Klein, who felt the music had to match the heroism of its subject.
“The story deserved an orchestral score. It deserved something big and powerful,” he says in the featurette. “There was this enormous amount of responsibility that we all felt to make this worthy of this man.”
Other extras include interviews with the servicemen who actually witnessed Pitsenbarger’s actions in 1966, awed by his selflessness. Even three decades later, his choice to stay and help the wounded mystifies.
“There’s not a one of us that wouldn’t have left there if we could, and the only guy that could leave was Pitsenbarger, and he didn’t,” comments serviceman Ron Haley in the extras.
Also included in the extras is footage of a screening for veterans of Operation Abilene and Pitsenbarger’s family at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.
“Our wish for you is simply that, when you leave here tonight, this picture has cracked the door open just a little wider for communication, that if you are a veteran, you either tell your part of this story or one like it, or that the rest of us might do our part to be good, patient witnesses and listen,” Robinson tells them.
BLU-RAY/DVD/DIGITAL SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE:
“The Women of The Last Full Measure” Featurette
“Medal of Honor Ceremony Shoot” Featurette
“That Others May Live: Remembering Operation Abilene” Featurette
“USAF Museum Screening with Veterans & Pitsenbarger Family” Featurette
“The Music of The Last Full Measure” Featurette
“William Pitsenbarger Tribute” Photo Gallery
Author Stephanie PrangePosted on April 13, 2020 May 11, 2020 Categories Sponsored ContentTags Amy Madigan, Bradley Whitford, Christopher Plummer, Diane Ladd, Drama, Ed Harris, Lionsgate, Peter Fonda, Samuel L. Jackson, Sebastian Stan, The Vietnam War, Vietnam War, William HurtLeave a comment on Lionsgate’s ‘The Last Full Measure’ A True-Blue American Hero’s Tale
‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 3 on Disc Nov. 19
The Handmaid’s Tale: Season Three will arrive on Blu-ray and DVD Nov. 19 from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
The third season of the Award-winning Hulu series is driven by June’s (Elisabeth Moss) resistance to the dystopian regime of Gilead, in which she finds herself once again after opting not to flee to Canada with her baby at the end of the second season. Now, she will struggle to strike back against the regime despite overwhelming odds.
The season three cast includes Cherry Jones and Bradley Whitford, who each recently won Emmys for guest acting in the second season. The cast also includes Christopher Meloni, Elizabeth Reaser, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Amanda Brugel, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenle, Max Minghella and Samira Wiley.
The disc includes the featurette “Power Play: Gilead’s Women Fight Back.”
Author John LatchemPosted on September 25, 2019 Categories DVD/Blu-ray Disc, News, Product NewsTags 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, Alexis Bledel, Amanda Brugel, Ann Dowd, Bradley Whitford, Cherry Jones, Christopher Meloni, Elisabeth Moss, Elizabeth Reaser, Hulu, Joseph Fiennes, Madeline Brewer, Max Minghella, O-T Fagbenle, Samira Wiley, The Handmaid's Tale, Yvonne StrahovskiLeave a comment on ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 3 on Disc Nov. 19
‘A Happening of Monumental Proportions’ Arrives on DVD and Digital Oct. 23
Lionsgate will release A Happening of Monumental Proportions, the directorial debut from actress Judy Greer, on DVD, digital and on demand Oct. 23.
The comedy takes place over the course of one day and follows a group of school administrators as they find themselves caught up in a sex scandal that leads to the discovery of the dead body of the school’s groundskeeper. The cast includes Common, Jennifer Garner, Katie Holmes, John Cho, Rob Riggle, Bradley Whitford, Anders Holm and Allison Janney.
The DVD includes a behind-the-scenes featurette.
Author John LatchemPosted on October 5, 2018 October 6, 2018 Categories Digital, DVD/Blu-ray Disc, News, Product NewsTags Allison Janney, Anders Holm, Bradley Whitford, Common, Jennifer Garner, John Cho, Judy Greer, Katie Holmes, Lionsgate, Rob RiggleLeave a comment on ‘A Happening of Monumental Proportions’ Arrives on DVD and Digital Oct. 23
BLU-RAY REVIEW:
Fox;
Drama;
Box Office $81.88 million;
$29.99 DVD, $34.99 Blu-ray, $39.99 UHD BD;
Rated ‘PG-13’ for language and brief war violence.
Stars Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Bob Odenkirk, Carrie Coon, Bruce Greenwood, Jesse Plemons, Sarah Paulson, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford, Matthew Rhys, Alison Brie, David Cross, Zach Woods.
Even before seeing the movie, the obvious question surrounding The Post is why the filmmakers would decide to focus a story about the publication of the Pentagon Papers on the efforts of The Washington Post newspaper when the bulk of the material was broken by The New York Times.
After watching it, though, it’s a lot easier to understand some of the reasons director Steven Spielberg guided the film along the approach it took.
For one, there just seems to be much more storytelling to mine from the Washington Post perspective, whereas a Times POV would likely have been a more straightforward legal drama about the relationship between the press and government.
At the time, the Post was still seen as primarily a local D.C. publication without the broad national following it has now. Financially strapped, the paper issued an IPO that could have been threatened by any legal troubles encountered as a result of publishing the leaked documents copied from a classified report that exposed government deception in the conduct of the Vietnam War.
And that’s on top of the expected discussions of the role of journalism in a democracy and defending the First Amendment against government pushback, with the Times included in all those story points anyway.
There’s also an argument to be made that the primary interest of the film isn’t even about the Pentagon Papers to begin with.
Certainly, looking at the film from the prism of the Pentagon Papers as the subject matter makes it seem like it’s the story of a minor newspaper jumping on the bandwagon of a bigger newspaper to gain stature.
But keeping a bigger picture in mind, the film is much more about how the Post rose in prominence under the leadership of publisher Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep) and editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks), and that the Pentagon Papers just happened to be the catalyst.
From Spielberg’s perspective, it probably didn’t hurt that this approach also allowed him to devote significant screen time to Graham in depicting the ascension of a female publisher in a man’s world.
Spielberg also seems interested in positioning the film as a prequel of sorts to All the President’s Men, showing how the Post became the paper that drove coverage of the Watergate break-in.
As such, The Post is more fascinating for its procedural aspects and character dynamics for any actual history it’s trying to explore. The film also sees itself as an allegorical commentary on criticism of President Trump’s relationship to the media, and his tendency to label detractors as “fake news,” but these aspects of the film are really only going to appeal to choirs expecting to be preached to. One could be completely oblivious to such perceived messaging and still find the film immensely entertaining. The performances are terrific and the nitty-gritty details of classic print journalism are just fun to see, particularly contrasted with the digital simplicity of today.
The Blu-ray includes a number of good behind-the-scenes featurettes that detail the making of the film and explore the real-life circumstances being explored. This being a Spielberg movie, there’s also a featurette about the music composed by longtime collaborator John Williams, this being their 28th film together.
Author John LatchemPosted on April 27, 2018 May 16, 2018 Categories ReviewsTags 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, Alison Brie, Ben Bradlee, Bob Odenkirk, Bradley Whitford, Bruce Greenwood, Carrie Coon, Daniel Ellsberg, David Cross, Jesse Plemons, Katharine Graham, Matthew Rhys, Meryl Streep, New York Times, Nixon, Pentagon Papers, Sarah Paulson, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Tracy Letts, Vietnam War, Washington Post, Zach WoodsLeave a comment on The Post
Click here to read the latest edition cover to cover
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FCC Chairman Finally Gets Fully Behind Net Neutrality
FCC chairman Tom Wheeler is now officially on board supporting the strongest possible version of net neutrality. Here’s his first-person statement:
Originally, I believed that the FCC could assure internet openness through a determination of “commercial reasonableness” under Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. While a recent court decision seemed to draw a roadmap for using this approach, I became concerned that this relatively new
concept might, down the road, be interpreted to mean what is reasonable for commercial interests, not consumers.
That is why I am proposing that the FCC use its Title II authority to implement and enforce open internet protections.
Using this authority, I am submitting to my colleagues the strongest open internet protections ever proposed by the FCC. These enforceable, bright-line rules will ban paid prioritization, and the blocking and throttling of lawful content and services. I propose to fully apply—for the first time ever—those bright-line rules to mobile broadband. My proposal assures the rights of internet users to go where they want, when they want, and the rights of innovators to introduce new products without asking anyone’s permission.
Title II is the law that currently regulates telephone networks as common carriers. Applying this to broadband internet gives the FCC extremely strong powers to guarantee free and equal internet access to everyone, just as they currently do for telcos.
The argument against doing this is that Title II has a lot of baggage designed specifically for telcos—baggage that makes sense for telephones but not for internet connections. Wheeler recognizes this, and says that he plans to “modernize” Title II. Under his proposal, for example, “there will be no rate regulation, no tariffs, no last-mile unbundling.”
This is a huge win for net neutrality advocates. Nonetheless, it would be a bigger win if it spurred Republicans to take seriously a compromise bill that regulates broadband legislatively. Title II may be a big stick, but it’s not necessarily a permanent one. Aside from the fact that it’s open to court challenges, it could also be eliminated by a future FCC just as easily as it gets created by today’s FCC. If a Republican becomes president in 2016 and appoints a majority Republican FCC, Wheeler’s proposal could get tossed out with a simple vote of the five commissioners.
Either way, though, this is a welcome move. Either we get a modernized Title II, or else Wheeler’s proposal lights a fire under Sen. John Thune that produces a compromise solution from Congress. So far Democrats haven’t been especially open to working with Thune, but I hope they change their minds. Maybe negotiations would go nowhere. If so, nothing is lost and Title II becomes the law of the land. But there’s always the chance that with Title II as a backstop, negotiations could produce something genuinely useful. As with all compromises, net neutrality advocates would almost certainly lose some things they value. Republicans wouldn’t get everything they want either. But both sides—as well as the broadband industry itself—would gain permanence, and that’s worth something.
Are Republicans Really Ready to Embrace Net Neutrality?
4 Stupid Conservative Arguments Against Net Neutrality, Debunked
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Bernie Sanders: Hillary Clinton Owes Me an Apology Over ‘Lies' Claim
Clinton's team said they will not apologize for calling out "misleading attacks" by the Sanders campaign
Published April 2, 2016 • Updated on April 2, 2016 at 12:20 pm
Sen. Bernie Sanders said Hillary Clinton owed him and his campaign an apology in response to accusations from the Democratic front-runner's campaign that he and his team had been "lying" and misconstruing Clinton's relationship with the oil and gas industry, NBC news reported.
"Secretary Clinton, you owe us an apology. We were telling the truth," Sanders said Friday evening at a Wisconsin rally in Sheboygan South High School.
Sanders, citing an analysis done by the environmental organization Greenpeace, argued that Clinton's campaign and Super PAC have received "more than $4.5 million from the fossil fuel industry" and said "57 oil, gas, and coal industry lobbyists have directly contributed to her campaign."
Clinton team quickly responded, saying they will not apologize "for calling out these kinds of schemes for what they are: a desperate move from a campaign that has clearly decided that the only hope for a path to victory is through misleading attacks."
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Will Trump Kill The Dream For These Immigrants?
Marcelo Rochabrun
Reprinted with permission from ProPublica.
Marco Guajardo starts a new job today that, he said, will provide him with health insurance for the first time. Matias Zubko is set to close on a new house on Wednesday. Roberto Angulo is hoping for a promotion at the electrical company that employs him as he nears his first anniversary there.
All three of them, immigrants in their 20s, now fear those prospects could vaporize in a matter of days. Guajardo, Angulo and Zubko were all brought to the U.S. illegally as children, yet since 2012 they’ve been able to work legally, get access to credit, obtain drivers’ licenses, buy houses and travel around the country. In short, they could achieve a semblance of a normal life.
Now, they may lose their jobs and face deportation.
The Trump administration seems poised to eliminate the immigration program on which the three men have depended. Called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the program has allowed almost 800,000 young immigrants to receive renewable work permits. But as an executive order from President Barack Obama — announced after his administration’s failure to pass the DREAM Act, which would’ve enshrined the protections in law — it can be reversed with the swipe of a presidential pen.
Trump has shown some hesitation to undo the order, expressing sympathy for those protected by it. But a group of state attorneys general, who view the program as an example of illegal executive overreach, have given him an ultimatum: End DACA by Tuesday or defend it before a judge who blocked a similar program in 2014 that would have protected undocumented parents.
An announcement could come as soon as today. Trump could cancel all of DACA’s provisions on the spot, though a February draft order that circulated in the administration suggests he may phase out the program in stages. Under that plan, 1,000 immigrants a day would lose their work authorizations and deportation protections until none are left.
ProPublica spoke on Thursday with more than a dozen people helped by DACA whose work permits expire as soon as a month from today and as far out as August 2019. They expressed a combination of dread and uncertainty, describing plans aborted, a terror of deportation they hadn’t felt in years, and anxiety that their lives are about to be upended.
The potential change is forcing them to make decisions they didn’t expect to have to make. “Should we buy this house?” asked Zubko, a 28-year-old Argentinian whose wife is also protected by DACA, of the purchase he was about to make. “We got a loan,” he said. “We both have good paying jobs. And last year we had a baby and she’s an American citizen. But if DACA gets taken away, we’re not sure we’d be able to close on the house and that’s scary.”
Such concerns are widespread. Two immigrants said they’re frightened that losing their jobs means their homes will be taken away in foreclosures. One said she didn’t know whether to renew her lease. Another said she would drop out of school: Why study to be a teacher if no one will be able to employ you?
“I don’t know what would happen to my 401(k) or my taxes or my lease,” said Nathali Bertran, an engineer in Honda’s research and development division. A native of Peru, Bertran helped create DACA Time, a website that allows immigrants to prepare their applications digitally.
As for Angulo, the man nearing his one-year anniversary at the electrical company, his work permit expires on October 6. Angulo renewed his Mexican passport last week — just in case. On Wednesday, he emailed his company’s human resources department wondering if they could sponsor him for an employment visa. He hasn’t heard back yet.
“It feels like I just went from being able to look at the stars and shoot for them to all of a sudden getting dragged down,” he said, “like if someone put cement blocks on your feet.”
For Guajardo’s part, his new job — and his health insurance — may turn out to be temporary. Before DACA was implemented, he lived near the Mexican border and had never left his town, scared of what would happen if he encountered one of the dozens of immigration checkpoints that the Border Patrol operates along the border.
“Now I’ve traveled all around the country,” he said. “DACA changed my life completely, from being stuck in a little town, to going to my favorite university, to getting a great job and exploring new places.”
When DACA was created in 2012, only four states allowed undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, and that list didn’t include Texas or California, where the majority of DACA recipients live.
“To have a driver’s license is a tremendous thing,” said Ken Schmitt, an immigration lawyer who has helped file hundreds of DACA applications. “In the past, one way ICE got people into removal proceedings was after they were pulled over by police,” he said, referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “They would arrest them for driving without a license and then turn them over to ICE.”
Barclay’s livelihood depends on his commercial driver’s license. A 25-year-old immigrant from Guyana, he drives a truck in New York, where, should he lose his legal status, he would no longer be eligible for a license.
“The only thing that I can do now is honestly to work as much as I can, basically get no sleep until that day,” Barclay said. “Once my work permit expires, I still have to pay rent, eat and live and that money won’t be building anymore, just depleting every single day. I can’t even fathom this right now.”
Applying for DACA costs $485 every two years, excluding attorney fees. At any given moment, there are around 100,000 applications and renewals pending, according to statistics from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which administers the program. Steve Blando, a USCIS spokesman said on Thursday evening the agency was still accepting and processing DACA applications.
Carlos Garcia is worried not only about losing his job but also that the government will try to deport him and his wife, who is not shielded by DACA. His work permit expires on Dec. 3 and his renewal is pending. After obtaining DACA privileges, he had started a job as an IT help desk technician and moved up to become a server administrator.
“No matter what the administration says, it’s open season on immigrants now,” Garcia said. “It’s easy to find us.”
DACA applicants feel particularly nervous because applying for the program meant they voluntarily revealed information to the government, including where they live. They also submit new portrait photographs of themselves every two years and provide details such as their height, weight, and eye and hair colors. A large number have also provided copies of their birth certificates, which identify their parents by name.
Alan Torres, a 31-year-old Mexican immigrant, experienced firsthand what happens when DACA protections lapse. A few years ago, his new work permit did not arrive before his old one expired. His company told him he’d have to take a leave of absence.
Indeed, Torres’s career wouldn’t have been possible without the program. He has a degree in information systems but when he started college he thought he might never be able to work in his field. Said Torres: “If I had graduated without DACA I would still be working in the restaurant industry.”
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A World War II B-24 Bomber Missing for 74 years Has Been Found
To this day, there are still more than 72,000 U.S. service members unaccounted for from World War II
By Danielle Radin • Published May 23, 2018 • Updated on May 23, 2018 at 4:55 pm
It was March 11, 1944 when the aircraft called "Heaven Can Wait," carrying 11 crew members went on a mission in their B-24 Bomber during World War II. The aircraft and its missing crew members would become a mystery for decades.
The B-24 was shot down by enemy fire, causing it to crash into the ocean. In 2017, a search ensued using scanning sonars, imagers and advanced diving. The aircraft was found in Papua New Guinea.
The effort was by Project Recover, a collaborative team of marine scientists, archaeologists and volunteers that combine efforts to locate aircraft associated with MIA's from World War II, including experts from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla.
Carlsbad 8 mins ago
“We installed newer, higher improved sonars, much like if you went from old school TV to high definition TV," said Eric Terrill, co-founder of Project Recover and an oceanographer from Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla.
Project Recover set its sights on finding "Heaven Can Wait" (which was built in San Diego) after being presented with four years of research on circumstances of the crash, compiled by family members of one the B-24 crew members seeking closure for their lost relative.
"It was a California-based family, wanting to know what happened to their uncle," said Terrill.
The search took 11 days on the water and covered nearly 27 square kilometers of sea floor.
“We were able to narrow down a search region within a few square miles,” added Terrill.
Project Recover found the debris field of the B-24 bomber in 213 feet of water.
“There’s a mixture of emotion from elation that you’re one step closer to alerting the families to this and then the sadness of the reality of what took place that day," said Terrill of the discovery.
The next step is to set into motion a process for recovering and identifying the remains of up to 11 crew members missing for over 70 years.
United StatesDanielle RadinU.S. governmentco-founderFamily
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Former Torero All-American Gets 2nd Chance With San Diego Fleet
All-time FCS sacks leader looks to anchor San Diego's defensive line
By Derek Togerson • Published January 17, 2019 • Updated on January 17, 2019 at 4:18 pm
One of the first questions most people have when the think about the Alliance of American Football is: will the product be any good? The guys on the San Diego Fleet say you’re darn right it will.
“I think there are a lot of guys who have a lot of talent and could be on NFL rosters but with the (roster) limit being 53 in the NFL there are a lot of guys who just miss by a little bit,” said Jonathan Petersen, who certainly qualifies as one of those guys.
Peterson … a Poway High School alum … set the FCS sacks record at the University of San Diego. But as a 6’0”, 245-pound defensive end he doesn’t have the measurables most NFL teams look for so, despite being one fo the most productive players in the nation, he went undrafted. His pro football journey can be summed up in one word.
“Tumultuous,” said Peterson. “I’ve been with the Carolina Panthers during their rookie mini-camp and since then I’ve been waiting for a call, just working out and stuff like that, so when I got news from my agent from the coaches here that I’d be a part of this team it was a dream come true.”
With Carolina, Peterson got to learn from Ron Rivera, who was the defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers and an early football influence.
“These are the guys I was looking up to when I was growing up,” said Peterson of watching Rivera’s defenses at what was then known as Qualcomm Stadium. “So it’s really exciting to be able to see it but it’s also an experience where you say I’m here to work. I’m not here to fawn over these guys who I played Madden with. It was a good experience. I think he was able to teach us a lot just in a couple of days and I’m looking forward to doing the same thing with Coach Martz.”
Fleet Head Coach Mike Martz, like Rivera, owns a Super Bowl ring. But like Peterson, Martz is a San Diego native. Martz got a good look at Petersen in 2018 when he was coaching in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and watched Petersen wreck an offensive line filled with players from "Power Five" conferences. Now both of them are looking forward to bringing pro football back to their home town.
“That’s something that’s been missing for a couple of years now for a lot of people,” said Petersen, a self-described former Chargers fan. “Football in San Diego, while it might not appear to be as big of a football city as some other towns, I definitely think there’s a lot of passion in this city for football and I think the Fleet have totally filled that void so come check us out.”
Petersen is hoping his season with the Fleet will be enough proof for NFL teams to give him a legitimate shot at making a roster. So, to recap, good players … good coaches … local pride. Sounds like a winning formula to me.
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Girl, 6, Missing in San Marcos
By NBC 7 Staff • Published August 3, 2018 • Updated on August 3, 2018 at 12:50 pm
San Diego County sheriff's deputies were searching San Marcos after a 6-year-old girl was reported missing since 11:53 a.m.
The child was last seen at Sunset Park at 803 Puesta Del Sol.
Approximately 5 minutes after alerting the public, deputies said the girl had been found safe.
No other information was available.
Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.
San Diegonewsbreaking newsnbc 7breaking
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SUHSD Refuses Loan From County to Payback Mello-Roos Borrowing
By Rory Devine • Published August 12, 2019 • Updated on August 12, 2019 at 9:19 pm
Sweetwater Union High School District officials met Monday evening to discuss whether it would accept a no-risk loan from the County Office of Education (COE) to help it payback the $12 million it borrowed from the Mello-Roos fund.
The district refused to take the loan, and said it is in position to repay its debt to the Mello-Roos -- with interest -- by 2020.
The fund comes from taxes on homeowners and is supposed to be used for construction, renovation and modernization of schools in the district. Some community members say the district uses it to meet day-to-day operating expenses, which is not the intent.
Carlsbad 10 mins ago
Last fiscal year, the district paid back a big portion of the money it owed Mello-Roos, but it still owes $12 million. And because it did not make the payment by June 30, the district is out of compliance with the rules governing Mello -Roos borrowing.
The district said whether it takes the county loan and pays back the Mello-Roos now or later, it will still be out of compliance. The district says it can pay back the $12 million by June of 2020, and by doing it that way, the district pays the interest to Mello-Roos which it said is, in effect, paying schools more.
COE Chief of Staff Music Watson said that by accepting its no-risk offer, the district would've shown the community its commitment to correcting its fiscal ship.
The COE oversees all districts to make sure they can meet their financial obligations.
Community member Maty Adato said parts of the district are bursting at the seam as communities grow, but she says “there’s been no new building.”
Adatoaccused the district of using Mello-Roos money as a “slush fund.”
San DiegoRafael AvitabileRory Devinesweetwater union high school districtCommunity
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The San Diego Airport Wants to Know: What Are You Waiting For?
Terminal 2 has a new art exhibit on display
By Danielle Radin • Published November 15, 2018 • Updated on November 16, 2018 at 6:34 am
As holiday travel picks up this season, the San Diego International Airport is asking you to sit and wait.
This "Standby Room" in Terminal 2 allows travelers to sit inside and say their hopes and dreams to a playwright.
The answers received will be made into a play that will be performed at the airport in December.
"We want to ask people what it is their really waiting for," said Actor and Comedian Kristina Wong of Los Angeles, who masterminded the art display.
The Standby Room was crafted using sewn fabric, pipes and markers.
"It's a very hard space to perform in because no one is expecting performance and they're anxious," said Wong. "It's also interesting that we're very close to the border. For some, it's their first time leaving the country or arriving here. I'm interested in knowing who they are."
The airport has an artist residency program with new displays and performances year round.
"We want to ask people what it is they're really waiting for," said Wong. "Not just your flight but in life. It becomes an existential question. We've collected all the answers from visitors and they're sewn into the inside of our waiting room."
Los AngelesactorartistDanielle RadinSan Diego International Airport
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State Police responded to 1,000 crashes, helped 1,900 drivers during N.J. snowstorm
Snowstorm continues to hammer N.J. with treacherous roads, ice, wind (Nov. 16, 2018)
Gallery: Snowstorm continues to hammer N.J. with treacherous roads, ice, wind (Nov. 16, 2018)
Motorists had a miserable time trying to get home during Thursday night's storm with State Police responding to nearly 1,000 crashes and aiding almost 1,900 drivers.
Those figures provided by Gov. Phil Murphy at a Friday morning press briefing in Woodbridge are just from roads such as routes 80, 280, 78, 287, 195, the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, which are patrolled by State Police. That doesn't include thousands of calls local and county officials responded to all afternoon and evening.
At least two fatal crashes during the storm are being investigated as weather-related by authorities.
A 61-year-old woman was killed when her car became stuck on the tracks in New Providence and was struck by an NJ Transit train. The town's mayor said the car may have slid down a snow covered hill onto the tracks.
A 52-year-old doctor was killed in Mantua Township when his car was struck by a pickup truck. Authorities said road conditions likely led to the crash.
Gov. Murphy's news conference on snowstorm
The morning after the snowstorm, where does New Jersey stand? Governor Phil Murphy is having a press conference to fill everyone in on roads, power outages and other elements of storm cleanup.
Posted by NJ.com on Friday, November 16, 2018
"I offer our apologies to New Jerseyans who experienced a difficult commute home," said department of transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti who along with Murphy blamed a forecast which predicted no more more than 4 inches of snow for most of North Jersey.
"I understand completely the frustration," Murphy added. "It came at us much stronger and hit us much harder than any person or organization had forecasted."
The problems were widespread with frustrated commuters venting on social media that it took them hours to get home.
Newark, the state's largest city, was gridlocked for hours. A city police officer suffered injuries not considered life-threatening after being struck by a vehicle while directing traffic near Broad and South streets around 10:10 p.m.
Traffic is back to normal on Friday morning.
Meanwhile, dozens of motorists became stranded on 280 and decided to abandon their vehicles. In West Orange, some buses never arrived to bring students home and forced students to spend the night in the school.
Bus commuters who leave New York by the Port Authority were told to find another way home. The busy bus terminal re-opened this morning.
"I've asked for an explanation from the Port Authority for why bus terminal access was restricted as it was," Murphy said. "It's unacceptable."
Many areas in North Jersey received 6 inches or more of snow with Montague and the Highland Lakes section of Vernon getting the most - 10.2 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
Although the storm has ended, the effects are still being felt on Friday with hundreds of flights delayed or canceled at Newark Liberty, the two New York City airports and in Philadelphia.
NJ Transit buses are running far behind schedule if they're running at all. Two NJ Transit train lines remain suspended as of 10 a.m. - Gladstone and the North Jersey Coast Line.
Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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Compare states
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Quality of Life Comparison
If you lived in Peru instead of Belgium, you would:
be 10.9% less likely to be obese
In Belgium, 22.1% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Peru, that number is 19.7% of people as of 2016.
live 6.7 years less
In Belgium, the average life expectancy is 81 years (79 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2020. In Peru, that number is 75 years (73 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2020.
pay a 44.1% lower top tax rate
Belgium has a top tax rate of 53.7% as of 2016. In Peru, the top tax rate is 30.0% as of 2016.
make 71.0% less money
Belgium has a GDP per capita of $46,600 as of 2017, while in Peru, the GDP per capita is $13,500 as of 2017.
be 50.3% more likely to be live below the poverty line
In Belgium, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2013. In Peru, however, that number is 22.7% as of 2014.
have 53.2% more children
In Belgium, there are approximately 11.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2020. In Peru, there are 17.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2020.
be 17.6 times more likely to die during childbirth
In Belgium, approximately 5.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Peru, 88.0 women do as of 2017.
be 5.1 times more likely to die during infancy
In Belgium, approximately 3.3 children die before they reach the age of one as of 2020. In Peru, on the other hand, 16.7 children do as of 2020.
be 40.7% less likely to have internet access
In Belgium, approximately 88.7% of the population has internet access as of 2018. In Peru, about 52.5% do as of 2018.
spend 40.0% less on education
Belgium spends 6.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2016. Peru spends 3.9% of total GDP on education as of 2017.
see 36.3 times more coastline
Belgium has a total of 66 km of coastline. In Peru, that number is 2,414 km.
Peru: At a glance
Peru is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 1,279,996 sq km. Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces were defeated in 1824. After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime, which led to his resignation in 2000. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001, which installed Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique as the new head of government - Peru's first democratically elected president of indigenous ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA Perez who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, oversaw a robust economic rebound. In June 2011, former army officer Ollanta HUMALA Tasso was elected president, defeating Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi, the daughter of Alberto FUJIMORI. Since his election, HUMALA has carried on the sound, market-oriented economic policies of the three preceding administrations.
How big is Peru compared to Belgium? See an in-depth size comparison.
More quality of life comparisons
Belgium vs. France
Belgium vs. Egypt
Belgium vs. Poland
Belgium vs. Turkey
Belgium vs. United States
Belgium vs. Ireland
The statistics on this page were calculated using the following data sources: Service Public Fédéral Finances, The World Factbook, Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas y de Administración Tributaria.
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Defying the critics
With expectations riding high on Kites, DEVANSH PATEL met the film's director, Anurag Basu, in this special interview
HE HAS defied both critics and commercial box office to rake in success and he doesn't break the rules 'just to break the rules'. He is the new school in the age where old fools still exist in movie-making. It is difficult to capture Anurag Basu's presence in print.
The last time I met him was at the red-carpet world premiere in London's Odeon Leicester Square where his highly acclaimed film Life In A Metro was screened and starred the Celebrity Big Brother winner that year, Shilpa Shetty.
A who's who of the British film industry graced the red carpet. And there was Basu in his loose denims and a plain black shirt.
He doesn't look like those 'lost-out guys' who make cinema but rather an active and sometimes hyperactive middle-aged film geek.
Having made some diverse films that put him on the ladder of success, Anurag is now on the verge of the most difficult phase in film-making - a phase of ground-breaking cinema, where he needs to prove his mental strength as a director and a period that will boost a lot of aspiring filmmakers to make stories where language is no barrier.
In short, a phase where Bollywood will be rewritten.
Q: Does the use of Spanish, Hindi and English language in the film make Kites ground-breaking? A: The film just took shape naturally. Initially we thought that the film was targeted at Western audiences but then we found out that love, as the subject in the film, speaks no language. It is universal.
Our Spanish actress, Barbara Mori, didn't know Hindi and Hrithik Roshan, didn't know any Spanish.
So we didn't force any language on anybody. After seeing 70 per cent of the film, my producers, Reliance Big Pictures and Rakesh Roshan thought that the film was ground-breaking because it will appeal to everybody across the globe.
Q: Why did a director and producer like Rakesh Roshan opt for you to direct Kites when he could have directed the film himself?
A: Until today I have a question in my mind as to why did he take me as a director for Kites.
Rakesh Roshan had seen my film Gangster. During that time, Life In A Metro had not been released.
He called me and said: 'I've got a story for Hrithik in mind. I want you to direct it'.
At that time, I said: 'No'.
Knowing Hrithik's star status, I always wondered why would Hrithik do my film?
I was a small director who was busy with an ensemble cast film titled Life In A Metro.
Plus, I had also heard that he is doing a Raj Kumar Hirani film, Aditya Chopra's film, and so on. But Rakesh gave me an idea to work on.
Then when I met him at the 2007 Indian International Film Awards (IIFA) in
Yorkshire, he told me: 'Have you done something about the idea, Anurag?'
That's when, on the flight on the way back to India, I started writing the script.
Kites isn't the usual Film Kraft film which we're used to seeing.
Hrithik took a walk around his hall and instantly said 'yes' to the film.
Q: Are we going to see a different Hrithik Roshan emerge out of Kites?
A: Yes, you are. As an actor, Hrithik has always played difficult characters.
He is very natural. He prepares a lot, reads his script, does his rehearsals and then comes on set.
For this film I didn't want that. I wanted to throw him in the middle of the sea this time with no preparations.
I wanted to see what happens if Hrithik is unprepared. It was very difficult.
I wanted an imperfect Hrithik in Kites and he is very good in that. We had a ball.
You'll see a completely new Hrithik.
Q: Are you a changed director after Kites?
A: I never change my approach to film-making.
The budget of Kites was nowhere near the budget of the films I have directed in the past. It is a biggie.
As far as technology is concerned, yes, I have learned many things from the film.
Like the action sequences and all. I wanted to do such scenes.
Also, thanks to Rakesh Roshan, there were no budget constraints in Kites. I am a little spoiled after making the film (laughs).
Q: More than the audiences and the critics, it's the film fraternity that has a huge expectation from Kites.
Are you and the cast chewing your fingernails? A: Everyone associated with the film is tense right now.
We have all challenged ourselves. I have challenged myself by directing a film like 'Kites', Hrithik has done the same by selecting a different approach to acting, Rakesh Roshan has taken a challenge producing this film and Barbara Mori has taken a huge challenge doing an Indian film. It's a big risk but taken with confidence and courage.
Our comfort level is uncomfortable at the moment (laughs).
Q: Tell us something about the beautiful Barbara Mori.
A: I tell all my actors not to act. I want them to be themselves and their characters in the film.
Barbara Mori doesn't act either. She is so natural that you will fall in love with her.
She doesn't do any scene or shot if she isn't convinced. She isn't a fake.
Q: How difficult was it to converse with Barbara Mori?
A: People from the West have their agents and all coming in the way of narration.
So when I went to narrate the script to Barbara in Los Angeles, I wanted to do it in the traditional Bollywood way.
I narrated her the story with my bad Hindi accent mixed with English.
But her English was worse than mine.
While looking at her while narrating, I thought she was the best choice for Kites and she said 'yes' immediately after the narration was complete.
She had seen my film Gangster before our narration.
Q: How does Hrithik communicate with his director, we want to know?
A: He comes to the set and hands over himself to the director.
Nobody knows this but there is a director in Hrithik's mind. He can sense the whole film.
Most of our actors in the industry have got a selfish approach but Hrithik thinks about the film as a whole.
On the second day of the shoot, I briefed Hrithik on how he should act in that scene but missed out small details.
When I took the shot, I noticed that he had done exactly what I had missed out while briefing him.
That is Hrithik Roshan for you.
Latest UK Foreign Office travel advice for Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura
TravelHow we're longing for some winter sun
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One Pulse For America Launches Website, Unique Tool for Reporting Member Actions
Media Contact: Ladd Everitt, (202) 701-7171, ladd.everitt@gmail.com
Washington, DC—One Pulse for America—an online community of more than 80,000 created by actor and LGBTQ rights activist George Takei to advocate for better gun laws—has launched a website (www.onepulseforamerica.com) with a unique tool for reporting member actions.
Since the One Pulse for America Facebook group (www.1pul.se) was created in June 2016, members have taken more than 18,700 confirmed actions to reduce gun violence. Up to this point, members have reported their actions by typing ‘DONE’ in the comments thread of a given action alert. Now, members will be able to report their actions by clicking on hyperlinks generated by the One Pulse website. These actions will be catalogued by the site and One Pulse members will be able to see how they rank against other members in Total Actions Taken at a Leaderboard. Top contributors at the Leaderboard will be rewarded with prizes, including items signed by Takei and hand-crafted items made by One Pulse admin Morena Hockley.
“One Pulse for America was created to close the ‘Passion Gap’ with pro-gun activists,” said group founder George Takei. “We believe the friendly, spirited competition generated by our new reporting tool and website will help us achieve that goal.”
The website will also include press releases, news clippings featuring commentary from One Pulse for America leaders, and an archive with information about past action alerts.
“After a successful first year, I’m excited to launch phase two for One Pulse for America,” said director Ladd Everitt. “Our members are relentless in confronting radical gun culture and advocating for reforms that will save lives. They deserve user-friendly tools and greater recognition for their work and we’re happy to make that possible.”
One Pulse for America is an online community of more than 80,000 persons who take action on a daily basis to prevent gun violence in the United States of America. One Pulse was founded by actor/LGBTQ rights activist George Takei, who felt compelled to address our nation’s epidemic of gun violence following the gruesome mass shooting at The Pulse nightclub in Orlando.
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Contributor's
Mr President: Is your mother a man or a woman?
Contributor's Opinion Politics South Sudan
by . May 19, 2016 4 6
By Alma Zeno Riko Ettore- Equatorian citizen, UK
South Sudan First Lady Mary Ayen Mayardit (left) and President Kiir Mayardit (right) in a state tour(Photo/Radiotamazuj).
May 19, 2016(Nyamilepedia) —- I wanted to write about this issue earlier but I gave the chance first and foremost to the Gender Minister, South Sudan Parliament and other well-placed women and men in South Sudan to challenge the President for a big “faux pas” he committed when he chose to offer women as sacrificial lambs to his wayward and unprofessional army. Seeing that no one has done so, I took the liberty to pen down my own thoughts.
Any woman has a special status in her community or the place where she lives: She can be a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a grandmother, a godmother, a cousin, a friend, a granddaughter, a neighbour, a community member, a government official, a colleague at work, a Minister, a Prime Minister or a President of a country, a Princess or a Queen etc. etc. This shows that a woman can positively affect any society, community or country in which she lives. Most women have done this quite well with little opportunities and resources; this is why this world is still rotating on its axis and the sun is where it is supposed to be, the moon is where God has placed it and man is still walking on this Earth. If any man denies the importance of women in his life then he is exhibiting nothing but ignorance, lack of knowledge, lack of education and total self-denial.
“If you educate a man you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a nation”
This means that the mother affects the learning experience of a child from day one and therefore if she is learned and educated, her children will grow up to be a better breed of individuals because of that influence of the mother and as we all know, mothers make nations. The father’s educational influence is very little compared to the mother’s especially when the child is still growing and developing because a small child spends most of his/her time with the mother. A mother’s influence on individuals has been proven again and again in researches and statistics throughout the ages.
Every nation’s civilization, power and wealth is measured by the status of its women and not men; this is why South Sudan and its extremely low status of women who form the bulk of the population is one of the poorest in the world in spite of all he country’s natural resources and wealth. This is because these resources have fallen in the hands of ignorant men. As long as these ignorant men remain in power, South Sudan will remain poor and backward.
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When President Salva Kiir gave the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) the green light to rape women as a reward and an incentive for their fight against the rebels, people around the world were stunned and dumbfounded with disbelief, shock and wonder. This is because President Salva Kiir is perceived to be the Head of a State and this is not how Heads of States speak but people have to know that President Salva Kiir is not any other Head of State: He is a leader of a “headless state. “
A Head of State metaphorically has eyes to see, ears to hear and brains to think. South Sudan has no government, no head. It is governed by the JCE, which is a self- appointed group of corrupt old people (average age 82) from the Dinka tribe who are the main advisors of the President. The President seems to fulfil their every wish, however destructive it might be to the nation. Now South Sudan stands in the world arena like a headless nation, without vision, positive presence or principles. South Sudan has been reduced to a joke. Whenever anyone mentions the name “South Sudan” people’s demeanour changes to either pity or contempt. This is not what we envisaged for our country. This is not why we went in droves to vote for the Referendum to secede from Sudan. This is not our vision for our beloved South Sudan. Everyone had a vision of freedom from slavery in all its kind; freedom from poverty and lack of education, from hatred, from malice and opportunism. We envisaged South Sudan as a rich, powerful and exemplary country, a country leading in Africa. A country that will make us feel proud for the first time in 50 years and will stand out for the right reasons but President Salva Kiir and his JCE have other ideas. Their vision for the country is to have slaves and masters, hatred and discord and division, one tribe against the other, one group against the other, death, poverty, hunger and confusion. This is indeed a Reign of Terror. This President and his cohorts will stop at nothing. After mass- raiding the people of South Sudan’s public funds and looting and stealing from public resources, stashing the money in overseas bank accounts and buying businesses and private residences all over the globe, they became unable to give basic services such as salaries to the army on which they depend to terrorise and hold the nation at ransom. As a result, the President has concocted the most disgusting and filthy means to reward the army by advising them to go out and rape women as a means for payment. The big question is “Who are those women that he is pointing out to be sacrificed?
President Salva Kiir will have to realise a true fact: ALTHOUGH HE IS THE PRESIDENT OF SOUTH SUDAN, HE DOES NOT OWN ITS PEOPLE BECAUSE FOR HIM TO OWN OTHER PEOPLE HE HAS TO BUY THEM LIKE SHEEP AND DONKEY. THEREFOR HE CANNOT HAVE JURISDICTION ON ANY WOMAN IN THE LAND EXCEPT HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTERS. IF HE WANTS HIS ARMY TO RAPE WOMEN FOR PAYMENT, LET HIM OFFER THEM HIS OWN WIFE AND DAUGHTERS.
God gave extra thought to create everything in the Earth for the comfort and survival of man. The Holy Scriptures goes on to tell us that He created the heavens with all its constellations, then the earth with its mountains, valleys, hills, oceans, rivers and then all the plants up to the microscopic algae and then the animals, birds, reptiles and invisible creatures. All were created to perfection in order to serve man. When Adam was created God made him out of dust and he was told that he is the master of the Earth and that he should toil it in order to eat. Last of all, God created a being that is like Adam but far more sophisticated, complex and superior (This is why men being simple, will never understand women). God made that being out of Adam’s bone, not out of dust like Adam. The Holy Scriptures speaks in riddles, with hidden meanings. It is only a blessed few who will understand the deep hidden meanings. The Holy Scriptures is a living testimony of facts. That particular bone that Eve was made of was not any other bone, but was a special bone, in a special place in the body: The ribs are very important bones because they protect the most important and most delicate organs of the body: The heart and lungs. The lungs and heart are the main source of life and the heart is a symbol of love, faithfulness and courage. Although the ribs are small and delicate, they tend to be versatile and protective. The ribs are a symbol of protection, like a woman in the house who protects the secrets of the house. This is why women are mentally stronger than men, are versatile, resilient, creative, and industrious and are the life and soul of a house and a family, keeping the family members together in richness and in poverty, in sickness and in health. This is a Holy Scripture proof that Eve was a perfected version of Adam, has an elevated status and that she is the Crème de la crème, meaning the best of the best. Scientifically it is also proven that women are better made than men. Eve was God’s final creation: Perfection. God saved the best till last because he wanted Eve to have every comfort when she arrives. Eve’s main job is for procuration and the continuation of man’s life on Earth. God made Adam see that she was exactly like him and was created in God’s image. This is why Adam loved Eve and respected her as his equal. When Adam said about Eve “ She is bone of my bones”, he meant, “She is part of me – my other half” This is why a woman compliments a man and makes him whole. It was Adam’s rib but it was God’s creation. Adam would not have had a companion; a comforter or a friend who is exactly like him if God did not create Eve. This is why no man owns a woman. God could have made Adam and Eve both at the same time and of dust, but HE is trying to tell us in his own way that He has given women a special status for the functions that he has assigned to them. Adam being the family breadwinner was created larger and stronger and Eve whose main job is to produce children and housekeep was created smaller and physically weaker as she did not need Adam’s strength to do her job. Ignorant and cowardly men have exploited their physical strength in order to subdue and oppress women. A REAL, INTELLIGENT AND EDUCATED man does not need physical strength or coercion to convince a woman.
I hope someone will translate this to the President in a language he understands so that he understands that a woman bore him for 9 long months in her belly, protected him and nourished him with her blood before he came out of her genitals. He did not come to this world in a parachute or a rocket; he came between a woman’s legs like every animal created by God. If it was not for a woman who he suckled for 2 or 3 years and who he tagged on her skirts for 15 years or more, he would have been history a long time ago and we will not have this conversation now, so the President owes every women in South Sudan a big fat apology. Men, who have ears, let them hear!
I will perhaps have to forgive the President for uttering such an unbecoming and shameful statement, which has been broadcasted all over the world because the President lacks education, wisdom and vision. The reason he became the President of South Sudan in the first place is because at the time he was chosen, people were more concerned about seceding from the North of Sudan, therefore not much focus was put on him. The other factor that helped him immensely is because he was hurriedly drafted in to fill the void vacated by the untimely death of Dr John Garang who was a highly educated, well-placed and visionary leader; the founder of the SPLA/M. If Dr. Garang was alive, Salva Kiir will never have the platform to insult the South Sudanese women or mess the country as he has done. This President is the most unsuitable candidate for this job. He knows it, the JCE know and so does everyone in South Sudan.
We the South Sudanese women have to fight for our rights much harder and the first fight is to stand together from all the 64 tribes as women of South Sudan in order to topple this evil regime of President Salva Kiir. The President who seems to like to inflict on himself grievous bodily harm has to be reminded that we the South Sudanese women who he so much derides and holds in contempt constitute ¾ of the total population of South Sudan and we promise that we will be the chink in his armour, the Achilles tendon in his heel, the banana skin in his way. We will never rest until he is GONE with the wind.
In conclusion I want to give advice to people who can make some changes in the lives of our long suffering mothers, sisters and daughters in South Sudan. The Gender Minister was appointed to look after women. She should be the first person to tackle and challenge the unbecoming and insulting attitude and speech of the President and men of low education and low morality like him in government. The President is setting an unfortunate precedence and a very bad example to young people and people who have spent all their time doing nothing but damage to communities. The Gender Minister has the duty to educate the men around her and stand for the cause of women so that they can have a better life. I will therefor urge the Minister for Gender to ask the President to apologise to the women of South Sudan without reservations. I will also ask the Parliament of South Sudan which is the most impotent, useless and redundant Parliament in the world to stand up for the rights of the People of South Sudan at least once in their lifetime and condemn the President ‘s ill-advised and utterly revolting statement against women.
Long live every Woman in South Sudan
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Akot Mathiang May 19, 2016 at 12:31 pm
Alma Zeno Riko,
Your article is full of biases and unfounded allegations.
1-Who do you think should apologize for the raping of women in the dying beds in Bor Hospital by the White Army?
2-Why don’t you talk of women and young girls who were massacred mercilessly by White Army in the UNMISS compound in Akobo?
3-why don’t you mention a horrible story of 70 yrs old chollo woman and pregnant mothers in the hands of merciless White Army in Malakal?
Given the above information, no group of women is better than the other group of women as your little tribal mentality judgement seems to ignore.
4-Can you be able to mention for me the speech in which the President awarded women for the soldiers as salaries in terms of raping?
Why do you people create lies after lies of which you could not even have an evidence for self- defend if one is taken to court for the defamation of the Head of State?
NAGUDI KALOOZI May 19, 2016 at 10:49 pm
Alma, you raise a very crucial point of evidence. The article above droped me into deep shock, i need to be sure if president Kiir really did that. I will be glad if the writter supported her argument with facts. The thought of a man rapping or offering a woman to be raped kills me. Not just because i am a woman but because i am humane
Marum Nyatolchiek Chai May 20, 2016 at 3:04 am
The truth has to be told. frankly speaking, Mr. Kiir has no Qualification,experience and Qualities of leadership to lead South Sudan as a head of state. He got his position by chance and that is why we are in this state of shame and mess.South Sudanese are known everywhere on this earth for moving everywhere and they are considered just like lost sheep. Salva wants to adopt leadership styles of his neighbors but South Sudan is differrent
Alfred Alphonse May 20, 2016 at 6:05 am
There is nothing wrong with being bias on an issue .But It’s unjournalistic publish articles that aren’t supported by anything ( facts. ).
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Our Covid Response the Best of a Bad Year
Bruce McLaren
Jason Momoa Haka Aquaman Premiere
NZEDGE > News > Arts > Film & TV > Stunning NZ Films You Should Know About
View article source
Stunning NZ Films You Should Know About
“New Zealand certainly brings a fair few ‘bests’ to the table. Aside from being one of the most beautiful countries in the world, responsible for some of the greatest exploratory and scientific minds, New Zealand has also produced some of the best and most original films,” writes Caroline Frost in an article for The Huffington Post, which lists eight stunning New Zealand movies.
Boy – Taika Waititi (2010)
The coming of age comedy drama Boy “revolves around an imaginative 11-year-old, attempting to make sense of the world, while dealing with the return of his just-out-of-jail father” and has won in its section at the 2010 Berlin Film Festival, according to the article.
Goodbye Pork Pie – (1981)
Goodbye Pork Pie, written and directed by George Murphy, is considered to “be one of the first films that made people stand up and take New Zealand filmmaking seriously.” The story follows young Gerry, who hires a mini with stolen driver’s license and John, who has just been left by his wife. Together they hit the road to travel the length of the country.”
Heavenly Creatures – Peter Jackson (1994)
Heavenly Creatures, directed by Peter Jackson, “follows the true story of the notorious 1954 Parker-Hulme murder case in Christchurch, New Zealand.” The film deals predominantly with the obsessive relationship between two teenage girls Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme who murder Parker’s mother.
Once Were Warriors – Lee Tamahori (1994)
“Directed from the best-selling Alan Duff novel, Once Were Warriors tells the story of the Hekes, an urban Maori family and their issues of poverty, alcoholism and domestic violence,” as reported in the article.
Sleeping Dogs – Roger Donaldson (1977)
Sleeping Dogs, based on the book Smith’s Dream by C.K. Stead was directed by Roger Donaldson and starred Sam Neill, Clyde Scott and Warren Oates. The film was described as a political thriller with action elements.
Frost also lists Jane Campion’s The Piano, Roger Donaldson’s The World’s Fastest Indian and Taika Waititi’s Hunt for the Wilderpeople. To read more about these films please click here.
Article Source: Huffington Post UK, Caroline Frost, September 16, 2016
Tags: Boy Goodbye Pork Pie Heavenly Creatures Huffington Post (The) Hunt for the Wilderpeople Jane Campion Lee Tamahori Once Were Warriors Peter Jackson Roger Donaldson Sleeping Dogs Taika Waititi The Piano The World's Fastest Indian
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Judy Berman
As urbanization continues in Orange County, the wildland-urban interface is moving and expanding. The wildland-urban interface (WUI) is the zone of transition between unoccupied wildland and human developments. This area becomes particularly sensitive for wildlife as infrastructure such as roads, cell towers, and water facilities disrupt the natural ecology. Due to their close proximity to open spaces, communities are often also more at risk of wildfires. Orange County planners and residents are striving constantly to reconcile the ever expanding need for good ways to enhance traffic flow while ensuring the environment is also carefully respected.
View of the Bond Fire which threatened Orchard Hills, the community that resides in the WUI between Portola Pkwy and Route 241. Photo by Michaela Coats.
In a recent review of the traffic situation in the South County, The Toll Roads and transportation commission (OCTA) provided a report (South County Traffic Relief Effort Project Report) of their research on ways to enhance traffic flow while ensuring a sustainable relationship with the natural environment. The process of creating the report included multiple mobility workshops with leaders from environmental groups such as the Surfrider Foundation, the Endangered Habitats League, and Sierra Club, as well as separate workshops with locally elected officials. These environmental groups work tirelessly to advocate for the environment amidst attempts of infrastructure development that would harm crucial habitats.
OCTA recommended that a coordinated implementation of multiple planned projects should be considered and be able to accommodate the transportation needs. In an attempt to balance the expanding infrastructure with environmental and public health, many factors put forth by the various community resources were considered such as:
1. Effects of toxins from extra traffic near schools from expanding HOV/HOT lanes
2. Cost of the project and tolls is prohibitive for many residents
3. Net effect of not alleviating traffic congestion
4. Perceived possible drop in property values in San Juan Capistrano
5. Possible negative effects of construction noise and construction air emissions that might exceed air quality standards for fine PM10 and toxic emissions during construction that cannot be mitigated to less than significant impacts per CEAQ and the NEPA.
Also taken into consideration in the decision were the Cultural Resource Sites, which include previously recorded archaeological, paleontological, or historic sites documented within the disturbance limits of the alternatives and environmental justice communities, which include the number of census tracts within the disturbance limits of an alternative that may have higher populations than the County as a whole for one, two, or all three of these categories that include:
· higher Latino/Hispanic populations
· higher minority populations
· higher low-income populations
(Of the alternatives only about one-quarter were considered to have a low impact on the environmental justice communities.)
According to the Coastal Commission, the Interstate 5 transportation corridor within South Orange County bisects coastal resources, including environmentally sensitive habitat areas designated as ecological preserves and coastal lagoon systems along the Pacific Ocean. Impacts to these resources are carefully restricted by Coastal Act policies. The Coastal Commission weighed in on the alternatives and urged decision makers to couple any decisions around highway expansions with robust public transit options, as also noted by commenters, to promote reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and improvements to public access to the coast.
It was also recommended CalTrans should prioritize maintaining wildlife movement and habitat connectivity with any new transportation projects as well as enhance such connectivity with projects that include existing transportation infrastructure. Both north-south and east-west movement is vital for healthy populations of mountain lions and other wildlife and plants in the region. They should choose the alternative that minimizes impacts to mountain lions and other wildlife movement, especially in an area in which such movement is already compromised by existing roads and development. The strong link between mountain lions and ecosystem function and public health and safety warrants the integration of wildlife movement and behavior as well as habitat connectivity in the design and implementation of transportation infrastructure like the proposed project.
Wildlife Protection Fence installed along State Route 241. Photo sourced from the OC Register.
To that end, one of TCA’s major environmental initiatives was the completion of the Wildlife Protection Fence along State Route 241 and the ongoing monitoring of the fence’s effectiveness and the associated bridge under-crossings and large culverts efficacy. The 10- to 12-foot-high 6.5 mile fence was constructed to protect mountain lions, mule deer, coyotes and bobcats living in the Santa Ana Mountains from passing cars. In addition to shielding them from the road, the new fence, which spans both sides of a six-mile stretch of SR 241, also funnels them to existing wildlife bridges and culvert under-crossings that allow them safe passage to open spaces on either side of the road. The project was the result of a joint study with University of California, Davis into the movement and health of the area’s wildlife, including GPS tracking of mountain lions, and collaboration with the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Map of MacPherson property purchased by the OCTA. Photo sourced from the OC Register.
OCTA continues to purchase land for use as open space to be permanently designated as wilderness preserves. For example, the 204-acre MacPherson property was purchased about 6 years ago located northwest of Rancho Santa Margarita in the Silverado-Modjeska area because it was identified as a priority conservation area and because of the diversity of habitat types found on the property, including chaparral, coastal sage scrub, oak woodland, and native grassland. This property is adjacent to the Orange County Parks open space properties as well as Irvine Ranch Conservancy wildlands, enabling linkage to other key protected wildlands.
In a world of increasing development, there is an ever-growing need for solid infrastructure development. Finding the balance between development and the environment takes the collaboration between stakeholders where each perspective is taken into account. Together, we can find the sustainable option that benefits both humans and wildlife.
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Nordic Metal
It's all about the bands and their music!
STYLE: Progressive MetalORIGIN: NorwayFORMED: 1990LABEL: Season Of Mist
Kjetil Nordhus − Vocals
Tchort-Guitars
Michael Krumins − Guitar
Stein Roger Sordal − Bass
Tommy Jacksonville − Drums
Kenneth Silden − Piano, Keyboards
Green Carnation is a progressive metal band from Kristiansand, Norway formed in 1990. Green Carnation’s trend of music has continuously become less and less heavy after every release; from straight forward death metal, to a progressive doom metal sound, to an atmospheric gothic metal sound, to a melancholic hard rock sound and in 2006, went as far as to releasing an entirely acoustic album Acoustic Verses.
Green Carnation is the creation of former Emperor bass player Terje Vik Schei (a.k.a. Tchort), founded before Tchort joined Emperor in 1990. It eventually split, with the remaining members X-Botteri, Cm:Botteri and Anders Kobro creating avant-garde metal band In the Woods….
Green Carnation’s first album, Journey to the End of the Night, wasn’t recorded until 1998 and was released in October 2000 through German record company Prophecy Productions. The release was a folk inspired doom metal album. The Botteri brothers, Alf Tore Rasmussen and Geir Solli left the band after recording the debut album, and then Anders Kobro from In The Woods… joined up with Tchort and them two made the foundation and arrangements for the whole song that became Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness. (almost 2 years of working), they then did a pre-production in dub-studio with Endre Kirkesola helping out with the bassguitar, Tchort did the guitars and Anders Kobro the drums. This was enough to convince Bjørn Harstad (In The Woods… guitarist), Stein Roger Sordal (Soxpan ITW… live bassplayer), Kjetil Nordhus (vocals) and Bernt Andrè Moen (Shining) to join the band in time for the actual recording for the album Light of Day, Day of Darkness, a single track, 60-minute progressive metal epic again recorded in Dub-studio. The album was released in 2001 via Prophecy Productions in Europe, whereas the US release was handled by The End Records. The album is highly regarded, and is one of the longest single songs in metal.
Following this release, the band released their 2003 full-length album A Blessing in Disguise through French record label Season Of Mist. The album consisted of a blend of progressive metal/rock elements, slightly gothic tinges, and hard rock elements and brought the band into another musical terrain. Bjørn Harstad left the band after the recording of A Blessing In Disguise, a decision he made due to his other work commitments. Unfortunately Bernt Moen also decided to quit the band due to obligations with other artists and solo projects after the Blessing in Disguise tour of 2003.
Two years later the band followed up with the album The Quiet Offspring, introducing Kenneth Silden on keyboard and Michael Krumins on guitar. The album was released through Season Of Mist in Europe and The End Records in the US. This album brought the band into an even more hard-rock style of music and is seen by many to be their most commercial-sounding release. At this point, they made the decision to replace Anders Kobro with drummer Tommy Jackson (Jacksonville). Jacksonville was a natural choice since he had been a long-time friend and partner of Stein Sordal’s other projects, Soxpan, Sordal and Plutho ++). Later in 2005, the band released an EP entitled The Burden Is Mine… Alone. This EP marked the debut of bassist/guitarist Stein Roger Sordal as a lead vocalist in the band, with the song that shares the name of the EP and the song was written and performed entirely by him. Drummer Tommy Jacksonville also debuted as song writer and lyricist on the EP. He wrote the song Transparent Me for the album. This release also worked as a taste of what was to come with their following full-length album.
Early 2006 marked the release of their fifth full-length The Acoustic Verses. This album was yet another stylistic shift for the band. On the album, the band played all acoustic instruments, showing off a softer, warmer style for the band while retaining the progressive and darker feels they established since their debut.
According to Tchort’s writings in the booklet to The Acoustic Verses, Green Carnation’s next studio release is going to be the second part of “The Chronicles of Doom” trilogy, which began with Light of Day, Day of Darkness, and is going to be titled The Rise and Fall of Mankind.
In February 2007, Green Carnation recorded their second live DVD, A Night Under the Dam, where they played the entire ‘Acoustic Verses‘-album as well as a few other songs. The DVD was recorded under a 30-meter-tall dam in the Norwegian mountains and was the last release to be seen by the band’s current line-up.
On August 17, 2007, Terje Vik Schei announced that due to the poorly organized American tour and subsequent financial and motivational losses, the line up of Green Carnation had split up. Tchort stated that he would
“continue writing music under the name Green Carnation, but probably will never play live again with the band.”
The expected album, The Rise and Fall of Mankind, has been postponed with no current release date, but Tchort has said that the album will be released sometime in the future.
In February 2014, they announced they would be performing live again, starting with another “Night Under The Dam” on July 31st. In addition, they have been announced for ProgPower XVII 2016, performing on Saturday, September 10th.
The Acoustic Verses / 2006
Artist: Green Carnation
Record Label: Sublife
1. Sweet Leaf
2. The Burden Is Mine… Alone
3. Maybe?
5. 9-29-045
6. Child’s Play Part 3
7. High Tide Waves
The Acoustic Verses is the 5th full-length album by Norwegian progressive metal band Green Carnation, released in 2006 on Sublife Records. This album was yet another stylistic shift for the band. On the album, the band played all acoustic instruments, showing off a softer, warmer style for the band while retaining the progressive and darker feels they established since their debut.
The Quiet Offspring / 2005
Record Label: Season Of Mist
1. The Quiet Offspring
2. Between the Gentle Small & the Standing Tall
3. Just When You Think It’s Safe
4. A Place for Me
5. The Everlasting Moment
6. Purple Door, Pitch Black
7. Child’s Play – Part I
8. Dead but Dreaming
9. Pile of Doubt
10. When I Was You
11. Child’s Play – Part II
The Quiet Offspring is the fourth full-length studio album by the Norwegian progressive metal band Green Carnation. It was released on February 22, 2005. In this recording, the band breaks away from their previous offerings. Although critically acclaimed and well accepted by fans, The Quiet Offspring has a more traditional rock sound and leaves behind much of the progressiveness and atmospheric feels of the band’s previous albums, Light of Day, Day of Darkness and A Blessing in Disguise. Some listeners have criticized this transition, while others claim it would have been inconceivable to repeat the feat of the sixty-minute album.
A Blessing in Disguise / 2003
1. Crushed to Dust
2. Lullaby in Winter
3. Writings on the Wall
4. Into Deep
5. The Boy in the Attic
6. Two Seconds in Life
7. Myron & Cole
8. As Life Flows By
9. Rain
A Blessing in Disguise is the third full-length studio album of the Norwegian progressive metal band, Green Carnation. The album was released two years after their previous album, Light of Day, Day of Darkness. This album was a stylistic shift for the band, creating some more “live-friendly” rock songs as opposed to its sixty-minute-long predecessor.
Light of Day, Day of Darkness / 2001
Record Label: Prophecy Productions
Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness
Light of Day, Day of Darkness is the second (one-track) studio album by the Norwegian progressive metal band, Green Carnation. The album was composed, written and arranged by founding member Terje Vik Schei (a.k.a. Tchort). It was released by The End Records on January 8 2002. It is composed of a single 60-minute track on CD, but is split into 2 parts digitally. The album was largely inspired by the death of Tchort’s daughter and the birth of his son. It is said that 600 different samples were used in the editing of the song.
Musically, Light of Day, Day of Darkness is pure progressive metal. In this album, the band combines many different instruments, not commonly used in metal, to create an original soundscape. The album shows some death metal twinges from their roots with Roger Rasmussen / Nattefrost drafted in to perform death growls and Anders Kobro implementing occasional blast beats as well.
Journey To The End Of The Night / 2000
1. Falling into Darkness
2. In the Realm of the Midnight Sun
3. My Dark Reflections of Life and Death
4. Under Eternal Stars
5. Journey to the End of the Night (Part I)
6. Echoes of Despair (Part II)
7. End of Journey? (Part III)
8. Shattered (Part IV)
Journey to the End of the Night is the debut studio album by the Norwegian progressive metal band Green Carnation, released by The End Records on May 28, 2000. This is also the last composition by Green Carnation featuring Christian “X” Botteri.
The title is a reference to Louis-Ferdinand Celine’s novel Journey to the End of the Night.
No news found for this band.
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DISCLAIMER! None of the tourdates presented on this page belong to Nordic Metal. All the tourdates content belong to Bandsintown. We are using their data through a written consent between Nordic Metal and Bandsintown. Tourdates are shown as they are and Nordic Metal is not responsible for any false information.
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Founded as a five piece in 1990, Take That is one of the UK’s most successful bands to ever exist. With 17 Top 5 singles, 12 of which were number 1 and 7 number 1 album sales, no one can deny their love for Manchester boys Robbie Williams, Gary Barlow, Jason Orange, Howard Donald & Mark Owen.
With a turbulent relationship throughout the years, five famously became four in 1995 resulting in the bands split in 1996. Later reforming in 2005 (without Robbie) Take That resumed their careers as a four piece releasing ‘Beautiful World’ & ‘The Circus’, which took their total record sales to 45 million worldwide.
With Robbie rejoining in 2010 for their sixth studio album ‘Progress’, it became the fastest selling album of the 21st century. Now acting as a three piece without Williams & Orange, Take That show no sign of stopping – recently scoring their 7th number 1 album with ‘III’.
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HealthTraining & Performance
Could Tough Mudder’s Electric Shocks Kill Me?
Tough Mudder says their Electroshock Therapy obstacle delivers a 10,000-volt electric shock. Can a human survive that, or is it a sham?
Shock Therapy at Tough Mudder in Paige, Texas.
Erin Beresini
On first hearing, it seems improbable that the wires in Tough Mudder’s Electroshock Therapy obstacle are juiced with 10,000 volts of electricity, particularly considering that a standard American 120-volt outlet can electrocute you. (Brief lesson in human-electricity contact lingo: "electrocuted" means you’re dead, while "shocked" means you’re still alive.)
That said, it is entirely possible that some Electroshock Therapy wires are backed by 10,000 volts of electricity, as advertised.
Dr. Michael S. Morse, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of San Diego, explains that while 10,000 volts can be life threatening in certain circumstances, it’s possible for something to have 10,000 volts behind it and be relatively harmless. “It might shoot off a large amount of current for a tiny amount of time, but generally speaking, it poses little to no risk,” he says.
That’s because many factors besides voltage are at play in electric shocks. The most important of those variables is how much energy is driving the electric current, measured in amps (which is directly related to voltage), the frequency of that current, how long the shock lasts, and where it enters and exits the body.
“Household static shocks, for example, are very high frequency and have a very short duration,” Morse says. According to LiveScience.com, it's possible to generate up to 25,000 volts by dragging your feet across a carpet, though Morse pegs the voltage of a typical carpet shock between a few hundred to a few thousand volts. Either way, household static shocks are almost always harmless. “Most of the shocks that electrocute people are at a much lower frequency, a much longer duration, and have more energy creating a much more significant driving force,” Morse says.
Morse describes how humans experience shock in amps. Humans can feel one-one thousandth of an amp, or one milliamp, of electricity, he says. To put that in perspective, it takes about 800 milliamps to light a 100-watt light bulb. Ten milliamps can cause a person pain, and at 14 to 15 milliamps, you will lose muscle control, an experience called the “cannot let go” phenomenon. Fifty milliamps is generally where you run the risk of dying from an abnormal heart rhythm.
Nevertheless, as stated above, how those amps are delivered plays a major role in whether or not you’re toast. A TASER’s current can exceed 14 amps, and the devices can produce more than 14,000 volts across a human body. But their pulse only lasts for a few millionths of a second, and the average current they give off over time is less than four milliamps. (Researchers at Wake Forest University recently concluded that TASERs are generally non-lethal.)
“As a rule of thumb,” Morse says, “amperage, in relation to human contact, is about one-one thousandth of the voltage.” That would place Electroshock Therapy’s amperage at about 10 amps, putting a shock from that obstacle on par with getting tased. To make it worse, Mudders are usually wet when running through the wires, and wet skin drops the body’s resistance to electric shock.
In the end, whether or not you can withstand a 10,000-volt Tough Mudder shock is a personal matter. As Morse points out, “Humans are very variable, and some people are vastly more sensitive to electricity.” That’s why Tough Mudder makes it clear at the start of each event that if you have any heart problems, pacemakers, internal metal, or just don’t want to subject yourself to the shocks, you should skip all electrified obstacles.
Morse says that he’d never heard of Tough Mudder before Outside contacted him for this article, and knows nothing about how the company produces its electricity. Considering Morse is one of the nation’s leading courtroom experts on electrocution, frequently testifying in cases involving electricity and humans, that’s probably a good sign.
Bottom line: Ten thousand volts it is! If you're mentally and physically able to withstand repeated tasing, more power to you.
Filed To: Endurance Training
Exercise Blocks Pain, But Only For Believers
Rethinking What Power Meters Mean for Runners
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Mali’s junta leader to be veep in transition government
by: BABA AHMED, Associated Press
Posted: Sep 21, 2020 / 11:05 AM CDT / Updated: Sep 21, 2020 / 11:53 AM CDT
FILE – In this Monday, Aug. 24, 2020 file photo, Col. Assimi Goita, declared himself the leader of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People, arrives to meet with a regional delegation at the Ministry of Defense in the capital Bamako, Mali. The head of Mali’s military junta Col. Assimi Goita said Monday, Sept. 21, 2020 that he will serve as the vice president in a transitional government that is supposed to bring about a return to democracy more than a month after a coup d’etat, with Maj. Col. Bah N’Daw named as president of the transitional government. (AP Photo/Baba Ahmed, File)
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — The head of Mali’s military junta said Monday he will serve as the vice president in a transitional government that is supposed to bring about a return to democracy more than a month after a coup.
The move is likely to be immediately rejected by the international community, which has called on Mali’s junta to restore civilian rule as soon as possible or face additional sanctions.
Col. Assimi Goita, the leader of the junta, made the announcement himself on Mali’s state television, ORTM, saying he had been chosen as vice president. He said that retired Maj. Col. Bah N’Daw has been named president of the transitional government, which is to be inaugurated on Sept. 25.
The 15-nation West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS has insisted that both president and vice president of the interim government must be civilians. Already the regional group has closed borders to Mali and stopped financial flows to the country in the wake of the coup. It was not immediately clear what additional actions ECOWAS may take following Monday’s announcement.
While ECOWAS has shown some flexibility in agreeing to an 18-month time frame for holding new elections, the regional bloc has made clear that sanctions would only be lifted if a civilian president and vice president were named.
Mal’s political opposition staged weeks of public demonstrations against former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita prior to his ouster in August. However, divisions between the opposition and the junta have begun to deepen, with the opposition condemning any attempt to have a military leader in the transitional government.
There has been widespread concern that the ongoing political upheaval in Mali will set back efforts to contain the country’s growing Islamic insurgency. After a similar coup in 2012, Islamic extremists grabbed control of major towns in northern Mali. Only a 2013 military intervention led by France pushed extremists out of those towns and the international community has spent seven years battling the militants.
by BARRY HATTON, Associated Press / Jan 20, 2021
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portugal’s new daily COVID-19 cases jumped to more than 14,600 to set a new national record Wednesday, as the country weathers one of the worst pandemic surges in the world.
Health authorities officially reported 14,647 new infections — about 3,600 more than the previous daily record set four days ago.
Springfield Police Department loosen policies over staffing shortages
SGCHD: 37 COVID-19 related deaths, reported to them from January 13 through January 19
Mercy creates portal to register for COVID-19 vaccines
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Bills name Brandon Beane general manager
CHARLOTTE -- The Buffalo Bills announced on Tuesday that they've chosen Panthers assistant general manager Brandon Beane to be their new general manager.
Beane spent 19 seasons in Carolina coordinating all football-related matters, including personnel, coaching, scouting, player development, medical staff, strength/athletic training and administrative staff. He assisted general manager Dave Gettleman in the evaluation of players at the professional and collegiate levels in addition to holding administrative and scouting responsibilities in both areas.
In 2012, Beane served as the Panthers' interim general manager during the final 10 games of the season, helping Carolina finish with a 6-4 record over that span.
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Abigail Breslin Takes Lead Ghost Duties In 'Haunter'
Abigail Breslin has #GhostWorldProblems in the new movie “Haunter,” in theaters in New York today. The actor -- who has built an impressive resume with “Signs,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” “Zombieland,”and the upcoming “Ender’s Game” and “August: Osage County”—takes the lead in a big way in this paranormal suspense tale with a twist about a 15-year-old girl specter.
Directed by Vincenzo Natali, (“Cube,” “Splice”) Breslin is Lisa, a ghost who exists in a “Groundhog Day” of an afterlife with her parents and younger brother. They keep reliving the day in 1986; a day before her 16th birthday, and the day they all died. But it is Breslin’s character who becomes self-aware of her situation, and proceeds to haunt Olivia (Eleanor Zichy), the teen daughter of her home’s current occupants. Meanwhile, she herself is haunted by the malevolent ghost of a serial killer (Stephen McHattie) with the power to possess others – and a connection to Lisa, Olivia and a series of other girls.
Although McHattie delivers a creepy turn as “The Pale Man,” and Breslin is aided by Zichy and Samantha Weinstein, who plays another ghost, “Haunter” really rests on the performance on the 17-year-old actor. The film takes place in one home throughout a few time frames and is told from Lisa’s perspective – which means Breslin is in nearly, if not every, scene. Whether she is alone or interacting with another actor, she is working hard to portray a strong young woman in incredibly creepy environs.
Breslin joined me by phone from her home in Los Angeles to talk about her duties in “Haunter,” as well as share a little about her thoughts on the paranormal and her plans for Halloween.
What was the initial appeal of “Haunter” for you?
I’ve always loved horror movies. It is my favorite genre, so I always wanted to do a horror movie. Immediately after reading it, I just knew I wanted to be a part of it. I loved the story and thought it was so smart, clever and unique from a lot of horror movies I’ve seen.
Do you prefer supernatural or slasher horror?
I definitely prefer the supernatural horror films. I like slashers but would rather watch two hours of a creepy kind of story that leaves you thinking the whole time rather than one where someone takes a sledgehammer to four people. My favorites would be “The Exorcist” or stuff like that, and I loved “Insidious” and “Insidious 2.” I actually did love “The Strangers,” but that wasn’t just a slasher flick.
“Haunter” kind of reminds me of an amped-up “Goosebumps” story from R.L. Stine.
Yeah, thank you! I have loved “Goosebumps” since I was little. I was that weird kid who liked “The Haunted Mask.” While all my friends were watching “Barbie’s Dream Vacation,” I was watching “Goosebumps.” So yeah, I can definitely see that in “Haunter.” There’s no blood in the movie, and it is just really all psychological and is a mystery.
You really take on a big lead in “Haunter,” so what are some challenges you faced with that responsibility?
It was an isolating process to be a part of because it was kind of just me for a lot of it. That was interesting. But I love the character so much. It is definitely challenging sometimes when you’re all alone for 85 percent of it.
Did working on basically one set enhance your character’s claustrophobia of being stuck in her house in the afterlife, or did it just drive you insane as an actor?
It did drive me insane! But I do think it helped. It is a very isolating movie and she is in the house pretty much the whole time. It did feel claustrophobic because I’d get there early in the morning and wouldn’t leave until late at night. I never really saw the light of day. It did help a lot, though.
Stephen McHattie plays a great creepy ghost to your fairly innocent one. How did you establish that chemistry?
Vincenzo [Natali] kind of wanted us to stay away from each other because he wanted me to be afraid of him. So we’d be in the hair and makeup chair, and sort of not talk to each other. He comes off as ominous but once we wrapped, we actually talked. He’s such a nice guy and the whole time I had been afraid of him a little bit – which, I think, helped.
Do you have any of your own paranormal experiences?
I do have one really creepy story. I got this thing called sleep paralysis where you’re awake and can see everything around you but can’t move. I was staying at my friend’s house and saw this woman and her dog come up to me in the house, and the next day I was telling my friend about it. She pulled out this family album and a woman in a picture was the woman I saw; it was my friend’s mom. And her ashes were right next to my bed.
Does that experience make you want to break out the Ouija board like you do in one scene in the movie?
No, I don’t want to try that. I do want to meet the Long Island Medium, however.
So you thought the Ouija board was creepy to shoot with?
Yeah, it was. Right after we called cut, I had a massive asthma attack and a lamp broke. I’m pretty sure somebody was pissed off we were playing with it!
Since this is a good October movie, what will you be doing for Halloween?
I think I’ll be hanging out with my friends and going to Knott’s Scary Farm in L.A. We’re just going to be scared and crazy, and go back to her place, watch horror movies and eat candy. It’s what I do now that I’m in my late teens and can’t really trick-or-treat now, even though I’d love to … I don’t feel like I’m too old and still want to. I might just convince my friends to go trick-or-treating with me because that’s what I really want to do!
Labels: Abigail Breslin, Haunter, movies
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An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (dependence on alcohol or drugs)
Myron Thompson (Wild Rose)
This bill comes into force when it receives Royal Assent.
The information on this page is current as of January 20, 2021
The coming into force provisions in LEGISinfo are excerpted from the text of the bill as introduced and given first reading. The information is not updated to reflect amendments made to bills during the legislative process. Where an Act comes into force on a day or days to be fixed by order of the Governor in Council, additional dates of commencement are added once an order is issued. Where an Act or a provision thereof is silent as to its commencement, it comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.
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Home/News/Twitter unveils #Music service
New app allows users to share their favourite music tracks and artists with connected friends
Twitter unveils #Music service
18th April 2013 News
The social-networking site has launched its new music app, which recommends new music tracks to users based on the people they follow.
Once a song is recommended to a user, they’re then able to listen to the track through third-party services such as Spotify and iTunes.
Additionally, the app displays what a user’s friends are listening to, as well as recommendations based on the artists they listen to.
The rollout follows the launch of Spotify’s similar follow system, which allows users to follow their friends in order to be notified of the tracks they are listening to.
However, the feature is yet to be made available on the service’s mobile platforms.
Twitter’s #Music app is expected to debut in Apple’s app store shortly, whilst there has yet to be any mention of its further release on the Android and Windows Phone platforms.
Despite initially launching in the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, additional countries are to be added soon.
Following the announcement, Stephen Phillips of Twitter commented on the service within a post on the social-network’s official blog.
"It uses Twitter activity, including tweets and engagement, to detect and surface the most popular tracks and emerging artists," said Phillips.
"It also brings artists’ music-related Twitter activity front and centre: go to their profiles to see who they follow and listen to songs by those artists."
Phillips highlighted that many of the social network’s users follow at least one musician, and encouraged the new service’s ability to bring musicians and fans together.
"This is why artists turn to Twitter first to connect with their fans — and why we wanted to find a way to surface songs people are tweeting about."
Tags app greg-lockleyintentmedia-co-uk spotify twitter
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The University of Plymouth
University of Plymouth considering student numbers amid staff redundancy rumours
The University says it is in the "early stages of developing its ten year vision"
Katie TimmsChief Reporter
The University of Plymouth is considering the number of students it has enrolled at the institution.
Plymouth Live was contacted by an anonymous source who said that University staff had a meeting to discuss "downsizing student intake".
The source claimed that the meeting discussed downsizing by around 10,000 students in the next two years.
The University has said that "is not the case" but has confirmed it is in the "early stages of developing its ten year vision" which does include considering many aspects of the institution, including student numbers.
A spokesperson for the University of Plymouth said: "What is the case is that the University is in the early stages of developing its ten year vision which seeks to build on its core strengths.
Students inside the Roland Levinsky Building at the University of Plymouth
"As part of these discussions we will consider many aspects of the university including the overall makeup of students across the overall student population – for example the number of undergraduate and/or postgraduate students as a proportion of the whole.
"This is a standard part of any university’s consideration within its future planning.”
Plymouth's first shop selling cannabis products has arrived
It comes weeks after began rumours circulating about potential redundancies, following the publication of a letter spread around social media.
The university has said that they were not aware of any circumstances as to how that speculation had begun.
In a statement, a spokesperson said: "The university has not received the letter nor does it recognise the overall situation it describes and we are disappointed that the individual has not spoken to us directly.
"The university continues to make good progress against its strategy, is rising in the various national league tables and is also set to continue to invest in its estate in order to enhance the student and staff experience.
"The university plays a pivotal role in Plymouth and the surrounding region.
The main hall at the University of Plymouth (Image: Penny Cross / Plymouth Live)
"Currently, the university is closely engaging with its staff and Board of Governors in developing a ten year vision which seeks to build on the university’s core strengths – excellent teaching underpinned by our research.
"As our planning for the ten year vision progresses it will also take into account the challenges faced by the majority of universities in the sector and this will require us to change some of the way we do things, as well as to highlight future opportunities.
26,700 homes planned for Plymouth and South West Devon - full list of sites
"We recognise that any change can be unsettling and our commitment is to work closely with colleagues to build the future vision for the University and for its continued success.”
Do you have a story to share or for us to investigate?
Get in touch using katie.timms@reachplc.com, call 07584591102 or tweet me @KatieTimms94.
Drunken teenager came within millimetres of killing student with broken bottle
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HUD Settles $132M Post Katrina Lawsuit in MS
BILOXI, MS - Two years after filing suit against the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Mississippi housing advocates are praising the settlement reached today with HUD and the State of Mississippi. The plan calls for the state to direct $132 million to disaster housing recovery of lower-income households in south Mississippi whose needs were not served by the State's previous programs.
The funding, provided primarily through HUD's Community Development Block Grant program, supports the long-term disaster recovery in the wake of the 2005 hurricane. The plan includes a new Neighborhood Home program that will repair lower-income homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina, either as a result of wind or flooding, and programs for qualified low-income persons to occupy Mississippi Cottages and rental housing.
"Our focus always has been to get Mississippi to finish housing first," said James Crowell, Treasurer of the Mississippi State Conference NAACP and a member of the national board of directors NAACP, one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed in 2008 against HUD that challenged the agency's approval of Mississippi's diversion of $570 million in housing funds toward the expansion of the State Port at Gulfport. "With this plan, Mississippi has committed to repair low-income households, regardless of whether the damage was caused by wind or flood. We can now make progress toward repairing and rebuilding housing in low-income African American neighborhoods that have been neglected for the past five years."
As a result of the agreement, attorneys for the plaintiffs will dismiss the appeal now pending in the U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
"Safe, affordable housing was touted as the hallmark of Mississippi's recovery efforts. This agreement provides another opportunity to fulfill that commitment. For the first time, the State of Mississippi has agreed to help make wind damaged households, which were primarily occupied by the elderly, the disabled and African-Americans, whole," said Charmel Gaulden, executive director, Gulf Coast Fair Housing Center. "Another important aspect of this plan is that it also extends eligibility to previously-unserved storm-damaged households as far north as Hattiesburg and Laurel."
The Neighborhood Home program will provide up to $75,000—and possibly more depending upon certain hardship considerations—worth of repairs, rehabilitation, or reconstruction to lower-income homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Other programs will provide assistance to qualified households seeking to permanently occupy cottages and to qualified renters whose apartments were damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
"This is a major victory for the Plaintiffs in the lawsuit as well as the thousands of households previously denied assistance who will now be eligible for the federal aid they have always needed. It is a testament to the commitment of these Plaintiffs and the willingness of all parties to work toward a pragmatic and satisfactory solution," said Larry Schoen, attorney with Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., who, together with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and Mississippi Center for Justice, filed the lawsuit in December 2008, on behalf of the Mississippi State Conference NAACP, the Gulf Coast Fair Housing Center and four individual plaintiffs.
To increase public awareness and identify further unmet recovery needs, the State will undertake an outreach campaign across Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River, Stone, George, Lamar, Forrest and Jones counties through January 15, 2011. Applications are being accepted immediately at designated intake centers identified in the attachment to this press release. Applications will be received through January 31, 2011. For more information about program details, go to www.msdisasterrecovery.com. Residents can also call the United Way 211 Call Center to access information about the intake center closest to them. Simply dial 211 from any landline or cell phone.
"We believe this new housing program is a major step in fulfilling the unmet needs of the low-income homeowners and renters for whom we have been advocating since shortly after Hurricane Katrina," said Joe Rich, the director of the Fair Housing Project at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. "The persistence and dedication of both our clients and our affiliate, the Mississippi Center for Justice, has been truly inspiring to us."
Mississippi Development Authority's Disaster Recovery Division (MDA-DRD) will administer the program and perform outreach, with case management provided by the State's Housing Resource Centers and outreach support from community organizations.
"We are particularly grateful to HUD's Assistant Secretary Mercedes Márquez and Special Adviser Fred Tombar for bringing their on-the-ground observations of Mississippi's unfinished housing business into the discussion and resolution of this matter," said Reilly Morse, Mississippi Center for Justice senior attorney. "Over the next 60 days, we will support and monitor the outreach campaign to ensure that everyone who is eligible for consideration is made aware of this important final opportunity to complete their housing recovery." Source: Mississippi Center for Justice
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The NHP Foundation to Host Rededication Ceremony for 284-Unit Cleme Manor Apartments
HOUSTON, TX - Neal Rackleff, Director of the City of Houston Housing and Community Development Department will be the master of ceremonies at the rededication ceremony at Cleme Manor Apartments in Houston, December 1, 2014, to celebrate The NHP Foundation's acquisition of Cleme Manor Apartments, a 284-unit affordable housing complex for families and seniors.
According to Richard Burns, CEO of NHPF, "We at The NHP Foundation are very excited to be celebrating the acquisition of Cleme Manor, as well as the significant support the City of Houston has committed to the redevelopment of its surrounding neighborhood. Cleme Manor is a fine example of how NHPF's commitment to affordable housing is helping American families." NHPF acquired Cleme Manor on August 25th, 2014.
Originally built in 1970, Cleme Manor is situated on 13 acres located east of downtown Houston in the Greater Fifth Ward-Finnegan Park Neighborhood. Comprised of 284 housing units, Cleme Manor is a 26-building garden style community. It provides affordable housing composed of 24 single-bedroom units, 112 two-bedroom units, 120 three-bedroom units, 24 four-bedroom units, and 4 five-bedroom units.
The surrounding neighborhood is in the midst of a comprehensive City of Houston redevelopment with over $35 million in streetscape improvements, multifamily construction, single family rehabilitations, and renovation of a community center. The community center provides after school and summer youth programs, senior health and recreation services, a computer lab, e-library and social services. The property is supported 100% by a US Department of Housing and Urban Development Housing Assistance Contract, with households earning between 30% and 50% of AMI.
"NHPF's diverse income and rent structure assures housing for households ranging from low - to moderate-income. Notwithstanding income levels, the same level of amenities and access to our services is offered to all residents," according to Burns.
The NHP Foundation has, for a quarter-century, been operating with both a charitable mission and businesslike financial discipline. This two-pronged approach has enabled The NHP Foundation to make investments, preserving, and creating 62 multifamily properties with approximately 12,000 apartment units. Today, NHPF has a portfolio of over 6,000 units located in Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.
Source: The NHP Foundation / #Affordable #Housing
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Multifamily Housing Construction Starts Decrease in September According to Latest Dodge Data Report
NEW YORK, NY - New construction starts moved 5% lower in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $774.1 billion, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. This marks the second consecutive monthly decline in construction starts. By major sector, nonbuilding construction fell 13% in September, while residential construction dropped 6%. On the plus side, nonresidential construction starts rose 1% during the month aided by the start of a large manufacturing project.
The September statistics pushed the Dodge Index lower to 164 (2000=100) compared to 173 in August, marking the lowest reading for the Index since May. Despite the month’s decline, the Index remains close to its 2019 average of 167.
Through the first nine months of 2019, total construction starts were 3% lower than 2018 due to pullbacks in both residential and nonresidential construction starts. However, nonbuilding construction starts are 4% higher year-to-date as a result of strong gains in electric utilities/gas plants.
“Large projects continue to make their presence felt in the monthly statistics, sometimes obscuring underlying trends,” stated Richard Branch, Chief Economist for Dodge Data & Analytics. “Nevertheless, construction starts have certainly throttled back in 2019 due to mounting uncertainty over the country’s economic health.”
Nonbuilding construction totaled $187.0 billion (at a seasonally adjusted annual rate) in September, a 13% drop from the previous month. Starts in the miscellaneous nonbuilding category declined 32% from August to September, while highway and bridge starts fell 12%, and electric utility/gas plant starts lost 10% over the month. On the plus side, environmental public works (drinking water, sewers, hazardous waste, and other water resource projects) increased 12% in September.
The largest nonbuilding construction project to get underway in September was the $994 million Cotton Belt “Silver Line” Rail Corridor, a 26-mile rail line extending from Dallas-Fort Worth Airport in Dallas TX to Shiloh Road in Plano TX. Also starting in September was the $720 million (480 MW) Maverick Creek Wind Farm near Eden TX and a $629 million reconstruction of a 5.5 mile stretch of I-75 in Troy MI.
Through the first nine months of 2019, nonbuilding construction was 4% higher than in the same period of 2018 at $151.3 billion. Starts for electric utilities/gas plants were 132% higher year-to-date and environmental public works were up 2%. Miscellaneous nonbuilding starts, however, were 24% lower through nine months and highways and bridges were down 7%.
Nonresidential building starts inched 1% higher in September to $287 billion (at a seasonally adjusted annual rate). The increase was a result of a 243% increase in manufacturing construction due to the start of a large automotive plant. Commercial construction starts fell 14% over the month as the office sector pulled back from a very strong level of activity during the prior month. Institutional construction starts fell 1%.
The largest nonresidential building project to break ground in September was a $969 million consolidated rental car facility at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles CA. Also getting under way was the $900 million Fiat Chrysler Assembly complex in Detroit MI and the $750 million Exxon Polypropylene Production plant in Baton Rouge LA.
Year-to-date through September, nonresidential building starts totaled $215.0 billion, a 4% decline from the first nine months of 2018. Commercial starts were 6% higher pushed forward by the office, warehouse, and parking categories. Institutional construction starts were down 3% through nine months, with all major categories posting setbacks. Manufacturing starts were a sharp 39% lower year-to-date.
Residential building fell 6% in September to $300.0 billion at a seasonally adjusted annual rate. Both single family and multifamily starts fell 6% from August to September. The largest multifamily construction project to get underway in September was the $228 million Lakeshore East – Cirrus Apartment Tower in Chicago IL. Also breaking ground during the month was the $192 million Greenpoint Landing in Brooklyn NY and the $150 million The Eleven Condo project in Minneapolis MN.
Through the first nine months of the year, residential construction starts were 6% lower than in the same period of 2018 at $238.3 billion. Single family starts were down 4%, while multifamily declined 11% year-to-date.
Source: Dodge Data & Analytics / #Multifamily #Construction
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Protest honoring George Floyd brings thousands to Downtown Pittsburgh; ends in destruction not supported by protest organizers
CP photo: Jared Murphy
Thousands gather in Downtown Pittsburgh on Sat., May 30 to protest the death of George Floyd.
Today, thousands gathered and marched in Downtown Pittsburgh, joining demonstrations being held across the country in protest against the death of George Floyd, a Black man killed earlier this week by a Minneapolis Police officer.
More than 3,000 people — a crowd so large that it filled a space larger than a city block — attended the march, which started at 2:30 p.m. at the corner of Liberty Avenue and Sixth Street. For nearly two hours, the crowd marched and chanted peacefully throughout the streets.
Before the evening ended, however, the demonstration took a turn for the worse; but only after organizers told protesters to go home, did a few people in the crowd start to damage property.
Two police cars were set ablaze around 5 p.m. near PPG Paints Arena in Uptown. And after all the marchers appeared to disperse, fewer than 100 people headed back Downtown after 6 p.m. and smashed windows at some businesses, began to loot, and clashed with police.
During the rally, Paul Spradley, a Pittsburgh-area resident participating in today's march, spoke when the protesters stopped on the corner of Wood Street and Fifth Avenue. He called for collective action to address issues facing Pittsburgh’s Black community.
A police car set on fire outside PPG Paints Arena on Sat., May 30.
“The thing we don’t need right now is your sympathy, we need your action,” said Spradley, urging protesters to advocate for a better education system to help uplift the Black community, and to combat gentrification, which negatively affects Black and Brown people in Pittsburgh.
On May 25, Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin pinned Floyd to the ground, pressing his knee into Floyd's neck until he died. A viral video of the incident captured Floyd saying "I can't breathe" numerous times. Floyd was unarmed and confronted by police over an alleged forgery violation. Four police officers were fired over the incident, and Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Protests erupted in Minneapolis and several other American cities over multiple days and nights. Protesters clashed with police, who fired tear gas into the crowd.
The Pittsburgh protest was organized by multiple groups, though none have identified themselves as the lead organizers. The Facebook event for the protest is hosted by the Steel City Autonomous Movement (SCAM), who say that they are only a platform for boosting other events, and that the protest is "the combined efforts of a socially and politically diverse set of people."
In a collective statement sent to City Paper from protest organizers, identifying themselves as The Youth of Allegheny, they cited goals of reforming police departments and eradicating white supremacy from law enforcement.
This is not the first time Pittsburgh has organized protests against an incident of police brutality that happened elsewhere, as there have been local protests surrounding the murders of Mike Brown, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, and others.
Brandi Fisher, of the local group Alliance for Police Accountability, also spoke to the thousands in the crowd, hoping these protest efforts will be translated into building power for advocates for police and criminal justice reform.
“We cannot allow people to divide us, to distract us from the real enemy,” said Fisher.
Throughout the first two hours of the march, police presence was minimal. The Pittsburgh Police appeared to form a very large perimeter around much of Downtown and avoided confrontation with the protesters. Police were barely seen during the march, and some on horseback followed the protesters from about a block behind.
According to protest organizers, the marchers were told to disperse and head home when they reached the north side of PPG Paints Arena in Uptown. After organizers told the crowd that the protest was over, a small percentage of the protesters started to damage an empty police vehicle that was parked on Centre Avenue.
According to social media posts, the first damage to the vehicle was red spray paint, which was applied by someone who appears to be a white man. A video shows this white man damaging the window of the police vehicle, and being told by other protesters that he is "not helping." The white man then flips off the other protesters.
https://t.co/GsubcX8tpq
— John J. Chapman (@johnjchapman) May 31, 2020
After that, some people smashed the windows of the vehicles with baseball bats and skateboards. Eventually, a group of horse-mounted police officers arrived and surrounded the damaged vehicle.
Several people then shouted at the officers, and some threw plastic water bottles at the officers. The mounted officers then fled the scene. After they left, a man who appeared to be white, though he was wearing a scarf covering most of his face, loaded the police car with flammable material, and then set it ablaze.
Police car set on fire on Centre Avenue, right outside PPG Paints Arena. pic.twitter.com/ZuJBuruDXQ
— Ryan Deto (@RyanDeto) May 30, 2020
Directly after, some people spray painted the Mario Lemieux statue in front of the PPG Paints Arena. A witness told City Paper that it was carried out by a white person.
During these incidents, most of the large crowd dispersed and thousands of marchers left the scene. Several of the protest organizers continued to tell people to head home and that the protest was over.
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto also shared a post from his former chief of staff Kevin Acklin, who now works for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who said the damage of the police car on Centre Avenue was started by white men who were not affiliated with the protest organizers.
“[They] hijacked a peaceful, march for justice and exploited it for their own selfish agenda,” tweeted Peduto.
Important first hand account from inside PPG Arena. The vandals are not part of the young Black Leadership that organized this March. They are anarchists, hell bent on chaos and destruction. The hijacked a peaceful, march for justice and exploited it for their own selfish agenda. pic.twitter.com/GDQicT2Jo5
— bill peduto (@billpeduto) May 30, 2020
About 30 minutes after the first police vehicle was set on fire, what was left of the protesters walked along Washington Place and were confronted by a line of police. There were about 200 protesters left at this point.
When the crowd of protesters got within about 20 yards of the police officers, one or two tear-gas canisters were fired in front of the crowd. The crowd then started to head towards the police officers, at which time the officers retreated, and then drove off in their vehicles. One vehicle was left behind, and some in the crowd smashed it and then set it on fire.
Protest organizers then arrived on the scene and started to yell at people who appeared to be those who damaged the second police vehicle. Fisher, who was one of the march organizers, told CP that “nobody wanted this to happen,” and she condemned those who damaged and burned the police vehicles.
“We wanted everyone to be safe,” said Fisher. “They did not listen to our youth organizers when they did this.”
One of the organizers yelling at people apparently involved in property damage. She is visibly upset. She also yelled at a white man before I started taking this video. pic.twitter.com/8IgJpaKwMO
After the second police car burned, the crowd dispersed and many people went home. Less than 100 people, however, headed back Downtown. That is when more property damage and looting started. Windows were smashed at storefronts on Smithfield Street. Windows of a state-run liquor store were also smashed and a Downtown CVS was looted.
State store on fifth window shattered by protesters @905eesa pic.twitter.com/TLdD0b449s
— Bill O'Driscoll (@ODriscoll1bill) May 30, 2020
Several police vehicles, including SWAT cars, were dispatched to the corner of Smithfield and Oliver. There were loud bangs that sounded like gunshots apparently coming from that location. According to WESA's Bill O'Driscoll, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters.
Pittsburgh Police say that several officers and some local journalists were injured during skirmishes with protesters who had traveled Downtown. Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich says he believes the people causing property damage Downtown and getting in confrontations from police are not from the city of Pittsburgh.
At a press conference, Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Shubert insinuated the protesters Downtown were anarchists and was upset that they distracted from the peaceful protest.
"This was a peaceful protest. We watched and we saw it and we saw other people leave because they saw what they were doing,” says Shubert. "We will look at every video we have and find the ones who are responsible for a lot of this. And I am so angry at the fact that some segment hijacked this and brought some of the youth and brought them into the mix."
The scene in Downtown Pittsburgh on Sat., May 30.
At this point, it appears hard to determine exactly who instigated the property damage, looting, and violence Downtown. However, it seems more clear that those protesters are not affiliated with the groups that organized the peaceful march this afternoon.
Ian Smith, a photojournalist with KDKA-TV, says that he was attacked by a group of protesters and that his camera was destroyed. He says that another group of protesters pulled him out and saved his life. Pittsburgh Public Safety reported this evening that two other local journalists sustained injuries, as well as four Pittsburgh Police officers.
Because of the property damage and violence, Pittsburgh Police have set a curfew starting tonight at 8:30 p.m. and running until 6 a.m. in Downtown Pittsburgh. That curfew will also run from 8:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. starting again on Sunday night. Port Authority of Allegheny County has also suspended all bus and light-rail service for tonight.
Pittsburgh Public Safety reports that dozens of businesses Downtown were damaged and/or looted this evening, and police have made dozens of arrests.
Petitions seek ballot measures to end solitary confinement and no-knock warrants in Pittsburgh
Community Action,
Policing,
Race,
George Floyd,
Pittsburgh Police,
property damage,
Explore 30 years of queer Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh Queer History Project
By Alex Gordon
Meet the teenage activist trying to build a climate-change movement in Pittsburgh
By Emily Wolfe
Carnegie Library introduces new bookmarks to help find books on sensitive topics without having to ask a librarian
VIDEO: North Side gas station owners charged with assault after violent altercation with Black women
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Review of the causes of antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobial agents particularly antibiotics have been critical in the fight against infectious diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa (1). There usage in clinical medicine for treating infectious diseases has drastically leads to increase in the life expectancy of the human race over the past six decades. This is because the discovery and usage of antibiotics in infectious disease management has helped to reduce the rate of morbidity and mortality caused by infectious disease pathogens in human population. However, in recent years there has been a marked rise in the number and type of antimicrobial resistant organisms (2).
In relation to this subject, Tim Sandle has written an new article.
Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest challenges to the health sector worldwide, and this medical quagmire threatens our ability to effectively manage and treat some infectious diseases. Microbial resistance to antibiotics and/or antimicrobial agents has been documented not only against antibiotics of natural and semi-synthetic origin such as the penicillins, but also against some purely synthetic compounds (such as the fluoroquinolones) or those which do not even enter the cells (such as vancomycin). And unfortunately, the slow pace in the discovery and development of novel antibiotics have not actually kept pace with the emergence and rate at which bacteria develops and mount resistance to some available antibiotics (3).
Some infectious diseases including but not limited to tuberculosis, bacterial pneumonia, septicaemia, gonorrhoea, wound infections and otitis media are now becoming recalcitrant to treat with some available antibiotics because the causative agents of these diseases are fast becoming resistant to some available antibiotic therapy. These antibiotic resistant organisms have developed several novel ways and mechanisms that allow them to ward-off the antimicrobial onslaught of potent antimicrobial agents and/or antibiotics targeted towards them. This article reviews the primary resistance mechanisms.
The reference is:
Sandle, T. (2020) Review of the causes of antimicrobial resistance, Microbioz India, 6 (3): 12-20
Access the article for free here: https://microbiozindia.com/microbiology-news/review-of-the-causes-of-antimicrobial-resistance/
Posted by Dr Tim Sandle at 12:30 No comments:
Labels: Antimicrobial
Modern myth #6: Low endotoxin recovery affects all products
According to James Cooper, no one disputes that low recovery of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), as used for the LAL test control endotoxin, occurs in certain conditions, such as chelating buffers and detergents. However, this issue does not affect all products.
Furthermore, the issue at hand is low lipopolysaccharide recovery rather than ‘low endotoxin’ recovery. Endotoxin is more sophisticated, being composed of a hydrophilic polysaccharide covalently linked to a highly conserved, hydrophobic lipid region. LPS and endotoxin do not behave in the same way (LPS activity varies due to the presence of various salts and detergents).
In addition, the use of a uniform screening test can reveal conditions of concern and legitimize the use of alternative naturally occurring endotoxin preparations for endotoxin challenge studies. However, to do required regulatory approval.
Reference: https://www.americanpharmaceuticalreview.com/Featured-Articles/181837-LER-Microbiology-s-Hottest-Urban-Myth/
Labels: Endotoxin
Modern myth #5: Freeze-dried cultures are safe until they are reconstituted
The number of particles aerosolized upon opening lyophilized cultures depends upon the consistency of the end product. For example, fluffier end products tend to create more concentrated aerosols. Most of the particles aerosolized upon opening lyophilized cultures are larger than 5 um. Dropping a lyophilized culture creates an extremely concentrated aerosol composed predominantly of particles larger than 5 um.
The inclusion of mother liquor in the suspending menstruum reduces the aerosol concentration approximately fourfold.
Two parameters must be established to assess the risk of handling laboratory cultures: the biological decay rate of aerosols under laboratory conditions, and the human infectious dose by the respiratory route. Several common organisms survive at least 1 hour in droplet nuclei at standard laboratory relative humidity.
Source: https://aem.asm.org/content/aem/16/8/1146.full.pdf
Labels: Laboratory
Modern myth #4: You need to use a Bunsen burner
Many microbiologists find that the use of pre-sterilized disposable tools to transfer media and bacterial cultures result in lower contamination rates compared with reusable inoculating loops. The latter is a process known to create aerosols that may increase potential air contaminants.
Depending on the organism handled, this can create an element of risk. Several studies have shown that particles of less than 5 um are most effective in establishing airborne infection in laboratory animals; and particles of 1 to 5 um can be deposited in the alveoli, with preferential deposition occurring with 1- to 2-um particles. Particles larger than 3.5 are most probably deposited in the upper respiratory tract. Particles in the 2.0- to 3.5- um range appear to offer equal opportunities for both upper respiratory and alveolar deposition.
Where Bunsen burners are used, it is optimal to flame a loop in the airspace underneath the burner flame.
Moreover, the idea that the Bunsen burner creates an upward draft of air to prevent contaminants in the air from settling on the work surface below does not always result in more robust practices, as sometimes airflow disruption leads to particles settling out.
Source: https://asm.org/Articles/2018/August/if-you-give-a-baby-a-bath-and-more-microbial-myths
Modern myths #3: Alcohol hand sanitisers cause bacterial mutation and help create resistant strains
The alcohol-based antibacterial rubs are effective enough that they do not create resistant strains, although antibacterial soaps may present a hazard.
But some antimicrobial soaps present challenges...
While the alcohol rub stays on the hands and is not meant to be rinsed off, the antibacterial triclosan is rinsed off before it can do all its work and then enters the water supply. In addition, products like triclosan can cause problems once they are in the water supply, and resistant strains of bacteria have been created in labs using triclosan, although it remains to be seen if it will happen in the natural environment.
Generally, antibacterial soap does not do enough to justify its use. The objective of hand washing, by rinsing in soap and water for at least 20 seconds, is not to kill bacteria, but simply to get germs and viruses off our hands. Using a sink and washing hands thoroughly 15 to 20 seconds with regular soap and then rinsing that is the most effective method of 'de-germing', or removing bacteria and viruses from your hands.
Hand washing with soap and water does not remove all the microbes from our hands, because some are an important part of our skin, and even if we did kill them, they would return.
Given that regular soap and water removes the organisms, there is often no need for an antibacterial agent, and it probably will not work anyway. Hand sanitisers are best reserved where hand washing facilities are not readily accessible.
Reference: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdandFluNews/story?id=6519300&page=1
Modern myths #2: We understand microbes best in pure culture and as single colonies.
A common image associated with microbiology is that of the plastic Petri dish. The ability to grow microorganisms like this is in fact the foundation of microbiology and much of our knowledge about microbial biochemistry, genetics, physiology, etc. comes from culture-based work.
However, there are several limitations to this approach, some of which can now be addressed with alternative methods.
Culturing organisms in a Petri dish meaning growing them in non-natural conditions, not only are the organisms in an artificial environment with a pre-defined collection of nutrients, they are usually grown in isolation… cut off from the normal community of microbes surrounding them in nature.
In addition, we now know that only around 1% of the microorganisms in a typical environment can even be cultured at all.
New sequence-based techniques such as metagenomics and rRNA sequencing can help address both of these concerns to varying degrees, and are an important complement to culture-based techniques.
Source: https://microbe.net/simple-guides/microbial-myths-common-misconceptions-about-microbes-in-the-built-environment
Labels: Bacteria
Modern myths #1 E. coli bacteria are all the same
Bacterial strains showcase a diversity of shapes, sizes, and functions. The bacterium Escherichia coli has caused outbreaks of lethal foodborne disease. However, only certain varieties of E. coli can make people sick. For example, strain “O157:H7” is particularly dangerous to people. Other strains of E. coli help out with the normal human digestive processes. Most people carry safe strains in their guts all the time without getting sick.
Therefore testing simply for the presence of E. coli is not sufficient; it is necessary to differentiate between pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains.
For further details see: https://microbe.net/simple-guides/microbial-myths-common-misconceptions-about-microbes-in-the-built-environment
Assessing Gram-stain error rates within the pharmaceutical microbiology laboratory
The implications of errors with the Gram-stain can influence the selection of the test method (and test kit) for the next stage of identification, whether this is a manual biochemical identification method (such as API) or a semi-automated method (such as Vitek or Omnilog). Getting an identification wrong could lead to an incorrect root cause analysis (which impacts on all types of pharmaceutical processing, including sterile products) and potential errors relating to batch release (especially with non-sterile pharmaceuticals where understanding the pathogenic nature of the organism is a key requirement).
In relation to this fundamental aspect of pharmaceutical microbiology, Tim Sandle has written an article.
The abstract reads:
Gram-staining remains the fundamental method for determinative bacteriology, dividing bacteria into Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms. This test provides information as to the origin of any contamination and is a pre-requisite for many microbial identification methods. Despite the longevity of the test, the test is highly reliant upon analyst technique and therefore errors occur. While there are a few studies looking at errors in the clinical context, research has not been extended to the pharmaceutical microbiology laboratory context. In this study, we present a review of over 6,000 Gram-stains and establish an error rate of around 3%, with the most common reason for error being an over-decolourisation step resulting in organisms that should be Gram-positive appearing as Gram-negative. The analysis enables others to benchmark their facilities against.
Sandle, T. (2020) Assessing Gram-stain error rates within the pharmaceutical microbiology laboratory, European Journal of Parenteral and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 25 (1): https://doi.org/10.37521/ejpps
New warning over ineffective hand sanitizers
Not all hand sanitisers are effective: How to spot a substandard or dangerous product. Many regulators have dropped some of the requirements for hand sanitisers in order to help to address supply problems. At the same time poor quality products have entered the market, including many containing toxic methanol. In this video, Tim Sandle explains what purchasers and members of the public need to watch out for:
Location: Co Rd I, Sunray, TX 79086, USA
Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on TB response
A new report released today finds that the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic is having unintended yet drastic consequences on tuberculosis (TB) services, with lockdowns and limitations on diagnosis, treatment and prevention services expected to increase the annual number of TB cases and deaths over the next five years; at least five years of progress on TB response will be lost. The modeling analysis released by the Stop TB Partnership shows that under a three-month lockdown and a protracted 10-month restoration of services, the world could see an additional 6.3 million cases of TB between 2020 and 2025 and an additional 1.4 million TB deaths during that same period.
“We never learn from mistakes. For the past five years, TB, a respiratory disease, has remained the biggest infectious disease killer because the ‘TB agenda’ consistently became less visible in front of other priorities,” said Dr Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director of the Stop TB Partnership. “Today, governments face a torturous path, navigating between the imminent disaster of COVID-19 and the long-running plague of TB. But choosing to ignore TB again would erase at least half a decade of hard-earned progress against the world’s most deadly infection and make millions more people sick.”
The new study was commissioned by the Stop TB Partnership in collaboration with the Imperial College, Avenir Health and Johns Hopkins University, and was supported by USAID. The modeling was constructed on assumptions drawn from a rapid assessment done by The Stop TB Partnership on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related measures on the TB response in 20 high-burden TB countries—representing 54% of the global TB burden.
The modeling focused on three high burden countries—India, Kenya, and Ukraine—and extrapolated estimates from those countries to create global estimates of the impact of COVID-19 on TB. The authors note that the model can be replicated in any other country and that the findings can be used by countries for data-driven decisions and financial requests.
TB is a forgotten respiratory disease that still kills 1.5 million people each year, more than any other infectious disease. Incidence and deaths due to TB have been declining steadily over the last several years as a result of intensified activities by high burden countries to find people with TB early and provide appropriate treatment.
In 2018, during the UN General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Meeting on TB, Heads of States and governments committed to significantly scale up the TB response. In 2018, this resulted in identifying an additional 600,000 people who could access TB care. In 2019, we also saw very promising progress. The COVID-19 pandemic, especially considering the mitigation measures put in place, has proven to be a major setback in achieving the UNGA targets, as TB case detection has dramatically fallen, treatments have often been delayed and the risk of interruption of treatment and potential increase of people with drug-resistant TB has increased.
According to the new study, with a three-month lockdown and a protracted 10-month restoration of services, global TB incidence and deaths in 2021 would increase to levels last seen in between 2013 and 2016 respectively, implying a setback of at least five to eight years in the fight against TB.
To minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on TB, save millions of lives and get the world back on track in achieving the UNGA targets, national governments need to take immediate measures that ensure the continuity of TB diagnostic, treatment and prevention services during the lockdown period and undertake a massive catch-up effort to actively diagnose, trace, treat and prevent TB.
Stop TB Partnership and partners call upon the leadership of all countries—particularly those with high TB burdens—to ensure the continuity of the TB response in the time of COVID-19, to take proactive measures that include those who are most vulnerable and to provide protection against economic hardship, isolation, stigma and discrimination. We urge governments to secure the human and financial resources needed for seamless continuation of TB services amid the COVID-19 response.
Recognizing that this is an unprecedented situation, the Stop TB Partnership is continuing support for national TB Programmes and partners through its multiple technical, innovative and people-centered platforms. To ensure access to TB and COVID-19 resources, the Stop TB Partnership is sharing actions, experiences and recommendations from countries and partners through a dedicated TB and COVID-19 webpage and has recently published interactive maps with TB and COVID-19 situations in countries.
Posted by Dr Tim Sandle at 12:00 1 comment:
Labels: Medical microbiology
Endotoxin Limits for Investigational Oncology Drugs and Biological Products
The U.S. FDA has issued an new guidance document titled “Setting Endotoxin Limits During Development of Investigational Oncology Drugs and Biological Products.” The document is currently in draft form (dated July 2020).
This guidance describes FDA’s recommendations to investigational new drug sponsors for setting endotoxin limits during the development of investigational drugs intended for use in combination with other approved drugs or for the codevelopment of two or more investigational drugs.
In keeping with the principles of facilitating drug development for serious and life-threatening diseases, this guidance outlines FDA’s current thinking on a risk-based approach to setting acceptance criteria for endotoxins during the clinical development of drugs intended to treat serious and life-threatening cancers.
For details see: https://www.fda.gov/media/140410/download
A Practical example of applying Quality Risk Management in GDP – Transportation Risks
The MHRA has issued some advice on the distribution of medicines and applying QRM.
This is about identifying and defining the risks. The MHRA write:
“Many companies present such summaries as a spreadsheet which assists communication, an essential part of QRM. The summary should be regularly re-evaluated and potential changes assessed during quality management review meetings. It is rare to find sound scientific justification for acceptance of a load subject to an excursion, and in the uncommon instances where a supplier or customer contacts the marketing authorization holder for stability information, it is often not directly comparable to the excursion experienced. Unfortunately, the most common reason for accepting a consignment with a temperature excursion is purely commercial, which may put patients at risk and undermines any risk management carried out by the company.
In some cases of quality risk management, attempts were made to inappropriately apply mean kinetic temperature to underestimate impact rather than develop good control and preventive measures.”
See: https://mhrainspectorate.blog.gov.uk/2020/07/15/a-practical-example-of-applying-quality-risk-management-in-gdp-transportation-risks/
ICH guideline M7 - mutagens
ICH guideline M7 assessment and control of DNA reactive (mutagenic) impurities in pharmaceuticals to limit potential carcinogenic risk.
Q&A Step 2b Since the ICH M7 Guideline was finalized, worldwide experience with implementation of the recommendations for DNA reactive (mutagenic) impurities has given rise to requests for clarification relating to the assessment and control of DNA reactive (mutagenic) impurities.
The Q&A document is intended to provide additional clarification and to promote convergence and improve harmonization of the considerations for assessment and control of DNA reactive (mutagenic) impurities and of the information that should be provided during drug development, marketing authorization applications and/or Master Files.
The scope of the Q&A document follows that of ICH M7. “Applicant” is used throughout the Q&A document and should be interpreted broadly to refer to the marketing authorization holder, the filing applicant, the drug product manufacturer, and/or the drug substance manufacturer.
See: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/scientific-guideline/questions-answers-ich-guideline-m7-assessment-control-dna-reactive-mutagenic-impurities_en.pdf
Labels: Pharmaceutical processing
Minimizing microbial contamination on cleanroom surfaces
One design aspect is with the incorporation of antimicrobial materials into surfaces as a means to reduce microbial numbers (or at least to prevent microorganisms from growing). This addition has become commonplace in many hospitals1 and within food factories;2 however, the adoption has been slower within pharmaceuticals (where the use of antibacterial materials used to coat cleanroom surfaces is sometimes referred to as “biotrunking”). A second design aspect lies with the selection of surface properties of materials, so that surfaces can reduce the possibility of microbial attachment, making disassociated organisms easier to kill by disinfection. Combined, antimicrobial surfaces with specific topography has the potential to reduce microbial survival in cleanrooms.
In relation to this, Tim Sandle has written an article. The reference is:
Sandle, T. (2020) Minimizing microbial contamination on cleanroom surfaces, American Pharmaceutical Review, 23 (2): 30-35
In this article, different antimicrobial technologies together with physical properties are considered together with a review of available literature to examine the efficacy of such surface materials.
For details, see: https://www.qgdigitalpublishing.com/publication/?m=55362&i=654789&p=0
Microbiome's role in attacking cancerous tumors
Researchers with the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases at the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) have discovered which gut bacteria help our immune system battle cancerous tumours and how they do it. The discovery may provide a new understanding of why immunotherapy, a treatment for cancer that helps amplify the body's immune response, works in some cases, but not others. The findings, published in Science, show combining immunotherapy with specific microbial therapy boosts the ability of the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells in some melanoma, bladder and colorectal cancers.
The researchers identified bacterial species that were associated with colorectal cancer tumours when treated with immunotherapy. Working with germ-free mice, they then introduced these specific bacteria along with immune checkpoint blockade, a type of cancer immunotherapy. Research revealed that specific bacteria were essential to the immunotherapy working. The tumours shrank, drastically. For those subjects that did not receive the beneficial bacteria, the immunotherapy had no effect.
Lukas F. Mager, Regula Burkhard, Nicola Pett, Noah C. A. Cooke, Kirsty Brown, Hena Ramay, Seungil Paik, John Stagg, Ryan A. Groves, Marco Gallo, Ian A. Lewis, Markus B. Geuking, Kathy D. McCoy. Microbiome-derived inosine modulates response to checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy. Science, 2020; eabc3421 DOI: 10.1126/science.abc3421
Sustainable nylon production - from bacteria
Nylon manufacture could be revolutionised by the discovery that bacteria can make a key chemical involved in the process, without emitting harmful greenhouse gases.
Scientists have developed a sustainable method of making one of the most valuable industrial chemicals in the world -- known as adipic acid -- which is a key component of the material.
More than two million tonnes of the versatile fabric -- used to make clothing, furniture and parachutes -- is produced globally each year, with a market value of around £5 billion.
Industrial production of adipic acid relies on fossil fuels and produces large amounts of nitrous oxide -- a greenhouse gas three hundred times more potent than carbon dioxide. A sustainable production method is urgently required to reduce the damage caused to the environment, the team says.
Scientists from the University of Edinburgh altered the genetic code of the common bacteria E.coli in the lab. The modified cells were grown in liquid solutions containing a naturally occurring chemical, called guaiacol, which is the main component of a compound that gives plants their shape.
Following a 24-hour incubation period, the modified bacteria transformed the guaiacol into adipic acid, without producing nitrous oxide.The environmentally friendly approach could be scaled up to make adipic acid on an industrial scale.
Jack T. Suitor, Simon Varzandeh, Stephen Wallace. One-Pot Synthesis of Adipic Acid from Guaiacol in Escherichia coli. ACS Synthetic Biology, 2020; DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00254
For bacteria, a small genome means some serious decluttering — even in the ribosome
Researchers from Skoltech, Lomonosov Moscow State University, and the Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems have studied the genomes of some 200 strains of bacteria to determine which proteins in the ribosome, part of the key cell machinery, can be safely lost and why. The paper was published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution.
The ribosome is a universal cellular machine, present in all eukaryotes and prokaryotes, that builds proteins in a process called translation. The two major components of the ribosome, the so-called small and large ribosomal subunits, consist of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) molecules and ribosomal proteins.
The composition of these fundamental ‘protein factories’ is fairly consistent across cells, but there is evidence that some bacteria function without a complete set of ribosomal proteins, so researchers have been looking to determine which of the proteins are truly essential for a working ribosome.
Skoltech professor and vice president for biomedical research Mikhail Gelfand and his colleagues analyzed ribosomal protein composition in 214 relatively small bacterial genomes. They identified a set of frequently lost proteins and showed that only nine ribosomal proteins were completely conserved, while each of the remaining 48 was lost in at least one strain from the dataset.
“Tiny genomes are characteristic of endosymbionts, bacteria that live within other bacteria or eukaryotic cells. In this non-changing environment and under weak selection they tend to lose non-essential (even if necessary for free-living bacteria) genes — similar to multicellular parasites that often miss entire organs. The ribosome has been assumed to be the most conserved organelle with a standard set of proteins; but if you have only 121 genes — the present bacterial record for simplicity — you cannot encode all fifty-something ribosomal proteins, so some of them have to be lost. We have demonstrated that the patterns of this loss are not random,” Professor Gelfand says.
Apparently, ribosomal proteins of the small subunit were more likely to be retained than the large subunit proteins, and most frequently lost proteins were located on the ribosome surface, where they formed fewer contacts with other ribosome components. They were also incorporated in the ribosome late in evolution, so it seems that bacteria tend to practice the ‘last in, first out’ approach when it comes to dropping ribosomal proteins.
The researchers also found that the three bacteria with the shortest genomes in the group lost the largest number of proteins; there was a correlation between genome size and a number of retained ribosomal proteins. Yet since ribosomal proteins are in the cell’s essential toolkit, they are generally among the last to leave a ‘downsizing’ bacterial genome.
Mouthwashes could reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission
Sars-Cov-2 viruses can be inactivated using certain commercially available mouthwashes. This was demonstrated in cell culture experiments by virologists from Ruhr-Universität Bochum together with colleagues from Jena, Ulm, Duisburg-Essen, Nuremberg and Bremen. High viral loads can be detected in the oral cavity and throat of some Covid-19 patients. The use of mouthwashes that are effective against Sars-Cov-2 could thus help to reduce the viral load and possibly the risk of coronavirus transmission over the short term. This could be useful, for example, prior to dental treatments. However, mouth rinses are not suitable for treating Covid-19 infections or protecting yourself against catching the virus.
The results of the study are described by the team headed by Toni Meister, Professor Stephanie Pfänder and Professor Eike Steinmann from the Bochum-based Molecular and Medical Virology research group in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, published online on 29 July 2020. A review of laboratory results in clinical trials is pending.
Eight mouthwashes in a cell culture test
The researchers tested eight mouthwashes with different ingredients that are available in pharmacies or drugstores in Germany. They mixed each mouthwash with virus particles and an interfering substance, which was intended to recreate the effect of saliva in the mouth. The mixture was then shaken for 30 seconds to simulate the effect of gargling. They then used Vero E6 cells, which are particularly receptive to Sars-Cov-2, to determine the virus titer. In order to assess the efficacy of the mouthwashes, the researchers also treated the virus suspensions with cell culture medium instead of the mouthwash before adding them to the cell culture.
All of the tested preparations reduced the initial virus titer. Three mouthwashes reduced it to such an extent that no virus could be detected after an exposure time of 30 seconds. Whether this effect is confirmed in clinical practice and how long it lasts must be investigated in further studies.
The authors point out that mouthwashes are not suitable for treating Covid-19. "Gargling with a mouthwash cannot inhibit the production of viruses in the cells," explains Toni Meister, "but could reduce the viral load in the short term where the greatest potential for infection comes from, namely in the oral cavity and throat -- and this could be useful in certain situations, such as at the dentist or during the medical care of Covid-19 patients."
Clinical studies in progress
The Bochum group is examining the possibilities of a clinical study on the efficacy of mouthwashes on Sars-Cov-2 viruses, during which the scientists want to test whether the effect can also be detected in patients and how long it lasts. Similar studies are already underway in San Francisco; the Bochum team is in contact with the American researchers.
Labels: Virus
Simultaneous detection of Bacterial, Fungal and Pseudomonas aeruginosa contamination in Pharmaceutical products
Rapid detection of microbial contaminants in pharmaceutical products is play a vital role in contamination control. The purpose of this study is to standardize multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) assay to detect the pharmaceutical contaminants (either bacterial or fungal) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa specifically in single PCR reaction.
A new article of interest has been published.
A total of 13 pharmaceutical samples of ophthalmic products, chemotherapeutic, psychiatric, cardiac and gastrointestinal drugs were selected and artificially contaminated with <10 CFU of microorganisms. After enrichment, DNA was extracted, targeting the conserved region in eubacterial genome (16SrRNA), panfungal genome (28S rRNA) and P. aeruginosa (oprL). Specificity and sensitivity of the technique were verified. The mPCR assay was standardized by varying concentration of PCR reagents and conditions. In conclusion, there was no PCR inhibition and false positive results were observed. This assay can easily be incorporated for pharmaceutical products to quickly screen for microbial contamination.
Vijaykumar, R., Alfaiz, F. and Sandle, T. (2020) Simultaneous detection of Bacterial, Fungal and Pseudomonas aeruginosa contamination in Pharmaceutical products using Multiplex PCR Simultaneous detection of microbial contamination in pharmaceutical products using Multiplex PCR, Chimica Oggi - Chemistry Today, 38(2): 20-22
For details, please see: https://www.teknoscienze.com/chemistry-today/
Asia-Pacific (APAC) — Future Hub for Sterilization Technology?
One of the most common words that we usually associate with hospitals and other medical facilities is ‘sterilization’. This word has become synonymous with healthcare solutions, so much so, that the first question usually asked by people during a medical procedure or test is “Are the instruments sterilized?” After all, sterilization is specifically adopted for low fatality during surgeries and other treatment procedures.
A guest post by Pramod Kumar.
It has been more than 150 years since sterilization was first adopted in medical procedures, and it continues to remain an integral part of healthcare solutions and services all over the world. Furthermore, with the growing incidence of hospital-acquired infections (HAI) in several countries, the adoption of sterilization methods will increase even more in the coming years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Every year, Americans contract 1.7 million infections while being treated in hospitals. These infections are associated with approximately 99,000 deaths annually. In addition to the significant toll on patients’ lives, HAIs represent an estimated $30 billion in added healthcare costs.”
Recommended book: Sterility, Sterilisation and Sterility Assurance for Pharmaceuticals: Technology, Validation and Current Regulations
Hence, with the growing prevalence of HAIs in many countries and mushrooming requirement for sterilization, the global sterilization technology market will exhibit rapid progress in the future years.
As noted above, the increasing prevalence of HAIs is a major factor fueling the requirement for sterilization technology across the world. The growing incidence of these infections has massively pushed up the mortality rate and caused heavy financial losses for the healthcare industry. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Of every 100 hospitalized patients at any given time, seven in developed and 10 in developing countries will acquire at least one healthcare-associated infection”. Furthermore, the prevalence of HAIs is considerably higher in middle- and low-income countries than the high-income ones.
Growing Surgery Volume also Playing Important Role
As per a report published by the WHO in 2016, almost 266.2 to 359.5 million surgical procedures were performed all over the globe in 2012. Considering the boom in the population and increase in the access to healthcare, it is assumable that the surgery volume would have burgeoned further in the last 7–8 years. Furthermore, the increasing incidence of obesity is causing a sharp rise in the requirement for bariatric surgeries, on account of these surgeries being highly effective in treating obesity. The rapid rise in the number of surgeries being performed all over the world is a major factor propelling the demand for sterilization products and solutions.
Sales of Sterilization Devices To Rise Steeply in Future
In addition to the growing prevalence of HAIs and the increasing number of hospitals around the world, the rapid advancements in the biotechnology, medical device, and pharmaceutical industries are creating a huge requirement for various sterilization devices across the world. There are multiple types of such devices used in medical settings, such as those based on the low-temperature, steam, radiation, heat, liquid, ultrasound, and filtration technologies.
Out of all the devices, the usage of heat sterilizers is predicted to increase at the highest rate in the coming years. This is ascribed to the growing incorporation of heat sterilizers in instrument reprocessing and biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing plants, for the sterilization of bulk products, moisture-sensitive materials, and products having medicinal properties. Moreover, heat has been the most effective way to kill microbes, which makes heat sterilizers vastly popular.
What Are Major Application Areas of Sterilization Technology?
Pharmaceutical sterilization and medical devices are the most important application areas of the sterilization technology. The adoption of sterilization methods is predicted to be quite high for medical devices in the forthcoming years. This is mainly credited to the surging requirement for advanced surgical devices, on account of the soaring geriatric population and ballooning number of surgical procedures around the world. Additionally, the increasing awareness on sterilization amongst both healthcare practitioners and patients is boosting the need for the proper sterilization of medical devices.
Sales of Sterilization Products Booming among Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Firms
Out of all the major end users of sterilization products, namely ambulatory surgical centers and clinics, hospitals, academic and research organizations, medical device companies, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, the highest procurement of these products is currently being observed among pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The main reasons behind the adoption of these products by these organizations are the mushrooming production of biotechnology and pharmaceutical products and increasing number of such companies across the world. Additionally, such companies are subject to some of the most stringent safety regulations of any industry, and failing to meet the set standards can not only lead to a loss of patient life, but also strong regulatory action.
North America Is the Most Sterile Continent
Globally, North America observed the highest adoption of sterilization technology in the past, with the U.S. recording huge sales of enabling products. This is ascribed to the existence of numerous medical device and pharmaceutical companies and hospitals and growing prevalence of HAIs in the country. In addition to these factors, the surging investments being made in the healthcare industry by private and public organizations and increasing number of surgical procedures being performed are also pushing up the requirement for these products in the region.
But Asia-Pacific (APAC) Is Quickly Catching Up!
Amongst all regions, the adoption of the sterilization technology is increasing at the highest rate in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. This is attributed to the surging healthcare expenditure, growing geriatric population, rising pollution levels, advancing pharmaceutical industry, and the presence of a flourishing medical tourism sector in the region. As per the observations of the World Bank, the total healthcare spending in South Asia was 3.9% of its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2000, and this share grew to 4.4% in 2014. The increasing healthcare spending in South Asian countries is creating huge growth opportunities for medical device manufacturing companies, which will, in turn, cause a swift expansion of the sterilization technology industry in the region, in the years to come.
Hence, it can be concluded that the demand for sterilization methods and products will rise tremendously all over the world in the coming years, mainly on account of the growing incidence of HAIs, increasing number of surgical procedures, and rising public awareness on hygiene.
Source: P&S Intelligence
(http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)
Covid-19: Infectious coronaviruses 'circulating in bats for decades'
Image captionBats may harbour viruses, but should not be persecuted, say experts
Coronaviruses capable of infecting humans may have been circulating undetected in bats for decades.
By Helen Briggs (BBC)
Research suggests one of the closest known ancestors of the virus that causes Covid-19 emerged in bats more than 40 years ago.
It has been poised for human crossover for some time, the scientists said.
And this casts further doubt on conspiracy theories that the virus causing Covid-19 was bioengineered or escaped from a laboratory, they added.
Prof David Robertson, of the University of Glasgow, worked on the study, published in the journal Nature Microbiology.
He said that while Sars-CoV-2 (the pandemic coronavirus) is genetically very close to the nearest known bat viruses, they are separated in time by several decades.
"That suggests that these viruses with potential to emerge in humans have been around for some time," he told BBC News.
"We really do need to understand where or how the virus has crossed into the human population. If we now believe there's this generalist virus circulating in bats we need to get better at monitoring that."
The work points to the need for further surveillance of emerging diseases in humans and to carry out more sampling within wild bat populations, if we are to prevent future pandemics, he said.
"If these viruses have been around for decades that means that they've had lots of opportunity to find new host species, including humans," said Prof Robertson.
The researchers compared the genetic make-up of Sars-CoV-2 with that of a close relative in bats, a virus known as RaTG13, and other related bat viruses.
They dated the time the two shared a common ancestor, and found they went along their own evolutionary pathways several decades ago.
Prof Mark Pagel of the University of Reading, who was not part of the study, said the work suggests that coronaviruses capable of infecting humans have been present in bats for perhaps 40 to 70 years but have gone undetected.
"This is significant in pointing to the scale and nature of the problems that zoonotic transmission presents to humans - there may be numerous and as yet undetected viruses capable of infecting humans that reside in animal hosts."
Image captionBats are found across the world and can migrate long distances
The viruses may have gone on to infect other wildlife, particularly those coming into close contact with each other through illegal wildlife trade. But to date, all the evidence points to bats being the important reservoir.
Previous research has suggested that pangolins might have played a role in the evolution of Sars-CoV-2, but the latest study suggests this is not the case.
Instead, pangolins may have picked up the virus more recently through contact with other wild animals through wildlife trafficking into China.
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Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, or simply Chengdu Panda Base, is a non-profit research and breeding facility for giant pandas and other rare animals. It is located in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Chengdu Panda Base was founded in 1987. It started with 6 giant pandas that were rescued from the wild. By 2008, it had 124 panda births, and the captive panda population has grown to 83. Its stated goal is to "be a world-class research facility, conservation education center, and international educational tourism destination." Chengdu Panda Base has partnered with many organizations in improving ways to conserve giant pandas. For example, its partnership with Zoo Atlanta helped the zoo secure the loan of 2 giant pandas. To date, these 2 giant pandas, Yang Yang and Lun Lun, have produced five off-spring: Mei Lan in 2006, Xi Lan in 2008, Po born on November 3, 2010 and Mei Lun and Mei Huan in 2013.
Chengdu streets
Chengdu ([ʈʂʰə̌ŋ.tú] (About this sound listen)), formerly romanized as Chengtu, is a sub-provincial city which has served as capital of China's Sichuan province. It is one of the three most populous cities in Western China (the other two are Chongqing and Xi'an). As of 2014 the administrative area houses 14,427,500 inhabitants, with an urban population of 10,152,632. At the time of the 2010 census, Chengdu was the 5th-most populous agglomeration in China, with 10,484,996 inhabitants in the built-up area including Xinjin County and Deyang's Guanghan City. The surrounding Chengdu Plain is also known as the "Country of Heaven" (Chinese: 天府之国; pinyin: Tiānfǔ zhi Guó) and the "Land of Abundance". Its prehistoric settlers included the Sanxingdui culture. Founded by the state of Shu prior to its incorporation into China, Chengdu is unique as a major Chinese settlement that has maintained its name (nearly) unchanged throughout the imperial, republican, and communist eras. It was the capital of Liu Bei's Shu during the Three Kingdoms Era, as well as several other local kingdoms during the Middle Ages. After the fall of Nanjing to the Japanese in 1937, Chengdu briefly served as the capital of China. It is now one of the most important economic, financial, commercial, cultural, transportation, and communication centers in Western China. Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport is one of the 30 busiest airports in the world, and Chengdu Railway Station is one of the six biggest in China. Chengdu also hosts many international companies and more than 12 consulates. More than 260 Fortune 500 companies have established branches in Chengdu.
Chengdu People's Park
People's Park (Chinese: 人民公园; pinyin: Rénmín Gōngyuán) is an urban public park in central Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, China. Built in 1911 as Shaocheng Park (少城公园), it is the first public park in the city. The Railway Protection Movement Monument in the park is designated a Major Historical and Cultural Site of China. People's Park is located on Shaocheng Road in central Chengdu, near Tianfu Square. Covering an area of 112,639 square metres (1,212,440 sq ft), it is the largest green area in downtown Chengdu.[2][3] The park features an artificial lake, several gardens, the Railway Protection Movement Monument, and the century-old Heming Teahouse (鹤鸣茶馆), a local landmark.
Wenshu Monastery (Manjushri Monastery)
Wenshu Monastery (Manjushri Monastery), located at No. 66 Wenshu Yuan Street, Chengu, Sichuan Province, is the best-preserved Buddhist temple in Chengdu. It is the home of the Buddhist Association of Sichuan Province and Chengdu City. Initially built in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Wenshu Monastery was once called Xinxiang Temple. In 1681, during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Cidu, an accomplished Buddhist monk, came to the temple. He built a simple hut between two trees and for several years lived an ascetic life there. Legend has it when Cidu was being cremated; the statue of Wensu (Bodhisattva Manjusri in Sanskrit) appeared in the flames, staying for a long time. So people regarded Cidu as the reincarnation of the Bodhisattva Manjusri. Thereafter, Xinxiang Temple became Wenshu Monastery. Cultural relics are the highlights of Wenshu Monastery. Since the Tang and Song dynasties, over 500 pieces of painting and calligraphy by celebrities have been stored here. In the Sutra-Preservation Pavilion, many famous handwriting exhibits, paintings, and artwork are restored. These precious works of art were created by renowned Chinese painters and calligraphers, including Zhang Daqian, Zheng Banqiao, and Feng Zikai. Of all the precious relics, a piece of the broken skull of Xuan Zhang, a renowned monk of the Tang Dynasty, is the rarest. Another treasure is a delicate jade Buddha statue brought from Burma to China in 1922 by Xing Lin, a Buddhist monk who walked the whole distance. In addition, the monastery houses some 300 Buddha statues of various materials including iron, bronze, stone, wood, and jade, some gloriously painted.
Chengdu Buddha Zen Hotel
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ISRAEL'S RIGHT-WING LEGISLATIV..
The Black List: People Targete..
The Black List: People Targeted by Amendment No. 27 of Entry Into Israel Law
By Andrew Hebert and Nissim Lebovits
PIJ Vol. 23 No. 4 2018 - ISRAEL'S RIGHT-WING LEGISLATIVE TREND
Vol. 23 No. 4 2018
Andrew Hebert
Andrew Hebert is a recent graduate of the University of Louisville where he studied History and Spanish language. He is from Louisville, Kentucky and is currently living in East Jerusalem and interning for the PIJ.
Nissim Lebovits
Nissim Lebovits is an undergraduate at Vanderbilt University, where he studies History with a concentration in the Middle East and Africa. He is living in Jerusalem for the year, studying at the Hebrew University and currently interns for the PIJ.
Below is a list of the known incidents in which people have been detained and questioned upon arriving in Israel, and in certain cases refused entry to the country. The first known instance of this was in 2010, when the Jewish-American professor Noam Chomsky was refused entry on the basis of his criticism of Israeli policies. Since then, there had been a small number of incidents — until 2018, when a sharp increase in both detainments and deportations becomes apparent.
The main legal measure preventing the entry of these people is the 2017 Amendment No. 27 to the Entry Into Israel Law, which prohibits the entry to Israel of any foreigner who makes a “public call for boycotting Israel ... or any area under its control.” The amendment also adds the person in question must have a “reasonable chance of succeeding (in their effort to boycott),” a statement which can be interpreted in different ways.
Most of the people on the list are academics, students and activists, some of whom have direct ties to the BDS movement and others who have no clear ties to any organizations boycotting Israel. Roughly three to five unnamed people have also been denied entry to Israel at the same time as other people on the list. Not knowing who they are, we have been unable to include them on this list. Lastly, we have included three Israeli citizens who were detained upon reentry into Israel, as well as two Jewish-American medical professionals who, while allowed entry into Israel proper, were refused access to the Gaza Strip as part of a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility medical aid mission.
Noam Chomsky: 2010
Jewish-American intellectual and critic of Israeli policies prevented from entering at Allenby Bridge. First known case of a critic being prevented entry into Israel.
http://archive.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/05/17/chomsky_denied_entry_into_israel/
Harald Fuller-Bennett: 2010
Jewish-American and former Birthright participant prevented from entering due to Shin Bet’s suspicion that he had ties to unnamed terrorist organizations and was planning to convert to Islam.
https://www.haaretz.com/1.5026125
Mairead Maguire: 2010
Irish Nobel Peace Prize laureate attempting to visit Israel and Palestine with the Nobel Women’s initiative detained and deported based on her participation in the 2008 Gaza Flotilla.
https://nobelwomensinitiative.org/mairead-maguire-denied-entry-into-israel/
Jared Malsin: 2010
Jewish-American journalist working as editor for Palestinian news agency denied entry for allegedly lying about the nature of his activities and repeatedly overstaying his visa.
Isabel Phiri: 2016
Malawian theologian, professor and associate secretary general of the World Council of Churches denied entry on the basis of the WCC’s alleged support for BDS.
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/in-first-israel-denies-entry-to-pro-bds-religious-activist-1.5470130
Raed Jarrar: 2017
Palestinian- American working for Amnesty International denied entry via Jordan based on ties to BDS.
https://972mag.com/israel-denies-entry-to-prominent-american-civil-rights-leaders/135059/
Jennifer Spitzer: 2017
Jewish-American vice president for finance, operations and administration at the New Israel Fund and former CEO of the San Francisco Jewish Federation detained and questioned about alleged connections to BDS upon arriving in Israel to participate in the annual meeting of NIF’s international board in Jerusalem.
https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/VP-of-New-Israel-Fund-Country-was-rejecting-me-481100
Alissa Wise: 2017
Jewish-American rabbi denied entry for being a deputy director with Jewish Voice for Peace and a supporter of BDS.
https://forward.com/opinion/israel/378100/im-first-pro-bds-jew-israel-banned/?attribution=author-article-listing-3-headline
Susan Abulhawa: 2018
Palestinian-American author traveling to Palestine to contribute to the Kalimat Palestinian Literature Festival. Second time detained and deported by Israel (first time in 2015).
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20181105-israel-bans-palestinian-writer-from-jerusalem-festival/
Lara Alqasem: 2018
Palestinian- American student detained at Ben-Gurion Airport and temporarily prevented from studying at Hebrew University due to alleged ties with BDS and SJP.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Facing-deportation-BDS-activist-Lara-Alqasem-to-appeal-to-High-Court-569360
Reza Aslan: 2018
Iranian-American intellectual detained and questioned while entering via Jordan due to alleged anti-Israel personal contacts.
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/reza-aslan-claims-he-was-detained-by-shin-bet-at-israel-s-border-1.6383140
Peter Beinart: 2018
Jewish-American journalist detained and questioned at Ben-Gurion Airport over his political views and expressed support for a boycott of settlement products.
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-beinart-i-was-detained-at-ben-gurion-airport-over-political-activity-1.6381149
Kathrine Franke: 2018
Columbia University professor detained with a group of fellow U.S. civil rights activists refused entry due to her alleged support of BDS.
Ariel Gold: 2018
Jewish-American pro-Palestinian activist and advocate of BDS refused entry while attempting to participate in a Jewish Studies program at the Hebrew University.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/prominent-jewish-bds-activist-denied-entry-to-israel/
Yehudit Ilana: 2018
Israeli citizen stopped after covering the Gaza Flotilla in May 2010 for Social Television, a Hebrew-language news site identified with the left.
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israeli-questioned-at-ben-gurion-airport-over-leftist-activity-1.6326954
No photo available.
Donald Mellman: 2018
Physician and neurosurgeon who has in seven past visits to Gaza served as an advisor to both doctors and patients; this time he and another Jewish-American colleague was refused entry into Gaza as part of a medical aid team and was told that his Jewishness put him at increased risk in Gaza and was a security liability.
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israel-bars-two-u-s-medical-delegates-from-gaza-because-they-re-jewish-1.654806
Dvorah Kost: 2018
Jewish-American social worker who has, during past visits to the Gaza Strip, organized youth programs and exercise classes. Was this time refused entry to Gaza while attempting to enter as part of a medical aid team, told that her Jewishness put her at increased risk in Gaza and was a security liability.
Meyer Koplow: 2018
Jewish-American philanthropist, chair of the Brandeis University Board of Trustees, detained and questioned at Ben-Gurion Airport after a Palestinian weekly This Week in Palestine, was found in his suitcase.
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-jewish-donor-to-israel-quizzed-by-security-over-palestine-pamphlet-1.6289591
Lydia de Leeuw: 2018
Dutch criminologist and long-time partner of Palestinian human rights organizations detained and deported for her BDS activism while attempting to conduct research.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Dutch-BDS-activist-denied-entry-into-Israel-at-Ben-Gurion-airport-563017
Pauline Overeem: 2018
Dutch activist and researcher detained and refused entry at Ben-Gurion Airport over her alleged support for BDS.
https://www.somo.nl/two-somo-researchers-denied-entry-israel-arbitrary-grounds/
Frank Romano: 2018
French-American professor arrested for blocking a bulldozer during an anti-demolition demonstration at Khan al-Ahmar. Detained by a military court, subsequently ordered released by Israeli civil court.
https://972mag.com/judge-israeli-police-scandalous-for-trying-to-deport-u-s-french-activist/137802/
Moriel Rothman-Zecher: 2018
Israeli citizen, author and activist detained and questioned while visiting Israel from the U.S. due to his participation in alleged “left-wing organizations” including Breaking the Silence and All That’s Left.
Tania Rothstein: 2018
Israeli citizen detained upon her return from a Swedish Foreign Ministry conference in Sweden.
Ana Sanchez Mera: 2018
Spanish activist detained and deported for her role as a senior member of the BDS National Committee of Spain.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/spanish-boycott-activist-refused-entry-to-israel/
Omar Shakir: 2018
Palestinian-American director of Human Rights Watch issued deportation order for HRW’s alleged support of BDS but subsequently allowed to stay in Israel.
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israeli-court-halts-expulsion-of-senior-human-rights-watch-official-1.6113388
Vincent Warren: 2018
American civil rights activist and executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights detained and deported for alleged ties to BDS.
Julie Shayna Weinberg-Conors: 2018
Jewish-American rabbinical student coming to Israel to study at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies detained at Ben Gurion Airport. She was eventually allowed entry after intervention by MKs of Meretz Party and has now been granted Israeli citizenship after promising not to visit West Bank without authorization.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180913-israel-denies-entry-to-us-jewish-activist-because-she-had-visited-the-west-bank/
Simone Zimmerman: 2018
Jewish-American activist and co-founder of IfNotNow detained and questioned while returning into Israel from Egypt via the Sinai border.
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/over-100-lawyers-to-netanyahu-stop-denying-entry-to-rights-activists-1.6384222
Abby Kirschbaum: 2018
Jewish-American detained while crossing the border from Egypt into Israel while traveling with Simone Zimmerman (IfNotNow co-founder) and questioned regarding political views and ties to Palestine.
List compiled by PIJ Interns Andrew Hebert and Nissim Lebovits.
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Peace Economics
Time for Reconciliation
By Hisham1 Ahmed1
PIJ Vol. 1 No. 1 1994 - Peace Economics
Vol. 1 No. 1 1994
Hisham1 Ahmed1
Dr. Hisham Ahmed is Associate Professor of Political Science at Bir Zeit University.
The Intifada in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in December, 1987, signalled the beginning of a new and stormy chapter in Palestinian-Israeli relations. The relative calm which prevailed after the invasion of Lebanon in 1982 was disrupted; tensions were exacerbated and both sides incurred enormous material and human losses. During the first three years of the Intifada in particular, Israeli and Palestinian societies were at loggerheads. Not only did neither side feel secure, but their huma¬nity lost more and more of its worth.
The credibi¬lity gap between Palestinians and Israelis grew wider, and the likelihood of resolving the conflict seemed nil. In this respect, the Intifada at first played a perpetuatory role: it contributed to the deepening of the classical modes of hostility between the two rivals.
The "power" of the Intifada, however, was at the same time working in a diametrically opposite direction. The two sides which battled each other on the streets of the occupied territories greeted and addressed each other at the negotiating table in Madrid, Spain in late 1991. Distrust and diminution of security, which characterized Palestinian-Israeli relations during the Intifada, compelled the two protagonists to realize that the only way out of the prevalent no-win situation was in creating a mutually beneficial environment. At the instigation of the United States, the vehicle was defined as the negotiating table and the objective was declared by the parties immediately concerned as the break away from instability and hostility. The heralding of stones and bullets, while deepening hatred and insecurity, led to the climax of the conflict, and hence to beginning its resolution.
In this respect, it can be said that the Intifada played a trans¬formative role: It brought home to both parties the impact of the ills of hostility and uncontrolled rivalry. In the process, a new atmosphere was created and a set of new characteristics started to shape Palestinian-Israeli relations: bridges of contact were built and business-like talks were instituted. Participation by the Palestinian delegation in the peace talks along with its Israeli counterpart, and engagement by the PLO in coordinating arrangements with Israeli officials, made the formulation of the Palestinian-Israeli Declaration of Principles on August 19, 1993 and the forma¬lization of the Israeli-PLO recognition agreement in Washington, DC, on September 13, 1993, an inevitable result.
In what follows, the objective is to analyze some of the dynamics which led Palestinians and Israelis to pursue the current peace process, particularly, its prime components, the Declaration of Principles and mutual recognition agreements. Furthermore, an analysis of the impact of the current process on both parties will be attempted.
Despite the fact that the Israeli authorities decided to meet the Palestinian Intifada with determined resistance, to crush it, a strong sense of dissatisfaction vis¬a-vis the seeming intractability of the conflict permeated various ranks in Israeli public opinion. Shamir's decision to participate in the Madrid talks was a conversion of broad domestic political sentiments into a foreign policy agenda as much as it perhaps was an attempt on his part to entrap Palestinians into circular diplomatic maneuvers. Israeli public opinion was dismayed by the negative perceptual con¬sequences resulting from the frequent scenes of Israeli soldiers battling unarmed Palestinian children, displayed by the world media. Participating in the talks as well as in its evolving results has concretized a more positive image of the Israeli in the eyes of world public opinion. The dissatisfaction of Israeli public opinion with its leadership's inattentiveness to the realization of peace under the Shamir government was further punctuated by bringing the Labor Party to office in 1992. Although the Labor ministers did not perform any more accommodatingly than the hard-liners towards the Palestinian Intifada before they assumed office, the sheer fact of entrusting them with the government signaled to them the urgent need for a change. No sooner had Labor won the elections in 1992, than they started holding secret talks with the PLO.
Yet it remains to be said that the new Israeli government of Yitzhak Rabin had to balance the determinants of its domestic policy with other economic and foreign policy considerations. The influx of Soviet Jews required more than the rhetoric of hospitality: the demographic and infrastructure changes they created dictated the designing of a strategy that would put the scientific and hi-tech skills they brought with them into practice. The key to the realization of this long-term objective, the new Israeli leadership understood, did not lie in further enhancing military preponderance in the region, but rather, in erecting bridges of economic cooperation with Arab neighbors. No desire for cooperation could have been credible without looking afresh at the Palestinian side of the equation. Hence Israeli and Palestinian leaders conferred and it was they who instituted cooperation and mutual recognition as the defining terms of the present political process. Indeed the spirit of cooperation is inculcated in most of the provisions of the Declaration of Principles document. The focus on coordination signifies not only an attempt to work out arrangements during a transitional phase, but also a recognition of the centrality of mutuality if stability is to ensue. Motivated by domestic policy considerations, the Israeli leadership formulated a foreign policy agenda toward the Palestinians and the Arab world on the basis of interdependence and shared benefits.
Undoubtedly, the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the consequent reduction of fears associated with it, the diminution of the vitality of territoriality in the Middle East as a function of the Gulf War, and perhaps the noticeable waning of the United States' economic standing in the world, motivated Israeli leaders to infuse their national security with economic cooperative conside¬rations. The geographically-close Arab World was too distant politically and psychologically for the Israelis. The region's rich resources, combined with the richness of Israeli know-how can turn hatred into joint planning for a better future. This is in part why Israelis and Palestinians preambled their Declaration of Principles with an emphasis on the need to move away from hostility to stability and mutuality of benefits. The Palestinians, for their part, convinced that the symbolic achievements gained by the Intifada could not bring about the hoped-for transformation in their situation, viewed participating in the talks as a logical measure they had to pursue. Operating in the midst of a fragmented Arab World, Palestinian interest in stability, which previously diverged from its Israeli counterpart, now converged with it. The deep sense of despair which overwhelmed both sides to the conflict created among Palestinians a strong impetus towards reconciliation. In official Palestinian circles the prevalent perception has been that no longer could there be a determination of Palestinian destiny without concerted coordination with their hitherto rival. Recognition of Palestinian rights by the Israelis, Palestinian leaders calculated, is part and parcel of a process in which consequences have to be mutually beneficial. Such a framework deepened the feelings among Palestinian leaders that Palestinian political rights and Israeli security requirements are complementary rather than divisive compulsions. Neither party could achieve its objectives with ease, as this trend of thinking evolved, without quid pro quo arrangements. The realization among Palestinians grew that exactly as it took two parties to engage in confrontation, it would also take two to pursue cooperation. Hence Palestinian incorporation of their desire for cooperation with the Israelis in most areas of development, as shown in the declaration.
In conclusion, the Declaration of Principles and mutual recognition agreements represent a milestone break away from the past. Instead of the traditional Palestinian and Israeli unilateral assertions of the need and/ or the desire to destroy each other, the new relationship stresses the need to rebuild one another. What remains to be seen however is the extent to which both parties will be able to concretize what the agreement contains.
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2020 Sheth Awardees Make Their Mark Internationally
An international Pitt expert on Cuba, a Pitt trailblazer in pediatrics and a young Pitt engineering alumnus are the winners of the 2020 Sheth International Achievement Awards, sponsored by the University Center for International Studies (UCIS). The honors, given annually to individuals making a mark on the international stage, are being awarded to:
Carmelo Mesa-Lago, Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Economics and Latin American Studies, who has performed thought-leading research that helped to create unified and equitable social security systems in Latin America. He helped shape Pitt’s Center for Latin American Studies and directed it for more than a decade.
Pitt Vice Provost for Global Affairs and UCIS Director Ariel C. Armony said Mesa-Lago showed “a deep commitment to establishing and strengthening a global dimension at Pitt, allowing students to gain global skills needed for success anywhere in the world.”
After launching his Pitt career with a residency in pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Diego Chaves-Gnecco (GSPH ’00) joined its Community Oriented Residency Education (CORE) program. The associate professor of medicine created this region’s first pediatric bilingual-bicultural clinic which offers Pittsburgh Latinx families primary care, monthly free clinics, community fairs and a literacy program for children.
“His work with local Latinx families inspires new generations of Pitt medical students to fine-tune global points of view while using humanistic values and cultural understanding to ground their local practice,” said Armony.
The vice provost also lauded alumnus winner Vyasa Sai (ENGR ’13), who conducts research that addresses the challenges in low-power and communication for RFID and Internet of Things devices. He has authored a book, has several U.S. patents and has contributed to a number of academic journals in the fields of electronics and communications. Armony said Sai “exemplifies what Pitt students can accomplish and how Pitt alums can contribute to the betterment of society.” Sai is currently a senior hardware engineer for the visual technologies team at Intel Corporation in Folsom, California.
The awards are named for renowned scholar Jagdish N. Sheth (BUS ’62, BUS ’66).
A celebration to honor the winners will take place in the spring.
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Madar Al-Huruf (The Arabic Alphabet Q-Wheel)
“Madar Al-Huruf” means “wheel of letters” in Arabic. The wheel is a valuable, open, and free language tool that introduces users to the Arabic alphabet. Anyone who is unfamiliar with the Arabic alphabet can write his/her name by matching English letters and sounds to their Arabic phonetic counterparts. The wheel has been used to connect students all over the world with the Arabic language and demystify the intimidating characters to ease Arabic learning and communication. QFI has used the physical iteration of the wheel as an effective outreach and teaching tool, distributing over 13,000 copies to teachers, students, and others interested in teaching or learning Arabic.
Madar Al-Huruf was created and designed by VCU Qatar graduate, Muneera Al-Badi, for QFI’s Arabic language and Culture program. Al-Badi also developed a user guide and worked closely with US-based teachers of Arabic in Washington, DC, and Tucson, AZ to finalize the wheel’s design.
Two Arabic teachers in Tucson, Arizona, Fatima Abdulkazem and Nour Jandali, created a mini unit and student workbook to accompany the wheel for use in the classroom, making the wheel a truly global collaborative endeavor.
In the curriculum unit, Fatima and Nour developed the TSCTSC strategy to write one’s name in Arabic for teachers to guide students to write their name in Arabic using the alphabet wheel. This strategy was inspired by and adapted from the book Sugar Comes from Arabic: A Beginner’s Guide to Arabic Letters and Words by Dr. Barbara Whitesides (Interlink Books, 2009).
You can download the workbook, here. And download the curriculum unit, here.
Due to the success and demand of the physical Arabic wheel, QFI worked with Al-Badi and partnered with Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI), a nonprofit multidisciplinary computing research institute founded by the Qatar Foundation, to adapt the design virtually into a mobile application.
The mobile app version of Madar Al-Huruf, or the “Wheel of Letters,” has more recently undergone a complete update and redesign responding to user feedback.
The app now includes sound to hear the spoken letters so beginners are able to hear and sound out the Arabic alphabet. In addition, the app now allows the user to customize and share their name in Arabic as a digital sticker online through social media. An updated interface now includes an option for both novice and experienced users. The novice user is guided step-by-step as they write their name in Arabic. Experienced users are taken directly to the animated wheel where they can spin and select the Arabic characters that match their English name. The wheel is a valuable language tool that introduces users to the Arabic alphabet no matter their experience level.
The revised version of the app was developed in partnership with MindGrub, LLC. The app can be downloaded for free on the iTunes and Google Play stores.
In March of 2017, the app won a World Summit Award within the WSA-mobile category. QFI is proud to say that the Madar Al-Huruf app is among the Top 40 World Summit Award winners!
Download the app here for iTunes and here for Android!
Check out this how-to video on how to use the Madar Al-Huruf Q-Wheel:
Tags Qatar Foundation International, QFI
← آخر الأخبار عن ٥ فنانين → Sound Performance: Khaled Kaddal
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Khalifatul Masih
Transport Secretary visits Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
July 24, 2016 Press Releases
Post-Brexit UK, refugee crisis and various other issues discussed
On 22 July 2016, the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa (Caliph), His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad was visited by Rt. Hon. Chris Grayling MP, the UK Government’s newly appointed Secretary of State for Transport. Also present at the meeting at the Baitul Futuh Mosque in South-West London was Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Parliamentary Under Secretary for State for Transport.
During the meeting, Mr Grayling had the opportunity to discuss various matters with His Holiness, including the future of Britain, in light of the recent EU referendum. Also discussed was the continued threat of terrorism and extremism, the ongoing refugee crisis and various other issues.
Mr Grayling also took the opportunity to condemn the persecution of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan and in certain other countries.
In response, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
“We, Ahmadi Muslims, do not take revenge or resort to violence in the face of the persecution we face. Rather, we respond only with peace as this is what our religion of Islam teaches us.”
Speaking about the future of Britain and its food security, His Holiness advised the British Government to increase investment in agriculture and farming.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
“The UK Government should develop its own agriculture so that it is less dependent on other nations. This is something that I am also encouraging our own Ahmadi community here in the UK.”
Regarding the charitable and humanitarian activities of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
“The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has established many humanitarian projects in different countries. For example, we are providing clean drinking water to people living in the most remote parts of Africa by either installing new water pumps or rehabilitating existing ones. Each year we also raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for local charities here in the UK.”
The Secretary of State also offered his sympathies to His Holiness about the fire at the Baitul Futuh Mosque complex in September and thanked His Holiness for the continued positive contribution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to society.
Earlier, the Secretary of State was given a personal tour of the Mosque and he also listened to the Friday Sermon delivered by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad.
Key worker series
Copyright © Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Official Website of Press & Media Office of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. All rights reserved.
Statement by Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community following death of Abdul Sattar Edhi…Press ReleasesFollowing the recent death of the renowned humanitarian Mr Abdul Sattar Edhi in Pakistan, the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth …
Statement of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community following France Church Attack…Press ReleasesThe Quran says to kill even one innocent person is akin to killing all of humanity (Quran 5:33).…
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Compliance Insights – January 2017
Your monthly compliance news roundup - Highlights
OCC Plans to Consider Special-Purpose National Bank Charters for Fintech Companies
CFPB Signals Upcoming Regulatory Activity
FATF Praises U.S. Progress in Fighting Money Laundering but Identifies Vulnerabilities
India’s Demonetization Spawns Creative Money Laundering Networks and Encourages the Use of Online Payment Methods
Alternatives to the LIBOR Rate in 2017
In December 2016, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced its plan to grant special-purpose national bank charters to a broad range of business models, including fintech companies that engage in payment services, lending and other core banking functions, and that meet the OCC’s high standards and charter requirements. Concurrent with the announcement, the agency also released a white paper further describing the potential benefits of, the supervisory expectations for and the process for obtaining such charters.
Under the National Bank Act, the OCC has the authority to, among other things, grant national bank charters and supervise special purpose national banks. Accordingly, the OCC can grant special- purpose national bank charters to companies that receive deposits, pay checks or lend money. Currently, limited charters are issued for national banks that conduct trust or credit card activities. The OCC proposes to expand the scope of these qualifying activities to include bank-permissible, technology-based innovations in financial services, in support of its recent efforts to develop a supervisory framework to support responsible innovation in financial services.
As a special-purpose national bank, a fintech company would be required to meet the OCC’s supervisory standards related to safety and soundness; meet requirements to provide fair access to financial services and treat customers fairly; and comply with all applicable laws and regulations commensurate with its size, complexity and risks. Any entity seeking a national charter would need to demonstrate that it sufficiently meets each of these objectives by providing a detailed business plan, as well as its strategies for governance, capital and liquidity management, compliance risk management, financial inclusion, and recovery and resolution planning.
The OCC highlights that the potential benefits of such a charter include:
Ensuring that fintech companies operate in a safe and sound manner to effectively serve the needs of customers, businesses and communities;
Promoting consistency in the application of laws and regulations nationwide and ensuring that consumers are treated fairly; and Internal Audit, Risk, Business & Technology Consulting
Encouraging fintech companies to explore new ways to promote fair access and financial inclusion and innovate responsibly.
From a fintech company perspective, the charter also presents an opportunity to simplify the regulatory oversight framework it currently faces – the state-by-state licensing and other legal and regulatory requirements applicable to the products and services that it offers. And more broadly, the financial services industry views this charter as an opportunity to level the proverbial playing field with fintech start-ups that historically have not been subject to the same level of regulatory oversight and scrutiny.
By granting special-purpose national bank charters, the OCC could provide an avenue for certain companies, particularly those with well-established operating models and risk management frameworks, to enter the bank-regulated environment. Currently, however, it is unknown how many, if any, fintech companies will meet the OCC’s high standards. In addition, current opposition in Congress presents potential hurdles that are likely to impact not only the timing, but also the fate of the OCC’s proposed approach. As we progress into 2017, fintech companies should evaluate the potential regulatory burdens and benefits of the proposed charter and should closely monitor future developments, as the proposal could hold significant promise but likely will endure a challenging, and certainly unpredictable, path forward in the new political environment.
In November 2016, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released its semiannual rulemaking agenda, which highlights its upcoming activities regarding proposing and finalizing new regulations or changes to existing regulations. In the agenda, the CFPB provides an outline of both current and proposed initiatives, covering subjects ranging from arbitration to debt collection. In addition to its fall 2016 rulemaking agenda, the CFPB announced in December 2016 its fair lending- specific priorities for 2017. Both announcements provide insights to the financial services industry regarding the agency’s rulemaking and supervisory priorities for the coming year.
Noteworthy among the items in the fall 2016 rulemaking agenda are the following:
Arbitration. In May 2016, the CFPB issued a proposed rule in response to concerns that arbitration clauses prevent consumers from uniting to seek relief from wrongdoing by financial institutions. The proposed rule would prohibit class action waivers in consumer arbitration agreements and thereby eliminate restrictions on consumers filing or joining class action lawsuits. In its agenda, the CFPB indicates that it is reviewing commentary received on the proposal and intends to finalize a rule in February 2017.
Debt Collection. In July 2016, the CFPB issued a written outline of provisions it would likely include within a proposed debt collection regulation, specifically targeted at debt collection agencies that engage primarily in the collection of debts on the behalf of others, or that purchase debts from other creditors and then collect on their own behalf. It has been the CFPB’s contention that the primary statute applicable to debt collections, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), is insufficient to address modern day debt collection realities (as evidenced most recently by a January 2017 study published by the CFPB on these activities). Notably, the CFPB also indicated that in 2017 it expects to begin exploring regulations applicable to debt collection activities of financial institutions collecting debts on their own behalf.
Mortgages. In July 2016, the CFPB issued a proposed rule to clarify its TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rule, implemented in October 2015, including creating new tolerances/thresholds for certain figures on the required disclosures and providing guidance on sharing disclosures with various parties involved in the mortgage origination process. In its agenda, the CFPB indicated that it is currently reviewing public comments received on the proposal in preparation for issuing a final rule. Additionally, the CFPB continues to work on preparing for the implementation of the upcoming changes to the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), such as by working to streamline and modernize HMDA data reporting processes. Some components of the rule change will take effect in January 2017, but the majority of the new requirements are scheduled to take effect in January 2018.
Regarding its 2017 fair lending priorities, the CFPB stated it intends to increase its focus in the following three areas:
Redlining. Redlining-related enforcement activity has already been a prominent component of the CFPB’s enforcement actions and the agency stated it will continue to evaluate whether financial institutions avoid lending in minority neighborhoods.
Mortgage and Student Loan Servicing. The CFPB indicated that it will focus on whether a borrower’s race or ethnicity impacts the difficulty of working out a solution with mortgage owners and student loan servicers.
Small Business Lending. The CFPB indicated that it will evaluate fair lending risks related to women-owned and minority-owned small businesses.
Notably absent from the list of priorities are auto lending and credit cards, two areas that have been a focus of the CFPB since its inception. The CFPB stated that progress made to improve fairness in those markets has allowed for a shift into other areas of concern. And while this announcement signals where the CFPB’s fair lending resources may be targeted, financial institutions should not take this as an indication that other fair lending areas will not be scrutinized.
Considering this recent announcement, lenders should continue to strengthen their fair lending compliance management systems to provide broad coverage over fair lending risks and increase priority of monitoring and testing related to redlining, mortgage and student loan servicing, and small business lending.
There is much uncertainty regarding the state of the CFPB and the priorities that it has announced in light of the potential changes that may be implemented by the incoming administration. For instance, it has been contemplated that the new administration may place a hold on the implementation of any new rules not yet implemented, or place a moratorium on the proposal of new rules. Other potential leadership changes to the agenda may alter the supervision activities and priorities of the agency as well. In the meantime, however, financial institutions should monitor the CFPB’s current and projected rulemaking and supervision activities and assess the impact(s) on their businesses and risk management frameworks.
In December 2016, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an international standards body designed to develop and promote policies to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, published its first Mutual Evaluation Report (MER) of the United States’ anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing (AML/CTF) program since 2006. The MER provides an assessment of how the U.S. complied with the FATF’s 40 recommendations, a comprehensive set of measures intended to protect the global financial system against money laundering and terrorist financing. While the 2016 MER recognizes that the U.S. has excelled in many areas over the past decade and maintains a well-developed and robust AML/CTF regime, it also highlights areas of vulnerabilities.
In the 2016 MER, the FATF highlights several key developments since 2006, including improving international collaboration and domestic coordination and cooperation with a variety of agencies on AML/CTF issues. Additionally, the FATF reports that the financial services industry, the sector that bears a significant portion of the measures required by the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), has evolved to better understand the processes, systems and tools available to mitigate against and prevent money laundering, such as effective transaction monitoring, effective onboarding, and identification and reporting of potentially suspicious activity. Further, the FATF notes that the U.S. AML/CTF regime is well supported by sound risk assessment processes, as evidenced by the 2015 National Money Laundering Risk Assessment (NMLRA) and the National Terrorism Financing Risk Assessment (NTFRA).
While lauding the U.S. for strengthening certain areas of its AML/CTF program, the FATF also identifies significant gaps in the U.S. framework:
The U.S. received the lowest possible rating for its poor efforts to prevent criminals from using legal entities to facilitate illicit schemes. This rating was driven by the inadequate and untimely access to comprehensive and accurate beneficial ownership information in the United States. Prior to the issuance of the MER, the U.S. Department of the Treasury finalized a customer due diligence (CDD) rule that, among other things, requires covered financial institutions to identify the beneficial ownership information of new legal entity customers and is effective in May 2018. With the passing of the CDD rule, the U.S. is taking steps to strengthen this sector of its AML/CTF program and enhance its ability to identify and trace illicit flows of money in a timely fashion.
The FATF noted that the U.S. lacks coverage of designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs), such as lawyers, accountants, real estate agents, and trust and company service providers, particularly related to CDD, recordkeeping, suspicious transaction reporting and internal controls.
Financial institutions should carefully review the MER and continue to monitor the U.S. AML/CTF regulatory framework as it enhances its efforts to protect the global financial system from abuse. To aid this effort, U.S. financial institutions should review internal controls specific to existing customer identification, verification, and ongoing monitoring policies and procedures. Further, financial institutions should perform know your customer (KYC) system assessments to evaluate the effectiveness of existing customer information collection practices and enhance the linkage among customer information collected, risk-rated profiles and transaction monitoring.
In November 2016, India’s prime minister declared in an unscheduled televised speech that all 500- and 1,000-rupee notes (equivalent to approximately $7.50 and $15.00 in U.S. dollars, respectively) in circulation would cease to be considered as legal tender by the government. Citizens were given until Dec. 30, 2016, to deposit these notes into a bank account or to exchange them for newly designed 500- and 2,000-rupee notes. The government action to remove these notes from circulation (known as demonetization), voiding approximately 86 percent of cash in circulation, was intended to purge “black money,” or illegal cash holdings, from its financial system, improve tax collection, enhance surveillance of criminal networks and encourage broader acceptance of electronic payment methods.
This act is not without controversy, however. Long queues, limitations on the amount of currency that could be exchanged per day and the shortage of new bank notes have sent shockwaves through India’s economy. Questions abound as to whether this action will have any short- or long-term socioeconomic benefits and whether this effort to cleanse India’s financial system has instead worsened it by potentially spawning future generations of black money.
While Indians scrambled to convert their rupee notes, money laundering networks have reportedly prospered across the country by assisting people seeking to evade taxation and declaration. Money laundering networks, organized crime, corruption and alternative money transfer systems (such as hawala) appear to have found ways to circumvent the government oversight that the demonetization effort was intended to effectuate:
Money laundering networks and agents with creative means and legal exemptions offered services to convert banned rupee notes by connecting people seeking to avoid taxation with high-turnover and cash-intensive businesses, such as garment manufacturers and jewelers, many of which are exempt and can report the banned notes as revenue to the government.
It is expected that banned notes are being laundered through bank accounts of farmers and rural account holders, many of whom are exempt from paying taxes on income from any sources.
Axis Bank, the third largest of the private-sector banks in India, recently suspended several bank officers for assisting perpetrators and colluding with banking authorities to convert large amounts of illegal rupee notes into legal currency.
India’s government continues to take action to help transition India’s cash reliant society into a more cashless one. Early reports suggest that Indians are increasingly turning to electronic payment services. Digital payment companies are expanding their global footprint and are eager to find opportunities created by the abrupt change to India’s financial system. As the economic situation in India continues to unfold, U.S. financial institutions should continue to pay close attention to the potential growth of the use of electronic payments in this part of the world and monitor the infrastructure and tools utilized by India’s government to detect and deter black money.
The London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) is an index widely used by consumers and financial institutions as a benchmark for determining the interest rate on various debt instruments such as mortgages, credit cards, corporate loans and various types of derivatives. Over the last decade, several of the banks responsible for reporting into the LIBOR calculation process have been accused of colluding to report rates favorable to their trading positions as opposed to their good faith estimate of what interest rate they would pay in the money market. Such efforts to manipulate LIBOR have led to billions of dollars in fines for some of the largest global banks and have undermined consumers’ willingness to rely on LIBOR as a fair benchmark for debt instruments.
As a result, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY) established the Alternative Reference Rates Committee (ARRC), which is tasked with determining an alternative rate to LIBOR. The ARRC has narrowed its alternatives to two candidates:
The Overnight Bank Funding Rate (OBFR) is a rate calculated using federal funds transactions and certain eurodollar transactions. The primary drivers for why the ARRC is considering the OBFR include the size of the market, the diversity of counterparties and the potential robustness of transactions in the underlying market.
The Treasury’s overnight general collateral financing repurchase agreement (GCF Repo) rate is calculated by using the blended rate of short-term loans/repurchase agreements in the repo market created by the Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, JP Morgan and the Bank of New York. The ARRC is considering the GCF Repo rate as a possible alternative, as there are a high number of transactions in this market as well as a diverse range of financial market participants.
As per the ARRC’s Interim Report and Consultation, the FRBNY notes that these alternative approaches to LIBOR more accurately represent the conditions of the lending market for a given day and subsequently represent a more comprehensive cost of borrowing. The ARRC is expected to make its selection unilaterally later this year. Efforts by other central banks, including the Bank of England, to find an alternative to LIBOR are also underway.
The selection of either of these alternatives will have a deep and wide-ranging effect on money markets around the world. In response to these pending changes, banks and other financial institutions are encouraged to establish working groups and committees to determine the financial impact of transitioning from LIBOR to either of the alternatives under consideration by the ARRC. Important considerations for banks and financial institutions with this transition include determining strategic basis margins as the global banking system moves away from LIBOR, understanding the risks of benchmarking to an untested rate, and internalizing the reputational importance of using what is perceived to be a more equitable and prudential benchmark. Participants in the global financial system will have to establish forward-thinking policies and strategies in order to effectively navigate this significant change in the debt instruments they provide to millions of consumers globally.
It is important to note that this newsletter is provided for general information purposes only and is not intended to serve as legal analysis or advice. Companies should seek the advice of legal counsel or other appropriate advisers on specific questions and practices as they relate to their unique circumstances.
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Public Safety Canada
Connecting with Canadian Communities
Counter Proliferation
National Security – More
Border Strategies
Beyond the Border
Border Law Enforcement
Preclearance in Canada and the United States
Canada-US Cross Border Crime Forum
Border Strategies – More
Countering Crime
Corrections and Criminal Justice
Illicit Drug
Contraband Tobacco
Child Sexual Exploitation on the Internet
Human Smuggling
Firearms Legislation For Safer Communities
Gun and Gang Violence
Countering Crime – More
Disaster Prevention and Mitigation
Natural Hazards of Canada
Responding to Emergency Events
Recovery from Disasters
Emergency Management – More
Canadian Disaster Database
Library and Information Centre
Service Standards for Transfer Payment Programs
Resources – More
National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence
Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence
Understanding Radicalization to Violence
Why and How People Radicalize to Violence
Why and How Groups and Social Networks Become Involved in Violent Extremism
Harmful Impacts of Radicalization to Violence on Communities and Society
Government of Canada's Approach to Countering Radicalization to Violence
Setting Priorities to Support the Government of Canada's Approach
Priority 1: Building, Sharing and Using Knowledge
Building a Knowledge Base
Priority 2: Addressing Radicalization to Violence in the Online Space
Building Resilience to Counter Radicalization to Violence Online
Engagement with Youth
Engagement with Technology Companies
Priority 3: Supporting Interventions
Multi-Agency Interventions
Building Capacity of Front-Line Workers and Practitioners
Returning Extremists Travellers
Canada faces the threat of violence by a small number of individuals who have become radicalized for political, religious or other ideological reasons. The Government of Canada is concerned with all forms of violent extremism, not associating this phenomenon with any particular religious, political, national, ethnic, or cultural group. While Canada has faced a variety of threats stemming from violent extremism in recent decades, the main terrorist threat to Canada continues to be violent extremists inspired by terrorist groups such as Daesh and al-Qaeda. However, individuals espousing and engaging in violence can be inspired by any extremist group promoting such behaviour. For example, some individuals within the far-right movement have espoused, glorified, promoted, and even engaged in violence. As well, historically, some far-left extremists have taken part in violent acts such as pipeline bombings. The Government of Canada is also alerted to the dangers of lesser-known forms of violent extremism.
In its ongoing efforts to keep Canadians safe, the Government of Canada is expanding how it responds to violent extremism. Specifically, the federal government is investing in the prevention of radicalization to violence as articulated through the National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence. Prevention aims to thwart violent radicalization from happening in the first place and to intervene as early as possible when it is occurring. Preventing and countering violent extremism is an effective complement to security agencies' traditional methods of safeguarding national security.
The Government of Canada is focused on preventing radicalization to violence and also recognizes the increasing concern about expressions of intolerance and hate in the public and online spheres. While implementing the National Strategy, the Government of Canada will be examining how to increase individual and group resilience to extreme expressions of intolerance and hate, and how to prevent expressions of hate and intolerance from escalating into incidents of violence.
The National Strategy is articulating the Government of Canada's approach to countering radicalization to violence and is a means to discuss this subject with key partners and Canadians. The landscape of the threat is constantly changing, as are local and global realities. Therefore, the Government of Canada will aim to keep the National Strategy adaptable and responsive in an effort to increase our collective strength in preventing radicalization to violence and the harms it can cause.
The National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence engages with a variety of actors from police to community organizations to identify and prevent radicalization to violence before tragedies occur. There is substantial knowledge, experience, expertise, and evidence at the local, national, and international levels to rely on in developing approaches to countering radicalization to violence. In this context, the National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence identifies areas where expertise and capability exist, and how the Government of Canada and its partners are investing to enhance our collective strengths.
The National Strategy has three main purposes:
To explain radicalization to violence and the destructive and harmful behaviours involved, including their impacts on Canadians and communities.
To outline the Government of Canada's approach to preventing and countering radicalization to violence through early prevention, at-risk prevention and disengagement from violent ideologies.
To outline three priorities that have been identified by the Canada Centre for Community Engagement and the Prevention of Violence (Canada Centre) in consultation with stakeholders, the public, and international experts, which will provide a focus for the activities and investments of the Canada Centre:
Building, sharing and using knowledge.
Addressing radicalization to violence in the online space.
Supporting interventions.
Countering radicalization to violence is a key priority of the Government of Canada. In 2015, the Prime Minister mandated the Minister of Public Safety Canada to develop the Canada Centre. The 2016 Budget allocated $35 million over five years and $10 million per year on-going to establish the centre and support its work.
The Canada Centre was officially launched in 2017. Located at Public Safety Canada headquarters in Ottawa, the Canada Centre is made up of a group of professionals with expertise in countering radicalization to violence. As a centre of excellence, the Canada Centre provides national leadership on Canada's efforts to counter radicalization to violence. This work includes:
Community Resilience Fund: The Canada Centre administers the Community Resilience Fund to support research and programs to build the evidence base along with local capability and capacity to counter radicalization to violence in Canada. For 2019‑2020 and beyond, the fund will have $7 million available each year for existing and new projects. For more information about the Community Resilience Fund, visit the Public Safety Canada website at publicsafety.gc.ca.
Policy guidance including the development of the National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence.
Promoting coordination and collaboration with a range of actors to respond to local level realities and prevent radicalization to violence. These partnerships include all levels of government, communities, community organizations, front-line workers and practitioners, academics, and police.
Funding, planning and coordinating research to better understand radicalization to violence and how best to counter it. Also, mobilizing evidence to reach front-line workers and practitioners who are working to prevent radicalization to violence.
Targeted programming through the Canada Centre's Community Resilience Fund to provide financial support to initiatives that aim to prevent radicalization to violence in Canada.
Given the international dimension of the threat from violent extremism, the Canada Centre works in close collaboration with partners in the Five Eyes (United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand), the Group of Seven (G7) and the European Union.
The Canada Centre also actively engages in multilateral forums such as the United Nations and the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), which strengthen and coordinate international efforts and build civilian capacity to combat terrorism, including efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism. The Government of Canada also engages in the Global Coalition against Daesh, which is a partnership of 79 countries that are united in efforts to defeat Daesh through multiple fronts, including preventing the flow of foreign terrorist fighters across borders and countering the group's communications.
Lexicon:
Radicalization is a process by which an individual or a group gradually adopts extreme positions or ideologies that are opposed to the status quo and challenge mainstream ideas.
Radicalization to violence is the process by which individuals and groups adopt an ideology and/or belief system that justifies the use of violence in order to advance their cause.
Violent extremism is a term describing the beliefs and actions of people who support or use violence to achieve extreme ideological, religious or political goals.
It is important to recognize that radicalization, or having radical thoughts, is not illegal or necessarily problematic in and of itself. The Canadian Constitution, through the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, protects Canadians' freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression.
Radicalization to violence occurs when a person or group takes on extreme ideas and begins to think they should use violence to support or advance their ideas or beliefs. These beliefs can fall along a wide spectrum of ideologies, including political and religious ideologies.
Canada has experienced several violent attacks by radicalized individuals. While violent attacks are the most extreme result of radicalization to violence, Canadians engage in a range of non-violent behaviours, both offline and online, in support of violent extremism:
Funding violent extremist or terrorist groups.
Spreading messages and narratives that incite violence and hatred.
Recruiting individuals to become part of a violent extremist or terrorist group.
Travelling to join violent extremists or terrorist groups abroad.
Expressing support for a terrorist group.
Why and How People Radicalize to Violence in Canada
Radicalization to violence is not a phenomenon that uniquely affects individuals of any particular background, culture or religion. The socio-economic circumstances, levels of education, experiences of marginalization, and religious affiliations of individuals who have radicalized to violence in Canada are extremely diverse.
Nonetheless, a number of factors can influence an individual's path to radicalization to violence. These can be specific to the individual or can be based in their immediate surroundings, or in society at large. In all cases, however, the justification for the use of violence is tied to some form of extremist ideology or belief system.
Any one factor on its own is not typically enough to motivate an individual to commit violence. Generally, numerous factors interact to propel individuals towards radicalization to violence. These may include:
Gender Dynamics: Research suggests that men and women share many of the same factors that draw them to join violent extremist groups, such as a desire for adventure, empowerment, belonging, purpose, and to assert a particular identity that they view as being marginalized. However, these factors can be experienced differently by men and women. Violent extremist and terrorist organizations deliberately exploit gender norms and dynamics to recruit and maintain membership. Understanding this dynamic is vital to designing and delivering effective measures to counter these efforts.
Social networks: Close friends and family can influence an individual's interest in an extremist ideology that calls for violence. Online communities can exert a similar influence.
Grievances: Some individuals become so preoccupied with a social injustice —real or perceived—that they join an extremist group that promises to challenge it through violence. These grievances can range from feeling personally discriminated against to perceived injustices occurring abroad.
Vulnerabilities: In some cases, individuals may be seeking to escape from or solve personal problems (e.g. poor family relationships, debt, etc.)
Sense of belonging: Similar to joining criminal gangs, joining violent extremist groups or causes can make individuals feel like they are part of a group.
Inclination towards violence: Some individuals are simply attracted to violence, while others are drawn to the perceived heroic roles promised to those who join violent extremist or terrorist groups.
Whether, and how, diverse influences contribute to harmful behaviour in a given case is also shaped by the presence or absence of protective factors. These include:
Positive influences of credible friends, family members or mentors.
Belief systems that reject violence as a solution to problems.
Other sources of purpose and social belonging, such as employment, school, sports or cultural activities.
Trusted avenues for concerned friends, family, front-line practitioners and community members to seek help in understanding and addressing worrisome signs.
Professionals who are trained to assess risks and provide tailored interventions.
Radicalization to Violence of a High School Student - Scenario A: Alex, a high school student gets into an argument about Canada's foreign aid with another student who happens to be a recent immigrant. Alex is outraged that Canada provides help to foreigners when so many Canadians are in need. This incident makes him believe that immigrants should not have a say about any of Canada's policies. Noticing his outrage, a friend takes Alex to a protest organized by a far right group that proclaims anti-immigrant rhetoric. After the protest, the organizers invite him to hang out, and he becomes interested in learning more about their group. He starts to follow those individuals on social media, where they post about their ideas and upcoming protests. After attending a few more protests, Alex begins to help the group organize their rallies and gather support for their cause on social media, leading the group's leadership to give him an important position in the group. As a full member of this group, he starts vandalizing immigrants' places of worship and taking part in violence by attacking visible minorities on the streets. Alex quickly becomes known to the police, who are collecting evidence in order to arrest and charge him with criminal offences.
Group dynamics play important roles in shaping individual involvement and action in violent extremism. Even for individuals who seemingly operate alone, their actions are often shaped through their relationships with groups and social networks, both in-person and online.
Processes involved in group and social network mobilization to violence include:
Intra-group influences: Groups can exert important influences on its members. For example, research has shown that people in a group setting often feel pressure to conform and maintain group cohesiveness, making them reluctant to disagree with others in the group. People also tend to believe that unanimity exists among group members, regardless if that is actually true. Moreover, group discussions can lead individuals to become more entrenched in their pre-existing views, and increase their openness to make riskier decisions.
Competition within groups and networks: Sometimes groups will compete against each other, even though they espouse the same ideology, to demonstrate credibility or superiority by engaging in violence. Alternatively, individuals can splinter off from a group because the group is unwilling to use violence, therefore leaving a splinter group united by their willingness to use violence.
Isolation and separation: Research has shown that fellow group members are considered more persuasive, while outsiders tend to be viewed as having a hidden agenda. This can sometimes lead groups—especially groups that experience opposition from mainstream society—to isolate themselves, where they increasingly rely on their own members for information, confirmation, and justification. Ignoring outside voices, extremist groups can drift further into extremism and ultimately into violence.
History and past experience: Groups or social networks can become inspired by the past in their search for ways to address current grievances. This is why ideologically-driven violence is frequently linked with specific places and individuals or groups that have experienced past violence or collective trauma.
Perceiving a threat: Groups sometimes resort to violence when members believe they are under threat. The threat can be specific, such as when groups feel attacked by mainstream society, the government, the media, or the police. The threat can also be more diffuse, such as when groups feel they are losing their values and traditions, or during periods of economic hardship and high unemployment, or at times of large political and social change.
As with individuals, whether or not groups escalate towards violence is also shaped by the presence of protective dynamics. These include:
Individuals and organizations who actively counter violent influences.
Societal and community-based practices and narratives that discredit violence and value other forms of social and political engagement.
Strong relationships within and among communities that support positive norms and narratives.
Trust in relevant state and social institutions, such as the education system, health and social services, the criminal justice system, security and intelligence institutions, the media, and mainstream society as a whole.
Individuals trained in effective interventions to interrupt or calm escalation.
As suggested by the different ways in which individuals, groups and social networks become involved in violent extremism and terrorism, there are various ways in which these activities create harm on individuals, families, communities and society as a whole. These include:
Physical, emotional and psychological impact: The most obvious harm is the direct victimization of those who experience and witness attacks. Violent extremism can also create fear and increase people's sense of insecurity of society as a whole.
Normalization of violent action and rhetoric: There is evidence that exposure to some forms of extremist and terrorist violence can lead to its perpetuation.
Polarization: A significant concern is that the destructive actions of some individuals or groups will prompt stereotypes and 'reciprocal' radicalization to violence by opposing individuals or groups. This dynamic can potentially worsen larger-scale divisions and grievances.
Reduction of trust: Some studies on the impact of terrorism find that terrorist attacks are associated with lower levels of trust in fellow citizens, national institutions and the legal system.
Again, there is also evidence about what can protect individuals and society against harmful impacts of extremist and terrorist violence. These can include:
Effective, appropriate support for victims of attacks in the short, medium and long term.
Meaningful, non-violent avenues to address grievances and conflicts and to advocate for social change.
Positive social values, including mutual respect and sense of belonging for all.
Ways to de-escalate, counter and marginalize destructive discourses in the media and public sphere.
Well-functioning state, social institutions and media platforms and outlets that are viewed as procedurally fair.
The Government of Canada's Approach to Countering Radicalization to Violence
Working Together to Prevent Radicalization to Violence: The Government of Canada and its partners are making connections across diverse domains to better prevent radicalization to violence in Canada. These include multiple levels of government and a range of societal actors in Canada. For example, there are many existing efforts to address factors that can push an individual on a pathway to radicalization to violence such as engaging in or experiencing hate speech, community based conflicts and mental health issues. At the same time, within the Government of Canada, and within provincial and territorial governments, many departments, such as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, deliver social programming that contributes to building resilient communities and individuals and fostering social cohesion which indirectly supports the approach to preventing radicalization to violence.
As a centre of excellence, the Canada Centre is developing expertise in understanding radicalization to violence in the Canadian context and the most effective ways to counter it. This includes listening and learning from communities, key federal, provincial and territorial partners, police and domestic and international experts. Based on what is known about best practices in countering radicalization to violence, the Canada Centre is prioritizing efforts that fall within three broad categories: early prevention, at-risk prevention and disengagement from violent ideologies.
Early prevention efforts are aimed at the general population and have the objective of preventing the onset of harmful behaviour. Examples include:
Raising awareness about radicalization to violence so individuals can distinguish it from holding extreme views and identify when someone is at risk of engaging in violence.
Increasing critical thinking skills and digital literacy so people are less vulnerable to manipulation and influence of terrorist and violent extremist messaging online.
Supporting narratives that challenge violent extremism and promote positive social engagement.
Supporting outlets for respectful and meaningful dialogue and social action that allow grievances to be addressed in non-violent ways.
Supporting in the development of curricula and training for teachers that encourage open dialogue on complex issues in classrooms and provide students with prosocial avenues to discuss their grievances.
At-risk prevention efforts are directed at individuals or groups in the initial stages of radicalization to violence. Examples include:
Interventions with individuals showing signs of vulnerability or risk in order to build protective factors and divert them from the path towards violent extremism.
Appropriate tools for family members, peers, and front-line workers and practitioners, such as police officers and mental health professionals, to intervene with those at risk.
Tools and strategies to engage individuals who are interacting with harmful content online that may be radicalizing them towards violence.
Disengagement efforts are aimed at individuals who have become directly involved in ideologically-motivated violence. These include individuals on peace bonds, incarcerated for terrorism offences, or returning from conflict zones. Disengagement programs serve as a complement to the comprehensive work of Canada's security and policing agencies in monitoring, investigating, and building a case for criminal prosecution. These programs, such as initiatives to help individuals exit from violent extremist groups, are another way of mitigating the potential threat posed by these individuals.
Whole-of-Government-Approach: The Canada Centre recognizes the contributions of other federal government departments and is working closely with them to ensure that efforts to counter radicalization to violence complement each other strategically. For example, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police supports community engagement and training for first responders which aims to provide greater national security awareness. Internationally, through the Counter Terrorism Capacity Building Program (CTCBP), Global Affairs Canada supports local and regional programming aimed at countering violent extremism. As well, the Department of National Defence helps to enable a secure environment which allows other non-military efforts to break the lifecycle of recruitment and radicalization to violence. For more information on other relevant horizontal initiatives, see the Annex.
Countering radicalization to violence is a relatively new undertaking for the Government of Canada. Across the country, much work is needed to build resilience against violent extremism, as well as to build capacity to intervene with individuals who are at risk of—or who already are—radicalizing to violence.
To begin this work, several priorities have been chosen to support Canada's approach to counter radicalization to violence:
Each priority features activities and investments that align with the Government of Canada's approach to countering radicalization through early prevention, at-risk prevention and disengagement from violent ideologies. Programming investments are focused in areas where evidence exists and best practices have been developed. In other areas, research and evaluation is planned or underway to build knowledge and measure success to determine how the Government of Canada can most effectively counter radicalization to violence.
The Government of Canada does not establish priorities in isolation. The Canada Centre consistently engages with stakeholders to guide the on-going development of priorities to support Canada's work to counter radicalization to violence such as local community partners, front-line workers and practitioners, representatives from multiple governments, as well as research networks such as the Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism, Security and Society.
The Government of Canada also actively engages internationally to access the best available knowledge and practices to inform our approach to countering radicalization to violence. The Canada Centre leverages and contributes to global expertise through forums like the United Nations and the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum, and through initiatives such as the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, the Hedayah Center, and the Centre for Research and Evidence on Security Threats (CREST).
Build knowledge on reliable and meaningful indicators of radicalization to violence and protective factors.
Build knowledge on methods to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of programs aimed at countering radicalization to violence.
Share knowledge by connecting researchers and practitioners across Canada to share best practices through conferences and events.
Supporting Research: Through the Community Resilience Fund, the Canada Centre is leading, supporting and planning a number of key research projects on topics such as understanding pathways to radicalization to violence for Canadians who have travelled abroad to join terrorist organizations, and the landscape of far-right extremist groups in Canada and the potential for groups to adopt violence. As well, through the fund, the Canada Centre is supporting projects to understand how hate crime interacts with radicalization to violence, as well as how they can be prevented and countered.
Supporting the CPRLV: Through the Community Resilience Fund, the Canada Centre is supporting the Centre for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence, located in Montréal, to conduct research on better understanding risk and protective factors within families of individuals who radicalize to violence and also the role families and communities can play in mitigating radicalization to violence. Understanding and considering these risk factors and the role of families can help ensure that prevention strategies are effective. The project also aims to improve support and care strategies for families affected by radicalization to violence.
Knowledge Informs Decision Making: Some decisions to manage radicalization to violence can have unintended consequences. For example, a school may decide to expel a youth from school because he is deemed as espousing violent extremist views. While this may give the impression of protecting other students from being exposed to violent extremism, separating the youth from important protective factors provided by the school setting may actually increase the youth's risk of further radicalizing to violence. That is why evaluating and measuring the effectiveness of interventions are key requirements for programs that aim to counter radicalization to violence in Canada.
Countering radicalization to violence is a relatively young field compared to other areas of prevention. Therefore, building a knowledge base is a key priority for the Government of Canada to ensure that evidence is used to guide policies and the creation and implementation of programs to prevent and counter radicalization to violence in Canada.
While evidence is crucial to inform best practices, it is also crucial to avoid the possible unintended consequences—and even harms—of efforts aimed at countering radicalization to violence. Knowledge, based on research, monitoring, measurement and evaluation, is a safeguard that can help prevent the potential harmful consequences of even the best-intentioned programs.
In its efforts to build a knowledge base, the Canada Centre is concentrating on several key research topics which include, for example, better understanding meaningful indicators of radicalization to violence. There is an important need to recognize when individuals or groups are escalating in behaviour and motivation in ways that are becoming dangerous and destructive. Many researchers are working to identify the warning signs of these shifts towards violence, but detecting these indicators has proven challenging. Some indicators, such as the increasing use of dehumanizing language, or the persistent viewing of violent videos online, often occur when someone is radicalizing to violence. Yet some individuals who will never radicalize may engage in these behaviours; and incorrectly identifying them as such can lead to grave, unintended consequences.
On the one hand, failure to identify an individual radicalizing to violence is a missed opportunity to intervene. On the other hand, mistakenly identifying an individual as radicalizing can harm their reputation, and risks stigmatizing friends, relatives, and entire communities. The Canada Centre is investing in research to determine which indicators of radicalization to violence are reliable.
The Canada Centre is also focusing its knowledge building efforts on the measurement and evaluation of programs. The practices of measuring and evaluating the effectiveness of initiatives to counter radicalization to violence are not as developed as in other fields. The Government of Canada is prioritizing efforts to embed evaluation into the design and delivery of programs to build the evidence base of what works—and what does not work—to prevent and counter radicalization to violence.
For the knowledge base to be useful, best practices in countering radicalization to violence must be shared with the right people in the right way. Especially for early prevention and building resilience, knowledge must reach many different audiences: front-line workers, such as health and social service providers, teachers and other professionals in the education system, faith leaders, as well as parents, friends and community members who may be dealing directly with an individual radicalizing to violence. The knowledge must be useful and resonate with their perspectives.
Some initiatives to counter radicalization to violence call for engaging specific populations like youth, or emphasizing the importance of families—or women in particular—as crucial for prevention. Yet these populations are often very diverse, whereby segments of these populations have very different social, political, and ideological views from each other. Without research to better understand relevant audiences, efforts to share knowledge can be ineffective or worse, lead to unintended negative consequences such as increasing their sense of distrust, alienation, or reinforcing stereotypes about groups being linked to violent extremism.
Therefore, the Government of Canada will ensure that academic research and results are available and tailored to the various people across Canada who need it. To do this, the Canada Centre will connect researchers and practitioners across Canada to share best practices through conferences and events. The Canada Centre will continue to make research available by sponsoring academic experts on radicalization to violence to participate in public events and media appearances to answer questions and raise awareness of this issue. The Canada Centre will also produce research summaries, policy papers and info-graphics for practitioners, civil society and community leaders, and the general public.
Support civil society in the development of digital literacy guidelines and alternative narratives.
Work with technology companies and international partners to continue efforts to reduce the impact of terrorist and violent extremist content online.
Support research to better understand how terrorists and violent extremist groups operate in the online space and how to counter their activities.
Aaron Driver: Aaron Driver maintained a significant online presence, tweeting support for Daesh and engaging with Daesh supporters online. On the day of his death, Driver released a martyrdom video online, claiming allegiance to Daesh and stating his intent to carry out an attack. Subsequently, after an exchange with the RCMP during which Driver detonated an explosive device and did not comply with RCMP officers' directives, lethal force was used.
Alexandre Bissonnette: Alexandre Bissonnette carried out an attack at a mosque in St. Foy, Quebec, killing six men. Previously, Bisonnette consumed far-right content online.
Violent extremist and terrorist organizations use the internet and social media in various ways to further their cause. These include indoctrinating individuals into their ideologies and recruiting members to join their organizations or provide financial support. The online space is also used to inspire, incite, coordinate, finance and plan acts of violence. For example, al-Qaeda and Daesh provide material online in the form of magazines and videos with instructions on how to carry out acts of violence, such as guidance on the use of small arms, vehicles, and bladed weapons, and suggestions on how to inflict the most harm.
Social media has allowed violent extremists and terrorists to target specific subsets of the population with tailored materials and messaging in attempt to recruit, incite and create social divides. For example, Daesh recruiters—both formal organization members and volunteers—work to groom their targets, isolating them from positive social influences and encouraging them to carry out real world action. Once trust is developed, often communication will move over to more secure platforms.
Individuals who hold far-right violent extremist views are also very active online. Through chat forums and online networks, these individuals participate in a community that extends beyond borders. Individuals and groups with far-right violent extremist views use the online space to legitimize and normalize their views and narratives. They exploit public concerns in a way that will create a culture of fear, hatred, and mistrust, and to espouse and promote the use of violence.
Building Resilience to Counter Online Radicalization to Violence
In the digital age, Canadians' online identities and activities blend into our offline lives. While the internet and social media do not cause radicalization to violence on their own, online activities can facilitate the radicalization to violence process or be used by those who have already radicalized to violence to further their cause, obtain recruits and circulate information on how to commit attacks.
The Government of Canada's approach to preventing and countering radicalization to violence online is based on two key principles:
A commitment to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including Charter-protected freedom of expression and privacy rights.
A commitment to diversity, as well as social and political inclusion for Canadians of all ages, gender identities, races, faiths, official languages, and levels of accessibility. Also, to provide safe spaces for Canadians so they can fully participle in the online space.
These commitments are complementary and important supporting factors in efforts to reach sustainable, long-term success in addressing these issues.
Preventing and countering radicalization to violence online is complex and requires a multi-stakeholder approach that includes national and international engagement with technology companies, academic researchers and civil society.
Through its activities and the Community Resilience Fund, the Canada Centre will continue to promote evidence-based efforts to prevent and counter radicalization to violence online through support for initiatives such as:
Digital literacy: Guidelines can help Canadians of all ages develop critical thinking skills and build resilience to violent extremist and terrorist content online. Young people in particular can learn how to interact respectfully with others in the online space; to understand contexts of content they see; and to create, engage with and share online content in a responsible, safe and secure way.
Alternative narratives: The best efforts to challenge violent extremist and terrorist narratives include alternative points of view developed and delivered by trusted and credible sources. These alternative narratives may relate to topics such as participation in democratic processes; the value and importance of inclusion and diversity; critical consumption of media; or positive roles played by all Canadians.
Effective engagement with youth is critical to challenging violent extremist and terrorist use of the internet and social media. Young Canadians understand the online environment and how their peers use new and emerging social media platforms. Young Canadians are involved and engaged; they drive and sustain political and social action, and can develop and transmit effective alternative narratives that point to the errors, myths and contradictions in violent extremist and terrorist messaging. Also, they provide prosocial influences for their peers and can steer their energy toward positive political and social endeavours.
The Canada Centre prioritizes work with Canadian youth, funds projects to provide a better understanding of the risks faced by youth in the online space, and facilitates engagement between youth and key partners, such as technology companies, researchers and academics. This engagement is meant to provide youth with the resources and capacity to develop and implement evidence-based online prevention initiatives such as alternative narratives and positive messaging.
Working Together to Counter Violent Extremism: The Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT), established in 2017 by Google, Facebook, Twitter and Microsoft, is a mechanism for technology companies to work together to counter violent extremist and terrorist use of the internet. GIFCT fosters collaboration with smaller technology companies, civil society groups, academics, and multilateral bodies such as the European Union and the United Nations.
The EU Internet Forum: The European Union addresses violent extremist and terrorist use of the internet through the EU Internet Forum. To reduce the accessibility of online terrorist content, the EU Internet Forum has created indicators for content removal. These indicators can be used to guide the activities of technology companies and to track where measures to counter violent extremist and terrorist activity in the online space are effective.
It is critical for governments to cooperate with technology companies to effectively address violent extremists and terrorist use of the internet. Technology companies control the use of their platforms, have influence over their users and the content they host, and own data critical to understanding how to counter violent extremists and terrorist use of the internet.
The Canada Centre leads the Government of Canada's engagement and cooperation with GIFCT alongside other G7 countries and Five Eyes partners. In recent years the technology companies making up GIFCT have taken a number of initiatives to disrupt terrorists' ability to operate on their platforms.
However, there is more to be done. G7 countries are working together to encourage GIFCT to effectively, ethically, and transparently address the threat online by:
Developing, repurposing and leveraging technology and automated solutions for the detection and removal of violent extremist and terrorist content that incites violence and hatred.
Accurately identifying and removing violent extremist and terrorist content from online platforms within one hour of upload while ensuring respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Providing more comprehensive support to small companies with less technological capability, expertise, staffing and monetary resources to adequately address these issues.
Adopting performance metrics consistent with those used by the EU Internet Forum to demonstrate progress against violent extremist and terrorist content.
The Canada Centre will continue to work with technology companies and Five Eye partners to understand how online radicalization to violence can be prevented. Other domains where online activities result in harm, such as foreign interference in democratic processes and online child sexual exploitation, will also be examined to help inform approaches to addressing online radicalization to violence.
The Canada Centre is looking to connect GIFCT with Canadian researchers and academics to support research projects concerning how to:
Better understand the online ecosystem used by violent extremist and terrorist groups to inform prevention and mitigation strategies.
Better support population groups most vulnerable to harms from radicalization to violence and hateful content, including youth, women and LGBTQ2S.
Empower practitioners and youth to better leverage the online space to counter violent extremists and terrorist activities.
A priority for the Canada Centre is to ensure that data for research and intervention programming is used only for the intended research project and is handled appropriately (e.g. is anonymized and free of personally identifiable information).
Support training for front-line workers and practitioners so they can assess and intervene with cases of radicalization to violence.
Continue to provide funding for local, comprehensive approaches to interventions.
Support capacity building among multi-agency programs to intervene with cases of radicalization to violence.
Radicalization to Violence of a High School Student - Scenario B: In Scenario A, Alex became involved with an anti-immigrant group and began to violently attack visible minorities on the streets. To steer Alex off the pathway of violent radicalization, interventions could have been made at multiple points. If a teacher or a school counsellor had facilitated an honest and informed discussion about immigration in class that might have helped him to distinguish the argument in which he was involved from the larger context of immigration. Another point where an intervention could have helped was when his friends and family saw him becoming involved with a group known to take part in vandalism and violence against minorities. At that point, they could have connected him with a practitioner, such as a social worker, who could have helped him disengage from the group, address vulnerabilities contributing to his radicalization to violence, and guide him to constructive avenues for personal development or political participation.
Given Canada's regional diversity and the complexity of pathways towards radicalization to violence, there is no “one size fits all” approach for effective interventions. Intervention efforts must differ based on individuals' circumstances and local contexts, how advanced they are in their pathways to radicalization to violence, and the types of violent extremist groups or causes they are looking to join. Thus, interventions can take different forms, including mentoring and coaching, social support for employment and housing, psychological and trauma counselling, and participation in local community programs.
The Government of Canada favours a local, comprehensive approach to interventions with individuals in the initial stages of radicalization to violence or requiring disengagement from violent ideologies. Through the Community Resilience Fund, the Canada Centre will continue to provide funding for flexible efforts designed to fit with individuals' local circumstances.
Multi-Agency Approaches
Multi-agency Intervention Programs: Multi-agency intervention programs bring together a multitude of sectors including police, health and social services and education, to assess an individual's needs and determine the form of intervention required. In Canada, multi-agency intervention programs have been used in crime prevention.
Internationally and in Canada, multi-agency intervention programs are now being recognized as good practices for countering radicalization to violence for individuals who show potential for imminent harm to self or others. This is due to their ability to quickly mobilize actors and organizations across society to develop interventions that are tailored to individuals and local contexts.
Multi-agency programs are being used because many of the sectors represented in the partnership are equipped to help address some of the vulnerabilities that push and pull individuals towards violent extremism. By addressing a given individual's range of needs, vulnerabilities and risks, multi-agency programs can potentially redirect them away from violent extremism before it occurs. Community-based input into these interventions is crucial given how local context can both promote and protect individuals from radicalization to violence.
Through the Community Resilience Fund, the Canada Centre will continue to support multi-agency intervention programs to build capacity to manage cases of individuals who are radicalizing to violence. For example:
Furthering Our Communities by Uniting Services (FOCUS) Toronto is led by the Toronto Police Service, City of Toronto, and United Way Toronto and York Region, and partners with local agencies to assess the needs of individuals experiencing acute health or social problems that require a multi-disciplinary intervention. FOCUS is building capacity to add radicalization to violence to the range of issues addressed.
Ottawa Multiagency Early Risk Intervention Tables (MERIT) is a collaborative intervention program supported by the Ottawa Police Service, local agencies, and service partners that aims to reduce crime and victimization and to improve community resilience and well-being. Merit is building capacity to address cases of individuals radicalizing to violence.
Edmonton Resiliency Project is a collaborative approach to prevention and intervention that draws on trusted community and organizational relationships to prevent violent extremism. Engagement, education, and online and offline intervention are delivered by the Edmonton Police Service, City of Edmonton, and Organization for the Prevention of Violence.
Calgary Re-Direct is a partnership between the City of Calgary, Community and Neighbourhood Services, the Calgary Police Service, and other professional partners that uses a multidisciplinary approach to intervention with youth and young adults who are vulnerable to radicalization to violence.
The Organization for the Prevention of Violence:The Canada Centre is providing support through the Community Resilience Fund to the Organization for the Prevention of Violenceto bring together subject matter experts, front-line practitioners, and community activists to assess potential sources of violent extremism in Alberta. The funding will also be used to design educational materials and intervention procedures that will be provided to practitioners, community members and other stakeholders to guide their work in countering radicalization to violence.
An important priority for the Canada Centre is supporting training for front-line workers and practitioners so they can assess cases of radicalization to violence and intervene effectively. Individuals at earlier stages of radicalization, as well as those acutely at risk will often have interactions with front-line workers and practitioners (e.g. nurses, school counsellors, psychologists, social workers, youth workers, parole and probation officers) at some point along their pathway to violence. It is important that those workers and practitioners are equipped to recognize risks and intervene.
A priority for the Government of Canada is to develop, refine and mobilize resources that can help inform and improve assessments and interventions. This includes supporting the development of training and information resources, as well as working with professional organizations and associations to create standards and best practices for working with vulnerable individuals.
Through the Community Resilience Fund, the Canada Centre is providing support for projects that address this priority. For example:
Canadian Practitioners Network for Prevention of Radicalization and Extremist Violence (CPN-PREV) is a network established to bring forward Canadian leadership and develop excellence in countering violent radicalization by supporting evidence-based best practices and collaboration among practitioners, researchers and policymakers. Training materials produced from this project will support a growing community of professional practitioners in Canada involved in assessing, preventing, and intervening with individuals who are at risk of radicalizing to violence.
Returning Extremist Travellers
Some Canadians have travelled abroad to participate in terrorist activities. Some travelled to Iraq, Syria and Turkey, while others went to Afghanistan, Pakistan, parts of north and east Africa and elsewhere. Some have acquired spouses and children.
Of particular concern is the prospect that some who have travelled abroad may return to Canada to conduct attacks, facilitate or inspire others to do so, or further other threat-related activities.
Investigating, arresting, charging and prosecuting any Canadian involved in terrorism or violent extremism is the Government's main strategy and priority. In addition, other options are pursued, including: surveillance, interviews and further investigations; intelligence gathering and lawful sharing; on-going threat assessments; no-fly listings; the refusal and revocation of passports; legally authorized threat reduction measures; and terrorism peace bonds.
Alongside these national security measures, the Canada Centre funds intervention programming and capacity building for front-line workers and practitioners who may be called upon to support the disengagement of extremist travellers, and their families, from violent extremist ideologies. These interventions do not replace, prevent, or exclude monitoring and investigating by security agencies.
The National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence is intended to be a flexible framework to guide prevention-based initiatives towards countering radicalization to violence. In particular, the strategy is adaptable to an environment where the threat of violent extremism is constantly changing, as well as the means through which the threat is expressed.
The strategy also aims to raise awareness of what is currently known about radicalization to violence, so practitioners, front-line workers and Canadians in general are better positioned to help prevent it. Being equipped with the latest information and tools is crucial to implementing effective prevention efforts.
Finally, this strategy is a tool for continuous dialogue with Canadians and aims to stimulate discussion on this challenging topic. The strategy promotes the kinds of collaborations between the Government of Canada, its partners, and Canadians that are fundamental to ensuring that efforts to counter radicalization to violence in our country are responsive to local realities. By continuing to build those connections, together we will increase our collective capacity tokeep our communities safe.
Relevant Government of Canada Programs and Initiatives
National Crime Prevention Strategy
Communities at Risk: Security Infrastructure Program
www.publicsafety.gc.ca
The First Responders Terrorism Awareness Program
www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Defence Research and Development Canada's Centre for Security Science
Canadian Safety and Security Program
www.science.gc.ca
Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program
Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Program
www.international.gc.ca
Department of Justice Canada
Victims Fund
www.justice.gc.ca
Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program
www.canada.ca
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Settlement Program
Resettlement Assistance Program
Status of Women Canada
Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence
www.swc-cfc.gc.ca
Associate Deputy Minister
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Bringing out the best in us
The pandemic has galvanised many people to help the vulnerable and elderly during the Covid-19 crisis. Guest writer Ray Philpott finds out what motivates these actions.
Across the country the vast majority of people have been making real efforts to support each other since the Covid-19 crisis struck. Whether it was clapping for carers every week, doing shopping trips for vulnerable neighbours, or taking part in impressive charity fundraising activities, thousands have stepped up to the plate to help others.
This upsurge in thoughtful, kind-hearted behaviour has been likened to that generated by the ‘Blitz spirit’ of World War II, which prevailed as the nation faced some of its darkest days. So, what is it about a crisis that seems to bring out the best in people and motivates them to go the extra mile?
Choices and decisions
There are various reasons why greater levels of caring behaviour emerge in situations like the pandemic, according to leading psychiatrist Dr Chi-Chi Obuaya, an expert in understanding human behaviour under extreme stress.
“During lockdown, everyone was forced to slow down. The rhythm of our lives was disrupted as we faced a very real threat to ourselves, our friends and families,” he explains. “In extreme situations like this, people are forced to make a choice. They can be inward-looking, adopting a bunker mentality and primarily thinking about themselves – as exemplified by panic-buying, hoarding resources and fleeing to boltholes.”
Alternatively, adds Dr Obuaya, “they can choose to be positive and outward-facing, recognising that we all live in communities where we’re mutually dependent on each other and may need someone else’s support to survive.”
For a significant proportion of the population, being bound together by a common enemy generates a natural urge to reach out to people and act collectively. Consequently, offering time, resources, knowledge, money and physical help to others increasingly feels like the right thing to do for many, but not all.
“When the rhythm and structure of life are disrupted by a crisis it undermines some people’s sense of purpose, identity and self-worth. Some seek to reclaim fulfilment and direction by giving their time to help others,” says Dr Obuaya.
Captain Sir Thomas Moore, who was knighted this year after raising over £30 million for the NHS.
Altruistic behaviour can also be motivated by a reaction to what others are doing. This may involve ‘social proofing’ – where people copy others’ positive actions and behaviours to be seen positively – or sheer inspiration, as epitomised by the impressive fundraising efforts of centenarian Captain Tom Moore, which drove many others to do more.
Dr Obuaya concludes: “Whatever the motives behind all this activity to help others, the amazing thing is it happened organically in so many different locations in so many different ways.”
Furloughed Foodies
One community support success that made headlines was Furloughed Foodies, a donation-funded voluntary organisation making and delivering free meals for NHS staff battling to save lives in pandemic-hit London.
At its height, it boasted 800 volunteers (most of whom were furloughed but some were still working), who were distributing 30,000 homemade meals a week to 16 hospitals. The movement even had its own highly active website and social media channels. But what inspired founder Floris ten Nijenhuis to start this ambitious programme?
“Back in March, my late mother was seriously ill with cancer and I’d been watching brilliant doctors in Italy look after her for 18 months and couldn’t just stand by – I felt compelled to do something,” he explains. “I was between jobs and delivering meals locally but didn’t feel that was enough. Then a doctor friend of mine said it was possible to deliver meals to hospitals and I knew lots of furloughed people who would help. The rest is history.
“Our amazing volunteers had many different reasons for taking part, I’m sure. However, judging from the huge responses to any posts about delivery activities on our WhatsApp groups, it seems a common theme was the desire for a sense of community, with something to share and chat about together in the grim depths of lockdown.”
For lawyer Pranav Bhanot, it was the urge to take control and unite people against the common enemy of Covid-19 that drove him to found the Chigwell Coronavirus Action Group. The group brings together the diverse vocational skills of more than 60 local volunteers to benefit the wider community in lockdown in hugely varying ways. It disinfects local public spaces, provides free legal advice to those who have lost jobs or had events cancelled, and offers free food and medicine delivery and even counselling for Covid-related anxiety.
Initially launching with just family members and a very small group of close friends, the number of volunteers grew rapidly as word about the group’s activities spread over social media.
Bhanot says: “I felt the pandemic basically took away our control of our own lives. Personally, I wanted to make a difference, to take back control and do something constructive to limit its impact.
“I particularly wanted to mobilise healthier and younger local people to assist those in the area who are elderly or more vulnerable. Our community was facing an enemy we needed to fight collectively and there was an opportunity to act because people felt motivated and took decisive action.”
How Sanlam responded to the Covid-19 lockdown
Keen to help people whose social and working lives were being disrupted by the pandemic and lockdown, we ran a digital events programme that was open to everyone and virtual summer work experience sessions for young people across the country, who had been disadvantaged by cancelled internships and unpaid training opportunities.
Between April and June we ran a series of entertaining and informative web-based activities presented by Sanlam staff and senior managers. These included mobility and exercise classes, a pub quiz, master classes in selfportrait painting with artist Eileen Cooper, cooking with MasterChef semi-finalist Christian Day and virtual cocktail mixing under the guidance of Joyce and Raissa de Haas, the owners of mixer brand Double Dutch.
“We invited clients, professional partners and colleagues to take part in each of these events and others covering financial planning sessions and social media training,” explains one of the organisers, Business Analyst James Taylor.
“Some of the most popular digital events were the Future Leaders webinars for 18 to 25-year-olds and we built on that to deliver a week-long, interactive work experience event for more than 60 young people.
“Senior managers gave tutorials and lectures covering everything from marketing and wealth planning, to starting a career in financial services. Participants were divided into virtual teams and asked to complete two projects, followed by a presentation on each to a panel of experts.”
He continues: “Through these events, we’ve been able to give something back to people that was entertaining and useful and, based on the positive reception they received, we plan to run more in the future.”
UK and EU agree landmark trade deal
How our investment approach fared in 2020
For general enquiries about our products and services or to speak with one of our financial professionals, please contact us.
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Zachary, who had her first season at Central Oklahoma cut short by the coronavirus, hadn't been on a course in a competitive event for some time before taking on the Quicksand Golf Course and Brentwood Country Club this week.
In Monday's one-round tournament, Zachary shot a 5-over, 77 to finish in second place, one shot behind winner Ozlyan Juarez of Monahans. Zachary made par on the first, 10th and 12th holes and sat at 1-over going to No. 14, one shot back.
But bogies on four of the final five holes allowed Juarez to overcome two bogies of her own and a double-bogey on No. 17 to hold on for the win.
Zachary added another runner-up finish on Tuesday, shooting a 12-over, 84 at Brentwood. Once again it was Juarez (74) taking the top spot.
Casey wins big, twice
Cooper graduate Riley Casey left little doubt at the Quicksand Golf Course, shooting a 3-under, 69 to claim the men's title by seven shots on Monday. He followed with a one-shot win at Brentwood on Tuesday.
He got off to a slow start with a bogey on each of the first two holes at Quicksand, but finished the front nine strong with an eagle on No. 8 to sit even at the turn. Casey carried that momentum into the back nine, where he birdied four of the first five holes before a bogey on No. 15 and three pars to finish his day.
Big Spring graduate Nolan Otto placed third with a 5-over, 77, which was one stroke behind runner-up Jake Bowen (76).
Tuesday got off to a rocky start as a double-bogey on the third hole put him 1-over early, but Casey recovered to birdie No. 4 and eagle No. 5. He would birdie No. 13 and 16 on the back nine to end the day 4-under, 68.
That was enough to hold off Argyle's Logan Diomede (69) by a shot. Comanche's Kasey Middleton (75) took third while Wylie grad Phillip Hurtado (77) took fifth. Otto (82) finished in eighth.
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Cabin Owners
Cabin Owners' Login
Roaring Fork Club Team Press
November 25, 2018 Roaring Fork Club Team
Basalt golf club’s affordable housing project goes green to reduce carbon emissions
A $110,000 grant to help purchase a solar photovoltaic system was the cherry on the top of the Roaring Fork Club’s construction of a new affordable-housing project.
The private golf and fishing club in Basalt was one of the winners of The Randy Udall Energy Pioneer Grants from the Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE). The club will use the grant to install solar panels on the garages where homeowners and guests park their vehicles.
“Give CORE credit for not looking at the club through a different lens,” said Geoffrey Hasley, general manager and chief operating officer for the club.
CORE could have balked at providing a grant for a private club where cabins sell for multi-million dollars, he acknowledged. In reality, the project might not have been pursued if not for the grant sparking incentive, Hasley said.
The club’s board of directors approved covering the remainder of the cost of the project. The total cost is estimated at $320,000, according to Teri Bruna, construction coordinator for the affordable-housing project.
The 160-kilowatt system will generate the equivalent of 63 percent of the affordable-housing complex’s demand, according to estimates from project designers.
The Roaring Fork Club recently finished construction of 41 units of affordable housing. It constructed more than was required by the town of Basalt as part of the approval of an expansion of 13 lots for free-market cabins.
“We built more than what was required. Why? Our staff is extremely important to me,” Hasley said.
Investing in the work force is a clear-cut need, especially in the Roaring Fork Valley where there are more jobs than workers to fill them, he said.
The Roaring Fork Club previously had 19 units of affordable housing. It demolished those units and built 41 one-, two- and three-bedroom rental apartments in seven buildings at a different site at the club. Some of the affordable-housing units have stunning views downvalley, even better than the multimillion-dollar neighboring cabins.
It was a “green” project from the beginning. The club made appliances, cabinets, windows, doors and any other materials that could be salvaged available to the public prior to demolition. People jumped at the opportunity. One owner of rental cabins in Glenwood Springs snared several appliances and cabinets for upgrades in his units, Bruna said.
“We did save quite a bit from going to the landfill,” she said.
A time crunch prevented the club from salving even more of the old building. The old units had to be torn down by March. New modular buildings were hauled to the site in pieces and stitched together. The housing was completed by August.
The club reserves some of the units for rent to employees of the Basalt town government. Another building is available to the Aspen Skiing Co. during the winter months, when Skico is facing a housing shortage and the golf club has less demand for units.
Hasley estimated that the club has 100 full-time equivalent employees during summers and somewhere in the 80s during winters. He tries to keep people employed year-round so they have career opportunities. He also wants employees to put down roots, if they desire. The demand has grown among employees to return to the campus, he said.
Bruna said she hopes the solar PV project is a first step for renewable energy for the club.
The Randy Udall grants are named in memory of CORE’s founder and first executive director. The grants in his name are CORE’s largest and most competitive program. The annual awards provide funding to public agencies, affordable housing, schools, nonprofits and businesses for projects that use energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation to reduce carbon emissions. Grants are offered between $20,000 and $200,000.
More on CORE and its grants for 2018 can be found at http://www.aspencore.org.
“We’re proud to recognize these innovative projects that are supporting clean air, smart energy and will contribute toward a stable climate,” Mona Newton, executive director of CORE, said in a statement. “By using less energy, we can have the biggest impact on lowering carbon emissions and building a safer, healthier community.”
Read the original article in The Aspen Times.
©2019 RFC Properties. Site by Bixler Creative.
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Richmondshire Councillors approve proposed new council structures
New council structures approved by councillors
Richmondshire councillors have approved the submission of the ‘East and West’ model for local government reorganisation.
Members of the District Council voted tonight (Nov 5) in favour of submitting an outline bid to Government showing that the ‘east and west’ model is the best way to reorganise local government in North Yorkshire.
Councillors were presented with a KPMG research study providing compelling evidence that the creation of two unitary authorities of balanced size would provide the strongest local leadership, the most effective services and the fairest democratic representation, as well as the most savings for local taxpayers.
They agreed submission of the case for change to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Council Leader, Councillor Angie Dale, said: “Richmondshire has added its support to the east and west model – the model we believe will create a unitary system that best reflects the needs of our residents and those of the county.
“No one believes that in the current climate of covid-19 this is the right time to go through the process of reorganisation but the government has told us it is happening and it is therefore important we have a seat at the table and our voices are heard. Our submission will not only bring the best opportunity for improving the already excellent services we provide across the whole of North Yorkshire, but it provides the best option for unlocking devolution.”
Members were told that councils have been invited to submit an outline bid to Government by November 9, proposing how unitary authorities could be created within North Yorkshire and York. Over the summer, experts at KPMG were commissioned to assess a range of options and propose a model for local government reform based on research and evidence.
The East and West model would see Craven, Harrogate, Richmondshire and Hambleton join together to form a unitary council in the West, and Selby, City of York, Ryedale and Scarborough join together to form a unitary council in the East.
According to the study, this East and West model would produce two unitary authorities with a similar population and economic size that meet the government’s reform criteria. The East and West unitaries would provide the strongest approach to unlocking devolution – potentially worth billions to the region in investment - whilst also being the optimum size for effective strategic and local service delivery to citizens and communities. The model also offers the opportunity to improve services and efficiencies in the City of York.
All seven district and borough councils have considered the study this week. It needs just one council to agree to submit the KPMG research study to form part of the outline bid to Government in November.
The evidence-based model for reform is being countered by North Yorkshire County Council, which is expected to put forward a bid for a ‘mega-council’ model. This would create a unitary authority covering the whole of North Yorkshire, with a population of 618,000 while preserving the existing City of York unitary authority with a population of 211,000. This is contrary to the Government’s criteria, which sets the optimal population range for a unitary council at between 300,000 and 600,000 people.
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The European Erasmus+ KA204 project Rights promotes active citizenship of elderly people by creating a bridge between generations based on raising awareness of social and human rights as the foundation of the rules, their respect, their defense and promotion in educational contexts, with innovative pedagogical methods, those of fairy tales in a suitcase. Rights then enter into dramatized fairy tales and become an instrument of mediation of the value of rights through the direct experience of the elderly. Therefore, the way in which the elderly relate to society is renewed, giving them the role of promoters, narrators and witnesses in the first person of the fundamental rights of society and their history penetrating into the world of children at school through fairy tales in their suitcases.
The Rights project starts from a fundamental need: to make older people active again through doing, saying and imagining. The tool through which the project aims to achieve this, they are the suitcases of rights stories that will be built and brought to schools for children from 8 to 12 years. To do this, the elderly will have to know and analyze fairy tales, extrapolating and creating a discourse on human rights that will be reported as a narrative to the students.
The elderly will benefit from specific training in the three areas: analysis of fairy tales and inviolable rights, the creation of suitcases for fairy tales of rights, class management methodologies in non-formal educational activities. This last part will see the direct collaboration of the teachers, who will also increase their skills by coming into contact with a new practical and concrete educational tool (as opposed to digital virtuality).
The suitcases created will remain at the disposal of the local schools or cultural centers, which will act as a collection and exchange point for the suitcases of the fairy tales of rights and the training modules of the project. Through the commitment of the elderly, through the school and with activities aimed at the territory, Rights project also wants to involve society is a reflection on the inviolability and defense of human rights.
The objectives of the project Rights are multiple:
Creating a bridge between generations on the central theme of fundamental rights;
To stimulate the elderly to resume an active role in society as promoters and defenders of fundamental rights;
To train the elderly in the areas of defence of human rights, crafts and education;
Raising awareness among the younger generations on the importance of defending their own and all society’s rights;
To spread the importance of active citizenship through concrete actions;
Train the elderly to concretely realize and elaborate fairy tales in real suitcases to be exchanged and passed on to children in schools.
The project will produce training modules and video lessons that will be available to all interested parties on the appropriate online platform. Furthermore, suitcases of fairy tales of rights will be made available to the local community through libraries and cultural centers and exchanged and distributed through the barter of suitcases. The impact of the project will therefore not be limited to the schools involved but will expand to the local and national community, acquire a transnational dimension thanks to the use of the internet.
Polo Europeo della Conoscenza (Italy) – Coordinator;
Consejeria de Educacion Junta de Castilla y Leon (Spain);
Panevezys District Education Centre (Lithuania);
Make It Better (Portugal);
Association for the Regional Initiatives Development ARID (Poland);
Association Sinaptica (Romania).
– Seniors from 60 onwards: encouraged to rediscover human rights to pass them on to future generations, they will analyze fairy tales and find new languages to communicate content, they will be bearers of values and a model to follow for future conscious citizens;
– Students aged between 8 and 12, at a particular stage in the development of civil conduct, a true target group of educational activities that will be carried out by the elderly. They will know old and new fairy tales and will assimilate metaphorically the contents and values;
– Teachers: they will have effective pedagogical tools at their disposal which are the antithesis of digital, but which positively involve students;
– School and society: the suitcases created by the project (and the training manual) will remain available to schools, libraries or cultural centers.
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Jennifer Jones Nominated for 2022-23 Rotary International President
Jennifer E. Jones, a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada, has been nominated to become Rotary International’s president for 2022-23, a groundbreaking selection that will make her the first woman to hold that office in the organization’s 115-year history.
Jones will officially become president-nominee on 1 October if no other candidates challenge her.
Jones says she sees Rotary’s Action Plan as a catalyst for increasing Rotary’s impact.
“As we reflect upon our new strategic priorities, we could have never envisioned that our ability to adapt would become our North Star during what is inarguably the most profound time in recent history,” Jones said in her vision statement. “Silver linings rise out of the most challenging circumstances. Using metric-driven goals, I will harness this historic landscape to innovate, educate, and communicate opportunities that reflect today’s reality.”
As the first woman to be nominated to be president, Jones understands how important it is to follow through on Rotary’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Statement. “I believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion … begins at the top and for us to realize growth in female membership and members under the age of forty — these demographics need to see their own reflection in leadership,” Jones said. “I will champion double-digit growth in both categories while never losing sight of our entire family.”
Jones is founder and president of Media Street Productions Inc., an award-winning media company in Windsor. She was chair of the board of governors of the University of Windsor and chair of the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce. She has been recognized for her service with the YMCA Peace Medallion, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and Wayne State University’s Peacemaker of the Year Award, a first for a Canadian. Jones holds a Doctor of Laws (LL.D.).
A current Rotary Foundation trustee, Jones has been a Rotary member since 1997 and has served Rotary as RI vice president, director, training leader, committee chair, moderator, and district governor. She played a lead role in Rotary’s rebranding effort by serving as chair of the Strengthening Rotary’s Advisory Group. She is the co-chair of the End Polio Now Countdown to History Campaign Committee, which aims to raise $150 million for polio eradication efforts.
Jones recently led the successful #RotaryResponds telethon, which raised critical funds for COVID-19 relief and was viewed by more than 65,000. Jones has also received Rotary International’s Service Above Self Award and The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service. She and her husband, Nick Krayacich, are members of The Rotary Foundation’s Arch Klumph Society, Paul Harris Society, and the Bequest Society.
The members of the Nominating Committee for the 2022-23 President of Rotary International are: Robert L. Hall, Dunwoody, Metro Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Bradford R. Howard Oakland Uptown, California, USA; Per Høyen, Aarup, Gelsted, Denmark; Peter Iblher, Nürnberg-Reichswald, Zirndorf, Germany; Ashok Mahajan, Mulund, Mah., India; Sam Okudzeto, Accra, Accra, Ghana; Eduardo San Martín Carreño, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; Takeshi Matsumiya, Chigasaki-Shonan, Chigasaki Kanagawa, Japan; Michael K. McGovern (secretary), Cape Elizabeth, Maine, USA; José Alfredo Pretoni, São Paulo-Sul, São Paulo, Brazil; Saowalak Rattanavich, Bang Rak, Bangkok, Thailand; Hendreen Dean Rohrs, Langley Central, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada; Kenneth M. Schuppert, Jr (chair)., Decatur, Alabama, USA; Ravindra P. Sehgal, Belur, West Bengal, India; Noel Trevaskis, Merimbula, Tura Beach, Australia; Giuseppe Viale, Genova, Genova, Italy; and Chang-Gon Yim, Daegu-West, Daegu, Korea.
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Sharp drop in oil market catches suppliers off guard
Bruce Meyer
Scott Kearns, R.D. Abbott Co. Inc. vice president of sales and commercial development.
During 2013 and 2014, things were going so well in the oil and gas business that custom mixer Pinnacle Elastomeric Technology decided to add more capacity.
More than half of its business was tied to oil and gas, its plant in Lula, Ga., was operating 50-plus hours per week, and the business was close to capacity, working on open mills, according to President Bob Rathbun. After all, from 2012 to the end of 2014, the number of oil rigs drilling for oil in the U.S. had doubled from 800 to 1,600.
So Pinnacle made the investment to add an internal mixer, a 55-liter TMP tilt-body mixing line with state-of-the-art controls. The firm focuses on high-end compounds such as fluoroelastomers, HNBR and Aflas, materials Rathbun said are perfectly suited for the wide array of rubber products that are used in down-hole oilfield applications.
But as the price of oil plunged, so did the fortunes of Pinnacle's customers that made their living supplying those oilfield service components. Just as Pinnacle was bringing its new capacity online, the number of rigs operating in the U.S. plunged, dropping roughly 75 percent to its current level of about 400.
“I'll tell you, as long as I've been in this industry, if you want to predict a downturn, just install capacity,” said Rathbun, a longtime industry veteran. “I've seen it so often in the tire business and other places.”
Scott Kearns, R.D. Abbott Co. Inc. vice president of sales and commercial development, said the suddenness of the market's decline caught many firms off-guard.
“With oil and gas, it was more like it was a cliff,” he said. “You're plugging away and then the cliff came, and things just stopped.”
About 25 percent of R.D. Abbott's business comes from oil and gas, and Kearns said customers of the distributor of materials and other services to the rubber industry were building inventory and hiring new staff.
“They were investing, and it really hit a lot of folks with great surprise,” he said. “That almost makes it much worse; it wasn't really predictable. And companies were in an investment posture. They were preparing for future growth and future demand.”
Tougher on customers
Pinnacle and R.D. Abbott each felt the impact of the quick decline in oil and gas, which also includes a major drop in fracking for natural gas.
Pinnacle's oilfield sales for 2015 were half the level of 2014, “and that's without losing a single customer,” Rathbun said, noting it has not laid off any of its 15 employees. “We're keeping it all together with hopes that our growth strategy will continue to add some business in 2016. We've got a good team, and we're really trying to keep everybody onboard and together.”
For R.D. Abbott, the decline in oil and gas was about 40 percent for last year, Kearns said, with polymers such as nitrile, HNBR and fluoroelastomers hit the hardest. “We haven't had to do any layoffs,” he said. “As a full-service distributor, we're pretty diversified.”
He said the Cerritos, Calif.-based firm derives the rest of its revenue from a number of other major markets, including health care, automotive, aerospace, transportation and general industrial. “It's tough, but it's not creating a significant impact on our business.”
Both suppliers said the downturn has been much tougher on customers.
Rathbun said some Pinnacle customers are tied 100 percent to oil, with many if not most with 70-90 percent of business tied to oilfield services. Some have laid off as much as 60 percent of their work forces, and many are cutting back weekly hours for staff.
Others have sent Pinnacle letters from their customers seeking cost reductions of 25-35 percent, hoping Pinnacle could help them in some way.
“The only thing we're able to do is take our margins, our profits and pass it on up the food chain,” Rathbun said. “And surprising, a lot of our customers are really pushing back hard on these requests for reduction because of the inelastic nature of the business.”
And in the end, it's the price of oil driving the downturn in the sector, not the price of the raw materials or parts going down-hole, he said. Pinnacle has tried to be creative in some ways to help its partners deal with the pressure.
“It's still a competitive landscape out there,” Rathbun said. “When our customers say they're going to lose this if they don't at least do something, we're in a partnership with them so we do whatever we can. Sometimes if we don't have anywhere to go on tightly certified compounds, maybe there's another compound we can work on and drive some costs down in another area.”
Kearns said some of R.D. Abbott's customers have reported sales dips of 50 percent or more in oil and gas revenues, with layoffs at various locations, though the job cuts mostly came last year.
“It certainly affects projects when you're working with those that are development materials for oil and gas,” he said. “A lot of the development time has been shifted from higher temperature, higher pressure applications to more cost-savings types of projects.”
Pinnacle is looking to offset the drop in its oil and gas business with several initiatives.
First, the new capacity the mixer installed was in hopes of targeting some higher-volume type customers, such as in automotive and heavy equipment.
“We've been able to pick up a few of those,” Rathbun said. “We've seen some growth in the OEM market, in small engines and appliances—things that take high-end type rubber.”
Playing in some of those markets, though, is different than oil and gas, he said, where there is much camaraderie and “mom and pop” type companies.
“When you go to start wanting to try to gain a foothold in automotive and heavy equipment, it's much more difficult to get to the right people,” he said. “They're not as accessible. So we're picking away at trying to get into those larger-volume markets.”
Pinnacle, though, will continue to be persistent in trying to find new customers in these areas. “But we'll keep in contact with our good old friends in the oil business to be there when things come back and kind of hold their hands through all this downturn,” Rathbun said.
The mixer also is taking advantage of the lull to work on some development projects and gaining some certifications that will help it when the oil business perks back up. “Even in the oil sector, we're doing a lot of technical work, development work for new customers, new quotes and meeting specifications for new customers,” he said.
Effort will be made to get compounds approved to NORSOK standards that focus on safety in the petroleum industry and NACE guidelines for corrosion protection. “It's something that we were up against when things were booming,” the Pinnacle president said.
“Now we're putting more of an emphasis on it, and it's going to be there when the industry comes back.”
When better days return largely is tied to the price of oil. Rathbun cited industry data that in January put the total cost to produce one barrel of crude at just more than $36, much higher than Middle East costs of $8.50 to $10.70 a barrel, but slightly below current oil prices.
Kearns said many in the sector look at the oil price in the $40 range as being the break-even point where prices higher than that begin to make it economically feasible to drill for U.S. oil. He said most customers seem to think the sector has bottomed out, but it's hard to forecast when better times will return.
“From what we see today, it's leveled off, and we're in the valley and most people are expecting a generally flat 2016,” the R.D. Abbott official said.
“So most people feel we've hit where we're going to sit for the next year. There's not really optimism, but there's not really pessimism. I think it's going to be business as usual this year.”
FSA to work with oil, gas industry on U.S.-Canada emissions initiative
Rubber firms grapple with decline in oil, gas
Tire industry not surprised by recent oil drop
Experts predict volatility in oil industry
R.D. Abbott, Dow Corning extend partnership
Abbott, Kraton sign distribution agreement
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Tire publicist Fay passes away at 73
Rubber & Plastics News Report
LISBON, Ohio—Former tire industry publicist Michael E. Fay, 73, has passed away.
Fay formerly worked in public relations for the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., and Smithers Rapra.
Fay joined Smithers in July, 1987, and he retired from there near the end of 2011.
“Mike was a true professional who made many contributions to Smithers in his nearly 25 years with us,” said Michael Hochschwender, president and CEO of the Smithers Group. “He was the driving force behind the highly respected Smithers Report, which continues as a daily resource for the tire and automotive industry. He was a trusted resource and good friend to everyone who knew him. He will certainly be missed and fondly remembered by all his friends at Smithers.”
Fay, a Kent State University graduate, was a member of the Public Relations Society of America. He co-owned Colleen's Place in Lisbon.
He is survived by his wife Colleen; his children, Kristin (Sam) Elson of Centreville, Va., and Michael P. (Missy) Fay of Haymarket, Va., as well as a sister and two brothers.
Obituary: William Levensalor, Belt Corp. founder
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Learning how to sell when it is (almost) too late2 min read
August 1, 2019|Alex Theuma
On this month’s episode of the Struggle, with talk with Joachim Klein, President of ThreeKit. Originally from Germany, Joachim has been living in San Francisco for the past three years.
ThreeKit is Joachim’s fourth foray into Enterprise SaaS, a field he is fully subscribed to at this point. He started off his path in a company called BigMachines, the subject of the conversation on this episode.
Joachim joined it in September 2000 as EMEA MD, nine months after BigMachines had been started. The startup helped manufacturing companies provide the best possible quotes for their big machines. Joachim remembers the first year as particularly exhilarating. They were receiving a lot of interest from prospects, had many great conversations with them and all in all got a lot of praise for the problem they were tackling. On top of that, they had raised $30 million in funding so there was plenty of money in the bank. Bullish about the future of the company, BigMachines hired a lot of people that year, preparing for the demand they would get once these prospects became customers.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? This wouldn’t be an episode of the Struggle if BigMachines lived happily ever after, would it? They ran out of money before they had sold anything. On the verge of bankruptcy, BigMachines was forced to lay off 70% of its workforce. Joachim lost his entire team.
One night during this rocky period, Joachim’s wife asked him, “Would you invest in BigMachines right now?” and Joachim admitted, “No, I wouldn’t put even $100 in. The company is dead.”
The company didn’t die and instead eventually got acquired by Oracle but not before a major turnaround, achieved thanks to a lot of self-reflection, change, and learning how to sell. That’s the story of this episode of the Struggle.
If you can be as honest and open as Joachim or any of the other guests we have hosted on the Struggle, get in touch and send us your story on [email protected]
Posted in Sales, Startups, The Struggle, Traction
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The dark, terrible secret of California's missions
Opinion // Open Forum
Elias Castillo
Nov. 8, 2004 Updated: Jan. 25, 2012 8:50 a.m.
Sometime soon, the House will give final consideration to the California Mission Preservation Act, sponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., providing $10 million to help restore California's Roman Catholic Missions --
those historic sites where Franciscan friars and California's Indians supposedly existed in gentle harmony.
In part, the act describes how "the knowledge and cultural influence of native California Indians made a lasting contribution to the early settlements of California and the development of the California missions." What the bill utterly omits is that locked within the missions is a terrible truth -- that they were little more than concentration camps where California's Indians were beaten, whipped, maimed, burned, tortured and virtually exterminated by the friars.
The California Indians, as the proposal says, did have a culture, but they never got a chance to contribute it to California. The Spanish crown decreed in the 1760s that the Indians were to be rounded up, baptized into Christianity and their culture destroyed. It was the same policy that Spain had followed in eradicating the complex and advanced cultures of the Mayans, Incas and Aztecs in Latin America.
In 1769, that near-genocidal policy was launched, under the direction of Father Junipero Serra, with the founding of California's first mission. One scholar, Robert Archibald, has written that the missions were akin to the "forced movement of black people from Africa to the American South." With the help of Spain's soldiers, the Indians were herded to the sites of the missions. Once there, they became slaves, directed by the friars to build the missions. Once within the mission boundaries, they were forever forbidden to leave. No less an authority than the U.S. National Park Service has documented and described the hellish and tragic fate of the California Indians, especially the coastal tribes. They were not warring tribes, but instead gentle harvesters who lived in equilibrium with their land and seashore.
Their terrible fate at the hands of the Spanish and friars was described by Jean François de Galaup de la Perouse, a French explorer and sea voyager hired by the French government to report on the western coastal areas of North America. In 1786 he visited Mission San Carlos Borromeo in the Monterey area and described the severe punishments inflicted on the Indians. The friars, he determined, considered the Indians "too much a child, too much a slave, too little a man." California historians Walton Bean and James J. Rawls, described La Perouse as likening the missions to the slave plantations of Santo Domingo.
Yet, the Indians did not easily accede to the cruel mission life. They rebelled several times, in one instance burning nearly all of the buildings of Mission La Purísima in Santa Ynez. Historian Robert F. Heizer attributed the flare-up to the "flogging of a La Purísima neophyte" (as the Indians were called in the missions).
In the late 1820s, Mexico rebelled against Spain and won its independence. Within a decade, it also declared that the missions had to vest half their property to the Indians while the other half went to the friars and government officials. It was the beginning of the end for the missions. By the late 19th century, the missions were in ruins, abandoned by the friars who could not continue operating them without the slave labor of the Indians, whose numbers had been decimated by hard labor, starvation and disease. It is estimated that California's Indian population was about 310,000 at the beginning of Spanish rule. At the close of the 19th century, they had been reduced to approximately 100,000.
Restoration of the missions was started at the beginning of the 20th century by well-meaning persons who either ignored the cruelties inflicted on the Indians or simply were unaware of the horrors that had occurred within them. While enough historians have accurately documented those terrible ordeals, however, their findings are not well known. Visit any of the missions and there is no mention of Indians being put in stocks, whipped or chained. Instead, the usual description is of friars and Indians living side by side in peaceful harmony and happily helping each other.
The California Missions Preservation Act is expected to be voted on soon. Besides the potential and obvious conflict of its violating the constitutional separation of church and state, there is the moral responsibility that if government funds are to be used in restoring the missions, the granting of those funds must be dependent on memorializing the suffering of California's native people in the missions.
This nation has recently opened the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. It is a monument to the Native Americans of North, Central and South America. The existence of the museum mandates that the ordeal of California's Indians cannot continue to be largely ignored and forgotten. Too many Native Americans died within the missions, which were supposed to be monuments to God's mercy, forgiveness and benevolence.
The act must require that descriptions of the enslavement of California's Indians within the missions and the horrible ordeals they endured be clearly and visible provided to all visitors. America has not buried the shameful history of slavery in its Southern states; instead, books have been written and museums opened so that all may forever know of the cruelties of that practice. Why then, should the shameful history of the missions be hidden and ignored?
Additionally, the act must also require that funds be set aside for research to be conducted on mission grounds for the purpose of determining if mass graves of Indians exist within them. While some missions have clearly marked graveyards set aside for the friars, little knowledge exists of what happened to the thousands of deceased Indians who toiled within the missions. If sites are found containing the remains of those Indians, those areas must then be clearly marked for visitors and declared hallowed ground.
California and the nation cannot continue to look the other way at what happened in the missions; it must confront that awful specter and unveil it as a dark chapter of the state's history. It does not matter that those vicious practices occurred during Spanish rule. The missions are now revered as beloved monuments. Their continued restoration must also bring to light the most frightful chamber of their history.
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Free sheet music resource for new musicians and enthusiasts!
Sheet Music Download is a site dedicated to all amateur music performers around the world, giving them the opportunity to download the sheet music for free for trial purposes. It's completely free, have fun and don't forget: If you like the piece of music you have just learned playing, treat the artist with respect, and go buy the original sheet music: this is the way to support them!
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Muse Sheet Music
Muse are a British rock band formed in Teignmouth, Devon, United Kingdom in 1994 under the alias of Rocket Baby Dolls. The band comprises Matthew Bellamy (vocals, guitar and piano), Christopher Wolstenholme (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Dominic Howard (drums and percussion). Muse's style can be considered as a mixture of many musical genres, most notably alternative rock, classical music and electronica. Muse are known best for their energetic and visually dazzling live performances and on June 16th & 17th, 2007 became the first band to sell out the newly built Wembley Stadium in London. Muse have released four studio albums with their first, Showbiz, released in 1999, followed by Origin of Symmetry in 2001 and Absolution in 2003. The most recent, Black Holes & Revelations (2006), was also the most critically acclaimed, garnering the band a Mercury Prize nomination and a third place finish in the NME Albums of the Year list for 2006. Muse have won various awards throughout their career including 5 MTV Europe Music Awards, 5 Q Awards, 4 NME Awards and 2 Brit awards.
Muse - United States Of Eurasia Piano Sheet Music
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SJ Hindi
Odd & Weird
Women's WC 2021 To Have Reserve Day For All Knockout Games
Publish On: 11 Mar, 2020 11:52 AM | Updated | Harshita
DUBAI: After facing a lot of criticism post the semi-final of Women T20 World Cup 2020, the International Cricket Council released the 2021 Women's World Cup's schedule that will be having reserve day for all three knockout games (semi-finals and final).
Last week, the English team lost the semi-finals to India in the tournament without a single ball bowled. The match was washed out and due to India's better position in the ranking table and no reserve day for the semi-finals, India proceeded to the finals to face team Australia.
Also Read: All Hail Pandya As He Knocks Unbeaten 158 Off 55 Balls In DY Patil T20 Cup
The ICC released the 31-match schedule for the 2021 WWC on Wednesday that will be played in New Zealand. The tournament will be hosted by Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. The semi-finals will be played on March 3 at Tauranga and on March 4 at Hamilton. The final will be played on March 7 at Hagley Oval.
So far, only four teams have been confirmed and those are Australia, England, South Africa and the hosts New Zealand. There are four more spots for grabs and the remaining teams will be confirmed after the conclusion of Women's Championship and the qualifying event in Sri Lanka in July.
All the matches will be broadcasted live and the prize money for the showpiece of women's international cricket will total NZD$5.5million.
Manu Sawhney, ICC CEO said, "The ICC has made a long-term commitment to elevating women's cricket as part of our strategy to grow and develop the global game. We are extremely proud of the significant progress we have made in increasing prize money for ICC events over the last few years, with the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2021 in New Zealand having $NZD5.5 million dollars available in prize money compared to $NZD3.1m in 2017 and $NZD316,000 in 2013."
"Our team is proud to be delivering a tournament where Kiwis across the whole country, in each of our six host cities, can really get involved in what is a truly special event," said ICC Women's Cricket World Cup CEO Andrea Nelson.
Also Read: IPL 2020 Can Get Postponed Due To Coronavirus: Maharashtra Health Minister
"We can't wait to see the excitement build around New Zealand as we prepare to roll out the welcome mat for the rest of the world," she further added.
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[Southeast Asia]
Stock# 59685op
Lorenz Fries
Strasbourg / 1535
Buy Hi-Res Download
One of Ptolemy's Greatest Errors
An important early map of the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia, drawn from Ptolemy's Geography.
The map illustrates one of the greatest of the Ptolemy errors, the belief that a southern continent existed, which counter-balanced the weight of the land-masses in the northern hemisphere, to keep the earth stable on its axis. The present map illustrates a portion of the landlocked Indian Ocean, including much of the Indian Ocean (Indicum Mare), as it had been mapped by Ptolemy. As noted by Suarez:
. . .After crossing east of the Ganges (whose Delta is on the left), we enter Aurea region, a kingdom of gold, which is roughly located where Burma begins today. Above it lies Cirradia, from where, Ptolemy tells us, comes the finest cinnamon. Further down the coast one comes to Argentea Regio, a kingdom of silver, "in which there is said to be much well-guarded metal." Besyngiti, which is also said to have much gold, is situated close by. The region's inhabitants are reported to be "white, short, with flat noses." Here the Temala River, because of its position and because it empties through a southerly elbow of land, appears to be the Irrawaddy. If so, the Sinus Sabaricus would be the Gulf of Martaban, whose eastern shores begin the Malay Peninsula, and the Sinus Permimulicus would be the Gulf of Siam.
That active commerce was conducted between Malaya and points west during the period in which the Geographia was compiled is suggested by the Geographia's reference to the Indian port of Alosygni (probably in the Dodvari Delta) as a "place of embarkation for those who sail for the Golden Chersonense." The Golden Chersonese is generally accepted to be Malaya, which Ptolemy considered and important place . . .
[The Golden Cheronesus] may in fact be Sumatra, portrayed here without the strait that separates it from Malaya. If this is so, it would explain both the shape of the Malay Peninsula and also its extension into the Southern Hemisphere. During the Renaissance, this observation led some scholars (including Abraham Ortelius) to argue that Malaya and Sumatra were once joined in some earlier geological age, rather than conclude that Ptolemy was simply unaware of the Malacca Strait. . . .
Many of the coastal cities in Ptolemy's Southeast Asia are marked as "emporiums." These include the ports of Baracura, Barabonna, and Bsyga, in the region of what would now be Burma. Further along the Malay Peninsula one comes to the Emporium of Tacola, with Sabana at the southernmost tip, in the position of modern day Singapore. Scholars have tried to identify these places, but there is no convincing consensus. The Sinus Perimulicus is probably the Gulf of Siam (if not the Sinus Magnus), with Regio Lestoru being lower Siam and Cambodia. A spine of mountains running north from there, in what is now northern Thailand and Burma, is according to Ptolemy, a "habitat of tigers and elephants," as well as "lions and robbers and wild men who live in caves, having skins like the Hippopotamus, who are able to hurl darts with ease."
In the waters west of the peninsula, in the relative position of the Nicobar Islands, we find Bazacata Insula, where there "are many shellfish, and the inhabitants of the island," who are called Agmatae, "are said at all times to go without clothing." In 673 A.D. the Chinese pilgrim I-Ching . . . reached what he called the "Kingdom of the Naked People," which has been identified as the Nicobars . . .
In the mid-sixteenth century, Gerard Mercator wrongly determined that Bazacatga was actually the Philippine island of Palawan. This was a logical conclusion for Mercator, because he mistakenly believed Taprobana to be Sumatra (rather than Ceylon). . . .
Restoration and wormholes filled near centerfold.
Lorenz Fries Biography
Lorenz (Laurent) Fries (ca. 1485-1532) was born in Mulhouse, Alsace. He studied medicine, apparently spending time at the universities of Pavia, Piacenza, Montpellier and Vienna. After completing his education, Fries worked as a physician in several places before settling in Strasbourg in about 1519. While in Strasbourg, Fries met the Strasbourg printer and publisher Johann Grüninger, an associate of the St. Dié group of scholars formed by, among others, Walter Lud, Matthias Ringmann and Martin Waldseemüller.
From 1520 to 1525, Fries worked with Grüninger as a cartographic editor, exploiting the corpus of material that Waldseemüller had created. Fries' first venture into mapmaking was in 1520, when he executed a reduction of Martin Waldseemüller's wall map of the world, first published in 1507. While it would appear that Fries was the editor of the map, credit is actually given in the title to Peter Apian. The map, Tipus Orbis Universalis Iuxta Ptolomei Cosmographi Traditionem Et Americ Vespucii Aliorque Lustrationes A Petro Apiano Leysnico Elucubrat. An.o Dni MDXX, was issued in Caius Julius Solinus' Enarrationes, edited by Camers, and published in Vienna in 1520.
Fries’ next project was a new edition of the Geographia of Claudius Ptolemy, which was published by Johann Grüninger in 1522. Fries evidently edited the maps, in most cases simply producing a reduction of the equivalent map from Waldseemüller's 1513 edition of the Geographie Opus Novissima, printed by Johann Schott. Fries also prepared three new maps for the Geographia, of Southeast Asia and the East Indies, China, and the world, but the geography of these derives from Waldseemüller's world map of 1507.
The 1522 edition of Fries' work is very rare, suggesting that the work was not commercially successful. In 1525, an improved edition was issued, with a re-edit of the text by Willibald Pirkheimer, from the notes of Regiomontanus (Johannes Müller von Königsberg).
After Grüninger's death in ca. 1531, the business was continued by his son Christoph, who seems to have sold the materials for the Ptolemy to two Lyon publishers, the brothers Melchior and Gaspar Trechsel, who published a joint edition in 1535, before Gaspar Trechsel published an edition in his own right in 1541.
Antique Maps / Asia / Southeast Asia / Southeast Asia
Charte von Ostindien dies- und jenseits des Ganges, u. der lezten Zertheilung der Staaten des Tippo - Sahebs oder des Reiches Mysore . . . 1805
Scarce large format map of India, Southeast Asia and the Philippines, published in Augsburg by Johann Walch.
Gorgeous full color example of this decorative map of India.
The Island of Celebes, or Macassar with The Islands of Banda, Amoyna, and the Molucca's . . .
Detailed map of the islands from Eastern Brunei to Timor and part of New Guinea, centered on the Moluccas.
Scheeps-Togt Door Don Henrique de Menezes van Couchin na Panatta int gebide des Samorynzen Konink Van Calicut gelegen
Fine image of the Arabian Peninsula and much of India, illustrating the third and final voyage of Vasco Da Gama, which result in his death and the ascendancy of Henrique de Menezes as Governor of India.
A New Map of India Beyond Ganges
Rare English map of the Malay Peninsula, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, part of China, Borneo, Sumatra and the Gulf of Bengal.
Driving Elephants Into A Keddah | Des Elephants, Conduits Dans Un Keddah
Fascinating engraving showing natives driving Indian Elephants into a Keddah, based upon an oil painting by Samuel Howett.
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AMAZON PRIME VIDEO TODAY ANNOUNCED A BRAND NEW SLATE OF SOME HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED MOVIES
Amazon Prime Video today announced a brand new slate of some highly-anticipated movies that will premiere directly on the streaming service. Spanning five Indian languages, the diverse line-up features titles such as Coolie No. 1 starring Varun Dhawan (Judwaa 2, Street Dancer 3D) and Sara Ali Khan (Simmba), Chhalaang starring Rajkummar Rao (Trapped, Stree) and Nushrat Bharucha (Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety), Durgavati starring Bhumi Pednekar (Shubh Mangal Savdhaan, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha), Bheema Sena Nala Maharaja (Kannada) starring Aravinnd Iyer, Middle Class Melodies (Telugu) starring Anand Devarakonda, Maara (Tamil) starring R Madhavan, and Manne Number 13 (Kannada) starring Varsha Bollamma (Bigil) and Suriya starrer Soorarai Pottru (Tamil). The movies will premiere exclusively on Prime Video within 2020 and will be available in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.
Amazon Prime Video’s direct-to-service slate:
Bheema Sena Nalamaharaja (Kannada), which is scheduled to premiere on 29th of October on Amazon Prime Video
Bheema is an upcoming Kannada family entertainer directed by Karthik Saragur. The movie stars Aravinnd Iyer, Aarohi Narayan, Priyanka Thimmesh, Achyuth Kumar and Aadya in leading roles
Soorarai Pottru (Tamil), which is scheduled to premiere on 30th of October on Amazon Prime Video
Soorarai Pottru is an upcoming Tamil language Action/Drama film directed by Sudha Kongara, Staring Suriya in the lead with Aparna Balamurali, Paresh Rawal and Mohan Babu in pivotal roles. The film is produced by Suriya’s 2D Entertainment and Co-Produced by Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment. This film is a fictionalised version of the book “Simply Fly” written on the life of Air Deccan founder Capt. G. R. Gopinath.
Chhalaang (Hindi), which is scheduled to premiere on 13th of November on Amazon Prime Video
Chhalaang is an inspirational social comedy starring Rajkummar Rao, Nushratt Baruchaa and directed by Hansal Mehta. It is presented by Bhushan Kumar and produced by Ajay Devgn, Luv Ranjan and Ankur Garg.
Manne Number 13 (Kannada), which is scheduled to premiere on 19th of November on Amazon Prime Video
Maane Number 13 is an upcoming horror thriller directed by Vivy Kathiresan. Produced by Krishna Chaitanya’s Sri Swarnalatha Productions, the film stars Varsha Bollamma, Aiswarya Gowda, Praveen Prem, Chetan Gandharva, Ramana and Sanjeiv.
Middle Class Melodies (Telugu), which is scheduled to premiere on 20th of November on Amazon Prime Video
Starring Anand Deverakonda and Varsha Bollamma, Middle class melodies is a humour packed whimsical tale depicting the congenial lives of the middle class in the village where a young man dreams of owning a hotel in a town. The film is directed by Vinod Anantoju.
Durgavati (Hindi), which is scheduled to premiere on 11th of December on Amazon Prime Video
Directed by Ashok and starring Bhumi Pednekar, Durgavati is a thrilling, scary ride that tells the story of an innocent Government officer who is made the victim of a major conspiracy involving powerful forces. The film is presented by T-Series and Cape of Good Films and is an Abundantia Entertainment production.
Maara (Tamil), which is scheduled to premiere on 17th of December on Amazon Prime Video
Maara is an upcoming Tamil language romantic drama film directed by Dhilip Kumar. Produced by Prateek Chakravorty and Shruti Nallappa of Pramod Films. The film stars Madhavan and Shraddha Srinath in lead roles.
Coolie No. 1 (Hindi), which is scheduled to premiere on 25th of December on Amazon Prime Video
Coolie No. 1 is a family comedy based on the popular franchise from Pooja Entertainment and is directed by the king of comedy David Dhawan. The film stars Varun Dhawan, Sara Ali Khan, Paresh Rawal, Javed Jaffrey, Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav amongst others and is produced by Vashu Bhagnani, Jackky Bhagnani and Deepshikha Deshmukh.
The new releases will join the thousands of TV shows and movies from Hollywood and Bollywood in the Prime Video catalog. These include Bharatiya films Gulabo Sitabo, Shakuntala Devi, Ponmagal Vandhal, LAW, French Biriyani, C U Soon, V, and Penguin along with Bharatiya-produced Amazon Original series like Bandish Bandits, Breathe: Into The Shadows, Paatal Lok, The Forgotten Army – Azaadi Ke Liye, Four More Shots Please S1 and 2, The Family Man, and the award-winning and critically acclaimed global Amazon Original series like Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, The Boys, Hunters, Fleabag, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. All this is available at no extra cost for Amazon Prime members. The service includes titles in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, and Bengali.
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Mistress R’eal appeal – dominatrix not bound by VoD ruling
Ofcom has upheld an appeal by Melanie Lumb against a determination by Ofcom’s former co‑regulator, Authority for Television On Demand (ATVOD). Ms Lumb had posted video content on an adult online “dominatrix” service, known as “Mistress R’eal”, which was hosted on the Clips4sale adult content platform. In its determination ATVOD found that the Mistress R’eal service was an on‑demand programme service (ODPS) for the purposes of Part 4A of the Communications Act 2003.
But Ofcom found that the service did not constitute an ODPS for the purposes of the Act at the time of the ATVOD determination. In this case, while the service’s principal purpose was the provision of audiovisual material, its form and content were not “TV-like” and the service did not, in all the circumstances, compete with broadcast television. But Ofcom noted that, even if an audiovisual service is only accessed by a limited number of individuals or its financial turnover is low, that does not mean that it could never compete with broadcast television.
Regulatory background
Part 4A of the 2003 Act regulates any video-on-demand services that can be categorised as an ODPS. One of the key criteria for an ODPS is that “its principal purpose is the provision of programmes, the form and content of which are comparable to the form and content of programmes normally included in television programme services”. The Audiovisual Media Services Directive (2010/13/EU) provides that such regulation should only apply to “TV-like” services, and not services that are primarily non-economic or that do not compete with television broadcasting.
The other criteria for an ODPS are typically fulfilled by UK-based audiovisual services (and these were not in issue in this case), namely that: access must be on demand; there must be a person who has editorial responsibility; the service must be available for use by members of the public; and the service provider must be based in the UK.
Where a service is an ODPS, its provider is subject to a requirement to notify ATVOD and to pay a fee. The provider must also ensure that the ODPS meets certain regulatory requirements.
ATVOD determination
Following several investigations of the Mistress R’eal service, ATVOD informed Ms Lumb that the service was an ODPS under the 2003 Act.
In April 2015, ATVOD issued a determination, stating that: (a) the provision of such videos was the principal purpose of the service; and (b) the service contained programmes whose form and content were comparable to that of programmes included in television programme services. Accordingly, in ATVOD’s view, it was an ODPS. Ms Lumb appealed.
Ofcom’s ODPS assessment
In assessing whether the service was an ODPS, Ofcom considered three questions:
whether, as a whole, the principal purpose of Ms Lumb’s service could be seen as the provision of audiovisual material;
if so, whether, if taken as a whole, the form and content of the audiovisual material on the service could be considered comparable to the form and content of programmes normally included in television programme services (i.e. considered “TV-like”); and
in any event, whether a user would regard the service as competing with linear broadcast television.
The service was hosted on the Clips4sale website, which hosted a large selection of individually controlled services, and within a standardised format provided access and a purchasing mechanism for audiovisual content. Each service had its own extension of the Clips4sale URL.
Ms Lumb did not contest that she had editorial control over the content of the service, and the terms of the Clips4Sale website confirmed that Clips4sale was “merely the hosting provider for our Studio Members to display their content”.
The entry page to the Mistress R’eal service included an image of the service provider in character as “Mistress R’eal”, along with information describing the dominatrix services offered. Images from ten videos were displayed, along with descriptive text, an option to buy, and information on the video’s length, file type and price. Once a user clicked on an image, a video player opened where a short clip of the relevant content could be viewed. Users could then click on a link below the image to purchase the relevant content and then access the full video by clicking on the “Buy Now” option. A user could navigate to other pages, each of which displayed a further ten videos.
Ofcom noted that, although the service was not branded as TV and was merely laid out as a basic list of available videos, the overall content, lay-out and navigability of the site suggested that users were most likely to access the service with the intention of viewing videos. Accordingly, Ofcom found that the principal purpose of the service was the provision of audiovisual material for the purposes of section 368A(1)(a) of the 2003 Act.
In assessing whether the service was TV-like, Ofcom considered the following criteria:
Duration of the clips – Ofcom referred to its Channelflip Media decision, where it recognised that short-form content may be “more likely to be typical in some genres, such as children’s programming and adult content programming”. Here, Ofcom found that while the material on the service was adult content, the duration of clips was relatively brief, even in the context of adult content: most of the videos were between two and nine minutes, and the average video length was 6.7 minutes.
Narrative structure – Ofcom noted Ms Lumb’s argument that the videos had no opening or closing credits (as was the case). But Ofcom considered that, while this can be a feature that makes content less comparable to programmes available on linear services, it is not determinative, and a lack of credits is a feature of some linear provision of adult content.
Completeness and continuity of storylines – Ofcom also found that, contrary to ATVOD’s finding, the videos did not appear to have been edited into episodes or individual programmes in such a way as to invite viewers to move from one video to the next. The videos appeared to be excerpts from longer sessions involving a dominatrix and client. As such, the individual clips did not constitute complete programmes, nor was there an attempt to offer a continuous viewing experience.
Autoplay – Ofcom noted the lack of an autoplay feature that would allow the shorter clips to be added together into a more cohesive, TV-like experience for the viewer. There was also no introduction, conclusion or clear narrative structure in the videos, and some of the videos consisted of Mistress R’eal speaking into a webcam without any other participants. Videos of this kind were, according to Ofcom, more typical of user-generated content than a TV-like experience.
Production techniques – Ofcom found that there was limited knowledge of and funds for the kind of production techniques more usually associated with linear television. Ofcom noted the low production quality of the videos, in that no professional equipment was used for the audio and the lighting, and the content appeared to have been filmed using basic, consumer-grade cameras. Further, most of the videos were filmed in one location, and many were unscripted and lacked any narrative, and there was no music to accompany the scenes. In Ofcom’s view, the videos were again more typical of user-generated content than a TV-like experience.
Accordingly, Ofcom found that that the Mistress R’eal audiovisual content available on the website was not sufficiently comparable in form and content to the type of adult material found on linear UK television programme services to fulfil the “TV-like” criterion.
Competition with broadcast television
Given the lack of comparability, Ofcom considered whether the Mistress R’eal service was likely to compete for the same audience as linear television broadcasts, and whether the nature of that material would have led users reasonably to expect regulatory protection within the scope of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive.
In considering this, Ofcom found it necessary to consider the three-step test established in its Sun Video decision:
whether a user wanting to watch programmes normally included in linear television programme services would have considered video material on the Mistress R’eal service as among his/her competing options;
when viewing such material, whether the user would have considered him/herself to be watching a programme service competing with linear television; and
when doing so, whether that user would have expected what they are viewing to be regulated as television programmes, in the ways provided under the Directive.
Given the lack of comparability with TV programmes, Ofcom found that a user wanting to watch programmes normally included in linear broadcast television would have been unlikely to have considered the audiovisual material as among his/her competing options, because it was too dissimilar to such TV-like material. In particular, it was not comparable to “adult material” broadcast for the primary purpose of sexual arousal or stimulation that may be shown on premium subscription services and pay-per-view/night services (albeit subject to restrictions), and that a user of the service would not consider himself/herself to be watching TV-like content. For the same reasons, a user would not reasonably expect the material on the service to be regulated as television programmes in the ways provided under the Directive.
Ofcom also considered the fact that the service had a low membership and financial turnover, but did not consider that factor decisive in its own right. In her appeal Ms Lumb had cited Recital 21 to the Directive, which confines the scope of services intended to be regulated under the Directive to mass-media services that “are intended for reception by, and which could have a clear impact on, a significant proportion of the general public” – i.e. not services that are “primarily non-economic and … not in competition with television broadcasting, such as private websites and services consisting of the provision or distribution of audiovisual content generated by private users for the purposes of sharing and exchange with communities of interest”. Ms Lumb contended that her video content fell within the latter category, citing also “the limited nature of the video content and context” on the service and the “very limited nature of its reach” (i.e. 14 members with monthly gross income of $124.53) as a strong indication that the service was not “comparable to or in competition with linear TV programming”. But in Ofcom’s view, the fact that a service was viewed only by a limited number of people did not necessarily mean that it could not be in competition with broadcast television. Taking all the factors into account, Ofcom decided that the service was not in fact “primarily non-economic” in nature within the meaning of Recital 21, albeit not competing with broadcast television on the facts.
Ofcom’s conclusion
Accordingly, Ofcom concluded that Ms Lumb was not the provider of an ODPS at the relevant time of the ATVOD determination and upheld Ms Lumb’s appeal and substituted its decision for ATVOD’s. Consequently, Ms Lumb was not in breach of the advance notification requirement under section 368BA of the Act, the requirement to pay a fee under section 368D(3)(za), the prohibited material requirements under section 368E(2) and the specially restricted material rules under section 368E(5).
The approach taken by Ofcom in reviewing the Mistress R’eal appeal appears to conflict to some extent with the reasoning in the recent ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the New Media Online (Case C-347/14), where the CJEU found the length of a video to be irrelevant when considering whether a service falls under the Directive. Contrary to the CJEU’s recent findings, in Ofcom’s reasoning the short length of the videos counted towards Ofcom’s finding that the services were not “TV-like”. But the length of the clips was only one of the considerations that Ofcom took into account, and more weight was given to the lack of narrative structure and the low production quality of the videos.
In its determination ATVOD had concluded that the Mistress R’eal service was TV-like, while conscious of Ofcom’s ruling on the “Urban Chick Supremacy” service (14 August 2014), in which Ofcom had overturned ATVOD’s determination, finding that the service was not TV-like. But ATVOD considered the Urban Chick decision to be “a narrow precedent relating to an unusual service” and believed that it should be distinguished from the Mistress R’eal service. In the Urban Chick decision, Ofcom had found that, although the short duration of the videos was not inconsistent with adult content linear programming, Urban Chick was not a service that was likely to compete for the same audience as linear TV broadcasts. As with the Mistress R’eal service, there was no narrative structure and the production techniques were amateur. In addition, there were no credits and the videos were not self-contained. In other words, Ms Lumb ultimately proved to be right in arguing that the Mistress R’eal service was clearly similar.
Juliane Althoff, Associate, Michael Simkins LLP
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Melinda Cain is an instructor at the University of Colorado in Boulder with the Department of Communication and the International Affairs Program. She previously held adjunct professor positions at the University of Denver and Troy State University. She is also the Managing Director of Real World Solutions, a consulting company that provides practical training and coaching in intercultural awareness and competence for professionals and organizations in business, health care, education and community services. She received her PhD and MA in International Studies from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, and has a MA degree in International Communication/International Law from the American University in Washington, D.C. Her unique profile of corporate and academic experience in the U.S. and internationally demonstrates a professional record in consulting and organizational employment that includes Vice President of the International Division of SIRVA Global Relocation Services and Deputy Director, Career Services, the Korbel School, Peace Corps training, a research social scientist for US Agency of International Development, and has studied/traveled or worked in over 40 countries. She has published on topics of cultural sensitivity, global human resource development and climate change.
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#1 Put entrepreneurs front and center
in Ecosystem Building 101
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This article was co-authored by Anika Horn and Enoch Elwell.
As ecosystem builders, we are committed to serving the entrepreneurs in our communities. To do our job well, we need to know who they are and what they need. But how do you find these entrepreneurs – especially those who are just emerging or are historically marginalized? How do we ensure we support entrepreneurs in leading local ecosystem efforts, that our services and interventions are entrepreneur-centric and that we listen with empathy?
I sat down with three experienced entrepreneurial ecosystem builders who share their approaches to putting entrepreneurs front and center.
Melanie Lenci
Kick-Ass Entrepreneurs
Santa Fe, NM, U.S.
Enoch Elwell
CO.STARTERS
Chattanooga, TN, US
Evy Collazo Muñoz
Colmena66
Active listening leads to empathy and rallying support
Melanie Lenci started Kick-Ass Entrepreneurs (KAE) in January 2018 out of love for entrepreneur stories and visiting new venues. Before Covid-19, she hosted Entrepreneur Story Time events in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the community gathered to hear a different local business owner share her/his story at a different bar or restaurant each month. Entrepreneur Story Time events became an anchor in Santa Fe’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, drawing crowds of 25 to 65 enthusiastic community members, local economic development officials, potential investors and other entrepreneurial support providers. No presentations, no sales, no pitches. Just stories.
“It’s grown organically. We want to hear what’s real because that’s what people can relate to and connect with. All of a sudden the community is rallying around the local business owner asking ‘What’s next and how can we help?’ I love giving entrepreneurs a place to tell their story and it’s incredible to see the community gathering around it naturally. While we’ve moved our events to Zoom for now, I can’t wait to get back together in person to show our entrepreneur community and local bars and restaurants some much needed love.”
Enoch Elwell describes himself as a community builder and advocate for nontraditional small business founders. To put his words into action, Enoch founded CO.STARTERS in 2013 where he is dedicated to helping people and communities thrive through entrepreneurship. How does Enoch keep the needs of founders at the front and center of his work?
“When I started this work, entrepreneurs were my primary circle of friends. I would have regular meetings with different founders to check in and find out how they were really doing. It’s so valuable. I would have anywhere from five to forty one-on-one conversations per month with small business owners in my area, it might be coffee, an advising session, or just a phone call. It was a simple way to keep me rooted, grounded and connected with our local ecosystem.”
Design entrepreneur-centric solutions
Evy Collazo works at Colmena 66 in Puerto Rico. Instead of directly providing services to entrepreneurs, Colmena66 acts as a resource directory for entrepreneurs in Puerto Rico (which, even though it’s a small island, counts 78 different municipalities! Who knew?).
If something doesn’t work, we don’t hesitate to stop a program or end a referral relationship.
“Our main focus is to connect entrepreneurs with resources so we have built relationships with other entrepreneur support organizations on the island including less obvious ones such as universities that cater to their entire community as well as some government offices. We manage a central calendar of events and a resource directory for entrepreneurs across Puerto Rico. We have a partner network of approximately 240 entrepreneur support organizations and refer founders directly to them. But that also means following up from time to time to ensure we are sending the right people to the right places. Every now and then, we run surveys to assess entrepreneurs’ needs and to receive feedback on the effectiveness of our efforts. If something doesn’t work, we don’t hesitate to stop a program or end a referral relationship. We have – hopefully – built enough trust that entrepreneurs actually participate in these surveys because they know that we act on the results, with the need and wellbeing of the founders always top of mind.
If I had to boil our approach down to one word, it would be ‘trust’.
What happens when we disregard founders’ needs?
Evy Collazo: “In my previous role, I worked for a nonprofit here in Puerto Rico to implement this amazing 16-week entrepreneur support program where you learn how to start and grow your business. It only costs $100 and you get access to all of these resources and technical assistance. My colleague who was in charge only had three people sign up and we couldn’t understand what was happening. In the past, she had run orientation programs to meet entrepreneurs in the respective region, talk about program details and answer questions. In this particular case, the municipality had agreed to cover most of the cost themselves and therefore saw no need for an orientation. What they missed was the opportunity to listen to what entrepreneurs in the region really needed. The program was going to run from 9.00 a.m. to 1 p.m.; the very few business owners in that particular town said ‘I don’t have the money to pay an employee to stay here those four hours. I run my business by myself.’
From then on, I made it a point in our meetings to remind everyone that we weren’t simply coordinating the trainings, it was also our job to find out what entrepreneurs in each municipality needed and how we could best meet their needs. For example, I don’t have children so I assume that working mothers have the day off because their kids are in school. I assume they will want to take a program from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m., but the reality is that some moms have a part-time job and simply can’t do nine to one but they might be able to do six to nine and have their mom take care of the child that one night a week.
We can’t assume. We have to ask questions.
Melanie Lenci: “Not long ago, there was a Request for Proposal (RFP) from the City’s office of economic development to fund ongoing entrepreneur support. We had had this really hyperlocal, homegrown business accelerator program that had been going on for 10 years and it was fantastic! But the city instead awarded the funding to a more global program that brought accolades from other countries but, obviously, wasn’t as deeply embedded in our local community as the homegrown program. The local program had been a central hub for connecting founders to the resources, information, mentors and talent they needed. They also held events that drew up to 200 people and really became a place to hear founders’ pitches, connect across industries and to celebrate local entrepreneurs.
I didn’t feel that the needs of local entrepreneurs were considered in this decision to bring in a globally-minded program instead of supporting the already established hyperlocal accelerator.
Let entrepreneurs be leaders
Enoch Elwell: ”The biggest issue I see is that there is this fixed idea about what a business is and what good business support looks like. So we have an established traditional business support infrastructure that requires a lot of energy and funding to maintain, but may be 10 or 20 years behind the current moment of entrepreneurship today. In reality, we have so much entrepreneurial talent that doesn’t fit these outdated support models. Instead, these founders operate at the grassroots level and often rely heavily on informal support from other, more experienced entrepreneurs. Pretty much all of our work at CO.STARTERS is built to close that gap, but we always start with the informal work: that’s business owners helping each other. We help them become a little bit more sustainable and a little more successful in a strong peer network, and then we connect them with the formal support structures as needed.
There is this fixed idea about what a business is and what good business support looks like when in reality, we have so much entrepreneurial talent that doesn’t fit these outdated support models.
For example, we worked with a community in Wisconsin where a bunch of local business owners came together to help build up their downtown. The local economic development leaders and local city leaders said ‘We’ve tried all the programs. We’ve given away free lunches and we organized all these business support programs and nobody showed up. There are just no businesses here.’ As CO.STARTERS, we listened to the needs of the local business owners who insisted there WAS a need. We helped them self-organize, provided them with some models to support fledgling entrepreneurs and they proved to all the local leaders that they were onto something.
If you empower the people who are doing the work, transformation happens.
In fact, they had so much demand, they ended up launching two programs at once and ended up being recognized by the state as the most successful accelerator program in the state, even though they weren’t focused at all on high-tech or high-growth startups. But all these new small businesses that created one job at a time were more productive (in terms of jobs created and businesses launched) than the accelerator programs in the state.
It just goes to show that if you empower the people who are doing the work, transformation happens. And sometimes that means that we need to expand our perspectives. We all live in our own echo chambers, whether we like it or not. We are blind to what we can’t see because it happens outside of our known circles, but it is still happening.
As ecosystem builders, the more we can participate in other perspectives, the more we can see the bigger picture, and the more we can listen and try to understand views that are different than our own.
We must embrace diversity.”
Ecosystem builders as vanishing mediators
Enoch Elwell: “I believe one of the most important things, particularly when you’re in a support role for entrepreneurs, is building processes that actively fight our inclination to build more hierarchies and layers into our support model. Our objective should be to make ourselves unnecessary. If we are truly in this to build thriving communities, then, after some time, that community should thrive without us. A friend of mine uses the term “vanishing mediator”. I think we, as individuals or organizations supporting entrepreneurs, should remain very conscious of the fact that we’re trying to build models that help catalyze a living network. As soon as you become a dependency in the system–something or someone that’s required for the system to survive–we can easily start getting away from putting entrepreneurs front and center. If we are more concerned with how we’re raising funds to keep our organization alive than we are with helping founders build a self-sustaining network, we are drifting away from these basic principles.
One thing that has helped me is switching my perspective to that of an entrepreneur myself. I suggest we should all think of ourselves as entrepreneurs who use ecosystem building instead of vice versa.”
Meet entrepreneurs where they are
One theme we identified is that we need to meet entrepreneurs where they are–a piece of advice that holds true in many facets of ecosystem building. When engaging with “entrepreneurs” be mindful that the term itself is loaded with images of hoodie-wearing twenty-somethings huddled around computers or maybe even a suit-wearing executive. As Enoch points out, the Western notion of what defines an “entrepreneur” is limited. “People have been launching and running businesses for thousands of years. Creating and exchanging value through commerce is actually quite intuitive! It’s only in the last few decades that we have added layers of MBA-speak and over-intellectualized this very human phenomena. We need to remove the artificial barriers and the overcomplicated language to create more access to something that should be very straight forward.”
Melanie adds “Santa Fe is a relaxed and social place. People like to get together after work, have a beer and chat. That’s why KAE Entrepreneur Story Time events happen in the evening, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., allowing for time to schmooze and network before and after the featured entrepreneur storyteller shares.”
Keep in mind that not all potential entrepreneurs think of themselves as such, especially in historically marginalized and underserved communities. They might identify as “creatives” or “hustlers” or simply people who try to make do with what they have at hand (possibly the best definition of an entrepreneur!). Consider creating and promoting events and opportunities that connect with people outside of the “entrepreneurship”, “business” or “startup” world.
This is the first installment of a seven-part series “7 Principles for Effective Ecosystem Building” that emerges out of a series of Fireside Chats hosted by Social Venturers between September and December 2020. Fireside Chats are peer-to-peer knowledge sharing sessions with entrepreneurial ecosystem builders passionate about leveraging entrepreneurship in their communities as a force for good.
This resource guide is no longer available for download. To stay in the know (and never miss another resource), join Impact Curator:
image credit: Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash
Isaac Jeffries
Ecosystem Building 101
Fireside Series
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